Yoga For Weight Loss

Practicing Yoga daily has helped people to gain and lose weight gradually. The science of Yoga has been kept preserved through the generations and is now being treated as an effective method of promoting a healthy lifestyle among people. We often blame our genetics for weight gain but that is not the reason in most of the cases, the reason is the unhealthy lifestyle of people which is driving them to an unhealthy weight gain. An effective diet with proper exercise can do wonders to people who are overweight. There is a lot more you can do to reduce weight naturally out of which power yoga is a healthy and effective weight loss option.There are a lot of yoga exercises for weight loss which are explained below:

Standing Yoga Asanas For Weight Loss

1- Ardha Chandrasana or the Half Moon Pose

This pose helps toning your buttocks, upper and inner thighs. It helps you to strengthen your sore and burn the love handles on your sides.

Steps:

Stand straight with your feet together.
Raise your hands above your head and stretch toward the ceiling clasping your hands together.
Exhale slowly and bend sideways from your hips keeping your elbows straight, do not lean forward or bend your knees.
Inhale and come back to original position. Repeat the same for other side.

Ardha Chandrasana

Those with digestive disorders, a spine injury or high blood pressure should avoid doing this asana.

2- Veerbhadrasana 1 or Warriors Pose

The asana stretches your back strengthens your thighs, buttock and tummy and helps you lose weight.

Steps:

Stand with your feet together and hands by your side.
Now stretch your right leg forward and keep your left leg extended backwards.
Get into the lunge position by gently bending your right knee.
Twist your torso and face towards your bent right leg.
Keeping your arms parallel to ground exhale, straighten your arms and raise your body up and away from your bent knee.
Stretch your arms upwards and slowly tilt your torso backwards so your back forms and arch.
To get out of this pose exhale and straighten your right knee. Now push off your right leg and come back to your original position. You can use your hands to support you.

Veerbhadr Asana

People with high blood pressure, shoulder, knee or back trouble should do this under the guidance of proper instructor.

3- Virabhadrasana 2 or Warriors Pose 2

This asana is great to strengthen the muscles in your back, thighs, abdomen and core. It is same as the warrior pose 1 but with a little difference.

Steps:

Begin with the starting position mentioned above
Now instead of raising your hands upward just twist your torso towards right, moving your right leg and making the arms and legs parallel to each other.
Now turn your head to the direction your knee is facing.
Get to the starting position and start with other side.

Virabhadrasana II

Avoid this pose if you suffer from diarrhea or high blood pressure.

4- Utkatasana or the Chairs Pose

It strengthens your thighs, tones the buttock and helps in reducing weight.

Steps:

Stand straight and fold your hands in front of you in a Namaste.
Now raise your hands above your head and bend your knees to make your thighs parallel to the ground.
Bend your torso forward and breathe slowly.
Stay in the pose as long possible and then gently go back to the starting position.

Utkatasana

Avoid the asana if you have a knee or a back injury.

Sitting Yoga Asana For Weight Loss

1- Ardha Matsyendrasana or Half Spinal Twist

This is an asana that can be done while sitting on a yoga mat. It helps in increasing your intake of oxygen and increase the capacity of your lungs. It also stretches the spine and tones the thighs and abdominal muscles.

Steps:

Sit with your legs stretched in front of you keeping your spine erect and feet straight.
Bend your left leg and place the heel of your left foot beside your right hip, you can keep your left leg straight.
Now, take the right leg over your left knee and place your left hand on your right knee and your right hand behind you.
Twist at the waist, shoulders and neck in this sequence to the right and look over the right shoulder.
Hold the pose for 30-40 seconds and breathe deeply.
To come back to the starting position move your right hand first then the waist, then chest and lastly the neck. Sit up and relax. Then repeat for other side.

Vakrasana

It is a bit complex asana so people with back problems should perform it with a trainer.

2- Baddha Konasana or Cobbler pose

This is a simple exercise to tighten your thigh muscles and burn the love handles. For women it also helps relieve menstrual discomfort and improves digestion.

Steps:

Sit on the mat with your spine straight and keep the legs stretched in front of you.
Keeping your spine straight bend your knees in such a way that the sole pf both the feet touch each other.
Now with the help of your hands pull your heels inwards to your pelvic region as far as possible.
Now holding your legs at the ankle move your legs up and down like the wings of a butterfly. Repeat it as many times as you can.

Baddha Konasana

Do not do this asana if you have consistent knee problems.

3- Kapal Bhati Prayanam

It is a form of breathing exercise and can be referred as one of the most beneficial yoga asana. It helps you to oxygenate your body and strengthen your abdomen muscles. It helps you to get the flat belly melt away love handles and improve your digestion.

Steps:

Sit comfortably on your mat keeping the spine straight and legs folded. Keep your palms over your knees and relax.
Now exhale slowly and at the same time pull the muscles of the abdomen in towards your spine.
When you loosen your stomach you will breathe in automatically.
Quickly contract your abdomen to exhale again. The work of inhaling and exhaling should be done with the help of the muscles in your stomach.
Do this for 50 times and gradually increase the repetitions.

Kapal Bhati Prayanam

At the end of the exercise you will find a little soreness around the muscles of your stomach which is normal. People with high blood pressure, hernia and heart disease should avoid this asana.

4- Halasana or Plough Pose

It is a very beneficial pose for those who sit at the same place for long hours and suffer from bad posture. It tones the muscles of your back and buttocks and keeps the level of thyroid in check. It helps the blood to reach the head increasing the blood circulation and also strengthen your shoulders and thighs.

Steps:

Lie flat on the floor on your back and keep your feet flat and straight with arms on your side.
Now lift your feet upwards from the hips you can use your hands to push yourself.
Now slowly bend your legs at the hips and try to touch the floor behind your head with your toes and straighten your hands so they are flat on the floor.
Breathe out while going up, and while returning to the original position slowly roll your back to the floor and then place your feet to the ground.

halasana