Yoga Postures To Lose Weight
Here are the yogic asanas that help you get rid of extra kilos and heaviness. Remember that you will also have to combine this activity with another series of good habits.
Once they start practicing yoga, many people wonder what are the positions to lose weight. And it is that the figure that is molded by practicing yoga is one of its main attractions for beginners.
Beyond meditating or quieting the mind while the person is sitting in the lotus position, there is a physical benefit : a more slender, flexible, toned body, and, therefore, a healthy body.
Likewise, it should be noted that, to start practicing yoga, it is not necessary to have a certain figure or weigh little. Therefore, all constitutions are welcome and all can achieve exercising your body for better health.
Benefits of yoga practice
As time progresses and the person creates the habit of practicing yoga several times a week, the body gets used to the activity. The most immediate benefits are:
- Improved blood circulation.
- Increased energy and vitality.
- Improved quality of sleep.
- Psycho-emotional health.
- Stress release.
- Better mood.
- Tension relief.
- Relaxation.
How do you lose weight practicing yoga?
Now, how do you lose weight through yoga? Very simple. Through the muscular tension exerted in certain asanas or postures. When a yoga posture is practiced, the body positions itself in a certain way and stays that way for a short period of time — seconds to minutes. Thus, by holding the posture, the body is kept in a state of tension in which the muscles contract.
In other words, the yoga postures to lose weight are almost all of this discipline. However, repeating a few can help us burn more fat.
To a greater or lesser extent, maintaining a posture for a certain time helps burn fat, activate muscles and tone the different areas of the body.
Of course, it all depends on the intensity with which the exercises are performed. In this sense, yoga teachers usually increase, little by little, both the complexity and the duration of the postures. In this way, the body has the opportunity to get used to the effort and develop resistance.
Weight loss will be experienced progressively. It should be noted that this loss may occur more immediately —or not— depending on the personal diet. Yoga, by itself, does not guarantee that a person will lose weight if the practice is not accompanied by a healthy lifestyle.
Remember that in order to reduce the body’s fat percentage, it is best to resort to regular physical exercise. This is confirmed by a study published in Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases.
In the same way, you have to resort to certain dietary changes. In this sense, the intermittent fasting protocol can be adopted, as it has proven effective in promoting weight loss.
The best yoga poses to lose weight
If you don’t want or don’t have time to attend a session at a yoga center, don’t worry. You can exercise at home. You’ll only need 30 minutes a day — and a little quiet and space. Remember: it is really the quality of the exercise that counts, not the space.
The main yoga postures to lose weight are the following:
1. Cobra Stance
This is one of the most effective yoga poses for weight loss, as it works several muscles simultaneously.
The cobra pose is very simple to perform:
- Lie face down on a mat and rest your palms at shoulder level.
- Extend your arms to lift your torso off the ground.
- Bring your head back.
- You can keep your eyes open at a fixed point or close them.
- Take several deep breaths. The important thing is that the back is always straight.
2. Warrior pose
This asana is practiced standing up and strengthens the limbs:
- Start by placing one foot forward and one foot back.
- Then slightly bend your front knee.
- Now, rest the balls of your rear feet.
- Finally, raise your arms above your head and bring your palms together. Keep your back straight.
3. Fish pose
The fish pose is basic in yoga. It helps a lot when our shoulders are very “pulled forward” (from spending hours in front of the computer) or a sore neck:
- To do it, first, sit on the floor with your legs stretched out together.
- Then, rest the palms of the hands on the sides of the body (at the height of the thighs).
- Bring your torso back (accompanied by your head) until your elbows touch the ground. The back will be somewhat curved.
- To finish, hold this position for a few seconds and slowly return to the starting position so as not to get dizzy.
4. Candle pose
Perhaps this is a bit more complicated but, like the fish pose, you can achieve it.
This is one of the yoga poses to lose weight with which you will increase the blood supply to the brain, strengthen the legs and work the abs:
- Lie on your back with your legs together and your arms at your sides.
- Next, raise your legs so they are perpendicular to the floor.
- Thus, bring your legs as far back as possible – the idea is that the tips of the feet touch the ground above the head. Hold the pose for a few seconds.
- Lastly, take a deep breath and come back slowly.
5. Willow pose
With this asana you will tone your abs and promote balance.
- First, stand up straight.
- Then put your left foot on your right knee.
- To finish, raise your arms above your head so that your palms meet. Hold the pose for a few seconds.
6. Growing Posture
Rising posture helps improve metabolism and strengthens back and chest muscles. To do it you must:
- First, lie on your stomach.
- Next, place your hands at the sides of your body.
- Now, take the balls of your feet with your hands and bring your head back.
- Finally, you will slightly raise your chest and lift your pelvis off the floor. Hold for a minute or two and slowly come back.
Practicing yoga can be beneficial for your health
Yoga is a discipline that, if too demanding, provides great health benefits. Now, you know some of the most important positions. If you have not done it already, do not hesitate to start in its practice and you will be able to enjoy all the advantages it can provide you both physically, mentally and spiritually.
