Yoga for Weight Loss
Within yoga’s ability to create total well-being, lies its ability
to reduce excess weight through burning calories, boosting
metabolism and encouraging a healthy lifestyle. Yoga is not a
quick fix, but can be an excellent long-term holistic approach to
loosing excess weight – and keeping it off. Not only that, yoga
creates many other positive changes: improves self-esteem,
increases mental focus, reduces stress, promotes flexibility and
increases strength and balance.
Metabolism is the chemical processes that create energy in the
body that are regulated by the endocrine system, especially the
thyroid. Yoga has a powerful stimulating and strengthening effect
on the endocrine organs and thus can boost metabolism to burn more
calories. The twisting and compressing of the yoga postures
massage the internal endocrine organs regulating their function
and improving local circulation. But even with yoga’s effect on
metabolism, the age-old weight loss formula of reducing calorie
intake and increasing calorie output is still important to follow.
Twisting poses, back bends, forward bends and inversions are used
to stimulate the endocrine system and boost metabolism. If the
weight gain is due to a hormonal imbalance poses that affect the
thyroid in the neck will be helpful: camel, shoulder stand,
rabbit, plow, and bridge. Practicing the Sun Salutations will be
especially helpful in boosting the body's metabolism as will
moving quickly (vinyasa) between any series of poses. Do not
attempt a fast paced vinyasa until you have achieved a basic
understanding of the poses. Being significantly overweight may
cause difficulty in forward folding poses and inversions, you may
want to avoid or minimize these at first.
The standing poses, especially the warrior and lunging poses are
used to strengthen and tone the muscles, build endurance, warm the
body and increase caloric output. The standing poses are
empowering and grounding, and regularly practicing them increases
self-confidence and self-esteem. Use Kapalabhati and Ujjayi
Pranayama to help warm and energize the body and further boost
metabolism. Practice Kapalabhati before or after your yoga
practice, and use Ujjayi with vinyasa and holding yoga poses.
Incorporating a yogic diet and lifestyle will create a holistic
weight loss program and positive long-term change. A yogic diet is
high in fiber, whole grains, legumes and vegetables; and low in
fat, animal protein and processed foods. A yogic lifestyle
encourages awareness and consciousness, compassion,
self-knowledge, and the practice of the principles of right
conduct and lifestyle of the yamas and niyamas. Yama, respect for
others, includes nonviolence, truth, honesty, moderation, and
noncovetousness. Niyama, positive self-action, includes purity,
contentment, discipline, self-study, and devotion.
Yoga is a process and should be approached as such. Focus on
slowly increasing your commitment to the yogic practices outlined
above and enjoy the gradual changes that appear. Ideally practice
yoga 6 times per week or alternate your yoga practice with other
forms of movement taking one day off per week for rest.
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