tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5796354866116498246.post3955320081468047174..comments2023-05-08T04:14:52.129-07:00Comments on THE RELUCTANT ASHTANGI: Does Yoga Count As Cardio? Do we care?Kaivalyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08706519542278960007noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5796354866116498246.post-6232385902512832882012-01-29T09:00:13.067-08:002012-01-29T09:00:13.067-08:00I love the article's sad little footnote about...I love the article's sad little footnote about how there are other reasons to practice yoga. The message is, go ahead and practice it if you wanna get flexible or calm yourself down, but go elsewhere if you want to lose weight. <br /><br />The point about a regular practice encouraging better eating habits can't be emphasized enough. This definitely happened when I did Ashtanga.<br /><br />Moreover, just because a summary of what happens in a yoga class (i.e., the part about Bikram) is exhaustive, it doesn't mean it's correct. When I took up Bikram, I did not alter my eating habits all that much (they weren't that bad to begin with) but still lost about ten pounds when I started Bikram (and I'm only 5'2). I've seen the same happen to other practitioner. You won't convince me that is all water weight!<br /><br />What's with the anti-yoga bent these days?Elisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04888081929539943621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5796354866116498246.post-37632696670377766242012-01-29T08:14:27.540-08:002012-01-29T08:14:27.540-08:00I agree that yoga is not just about about the phys...I agree that yoga is not just about about the physical practice. I think it is still useful, however, to be able to quantify the physical benefits of yoga, including calorie expenditure, oxygen consumption, heart rate, etc. It will require more than just strapping on a heart rate monitor. I'd prefer to see a rigorous scientific study.<br /><br />As for yoga and weight loss, yoga is actually beneficial for weight loss, but not because of the increased calorie burning. Eating fewer calories than you burn through activity is often easier said than done. If it were simple, then books about dieting wouldn't sell so well.<br /><br />Practicing yoga as "focusing the mind on an object of your choosing" is a great way to start to de-link from eating. The more you practice yoga, the more you are able to maintain a steady state without relying upon external factors, such as eating chocolate, drinking, having sex, smoking. <br /><br />As a yoga teacher, people often ask me things like, "do I have to stop drinking/eating meat/smoking" to be a serious yoga student? I tell them no, of course they don't. What I don't tell them is that regular practice will change their habits in subtle ways. In a year, they will wake up one day and realize that they don't need that extra donut to deal with stress.Branáinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02071638474392127468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5796354866116498246.post-51195643621021049602012-01-29T07:44:16.543-08:002012-01-29T07:44:16.543-08:00I guess I'm in the "I don't care"...I guess I'm in the "I don't care" camp. Jason Stein writes about this in his essay on Crossfit on his blog and in his book. It's a good read. If you DO care then it may come as a surprise where a yoga practice falls short in a purely physical fitness way. I sort of always knew this though. Nothing is perfect. I guess if my practice was super strong I might want to backfill with some cardio, but right now the practice is all I can do.Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01898226380782772381noreply@blogger.com