A lot of my students compliment me on being slim and ask me for advice on losing weight.

My response is always simply to eat healthy and exercise and in my case I do a lot of yoga of course but I also go running and cycling as to be truthful, when it comes to an intense calorie burn, very few forms of yoga would likely qualify on the same level as, say, a spinning class or bootcamp session.  

In a physically demanding yoga class that moves quickly and may involve hand weights, you might burn up to 400 calories an hour. But the more typical class clocks in between 175–250 calories an hour. By contrast, Zumba has been estimated to burn about 650 calories per hour.

Of course, calorie burn depends a great deal on an individual factors like age, muscle mass, body weight, metabolic rate, general amount of daily activity and even gender — men tend to burn more calories than women.

That means you might burn 300 calories in a yoga class while your friend burns only half that. But even with those caveats in mind, yoga can still be effective as part of a weight-loss effort, since it has numerous benefits that can indirectly contribute to losing weight, even if you’re not burning hundreds of calories during class.  And here's why:

STRENGTH-BUILDING BOOST

Many yoga classes include at least some form of strength building through bodyweight exercise.

For example, when I teach Vinyasa Yoga, I include a sequence called “chaturanga,” which is basically a half pushup that strengthens your triceps, shoulder muscles and pectoral muscles. Other poses might work your core, quads, hamstrings and glutes.

As you work against gravity, that turns those yoga sequences into resistance training. And that builds muscle mass — which, in turn, creates a longer-term calorie burn.

LESS STRESS AND BETTER SLEEP

When it comes to a belly-fat-builder, stress is super effective at packing on the pounds. That’s because chronic stress keeps your cortisol levels elevated, and your body responds by depleting feel-good brain chemicals like serotonin, according to Dr. Sara Gottfried, author of “The Hormone Cure.”

This combination not only causes you to begin storing more belly fat — which the body tucks away in order to have a ready source of energy in a fight-or-flight situation — but also negatively affects your sleep and increases your sugar cravings, making it all worse.

Once there is a chronic level of cortisol secreted, no amount of exercise or calorie restriction will budge someone’s weight.

Yoga is a powerful anti-stressor, and one study found it works throughout the body to create a more relaxed state. When that happens, the other healthy habits you’re employing for weight loss simply work better.

MORE SOCIAL TIME

Streaming an online yoga class is great for busy schedules, but it’s also helpful to consider joining an in-person class as well. That can give you the opportunity to connect with others, even if you don’t have a deep discussion with anyone.

It is found that yoga, specifically, is a useful tool for weight loss because of the non-competitive, social support provided by the yoga community. Many students say being in a yoga studio feels different, and more positive, than the culture they’d encountered in gyms and health clubs.

They also say they feel like the other students and the yoga teacher act as role models in terms of healthy eating but also for a healthier world view that was useful for reducing stress and adopting better behaviors.

HEALTHIER EATING CHOICES

As you integrate a practice like yoga into your routine, and experience lower stress levels and better sleep, it’s likely you’ll also start to pay more attention to what you eat.

It has been found that people who are feeling overworked and burned out have a much higher risk of emotional eating and overeating. Researchers also found the higher the levels of fatigue and overwhelmedness, the more people tend to reach for fast food and convenient options, resulting in a higher caloric intake.

Yoga’s focus on mindfulness and being present isn’t useful just when you’re transitioning to your next pose — it also cultivates a mindset that is helpful when you’re standing in the supermarket aisle or looking at a restaurant menu.

FOCUS ON SELF-CARE

As everyone who’s trying to lose weight knows, shedding pounds takes more than a calories-in, calories-out approach.

While that is an effective starting point for many, skimping on self-care can make weight-loss efforts more difficult, or worse, completely ineffective. Also, putting everyone else first can lead to letting healthy eating and exercise get pushed down on the to-do list, adding to the weight-loss sabotage.

Adding yoga into a routine may not be a calorie burner, but it can have powerful results anyway, by helping you establish good habits that create consistent, sustainable weight loss that sticks.

I hope you found this blog helpful to shed the pounds you want to lose. I can also give some advice on nutrition and healthy lifestyle in general. Just send me your questions by e-mail or leave your comments below.

Namaste

Christel