Yoga For Weight Loss - Is It Possible?
Yoga is certainly a very good style of exercise but many people complain that it is not effective at helping them lose weight. This style of exercise offers you a lot of benefits that includes improved health and reduced stress. It is also a very good way of improving your muscle strength as well as bone density. However, it does not always help you lose weight. The problem lies not with the exercise but with the particular style you are following. There are many different styles of Yogic exercises and they offer you different benefits.
People who practice Hatha Yoga will find it difficult to lose weight if this is the only exercise routine they follow. The asanas or positions in this particular style are very slow paced and help to improve flexibility and blood circulation as well as strength of the joints. However, they do not constitute a proper cardiovascular workout since it does not raise the heart rate sufficiently. People usually supplement it with regular running or swimming in order to burn extra calories.
There are other Yogic routines that are better suited to people who want to shed some pounds. They are all different types of Vinyasa Yoga. Ashtanga Yoga is a very vigorous style that requires practitioners to follow up one asana with another one without a break. This is a great way to work up a sweat and you will find it very easy to lose weight. Another popular style is Power Yoga. This is one of the best cardiovascular workouts available to people who want to rev up their metabolism. Hot Yoga is a particular variation of Vinyasa style that is practiced in a room that is temperature controlled to be very hot. It is a common sight to see people perspiring very freely when they practice it.
These Yogic styles are very popular with young people because it suits their requirement for a very vigorous workout. Apart from losing weight, they also develop a great amount of core strength. Regular followers of these styles find it very easy to keep their weight down because they get a fair amount of exercise. It also increases their endurance levels which makes it a perfect way to prepare for other activities like long distance running or swimming that also help to keep weight under control.
This is also a very enjoyable way of exercising since it is usually done in a group. Many people make great friends at their exercise studios and this is a motivating factor for them. It keeps them coming back for more and therefore helps to prevent them from dropping out of the program.
It is certainly possible to lose weight if one follows this ancient form of exercise. It is also a great way to maintain weight at low levels. The immense popularity of this style with celebrities and film stars indicates that it is very effective at helping keep weight under control. You too will benefit from following the right routine.