Does Yoga Help With Weight Loss?

If you practice yoga, will you lose weight? I’ve answered this question in a video debunking myths about yoga, here is a short clip:

Additionally, “mechanisms by which yoga may assist with weight loss or maintenance include the following: (a) energy expenditure during yoga sessions [calories lost]; (b) allowing for additional exercise outside yoga sessions by reducing back and joint pain; (c) heightening mindfulness, improving mood, and reducing stress, which may help reduce food intake; and (d) allowing individuals to feel more connected to their bodies, leading to enhanced awareness of satiety and the discomfort of overeating.” [1]

In this study, 60 overweight or obese women were first put into a 3 month weight loss program, which included weekly group sessions (1x/week) and diet and exercise goals. Following the weight loss program. participants received either 3 months of Iyengar yoga (YOGA; 2x/week) as part of a continued weight loss program (yoga group) or 3 months of culinary and nutrition education classes (2x/week) without any mention of continued weight loss (control group). After 6 months, “the YOGA group lost more weight (-9.0kg vs. -6.7kg) [a 5 lb difference] and resulted in greater distress tolerance, mindfulness, and self-compassion and lower negative affect, compared to the control group.” [2]

Interesting aspects to consider are:
a) Would the control group have lost more weight had they focused on weight loss in combination with culinary and nutrition classes?
b) If both groups received both nutrition classes and yoga, would they have lost even more weight?
c) Would the yoga group have lost more weight if they practiced a more vigorous form of yoga, or practiced more times per week? 

To me, this would suggest that nutrition, yoga (including postures, pranayama and meditation) and mindfulness all contribute to weight loss and maintenance, and as discussed, a combination would likely have a more significant effect. 

What did you think of this information? Let me know in the comments!

References: 

[1] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1559827613492097

[2] https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0263405