Weight Loss Yoga Styles 

Almost every form of yoga will use poses that help to develop muscles, build strength and increase flexibility. However, there are a few that will not increase heart rate levels enough to be an effective stand alone form of cardiovascular exercise.

The two primary types of yoga that are the most effective for promoting safe and effective weight loss are Ashtanga and Hot. Both of these types of yoga target and focus on elevating the heart rate as many of the sequences of movements are performed at a quicker rate when compared to many of the other types of yoga.

These two types of Yoga incorporate movements, and sequences of movements, that elevate the heart rate and "burn" a higher level of calories when compared to some of the more traditional yoga types.

When engaging in yoga to lose weight, expect to wear comfortable clothes and bring a yoga mat, ball, and straps. Both of the types of yoga that are effective in weight loss utilize various methods using extra equipment and (as you will see with Hot) extreme conditions meant to emulate the location at which the art was born, India.

Primary Purposes of Weight Loss Yoga/How it Works

Yoga works in several ways to burn calories and shed the pounds:

Depending on your metabolism, 1 lb. of muscle will burn 50 calories per day. When you add muscle, you are increasing your metabolism and allowing your body to burn more calories and ultimately lose weight. If you were to add 5 lbs. of muscle, you would increase the amount of calories burned each day by 250. Yoga adds muscle to your body and increases the amount of calories you burn.

Fast paced yoga increases your heart rate and makes your body work harder to keep up. By increasing your body's functions, you are burning extra calories. A typical session of fast paced yoga will burn from 400-500 calories an hour.

Hot yoga burns calories by a combination of strength and aerobic training and adds a little extra. In hot yoga, a special room is used in which the temperature is at a steady 103 degrees and the humidity is kept at 40%. In these conditions, muscles are kept warm and are more receptive to training and the body loses waste and fluids in the form of sweat. By cleaning toxins from the body, you lose immediate weight (fluids) and ongoing weight (functional productivity). The average session of hot yoga will burn from 625-750 calories in a single hour.

Using Yoga for Weight Loss

To make yoga your primary form of exercise, you need to do three 90 minute sessions every week. Most people combine yoga with other types of exercise like bicycling or weight training to get maximum results. Depending on how much weight you need to lose, your plan could vary greatly.

Below is a sample routine designed to be performed 3 times a week. Hold each pose for 20-25 seconds. (For a harder workout simply adjust how many times you perform each pose and hold each pose for a longer period of time).

1st Pose: Begin in a fully upright and standing position. As you inhale, lift your arms over your head and stretch out your fingers. As you exhale, bend forward at your waist and touch the floor with your hands. Move your right leg into a lunge position. Return back into your original position. Repeat using the other leg.

2nd Pose: Begin in a standing position with your feet slightly less than shoulder width apart. Raise your foot until it is tucked into your groin. Your knee should be bent to the side. Bring your hands to the front of your chest (praying position). Now lift your arms above your head and bend, at the waist, to the left. You may repeat this several times and then switch to the other foot.

3rd Pose: Sit on the floor with your knees bent. Lean backwards to around 50 degrees and lift the legs so that they are on a diagonal with the floor. Your body should form a "V" that closely resembles a boat. Extend your arms to be alongside your knees. Repeat this several times.

4th Pose: This move is very simple in that you simply lower yourself into a push-up. Stop the push-up at the halfway point and hold this position for several seconds.

5th Pose: Begin in a standing position. As you inhale, lift your arms so that your fingertips are pointed at the ceiling. Bend at the knees and lower your body about halfway into a "chair" position. Hold this for about 15 seconds and repeat several times.

Putting All The Pieces Together

Always think of yoga as just one part of your plan to lose weight. Losing weight is not as simple as exercising. You have to eat a healthy diet and cut down on caloric intake to truly see results. Fortunately, yoga is an all around set of teachings for maintaining a healthy lifestyle in all areas. Here are some nutritional tips based on the teachings of yoga:

• Eat mostly leafy green vegetables that are high in minerals. (Spinach is a great choice)

• Eat a moderate amount of fruit. Raw is best.

• Avoid eating meat as it is hard on the digestive system.

• Buy only fresh food (organic). The process of canning food destroys many of its nutrients.

• Make most of your diet raw food.

• Abstain from sugar and alcohol.

• Take your time during meals so that your body has enough time to tell you that it's full.

Is Weight Loss Yoga for You?

If you need to lose weight and be healthier, consider giving yoga a try. Approaching it from a viewpoint that you want to improve your lifestyle and overall well being rather than to simply slim down is the most valuable way of constructing any plan.

If you are unsure about whether you'll like yoga, start an exercise program and gradually add some sessions of yoga to see how you feel. Stretching with yoga before another exercise is a great way to introduce it into your plan. krovini? pervežimas, transporto ir perkraustymo paslaugos gera kaina http://sauguskrovinys.lt

Facts and Statistics

A study conducted in 2005 found that in 15,500 average people, over a 4 year period, the indviduals that performed yoga lost 5 pounds by doing a 30 minute session per week. The ones that did not do yoga gained an average of 14 pounds over the same timeframe.

A study of individuals with various chronic diseases (i.e. AIDs, obesity, asthma, arteriosclerosis...) concluded that regularly performing a weight loss based yoga type workout actually reduced the symptoms associated with the various diseases. As concluded by the study, regularly performing a yoga exercise routine not only reduces the symptoms associated with several types of debilitating diseases, put also promotes good overall health, fitness, and mental -well-being.

On estimate, 14 million Americans use Yoga to help manage their weight and promote a healthier lifestyle. A study of 5 morbidly obese people (2 males, 3 females) concluded that with a healthy diet and only yoga as exercise, the combined weight loss was 617 pounds over 2 years. They participated in three 90 minute sessions of Hot Yoga a week.