Stable and safe weight loss is a whole range of activities. It includes correction of the regime and diet, as well as regular and systematic physical activity.
Most often, physical activity combines cardio and strength training, since aerobic exercise helps break down fat cells, and strength exercises strengthen muscles, which makes the body look fit.
Meanwhile, yoga classes, although not originally designed 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 for weight loss, you should understand that you should not expect quick results - and this is the biggest and only drawback of yoga. But with long-term and systematic work in this direction of fitness, yoga becomes perhaps the most reliable way for stable and safe weight loss. It also helps maintain weight loss results after successfully completing an intense fitness program and prevents future weight gain.
This happens because the regular performance of 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 as follows:
- stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart;
- take a sharp deep breath and at the same time pull the stomach;
- hold your breath and fix the position of the body for 2-3 seconds;
- exhale calmly and repeat this slimming exercise at least 50 times.
When performing kapalabhati, you must ensure that the body, except for the abdomen, remains motionless. Gradually, the number of repetitions of this simple yoga pose should be increased to 100 times.
Yoga poses to promote weight loss
For safe weight loss, you should regularly perform the following yoga poses:
Uttanasana
Stand up straight, spread your legs comfortably as you inhale, raise your arms above your head and as you exhale, stretch your whole body well without lifting your heels off the floor. After that, you need to tilt the body down and place your palms on the floor, placing them parallel to the legs. If the stretch does not allow you to reach the floor, then you can grab your legs with your hands and stretch in this way. As you exhale, you need to stand up and lower your arms. Uttanasana improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and helps achieve effective weight loss in the abdominal area.
Virabhadrasana II
Standing straight, jump up and spread your legs wide, stretch your straight arms to your sides, pointing your palms down. Swing one leg out to the side and shift the weight of the body onto it, bending the knee at a right angle. Turn the other leg toward 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 to get rid of fat deposits on the sides and strengthens the muscles of the back and limbs.
Vasishtasana
Lie on your side with one leg crossed over the other. Raise the body, resting on the palm of the outstretched hand and the side of the leg. Raise the arm that was on top vertically up. Take 30-60 seconds to hold this position, straining and pulling in the stomach. Then you need to roll over to the other side and repeat this weight loss exercise.
Utkatasana
Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. As you inhale, raise your upper limbs above your head and bring your palms together. Exhaling, lower your pelvis and squat to a level where your thighs are parallel to the floor. You need to be in a squat for half a minute, in no case do not peel off your heels from the floor. This asana for slimming thighs 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 thighs, bring your legs together. Exhaling, simultaneously raise the upper body and legs to the maximum possible height. Over time, as the muscles become stronger, when performing this asana, only the stomach will touch the surface of the floor. Shalabhasana strengthens the spine, develops the muscles of the back and limbs and helps reduce excess weight.
Paripurna Navasana
Sit on the floor with your back straight, bend your lower limbs and rest your feet on the floor. After a sharp inhale, tilt the body back about 60 degrees, keeping the back straight. Exhaling, lift the legs off the floor, straighten the knees and raise the lower limbs to the level of the face, 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 abdominal area, strengthens the muscles of the press and improves the work of the digestive tract.
Chaturanga Dandasana
Lie on your stomach, rest your palms on the floor at chest level, spread your legs shoulder-width apart. On exhalation, leaning on the palms and toes, raise the body so that it is parallel to the surface of the floor, and hold this position for the maximum possible period of 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 the stomach with an emphasis on the palms at the level of the chest - while inhaling, raise the upper part of the body, resting on the straight upper limbs and, exhaling, try to bend back as much as possible. low. This exercise strengthens the deep muscles of the back and helps to lose weight in this part of the body.
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Standing with an emphasis on the palms and knees, while exhaling, unfold the lower limbs and stretch 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, point your palms up, close your eyes and relax for 15 minutes. This yoga pose is recommended to end the class.