Can I Lose Weight Doing Yoga?

One of the complaints I hear frequently from my yoga students, and from many women in general, is an unhappiness with their body shape and more specifically, their weight. While a part of me hates the notion that we all seem so "body obsessed," I recognize that it is a pervasive part of our culture and not an easy thing to let go of or dismiss. So, since you asked, 'can yoga help me lose weight?' here are my thoughts on the subject.

First, my own experience with yoga does include a weight loss story. When I started out in yoga and got excited about the practice in general, I became aware of my body and how heavy it seemed when I attempted so many of the asanas. I remembered an old fitness program on TV when I was young in which the instructor would shout "C'mon ladies, you grew it, you lift it!' I started thinking about the idea that if I weighed a bit less, then so many of the yoga postures would be more available to me. This simple body awareness then led to me consciously trying to make a few healthier choices, and over the course of my first year in yoga, and taking class only once a week, I dropped 10 pounds. I did not diet, as when I do, I get too focused on food and usually end up eating more!

There is also research out there that would indicate that yoga is a good practice for trimming down. The role of the hormone cortisol, and its job to help the body store fat when stressed (and old survival mechanism) is being researched. Indicators show that when participants feel more relaxed and less stressed, their cortisol levels lower, and weight loss is the result. Belly fat that can be especially difficult to lose can be linked to high cortisol levels, so when we practice stress reduction (and who doesn't feel more relaxed and centered after a yoga class?) we have a better chance of shedding a few pounds.

Finally, of course, you are bending, moving, and stretching in yoga, which burns calories. Holding our weight against gravity and using the weight of our bodies also builds strength and muscle mass, and as we have all heard, having more lean muscle mass naturally burns more calories.

My hope is that in the future, we move toward a culture and viewpoint that is less focused on the scale, and instead looks at overall health and vitality. So no matter what the number is on your scale, I hope that you feel good in your own skin and cherish your good health and all the things your body can do.

See you on the mat!