The practice of yoga supports physical, mental, and spiritual development that allows you to create the best version of yourself. Yoga may also be an effective tool to help you lose weight, especially the more active forms of yoga. And you may find that the awareness gained through a gentle, relaxing yoga practice helps you to lose weight as well. Many experts agree that yoga works in different ways to bring about a healthy weight. Let’s take a look at a few of those ways.
Practice yoga as often as possible in order to lose weight. You can do a more active, intense practice at least 3 to 5 times per week for at least 1 hour. On the other days, balance out your practice with a more relaxing, gentle class. Hatha, yin, and restorative yoga classes are great options. If you’re a beginner, start slowly — start with a 20-minute practice and build up from there. This allows you to build strength and flexibility and prevent injuries. Allow yourself 1 full day of rest each week. Combine your yoga practice with activities such as walking, cycling, or swimming for added cardiovascular benefits. As part of your routine, avoid weighing yourself directly after a yoga class, especially hot yoga, since you may lose water weight during the class. Instead, weigh yourself at the same time each day.
