Clinical evidence shows you can do surya namaskar to lose weight without changing your diet. However, changing to a healthier diet, where you consume less calories, will result in greater weight loss. The evidence comes from a study by medical doctors at M.R. Medical College in India published in a 2011 issue of the Asian Journal of Sports Medicine. The researchers found 49 men and 30 women lost weight by simply completing 12 rounds of surya namaskar per day, six days per week {1}. Contraindications for surya namaskar include, but are not limited to, high blood pressure, slipped disk and coronary artery disease.
How to Do Surya Namaskar to Lose Weight
Here is how to do surya namaskar to lose weight step by step, according to the study:
1. Start by learning the steps of surya namaskar – this should take about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Read the steps, watch a video and then, try to do it a few times.
2. Choose a time you can do surya namaskar every day and then, do surya namaskar every day. How much time do you need to practice surya namaskar? One round of surya namaskar takes about 3.5 to 4 minutes, so set aside 40 minutes. Doing surya namaskar at the same time every day will help you adhere to your new yoga regimen. Practicing to music can also help keep you motivated.
Read: Cardiovascular Benefits of Surya Namaskar
3. Take 15 days to practice surya namaskar and build your strength so you can complete 12 rounds per session. All the clinical studies I have read on successfully doing surya namaskar to lose weight train the participants first. Surya namaskar is performed at a slow and steady pace. However, it requires strength and is classified as a cardiovascular exercise.
Day 1 and 2 – 4 rounds of surya namaskar & Day 3 and 4 – 5 rounds of surya namaskar
Day 5 – 6 rounds of surya namaskar & Day 6 – 7 rounds of surya namaskar
Day 7 – Rest & Day 8 – 8 rounds of surya namaskar
Day 9 – 8 rounds of surya namaskar & Day 10 – 9 rounds of surya namaskar
Day 11 – 10 rounds of surya namaskar & Day 12 – Rest
Day 13 – 10 rounds of surya namaskar & Day 14 – 11 rounds of surya namaskar
Day 15 – 12 rounds of surya namaskar
4. Do 12 rounds of surya namaskar to lose weight, six days per week for 24 weeks.
5. Always follow your surya namaskar practice with 3 to 5 minutes of shavasana, also known as the corpse pose.
Surya Namaskar Weight Loss Results
When you do surya namaskar to lose weight without changing your diet, here is how much you can expect to lose after 24 weeks. In the study, the women lost on average 3.5 pounds and the men lost an average of 4 pounds {1}. Remember this is an average, which means some people lost more and others lost less. The people in the study were not overweight and this is not the only study on surya namaskar to lose weight. Before the study, the women weighed on average 118.6 pounds and the men weighed on average 136.5 pounds, so they did not have much to lose {1}. Heavier people burn more calories than lighter people doing the same exercise, so your results may vary. To lose more weight, reduce the amount of calories you eat by consuming fewer calories by choosing healthier foods. Hopefully, future studies on surya namaskar to lose weight will involve heavier participants.