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Yoga for weight loss?

branfran2011
branfran2011 Posts: 63
edited February 6 in Social Groups
I've tried a few different exercises and the only one I can be consistant with is yoga. I'm still very much a beginner, but love the way I feel physically and mentally after a good session with the app I use. My other main form of exercise is walking and hiking. Anyone else had success with these as their primary sources of exercise?

Replies

  • lcyama
    lcyama Posts: 209 Member
    For years yoga was my main exercise, with a hike once a month or so. I toned up, and gained an understanding of how my mind/body responds to different actions. Lost weight slowly.

    Eventually, I changed to a vegan diet, because doing yoga poses after eating meat (which I digested slowly) was not comfortable. Lost weight, slowly.

    Last year I also started running, but I find that I still need yoga -- it's good for run recovery and for stretching and strengthening my muscles. Plus I love the way it makes me feel. Lost weight, slowly.

    Long story short, no matter the choice of exercise, I lost weight at about the same rate (which for me is about half a pound a week, with frequent plateaus.) Weight loss was contingent upon controlling the calories in. Yoga doesn't burn a lot of calories per session, so you have to be happy with a slow loss. I am okay with it because yoga also has taught me to be happier in my own body, no matter what it looks like on the outside.
  • sun_fish
    sun_fish Posts: 864 Member
    I lost my first 34 pounds with yoga, walking and hiking (nothing too strenuous) as my exercise. I eventually added in resistance training with free weights.

    Losing weight is all about a calorie deficit. Exercise is for fitness. I think it's very important to find exercise that you enjoy doing, and if that is yoga, then do yoga!
  • branfran2011
    branfran2011 Posts: 63
    I've pretty much accepted the slow loss part, it seems like my body is trying to hold onto my fat inspite of exercise and fewer calories, lol. It's good to know people have had some success with yoga, and I plan on continuing and maybe adding in other stuff when I get back to working dayshift. Right now I come home, take my daughter to school, fit in about an hour of yoga and catch myself falling asleep in savasana!
  • lcyama
    lcyama Posts: 209 Member
    ...catch myself falling asleep in savasana!

    love it!

    my belly fat shrunk more after i started running. i would think walking/hiking would do the same thing: just stick with it, and one day you'll notice your clothes have gotten looser!
  • branfran2011
    branfran2011 Posts: 63
    Let's hope so! It's been rainy off and on for days here, I'm really wanting to get outside and walk a few miles before I go to bed in the mornings, but mother nature has other ideas. I know a few people who walk for exercise exclusively, and it's worked for them. I just need to do better at fitting it in in the mornings!
  • jmzz1
    jmzz1 Posts: 670 Member
    Which yoga plan do u guys workout.... any link would be helpful
  • norcal_yogi
    norcal_yogi Posts: 675 Member
    Yes... that is pretty much exactly what i do for my main exercise. I practice hot vinyasa yoga most of the time...which incorporates a good amount of strength exercises -- whole body/core. I love the way my body looks and feels...even at my age of 44...! ;)
  • branfran2011
    branfran2011 Posts: 63
    Which yoga plan do u guys workout.... any link would be helpful

    I use an app called YogaStudio most of the time, but I've done stuff I find on Youtube in the past.
  • branfran2011
    branfran2011 Posts: 63
    Yes... that is pretty much exactly what i do for my main exercise. I practice hot vinyasa yoga most of the time...which incorporates a good amount of strength exercises -- whole body/core. I love the way my body looks and feels...even at my age of 44...! ;)

    It seems to be working for you! I don't love my body most of the time, but I'm trying to get there :)
  • jmzz1
    jmzz1 Posts: 670 Member
    Which youtube exercises do you follow
  • branfran2011
    branfran2011 Posts: 63
    I don't have any specific ones, but I've typed in things like beginner yoga, or vinyasa flow. There's also a website called doyogawithme.com that has all kinds of yoga videos and they're all free. I haven't tried any of those, but I want to explore different types and that site looks like it has tons!
  • odonogc
    odonogc Posts: 223 Member
    I'm very similar to you. I mostly do yoga, with some weekend hikes thrown in.

    I lost about 25 lbs almost 2 years ago. I am up 3 right now, but will work back down.

    I subscribe to yoga glo, and do an hour a day.
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