Yoga can help you reach your ideal weight
Practicing yoga can improve strength, flexibility, and balance
Yoga helps with stress & gives you that inside-out glow
Yoga can make you more energized
Yoga helps to fight inflammation
Get a good nights sleep with a gentle yoga routine
Best yoga channels on YouTube
8 minute read
Yoga isn’t just for stretching or relaxation; with its powerful combination of deep breathing and movement, it can also be used to invigorate your body, improve your skin texture and elasticity, stimulate circulation and lymphatic drainage, reduce inflammation — even help you shed stubborn pounds.
When it comes to weight loss, many of us turn to fad diets and other quick-fix solutions.
But when permanent results are the goal, a holistic approach is often required. And that’s where yoga can come into play!
Not only will these natural techniques give you more energy overall — they may actually be more effective than drastic dieting in helping you hit real weight loss goals too.
Read on to know some benefits of yoga that make it an integrated approach toward healthy living inside and out!
1. Yoga can help you reach your ideal weight
Are you struggling to shed the extra pounds and wondering what else you can do to reach your weight loss goals?
Some people go for starvation diets, which can wreak havoc on your overall health. Have you considered incorporating yoga into your routine? Yoga is a fantastic way to not only tone your body but also to shed unwanted weight.
Engaging in regular yoga practice can help boost your metabolism, increase muscle mass, and improve circulation, all of which can contribute to weight loss. Additionally, yoga helps to alleviate stress, which can lead to unhealthy eating habits and weight gain.
2. Practicing yoga can improve strength, flexibility, and balance
Yoga has been practiced for centuries and is known for its numerous physical and mental benefits.
When it comes to strength, flexibility, and balance, yoga is an excellent practice to improve all three. Through various poses and movements, yoga helps to strengthen muscles, increase flexibility, and enhance balance.
By up-keeping strength, balance, and flexibility, the body generally has better ability to protect bones & joints, in turn allowing the body to stay more mobile; increased mobility in turn helps to burn calories for weight loss goals.
The practice also incorporates breathing techniques, which can improve overall physical performance and mental focus. Whether you are just starting or an experienced practitioner, yoga can challenge and improve your strength, flexibility, and balance in a safe and sustainable way.
3. Yoga helps with stress & gives you that inside-out glow
Yoga is a practice that not only benefits your physical body, but it can also work wonders for your mental and emotional well-being by helping to reduce stress levels.
Stress takes a toll on the body internally & externally.
Stress increases the hormone cortisol, which can affect the sleep & wake cycle. Sleep is important for allowing our bodies to “reset” many systems and processes in the body.
When stress levels are high & you’re getting little sleep, you’re body isn’t given adequate time to catch-up from daily ‘wear & tear’. The negative effects of both stress and lack of sleep translate over mentally & physically – dulling our mental function, bodily processes, and wreaking having on body tissues & organs [like the skin].
Additionally, excess stress can contribute to weight gain due to hormonal imbalances, increasing hunger levels, eating in surplus, & slowing metabolism.
The ancient practice of yoga promotes relaxation and reduces stress, which can have a positive impact in many areas of the body. By incorporating yoga into your daily routine you can reduce stress to help prevent premature aging, and experience a radiant glow from the inside out.
Furthermore, the poses and breathing exercises involved in yoga increase blood flow and oxygenation throughout the body, leading to a clearer complexion and an overall boost in radiance. With regular practice and keeping your body hydrated, you’ll not only feel better, but you’ll also notice a natural glow within yourself that shines through.
4. Yoga can make you more energized
Have you ever had one of those mornings when you just cannot seem to shake that groggy feeling?
Rather than reaching for another cup of coffee, consider trying out a few yoga poses. While yoga is often associated with calming and relaxation, it can also provide a serious boost of energy.
Through deep breathing and stretching, you can increase blood flow and oxygen levels in your body, resulting in a clearer mind and a more energized body. With increased energy levels often comes more motivation to move and accomplish goals, which can lead to increased energy expenditure.
So, next time you feel like hitting the snooze button one too many times, roll out your yoga mat instead and see how it can kickstart your day.
5. Yoga helps to fight inflammation
Inflammation is a key component of many chronic diseases, from arthritis to heart disease.
Low-grade, chronic inflammation can also lead to water retention due to histamines widening gaps between cells in capillaries – this allows white blood cells to reach the site of inflammation to combat any cause of infection.Because of this process, fluid from the capillaries may leak out in the surrounding area of the body and you could be holding onto excess water weight which can be misleading when it comes to weight loss efforts.
But did you know that practicing yoga regularly may help combat inflammation in the body?
A recent study found that participants who practiced yoga consistently over a period of four years had significantly lower levels of inflammatory markers in their blood than those who did not practice yoga. Yoga’s combination of stress reduction, physical movement, and breathing techniques may all contribute to this anti-inflammatory effect.
So next time you’re feeling achy or inflamed, consider rolling out your yoga mat and giving your body a little extra TLC.
6. Get a good nights sleep with a gentle yoga routine
Adequate sleep is important for weight loss and a key component to overall health & happiness.
If you find yourself tossing and turning at night, struggling to fall asleep, or stay asleep, yoga might be the solution you need.
Regular & gentler yoga practice before bed has been shown to improve sleep quality and duration in adults of all ages. The calming effects of yoga help to reduce stress and anxiety, while gentle stretches and poses release tension in the body.
Yoga also promotes mindfulness and relaxation, which can help slow racing thoughts and ease the mind into a restful state.
By incorporating yoga into your bedtime routine, you may find yourself drifting off more quickly and enjoying a deeper, more restful sleep. Give it a try and see the difference it can make in your quality of life.
Wrap up
Yoga combines an array of postures and movements to help you connect the mind, body, and spirit – all while allowing you to lose weight.
It is a holistic approach that seeks to improve your overall health and balance your lifestyle. This makes yoga a great way to keep fit without having to go through a grueling gym regimen or even resorting to surgery or medication.
What’s more – yoga has been shown to provide immense satisfaction both mentally and physically – with feelings of relaxation that uplift one’s spirits after every session.
All in all – if you want to look better both inside and out – give yoga a try!
Check out some of our favorite yoga channels on YouTube:
Katie Pierce is a teacher-slash-writer who loves telling stories to an audience, whether it’s bored adults in front of a computer screen or a bunch of hyperactive 4-year-olds. Writing keeps her sane (most of the time) and allows her to enjoy some quiet time in the evening before she walks into a room of screaming kids (all of whom she loves dearly) the next morning.