Can yoga help you lose weight? There’s a lot of evidence to suggest that it can help with mobility, but not a lot of evidence to show that exercise is a true calorie burner. One study, published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health (opens in a new tab), showed that a 60-minute Vinyasa practice burned fewer calories than a walking session on a treadmill. As such, it’s probably not the most effective training style if you’re trying to lose weight.
There is some evidence that certain people can lose weight through yoga, but the average healthy person will not see significant changes. Note, however, that the benefits of yoga (opens in a new tab) are numerous, so if you have invested in one of the best yoga mats (opens in a new tab) it’s worth holding on to for now. Here’s what the latest research on yoga and weight loss says.
Can yoga help you lose weight?
A systematic review of 445 records, published in Preventive medicine (opens in a new tab), concluded that there was little evidence to suggest that yoga could have dramatic effects on weight in healthy people. However, the review notes that there were some significant changes in body mass in overweight people who participated in yoga studies. Therefore, the practice might reduce weight for some people, but as with many exercise programs, this depends on your initial fitness level, along with the frequency and intensity of your yoga sessions.
Research has also shown that yoga can lower your basal metabolic rate – the amount of energy needed for the body’s cleansing functions. If this rate is reduced, the whole body slows down and this means that the body needs fewer calories for its cleansing functions. A study published in 2006 in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (opens in a new tab) found that the basal metabolic rate was reduced by 13% in people who had practiced yoga compared to those who had not.
The study involved more than 100 participants who were prescribed a diverse Hatha yoga practice that is designed to speed up and slow down metabolic rate. The participants followed this routine for more than six months.
The study also found that the average drop in basal metabolic rate for women was 8% compared to 18% for men. Lead author MS Chaya said that the physiological slowdown of yoga “creates a propensity for weight gain and fat deposition.”
Indeed, the study highlighted that the percentage reduction in basal metabolic rate was high enough to mean that yoga practitioners would need less food and fewer calories. So if they continued to eat as before while practicing yoga, they would actually gain weight.
Can yoga help you build muscle?
Yoga is considered to be a way to improve flexibility, but there is some evidence to suggest that it can also help you build (or at least improve) muscle.
A study in the magazine. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine (opens in a new tab) found that there were significant improvements in muscle strength in men and women who practiced yoga compared to the control group. But the increase in muscle strength may depend on the type of yoga you practice.
For example, a Yin or Restorative Yoga class affects the connective tissues and focuses on passive stretching. On the other hand, Bikram or Ashtanga yoga, which is much more dynamic, acts more like a cardiovascular exercise, where the postures are more challenging and the pace of the class is faster. You would expect to build strength by doing the latter because it involves contracting muscles to stretch opposite ones. This is known as active stretching.
One way yoga can help you build muscle is through pose progression, gradually trying out different variations of poses and increasing your skill level. This was found by a study published in the Journal of Complementary Medicine Therapies (opens in a new tab).
Can yoga help improve other aspects of your health?
Yoga has many other health benefits, some of which are increased flexibility, better mental health and well-being, reduced stress, and quality sleep.
A study published in International Yoga Magazine (opens in a new tab) It followed college athletes over a 10-week period. There were two groups; one that had biweekly yoga sessions and a control group that did no yoga activity at all. There were significant differences in flexibility in the group that attended biweekly yoga sessions, while there were no significant differences in the group that did not do any yoga activity.
Yoga has also been shown to benefit mental health and well-being. the International Yoga Magazine (opens in a new tab) published a study that found that practicing yoga and meditation as a means of managing acute and chronic stress can help people overcome comorbidities associated with disease and leads to a better quality of life.
This study also found that a regular yoga practice positively affected people’s ability to fall asleep. They found that it took less time to fall asleep and there was an increase in the number of hours they slept. Participants also reported feeling more rested in the morning.
So while yoga may not lead to weight loss, it does offer many other benefits that could help you lead a happier, healthier life.
This article is not intended to offer medical advice and readers should consult their physician or health care professional before adopting any diet or treatment.
