20 Amazing Reasons To Do Yoga Vs Going To The Gym

Should you do yoga or go to the gym if you want to get in shape and lose weight? Some people swear that the gym is the best way to build muscle and burns excess body fat.

Others are confident that yoga is the best to stay in shape. The gym has major disadvantages that yoga does not have. Yoga is one of the safest and healthiest ways to lose weight.

If you are up for a good workout, yoga is perfect for that. It strengthens and lengthens muscles, joints, nerves, and ligaments. Plus, it is a very effective way to lower body fat.

You don’t have to do anything else. If you practice yoga often, you will reach your ideal weight and stay there. Yoga will change you from within and improve your health and well-being.

Here are some proven reasons why you should do yoga instead of going to the gym.

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1. Yoga burns enough calories for weight loss.

To lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you take in regularly. The key is to participate in physical activities that you enjoy. There are many different types of yoga out there.

Try out as many yoga styles as possible to see what appeals to you the most. Many types of yoga provide a full-body workout. They can be vigorous, dynamic, and intense.

They allow you to burn a lot of calories while exercising. But you don't have to expend lots of calories to lose weight. Gentle exercise is oftentimes enough to get lean.

A gym workout can cause your muscles to bulk up and leave you fatigued and hungry. You will eat more calories overall, which will reduce your chances of getting fit.

2. Yoga increases strength, flexibility, and stamina.

With regular yoga practice, you will improve your flexibility, strength, and endurance. Yoga is an amazing way to raise your balance and stability. Your body will look toned by increasing your functional strength.

Many yoga postures are very challenging. Only a high amount of strength and control built over many years will allow you to practice them. Yoga will make every part of your body stronger.

Yoga relies on your entire body to help you grow. Inversions and arm balances increase the upper body and core strength quite a bit. They will also raise your heart rate and provide a good cardiovascular workout.

No other form of exercise will make you strong and flexible at the same time as yoga can. You can become stronger in the gym but with reduced mobility and flexibility.

3. Yoga makes you feel revitalized and rejuvenated.

You will feel tired and hungry after a gym workout. It will use up your stamina and wear you down. On the other hand, yoga will cure you from within. It has plenty of healing effects for the body and the mind.

Many yogis love their practice because of the way it makes them feel. A yoga session will leave you full of positive energy. You will feel energized and fresh. It helps get rid of fatigue and rejuvenates your body.

4. Yoga can be practiced anywhere, even at home.

You can practice yoga at home or in a park. You don't have to spend time in traffic before getting to the right place to exercise. You can do yoga anywhere without any equipment, at your office or on the road.

Yoga will save you money and travel time. You will be more inclined to exercise because of its convenience. It is a wonderful experience to go to a yoga class as well as practicing yoga alone.

5. You don't need any equipment to practice yoga.

You can practice yoga anywhere you want to with no equipment. You will only need a quiet place and comfortable clothes.

You will need equipment to train at the gym. Not everyone can afford it. And it requires a lot more space.

6. Yoga saves you a lot of money.

Building a gym at home can get expensive. On the contrary, yoga saves you money. Yoga does not cost anything at all. Wear comfortable clothes, and you can start right away at home. Grass or a carpet is just fine.

There are many free online videos and courses to practice yoga if you are a beginner. They will get you started effectively.

7. Yoga doesn't increase hunger.

A gym workout leaves you fatigued and hungry and may lead to overeating. Yoga does not raise hunger but prevents overeating and weight gain. It benefits you physically, mentally, and spiritually.

You can practice yoga every day without increasing how much you eat. Limiting calories while working out at the gym is detrimental to your health, energy, and well-being.

8. Yoga has mental and spiritual benefits.

Gym sessions only help you physically. They rarely offer benefits for your mind. Yoga is much more than physical exercise. It's a journey that elevates body, mind, and soul to higher possibilities.

Yoga combines poses (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama), and meditation (dhyana). Yoga makes you grow and become the best version of yourself.

The gym provides no way to help you flourish into a hotter, healthier, and happier you. It doesn't increase longevity, nor does it help you adopt healthy living habits.

When performed correctly and regularly, yoga has many benefits for your physical, mental, and spiritual health. With yoga, you will feel good physically and emotionally.

The gym is focused solely on improving your physical condition. Practice yoga regularly, and you will see positive changes in yourself that benefit your whole life and relationships.

9. Yoga is safe to practice for people with injuries.

Yoga provides a great way for people with injuries to recover properly. It treats many problems and diseases effectively. Yoga strengthens muscles but also bones, joints, ligaments, and nerves.

Yoga makes you focused on your body. By paying close attention to movement and breathing, you make fewer mistakes and reduce the risk of injury.

If you listen to your body closely, you will advance at your rhythm. Yoga teaches you to do what feels right for you. It doesn't put stress on your body but relieves it completely.

You often get injured at the gym. While yoga slowly stretches and strengthens your body, weights and treadmills cause soreness and injuries.

It's as important to increase flexibility as strength. It will keep your whole body healthy.

10. Yoga increases lung capacity and control.

Breathing exercises are a huge part of any serious yoga practice. They increase lung capacity and control over your breath. They make it easy to breathe in stressful situations.

Deep breathing techniques are useful in everyday life. And they boost your metabolism and calorie-burning rate.

11. Yoga is suitable for everybody, regardless of age.

Yoga is accessible to everybody. There are yoga sequences for people of all levels and ages. No matter your health, you can practice yoga.

Gym workouts aren't designed for children or seniors.

12. Yoga increases longevity.

Yoga has powerful benefits for your health and wellness. It boosts your metabolism, digestion, purification, heart health, and treats blood pressure disorders, as well as offers a balance between body, mind, and spirit.

Yoga helps you sleep better, get rid of stress and anxiety. The physical and psychological positive effects of yoga are numerous. Better circulation, hormone balance, and immune system are only a few.

13. Yoga makes you feel great.

You can feel insecure at the gym. If you don't like the way you look, you go to the gym to improve your physical appearance. People who often find themselves unattractive or not good enough do gym workouts to improve their self-esteem.

Yoga helps you feel great in your body. It teaches acceptance and compassion for yourself and others.

14. Yoga boosts the immune system.

Yoga improves detoxification. It stimulates organ functions and changes you from within. And it boosts the immune system, resistance to bacteria, virus, infection, inflammation, and chronic diseases.

Yoga increases your health. It promotes hormonal balance that allows your body to grow, heals itself, and regenerate.

15. Yoga relieves stress and anxiety.

Yoga is the most effective way to combat stress, anxiety, and depression. You will sleep better if you practice regularly. Yoga helps you get rid of worrying thoughts.

It makes you focus on the present moment and clear your mind. Releasing any tension and finding inner calm is part of every practice. And meditation is included in a lot of yoga classes.

Overall, stress levels will decrease while doing yoga. Yoga improves your stress management abilities and helps you feel at ease in any situation.

You can feel increased stress and tension at the gym. The nature of the workout and location makes it mentally and physically stressful.

16. Yoga raises self-awareness and mindfulness.

Yoga helps you connect with your body by increasing mindfulness. It makes you more aware of your body, thoughts, and emotions.

Yoga provides favorable conditions for weight loss. You will make more choices according to your body needs, craving healthy, nutritious foods that make you feel great and gives you plenty of energy.

The gym has so many distractions. Increased self-awareness is not a benefit of working out at the gym.

17. Yoga is great for beginners.

You can be a complete beginner and lose weight through yoga. Even easy and gentle sequences have a tremendous impact. High-intensity exercises are not appropriate when starting.

Yoga allows a smooth transition into a more active and healthy lifestyle. Even if some yoga types are challenging, many others will provide good exercises for you to lose weight safely and effectively.

18. Yoga changes your life.

Yoga will help you lose weight, change your mind, and the way your brain operates. It also changes your relationship with food and exercise. Yoga makes you adopt a new healthier lifestyle.

It teaches you how to appreciate your body and how to treat it well, the best you can. It's the most important factor for a healthier and happier life and helps you reach your body goals long term.

19. Yoga is not a competition.

Yoga isn't a sport nor a competition. It doesn't involve comparing yourself with others but helps you improve at your own pace. Everyone is different and advance on his journey.

The gym is a competitive environment. You will feel uncomfortable if you are a beginner. Focusing on what others are doing is a sure way to be disappointed.

20. Yoga is different every single day.

You can design your workout as you want it to be. It's possible to increase the challenge if you feel that you are ready. Practice yoga regularly to see progress and feel motivated.

There are so many things to learn and do with yoga. You can relax and calm down. Or you can have a dynamic and intense workout. See how you feel every day and plan your session accordingly.

The gym can get tedious. You will do the same program for weeks before you can move on to the next series of exercises.

To wrap it up

Should you do yoga or go to the gym if you want to lose weight and get in shape? There is no need for anything else other than yoga. Pick the activity that you enjoy most. Yoga saves you time, money, pain, stress, and injuries.

You will feel great in your body while practicing yoga. And it's one of the safest and healthiest ways to lose weight, without any competition. All yogis are accepting and smiling.

If you want to prepare for your first yoga class, I've got you covered. Read up my article on everything you need to know before going to a yoga studio for the first time.

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Alex Assoune (MS) is a global health and environmental advocate. He founded Panaprium to inspire others with conscious living, ethical, and sustainable fashion. Alex has worked in many countries to address social and environmental issues. He speaks three languages and holds two Master of Science degrees in Engineering from SIGMA and IFPEN schools.