Yoga Poses for Weight Loss- Are they the Secret to a Toned Body?

Category: Weight Loss, Yoga |

Jennifer Aniston, Madonna, Halle Berry, supermodel Christy Turlington, and Liv Tyler have all promoted the virtues of doing yoga to lose weight. In fact, they just can’t seem to stop going on and on about how beneficial it is, how it brings a glow to their skin, and how it keeps them looking gorgeous day after day after day. But in spite of the irrefutable evidence I see on magazine covers, I am often given to wonder the validity of yoga poses for weight loss.

Is Yoga the Way to Lose Weight?

As a general rule, yoga isn’t the kind of exercise that burns calories like most other forms of aerobic workouts like jogging, walking, running or swimming do. The average 150-pound individual doing yoga for an hour will only burn 150 calories by doing even the best yoga poses for weight loss, such as the sun salutation, shoulder stand, tree pose, or bow pose. On the other hand, a simple exercise like walking for an hour at a moderate speed of 3 mph can burn upwards of 300 calories. And yet, there is no end to the claims of people, all over the world, having lost weight with the help of yoga.

What about Power Yoga?

There is, however, one form of yoga I am aware of that is considered a high-intensity workout – power yoga. Derived mainly from Ashtanga yoga and modified to make it a little more appealing for the Western audience, power yoga has become immensely popular owing all over the world. It adopts the essential teachings of this ancient form of exercise and unites it with the world’s need for fitness and weight loss. It’s a lot more fast-paced than traditional yoga, giving you a total body workout.

The Benefits of Doing Power Yoga

Here are some of the benefits you receive from doing power yoga:

1. Burns calories

2. Improves flexibility, builds strength, boosts stamina, and tones the core muscles of the body

3. Boosts the metabolism of the body

4. Alleviates tension and stress

How does Power yoga measure up against Regular Cardio Workout

While it is true that cardio workouts score over power yoga when it comes to calorie counts, in the long run you’d be better off including yoga poses for weight loss in your exercise routine. Power yoga isn’t simply about burning calories. Excessive cardio workouts can do more harm than good since it can deplete your muscle reserves, which can seriously jeopardize your long term weight loss plans.

Power yoga, on the other hand, offers some of the best yoga poses for weight loss. They build lean muscles and we all know the role they play in losing weight. For the uninitiated, lean muscles increase the body’s metabolism, thereby helping the body burn fat faster and more effectively.

How often should I do Power Yoga?

For the purpose of weight loss, you should try and squeeze in a couple of sessions of power yoga in a week, in addition to whatever form of cardio workout you’ve already got planned.

If you’re looking to lift weight, do a few sessions of power yoga before you begin. It will increase your overall strength and prepare you for a more strenuous workout. Runners will also benefit greatly from doing power yoga since the poses lengthen the muscles of the body by stretching them.