Ever since yoga gained mainstream popularity it has been renowned for numerous health benefits ranging from physical flexibilities and improved mental health. However, recently Yoga has taken the spotlight for a low-impact workout that actually helps with weight loss by focusing on using bodyweight resistance. According to some renowned personal trainers in Dubai here are three surprising ways how yoga can help you lose weight.
Manages Stress That Affects Weight Loss
The practice of yoga is derived from a sanskrit word called “Yuj”, which in translation means uniting the body, mind, and emotions. It is the essence that makes Yoga a holistic mind-body workout that regulates many mind related causes that encourage weight gain.
Sometimes you can experience stress in the form of physical pain, sleep deprivation or it can also come in psychological forms like anxiety and agitation. Whichever the cause it may be , stress in general increases the production of the cortisol hormone (stress hormones). This hormone has a substantial influence in increasing abdominal fat, reducing muscle mass, and even causes increased craving for calorie-rich foods like fat and sugar, thereby leading to obesity.
Through its mind-body connection yoga successfully reduces the stress i.e. cortisol hormones, and in turn decreases anxiety and depression which can override your efforts to lose weight. It can also improve sleep and chronic health conditions like diabetes and hypertension, which helps to reduce the intake of any medication that causes weight gain.
A clean diet and a professionally guided yoga class targeting an effective mind-body connection can let you manage these stress levels that hinders your weight loss progress and encourage sustainable results.
Promotes Mindful Eating
One of the major benefits of Yoga for weight loss is its unique mind-body connection. Some of us fail at weight loss efforts due to our incapability to stick to a healthy eating plan. If you know one or two things about weight loss, you will probably know that achieving a calorie deficit through diet modifications is key for weight loss, and exercise is a complementing element that sustains the results.
However, suppressing our cravings is one of the biggest challenges of keeping up with a diet. Yoga is called a moving meditation as it can improve the mindfulness of the body and the awareness of body sensations. This enhanced mindfulness easily supports you to decrease emotional eating, stress eating and binge eating in general, thereby helping you strictly follow your diet.
This has been concluded by a study where a steady yoga routine leads to healthier eating, including lower fat intake and an increase in vegetables and whole grains.
Acceptance And Support For Your Weightloss Journey
Sometimes the thought of going to a gym can sound intimidating. It may provoke feelings of non-belonging , especially if you’re a relatively larger person. However, the beauty of Yoga is that it embraces a culture of kindness, support, and self-acceptance. It teaches you how to love your body and listen to it in the most gentle way while sustaining progress. Such tranquility and sense of self-love allows you to easily stick to your weight loss routine with a high level of motivation.
Moreover, research shows that in group yoga classes, having social networks and influence from like-minded people affects your approach and mindset towards weight loss. The yoga network is believed to encourage positive health behaviors and being part of such a community lets you make minor lifestyle changes that make a meaningful difference for weight loss. Such kind of cohesion and psychological connection is difficult to find with other types of exercises.
