Exercise: Improving Compliance and Long-term Weight Loss

The overall aim of the proposed study is to determine the effectiveness of a 3-month yoga
program on increasing compliance and improving weight loss while participating in the
Sanford Profile program. The 6-month study includes a 3-month randomized, controlled trial
using in-person yoga, a yoga DVD, and a stretching DVD (control group) followed by a 3-month
post-intervention follow-up. The study will be conducted to test the hypotheses that both
in-person yoga classes and DVD yoga participation will result in 1) greater compliance with
the Profile program, 2) greater weight loss during the yoga intervention, and 3) greater
weight loss 3 months following completion of the intervention compared to the stretching
intervention. Compliance will be investigated using percent of days that dietary intake was
entered online and percent of days that online records indicate that the program was
followed. Changes in weight will be measured using data transmitted from electronic scales
that are provided as part of the Profile program. In order to assess weight change after
participation in the intervention we will ask participants to continue weighing themselves
daily for 3 months following completion of the intervention regardless of whether they
completed the Profile program or not. Participants will complete online questionnaires on
behavioral and appetite perceptions related to eating, food intake, stress levels,
compliance with diet recommendations given to them by Sanford Profile, and perceived
benefits of their intervention. We will use these measures to determine the effect of yoga
participation on eating behaviors and stress levels.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Must be participants in the Sanford Profile Program (weight loss program)

Exclusion Criteria:

- Must have physician approval if answers yes to Physical Activity Readiness
Questionnaire (PARQ) questions