How is yoga useful in weight loss?

[karthikselvam 2]

What are the advantages of using Yoga as form of weight loss exercise? How effective is it?

[Christinamo7 4,041]

any time you are moving your body you are burning calories and working to change your metabolism.

yoga works your core and will add stability to any other movement and form of exercise you choose to perform.

it's my personal feeling that the gentle slow stretching helps me avoid injury in other activities.

how effective it can be will depend upon how challenging, length and frequency of your work outs but it is possible to get a pretty serious workout with yoga or pilates.

edited to add* please find a workout routine or combos that you love as the best way to loose weight is to keep moving, and the best way to keep moving is to do things you enjoy

[RJC5197 282]

He helped Luke Skywalker learn to manage the force, he should be able to help with weight loss. (Oops, Yoga not Yoda) I found when I was doing Yoga, it was a pretty good workout, and took me a while to get up to speed, but worked up a sweat, and it did help me stay more flexible as I did other workouts, without injury.

Edited June 22, 2016 by RJC5197

[AvaFern 3,516]

Strictly in terms of weight loss, yoga isn't that helpful, but it provides a lot of other benefits. As the other person noted, it helps keep you flexible, so you avoid injury doing other things. Yoga can also help you relax, which is important for cardiac health and your mental sanity. You aren't likely going to look like the teacher if you're only doing yoga, but it certainly isn't going to hurt you.

I hate yoga...I am not zen, I am not calm, and it makes me feel like I am wasting time. I can recognize though that it has a lot of benefits for your health and so I encourage you to try it. Burn some calories for me.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

@@karthikselvam

Some of it depends on you and your body type/blood type. I am a person that is prone to stress. Yoga is a better exercise for me because it doesn't cause my body additional stress. If you have ever read eat right for your blood type, AB people do better with yoga and low stress exercise.

Some benefits of yoga are you can build muscle, you have to use your own body weight and you end up getting much stronger in the process trying to master poses.

It also helps with your skin and your lymphatic system. It helps stretch your skin, helping with elasticity and it help pump/drain your lymphatic system.

It is good to mix it up I do yoga on alternate days from a cardio or strength routine.

Edited June 22, 2016 by OutsideMatchInside

[CBT 450]

It depends on the type of yoga you're practicing. For example, Vinyasa yoga (flow) burns calories and builds muscle as each asana is held only for 3-5 breath cycles and uses the large muscle groups.

I would encourage anyone new to yoga to read about different forms and try a few different types/teachers.

Here's a link:

http://life.gaiam.com/article/beginners-guide-8-major-styles-yoga

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[Ryan TN 348]

I've been doing yoga for the last few weeks. I am training heavily for a triathlon and the stretching from yoga is very helpful, especially the older you get! Like one of the above posters said, it's not a cardiovascular workout, so it won't help you lose weight like other activities, but it won't make you gain weight either. I feel so much better and relaxed after yoga.

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[jess9395 5,449]

Totally depends on the type of yoga for sure!

Vinyasa, Asthanga, power, bikram, hot yoga--Those all work you aerobically and burn a lot of calories. They also build muscle which in turn burns more calories at rest.

Yin, restorative, and types like that are more meditative and relaxing and stretching. They prevent injury and maintain flexibility.

[karthikselvam 2]

Thank you all for your valuable contributions and motivation.

I would like to thank you all for taking interest in answering my question. I would definitely try your suggestions.

[Zenlife 10]

I love Yoga ???? I cant wait to be able to do it again and pilates. As other people have mentioned there are different types of yoga..but let me tell you when you are doing power yoga and plowing through about 30 sun salutation sequences, you are definitately burning calories and getting the heart rate up.

And the favourite part of yoga - shavasana - the relaxation part at the end.

I am also thinking the Yoga and pilates will help keep skin supple and toned as weight comes off.

All the best

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[The Starving Mom 47]

I decided to start yoga in combination with walking/jogging, light cardio, and light weight lifting. Right now and until my surgeon clears me for more strenuous activites after my surgery I will only be doing yoga and walking