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@OKCATHY1 Yes, Yoga is a physical activity. Since it keeps you doing something more than lying in bed or sitting down, it will help you to burn calories.
But there are some conceptual factors in Yoga and nutritional and metabolic science you might find helpful as well. I met a very inspiring lady (one of my Yoga teachers from the past) who embraced a lifestyle that would also help with weight-loss. With Yoga you are looking to help improve your body's ability to move through positions, gain strength, flexibility, and meditate for inner peace. In looking at giving your body what it needs, sustenance (food) is vital for life, as is water. But in reflecting you can learn that your body truly only needs enough food at any given time to set aside that feeling of hunger. When you grow in your practice of Yoga to the point that you can recognize that true feeling of hunger in your body - and this is not boredom, the desire to eat a tasty fatty & sugary treat, or the inclination to eat what is on your plate because it is there, or because 'you do that' when you watch TV, or other unhealthy reasons for eating - you can also grow to accept that your body needs only purely nutrient-dense natural foods, and you can grow to only eat as much as you need. Consider having smaller meals, half the size of your normal plate, and supplement that with a fruit/vegetable and nut/seed snack (have just a bit of each - two figs and two walnuts is a big snack) only if you feel hunger before your next meal. If you are bored or feel like snacking, consider that you might actually be thirsty and drink some water. Then re-visit the question of boredom and find a valuable activity to do, perhaps Yoga, perhaps volunteering? Build things into your life that help you to value what you do. Finally, be sure to always eat if you truly are hungry, as the 'starvation and yo-yo' that is caused when people do not listen to hunger, and then later binge on excess food causes a metabolic state in your body where the body is holding on to its energy (fat) more aggressively because you are giving it the signal that you are not getting enough food. Then it is even more difficult to lose weight. Good luck! Let us know how each of these strategies is working for you! I know it is hard, but everyone does have the internal and external capacity to arrive at and maintain a healthy weight, especially with support, though there are many, often incredibly formidable, obstacles.
But there are some conceptual factors in Yoga and nutritional and metabolic science you might find helpful as well. I met a very inspiring lady (one of my Yoga teachers from the past) who embraced a lifestyle that would also help with weight-loss. With Yoga you are looking to help improve your body's ability to move through positions, gain strength, flexibility, and meditate for inner peace. In looking at giving your body what it needs, sustenance (food) is vital for life, as is water. But in reflecting you can learn that your body truly only needs enough food at any given time to set aside that feeling of hunger. When you grow in your practice of Yoga to the point that you can recognize that true feeling of hunger in your body - and this is not boredom, the desire to eat a tasty fatty & sugary treat, or the inclination to eat what is on your plate because it is there, or because 'you do that' when you watch TV, or other unhealthy reasons for eating - you can also grow to accept that your body needs only purely nutrient-dense natural foods, and you can grow to only eat as much as you need. Consider having smaller meals, half the size of your normal plate, and supplement that with a fruit/vegetable and nut/seed snack (have just a bit of each - two figs and two walnuts is a big snack) only if you feel hunger before your next meal. If you are bored or feel like snacking, consider that you might actually be thirsty and drink some water. Then re-visit the question of boredom and find a valuable activity to do, perhaps Yoga, perhaps volunteering? Build things into your life that help you to value what you do. Finally, be sure to always eat if you truly are hungry, as the 'starvation and yo-yo' that is caused when people do not listen to hunger, and then later binge on excess food causes a metabolic state in your body where the body is holding on to its energy (fat) more aggressively because you are giving it the signal that you are not getting enough food. Then it is even more difficult to lose weight. Good luck! Let us know how each of these strategies is working for you! I know it is hard, but everyone does have the internal and external capacity to arrive at and maintain a healthy weight, especially with support, though there are many, often incredibly formidable, obstacles.
