Can yoga help me lose weight? Yoga is so boring and slow. I am not flexible, I can't do yoga.
First let's start with yoga as a physical practice. As a physical activity yoga is a healthy movement option that can challenge any body type, boosting metabolism, and improving muscle tone in all areas of the body. A fast paced yoga class can increase your heart rate and help you burn additional calories, making it a great option to add to your workout routine.
Yoga is made up of a series of asanas, or poses, that stretch and tone the muscles in your body. If you're looking for a yoga practice that challenges your body and burns calories a vinyasa, hot yoga, or power yoga flow are great options.
Vinyasa Yoga - Fast paced sequence of movements that builds on each preceding pose, raising your heart rate and increasing flexibility and muscle tone.
Hot Yoga - Yoga in 100 degrees room. Benefits can include increase blood flow, increase more range of motion, building stronger bone density.
Power Yoga - Focused on strength building, power yoga challenges you to move at intentional speeds through each sequence, as well as encourages holding certain poses for a longer period of time. This is a great way to build lean muscle mass, which can boost your metabolism.
How to enjoy yoga and think it's not boring and too slow.
Find an instructor(s) that you like. We don't all teach the same way, we have different styles, different music play lists and so on. The pace of the practice and instructor can make or break your experience in a class. If you are going to in person classes, try a few different instructions and see what feels best. If you are practicing from home. YouTube is really easy to try a few styles and instructors.
Find the right class and style. Go for active flows. Try a faster pace class. Styles to look for are Vinyasa Yoga, Power Yoga, and Ashtanga Yoga. Slower yoga styles are more breath and gentle focus. These are Yin, Hatha, Kundalini, and Restorative.
Be consistent. Like with everything in life, consistency is what will make this a regular thing and form a habit. You do not have to commit to a full hour class. Start with a shorter practice 15 minutes every morning then work up to 30 minutes 2- 3 times a week then try for an hour class if you want. But doing 15-30 minutes of yoga has so many benefits as is.
I'm not flexible.
Yoga is not only about flexibility. It's about balance, strength, flexibility, mentality, and more. It may be true that some people are more flexible just like some are stronger. But the goal of yoga is not to touch your toes its to create space where you were once stuck. To appreciate your body and become aware of the mind.
Yoga is for everyone. Your size, age , or level of flexibility does not matter!
Practicing yoga will help increase flexibility.
Consistensy. By dedicating yourself to a practice you will start to loosen up in your body and become more flexible. It might take 4 week, 4 months, or 4 years but be patient.
Flexibility is a journey, not a destination.
Most importantly there is no judgement in yoga it is a practice not a perfection.
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