Yoga is often considered as a low-intensity exercise, especially when compared to high-impact activities like running or cardio routine. However, it’s important to note that different forms of yoga such as Ashtanga, vinyasa, hatha, and power yoga burn a lot of calories. Yoga is also a safe bet for people who do not like intense workout routines like cardio or HIIT or have joint paint or injuries. In fact, doing yoga regularly increases flexibility and eases joint pain which would help to engage in more physically demanding workout routines later on. All forms of yoga whether it’s low intensity or high, is a great addition to your weight loss journey. Yoga is the kind of a workout routine that everyone can enjoy and stick to in the long term and get amazing results. In this article, we explore 6 big ways yoga can help you achieve weight loss.
1. Yoga Helps Reduce Stress:
There is a strong link between prolonged stress and belly fat, and experts call it “stress belly.” Under stressful situations, our body releases the hormone cortisol, which keeps the blood sugar and blood pressure elevated. Stress also switches on the “fight-or-flight” response where the body slows down metabolism to conserve energy. Stress also disrupts sleep and increases cravings and appetite for unhealthy food. Doing yoga reduces stress, also helping to overcome stress-induced overeating. So, in the fight against flab, we need to find effective ways to reduce stress, and yoga, is a wonderful tool to do so. Yoga calms the nervous system and relaxes the mind. It also stimulates the release of endorphins, which are believed to be body’s natural painkillers, also helping to elevate mood and alleviate anxiety.
2. Burns Significant Calories:
Yoga is not considered an intense workout routine because we do not sweat profusely. However, yoga involves a series of poses and movements that engage different muscle groups, and helps build muscle. Yogasanas also improve metabolism, and as we all know, a healthy metabolism, burns a lot of calories even at rest. As we have mentioned earlier, astanga, hatha, power and hot yoga are different forms of yoga which burn a lot of calories. Also read: “5 Yoga Poses That Burn More Calories.”
3. Helps To Practice Mindful Eating:
Since yoga is considered an union of the body and mind, it promotes being connected to body’s sensations and living in the present. All these habits can extend to our eating habits and help us tune into the body’s hunger and satiety signals. By applying mindfulness to eating, individuals become more conscious of their eating habits and stop when they are full without overeating. Additionally, since yoga helps to beat stress, it can help with emotional eating which is one reason why we tend to binge eat.
4. Adds Tone To The Body:
A lot of yogasanas stretch the muscle fibers and promote their growth. Yoga helps to build lean muscle and tone the body, and that means you would not only feel good, you would also look good!
5. Sleep Deep, Shed Pounds:
There are a lot of studies that show that sleep deprivation increases appetite, unhealthy cravings, and significantly increase calorie intake the next day. Sleep and stress management should be made a priority if you are embarking on a weight loss journey. Coming back to sleep, when people do yoga, they learn how to calm their busy minds. To get a restful sleep, one needs to hit the bed with a relaxed mind and yoga helps a great deal. It’s like when you listen to a soothing bedtime story, and it helps you feel relaxed and ready for sleep. Yoga also teaches our bodies how to let go of any tension. By practicing yoga, our bodies and minds become calm and relaxed, making it easier to have a good night’s sleep.
6. Yogasanas Help To Regulate Important Hormones:
A lot of yoga poses help to regulate important hormones that contribute a great deal in weight management, thyroid and insulin for example. Setu bandhasana or the bridge pose is an effective yoga to alleviate thyroid condition. It stretches the neck and improves blood circulation in the thyroid gland. Yoga has gained importance an effective tool for diabetes management. Tadasana, trikonasana, veerabhadrasana, have been found to stimulate pancreas and diabetes management. It is also believed that pranayama techniques and yoga therapy alleviate stress-induced hyperglycemia.
In conclusion, yoga can prove to be a powerful ally in your weight loss journey. Yoga stands as a versatile and sustainable fitness choice for all, promising remarkable results in the journey towards weight loss and overall well-being. Find the most-effective yoga poses to burn calories on the Rati Beauty app.
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