Yoga practice is not a quick-fix diet pill, but it can have profound effects on your body image. Yoga can open the doorway to many transformative gifts, one of which is weight acceptance.
There are many factors in weight gain (stress, food addiction, willpower and lifestyle), so it would be unfair to point to a single solution for weight loss. However, regular yoga practice will loosen and lengthen muscles, thereby sculpting one’s body and improving range of motion. These changes may give the appearance of weight loss and improved fitness if not necessarily shedding pounds of fat. If weight loss is one of your goals, then a more vigorous style of yoga, such as Ashtanga or Power would be a good choice.
True weight loss through yoga practice comes from the changes yoga brings to your lifestyle. Yoga can reduce stress, improve digestion and improve blood circulation to major endocrine glands (the thyroid and pancreas), all of which can control your appetite, moods and sleep patterns.
Many yoga practitioners note that regular yoga practice naturally changes their diets because they begin seeking more natural sources of food fuels, such as fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Also, given that it is not recommended to practice yoga on a full stomach, eating smaller, more frequent meals becomes conducive to living a practical yoga lifestyle.
What ultimately happens with yoga practitioners is that they gain comfort and confidence in the bodies they’ve already been given.
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