Stable and safe weight loss is a whole range of activities. It includes the correction of diet and food, as well as regular and systematic physical activity.
Most often, physical activity combines cardio and strength training, since aerobic exercises help break down fat cells, and strength exercises build muscle, making the body look fit.
Meanwhile, yoga classes, although initially not intended to reduce excess weight, but as an additional physical activity, can be quite effective in the process of fighting excess weight.
The benefits of yoga for the body and weight loss
When you start practicing yoga with the goal of weight loss, you need to understand that you shouldn't expect quick results - and that's the biggest and only downside of yoga. But, subject to long-term and systematic work in this direction of fitness, yoga becomes, perhaps, the most reliable way to lose weight in a stable and safe way. In addition, it helps to maintain the result of weight loss after successful completion of an intensive fitness program and prevents future weight gain.
This happens because regularly performing 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;
- resistance to stress increases and the psycho-emotional state normalizes.
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 practice for weight loss
Kapalabhati is one of the simplest yoga exercises. It is based on the technique of proper breathing and effectively activates weight loss. Kapalabhati is performed in this way:
- stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart;
- take a deep breath and at the same time draw in the stomach;
- hold your breath and fix the position of the body for 2-3 seconds;
- exhale calmly and repeat this exercise, stimulating weight loss, at least 50 times.
While performing kapalabhati, one must ensure that the body, except the abdomen, remains still. Gradually, the number of repetitions of this simple yoga pose should be increased to 100 times.
Yoga poses to promote weight loss
To lose weight safely, you should regularly perform the following yoga poses:
Uttanasana
Stand straight, comfortably spread your legs, while inhaling, raise your arms above your head and, exhaling, stretch your whole body well, without lifting your heels off the floor. Then you need to tilt the body down and rest your palms on the floor, placing them parallel to the feet. If the stretch does not allow you to reach the floor, you can grab your legs with your hands and stretch in this way. When you exhale, you should straighten up and lower your arms. Uttanasana improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and helps to achieve effective weight loss in the abdomen.
Virabhadrasana II
Stand up straight, jump up and spread your legs apart, stretch your arms outstretched to the sides, pointing your palms down. Turn one foot to the side and transfer the weight of the body to it, bending the knee at a right angle. Turn the other foot towards the bent knee. So both feet should be on the same line. Turn your head to the bent lower limb and fix this position for 60 seconds. Repeat the entire sequence of actions, turning to the other side. This exercise helps get rid of fatty deposits on 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 palm of an outstretched hand and the side of the foot. Raise the hand that was on it vertically upwards. It takes 30-60 seconds to hold this position, straining and pulling in the stomach. Then you need to turn over to the other side and repeat this exercise to lose weight.
Utkatasana
Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart. While inhaling, raise the upper limbs above the head and join the palms together. As you exhale, lower the pelvis and squat down to a level where the hips are parallel to the floor. You need to be squatting for half a minute, in no case take your heels off the ground. This asana for slimming the hips and abdomen 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, bring your feet together. As you exhale, simultaneously raise your upper body and legs to the maximum possible height. Over time, when the muscles are strengthened, when performing this asana, only the stomach will touch the floor surface. Shalabhasana strengthens the spine, develops back and limb muscles and helps reduce excess weight.
Paripurna Navasana
Sit on the floor keeping your back straight, bend your lower limbs and put your feet on the floor. After taking a deep breath, tilt the body back about 60 degrees, keeping your back straight. Exhaling, pull the feet off the floor, straighten the knees and raise the lower limbs to face level, and stretch 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 functioning of the digestive tract.
Chaturanga Dandasana
Lying on your stomach, put your palms on the floor at chest level, spread your legs shoulder-width apart. On the exhale, leaning on the palms and toes of the feet, lift the body so that it is 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 forms the correct posture.
Bhujangasana
Maintaining the initial position, as in the previous yoga pose - lying on your stomach with emphasis on the palms at chest level - while inhaling, lift the upper part of the body, leaning on the upper limbsrights and, while exhaling, try to lean 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
Emphasizing the palms and knees, while exhaling, unbend the lower limbs and stretch the tailbone up, stretching the spine, without lifting the palms and feet off the floor. This position should be held for 30 seconds.
Savasana
Lie on your back, it is convenient to spread your lower and upper limbs apart, point your palms up, close your eyes and relax for 15 minutes. This yoga pose is recommended to complete the course.