Diet Q & A: Does Yoga help lose weight?
The answer is no. and maybe.
When I was walking to pick up lunch today [yes walking – what a shock] I was thinking..man, I really hate strenuous exercise. Although I am fine with running, I really prefer brisk walks and more recently, yoga. Yes I’m turning into a desperate housewife. But it begged the question, does yoga really help me lose weight?
I mean, being cooped up in a hot, hot room and stretching really makes me break a sweat but face it, it’s not running, it’s not cycling, it’s not even aerobics. I can say that my muscles are less tense and I’m getting a bit more flexible but it doesn’t seem to be knocking numbers off the scale which is actually ok with me as long as my overall appearance is more lean and slim. Unless I am a blinking scale, I could care less if I was 130 lbs as long as physically and mentally I’m fit.
Even yoga experts are reluctant to answer this question, but they do agree that the answer is no. Physically. But practicing yoga DOES offer great psychological benefits and through that changes your connection with your body. You are more prone to relax and focus on bettering your body which in turn can result in weight loss.
I’m a fan of power yoga which is a bit more fast paced and incorporates cardio and ab exercises within the workout. I find that in running or sports I tend to lose my breath quickly and it turns into a nauseating chest pain. In yoga, we always begin with breathing and stretching exercises that allow the person to get in sync with how far they can push the body and how far they can push themselves.
Yes. I know I made yoga sound like a lazy ‘work-out’ but trust me, even the grown men are shaking at the end of each session.
Yoga Sources:
Yoga Journal
Power Yoga
