Yoga and losing weight: For many people, yoga is nothing more than a practice that involves stretching and toning muscles that already exist. The people who believe this probably also think yoga is only for those who are already in shape, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. There are many different types and forms of yoga, and while some are used for stretching and releasing tension in the body, many others are excellent tools to use during weight loss.
While it is true that yoga does not burn as many calories as cardiovascular workouts, there are many benefits that help you shed pounds while toning the muscles you are helping create in your body. For the purposes of weight loss, you should look to the ashtanga, Hatha, and Bikram yoga varieties.
One of the gentler, yet still demanding, styles of yoga preferred by beginners is Hatha yoga. This type of yoga combines specialized breathing techniques with different postures, meditation, and more for a challenging practice that helps kick-start weight loss. It is highly popular when used for both exercise and the management of stress. Sessions generally begin and end with a period of meditation before easing into stretches that become progressively harder.
Ashtanga is one of the more physically demanding styles of yoga that requires the individual to align his or her breathing with difficult and sometimes challenging poses that work the muscles immensely. This form of yoga is intended to produce great, internal heat that results in making the body sweat and cleanse itself of toxins and impurities. During a 30-minute to one-hour session of rigorous Ashtanga yoga, you will feel your muscles burn and start to shake. However, when it is all over, you will feel refreshed, relaxed, and more capable of handling the stresses of your day. The best part of Ashtanga yoga is that it can be done daily.
Another form of yoga that is excellent for calorie burning and, therefore, weight loss is the Bikram style. Also called “hot yoga,” Bikram yoga is generally performed in a room that is heated to anywhere from 95 to 105 degrees. The focus of Bikram yoga is to help the individual develop muscle strength and endurance while increasing flexibility. The all-inclusive cardiovascular and strength training practice is a workout many enjoy. The heat created in the environment in the body during Bikram yoga is said to help a person become more flexible, as well as detoxify the body by sweating out impurities.
Yoga also has many benefits to the mind that do not come from other workouts. This is especially true after a large weight loss. Those who lose a number of pounds but never do yoga can have issues with loose skin. They can use anti-aging skin products like the new New device, but, those who tone as they lose using yoga practices find loose skin issues are lessened since they form muscle during the weight loss process. Yoga is truly a relaxing, vigorous regimen that, when done correctly, can firm up the body while clearing the mind and reviving the metabolism. When combined with a good diet and additional cardiovascular exercise, yoga is an excellent weight-loss tool.
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