How to lose weight with yoga is on everyone's mind as 2013 begins with a powerpacked list of health resolutions across the board. But is yoga really that effective for weight loss? Do all forms of yoga help and promote weight loss? With a number of yoga variations out there, which yoga form can help you lose weight quickly? All valid questions, as yoga has gained immense popularity and with popularity come myths and misconceptions. Here's a look at why you should give yoga a try if weight loss is on your mind.

How does yoga affect the body?

• Yoga, by virtue of being an exercise, increases metabolism
• Some yoga exercises that are physically challenging can help you burn calories
• Yoga exercises that challenge you can increase your heart rate
• Yoga poses help lengthen and tense muscles 
• Yoga poses help make your joints supple and flexible 

Whether all yoga is beneficial for weight loss is a point of debate that has been studied over the years. As a direct form of exercise that, in partnership with a good diet plan, helps weight loss, yoga has certain forms that rely on speed, up-tempo, cardio and strength related work. Such forms of yoga can, undeniably, help weight loss. Contemporary yoga forms like power yoga, for instance, are rich in moves that promote agility and calorie-burning. But, if it's the meditative and restive yoga that you find interesting, then weight loss must not be priority.

For starters, slow yoga - even when performed at high room temperatures - will, at best, give you a slight spike in metabolic rate. Unless you elevate your heart rate, you will not experience any benefits of actual fat burn or muscle-building; both of which are the hallmarks of healthy weight loss.

How Does Power Yoga Help Weight Loss

Power yoga has gained popularity around the world because it gives you a whole body workout, with flexibility, toning, strength building, and functional movements and also elicits properties of what a good aerobics or cardio session can do. Power yoga is one of the most modern forms of yoga as it has adapted to taking all the learnings of yoga and uniting them with today’s more urgent need of weight loss and fitness, by making yoga upbeat and current. The fast pace of power yoga is what makes it popular.

How to Lose Weight with Yoga: What you need

If you have decided that yoga is the exercise for you, then you need to find an experienced yoga professional and be clear with him/her about your weight loss goals. You will need to set a balanced diet routine for yourself, so that you do not sabotage your yoga weight loss efforts with bad eating habits.

Beyond that, all you need is a yoga mat and a place that allows you to practise yoga without interruptions. Soothing background music also helps.

Though fast yoga may help you lose weight, there are a few parameters that decide the pace of your weight loss. Determination, dedication and discipline should be followed for an effective weight loss programme.

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