If I was asked to come up with an alternate word for “Yoga” I would say “Harmony”.
Ever since humans evolved, our lives have become infinitely more complex. Today we are torn apart by religion, politics, friendship, ownership, (of material wealth), lack of or subversion of natural justice, pollution, adulteration, abnormal sleeping patterns and finally, bad food. The various imbalances in our lives rips us to shreds and its physical manifestations include obesity, lethargy, lack of energy, lack of concentration, lack of memory and illness.
Yoga, through breathing techniques, exercise, and meditation helps you reconnect
with your body and inner self to alleviate pains, illnesses and manifestations of modern lifestyle including obesity. So yes, Yoga if done correctly can not only help you lose weight, it can make you a happier human.
However, let me emphasize, that through Yoga, you will lose weight gradually. If your intention is a more rapid weight loss then I recommend a combination of Yoga and regular exercise. I recommend Yoga in addition to regular exercise because Yoga has obvious benefits (explained in the previous paragraph) that are not available through other means. Also yoga helps you make your body supple, more flexible and more toned. It is like a system that brings back the ‘spring action’ in your body.
Yoga taps into your brain.
Yogic exercises help you strengthen your resolve, concentration and by meditating on various issues that affect your day-to-day existence, Yoga makes you feel better about yourself and convinces you of your resolve and ability to succeed. This is important because weight loss requires a physical (i.e. exercise) and mental approach (i.e. avoidance of junk food and following a healthier lifestyle).
Too many people give up mid-way. This happens due to a weak mind and lack of concentration to see your goals achieved. Yoga can change all that. But remember what I wrote earlier i.e. weight loss through Yoga alone is a very slow process. To speed up weight loss you need to combine Yoga with regular exercises aimed and consuming the excess energy your body has stored as fat.
Diet and lifestyle forms the third side of the ‘Yogic approach’ to weight loss.
Without adopting a fat-free healthy diet along with a healthier lifestyle (low alcohol, regular sleep, regular meals, etc.), it would be almost impossible to lose weight. To succeed in your weight loss goal, use a multiple approach rather than relying on a single approach. Yoga, regular exercise, diet and changes to your lifestyle are the ideal way to achieve your weight loss goals.
Read also the rest of the blog posts on how to lose weight, a good starting point would be FDA recommended ‘MyPlate’ on balanced diets.