Somatic Exercises for Weight Loss: Do They Actually Work?

You power through high-stakes meetings at work, balance an overpacked schedule at home, and deliver maximum effort during high-intensity workouts at the gym. Your body is in a constant state of go. Sound familiar? If you’re looking to lose weight, operating in overdrive isn’t helping your weight-loss efforts. 

One technique worth considering: somatic exercise. 

Activities and exercises that often include somatic elements, like yoga and Pilates, are “designed to remind the body of its natural, integrated way of moving—with fluidity, ease, and coordination,” says Lisa Cary, a certified Somatic Integration Coach. Studies suggest that somatic exercise helps with chronic pain relief, relaxation, and stress reduction (1, 2, 3), which may factor into whether you’re successfully able to lose weight. 

Could somatic exercise be the key to breaking the stress-weight gain cycle? Before you push even harder at your next workout, here’s what you need to know.

About the Experts

Sarah Warren is a Certified Clinical Somatic Educator (CCSE), Registered Somatic Movement Educator (RSME), owner of the Somatic Movement Center, and author of The Pain Relief Secret.

Lisa Cary is a Certified Somatic Integration Coach and Movement Therapist.

What Is Somatic Exercise?

Somatic exercise involves slow, mindful movements that promote the mind-body connection and inner awareness. It can include a range of practices, such as breathing exercises, body scans, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, and dance. 

“Technically, any movement can be somatic if you focus on what you’re feeling in your body as you move,” explains Sarah Warren, a certified clinical somatic education practitioner. For example, yoga and Pilates can be described as somatic or not somatic, depending on how they are practiced. 

Focusing on the internal experience of the movement (rather than external appearance) is what makes an exercise somatic. A traditional exercise class tends to focus on form and specific outcomes or goals. With somatic exercise, touching your toes, running faster, or lifting heavier is not the goal. The primary aim is to tune in to how your body, muscles, and organs feel as you move and explore those sensations. 

Can Somatic Exercise Help You Lose Weight?

The mindful movements of somatic exercise won’t alone cause the scale to budge. However, it may positively affect weight loss by reducing stress and improving movement quality. 

That said, the scientific evidence linking somatic exercise to weight loss is indirect (less pain leads to better movement which may lead to more effective traditional workouts). “Weight loss needs a holistic approach in my opinion,” says Cary. 

Still, here’s how somatic exercise might help: 

It reduces stress

“Somatic movement reduces stress, which can cause people to gain and retain extra weight. Stress can also cause people to overeat and potentially overindulge in foods that cause weight gain, like sugar and alcohol,” explains Warren.

Chronic stress can cause an overproduction of the hormone cortisol, which has been linked to weight gain (4, 5). These prolonged periods of high cortisol levels put your body into a seemingly never-ending “fight or flight” response, which contributes to the storage of more visceral fat, according to the Cleveland Clinic. What makes visceral fat dangerous is that it surrounds your organs. High levels of it have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

Somatic exercise may work to combat this stress-weight gain cycle by managing stress and lowering cortisol levels. One small study found that an eight-week program involving somatic techniques like diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided visualization boosted weight loss and improved stress management (6). 

It increases mobility

Since somatic exercise has been shown to help relieve chronic pain and muscle tension (1), it may also help you lose weight by increasing your mobility and ability to work out.

Two methods of mindful somatic exercise, the Feldenkrais Method and the Alexander Technique, have specifically been shown to improve balance, walking patterns, and posture (1). While not directly linked to losing weight, moving better with ease may make you more likely to stick with the rest of your fitness routine. 

Simply put, somatic exercise makes “physical exercise much more comfortable and enjoyable,” says Warren.

Lose Weight

How to Do Somatic Exercise

Start small

Try 15 to 30 minutes of somatic movement a day, suggests Warren. “Though you might want to practice longer because the movements feel so good.”

Work with a certified practitioner

There are many great online resources for learning somatic exercises, but Cary recommends working with a certified practitioner, particularly in the beginning. “A good somatic teacher will guide students to sense, feel, and notice the changing, shifting sensations in the body.” This will help you develop a deeper connection with your body’s internal language. 

Do what’s accessible 

Widely available somatic practices such as yoga, Tai Chi, and dance are great places to start. Just remember that not every class you walk into will be designed with a somatic focus. “It’s the consciousness with which we do the movement, not what the movement is that makes it somatic,” explains Cary. 

You can bring somatics into any classroom by tuning inward, listening to your body, and moving in the ways it needs throughout a class. For instance, you can take the suggested modification when you know it’s what you need rather than letting your competitive side win.

Focus on pain points

If you struggle with chronic pain, Clinical Somatics is a somatic practice that aims specifically to reduce chronic muscle tension. “We use a technique called pandiculation that retrains the nervous system to reduce the baseline level of tension in muscles. By releasing chronic muscle tension, chronic musculoskeletal pain is typically relieved as well,” explains Warren.

A 2022 study found that a somatic program consisting of pandiculation (a slow contraction, then the release of a muscle) reduced pain in the lower back and neck (7). For lower back tightness, Warren recommends a somatic exercise called the Arch & Flatten: 

• Start by standing with your eyes closed and arms by your side and take a few moments to bring awareness to how your lower back feels. 
• Then move to the floor and lie flat on your back with feet flat and knees bent. 
• Breathe deeply and imagine your pelvis slowly and gently rocking forward and back to create the arching and flattening sensation.

Avoid making weight loss the goal

“If a person approaches somatics as a methodology for losing weight by doing certain exercises, it won’t work,” warns Cary. Emphasize an “inside-out” approach that focuses on moving in a more sustainable way. 

Other Ways to Lose Weight

Losing weight with slow, intentional movements might sound better than pushing your body to the limit with high-intensity intervals. However, somatic exercises aren’t the only thing you’ll want to do to lose weight. Once you’ve got your stress levels under control, diet and exercise should be square one for weight loss:  

Diet

A calorie deficit (eating fewer calories than you burn) is the most important factor in whether or not you lose weight (8). But what you eat can also make a difference.

Nutrient-rich, whole foods give your body energy and help you feel fuller longer. Getting enough protein in a calorie deficit can boost fat loss, help maintain muscle mass, and support your metabolism, which may make it easier to lose weight and keep it off long-term. 

Exercise

Studies consistently link exercise to better weight loss outcomes. For example, one study found that focusing on both diet and exercise was more likely to result in weight loss than one or the other (9).

A balanced fitness routine includes intense exercises that elevate your heart rate, strength training to build muscle, and low-intensity workouts that focus on recovery and mobility, such as walking. So, while somatic exercise might help, it’s worth getting back to a varied routine when you can.