Choosing the right exercise program for weight loss can be difficult. Cardio and yoga can both help, but in different ways. If you are struggling with your weight, talk to your doctor first to find out if a specific type of cardio or yoga class is appropriate for you.
Exercise
To lose 1 pound a week without making any changes to your diet, you would need to exercise hard enough to burn 500 calories a day, since there are 3,500 calories in a pound. If you do not want to count calories, then try to get 150 to 250 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every week for modest weight loss. You will need to exercise more for clinically significant weight loss, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. It is not so much about the type of activity you do as it is frequency and intensity.
Intensity
The intensity level of your exercise or yoga session needs to be high enough to burn a significant amount of calories to cause weight loss. In general, you want to exercise at 60 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. If you work out at the lower end, you will need to exercise longer because fewer calories are burned per hour, says the American Council on Exercise. For example, if you do a gentle yoga class at 60 percent of your heart rate, you may need to practice two hours a day to burn the same calories as a 60-minute brisk walk that raises your heart rate to 80 percent.
Cardio
Cardiovascular exercises such as walking, swimming and dancing tend to burn more calories than yoga. A 160-pound person can burn about 570 calories an hour when jogging or taking a high-impact aerobics class, 800 calories an hour when jumping rope or about 300 calories an hour with gentler activities such as tai chi or yoga, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Yoga
Once you learn proper form, there are flowing yoga classes and other styles that can be vigorous. You can wear a heart-rate monitor to test how high your heart rate goes and how many calories you burn. Along with burning calories, yoga can also help if you tend to eat for emotional reasons. Stress, boredom, loneliness and other emotions can trigger overeating. You may find that practicing yoga can help manage these emotions, which in turn can reduce binge eating.
References
- American College of Sports Medicine; ACSM Position Stand on Physical Activity and Weight Loss; 2009
- American Council on Exercise: I’ve Heard That Performing Aerobic Workouts at a Low Intensity is Best for Losing Body Fat - is That True?
- Mayo Clinic: Exercise for Weight Loss: Calories Burned in 1 Hour
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