Stable and safe weight loss is a whole series of activities. This includes adjusting the regimen and diet, as well as regular and systematic physical activity.
Most often, physical activity combines cardio and strength training, because aerobic exercise helps break down fat cells, and strength exercises strengthen muscles, which makes the body look fit.
Meanwhile, yoga classes, although they were not originally intended for weight loss, but as an additional physical activity can be quite effective in the fight against overweight.
Benefits of yoga for body and weight loss
When starting to practice yoga for weight loss, you need to understand that you should not expect quick results, which is the biggest and only drawback of yoga. However, taking into account long-term and systematic work in this direction of fitness, yoga becomes perhaps the most reliable method of stable and safest weight loss. In addition, it helps maintain weight loss after successfully completing an intense fitness program and prevents future weight gain.
This happens because regular practice of yoga poses has the following positive effects on the human body:
- the work of all systems and organs improves;
- metabolic processes accelerate;
- promotes 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 correct breathing technique and effectively activates weight loss. Kapalabhati is performed in the following manner:
- stand up straight, feet shoulder width apart;
- take a sharp deep breath and at the same time inhale the stomach;
- hold your breath and fix the body position for 2-3 seconds;
- exhale calmly and repeat this weight loss exercise at least 50 times.
While performing kapalabhati, one should ensure that the body except the abdomen remains motionless. Gradually, the number of repetitions of this simple yoga pose should be increased to 100 times.
Yoga poses for weight loss
To lose weight safely, you should regularly perform the following yoga poses:
Uttanasana
Stand up 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 tilt your body down and rest 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 the legs with your hands and stretch. As you exhale, you need to straighten and lower your arms. Uttanasana improves the functioning of the digestive tract and helps in effective weight loss in the abdominal area.
Virabhadrasana II
Standing straight, jump up and spread your legs wide, straight arms out to the sides, palms facing down. Turn one foot to the side and transfer your body weight to it, bending the knee at a right angle. Turn the other foot toward the bent knee. So, both legs should be in the same line. Turn your head towards 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 to get rid of fat 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. Lift your body, supporting yourself on the palm of your outstretched hand and the side of your foot. Raise the arm that was on top vertically up. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds, tensing and pulling in the stomach. Then you should roll over on the other side and repeat this exercise to lose weight.
Utkatasana
Stand up straight, spread your legs shoulder-width apart. As you inhale, raise your upper limbs above your head and join your palms. As you exhale, lower your pelvis and squat until your hips are parallel to the floor. You need to squat for half a minute without lifting your heels off the floor. This hip and belly slimming asana 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, put your feet together. While exhaling, simultaneously raise your upper body and legs to the maximum possible height. Over time, as the muscles become stronger, only the stomach will touch the surface of the floor when performing this asana. 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 rest your feet on the floor. With a sharp inhale, tilt your body back about 60 degrees, keeping your back straight. As you exhale, lift your feet off the floor, straighten your knees and raise your lower limbs to the level of your face, and extend your upper limbs towards your knees. This position should be fixed for half a minute. Paripurna Navasana helps to lose weight in the abdominal area, strengthens the abdominal muscles and improves the functioning of the digestive tract.
Chaturanga Dandasana
Lying on your stomach, rest your palms on the floor at chest level, spread your legs shoulder-width apart. Exhaling, leaning on the palms and toes, raise the body so that it is parallel to the surface of the floor and maintain this position for the maximum possible time. This asana strengthens the muscles of the whole body and forms a correct posture.
Bhujangasana
Keeping the starting position, as in the previous yoga pose - lying on the stomach, emphasizing the palms at the level of the chest - inhale, lift the upper part of the body, relying on the straight upper limbs, and on the exhale try to bend. 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
While standing with an emphasis on the palms and knees, as you exhale, bend the lower limbs and extend the tailbone upwards, stretching the spine without lifting the palms and feet from the floor. This position should be held for 30 seconds.
Savasana
Lie on your back, it is convenient to spread the lower and upper limbs, turn your palms upwards, close your eyes and relax for 15 minutes. This yoga pose is recommended to end the session.