Can you lose weight with yoga?
Many people ask the question: is it possible to lose weight while doing yoga? Let’s try to figure it out and give an exhaustive answer to this question. In the Molot fitness club, you can visit Hatha Yoga classes in hammocks, which will help not only improve your health, but also get rid of extra pounds.
How many calories are spent per hour of yoga
Yoga is a great way to improve your health and get in shape. The results of the classes depend on the type of practice, which differ in the intensity of the loads. Such as Ashtanga, Bikram are classified as strength yoga programs, so you can burn more calories in training than, for example, doing a healing practice – Hatha yoga. On average, you can spend from 100 to 500 kcal per hour.
The most effective yoga practices for weight loss
- Ashtanga yoga. The practice focuses on meditation and proper breathing. Differs in intensity of performance of exercises. The exercises are structured in such a way that the load increases gradually. For an hour of classes, you can burn up to 300 kcal.
- Hatha yoga. The most popular and widespread practice. This type of yoga involves relatively easy asanas that focus on developing flexibility rather than strenuous exercise. Most exercises require static performance, which will develop the vestibular apparatus and a sense of balance.
- Power yoga (Ashtanga). The combination of Ashtanga yoga postures and aerobic exercises is called strength training. This type of training is carried out without rest stops. Strength exercises are replaced by stretching and breathing asanas, which allows you to remove lactic acid from the muscles. It takes strength to master the postures. In addition, this type consists of meditation and cardio training. It is believed that Ashtanga classes can cleanse the body of toxins. Power yoga allows you to lose weight and build muscle. The result depends a lot on the individual, which is why yoga instructors refrain from making accurate predictions of how many calories can be burned while doing this practice. Power yoga is recommended for everyone, including physically poorly developed people.
- Bikram yoga. The most intense, and literally hot type of yoga, as training takes place in a room where the air temperature is not lower than 40 degrees. The duration of the lesson is one and a half hours. It includes a complex of 26 asanas and 2 breathing exercises, which are performed in a certain order. Bikram yoga is a great way to relax, detoxify and improve flexibility. The practice is suitable for absolutely everyone, regardless of the physical fitness of a person. Due to intense sweating, this type of yoga is considered the most effective for burning extra calories.
Advantages and disadvantages of yoga for weight loss
When choosing the best weight loss practice for you, you must not only rely on the number of calories burned, but also take into account all the advantages and disadvantages of the practice.
Pros of doing yoga:
- Restores the body as a whole, including normalization of weight.
- Classes of various types of yoga are suitable for people suffering from various degrees of obesity.
- Exercise has a positive effect on health, lifestyle and diet.
- There are practically no contraindications to yoga for medical reasons.
- Classes have a positive effect on the emotional state and stimulate a person to self-improve in the future.
- Yoga classes can be attended, regardless of weather conditions and seasons.
- Classes do not require the use of additional equipment and sports equipment.
Cons of doing yoga for weight loss:
- Yoga classes are not specifically aimed at weight loss, but rather an additional bonus, so you should not give preference to practices solely for the purpose of losing weight.
- Finding a qualified instructor is quite difficult. There is a chance to get into a charlatan or into a sect. Therefore, it is recommended to apply only to sports clubs that conduct yoga classes.
- Self-study from books and videos can lead to undesirable consequences, ranging from injury to a sharp deterioration in health.
- Yoga practices are so diverse that it is quite difficult to choose the one that is ideal for you. An experienced instructor will help you make the right choice.
From the foregoing, we can conclude: when choosing a practice, you should not pay special attention to calorie consumption. First of all, it is necessary to concentrate on the quality of performing asanas and proper nutrition. In the end, you will be able not only to improve your health, but also to get rid of extra pounds. A professional instructor will select the most optimal set of exercises, depending on the goals that a person sets for himself.