The origin of yoga is rooted deep in spirituality.  I began practicing in my mid-twenties to aid in my personal quest for knowledge and to find inner peace.  In today’s fast paced society everything revolves around immediate gratification and wanting results now.  Many people think that because yoga is a physical activity it will help them lose weight instantly.  It does assist in weight loss and also provides key factors that no other fitness regimen offers in weight management.

There are many classes that are “yoga body focused.”  This type of yoga was transformed to fit western culture and the active fast paced lifestyle.  In my opinion, as a yoga instructor and practitioner, the fundamental principles of yoga make it a weight-loss contender, but not for the reasons you may think.

Yoga does not burn as many calories as a high intensity aerobics class but the long term benefits from practicing outweigh many mainstream classes.  Although yoga doesn’t burn as many calories, it exercises you both physically, mentally and emotionally.  Anyone who has ever lost weight knows the biggest challenge is keeping it off.  The mental strength that is built from yoga helps in that key area. 

One of the reasons I decided to share my knowledge on this blog was because a few years ago my neighbor kept asking me how she could regain her past healthy way of life.  I gave her some advice and helped her begin incorporating yoga into her routine.  She has made great progress achieving her fitness and spiritual goals.  The emotional and mental strength she built has helped her keep the weight off and continue working towards her ultimate wishes.

I enjoy sharing my personal advice with my class participants, my neighbor, and anyone who comes to me with questions.  Here are some suggestions I give my peers about how yoga can help benefit daily life:

I hope I inspired to give yoga a try.  If you have any questions please leave me a comment below!

Namaste,

Anita.