According to Judi Bar, the yoga program manager at Cleveland Clinic Center for Integrative Medicine, yoga offers various health benefits such as strengthening muscles, improving sleep and reducing stress. She adds that yoga can also aid in weight loss, not just through calorie burning, but by promoting a lifestyle change that includes increased physical activity, reduced emotional eating, and stress management.
1. Managing stress
Yoga can be helpful in managing stress, particularly chronic stress, which can contribute to weight gain. According to Sundar Balasubramanian, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, the breathwork and meditation involved in yoga practice can boost energy, improve mood, and reduce stress levels. Dr. Balasubramanian, who researches the benefits of yogic breathing for people with chronic and other diseases, explains that stress can make weight loss difficult by raising cortisol levels, leading to stress-eating and difficulty sleeping. Deep breathing exercises can counteract these negative effects, making weight loss easier.
Breathing exercises can induce physiological changes in the body, including a reduction in cortisol levels. Studies have shown that mindfulness exercises, such as those practiced in yoga, can help lower cortisol levels. In a review of 42 studies published in December 2017 in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, yoga was found to be associated with lower levels of evening cortisol, waking cortisol, resting heart rate, and cholesterol levels.
2. It takes part in muscle forming
Yoga is an effective way to build muscle mass, which can aid in weight loss and weight maintenance. Unlike weight lifting, yoga uses the body’s own weight as resistance, providing a full-body workout that engages all muscles. For example, holding a plank pose activates the muscles in the shoulders, core, hips, and legs, while transitioning to Downward-Facing Dog pose engages muscles in the forearms, shoulders, and back. This muscle-building process burns calories, according to Carol Krucoff, a certified yoga instructor and therapist.
A review of 30 trials with over 2,000 participants, published in the journal Preventive Medicine in June 2016, found that yoga can reduce waist-hip ratio in healthy adults, as well as body mass index (BMI) in overweight or obese individuals. In addition, studies have shown that even slow and restorative yoga classes can improve fasting glucose levels in overweight or obese individuals, indicating improved metabolic health.
3. Helps with mindful eating
According to Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, Ph.D., an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of research at Yoga Alliance, practicing yoga is not just about strengthening your muscles but also about connecting with your body and practicing mindfulness. Holding postures for extended periods of time and focusing on your breath and body can help you develop mindfulness skills, which can also be applied to mindful eating.
Mindful eating involves recognizing your hunger cues and avoiding binge eating, while also being mindful of how different foods make you feel. By practicing mindfulness on your yoga mat, you may become more attuned to which foods make you feel energized and which ones have negative effects.
Research supports the idea that practicing yoga can lead to changes in eating behavior, such as reducing dietary fat intake and adding more fresh vegetables, whole grains, and soy-based products. Additionally, a study comparing women who regularly practiced yoga with those who did cardio-based exercises found that the yogis were less likely to have disordered eating patterns.
According to Khalsa, yoga’s emphasis on listening to your body’s cues is what makes it especially helpful for developing mindful eating habits.
Introducing yoga to your body
If you’re interested in incorporating yoga into your weight loss plan, here are some tips from experts to help you get started:
- Start slowly: It’s important to start with an introduction to yoga or any form of exercise. Avoid harder, faster styles of yoga and choose a style that’s easy to follow and won’t lead to injuries. Look for beginner classes, which are more likely to explain how to do the poses.
- Make adjustments as needed: Choose a form of yoga that suits your needs or make adjustments to various poses if you can’t do them fully. Seek live classes where you can ask an instructor about how to modify a pose or exercise to meet your needs.
- Find a style, class, and instructor that fits you: Try out different classes, styles of yoga, and instructors until you find the perfect fit. Engage in a yoga practice that you can sustain and enjoy to reap long-term benefits.
- Incorporate other forms of exercise: Most yoga styles involve some muscle-strengthening, but not every class will give you a cardiovascular workout. Pair a regular yoga practice with some aerobic exercise like walking, jogging, biking, or other activities that get your heart rate up.
- Keep at it: Practicing yoga is a habit you’ll need to forge slowly. Pick a practice you enjoy, that you can do weekly or more frequently and stick to it to see results.
- Seek professional input: If you’re unsure how to make yoga part of your weight loss plan or are experiencing discomfort or pain, seek further guidance from your primary care doctor or a physical therapist who has expertise in yoga. They may be able to help you build a customized program for your specific health goals.
