Yoga for Weight Loss – Easy Poses to Get in Shape Faster

Yoga works in multiple ways to regulate your weight, by harnessing the dynamism of your own body and your mind to make you more mindful and improve lifestyle too. Read on to appreciate how subtle breathing techniques and easy poses can fast-track your weight loss.

How Can Yoga Help in Losing Weight?

Yoga aims to rectify the ineffective functioning of some of our body’s operations. The asanas strengthen our core, improve our flexibility, and utilises all our muscles to enhance their performance. This then regulates heart rate and metabolism, rejuvenates internal organs, and cleanses our energy pathways. Pranayama helps to de-stress and thereby impedes the production of the stress hormone, cortisol, which aggravates weight gain. Often people find it impossible to incorporate physical activity into their day. Yoga doesn’t seem like physical activity and fits nicely when individuals are unable to perform intensive cardio exercises.

How Often Should You Do Yoga for Weight Loss?

Yoga is best done regularly. Practising regularly improves flexibility. Build up the practice slowly because your muscles will be cranky and tight from being under-utilised. The best time to do yoga for weight loss is early morning on an empty stomach. But this should not deter you, and you should practice for a minimum of 30 minutes whenever the time suits you. Remember, however, not to do difficult poses or complex asanas after a meal.

Best Yoga Asanas (Poses) for Weight Loss

We have compiled a list of asanas that are known to help in burning calories. They have multiple other health benefits and can be practised in the comfort of your home too.

1. Suryanamaskar

The sun salutation is morning yoga because it is done to pay obeisance to the sun. It is a sequence of 12 striking poses that are done fluidly one after the other to become one salutation to the sun seamlessly. Each salutation is done in two sets. It is a sure shot way of burning calories.

How To Do It

• Start with both feet together. Lift both arms up and as you exhale, bring the palms together into prayer position.
• Lift your arms backwards back and stretch your entire body from your heels to the tips of your fingers.
• Now bend forward at the waist while the spine is erect. Bring your hands down to the ground beside your feet.
• Push the right leg back and bring the right knee to the floor with face upwards.
• Move your left leg back to bring the entire body into a straight line.
• Bring your knees to the floor and move the hips slightly back while you slide forward to rest the chin and chest on the floor. Raise your behind a little.
• Raise your chest to cobra pose.
• Then bend into an inverted V pose by lifting the hips and the tailbone.
• Repeat steps three through five before coming back to Tadasana or standing pose.

Benefits of Doing This

• It exercises the entire body.
• It strengthens the skeletal system, ligaments and muscles.
• It maintains cardiovascular health.
• It stimulates the Central nervous system and improves cognitive function

2. Natarajasana

The Natarajasana is a beautiful weight loss yoga for beginners at home. It works well, and the stretching releases the tightened muscles for the next set of asanas. It is derived from the name of Lord Shiva in his dancing form, Nataraja.

How To Do It

• Stand straight and grab your left ankle with the left hand.  Push your weight forward by using right hand on the right knee as support.
• When you lean forward, arch your back and push outward with the left foot.
• Raise the right arm in front keeping the left foot straight.
• Hold the pose for 30 seconds and repeat the other side.

Benefits of Doing This

• The asana improves the strength of the chest, hips, legs, and ankles.
• It stretches the thighs and abdominal organs.
• It opens up the hip flexors.

3. Navasana

The navasana is a pose that can engage your entire body. It is great for the abdomen and belly as it directly works that area. It is an excellent yoga for the hips as it strengthens the hip flexors as well.

How To Do It

• Sit erect with your legs stretched before you.
• Keep your hands to the floor just behind your hips. Pull up your body while keeping the sternum lifted. Lean backwards to straighten your back.
• Lift your legs to a 45-degree angle from the floor.
• Bring the hip closer to the navel.
• Straighten the knees and lift the toes to eye level.
• Raise your arms parallel to the floor.
• Keep the abdomen firm.
• Hold this pose for 20 seconds minimum.

Benefits of Doing This

• It can strengthen the hip flexors.
• It stimulates the intestine and kidneys.
• It improves digestion.
• It reduces stress levels.

4. Bakasana

This asana is known to be one of the best power yoga poses for weight loss. Not only is it an excellent way to burn fat but it builds your arm strength enormously.

How To Do It

• Begin with a low squat with your hands in front of you. Keep the knees apart, wider than your arms.
• Raise to your tiptoes and rest your knees on the ends of your upper arms. Don’t place them directly on the arms.
• Shift your bulk forward until the toes barely touch the ground.  Lift one foot into the air followed by the other.
• Eventually, you should be able to keep the pose with straightened arms.
• Regular practice will build arm strength to hold yourself up.

Benefits of Doing This

• It strengthens wrists and arms.
• It improves your focus and sense of balance.
• The asana aids digestion by toning the abdominal area.
• It strengthens the inner thighs.

5. Jalandhara Bandha

This asana is one of the sitting yoga poses that is most beneficial for overall health. It helps improve health and fight physical ailments with ease.

How To Do It

• Start with Padmasana and keep head and neck erect
• Place your palms on the knees which are stretched outwards.
• Exhale and then inhale while raising your chest.
• Hold in your breath for about 10 seconds.
• Raise the chin without slanting the head to the maximum extent possible.
• Bend forward and push your head and neck towards the chest.
• Contract your throat and neck muscles simultaneously.
• Lower the chin and place it at the jugular notch.
• Keep your chin down and contract the neck and throat muscles.
• Keep your back straight and look at your nose.
• Hold the Jalandhara pose for as long as you can, and release.

Benefits of Doing This

• This posture aids the spinal cord.
• It augments blood circulation and slows the heart.
• It regulates thyroid function.
• It can help reduce a double chin.
• It is supposed to help articulate feelings and emotions by clearing the Vishudhi Chakra.
• It regulates blood flow to the vocal cords and is beneficial to singers.

6. Trikonasana

This is the perfect yoga for weight loss in 10 days. It is known to improve bodily functions while stretching all your muscles properly.

How To Do It

• Start with legs wide apart. Turn the right foot out.
• Now stretch your arms wide open while pushing your right waistline over the right leg.
• Go down and face downwards keeping your back flat.
• Place your right palm to the ground with your left arm stretched out upwards.
• Repeat the left side.

Benefits of Doing This

• It aids digestion.
• It stimulates the abdominal organs.
• It relieves back pain.

7. Virabhadrasana

The warrior pose is generally performed as a vinyasa (a flow) with warrior 1, warrior 2 and warrior 3. This routine can be very crucial to your weight loss routine as it works your entire body while strengthening your core.

How To Do It

• Warrior 1 resembles a high lunge with the back foot pointed out at an angle.
• The front knee should be at a 90° angle.
• Hold the pose for 30 seconds before transitioning to Warrior 2.
• Just extend your arms out on both sides as you move your hips and chest to face the direction of your back foot.
• Retain the 90° angle as far as you can.
• Your arms should remain parallel to the ground.
• Hold the Virabhadrrrasana pose for as long as you are comfortable before moving to warrior 3.
• Now twist your chest and face forward. Raise your arms out in front of you for balance while lifting your left foot out straight behind you.
• Both your arms and your left foot should be parallel to the floor.
• Repeat the entire sequence with the other side.

Benefits of Doing This

• It strengthens your chest and belly.
• It works the back muscles.
• It improves strength to the calves, thighs, and ankles.

8. Utkatasana

This is also known as the chair pose or the fierce pose. It is akin to sitting on an imaginary chair.

How to Do It

• Stand straight with feet slightly apart.
• Stretch the arms forward with palms downwards.
• Bend the knees and push the pelvis down.
• Keep your hands parallel to the floor.
• Keep the spine erect. Hold the pose for a minute and then sit down.

Benefits of Doing This

The asana helps improve immunity, strengthens legs and claves, and stimulates the heart and diaphragm.

9. Dhanurasana

This is one of the basics of Hatha Yoga and is also known as the Bow Pose.

How to Do It

• Lie flat on the stomach with feet apart and arms close to the body.
• Fold the knees and grasp the ankle.
• Lift the chest. Pull the legs back and off the ground.
• Concentrate on your breath. Keep your body tight.
• Hold for about 20 seconds before releasing.

Benefits of Doing This

• This pose helps to strengthen our reproductive organs.
• It widens the chest and shoulders.
• It adds flexibility to the back.

10. Vajrasana

The asana is a kneeling pose which takes its name from the celestial thunderbolt of the gods.

How to Do It

• Kneel on the floor and stretch your legs behind while keeping them together. Let the big toes touch.
• Lower your buttocks and let it rest on your heels.
• Place the hands on your knees with palms down. Keep the head straight.
• Take deep and steady breaths and hold the pose for a minimum of 10 minutes.

Benefits of Doing This

• This asana helps prevent ulcers and acidity. It improves digestion.
• It strengthens the pelvic muscles.
• It aids in easing menstrual cramps and labour pain.

It is wise to take a class first and learn from a certified expert before you begin practising by yourself. Ultimately, yoga can improve not only your physical appearance, but it can contribute to your mental well-being too if done with consistent efforts and an open mind.

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