London - When celebrity cook Nigella Lawson said that the secret to her new slimline figure was practising Iyengar - a slow form of yoga - many of us sneered slightly.
How can simply shifting through a sequence of poses create such a stunning result?
Surely, we muttered, she has just been starving herself and is yet another example of a celebrity pulling the wool over our eyes. However, the famously curvy cook insisted it was not so.
“I feel like I haven’t lost weight, but I’m possibly in better shape,” she told Good Housekeeping magazine. But is Nigella telling the truth?
Can yoga really achieve such dramatic results? We ask the experts.
WHAT IS YOGA?
A 5 000-year-old form of exercise, the word yoga derives - so many people believe - from the ancient Sanskrit root Yuj, meaning “union”.
Sanskrit is the sacred language of Hinduism.
There are thought to be well more than half a million people practising yoga’s various forms in the UK.
“Yoga is movements and postures for the body which combine the mind (focus and attention) and energy (through breathing practices),” says Jonathan Sattin, managing director of Triyoga, which has four studios in London.
Yoga has long been associated with considerable health benefits.
The British Wheel Of Yoga website lists these as improved efficiency of lungs and cardio- vascular system, better posture, flexibility and strength, improved concentration, better quality sleep and reduction of anxiety and depression.
In addition, as a weight-bearing exercise, it can be good for bone health, blood-sugar levels, and for those suffering from arthritis, back pain and fibromyalgia.
HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU LOSE WEIGHT?
Yoga is not just about boring old calorie-burning.
According to research, you burn on average between three and six calories per minute - which adds up to 180 calories in an hour’s class - not that many when compared to a brisk walk, which burns 300 calories per hour.
However, an extensive American study in 2005 of more than 15 000 middle-aged men and women found that those who regularly practised yoga for at least four years were less likely to gain weight.
Even more interestingly, those who were overweight but doing yoga lost an average of 5lb (about 2.2kg) during this four-year period, whereas the overweight non-practitioners gained more than a stone (6.3kg).
“Studies show that yoga lowers levels of stress hormones and increases insulin sensitivity - a signal to your body to burn food as fuel rather than store it as fat,” says Jonathan.
Yoga practitioner Angelka Cavana adds: “Clearly, there is some burning of calories, but bear in mind that whatever type of yoga you practise, your posture will be improved. Just tucking in your bottom, drawing in your stomach, pulling up your chest and relaxing shoulders will instantly make you look taller and more slender.”
Once you start to use your body correctly, your internal organs are able to function correctly, so you’re increasingly likely to crave healthy foods, rather than quick sugary fixes.
“Finally, mindfulness is a buzzword, but rightly so,” says Angelka. “Practising yoga is a mindful exercise. You are focusing on your body rather than worrying about what’s happening in your head. This promotes self-awareness, which helps us to understand our personal triggers for comfort eating.”
WHAT SORT OF YOGA?
“It’s almost impossible to name the total number of yoga styles now on offer, but at least eight are widely available,” says yoga teacher Pippa Richardson.
Just as there isn’t one diet which works for everyone, so different styles suit different people, depending on your level of fitness, health concerns and need to lose weight. The more you do, the better you feel, says Jonathan. “I’d say that two or three times a week is excellent, with maybe ten minutes of practice a day at home as well.”
Pippa agrees. “Optimal results come from 30 minutes or more a day, but that’s not realistic for everyone. Some people experience benefits after the first class, including feelings of calm and mental clarity.
“The physical benefits of weight-loss, building strength and toning are more likely after you’ve been practising for a month.”
A guide to how different styles of yoga can help your weight loss...
BEST TO STOP COMFORT EATING: HATHA
“Ideal for beginners, Hatha is a great introduction to understanding the benefits of yoga, as it taps into that self-awareness which stops us constantly turning to the biscuit tin,” says Angelka.
“We spend so much of our lives bent almost double in cars or at desks. Here, you will be taught the basic poses, stretching the body out, and correct breathing for relaxation.
“Breathing through the nostrils with the lips gently sealed is vital,” she continues.
Most of us breathe shallowly, but breathing deeply floods the body with oxygen, which relaxes us, aids the digestion of food and helps to relieve emotional problems. If you can conquer your emotional problems, you can conquer your weight problem.
BEST TO BOOST YOUR METABOLISM: IYENGAR
Iyengar is the yoga practised by Nigella Lawson. “A slow form of yoga, with the focus very much on alignment, precision and posture,” says Angelka.
“Improved posture automatically means the impression of weight loss. Standing tall will make you look slimmer, more confident and more attractive. You aren’t doing much calorie burning, but you are completely engaged with your body.
“As well as feeling relaxed, you may well find that you sleep better. There are links between poor sleep and poor diet, and sleep deprivation means that your metabolism doesn’t function properly.
“Nigella looks happy and healthy,” says Pippa. “Not going on a crazy diet means you’re not shocking your body into weight loss, so you’re more likely to maintain a healthy, balanced weight.”
BEST TO FIGHT STRESS: RESTORATIVE YOGA
“Restorative yoga focuses on deep relaxation and uses props to support the body,” says Pippa. “It’s great for anyone in need of relaxation and also for those struggling with their weight.”
A 2013 study showed the benefits of restorative yoga for weight loss. Over a period of 48 weeks, 171 clinically obese women did restorative yoga and the results were quite remarkable.
The yoga group lost 34cm of fat, compared to just 6cm in the control group, as well as an average of 1.7kg, compared to 0.7kg.
The researchers suggested that this might be because yoga reduces levels of cortisol - the stress hormone. Less cortisol means less fat storage, and the better you feel, the less you will want to eat.
BEST TO BURN CALORIES: ASHTANGA
This is a much more vigorous and physical type of yoga, so “you need a certain level of fitness to take part,” says Angelka.
“The practice is known to produce rapid results.”
It’s said that the ever-youthful celebrities Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow are fans, and an hour- long class could burn more than 300 calories.
Daily Mail