Yoga For Beginners, Meditation, & Losing Weight

Yoga is a popular activity, with 6.9 percent of Americans practicing this healthy exercise, according to the "Yoga in America" study published in 2008 by "Yoga Journal." People have been practicing yoga for three thousand years. The word yoga in Sanskrit means to yoke or unite mind, body and spirit. You can begin yoga, meditation and weight loss at any age. In fact, Bikram yoga's guru, Bishnu Ghosh, said of yoga "Never too late, never too old, never too bad."

Yoga Types

Practitioners in the Western world most commonly engage in Hatha yoga, according to Yoga for Beginners. Hatha yoga, excellent for beginner and advanced practitioners, emphasizes practice of postures, breathing techniques, and meditation to achieve results. Kundalini yoga combines poses, breathing techniques, chanting and meditation. Ashtanga yoga may be more difficult for the beginner, as it is a more vigorous workout designed to build flexibility, strength, stamina and concentration. Vinyasa yoga is gaining popularity in the United States because, like Ashtanga yoga, it is a very active form of yoga that burns more calories than the subdued Hatha yoga.

Yoga Benefits

Yoga relaxes your mind as well as your muscles, relieving stress that may lead to unhealthy lifestyle choices resulting in weight gain. Many people who practice yoga claim it relieves anxiety and puts them in the relaxed state of mind necessary for meditation. Yoga improves your physical and emotional sense of well-being, leaving you prone to increasing your activity level and making better food choices.

Weight Loss

Performing yoga poses does not burn as many calories as more strenuous exercise, like running or playing tennis, therefore yoga won't cause fast weight loss. However, performing yoga can help you lose weight. A paper published by Tiffany Field of the University of Miami School of Medicine describes results from several yoga studies. In one study, participants consumed less food, made better food choices, and ate meals at a healthier pace. Another study reported people gained less weight after practicing yoga for at least four years. A third study showed benefits for even beginners. In that study, a six-day yoga program resulted in lower body mass index, smaller hip and waist circumference, and healthier cholesterol levels.

Meditation

Scientists are revisiting alternative theories to weight management, according to Leigh Rich from the American Psychological Association. In a "Monitor on Psychology" report published in January 2004, Ms. Rich suggests that meditation increases your awareness of the underlying emotional cues that lead to overeating and subsequent weight gain. In this way, meditation and yoga would be important tools for the beginner seeking to lose weight.