For weight loss, practice yoga that makes you sweat, and end your session with gentle, restorative poses. Gentle yoga poses help reduce stress and create awareness of the body, which can both lead to healthier eating habits. Use caution when trying workouts at home, and always avoid taking yoga poses to a painful level. The Mayo Clinic emphasizes the importance of asking your health care provider if yoga is appropriate for you, especially if you have injuries or are unsure of how to practice yoga.
Informational
If you simply want to find information about yoga poses and sequences for weight loss, then websites such as Livestrong.com or YogaJournal.com can help you. YogaJournal.com has a sequence builder that allows you to put together your own challenging yoga workout. Livestrong.com has numerous informational articles about weight loss with specific styles of yoga or about which poses burn the most calories. The website for Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Institute shows photos of their poses. Ashtanga yoga is the root of power yoga, which is popular for yogis desiring a calorie-burning workout.
Audio
Many yoga instructors now put audio feed of their workouts online in the form of podcasts. You can download yoga classes for your iPod or MP3 player. Many of these podcasts are free or can be downloaded for a fee. Search for yoga workouts with titles that include "power," "intermediate," "vinyasa" or even "advanced," if you feel ready for more intensity. Try listening to your yoga podcast before physically trying it; then do an online search for pose names that you do not recognize. Your home yoga practice will go more smoothly if you have a visual of what you are supposed to do.
Visual
Some of the sites that offer podcasts of yoga classes also offer numerous sessions in video format. MyYogaOnline.com offers some Vinyasa and power yoga style classes for a fee, while YogaDownLoad.com allows you to download advanced classes from Jivamukti to Baptiste style for free on the first download; you pay a fee for subsequent downloads. Among other online yoga sites, you may also find video workouts on Gaiam.com and YogaJournal.com.
Benefits
Online yoga classes for weight loss are usually cost-effective compared to studio and gym classes. You can also burn calories with yoga whenever you have time, rather than breaking up your schedule to get to a class. Trying yoga classes online might be an effective way to find out which yoga style helps you the most with weight loss. Vinyasa and power styles like Ashtanga, Baptiste and Jivamukti will be the most intense and perhaps the most effective at helping with weight management.
Considerations
Before you start your online yoga regimen for weight loss, make sure you have everything you need. Get your doctor's approval. Buy a yoga mat from a sporting goods or department store. Wear comfortable clothing. Also, keep in mind that it is difficult to see yourself in a yoga pose. If you are not getting the results you want, then it might be worth the money to take a couple of drop-in yoga classes so that you can work with a trained instructor. Look for yoga instructors with 200-hour or 500-hour training.
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