As of today, when searching through Google Scholar there are 65,700 results regarding “Yoga for Weight Loss.” We have no shortage of studies at this time. Here’s a theory for you. After all the research about Yoga for weight loss, we know that Yoga lifestyle is a factor, but we don’t know exactly why. It’s not the number of calories burned. It reminds me of Aesop’s Fable: “The Tortoise and The Hare.”
Here’s a spin on the story: The Hare can run and he will lose weight, but when he gets to the finish line, he burns the same amount of calories as the Tortoise at the finish line. In other words, if you travel a mile on foot, you burn approximately 100 calories, whether you walk or run.
Yoga for Life
Now, here’s another spin: If the Hare made a Yoga lifestyle change, his body would be in good shape in his senior years. At the same time, he might develop a daily practice and enjoy his Yoga lifestyle. The key is to look at the long-term objective and never give up. Well, that’s one more happy ending.
Granted, students come to classes for many different reasons. Sometimes, new students ask, “What does a healthy, active Yoga lifestyle change look like?” We’ve all heard about the importance of exercising for longevity and good health, but what are the daily habits that make up this lifestyle? Yoga is a great way to help students control weight, but it’s a way of life.
Marathon Mindset
Compared to going on a diet, Yoga can be practiced anytime, anywhere. It can also promote strength, flexibility and increase your energy level. There are many “Yoga workouts” that have been created to target specific parts of the body and/or individual health conditions. Holding Yoga poses is a low-impact form of exercise on the physical level, but during the process, self-awareness is stimulated. Enhanced awareness and mindfulness set the stage for controlled eating and continued practice.
In Vinyasa Yoga, much credit is given to the transition from one pose to another. The theory is movement burns more calories than holding poses. Of course, this makes sense and Vinyasa flows average 400 to 500 calories burned per hour. Yet, Hatha Yoga practitioners average 175 to 300 calories burned per hour. Additionally, there have been more flows added to Hatha Yoga classes within the past 20 years.
Food for Thought
As you already know, Yoga is not just an exercise. However, when anyone starts to practice and stays on the path, results happen. At the same time, changes are not usually noticeable first. Nevertheless, changes happen to one’s emotional and mental health, long before newfound muscle tone can be seen. To believe in one’s self and move in a direction of forward progress is a mystery to many people. Yet, experienced Yoga practitioners know exactly what they want. In challenging times, that is not easy with so many distractions.
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ResearchPandit DP, Upadhyah A, Goyal P, Sharma D. Effect of short term yoga on body weight, BMI, body fat percentage & blood pressure. Indian J Clin Anat Physiol. (2019) 6:179–82.
Jakicic JM, Davis KK, Rogers RJ, et al. Feasibility of integration of yoga in
a behavioral weight-loss intervention: a randomized trial. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2021;29(3):512-520.
Govindaraj R, Karmani S, Varambally S, Gangadhar BN. Yoga and physical exercise—a review and comparison. Int Rev Psychiatry. (2016) 28:242–53. 10.3109/09540261.2016.1160878
McIver S, McGartland M, O’Halloran P. “Overeating is not about the food”: women describe their experience of a yoga treatment program for binge eating. Qual Health Res. 2009;19(9):1234-1245.
Hendriks T, de Jong J, Cramer H. The effects of yoga on positive mental health among healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Alt Compl Med. (2017) 23:505–17. 10.1089/acm.2016.0334
McDermott KA, Rao MR, Nagarathna R, Murphy EJ, Burke A, Nagendra RH, et al. . A yoga intervention for type 2 diabetes risk reduction: a pilot randomized controlled trial. BMC Complement Altern Med. (2014) 14:212. 10.1186/1472-6882-14-212
Chauhan A, Semwal DK, Mishra SP, Semwal RB. Yoga practice improves the body mass index and blood pressure: a randomized controlled trial. Int J Yoga. (2017) 10:103–6. 10.4103/ijoy.IJOY_46_16
Pandit DP, Upadhyah A, Goyal P, Sharma D. Effect of short term yoga on body weight, BMI, body fat percentage & blood pressure. Indian J Clin Anat Physiol. (2019) 6:179–82.
Cramer H, Lauche R, Haller H, Steckhan N, Michalsen A, Dobos G. Effects of yoga on cardiovascular disease risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Cardiol. (2014) 173:170–83. 10.1016/j.ijcard.2014.02.017
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