Jumpstart Weight Loss Resolutions With Yoga

Every year, one of the top New Year's resolutions is to lose weight -- and for a good reason. According to the CDC, two out of every three Americans are overweight or obese. We're in the midst of an obesity epidemic and the numbers are increasing worldwide. Many of us are affected by this epidemic, either personally or through our families or friends.

Studies show that successful weight management depends on a healthy lifestyle. The conventional prescription for achieving and maintaining your best weight is still the healthiest -- through lifestyle education, eating a healthful, balanced diet, cutting calories and 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity daily.

Yoga To The Rescue

Most weight loss plans are fads that offer short-term solutions to a long-term problem. Many people find these plans impossible to stay on for a lengthy period of time. In contrast, yoga offers a positive change in lifestyle, where permanent weight loss and maintenance is a natural result of enjoyable yoga exercise and diet. By balancing food intake and yoga exercise, you can naturally achieve your ideal weight.

Yoga Boosts Calorie Burning

Research reports that regular yoga practice may help jumpstart weight loss all year. One study, published in Medicine & Science In Sports & Exercise, suggests that vinyasa flow-style yoga practice can burn as many calories as other aerobic activities, such as walking and running.

Researchers at Adelphi University in New York administered a videotaped vinyasa yoga sequence to 13 experienced yoga practitioners. The participants' oxygen use, heart-rate and calorie burning were monitored during the yoga session.

The researchers found that the participants' heart rates increased 77 percent during the yoga session. The practitioners burned up to 435 calories per hour. This is the equivalent of running a 16 minute, 30 second mile.

Yoga Prevents Middle-Aged Spread

Another study, published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, reports that regular yoga practice can prevent middle-aged weight gain in normal weight adults and promote weight loss in overweight adults.

Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle analyzed physical activity and body weight data from the Vitamins and Lifestyle Study, a survey of 15,550 adults with an average age of 55.

The researchers found that overweight middle-aged participants who practiced yoga at least once a week lost an average of 5 pounds. In contrast, the participants who didn't practice yoga gained 13 pounds.

Is weight loss one of your New Year's resolutions? I'd love to hear about it! Please share with us below.

For more by Elaine Gavalas, click here.

For more on yoga, click here.

If you want to learn more about a yoga weight loss program, please download a free sample chapter from my book, "The Yoga Minibook for Weight Loss."

You can buy "The Yoga Minibook for Weight Loss" here.

Elaine Gavalas is an exercise physiologist, yoga therapist, weight management specialist and nutritionist.

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Flickr photo by Earl McGehee

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post stated practitioners burned up to 507 calories per hour, or the equivalent of running an 11-minute mile. The practitioners burned up to 435 calories per hour, or the equivalent of running a 16 minute, 30 second mile.

 

 

 

Comments

[Oxygenyoga]

12:31 PM on 01/20/2012

The book,"Oxygen Yoga: A Spa Universe" has really helped me a lot with my Yoga. I do a series of poses about every 8 weeks and it has really helped my breathing. It has also helped me become very aware of clean air and the whole universe. I feel so happy!

[rparker1]

05:02 PM on 01/17/2012

A Yoga? No...while it is great for flexibility and balancing your mind, its piss poor at weight loss. I'm sorry but its the truth. Weight loss comes with cutting your food intake, increasing your exercise and the right motivation and will power to see it through to the end.

I've personally lost 180lbs since Dec 2009. My blood pressure was 160/110, now its 120/80. My cholesterol was 256 mg/dL, now its 176mg/dL. I'm no longer Pre-Diabetic and I'm in the best shape of my life. It wasn't easy but I can say that everyone can do it if they have the right program.

If you're interested in my story please head over to Zdiets.net

Cheers.

Ryan E. Parker

[kasel1]

02:27 AM on 01/07/2012

Yoga? Are you kidding me? I really love these studies that have - how many people this time? Thirteen? Suppsoing seven were controls, that gives you statistics of about 50% in the first standard deviation, which is equivalent to NO study at all. Thanks for the tip, Elaine. Is Adelphi University really a preschool? Oh, silly me, this was all just an advertisement to sell books on quakery.

[fpwillson]

01:09 AM on 01/07/2012

So the article is really an advertisment. Gotta' keep selling those books.

[Jables513]

12:01 AM on 01/07/2012

I agree with Yoga, but run 4-5 miles 4-5 times a week. I enjoy running, however 473 calories a workout seems low. I am 180 lb man, and burn 650 minimute each 4 mile workout not including the 15 minutes of weight training I do each workout. Should I be doing yoga, and does this benefit me if I do yoga once a week instead of running?

[yogajan]

06:58 PM on 01/06/2012

Yoga is the best exercise you can do, if you do it correctly. I highly recommend some private lessons with good instructors--it is worth the money. Personally, I am not a fan of hot yoga, because it is not physiologically sound, in my opinion. I can get a good cardio effect from deep yoga poses and don't need to sweat. Yoga, if done correctly is a combination of deep exercise, correct breathing and wonderful meditation. If you have the money and the time, I highly recommend a yoga retreat. I am a big fan of Geo and his retreat at Blue Pearl Laguna in Laguna Beach, CA. Namaste

[OMGWTH]

09:07 AM on 01/06/2012

I just signed up for ten Bikram yoga classes. I enjoy yoga and do fine with it, so I thought I would give this a try. Several of my friends swear by it and promise that once I get past the first two sessions, I will actually enjoy working out in the heat. We shall see.

[Crccomputer Brooklyn]

04:19 PM on 01/05/2012

Excellent Review

[longtalldrink]

09:13 AM on 01/05/2012

I practiced yoga and vegetarian eating for about 7 years before I had an operation on my foot and had to depend on my husband for meals. I was so good at yoga that I could do the plow pose and the wheel pose with no problem. I stopped doing yoga for 2 years and started eating poultry and fish again. I gained 30 pounds and now cannot do the plow OR the wheel pose because of my belly fat. I have started doing yoga again and find it much more enjoyable than all the machines in the gym or step classes. I am glad to read that it burns as many calories as some aroebic classes. I have noticed a toning up of all my extremities, but not the belly fat yet. Can't get my husband to stop cooking and he really gets offended when I decline his meals. Sigh.

[pjvel]

10:35 AM on 01/05/2012

Sorry about the foot injury, though your story is inspirational in getting back to it. Keep it up...the belly fat will go.

Maybe just take smaller portions of your husband's meals and fill up on veggies and fruits between meals until you can get better and cook again.

I dunno...just wanted to help and hope you get better.

[longtalldrink]

06:44 PM on 01/05/2012

What a great reply...and thanks for the suggestion of taking smaller portions of hub's meals and doing the veggie and fruit thing...great points.

[Jables513]

12:06 AM on 01/07/2012

Good luck longtalldrink! Maybe you could get him to go for a yoga class? Are you able to do a spin class yet? If so, he'll love that! My wife brought me for the first time a year ago, and I am hooked. You wouldn't be putting pressure on the bottom of your foot (I don't know the extent of your injury so please don't crusify me!). Might be a good alternative for the meanwhile.