How on mother earth do you assume those fascinating physical postures of being cross legged, half squatting and upside down at the same time? Humans are not noodles, nor made out of clay dough instead of joints, muscle and bones. On top of which the yogis manage to look so relaxed and calm; contrary to how one would actually look while assuming a posture where one blissfully gazes at the sky with head up, one leg in the air and the other leg curled over, and the foot gracefully held by the other arm. And most importantly does it even work to lose weight, make you fit and all of the glorious things that workouts are supposed to do for us? Well, the answer is that yoga is everything your body needs to function at its absolute best. Let’s find out how and why:

Why waste so much time at the gym working each part of your body separately when you can connect all of the dots and do it all at once with yoga, makes sense doesn’t it? No amount of lifting weights is going to make your arms as strong as holding up your own body weight in yoga. Everything you do in yoga engages your core, from core-centric poses to moving from pose to pose, using your core to stabilise your body. Different inversions and arm balances in yoga allow you to raise your heartbeat, strengthen your muscles and lengthen them out all at once.

Yoga equals cardio with a few sun salutations or any flow at a good, steady pace, matching your breath to your movement. For the more adventurous and committed, try some Kundalini yoga poses which are spontaneous movements opening up larger areas of the body, removing energetic blocks out of the body, using the muscles and skeletal positions by using leverage.

Is yoga the one-stop-shop for losing weight, toning up and being fit? Apparently yes …

Since yoga is not a competitive sport, it doesn’t matter if your friend works out longer on the treadmill than you do or lift heavier weight. It doesn’t pit you against anyone. You achieve in terms of your own body’s capability so there is lesser chance of injuries and stress. Isn’t there enough competition in work and in life in general?

Any clothes that allow you to move can be worn, and you don’t even need a yoga mat: grass and carpets do just fine. It can be done anywhere. You may use some rolled up towels for support.

Yoga asanas don’t burn your calories as much as exercises so you will need less food consumption as when you do exercises. Yoga asanas help in eliminating toxins that exercises can build up in the body. Asanas help in maintaining optimal secretions of the endocrinal glands, thereby balancing the emotions and improving relationships and social interactions.

It helps you lose weight as it changes your mind, the way you approach life, your body and eating. Changing your mind about your body and the foods you feed it will be a much more effective weight-loss tool than burning 1,000 calories on the elliptical and then mindlessly hogging a plate of nihari the next day.

Every day a new challenge can be taken up. Try a few balance poses, some stretches for relaxation, hang out as a pigeon, be a cat, cow or a dog and you can target your specific area of improvement as well. There are asanas for liver, heart, elimination, purifying and energy.

Set out your goals in front of you and then choose the exercise that suits you best. If fitness, weight loss, fat burning is what you need with no injuries, minimal cost, the freedom to be at home and to do your workout any time you like, then yoga is your best bet.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, October 19th, 2014