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Is it Possible to Shed Extra Weight Doing Yoga?
YogaLondon on 02 August, 2010 |

It has long been accepted that yoga helps with flexibility, strength building, toning muscles, and boosting mental and physical functions. But yoga for weight loss is a different story. Is it possible to shed extra weight doing a yoga practice? Yes; but losing weight depends mostly on the intensity of your yoga workout. Follow these tips and you'll be steps closer to a slimmer you…

Choose the right style of yoga:
The amount of weight you will lose will be based on the type of yoga and the length of time it is performed. Keep in mind that a regular 60-minute yoga class will burn up to 170 calories, whereas 60-minutes of light walking can burn around 300 calories. For weight loss you will need a more rigorous style of yoga, which is to be discussed later. The style of yoga must increase your heart rate, which will in turn burn fat.

Let yoga influence your whole lifestyle:
It is also wise to practice healthy habits. Avoid the obvious packaged and processed junk foods. Limit alcohol consumption, as most are loaded with empty calories, and abstain from drugs. If you find leading a healthy lifestyle difficult, practicing yoga will "make you more susceptible to influence for change [since it gives] you the spiritual connection to your body that can help you make those changes", says Dana Edison of Radius Yoga.

Pair yoga up with cardio:
It is also advised that you pair yoga with another cardio-based workout, such as walking or biking. The cardio exercise will help you lose weight while the yoga practice will create lean toned muscles. Pairing the two forms will help you achieve maximum weight loss.

Recommended styles of Yoga to practice:
Iyengar yoga poses are sustained for a few minutes each and are especially conducive for strengthening and building muscle. If you are looking to tone-up rather than to lose, Iyengar is the right style of yoga for you.

The more rigorous styles of yoga recommended for weight loss include Ashtanga, Hot and Power Yoga. These styles are sure to get your heart pumping and body sweating. But watch out: While hot yoga (performed in a heated studio) will get you sweating the most, it is important to remember you will be losing mostly water rather than fat.

A quick overview:
A sure fire way to see weight loss results is to not only practice yoga but to incorporate a sweat producing yoga class, light cardio workouts, and a well-balanced diet into your life. The benefits will even surpass weight loss. You'll feel more relaxed, more focused, and goal-oriented.

As always, take caution if you have never tried yoga before and select a beginner's class. Slowly working your way up to more advanced courses is the healthiest option.