Asanas Poses to Help You Lose Weight

A five-thousand-year-old transcription by the Indus valley civilization on fragile palm leaves has paved the way to an innovative weight loss therapy. Yoga was mentioned in the Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns, the RigvedaResearchers have traced yoga to over a thousand years ago, and its rich history is divided into periods of innovation, practice, and development.

Yoga was refined and developed by the Rishis and Brahmans who documented their training in the Upanishads. This practice was later developed over several years to what now is practiced as Yoga.

Is Yoga Poses Good for Weight Loss?

The development of yoga has benefited many people in losing weight in a healthy way. Yoga for weight loss is a debatable topic. Many people believe that Yoga alone does not promote weight loss. Yoga, when combined with healthy eating, has proven beneficial as it helps to lose weight along with keeping your mind and body healthy. Yoga increases your mindfulness and how you relate to your body. You will start seeking out food that is healthy instead of binging on food that can increase your fat accumulation.

Losing weight has two important aspects, healthy eating, and exercise stress can have a devastating effect on your body and mind. It can reveal itself in the form of pain, anxiety, insomnia, and the inability to concentrate. Most times, stress is the main cause of weight gain. Yoga can help you cope with stress.

Yoga Asanas for Weight Loss

Yoga does not always result in weight loss immediately as these poses are simple. These Yoga poses focus mostly on building body flexibility, improving concentration, and building your muscle tone. Once your body gets used to these asanas, you will begin to practice Yoga asanas for weight loss.

Some of the Yoga asanas and yoga tips for weight loss are as given below

1. Chaturanga Dandasana – Plank Pose

Chaturanga dandasana is the best way to strengthen your core. As simple as it looks, its benefits are immense.

It is only when you are in the pose that you start to feel its intensity on your abdominal muscles.

 

 2.Trikonasana – Triangle pose

The trikonasana helps to improve digestion as well as reduce the fat deposited in the belly & waist. It stimulates and improves blood circulation in the entire body. The lateral motion of this asana helps you burn more fat from the waist and build more muscles in the thighs and hamstrings.

Though this pose does not make your muscles shake as others do, it does give you the benefit that other asanas do. It also improves balance & concentration.

Sarvangasana – Shoulder Stand Pose

Sarvangasana comes with multiple benefits, from increasing your strength to improving digestion. But it is known for boosting metabolism and balancing thyroid levels.

Sarvangasana or the shoulder stand strengthens the upper body, abdominal muscles, and legs, improves the respiratory system, and improves sleep.

Sethu Bandha Sarvangasana – Bridge pose

Yet another asana with multiple benefits is the Sethu Bandha Sarvangasana or Bridge pose. It is excellent for glutes, thyroid as well as weight loss.

The Bridge pose improves muscle tone, digestion, regulates hormones, and improves thyroid levels. It also strengthens your back muscles and reduces back pain.

Parivrtta Utkatasana – Twisted Chair pose

The Parivrtta Utkatasana is also called the Yoga’s version of the squat. But you must know that it is a little more intense and tones the abdominal muscles, works the quads and glutes.

The asana also improves the lymph system and the digestive system. It is a great way to lose weight.

 

Surya Namaskara – Sun Salutation Pose

The Surya Namaskara or Sun Salutation does more than warm up the muscles and get the blood flowing. It stretches and tones most of the major muscles, trims the waist, tones the arms, stimulates the digestive system, and balances the metabolism.

Surya Namaskar is a whole package of good health and the best way to lose weight.

Power Yoga Poses for Weight Loss

There is always a debate about whether yoga is ideal for weight loss. Yoga tones your body and helps you lose that extra fat. But the story is different for Power Yoga. It is a vigorous form of yoga that rejuvenates your mind and body.

chiit is more like a cardiovascular workout. Power Yoga helps promote weight loss and maintain a healthy body and a stress-free life. It also enhances stamina, flexibility, and mental focus.

Power Yoga is a modern form of Yoga that has its roots in Ashtanga Yoga. The asanas build internal heat and increase your stamina, making you strong, flexible, and free of stress. I

 

 

Angle pose

Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart and your hands by the side. Now raise your hands above your head and join them together. Bend from your torso towards your left with your hands joined together. Repeat on the other side.

Bow pose

To perform this asana, lie flat on the stomach. Now slowly start lifting your upper body, just like you do in cobra pose and simultaneously also lift both your legs. Now hold your legs with your hands and stay in the position for as long as comfortable.

Jalandhara Bandha

This asana is known to tone the facial muscles and is a good stress buster too. It is a basic pose, and anyone can do it, irrespective of their age. When you sit in the Lion Pose and stick your tongue out, your facial muscles, along with the thorax and spine, are stretched. If you have any breathing issues, do this bandha under the supervision of a certified yoga teacher. Retain your breath if you suffer from high blood pressure or heart disease.

For the Arms

The Adho Mukha Svanasana is a weight-bearing pose. You need to position the upper body on your hands. It is an excellent way to tone your arms and biceps.

Do not do this asana if you suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome.

Ardha Pincha Mayurasana

Your arms become the base for balancing the entire upper body while you try to stay afloat. This asana helps strengthen and tone the biceps, triceps, and arms.

It is a simple asana that can be done by everyone. However, you need to be careful if you have neck or shoulder injuries.

For the upper back

The asana involves a deep twist and is an intermediary level pose that anyone can easily master with practice. It improves the natural flexibility of your upper body, improves digestion, and increases shoulders’ flexibility.

Plank pose

Lie flat on your stomach. Now slowly lift your body from the mat by using the pressure of your hands. Your body should form a straight line from head to heels. Your wrist should be on the mat and your shoulders should be right above your wrist. The position will look similar to a push-up position. Hold the position for a few seconds by keeping your abdominals engaged and then slowly relax.

Corpse pose (Shavasana)

 

Lie flat on your back with your arms on the sides and palms facing down. Focus on relaxing your body by inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Perform the asana in the end after performing all the asanas.

Ardha Matsyendrasana

This pose requires you to move your shoulder, neck, and spine in unison. The intense twist (one side at a time) helps in toning the sides, the upper body, as well as the abdominal muscles.

Be careful if you have problems with the back or spin.

For The Midriff (Approx. 5-7 minutes)

Think of a see-saw or a boat when you think of this asana. It works in the same way, and the midriff becomes the base for balancing the body. If you have trouble losing that stubborn belly fat, here is something that will give you visible results. With a little practice, you are well on your way to achieve toned abs.

Do not do this asana if you are suffering from insomnia, hernia or spinal injurie.

 

Matsayana

It is all about stretching your lower body (and organs) like the thighs, intestines, hips, and abdominal muscles.

It is best to avoid this asana if you have blood pressure, hernia, or migraine.

Anantasana

his pose tones and firms the abdominal muscles. The focus shifts to both sides of the body while you stretch. This asana improves blood circulation and digestion.

If you experience discomfort or stiffness in the neck or hips, consult your doctor before doing this asana.

Bhujangasana

A pivotal pose in the surya this is an elegant asana that works on your upper body. . It gives the abdominal muscles a rooted stretch.

Do not attempt this asana if you are pregnant or suffer from a hernia.

Baddha konsana

The Cobbler Pose works on the inner and outer thighs. An interesting variation of this pose is to flutter the legs like a butterfly – a reason why it is also called the Butterfly Pose. It is easy, straightforward, and relaxes your lower body.

Avoid doing this if you have knee injuries.