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April 5, 2022

Can Yoga Help With Weight Loss?

Obesity is a complicated condition, so if you're having problems reducing weight despite your best efforts, it's because it's a complex disease with many reasons.

If you have a family history of weight problems, you’re more likely to have the same problems managing your weight. Sedentary behaviour and a diet heavy in ultra-processed foods, sugar, and fat lead to weight gain. Stress and mental health issues, such as the use of drugs to address certain mental health illnesses, lack of sleep, and hormonal changes, all contribute to weight gain.

There are various strategies to lose weight, but there is no single solution. Yoga may be beneficial if you are attempting to shed or maintain your weight. Yoga has been shown to help people manage stress, boost their mood, reduce emotional eating, and build a supportive group, all of which can aid weight loss and maintenance.

Yoga may help you burn calories and tone your muscles while also increasing your muscular mass. The practice may also help to relieve joint discomfort, allowing you to move more and participate in more activities on a regular basis. These are just a few of the numerous advantages of yoga.

Managing Stress Through Yoga

Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word yuj, which means to unite the body, mind, and emotions. It is a holistic mind-body practice that improves many of the causes of weight gain.

Some people experience stress as physical discomfort or lack of sleep, while others experience it as psychological concern and agitation. Cortisol, a stress hormone, rises in response to stress. Cortisol raises belly fat, lowers muscle mass, and increases the desire for fatty and sugary foods, all of which can contribute to obesity.

Yoga has been shown to lower stress and cortisol levels, increase mood, reduce anxiety and depression, improve sleep, and treat chronic illnesses including hypertension and diabetes, minimising the need for weight-gaining medicines.

Yoga is not a quick fix for obesity, but it may help with the underlying problems. Its advantages go beyond the calories-in-to-calories-out calculation.

Improving Mindfulness for a Better Diet

One of the benefits of yoga is to improve the mindfulness and perception of the body.

You don’t need to do formal sitting meditation to enjoy the benefits of yoga mindfulness. By improving mindfulness, yoga reduces emotional diets, stressful diets, and eating disorders. These habits can interfere with our weight loss efforts and cause a negative spiral of guilt and shame that often leads to giving up.

It has been shown that yoga practice leads to a healthier diet, including reduced fat intake and an increase in vegetables and whole grains.

The best diet plan is one that can be sustained, and by improving your attention, yoga can help you choose a healthier diet.

The Yoga Community

Going to the gym alone can be intimidating and eventually harmful on your mental health. In contrast, yoga culture embodies care, support, and self-acceptance. Yoga teachers and advanced players can act as role models and inspire new students to lead healthier lifestyles.

Are you looking to achieve your goals through serenity? Get in touch with FLOW today and we can ensure you’re on the right track through our yoga and wellness coaching. Our aim is to find synergy between the body and mind.

Diet In wellness,

Coach Andrew

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