Yoga Poses for Weight Loss

Best Yoga Poses for Weight Loss.

Medically reviewd by Ashley Rosa

Writter by Better Yoga Life Staff

Have you gained a lot of weight recently? Do you feel that it is a nightmare for you to shed this weight. The fact is that when you gain a lot of weight, then it becomes difficult for you to function. Most people develop joint pain because of weight issues. Some people become a victim of high blood pressure and blood sugar too. The key to getting rid of these problems is to get rid of the excessive weight. Now, most people cannot go for strenuous exercises. Well, if you favor the gradual approach, consider practicing yoga poses for weight loss.

How Can Yoga Help to Loss Weight?

Well, most of the time, you gain weight because of slow metabolism. What Yoga does is that it speeds up your metabolism. As a result, you start to lose the stuck weight. What is worth mentioning is that Yoga focuses on mind-body awareness.

Secondly, it also focuses on breath work. All these aspects help to reduce your stress levels. Sometimes, you fail to lose weight just because of stress. Yoga also improves your sleep pattern. As a result, you will not have to worry about the late night eating binges. When you do not eat in an improper way, you will not have to worry about obesity.

Benefits of Yoga for Weight Loss:

  • Sometimes, you look obese mainly due to your muscle. Well, this is where Yoga helps. It plays a crucial role in reducing the muscle mass
  • Sometimes, people indulge in excessive eating due to anxiety attacks. Yoga helps to calm your mind. As a result, you will not indulge in obsessive eating.

Common Yoga Poses for Weight Loss:

Sun salutation:

Sun salutation

    Benefits of Sun salutation:

    • Sun salutation is one of the most popular Yoga poses. Now, most of the time people are unable to lose weight because of lack of focus. The best thing about Sun salutations is that they help to create your focus.
    • At the same, time, they help to de-stress you.

    How to do sun-salutation?

    • Sun Salutation, or Surya Namaskar in Sanskrit, is a popular yoga sequence that can be a great way to warm up your body and energize yourself. Here are the steps to do Sun Salutation:
    • Begin in Mountain Pose (Tadasana) – Stand at the front of your mat, with your feet together, and your hands by your side.
    • Inhale and raise your arms overhead, extending your spine into a gentle back bend.
    • Exhale and fold forward, bringing your hands to the mat beside your feet.
    • Inhale and lift your head, lengthening your spine into a half-forward bend.
    • Exhale and step your right leg back into a lunge, placing your right knee on the mat.
    • Inhale and lift your arms overhead, coming into a low lunge.
    • Exhale and step your left leg back into plank pose, with your shoulders over your wrists and your body in a straight line.
    • Hold plank for a moment, then exhale and lower yourself down into Chaturanga Dandasana, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
    • Inhale and lift your chest into upward-facing dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana), with your arms straight and your legs extended behind you.
    • Exhale and lift your hips into downward-facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), with your hands and feet firmly planted on the mat.
    • Inhale and step your right foot forward into a lunge, placing your left knee on the mat.
    • Exhale and step your left foot forward to meet your right, folding forward with your head down.
    • Inhale and rise up to standing, reaching your arms overhead.
    • Exhale and bring your hands down to your heart center.
    • Repeat the sequence, starting with the opposite leg.

    Warrior pose:

    Warrior Pose

    Benefits of Warrior pose

    • Obesity tends to make most people lethargic and it becomes difficult to function. Well, you are in for good news. The reason is that Warrior pose energizes your body. As a result, you can work towards weight loss without feeling drained.
    • Creates flexibility in your body

    How to do warrior pose?

    • Start with Standing at the front of your mat, with the feet together, and your hands by your side.
    • You must step your left foot back, turning it out at a 45-degree angle.
    • The right foot should be facing forward and your hips facing forward.
    • Start Inhaling and raise your arms up to shoulder height, parallel to the floor, with your palms facing down.
    • Start to Exhale and bend your right knee, bringing your thigh parallel to the floor.
    • Your knee must be  directly above your ankle, and your shin is perpendicular to the floor.
    • The left leg must be straight and your left foot firmly planted on the mat.
    • Turn your head to look over your right fingertips, lengthening your spine and reaching through your fingertips.
    • Hold the pose for several deep breaths.

    Boat pose:

    Boat pose

    Benefits of Boat pose:

    • People with obesity have digestive issues, the pose helps to address them.
    • It strengthens the spine and the core.

    How to do Boat Pose?

    • When you sit, your knees should be bent and feet should be on the floor. Start by placing the hands behind the knees. Start lifting your chest and engage your back muscles as you start to inhale.
    • You must engage the inner thighs. You should try to draw the lower belly up and down
    • You can start to tip back at the back of your sitting bone. At the same time you must lift your feet up to the knee height. The toes must be spread out.
    • Now start bringing your hands parallel to the floor.
    • Start to straighten your legs.
    • You must stay in this position for two to five breaths.
    • On exhalation you can bring your feet down and sit with a straight spine.

    Chair Pose:

    Chair Pose

    Benefits of chair pose?

    • The best thing about chair pose is that it tones your muscles
    • Most obese people have digestive issues but this pose stimulates the abdominal organs

    How to do chair pose?

    • You need to stand in the Mountain Pose
    • Start inhaling and start raising your arms over your head
    • Now it is time to exhale and bend your knees. Gradually, lower your hips and imagine that you are on an imaginary chair
    • Your must keep the knees behind the toes and your weight should be on the heels
    • The arms should be parallel and the palms should face each other
    • You must hold the pose for several breaths and to come out of the pose, you must inhale. Next, you need to straighten your legs.
    • Reach the arms overhead.
    • Now exhale and bring the arms down to the side.

    Triangle Pose:

    Triangle Pose

    Benefits of Triangle Pose:

    • Weight loss requires focus. The pose improves your focus so that your weight loss journey can be easy.
    • It stimulates your abdominal organs and activates your digestive system

    How to do Triangle Pose?

    • Begin by standing in Mountain Pose (Tadasana) – Stand at the front of your mat, with your feet together, and your hands by your side.
    • Next, start stepping your left foot back, turning it out at a 90-degree angle, and pivot your right foot to face forward.
    • Start Inhaling and raise your arms to shoulder height, parallel to the floor, with your palms facing down.
    • Start Exhaling and start extending your torso to the right, reaching your right hand towards your right foot.
    • Your left arm must be extended upwards, in line with your shoulders, with your palm facing forward.
    • The legs must be straight and engaged, pressing into the outside edge of your left foot.
    • Engage your core muscles and lengthen your spine, keeping your chest lifted and your shoulders relaxed.
    • Start turning your head to look up at your left hand, if comfortable.
    • Consider Holding the pose for several deep breaths.
    • To come out of the pose, inhale and bring your arms back up to shoulder height.
    • Exhale and pivot your feet to face forward, returning to Mountain Pose.
    • Repeat the pose on the other side, stepping your right foot back and extending your torso to the left.
    •  

    Bridge Pose:

    Bridge Pose

    Benefits of bridge pose:

    • Most people develop back pain because of obesity. The pose strengthens your back muscles
    • Obesity causes fatigue. When you practice this pose, you can get rid of fatigue.

    How to do bridge pose?

    • Lie on the back and your knees must be bent. The feet must be hip-distance apart, flat on the mat.
    • Keep the arms at your sides and your palms should face down
    • Start Inhaling and lift your hips up, pressing into your feet and engaging your glutes and legs.
    • Keeping the shoulders on the mat and your chin away from your chest.
    • Consider Clasping your hands together underneath your body, and roll your shoulders together to deepen the stretch in your chest and shoulders.
    • Consider holding the pose for several deep breaths.
    • To come out of the pose, exhale and slowly lower your hips back down to the mat.

    Tips for practicing Yoga for weight loss

    • Always do a warm-up for 5 minutes before starting your Yoga practice. The benefit is that your muscles will be more flexible
    • You should consider doing Yoga for at least three times a week to get the best results
    • Do not over strain your muscles when doing Yoga poses. Go with the flow.

    Conclusion:

    Yoga does not only help you achieve weight loss. You will get additional health benefits also your quality of life will improve once you start doing Yoga so effort is worth it.

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