Yoga for Weight Loss

yoga for weight loss

It’s Not Stretching the Truth: Yoga is Great for Weight Loss


Origins of Yoga

Yoga originated not as a form of exercise, but as a spiritual practice. According to Sankhya Philosophy, the word yoga means separation (disunion, viyoga) of spirit from matter. It is heavily tied to the teachings of Hindu philosophy as a form of meditation that will free the body from suffering.


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Yoga is very ancient: some forms of yoga practice were probably prevalent in India as early as 3,000 BCE. By 800 BCE, the beginnings of the Yoga system were starting to be formalized in the Upanisads, the philosophical texts that are the foundation of the Hindu religion.

Yoga came to the west in the mid 19th century along with other aspects of Hindu philosophy. The first Hindu teacher to actively teach yoga to a western audience was Swami Vivekananda, who toured Europe and the United States in the 1890s. At that time, yoga was not merely a form of aerobic exercise but a spiritual practice that included exercises to help concentration. Today, in the west, some schools of yoga will include aspects of this spiritual philosophy, but most teach it as a form of aerobic exercise only.

What exactly is yoga?


Yoga QA: Yoga For Weight Loss?

Why it helps weight loss?


Other benefits

  4. Yoga boosts endorphins - Like all forms of exercise, yoga boosts your endorphins, chemicals in the brain that cause a sense of wellbeing.

Yoga for losing weight is not necessarily the quickest form of weight loss. However, it can help reduce stress, and increased stress has been linked to weight gain. Yoga is a form of aerobic exercise that can provide an excellent workout. In addition, there are many other benefits, such as improved flexibility, mental clarity and the centering of body and mind.