Does yoga really help to lose weight?

[Sunshine3013]

Just as the title says... Did you lose weight with yoga? If so how often do you do it and for how long? Any recommendations on videos online to do?

No yoga didn’t help me lose weight. Reducing my calories and tracking what I eat on My Fitness Pal has enabled me to see where I was really consuming calories and help me make better choices so I’ve lost 3 stone.
The yoga is great for strength and flexibility but not for weight loss.

I have lost and gained weight whilst doing yoga. It depends on my diet and how much wine I'm enjoying! However, I always feel physically better in myself when doing yoga, no matter what my weight is.

Ok I've just signed up to The Frog Project.. I googled online yoga and you get 15 days free where u can join as many live classes as you want.. And then after it's 20 quid a month for unlimited lessons. I also go to the gym a few times a week so I'm hoping this combination will get me the results I'm after. I had a c section with my twins years ago and my abdominal muscles are still so weak.. I'm hoping yoga will help with that and my back pain.

I don’t think it’s the right exercise for weight loss - but great for so many other things: core strength, flexibility, balance :) Definitely worth doing if you enjoy it.

Absolutely not. It's great but not for weight loss.

I think yoga helps with toning but needs to be accompanied by eating less to result in weight loss.

No.

No, it's great though. Even cardio-type exercise doesn't really make you lose much weight unless you do absolutely loads of it. Weight loss is mostly about diet.

Lol no. Exercise, even vigorous exercise, makes almost no difference to wait loss. It's about the calories you eat and drink

No, it didn't help me lose weight, but when I was doing 45 mins a day I got quite toned, flatter stomach and better posture, so I looked slimmer.

But if it tones and builds more muscle - then your resting BMR increases which burns more calories - maybe not enough to lose significant weight but maybe enough to help with maintaining?

Just reading a HOT YOGA class and they are claiming it uses up 1000 cal / session...

No. But if I put on weight yoga will sure remind me of it when there's a bit of flab in the way of my moves.

Yoga isn’t great for weight loss, but then again isn’t it something like 80% diet and 20% exercise that impacts your weight? Its not great cardio obviously but yoga does make your body feel amazing - it tones, improves your posture and builds strength and flexibility.

Definitely not. Neither does Pilates. Doesn’t mean it’s a waste of time though - the increased flexibility and core strength/better posture makes it worthwhile.

Exercise doesn't lead to weight loss directly. Yoga certainly not.

But I think when I'm doing exercise regularly I eat less because I feel good and just less interested in food really. Often I eat rubbish when bored or not moving enough!

I agree with everyone else, however, I do find that the more exercise I do the better I start feeling in myself, the less I snack and I find myself making healthier food choices because I want the energy to do the exercise so there can be those knock on effects. Clothes fit better as you become more toned as well.

@Bumpsadaisie

Exercise doesn't lead to weight loss directly. Yoga certainly not.

But I think when I'm doing exercise regularly I eat less because I feel good and just less interested in food really. Often I eat rubbish when bored or not moving enough!

Got there before me 😄

Pilates would be better for a weak core, ime.

I've been doing yoga most days now for a year combined with a couple of runs a week and improving my diet. I have lost weight but the yoga has worked wonders for my tone - I have arms, shoulders and abs!!! 15 mins every day - it's really worth it!

It will tone you up but you won’t lose weight unless you do bikram or high intensity power yoga every day (lots of sun salutations). It’s well worth doing but I’d alternate with HIIT.

It never helped me lose weight, even though I did power yoga which felt incredibly strenuous and I used to really sweat. Weirdly, when I switched to doing bootcamps which felt a lot easier, a lost a stone. But yoga is so good for flexibility and posture. Well worth doing. I am going back to it as soon as local classes reopen.

@khaleesi71

I've been doing yoga most days now for a year combined with a couple of runs a week and improving my diet. I have lost weight but the yoga has worked wonders for my tone - I have arms, shoulders and abs!!! 15 mins every day - it's really worth it!

Do you do Adriene online? Or your own flow? 15 minutes a day sounds great.

It really depends what you're doing! I used to do hot yoga which was an hour's class and very intense, I would burn upwards of 600 calories in an hour which is more than power walking and similar to a weights workout.

I now do gentle yoga more for flexibility and burn more like 250 cals in an hour. So realistically no unless I did this every day it wouldn't help me lose weight, however it does make you way more flexible, toned, and I feel more relaxed and sleep better.

I would recommend doing yoga daily, or a longer class at least 2-3 times a week, coupled with walking/jogging or some other form of cardio, if you're looking to lose weight.

I find it part of a package that helps me maintain a healthier lifestyle.

So it doesn't directly help me lose weight, but I've noticed since starting it really benefits my other workouts - fewer injuries, I'm not as achey after other workouts, that little niggle in my back that meant id get the bus rather than walk has all but gone and these were all the sorts of things that meant any workout regime would go to pot within a few weeks. Also I find it easier to maintain correct form in other workouts.

And whilst I agree exercise is a small part of losing weight (although still important for health) I think it's great for body confidence which is something many people who are overweight struggle with.

Plus it's one of the few exercises that I enjoy whilst actually doing it.