Here's Exactly How to Lose Weight by Doing Yoga (Even If You’re a Beginner)
Most Americans don’t gravitate to yoga when they are looking to lose weight. Intense cardio and weightlifting are thought of as the keys to calorie burning and muscle building. Yoga, on the other hand, tends to be understood as a less intense, more meditative practice—and understandably so.
You won’t hear many devout yogis talk about weight loss as the driving force behind yoga. In fact, when Indian gurus and monks first introduced yoga philosophy to the West in the late 1800s, their intent was to teach people how to achieve mental fortitude and inner peace. But this doesn't mean that yoga can't benefit someone who is trying to be more toned.
Can you lose weight by doing yoga?
Yes, the effects of a consistent yoga practice could mean you shed some pounds. Yoga has a number of benefits that can have a significant effect on your overall physical and emotional health, including weight loss.
“Weight loss occurs from a combination of eating the right calories, decrease sugar intake, reducing stress, bringing mindfulness to eating, and having a routine exercise program with variety that encompasses an interval of intensity,” says Mazen Abbas, D.O., M.P.H. Pediatric and Young Adult Gastroenterologist in Kailua, Hawaii. “Yoga brings a level of mindfulness that creates a respect for the body and, thus, more willpower to do the right things with better nutrition and activity.”
Research shows that a consistent yoga practice paired with an Ayurvedic diet, AKA an ancient Indian holistic nutrition approach based on your body type, can result in weight loss. A small study published in Global Advances in Health and Medicine had overweight or obese adults follow an Ayurvedic diet paired with yoga therapy, and after nine months, participants lost an average of nine pounds.
This is because yoga boasts a wealth of benefits that are linked to weight loss, beyond doing chatarunga after chatarunga:
Yoga reduces stress.
Yoga reduces stress, which has been linked to weight can. Cortisol stimulates your fat and carbohydrate metabolism, while increasing your cravings for salty, sweet, or fatty foods. Yoga, in particular restorative yoga, can lower cortisol levels to encourage weight loss. A study published in the American Journal of Managed Care found that Yin yoga helped lower cortisol levels of women after 12 weeks, resulting in a reduction of body fat.
Yoga can help reduce cravings.
One of the greatest benefits of yoga is becoming more mindful, says international yoga instructor Adriene Mishler. Studies show that people who practice mindfulness are less stressed, less likely to reach for comfort foods, and less likely to binge eat. “As we get more in the habit of listening to our breath and our bodies, we gain more control over what is happening in the mind,” Mishler says. "We become less reactive and more present."
Yoga may even improve your sleep.
Poor sleep can sabotage weight loss efforts, according to researchers. You know how it goes: When you're tired, you may be too tapped to workout effectively and more likely to give into unhealthy cravings. Your metabolism may even be affected. Exercise in general is known to improve sleep, so try doing a few yoga poses before bed to tire yourself out and get to sleep faster.
Yoga may help with digestion and metabolism.
In today's rushed world, many of us breath shallowly, therefore increasing our stress and anxiety levels. When we are operating in that state, our adrenal glands release more cortisol. High levels of this hormone can lead to increased blood sugar, weight gain, and digestive issues. Practicing deep breathing can help to reduce stress, and as a result, decrease cortisol in the body.
Some research even suggests that certain breathing techniques can improve metabolism. A 2014 study revealed that the majority of our weight loss occurs when we are breathing. When we breakdown triglycerides, or fat, we exhale it in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2). Since that discovery, in 2018 a group of scientists found that certain breathing techniques could potentially increase metabolism, but more studies need to be done on how breathing affects weight loss.
Which type of yoga is best for weight loss?
Yang Yoga styles, including Hatha, Vinyasa, Kundalini, and Power Yoga, are increasingly popular weight loss choices for their more dynamic and physically vigorous flows. These styles can challenge your heart rate, improve your strength, balance, coordination, flexibility and leave you sweating on your mat. Some studios are even incorporating weights and more HIIT-style methods into their classes.
However, getting results isn't necessarily dependent on the intensity of the class, Mishler says.
“Daily or regular yoga is more beneficial than hitting a hard power yoga every once and a while,” she says. “Through consistent practice you start to connect the dots between mind and body as well as how the practice effects your life off the mat. A daily practice also yields physical results as the body increases mobility and builds strength.”
You can start with these 13 yoga stretches here. Beyond these daily movements, here's how a regular yoga practice can help you develop healthier habits—and lose weight along the way.
How often should you practice yoga to lose weight?
Some form of yoga should be practiced daily, whether it's a full asana practice, winding down before bed with savasana, or taking a couple of deep breaths in between work meetings, Abbas says. However, losing weight is all about taking a holistic approach to your lifestyle, which includes diet, fitness, stress levels, sleep, and nervous system regulation.
To get the most out of your yoga practice—including weight loss results—then Abbas recommends practicing yoga at least five times a week, while incorporating other forms of fitness such as walking. If you're going to try more intense yoga classes such as Ashtanga or Power Vinyasa, then give yourself a rest day in between with either light stretching, Yin yoga, or walking.
And if you're a beginner, not to worry—yoga is one of the most accessible forms of exercises around. It's low-impact and targets muscles to help improve flexibility, coordination, and balance with age, all while protecting your joints. Start with beginner level or restorative yoga classes when you first begin. Then, you can increase to more intense classes such as Vinyasa or Power Flows. Ultimately, teachers will always offer modifications to help you feel conformable and safe.
And always remember to tune into your body and honor what your body needs and what it can or can't do. Because in the end, yoga is all about bringing your mind and body back into balance—and hopefully helping you lose a few pounds along the way.
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