Yoga is renowned for its power to relieve stress, increase flexibility, and build muscle tone. It is not, however, as well known for promoting weight loss. Most people don't think of yoga as a way to burn off the calories, so they're often pleasantly surprised to discover that it can. Traditional yoga is not an extremely active pursuit. While it conditions and tones your muscles, you're not likely to work up a sweat during a yoga session. But the muscle-building effects of yoga do allow you to burn calories more efficiently. So if you participate in a good aerobic workout, you will see greater results than you would if you weren't doing yoga.
An important component of yoga is discipline of mind and body, which will help you stay committed to your exercise program and healthy eating habits. Yoga strengthens the connection between mind and body, which makes you more motivated to take care of your body. Lack of motivation is a frequent problem among those who want to lose weight, so this is a very important benefit.
If you plan on using yoga by itself to help you drop some pounds, there are some new variations on the traditional practice of yoga that might be quite helpful. These forms of yoga can give you the traditional benefits of yoga along with a cardiovascular workout at the same time. Here's a look at some of them.
Vinyasa - Vinyasa yoga is centered on shifting from one asana, or pose, to another while concentrating on your breathing. The Sun Salutation is a typical position, but there are many others besides. This is sometimes done in a hot room to increase sweating.
Ashtanga - This is an intricate approach to yoga, integrating six series of individual asanas. Each series is more complex than the previous one, so it's important to start at the beginning and work your way up.
Power yoga - This modern adaptation of yoga mixes active, high-speed actions with yogic breathing. It's more likely to increase your heart rate and work up a sweat than traditional yoga.
There is less of a conventional workout in these forms of yoga than say, an aerobics class, but they give you the best of both worlds. They're great for people who are a little too short on time to take two different exercise classes.
On the surface, aerobics and yoga have few similarities. But traditional yoga can enhance the effects of more intense workouts, and these newly popular styles of yoga can give you the best of both worlds. If you're dissatisfied with the results you're seeing from your normal exercise program, why not give yoga a try?Thomas writes articles and guides for people who want to lose weight. Take a look at newest Weight Loss Tips and Articles on my blog.
