The question of the effectiveness of yoga for weight loss is relevant for many - both for those who are going to go to their first practice, and for those who are already involved in yoga or other types of physical activity. But a rare instructor will give an unambiguous answer to this question, because the effect of yoga on the body depends not only on perfect execution asanas, but also on many other factors - the right direction, nutrition, instructor, breathing exercises etc.

About what yoga is, how to treat it and what you need to consider when organizing your classes, AiF.ru told a professional Kundalini yoga teacher Irina Nelson.

Milich Maya, AiF.ru: Can yoga help you lose weight?

Irina Nelson: Oh sure. But before choosing this particular method of solving problems with overweight It is worth understanding what yoga is. Yoga is a system of self-knowledge. There are many types of yoga. If you want to lose weight with yoga, then know that the reasons excess weight concern not only the physical body, they can be laid deep in the subconscious, or, as yogis say, in subtle bodies. These include: the emotional body, the mental and several others. The cause of the disease sometimes appears long before its physical manifestation. Psychologists often say that being overweight is a subconscious fear, a desire to isolate oneself from the world. And in this case, yoga can change the vision of our world, daily habits, and you will be surprised how your body will change.

Where to begin?

- Which direction among all the variety of styles is better for those who are aimed at losing weight?

- Overweight people need to start with simple yoga practices, since they may have various health problems associated with fullness - pressure, cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the spine. And, of course, intensive breathing practices are not suitable for them, and also, due to the lack of appropriate training, some exercises that require flexibility. Therefore, I recommend carefully starting with the first steps of hatha yoga. An experienced teacher will always tell you which exercises to avoid, because in yoga there are exercises that lower or increase blood pressure. Outstanding teacher and yogi iyengar was very demanding of his students, so Iyengar yoga requires endurance. In yoga, in general, there is a hard demanding approach, it is called the principle of the father, and a soft one is the approach of the mother, when the student does something rather for his own pleasure.

How to find your teacher? What would you recommend to pay attention to?

- You need to pay attention to intuition, how pleasant and comfortable this person is for you. With a good teacher, you will rush to the lesson with impatience and anticipation of pleasure. If you force yourself to study, then this is probably not your teacher. You fall in love with a good teacher, become one. In addition, it is important to consider what style is close to you. Some who lack willpower love it when the teacher is tough enough to force them to study. And some for a soft approach. You need to combine these factors, and then you will find your ideal teacher and love yoga forever.

Where to go?

— How do you feel about such practices as Bikram Yoga and Hot Yoga? After all, they are just aimed at losing weight, but are they effective and not dangerous?

- Any type of yoga is effective, but you must take into account your level of preparation. Plus, look at exactly how much excess weight you have - 3-5 kg ​​or a high degree of obesity. Naturally, in the latter case, I would not recommend starting with Bikram Yoga and Hot Yoga. Because these exercises in 100% of cases will lead to aggravation of pressure problems, if any, or to disruption of the cardiovascular system. You should not experiment, otherwise you can harm yourself.

In addition, someone loves active exercises - and they need dynamic yoga, someone needs relaxation due to low stress resistance, and then it is better to choose practices that promote deep relaxation. And someone generally loves the philosophical aspect, mantra yoga (chanting mantras) or bakti yoga (serving a beloved deity) is suitable for them.

I repeat, there are a huge number of types of yoga, as many as there are people. And the fact that yoga is suitable for everyone is absolutely certain, but it is extremely important to determine your type, to soberly assess your capabilities. This is what will help you find your favorite yoga or a combination of practices that will lead to improved health, pure consciousness, not polluted by the external information environment, and, as a result, peace of mind.

- Are there special yoga classes for very obese people?

Such classes exist. For example, there is the ancient science of Ayurveda, which allows you to identify diseases in the deep layers, at the cellular level, and with the help of cleansing practices different kind harmonize all body structures. As a result, a person discards unnecessary pathological formations in the form of excess fat and toxic substances. Recently I was in the Ayurvedic center "Atreya", where before my eyes there were changes in a man who looked very obese. Doctors, having found out the type of his body, way of thinking and habits, prescribed him the right treatment. This type of yoga is many thousands of years old. And only now it comes into our lives.

Organization of classes

Is it obligatory for those who practice yoga to give up meat and stick to a vegetarian diet?

I would rephrase. Anyone who decides to become a vegetarian should do yoga. Because you can’t refuse meat just like that from scratch, once waking up in the morning. The fact is that when a person refuses meat, he must master yogic techniques that allow him to compensate for the energy of rough food, which includes meat, in particular its red varieties. With asanas and breathing practices you can fill your body with energy of a much higher quality than the energy that we get from rough food after killing a living being. That is why for many who decide to give up meat, the expected effect does not occur, because this step is not supported by anything.

Many people who attend yoga classes in groups do not like breathing exercises and think that they are useless. Is it really?

Breathing exercises are a powerful additional source of vital energy, which in yoga is called "prana". With the help of breathing exercises, you can treat and mitigate the course of such serious diseases as asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis. Most people use only the upper clavicular breathing, depriving themselves of the huge reserve of energy that can come with the help of a properly set breath.

Does yoga have contraindications?

- Of course, with any kind of physical activity you need to be careful. It is important to avoid those exercises and asanas that can lead to injuries due to overdoing or due to the presence of pre-existing injuries, so be careful with microtraumas of the knees, joints and be sure to warn teachers about previous injuries.

How long can the path to perfect body?

How long the path can be depends on the flexibility of the mind and the degree of awareness of a person who has decided not only to lose weight, but also to balance all the systems of his body.

In most cases, overweight is responsible sedentary image life. Yoga, the purpose of which is to work on stretching and reviving the elasticity of the muscles, giving them tone, can solve this problem. While aerobics requires a lot of mobility, yoga can be a sport cultivated by everyone, regardless of age or physical condition. In addition, not only yoga helps to lose weight, it allows us to burn unnecessary calories and restore the spiritual balance that we all miss so much.

What do you associate yoga with? Perhaps with thin Indians doing marvelous exercises. However, today in Europe and the US yoga is much more popular than in India. But the fact is that there are not so many people who practice yoga regularly.

Yoga asanas are available to everyone. At any bookstore or kiosk, you can buy a yoga book or video. The practice of yoga has become widely available material, so the decision to devote a few minutes to lose weight and see in practice whether yoga helps to lose weight and reduce the stomach depends on the individual.

The daily practice of hatha yoga makes a significant contribution to making the body of practitioners flexible and elastic, and internal organs healthy.

Instead of looking for a new miracle diet and magical ways to lose weight, you need to do what will bring real benefits and long-term effects.

• Start controlling what you eat and when you eat, so you can quickly protect yourself from compulsive overeating, snacking and stress eating.
• Burn fat from the abdomen and buttocks while engaging other parts of the body.
• Reduce stress, which accelerates the accumulation of abdominal fat.
• Speed ​​up your metabolism to burn fat throughout the day.

Light exercise is an easy and safe way to shed a few extra pounds.

And now the most important thing - why do you need to lose weight?

The first step to successful weight loss is motivation and self-denial in the process of achieving the goal. Studies show that people who are motivated are more successful in losing weight, and the effect achieved lasts longer and is more durable.

Your motivations

Motives can be different:

• Maybe the wedding is coming up and you want to wear a lovely wedding dress.
• Want to look more attractive to the other half.
• You need to lose a few extra pounds to make it easier to find your soul mate.
• You want a chiseled figure so that you can wear a bikini for the first time after many years.
• Do you have another reason? If yes, then good. Focus on what you want to achieve and this will help you to complete what you have planned.

Highlights of Yoga

Strength of will

Yoga classes develop willpower. With the constant performance of asanas, the limitations of the body are overcome, and willpower and self-discipline are developed. This brings certain benefits and effect in Everyday life. And if you constantly set aside some time for training and stick to nutrition when doing yoga, then there will be no doubt whether it is possible to lose weight with the help of yoga.

Burns extra calories

Yoga classes can be very tiring and require physical stamina and strength. yoga for very fast weight loss not intended, it helps a person to acquire psychophysical balance. This is such a powerful system that has so many varieties and ways of working with the body, among which exercises can be chosen to help lose weight.

Yoga develops psycho-physical balance, strength, will, concentration, which is necessary for a person who wants to lose weight.

Various varieties of yoga include several thousand exercises and body postures, so that a person has unlimited possibilities for creating his own set of exercises, with which you can lose weight and which will help you burn a large number of calories.

Around the world, millions of people practice yoga. In conjunction with proper diet, which you will need to adhere to with physical exercises, you will no longer doubt whether yoga will help you lose weight and that excess calories are burned and weight is reduced.

Getting Started Can Be Difficult

Accelerates metabolism

Yoga asanas performed every day cause the body to regenerate, which in turn leads to the consumption of a large number of calories every day in order to restore muscles and tendons after training. The recovery process continues after training until the end of the next day. By practicing yoga every day, the body gets used to the daily regeneration and increased metabolic rate. This results in a higher calorie requirement. And in order to lose weight and use deferred reserves earlier, as well as achieve a quick effect, it is best to exercise every day.

Reduces stress

Yoga reduces stress hormones and improves insulin sensitivity - a signal for the body to burn food for fuel instead of storing it as fat. It also promotes spiritual peace, thereby reducing the frequency of stress-induced binge eating.

Yoga is safe even for beginners

It does not burden you with large expenses, there is no need to buy fitness equipment, appropriate clothes, or buy a subscription. Yoga is not fraught with frequent injuries, such as people who practice athletics or others dangerous species sports.

Yoga for fast weight loss is also available to people who are not too mobile and fast.

Lose weight with yoga

For people who want to lose weight with yoga, you need to choose exercises designed to burn more calories, reduce weight, remove excess fat from the abdomen and hips, to give the body a beautiful shape.

The yogic set of exercises is isometric, so the intensity of their implementation can be adjusted taking into account your physical capabilities. In the beginning, you can practice more gently, and when you learn how to do asanas and strengthen your muscles, you can practice more intensively. As a result, more and more calories will be burned during training, and on the other hand, progress will be gradual and safe.

Bowed Warrior Position - Virabhadrasana

Strengthens leg, ankle and arm muscles while stretching muscles chest. Thanks to this, a person feels stronger, breathing becomes deeper.

1. Get into the Tadasana position.
2. In a small jump, place your feet shoulder-width apart, arms extended to the sides.
3. Rotate your left foot ninety degrees.
4. bend left leg at the knee and turn the torso to the left.
5. Move your straight right leg further back.
6. Tilt your torso forward and twist it to the left so that your elbow is directly above bent knee. The gaze is directed to the fingers of the outstretched left hand joined together.
7. Lower your feet a little lower. Hold the position for at least 20 seconds.
8. Turn the soles of your feet parallel to each other. Jump into Tadasana position.
9. Relax and do the exercise 5-8 times.

This asana is full of grace and charm, thanks to which the body receives the strength and balance of a ballerina. This position strengthens the arms, hips, shoulders, burns calories, helps tone the chest, and is especially recommended after a day in the chair.

1. Get into the position of Tadanas. Jump with your feet hip-width apart. Shift your body weight to your left leg. Bend your right knee slightly and move your leg back a few inches.
2. Bend your right leg more at the knee and lift it up behind your back.
3. Capture right hand right ankle behind the back.
4. Raise your left straight arm straight in front of you at shoulder level, palm down.
5. Exhale and place the foot of your left foot on the floor, lean forward slightly.
6. Move the right leg as far away from the body as possible, as if you want to straighten it despite attempts to hold it.
7. Hold the position for 15-30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Position "fixed press"

This is the simplest method that gives tangible results when modeling the abdomen. How to perform it and at what pace, it all depends on the nature and effect you want to achieve. In order to lose weight, you need to study how you can better technique doing the exercise. Preferably using various devices. There are various techniques for performing asanas: simple, on a bench, with a ball and a stick.

1. Lie on your back on a medium-soft rug (mat, carpet, blanket). Bend your legs at the knees, the foot rests completely on the ground.
2. Put your hands behind your head, but do not connect them. Spread your elbows out to the sides. Look straight ahead.
3. The lumbar spine lies firmly on the mat. Tighten your stomach. This is the starting position.
4. Breathe in. As you exhale, lift your shoulder blades a few inches up. At the moment of maximum tension of the abdominal muscles, hold the movement for one second.
5. Inhale and lower your torso into a prone position.
6. Repeat several times.

To make the exercise easier, imagine that your chest, arms and head are in the same plane and form a single whole - lift them together, as if indestructible block. This will help you avoid common mistakes.

Yoga - kundalini

This is one of the areas of yoga, where the performance of a complete set of static and dynamic asanas is accompanied by the chanting of mantras and special breathing techniques (pranayama), and also includes meditation, relaxation and mudras.

In the West, like yoga, kundalini became known thanks to the philosopher and worshiper of yoga - Yogi Bhajan, who discovered the sacred science of kundalini yoga to the world. It consists in the fact that a person has reached his consciousness through practice and his own experience, sound and asana techniques.

Kundalini is the fastest and effective method achieve mutual understanding and harmony between consciousness, body and soul, as well as learn to love every moment of life.

Briefly about kundalini yoga

Seven steps to happiness:

1. Devotion. Loyalty gives you character.
2. Character. This is your characteristic and all its aspects, facts, actions are under your control. Yin and Yang meet here and the action is completely balanced. Character gives you dignity.
3. Dignity. People start to trust you, respect you. Dignity gives you divinity.
4. Divinity. What is divinity? This is when people don't have duality. When you are trusted right away. They are not afraid of you. Divinity gives you grace.
5. Grace. When there is grace between people, then there are no interferences, omissions and hidden subtext. Grace gives strength and selflessness (sacrifice).
6. Dedication. You can take on the pain of another person. This selflessness will bring you happiness.
7. Happiness.

Kundalini yoga is for every age group. She knows no boundaries, origin, nationality, creed or religion. It is the heritage of humanity to which everyone has access.

Kundalini yoga is practice and knowledge for all of us to be healthy, happy, calm.

This yoga is for people who live in the modern world, who have a family, a home, a job, who want to balance their inner world with external reality. The word kundalini comes from the word kundala, which means "a lock of the beloved's hair."

Kundalini is the awakening of energy, the creative potential that exists in every human being.

Yoga classes are, first of all, work on yourself, on your mind and body. Special exercises allow you to get rid of imbalance, bring your body and spirit into a state of harmony. Accordingly, if a person becomes the master various systems of his body (musculoskeletal, respiratory), he begins to lose weight.

It is the relaxation of the muscles in combination with static loads during yoga that gives the effect. But do not forget that yoga is not a sport, much less a diet. It is a spiritual teaching, a way of life. And this practice should be done regularly.

In addition, you should eliminate bad habits, if you have any. No smoking and alcohol.

Exist different types yoga. One of the most popular is hatha yoga. It is a complex respiratory and physical. Don't worry if things don't work out for you at first. After all, the body also needs time to adapt to breathing slowly. The main thing is to learn to relax with the help of breathing.

Hatha yoga includes exercises that directly help to lose weight. For example, uttanasana is an intense stretching pose that removes fat from the waist, improves the functioning of the digestive tract, and strengthens the upper legs. Chaturanga Dandasana, or staff pose, tones the press, improves.

If you have started yoga, you can also add running or race walking. This will greatly increase the effect of losing weight.

Also in yoga there are whole systems of exercises for weight loss. For example, some asanas of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. The basis of the exercises are six sets of asanas, which gradually become more difficult.

The first complex consists of 90 exercises. Each asana is done for about 30 seconds, then gradually increase the time to two minutes. This type of yoga is considered to be very dynamic. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that the exercises smoothly flow from one to another. Of course, it is desirable that an experienced yoga specialist work with you.

Another plus of this method of losing weight is that after doing breathing and (or) physical exercises, appetite decreases. By the way, people who are seriously engaged in yoga often adhere to a healthy rational nutrition. Your body will thank you for this.

When to expect results from yoga classes?

The effectiveness of weight loss from yoga is assessed purely individually. It depends on how diligently and regularly a person practices yoga, whether he has any serious illnesses, what lifestyle he leads. With a good scenario, the result can be seen already in the second month.

It is worth noting that during yoga, the body produces the hormone of happiness - endorphin. This leads to the fact that after exercise a person feels happy. So yoga is good not only for physical but also for mental health.

There must be some original greeting here. But, alas! I'm just glad that you stopped by to see me, dear friends. In today's article I will tell you whether it is possible to lose weight with the help of yoga. The article presents some types of yoga, highlights the prerequisites for losing weight when doing yoga, and so - a little bit of everything.

Since this is my blog, I will express my opinion (albeit subjective), based on my own knowledge and experience. To be honest, I am familiar with yoga, but only theoretically: in practice, I have never used this oriental gymnastics (we are now talking about gymnastics, and not about the broad concept of yoga?)

But in order to keep abreast of everything that is happening, I read quite a lot of sources of information, watched a video and even specifically talked with yoga trainers.

Andrey Kochergin

This is a public figure that I have been watching for a good six years now. In his video blog, he talked about a trip to India, where he experienced yoga in practice, not only as a gymnastics, but also as a teaching.

His conclusion is this: if you take only one side of the exercise (that is, gymnastics), then this is a wonderful form of physical activity, improvement physical qualities Or, in our case, weight loss. But in a broader sense (meditations, spiritual and mental practices) they are not suitable for an Orthodox person. As he put it, the consciousness and perception of the universe breaks down, rearranging itself in a different manner.

Types of yoga

Other sources claim that there are many varieties of yoga. For example, static yoga although it requires a lot of energy, it is not suitable as a fat-burning gymnastics. For a whole hour, such activity burns only about 160 kcal. After the lesson, you eat two sweets and that's it - the lesson was wasted. Another type (Ashtanga yoga) in the same hour is able to burn twice as many calories as static yoga: in the region of 320 kcal.

But, for example, kundalini yoga - breathing exercises, aimed at accelerating metabolism and burning calories - it is much better suited for weight loss. Do you know the “vacuum” exercise, in which you strain both the abdominal muscles and internal organs, and even breathe in a special way? So, in bodybuilding this exercise came from yoga. By the way, I already wrote about the "vacuum" in my blog. Read if interested.

In this exotic gymnastics of similar exercises - the "sea". And each is aimed at accelerating metabolism - metabolism, due to which the burning of subcutaneous deposits occurs directly. It's not even about movement. The whole “secret” lies in special breathing techniques: the absorption of a large amount of oxygen, which oxidizes adipose tissue, splitting it and turning it into energy.

As you can see, unlike aerobics, running, or our usual activities in gym, in fitness centers, yoga goes in a slightly different way, although both of these methods of losing weight have the same goal - in fact, losing weight itself. Fitness focuses on burning calories through a lot of physical activity (although this also speeds up the metabolism, but not as much).

Yoga focuses on breathing - burning fat through a special breathing technique and a little physical activity (as in the case of the "vacuum" exercise).

In both cases, metabolism improves, but in yoga more, in fitness a little less. In short, different ways to achieve the same goal.

But there is one "but"!

You won’t be able to lose weight with yoga if you do it yourself (using video tutorials, courses, or the like). To do this, you need to use the services of specialized trainers who will explain in detail, step by step, how to breathe, what to think about at this moment, what muscles to strain, where to bend or where to stand. Well, you know what I mean.

And, if, having come to the gym, you can independently deal with the treadmill and start running (losing weight), then in the case of yoga, only a few will do the same. Moreover, now the Internet is full of reliable, detailed and working programs and sets of exercises, using which you yourself can create a dream figure for yourself. By the way, you can find similar programs on my resource. But whether the yoga program will be effective is unknown, at least to me.

If I have tested the complexes I offer on myself and I can confidently say that they work, then I am not sure about yoga. How do you know that the proposed complex was written by a professional in the field of this oriental gymnastics?

Moreover, 95% of sources claim that weight loss through yoga is possible only in combination with proper nutrition. Judge for yourself. In this gymnastics, the movements are measured, smooth: what kind of fat burning can be here in the sense that we are used to? Only in tandem with a certain diet.

Refusal of heavy food

I didn't say, but yoga exercises stimulate the internal organs. Two trainers who did not know each other stated one thing: they can teach you to press your muscles on the internal organs so that later you do not want to eat something heavy: only light food. And this is another way to reduce weight.

Moreover, one of these trainers claims that he (and his students) can even feel nauseous if he eats long digestible food after class. For example, pork. It takes about 6 hours to fully digest and assimilate it, and not 2, as we all used to think. Special training techniques make you refuse such food. Unusual, but good.

Conclusion

As we can see, you can lose weight with yoga if you work out with a trainer or in a specialized center, in groups. Self-study will be ineffective.

There is nothing more to add. Better you ask questions in the comments. Also share this material in all social networks in which you are sitting, and subscribe to blog updates yourself.

Sincerely, Vladimir Manerov

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Subject excess weight and weight loss, fat burning- this is a burning topic, equally interesting for both men and women. Many modern yoga they say that yoga is good for the figure. But is it really so? And is it possible to lose weight and tone the figure through the practice of yoga? Let's try to understand the topic yoga for weight loss.

Intensive yoga for weight loss: reality or fiction?

Slimness and health are what modern “yoga gurus” promise their students as a result of practice, such as former model, now yoga instructor and author of the book “Slim Calm Sexy Yoga” Tyra Silez; the author of the "hot" style of yoga, assuring that during a class according to his method, you can burn up to 1000 calories and become "supermen and superwomen" Bikram Chhoudry; and president international association yoga therapist Larry Payne, who released a weight management course for overweight people and stated that yoga can stimulate metabolism.

They are echoed by other teachers of "intensive" types of yoga: vinyasa flow, power yoga, slim yoga and other sensational systems. They explain the possibility of losing weight by the miraculous effect of performing asanas, which supposedly have a special effect on the human body. But why did these teachers decide that physical exercise yoga give the desired harmony? And is there any evidence for this?

Maybe they found this information in ancient books?

Such statements by modern teachers are in no way confirmed by the classical texts of yoga: neither those in which the term "asana" was first used and explained (Patanjali's "Yoga Sutra"; estimated time of creation II-IV century), nor those where the first asanas were described in detail (“Shiva Samhita”, dating from the 14th century; “Hatha Yoga Pradipika”, supposedly written in the 15th century; “Gheranda Samhita”, supposedly written in the 16th-17th centuries).

These treatises describe the many beneficial effects of yoga practices, which included asanas. For example, the ability to relieve fatigue, improve digestion, and even achieve certain siddhis (supernatural abilities). However in the "classic" treatises there is not a word that asanas can improve metabolism.

If the ancient texts do not help answer the question of whether the practice of yoga can promote weight loss, let's turn our attention to modern research. We will consider works not only on this, but also on related topics. This will allow us to make a legitimate conclusion about whether it is possible to lose weight doing yoga.

Does yoga burn calories?

In 2005, several experiments were conducted that answered the questions:

1. "Does yoga meet the minimum requirements for aerobic exercise recommended by the world health organizations?" and
2. "How intense are the calories burned during the practice of yoga?".

One of them was carried out by researchers Texas State University from the Department of Sports Medicine.

Research from the Department of Sports Medicine at Texas State University and the American College of Sports Medicine

In their work, they measured the level of oxygen during different activities: when practicing yoga, when brisk walking as well as when sitting on a chair. The experiment involved 26 women who had a yoga experience of one month or more. The yoga session included Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) and was structured as a standard workout at the fitness center. Each workout lasted 30 minutes.

Measurements were taken before, after and during the session. For this, special masks with tubes connected to computing equipment were used. This made it possible to compare the difference in oxygen absorption by the body during rest and during maximum load, as well as calculate the maximum oxygen uptake reserve (MOC).

As a result Texas State University the following was revealed: when walking fast, the subjects used 45% of the maximum oxygen reserve, and when doing yoga - only 15%(that is, 35% less than the lower limit). Of the entire yoga complex, Surya Namaskar turned out to be the most dynamic part - during the Salutation to the Sun, the percentage of oxygen absorption increased to 34%, that is, it almost approached the results from fast walking.

Another study on the same topic was carried out by scientists University of Wisconsin.

University of Wisconsin study

They selected 34 women who had never practiced yoga before and had no experience regular classes fitness. The participants were divided into two groups. The first, as before, did not engage in any special physical activity, and the second began to perform a 55-minute yoga complex three times a week. The study lasted 2 months. The conclusion of the scientists was unequivocal: during the experiment, the subjects did not experience any changes in the indicators of the IPC. However, it should be noted that other indicators, such as endurance, muscle strength, flexibility and balance, showed positive changes.

That is, these studies confirm that yoga is not aerobic training and does not even reach the lower limit of the recommended percentage of the IPC.

But why are these works so important within the framework of the question yoga and weight loss?

What is aerobic exercise and how does it help you lose weight?

How does BMD affect fat burning?

Understanding these questions will allow you to better understand the full value of the research.

What you need to know about fat burning, oxygen and weight loss is needed in order to start the process of losing weight. During it, fat oxidation occurs, which is necessary for fat burning. Aerobic exercise is a mode of energy production during which ATP (fuel for energy generation) is produced under the condition that oxygen is available.

How does this mechanism work? Let's turn to biochemistry.

At the beginning of any physical activity, the body begins to expend the previously accumulated supply of ATP. However, it only lasts for a few seconds. Further, the body begins to use creatine phosphate to synthesize new ATP from it. But the reserves of creatine phosphate also do not last long. After this, anaerobic glycolysis begins - the process when ATP is synthesized without the use of oxygen.

This process of energy production occurs in the initial stages of intense muscle work. Its by-product is pyruvic acid lactate (lactic acid). The pain that occurs in the muscles some time after exercise is due to the accumulation of this acid in the muscles.

During prolonged physical activity of low intensity, the process of aerobic lipolysis, that is, the process of fat oxidation, is launched. It proceeds only under aerobic conditions, that is, it requires oxygen. Aerobic lipolysis allows you to burn fat and start the process of losing weight. That is why information about whether yoga is an aerobic exercise or not is very important for understanding the connection. weight loss yoga.

Maximum oxygen reserve (MKR)- this is the amount of oxygen that the body consumes, including muscles. Its level indicates the fitness of the person involved: the higher it is, the better the person is physically prepared.

That is, the number of MKRs is an opportunity to understand how the muscles will work in an aerobic mode. After all, oxygen, as mentioned above, is a necessary component to start the process of fat burning. And fat does not burn without oxygen.

A high percentage of maximum oxygen uptake indicates that during aerobic exercise, a person will be able to burn more fat, using it as fuel.

From this follows the following. Despite the fact that the above studies did not focus on the issue of weight loss, their results provide a specific answer: yoga does not burn fat.

Myths about weight loss through yoga

Attentive readers could notice one nuance: for sure unknown which complexes were chosen for these studies. Maybe the scientists used insufficiently active styles and this is what influenced the results of the work?

As if anticipating these doubts, scientists University of Wisconsin in 2005, they conducted another study, choosing it as the object of power yoga - a highly active direction of yoga, consisting of complex ligaments and dynamic transitions from one posture to another. Especially for this work, 15 participants were selected who have sufficient experience in yoga and are physically ready for high-intensity training.

However, even in this case, the picture changed insignificantly. It turned out that one yoga class burned about 144 calories - a little more than when walking slowly.

As one of the researchers, John Pokkari, stated about Power Yoga:

“You sweat, but you can’t call it aerobic training anyway.”

Perhaps such disappointing results had another reason? Indeed, during these studies, very specific equipment was used: voluminous masks that the subjects wore during the exercises. Could this cause inconvenience to the practitioners and cause a decrease in performance indicators?

In 2007, a study was published, the organization of which excluded the possibility of error: it used the latest expensive equipment, which not only has high accuracy, but is also comfortable for the subjects. With financial support National Institutes of Health, Brooklyn Branch Long Island University and School of Public Health. Joseph Mailman at Columbia University were able to use a specially equipped metabolic chamber for their work. The study focused on how effective yoga is as a fat burning workout.

Scientists approached him very responsibly. Firstly, they used the most advanced and modern technology in their work. The metabolic chamber made it possible to carry out the study without the use of additional bulky and inconvenient equipment. In it, it was possible to track the respiratory process as accurately as possible: to see all the changes taking place in it and calculate the exact amount of oxygen consumed. Secondly, the researchers carefully approached the choice of a training complex for the subjects. They chose an active form of yoga: the Ashtanga Vinyasa style, known not only for its high intensity but also for its standard sequence. This allowed anyone to get an idea about the course of the experiment: to find out what program the subjects were doing, it was enough just to find the sequence of ashtanga-vinyasa yoga.

The lesson consisted of a 28-minute Surya Namaskar complex; then there were standing asanas, which were performed for 20 minutes; after - the final shavasana for 8 minutes. 20 advanced practitioners were selected for the study: 2 men and 18 women. The selection criterion was knowledge of the sequence of Surya Namaskar and the ability to perform such complex asanas as a headstand.

During the session, the exact amount of oxygen consumed by the subjects was measured; exhalation of carbon dioxide and metabolic activity. To eliminate all errors, in this chamber, in addition to practicing yoga, the subjects read books and walked on the treadmill in two modes: medium and high intensity.

But this study, carefully and highly technically organized, and freed from all possible inaccuracies and errors, confirmed the already known idea. Even ashtanga vinyasa yoga, rightfully one of the most intense yoga deviations, has minimal recommendations for aerobic exercise. According to scientists, the amount of oxygen consumed during it “indicated low levels physical activity” of this type of physical activity.

It turns out that even the most active styles of yoga are not aerobic workouts, that is do not promote fat burning during class. But, perhaps yoga helps to lose weight thanks to another. After all, as you know, there is another way to lose weight - it is to "disperse" the metabolism.

Metabolism: what is it in simple terms

Metabolism (metabolism) is the process of converting nutrients into energy that enter the body. It consists of two interrelated processes: catabolism(splitting of complex substances into simple ones, leading to the release of energy) and anabolism(formation from simple organic substances complex). The rate of metabolism determines how quickly nutrients are absorbed from food. A fast metabolism provides a kind of protection against excess weight. A slow, especially in combination with malnutrition and low physical activity On the contrary, it can lead to excess weight.

Another important indicator showing the intensity of reactions occurring in the body is called BX. It allows you to find out the amount of energy the body needs daily at rest to ensure its vital activity. The higher the basal metabolism, the more calories are needed to maintain all the processes in the body. That is, these calories do not need to be burned in a special way, they will be spent on their own. Accordingly, the higher the basal metabolic rate, the more nutritious food you can eat without fear of gaining excess weight.

The shameful secret of yoga. What are modern teachers hiding?

It turns out that a fast metabolism will allow you to maintain harmony, minimizing the influence of such a dangerous factor for the figure as high-calorie foods. Therefore, if yoga really speeds up metabolism, it will mean that it promotes weight loss. But how is it really?

“Asanas will relieve you of folds on the stomach. And the practice of yoga will help to lose overweight» –

promises M.D. Larry Payne enticingly in his book Yoga for Dummies.

“Even if you think you have a slow metabolism, doing this sequence twice a week will kickstart your metabolism. And it will help you burn calories throughout the day.”

- the founder of her own style of yoga, Tyra Stiles, echoes him in the book Slim Calm Sexy Yoga. But can these claims be trusted? After all, giving them the authors do not cite any source. And are there any scientific papers on the effect of yoga on metabolic rate?

Such a study was carried out, but for some reason its results are not advertised. This is possible for two reasons. Or yoga teachers who promote the idea “yoga speeds up metabolism” did not consider it necessary to study the relevant materials. Or for some reason they decided to keep silent about them. In any case, it has been known for 10 years that yoga not only cannot speed up metabolism, but rather, on the contrary, it can slow down.

In 2006, Indian physiologist Mayasandra Chaiya led a study to find out whether the practice of yoga affects basal metabolism, and if so, how. More than 100 men and women were selected for the study, with an average age of 33 years. An average sequence was created, which includes the most common asanas in yoga classes: Trikonasana, Sarvangasana, Shalabhasana, Dhanurasana, Bhujangasana, Vajrasana and others. In addition, the complex included various pranayamas ( breathing techniques different pace). The lesson ended Savasana.

Savasana or corpse pose. In this pose, yogis train to let go of all sorts of unrest, indignation, tension, clamps ...

The study lasted six months. His results were impressive. First, it turned out that yoga does not have a positive effect on increasing the metabolic rate.

Secondly, it was found that the practice of yoga, on the contrary, reduces the basic metabolism by 13%.

Thirdly, when the results were divided by gender, it turned out that the decrease in basal metabolic rate in women occurred as much as 18%, while in men only by 8%. It turns out that classes affect the basic metabolism of women more than the corresponding indicator of men.

What causes this decrease in basal metabolism? The research team stated that as a result of yoga, physiological functions slow down. Thereby yoga practitioners' caloric requirements are reduced. Therefore, if the practitioners do not revise and change their diet, this can subsequently lead to "weight gain and the appearance of body fat."

The results of this study are shocking and surprising. After all, hand on heart, it is impossible not to notice that full yoga are extremely rare. Most often, yoga teachers are athletic and fit. And those who practice regularly, in contrast to the statements of scientists, over time begin to look more and more slender and attractive.

Mayasandra Chaiya, who led this controversial study, was able to explain this too:

“Yoga influences the mind and helps control desires. So people start eating less.”

It turns out that yoga really helps you lose weight, but It's not about physiology, it's about psychology..

It turns out that the impact of yoga on the psyche is very great. Perhaps this influence can be used to combat excess weight?

How does yoga protect against stress overeating?

It's no secret that one of the reasons for the appearance of excess body fat is the “jamming” of stress. It leads to overeating, consuming too many calories and, consequently, to being overweight.

Therefore, if a person manages to reduce the level of anxiety, then one of the factors influencing the appearance of excess weight will be eliminated. And in combination with moderate physical activity and a healthy diet, it will be possible to get rid of unwanted kilograms altogether.

It should be noted that yoga is one of the most effective means. Some scholars have devoted entire books to this topic.

For example, in 1978, the work “Stress and its management by yoga methods” was published by a doctor from Hindu University in Benares Katila Udupy. There he describes the results of his many years of research and says that the practice of yoga can reduce high level hormones produced in response to stress.

This means that the practice of yoga will help fight anxiety and protect against stress-induced overeating. But it still remains open question Q: Does yoga help you lose weight? To find the answer to it, it is necessary to consider this topic from a different angle.

How to lose weight from yoga?

What happens if you study the potential of yoga for weight loss, guided by not only the physical aspect? After all, full-fledged yoga is not only asanas, but a whole range of means (including pranayama, concentration and meditation techniques). Perhaps then it will be possible to obtain more accurate and reasonable results?

It turns out that back in the 70s, such a comprehensive study was conducted, dedicated, however, not to weight loss, but to recovery.

In 1977, in Germany, scientists at the Hannover Medical University reported the results of an experiment that lasted 3 months. During this time, 100 people practiced asanas and meditation while eating vegetarian food. Meals were organized by the yoga school where the experiment took place.

From this we can conclude that the diet was healthy and balanced (that is, it was not excessive, but saturates the body with all the necessary elements). As a result of this study, it was found that yoga has a beneficial effect on cardiovascular system. One of the side effects was that participants managed to lose weight.

Despite the fact that in this study very little time was devoted to the problem of excess weight, this work perfectly demonstrated the relationship between yoga and weight loss. The experiment showed: moderate gymnastics, regime and healthy eating lead to weight loss.

And once again he confirmed the idea known to many: in order to lose weight, it is not enough to add or exclude one single element, an integrated approach is needed.

Speaking of an integrated approach, you should not delete yoga from the weight loss program completely.

The gymnastic component of yoga - asana - contains simple and effective strength exercises, which will be very useful in your weight loss program. Include strength exercises training complexes endurance and strength: Warrior III, Ardha Chandrasana, Navasana Variations, Shalabhasana Variations, Plank Variations, Matsyabhedasana, Downward Facing Dog.

And here's more! The practice of pranayama, which provides an increased flow of oxygen to the body, will shift energy production into lipolysis (fat burning) from glycogenolysis. So, in the weight loss program be sure to turn on such pranayama as and.

Candid conclusions about yoga and weight loss

Based on the above, the following conclusions can be drawn:

• Standard yoga class is not classical aerobic training, that is, during it there is almost no fat burning process.
• Yoga does not improve metabolism, but rather slows it down. To burn fat, you need to increase your metabolism.
• Yoga reduces basal metabolism. Therefore, for those who regularly practice yoga, in order not to gain excess weight, you need to (A) gradually reduce your calorie intake and (B) exercise your muscles more regularly.
• Yoga lowers anxiety levels, one of the causes of weight gain. So yoga practitioners lose the desire to “seize” problems.
• Regular strength training complexes speed up metabolism, burning more fat.
• Combination of power asanas, meditations and proper nutrition allows you to lose weight.

At the same time, yoga techniques contain effective strength exercises and complexes aimed at burning fat. Yoga does not aim to lose weight, therefore yoga is not a method of losing weight as such. However, in force, yoga was enriched with gymnastic practices, which, having assimilated with other components of yoga, became universal gymnastics for both the mind and the body.

In addition, the inclusion of pranayama techniques in a weight loss program allow fat burning to happen. In this case, pranayama acts as catalyst.

It turns out that you can lose weight from yoga. Of course, the number of pounds lost is unlikely to be as impressive as cardio along with strength training. But yoga practitioners will be able to get rid of not only excess weight, but also anxiety and stress. The main thing to remember in this process is that yoga practice is not a “magic pill”, which solves all problems, but rather one of the components healthy lifestyle life. Only an integrated approach that affects the physical body (through gymnastic asanas, breathing pranayamas and controlled nutrition) and psyche (through breathing pranayamas and psychic meditations) to achieve the desired results.

And something else…

"Beautiful" does not mean "thin", "thin" does not mean "beautiful".

Information about them is taken from William Broad's book Scientific Yoga. Demystification".

Information taken from study guide 2003 "Biochemistry: A textbook for high schools", written under the editorship. E.S. Severin.