Lighten Up With Yoga

Yoga can reduce stress and build muscle. Now researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle say it may even help you shed pounds.

True, many classes aren't rigorous enough to give you a serious calorie burn, but practicing yoga seems to help you eat less in general, so you lose weight, says lead author Dr. Alan R. Kristal. He studied 15,500 people ages 53 to 57, who reported on their exercise and weight history from their 20s onward.

Weight gain is common in middle age, but normal-weight volunteers who practiced yoga regularly (at least 30 minutes once a week for four or more years) gained three fewer pounds than non-yogis over ten years. Overweight people lost five pounds, and those who didn't do any yoga gained nearly 14 pounds. "Yoga makes you more aware of your body," says Kristal. "So when you've eaten enough, you're sensitive to feeling full, and this makes it easier to stop." To try it, look for a class that teaches the fundamentals before rushing through tougher moves.