Take steps to achieve your weight loss goals. Combine yoga with aerobics, strength training and a healthy diet. Since yoga exercises your mind and body, it can help you change psychologically, emotionally and physically in positive ways that may help you shed pounds. You also can practice yoga as a way to reduce stress-induced weight gain, according to MayoClinic.com.
Find Your Style
Yoga styles range from physically intense to gentle and relaxing. You may want to incorporate a little bit of both methods into your routine so you can experience the many sides of yoga. YogaJournal.com recommends heat-building, vinyasa-style classes for burning more calories. Power Yoga, Bikram, Ashtanga, Baptiste Power Vinyasa and Jivamukti have reputations among yoga students for being physically challenging and efficient at burning calories. Practicing gentle styles of yoga can positively affect your eating habits, stress and lifestyle, according to YogaJournal.com. For instance, try such gentle yoga styles as Restorative, Ananda, Viniyoga and Kripalu.
Frequent Yoga Practice
Consistency is important if you want to lose weight. Start practicing yoga two to three times a week. Incorporate more yoga workouts into your routine as your stamina increases. If possible, perform at least a few minutes of breathing exercises, meditation and yoga poses each day. Focus on the benefits of yoga when you feel tempted to skip a workout.
Ahimsa
Ahimsa, or non-violence, is one of the principles of yoga. To help with weight loss, develop your sense of ahimsa toward yourself by making healthier choices. Ask yourself whether the food you're about to eat will harm or help you. Practicing this principle may help you lose more weight while feeling better about how you take care of yourself.
Satya
Satya, or truthfulness, is another yoga principle. Satya can help you become more honest with yourself while incorporating an ahimsa approach, according to YogaJournal.com. During your yoga practice, try to use satya to become honest about how poses make you feel in a positive way. Thinking of yourself honestly--but without judgment--helps foster self-respect and confidence. This may help you break away from self-sabotaging pitfalls.
Tapas
While "tapas" may be the Spanish word for "appetizer," in yoga, it translates as "heat" or "passion." Practice tapas with heat-building and purifying yoga sessions. You also can practice tapas on an emotional level to keep yourself excited about your workouts. Try different styles of yoga or sign up for classes with different instructors to keep it interesting. Try a meditation, chanting or mandala workshop. The American Council on Exercise recommends adding variety to your exercise plan so you remain dedicated. Such variety will help you stick with your weight loss goals.
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