Yes is the answer. Dr Timothy McCall wrote a fabulous book title “Yoga As Medicine” where he states there is evidence from scientific studies conducted in both India and the US that suggest a multi-faceted yoga program that combines asana, breathing exercise and meditation can facilitate weight loss and lessen the likelihood of weight gain.
Dr McCall reports on a study led by Alan Kristal of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle which linked yoga to weight control and weight loss. The researchers studied over 15,000 healthy men and women aged between 53 and 57, 132 of whom had an already established yoga practice for at least 4 years. During the previous ten years, overweight people in the yoga group lost an average of 5 pounds, compared to a 13.5 pound gain among overweight non-practitioners.
Another study cited was that of Dr Anand Shetty of Hampton University where 60 overweight teenagers were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group 1 did 40 minutes of yoga and pranayama four times a week and a Group 2 just did their usual activities (no yoga). After 12 weeks it was found that the Group 1 doing the yoga 4 times a week lost an average of 6 pounds whilst those in Group 2 not doing any yoga showed slight weight gain.
Dr Dean Ornish is considered a national public hero in the US for his work demonstrating comprehensive lifestyle changes can reverse severe coronary heart disease without drugs. In his Lifestyle Heart Trial patients followed a comprehensive program that included yoga, meditation, relaxation and a low-fat vegetarian diet, walking and support groups. Patients averaged almost 24 pounds of weight loss over their first year. Five years later, they had maintained more than half of the original weight loss. The control group that only followed a low fat diet as part of their medical care gained three pounds on average in the first year and maintained weight at 5 years. Aside from the weight loss many other impressive results were also reported. Patients who did the program showed a reversal of their heart disease, reported a drop in their LDL cholesterol level, had a 91% reduction in the frequency of their angina, as well as significant reduction in severity of attacks. He proved “the more yoga practiced daily, the greater was the effect on the coronary arteries”.
As you can see there are many studies demonstrating the health benefits of yoga, meditation and relaxation. I feel the power of yoga lies in its ability to balance the breath and the hormones. Of particular note is the balancing of cortisol (the stress hormone). High cortisol levels in the body are associated with increased hunger and food binges which are likely to result in weight gain. Yoga brings the body to a more optimum state of balance which lends itself to a mindful and happier way of living. Eating more slowly and mindfully and becoming more aware of your food choices. So even though yoga is said to slow down your metabolism the effect it has on the hormones and the state of mind play a greater role as long as you keep up the practice. Personally I have seen many people lose weight and transform their health and wellbeing through a regular yoga and meditation practice.