When we do any form of exercise, as a beginner, the question to linger in our minds is ‘How many calories am I burning in this one hour?’ Speaking in terms of numbers, practicing yoga can help you to burn around 100-450 calories in a typical one hour class. Now, these numbers can vary depending on the style, the posture and even the practitioner.
When we practice the traditional form of Yoga, that is, Hatha Yoga, it helps us to burn around 190-200 calories. Although this form of Yoga may seem a little slow to some people, it really helps to improve your balance along with being in sync with your breath. It can be said that Hatha Yoga is the base of any other form of Yoga. Come to think of it, yoga is a balanced mixture of strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance.
While a lot of emphasis is given to ‘calories’ let us first try to understand what do we exactly mean by this term. A calorie is a measurement of stored energy in the body and energy expenditure. In our everyday life, our body automatically keeps burning calories as we move around. This, of course, is very minimal as compared to the calories that you would burn while practicing yoga or doing any other form of exercise.
While exercise and calorie intake are a crucial part of weight loss, metabolism and hormones also play an important role in this journey. For an effective weight loss, people generally go for a calorie deficit diet, which means that you are consuming fewer calories than what you are burning. The goal is to burn equal to or more than the calories that you are eating to remain healthy and fit.
Yoga generally doesn’t recommend to get into the nitty-gritty of nutrients and dissecting everything before you eat it. It certainly doesn’t want you to keep the mental calculator always on in your mind, about how many calories have you gained and how many have you lose. Yoga has a very holistic approach to health. It always recommends us to be more mindful about what we are eating and then maintaining a proper balance.
Some of the key Yogic tips for an effective weight loss and taking care of those calories are:
Follow Mitaahara: Eat your meals in a balanced proportion. Fill 1/2 your stomach with solid foods, 1/4 with liquids and let 1/4 be empty for the gases to freely move around.
Sattvik Diet: Include a lot of seasonal fruits and green vegetables in your diet, as they are low in calories and fat.
Listen to your body: Don’t simply follow every new trend in the market. Learn to listen to your body. Just because someone said to eat every 2 hours, that doesn’t mean that you should force eat even when you aren’t hungry. Listen to your body and eat or drink whenever your body feels hungry or thirsty.
Pre-planned Meals: Always pre-plan your meals one week in advance. This should be practiced so that you very well know your meals and you stick to your calorie intake. this will also help you to avoid unnecessary munching and junk food because you know what you are going to cook tonight.
Smaller Portions: Start by taking smaller portions of the meal and take a second serving only if you want more. Eventually, you will get used to the smaller portions. And see to it that you eat your food slowly and by chewing it well.
Practice Yoga: Simply eating well isn’t enough. You must be consistent and dedicated to your practice as well. Only a regular practice of Yoga can help you turn inwards and learn about fitness, Aharveda, and duties towards yourself. You must also practice Pratipaksh Bhavana for consciousness progress, especially when we talk about calories and weight loss.
So don’t just look at weight loss as a calorie-burning process but look at it from a holistic point of view. The most effective way to lose weight and keep it that way for the long term is to follow an improved and balanced lifestyle.