Steady and safe weight loss is a variety of activities. It includes mode correction and diet, as well as regular and systematic physical activity.
Often, physical activity combines cardio and strength training, because aerobic exercise helps break down fat cells, and strength training strengthens muscles, making the body look fit.
Meanwhile, yoga classes, although initially not aimed at reducing excess weight, but as an additional physical activity can be quite effective in the process of combating excess weight.
Benefits of yoga for body and weight loss
When starting to practice yoga for the purpose of losing weight, you need to understand that you should not expect quick results - and this is the biggest and only drawback of yoga. But, subject to long-term and systematic work towards this fitness, yoga may be the most reliable means of stable and safe weight loss. In addition, it helps maintain weight loss results after successfully completing an intensive fitness program and prevents future weight gain.
This happens because regular yoga poses have a positive effect on the human body:
- the work of all systems and organs improves;
- accelerated metabolic processes;
- stimulated weight loss;
- stress resistance increases and the psycho-emotional state becomes normal.
You should start practicing yoga by mastering the simplest asanas and gradually, as you gain experience, move on to more complex yoga poses.
Yoga Breathing Practices for Weight Loss
Kapalabhati is one of the simplest yoga exercises. It is based on proper breathing techniques and effectively activates weight loss. Kapalabhati is done in this way:
- stand upright with feet shoulder-width apart;
- take a deep breath and at the same time draw in the stomach;
- hold your breath and correct the body position for 2-3 seconds;
- exhale calmly and repeat this exercise, stimulating weight loss, at least 50 times.
When doing kapalabhati, one must ensure that the body, except the stomach, remains motionless. Gradually, the number of repetitions of this simple yoga pose should be brought up to 100 times.
Yoga Poses to Promote Weight Loss
For safe weight loss, you should regularly do the following yoga poses:
Uttanasana
Stand straight, spread your legs comfortably, while inhaling, raise your hands above your head and, while exhaling, stretch your whole body well, without lifting your heels from the floor. Then you should tilt your body down and place your palms on the floor, placing them parallel to your 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. As you exhale, you need to straighten and lower your arms. Uttanasana improves the function of the gastrointestinal tract and helps achieve effective weight loss in the stomach.
Virabhadrasana II
Stand up straight, jump up and spread your legs wide, extend your straight arms to the sides, point your palms down. Turn one leg to the side and transfer your weight to it, bending the knee at a right angle. Turn the other leg towards the bent knee. Therefore, 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 entire sequence of actions, switching to the other side. This exercise helps to get rid of fat deposits in the sides and strengthens the muscles of the back and limbs.
Vasishthasana
Lie on your side with one leg crossed over the other. Raise the body, leaning on the outstretched palms and sides of the legs. Raise the hand that is on top vertically up. It takes 30-60 seconds to hold this position, straining and pulling in the stomach. Then you should roll over to the other side and repeat this exercise for weight loss.
Utkatasana
Stand up straight, with your feet shoulder-width apart. While inhaling, raise the upper limb above the head and join the palms. Exhale, lower the pelvis and squat to the level where the hips are in the same parallel with the floor. You need to be in a squat position for half a minute, never letting your heels off the floor. This asana to slim the hips and stomach should be repeated 5-6 times.
Shalabhasana
Lie on your stomach on the floor, stretch your upper and lower limbs back, press your palms to your hips, close your legs. Exhale, simultaneously raise the upper body and legs to the maximum possible height. Over time, when the muscles are strengthened, when doing this asana, only the stomach will touch the surface of the floor. Shalabhasana strengthens the spine, develops back muscles and limbs and helps reduce excess body weight.
Perfect 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, lean your body back about 60 degrees, keeping your back straight. Exhale, tear the legs off the floor, straighten the knees and lift the lower limbs to the level of the face, and stretch the upper limbs towards the knees. This position must be fixed for half a minute. Paripurna Navasana helps to lose weight in the abdomen, strengthens the muscles of the press and improves the function of the digestive tract.
Chaturanga Dandasana
Lie on your stomach, place your palms on the floor at chest level, spread your legs shoulder-width apart. While exhaling, lean on your palms and toes, raise your body so that it is parallel to the surface of the floor, and hold this position for the maximum amount of time possible. This asana strengthens the muscles of the whole body and forms the correct posture.
Bhujangasana
Maintaining the initial position, as in the previous yoga pose - lying on the stomach with emphasis on the palms at chest level - while inhaling, lift the upper body, leaning on the straight upper limbs, and, exhaling, try to bend back as low as possible. This exercise strengthens the muscles in the back and helps reduce weight in this part of the body.
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Standing with an emphasis on the palms and knees, while exhaling, release the lower legs and stretch the tailbone upwards, stretching the spine, without lifting the palms and feet from the floor. This position must be held for 30 seconds.
Savasana
Lying on your back, it is easy to widen the lower and upper limbs, point your palms upwards, close your eyes and rest for 15 minutes. This yoga pose is recommended to complete the class.