Seven Ways Yoga Helps with Weight Loss

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After more than a decade of regular practice I’m convinced that yoga is the best exercise for Weight Watchers. Because yoga, even the gentle kind, has an amazing ability to make dealing with everything in life a little easier. Including weight loss.

Woman doing balanced yoga pose outside. — *Photo Credit: rishikesh yogpeeth on Unsplash*

My yoga practice has helped me sustain my lifetime WW status for more than ten years. I’m not alone.

In one study of more than 15,000 adults in their 50s, overweight people who did yoga at least once a week for 4 or more years lost an average of 5 pounds, while those who didn’t practice packed on an average of 13.5—a difference of nearly 20 pounds.

How could a few minutes of deep breathing and gentle yoga poses help anyone drop pounds? Here are a few ways…

Reduces stress, stress-hormones, and as a result stress related eating which is good because stress can cause weight gain.
Increases our overall mind and body awareness so we pay more attention to our eating behaviors and choices which naturally results in more mindful eating and better management of cravings. We learn to chew more so we can weigh less.
Improves how our brain reacts to stress and improved mood, leading to healthier food choices and less emotional eating.
Improves muscle tone, balance, flexibility, and circulation leading to improved hormone function and better digestion.
May increase insulin sensitivity and lower cholesterol by as much as 19 and 25 percent.
Encourages us to be kind to ourselves. This self-compassion can help us avoid beating ourselves up when we slip up making it easier to get back to healthy eating at the next meal.
Teaches us that each day is a practice, an opportunity to gain insight; not a zero sum undertaking. We learn to be less judgmental and striving. We begin to feel more balanced, less out of control. We realize we can turn to our yoga practice, breathe deeply, take a walk, or have a bath instead of raiding the fridge or nearest vending machine.