Yogasana for Weight Loss

Yogasana is a combination of two words: yoga and asana, used to describe the many postures that form a complete yoga workout. Yoga is the discipline and asanas are the postures or programs that practitioners engage in. When practiced regularly, yoga can purify the body, provide physical strength and promote better health and weight loss in many ways.

  1. How Yoga Works

    • A research trial of 15,500 healthy middle-aged men and women funded by the National Cancer Institute and conducted by the Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found that yoga can help shed pounds or keep individuals from gaining weight. People who practice yoga lost 5 pounds during the research trial. Researchers believe that yoga has important mind-body benefits and that mindfulness is essential to how yoga inspires weight loss. What this means is you may become more mindful of what you eat, and how your body reacts to sensations of hunger and satiety, which will help you to eat better and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

    Yoga and Stress

    • Yoga can also promote weight loss by reducing stress. According to Beth Lewis, Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota School of Kinesiology in Minneapolis, regular yoga practice helps combat stress, which can influence a person’s energy intake. The more stressed out you feel, the more likely you are to eat, which can cause weight gain. When practicing yoga, you are more likely to eat less because you feel less stressed, and thus you may find you lose weight as a result.

    Power Yoga

    • Power yoga is a form of yoga that has more fat-burning potential, much like an aerobic workout. While other forms of yoga may have mind-body benefits, fans of power yoga claim that this more aerobic form helps participant’s burn calories and build muscle. This may help jumpstart a weight-loss plan, although the benefits may not be as powerful as a traditional cardiovascular workout.

    Best Yoga Poses

    • Some yoga poses burn more calories than others because they work more major muscle groups. These poses are challenging and often take practice to master. These yoga postures will tone your arms, legs, abdomen and buttocks. The top yoga poses for weight loss include Crescent, Willow, Chair Pose, Rocking Boat and Hover. To perform these poses you may need a yoga mat and comfortable clothing. You can find basic yoga instruction at many local recreation centers, online or at local rehabilitation, therapy and yoga centers. Many offer daily or drop in rates.