Steady and safe weight loss is a series of activities. This includes correcting the regime and diet, as well as regular and systematic physical activity.
Often, physical activity combines cardio and strength training, as aerobic exercise helps break down fat cells and strength training strengthens muscles, making the body look fit.
Meanwhile, yoga classes are not initially aimed at reducing excess weight, but as an additional physical activity, they can be quite effective in the process of fighting excess weight.
Benefits of yoga for the body and weight loss
When you start practicing yoga for weight loss, you should understand that you should not expect quick results - and this is the biggest and only drawback of yoga. But based on long-term and systematic work in this direction of fitness, yoga becomes, perhaps, the most reliable way of stable and safe weight loss. In addition, after successfully completing an intensive fitness program, it helps to maintain the weight loss result and prevents future weight gain.
This happens because regular practice of yoga poses has such a positive effect on the human body:
- the work of all systems and organs improves;
- metabolic processes are accelerated;
- stimulated weight loss;
- stress resistance increases and the psycho-emotional state normalizes.
You should start practicing yoga by mastering the simplest asanas and gradually move on to more complex yoga poses as you gain experience.
Yoga Breathing Practice for Weight Loss
Kapalabhati is one of the simplest yoga exercises. It is based on the correct breathing technique and effectively activates weight loss. Kapalabhati is performed in this way:
- stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart;
- take a sharp deep breath and at the same time pull in the stomach;
- hold your breath and stabilize the position of the body for 2-3 seconds;
- breathe calmly and repeat this weight loss stimulating exercise at least 50 times.
While performing Kapalabhati, one should ensure that the body remains motionless except for the abdomen. Gradually, the number of repetitions of this simple yoga pose should be increased up to 100 times.
Yoga helps in weight loss
For safe weight loss, you should regularly perform the following yoga poses:
Uttanasana
Stand straight, spread your legs comfortably, while inhaling raise your arms above your head and while exhaling, stretch your whole body well without lifting your heels from the floor. Then you should bend the body down and place your palms on the floor parallel to the feet. If the stretch does not allow you to reach the floor, then you can hold your legs with your hands and stretch in this way. While breathing, you need to straighten and lower your arms. Uttanasana improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and helps to achieve effective weight loss in the abdominal area.
Virabhadrasana II
Stand straight, jump and spread your legs wide, straight arms out to the sides, palms down. Turn one leg to the side and transfer the weight of the body to it, bending the knee at a right angle. Turn the other leg toward the bent knee. So both feet should be on the same line. Turn your head towards the bent lower limb and fix this position for 60 seconds. Repeat the whole sequence of actions, turning to the other side. This exercise helps to get rid of fat deposits on the sides, strengthens the muscles of the back and limbs.
Vasishthasana
Lie on your side with one leg crossed over the other. Raise the body by leaning on the palm of the outstretched hand and the side of the leg. Raise the top hand vertically. It takes 30-60 seconds to hold this position, straining and pulling on the stomach. Then you need to roll over to the other side and repeat this exercise to lose weight.
Utkatasana
Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. While inhaling, raise the upper limbs above the head and join the palms. Exhaling, squat to a level where the pelvis is down and the hips are parallel to the floor. You need to squat for half a minute, in no case do not take your heels off the floor. This asana should be repeated 5-6 times to lose weight in the hips and abdomen.
Shalabhasana
Lie on the floor on your stomach, stretch your upper and lower limbs back, press your palms to your hips, and bring your feet together. Exhaling, simultaneously raise the upper body and legs to the maximum possible height. Over time, as the muscles become stronger, while performing this asana, only the stomach will touch the surface of the floor. Shalabhasana strengthens the spine, develops the muscles of the back and limbs and helps reduce excess weight.
Paripurna Navasana
Sit on the floor, keep your back straight, bend your lower limbs and place your feet on the floor. After taking a sharp breath, bend the body back about 60 degrees, keeping your back straight. Exhaling, lift the legs off the ground, straighten the knees and raise the lower limbs to the level of the face and extend the upper limbs towards the knees. This position should be fixed for half a minute. Paripurna Navasana helps to lose weight in the abdomen, strengthens the muscles of the press and improves the work of the digestive system.
Chaturanga Dandasana
Lying on your stomach, place your palms on the floor at chest level, spread your legs shoulder width apart. During exhalation, leaning on the palms and toes, raise the body parallel to the surface of the floor and hold this position for the maximum possible time. This asana strengthens the muscles of the whole body and creates proper posture.
Bhujangasana
Keeping the starting position as in the previous yoga pose - lying on the stomach with an emphasis on the palms at chest level - while breathing, raise the upper body, lean straight on the upper limbs and try to bend while exhaling. back as low as possible. This exercise strengthens the deep muscles of the back and helps to lose weight in this part of the body.
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Standing on the palms and knees, while breathing, without lifting the palms and feet from the floor, open the lower limbs and stretch the tailbone up, lengthen the spine. This position should be held for 30 seconds.
Savasana
It is comfortable to lie on your back, spread the lower and upper limbs, turn your palms upwards, close your eyes and rest for 15 minutes. This yoga pose is recommended to complete the class.