Yoga was originated in India many years ago and is the longstanding form of mental and physical regulation. People who practice yoga on a regular basis gain positive energy in their mind and body and it provides a great deal of health benefits as well. It relieves stress or anxiety, increases concentration and helps in losing weight. But you should keep in mind that yoga is not the one and only answer to a weight problem. You have to get rid of those extra calories on a daily basis. Once you start consuming more calories than you take in on a regular basis, you start to gain weight again. Yoga can help you lose and maintain weight but you cannot depend solely on yoga in order to lose weight.
Read the following 8 points to find out what you should know before deciding on yoga for weight loss:
1) Yoga provides both psychological and emotional benefits. It calms the mind, relieves stress and keeps your mental focus. If you practice yoga regularly you will be able to make better decisions as your mind will be alert and will be free from mental blocks.
2) Yoga for weight loss helps in making the body more flexible and agile. It also improves your posture and balance. With yoga you are able to perform other exercises more flexibly and the chances of injury are less.
3) It is advisable to practice yoga under the supervision of experts to make sure you are doing it the right way. You can practice yoga at home but practicing under an experienced yoga instructor is always helpful than doing it on your own.
4) Some forms of yoga are more effective for weight loss than others. If you are practicing yoga for weight loss, then you should go for the form that increases your heart rate. This will burn much fat which is essential for weight loss. You can opt for styles like Ashtanga yoga, power yoga or hot yoga as these are vigorous, flowing styles of yoga that help in losing weight. The classes for these styles are conducted for 90 minutes and help you burn calories and stretch your muscles. Once you have achieved you goal weight you can move to the slower forms of yoga which benefit the mind.
5) When you are practicing yoga in a heated environment you can feel uneasy and dizzy. So whenever you plan to go for such sessions, ensure you are well-hydrated and have put on the right type of clothes.
6) If you are a beginner, you must not try tough postures initially or you may end up injuring yourself or get upset with harder moves and quit. You should always start at the beginning and move towards advanced stages as and when your body allows. Yoga for weight loss may appear to be simple, but it can actually be quite challenging for beginners.
7) Breathing is an essential part of yoga, irrespective of the form you choose. Concentrate on breathing in and out and avoid all the surrounding sounds. You will definitely learn more in each session if you get your mind into the training as much as your body. It not only calms the mind, but also avoids any discomfort in performing other exercises and makes your movements more flexible and easy.
8) Always try to mix yoga with other forms of exercise and a healthy diet. If you practice only yoga for weight loss, then you would need to spend at least 60 minutes five or more days a week. So drink a lot of water, eat healthy and combine aerobics, speed walking, swimming, etc. along with yoga to get the shape you want.
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