It’s no secret that exercise has proven to show positive effects on a person’s overall health, both physically and mentally, regardless of their current weight or fitness goals. These benefits can be achieved through different types of exercise routines, such as weight training, cardio workouts, resistance training, or pilates, and while the results may vary according to the time and difficulty of each exercise, leading an active lifestyle can also reduce the risks of certain diseases.
There’s an underlying question of whether one type of exercise is better than the other, especially when it comes to weight loss. Cardio workouts are usually the go-to for people that are looking to shed some extra pounds because of their fast-paced, high-intensity routines. Weight training is another workout recommended for building strength and for losing weight without decreasing the body’s muscle mass. While these types of workouts are effective, they’re not the only available options for people looking to embark on their weight loss journey.
Yoga is a well-established practice that’s usually associated with mindfulness and spiritual development, but its emphasis on the mind-body connection can also help with weight loss. There are several styles of yoga and each one has its own set of benefits, from improving sleep and reducing stress to strengthening and aligning the body. These are all important factors for weight loss, and while choosing to practice a more active style of yoga can help you obtain more notable results, it’s important to choose a practice that suits you and makes you feel better.
At LIMARP®, we offer physical activity routines to our patients as part of our integral bariatric treatments. Our team of doctors review your medical history and talk with you about your weight loss goals to establish a physical activity plan that suits your needs. This article focuses on practicing yoga as a method for losing weight, the different styles that exist, and all the benefits, both physical and mental, it provides.
Before going any further, we recommend that you speak to your yoga instructor if you’re recovering from an injury or any type of surgery. This will allow them to support you at a greater capacity and prevent you from sustaining further injury or sprains, especially if you’re starting at a beginner level.
Can You Lose Weight by Practicing Yoga?
Yes. Just like with any other workout, yoga is an effective practice for losing weight and improving your overall health. The connection that arises between your mind and body when you start practicing yoga can bring forward major lifestyle changes, from the way we move, to the food we eat, all the way to how we perceive ourselves. This means that practicing any style of yoga can also contribute to your mental health and allow you to develop a sense of awareness that maybe wasn’t there before.
This new awareness can help people rely less on comfort eating and make more conscious decisions when it comes to the food they consume. When done correctly, yoga, like any type of workout, gives the body an energy boost and a sense of satisfaction. These two factors can encourage the practitioner to continue with their weight loss journey in a successful and enjoyable way, making them feel that yoga is now an integral part of their lifestyle and not an obligation.
When it comes to yoga, the process of losing weight becomes more of a holistic experience in the sense that you become more aware of how outside factors, such as food, impact your body and mind. A 2016 study proved that yoga can be a “useful tool for healthy, sustained weight loss” because it can lower the practitioner’s stress levels and help them be more attuned to their body. There’s a scientific explanation for the decrease in stress, which can be found in a study carried out by the American Journal of Managed Care; in this research, it was found that practicing yoga can algo reduce cortisol, a stress hormone that inhibits weight loss.
How Often Should You Practice Yoga?
While many factors can contribute to significant weight loss, such as diet, sleep, and alcohol consumption, being consistent in your yoga practice is key to shedding the extra pounds off. Advanced yogis recommend you practice three to five times a week and that you also incorporate, if possible, other cardio activities such as walking or cycling. The duration of yoga classes or sessions can vary, but the important thing is to be active, whether it’s a full hour class or a 20 minute session, and to feel good with yourself.
Keep in mind that not all styles of yoga require the same physical exertion and if you’re practicing Ashtanga or a Power Vinyasa Flow, you should limit your yoga sessions to three times a week to give your body the time to recover. Remember, rest is also important for weight loss and overexerting your body can lead to fatigue or injury.
Styles of Yoga
If you’re a beginner, we recommend you find the nearest yoga studio and check their available classes to see if there’s one that fits your needs. There’s no such thing as “best style of yoga”, it’s rather finding the type (or types!) that allows you to feel better with yourself. One of the many benefits of yoga is that it can adapt to your needs, meaning that you can find a style that fits your mood, goals, or the available time you have during the day.
Here are some of the different styles of yoga and the benefits each one of them brings:
- Vinyasa: This is a more dynamic style of yoga and one that’s usually recommended for people who are looking to lose weight. The practitioner flows from one pose to another, with three to five breaths each. A vinyasa practice is good for toning and strengthening the body, as well as for developing endurance and stamina.
- Hatha: This practice focuses on breath and movement to establish a balance between your mind and the body. Hatha follows a series of strengthening poses mixed with those that are for flexibility and relaxation. Each pose is held in between five to 10 breaths and it’s suited for beginners and experienced practitioners alike. This style of yoga is good for reducing stress and improving sleep.
- Ashtanga: This is another style of yoga that’s recommended if you’re looking to lose weight. It synchronizes breath, posture, and the gaze point (Drishti) to create a dynamic flow and build heat. The sequence is the same every time and it’s great for building strength and calming the mind. Expect to sweat a lot with this style!
- Yin: This is a slow-paced style of yoga that focuses on improving joint mobility and flexibility by doing poses that lengthen the muscles. Each pose is held between two to ten minutes, giving the body enough time to release any existing tension. This practice is recommended before going to sleep.
- Power: This type of yoga is a harder, more advanced type of Ashtanga. It included arm balances and inversions to help build strength and cardiovascular endurance. This style is also recommended for weight loss.
- Restorative: This style of yoga is also slow-paced and it follows a series of passive yoga poses to allow the body to relax and release any negative stress. Restorative yoga can be beneficial during times of fatigue or emotional stress, and it’s a great practice to carry out after any strenuous activity.
Best Yoga Poses for Weight Loss
Now that you’ve learned about a few different styles of yoga, we’d like to show you several poses, or asanas, that are known to be the most helpful when it comes to losing weight. Practicing these poses individually can aid you in flowing more smoothly during your yoga sessions and target specific muscle groups for toning and strengthening. If any of these asanas are too challenging or you’re struggling with maintaining proper form, there are several modifications to make them easier until you build enough strength.
- Plank Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana): Strengthens the abdominal muscles and increases endurance.
- Warrior Pose (Virabhadrasana): This pose improves your concentration because it involves the use of several muscles. It’s great for toning the quads, back, core, and arms.
- Triangle Pose (Trikonasana): This pose can reduce waist and belly fat while toning the thigh and leg muscles. It also improves balance and concentration.
- Bridge Pose: If you’re looking to strengthen your glutes and back, the bridge pose is ideal. It also helps with digestion and muscle toning.
- Downward Dog: This pose is beneficial for toning most of your body and it particularly strengthens your arms, thighs, hamstrings, and back. Downward facing dog also improves your circulation.
- Shoulder Stand Pose: This pose is great for strengthening your upper body, legs, and abdominal muscles. It also improves your sleep pattern and boosts your metabolism.
Yoga for Bariatric Patients
Following any type of bariatric surgery, your doctor will give you a set of postoperative recommendations to make sure that your recovery process goes smoothly. Among them, it’s the incorporation of physical activity into your daily routine. Exercise is vital for maintaining the weight you lost during surgery off, as well as preventing unwanted weight gain or any other health problems.
To ensure a healthy weight loss, your new exercise regimen will be accompanied by a nutritional plan that fits according to the type of workout you will start practicing. To learn more about the importance and benefits of consistent exercise after you’ve recovered from bariatric surgery, we invite you to read the following article.
While yoga can help almost anyone on their weight loss journey, it also provides specific benefits for bariatric patients, such as:
- Improvement in Joint Mobility
Arthritis can be a common issue that bariatric patients struggle with, and while the pain associated with this inflammation can’t be cured with surgery, yoga can be of great help to alleviate the tension and improve flexibility in the joints. Some helpful poses include child’s pose and cat to cow pose.
- Increase in Metabolic Rate
There are different breathing techniques that accompany certain yoga poses and the combination of both has proven to effectively burn calories. Flowing through different poses during a yoga session boosts your metabolism, and whether you’re practicing a restorative or fast-paced routine, this can lead to more fat burning. This increased metabolism can also make your weight loss process easier and faster.
- Better Stress Management
Yoga also consists of becoming more mindful of your surroundings and inner self through relaxation and/or meditation, thus reducing the practitioner’s stress. This can be beneficial for those in weight loss journey because successfully managing certain impulses or mood swings that reduce binge or stress eating. Some poses that can help with stress management are easy pose (sukhasana), thunderbolt pose (vajrasana), and corpse pose (savasana).
Keep in mind that while yoga is not considered a high-intensity workout, you should always ask your doctor if they believe this practice is right for you, especially if you’re recovering from a surgery. They might recommend that you wait a few months, and one they give you the green light, they will suggest you start with simple poses or a slower style of yoga.
Contact Us to Learn More
If you’re looking to lose weight and wonder if yoga is the right physical activity for you, schedule an appointment with one of our doctors. We can help determine the right treatment for you. Contact us online anytime or give us a call at (619) 373-0229.
