People may genuinely doubt whether it is possible to lose weight with yoga. But you should know that there are certain yoga poses that aid weight loss. Although spot reduction of fat is not possible, these yoga poses engage your core muscle groups and help burn calories.

Can you lose weight by just doing these yoga poses for weight loss?

Weight loss happens when’s you maintain a calorie deficit diet with proper exercise. So doing restorative yoga or yin yoga which relaxes our mind and body does not provide much weight loss benefits.

You need to get your heart rate up by doing many rounds of sun salutations before moving to other poses. Staying longer periods in various poses also challenges the muscle groups which eventually helps to burn fat.

How many calories does an hour of yoga burn?

• Vinyasa Yoga – 590+ calories
• Bikram /Hot yoga – 470+ calories
• Hot power yoga – 670+ calories
• Gentle yoga/ Restorative yoga/ Yin yoga – 180+ calories

Do you find yoga boring?

Try doing Power Yoga – Mandala Flow. Mandala flow is unpredictable and fun.

What are some of the yoga poses for weight loss?

Yoga poses for weight loss follows a series of sun salutations that help some to get your heart rate up and then moves to more challenging poses like warrior l, warrior ll, Chair pose, Planks and Half moon pose.

The later part of the yoga sequence may include bridge pose, camel pose or shoulder stands ending in savasana.

Sun Salutation

• Beautiful and glowing skin
• Improves heart and lung function
• Helps lose weight
• Helps with hormonal imbalances
• Tones all muscles and nerves
• A full body workout pose

Any Plank Variation

A core focused full body workout pose which has many benefits like,

• One of the best yoga poses for weight loss and overall toning
• Strengthening the Arms, wrists and shoulders
• Continuous practice helps you get stronger and toned triceps
• Helps to lengthen and strengthen the muscles in the neck.
• It works the muscles in the back which in turn helps improve your posture.
• This pose helps Tone your butt as it works the butt

Warrior ll

• Another one of the great yoga poses for weight loss. Stay down and stay longer for maximum benefit.
• This pose lengthens and strengthens your legs and ankles
• It opens up and stretches the lungs, chest muscles, hips, groin and shoulders.
• Helps with pregnancy related back pain
• Beneficial for those with sciatica, disk problems, scoliosis, carpel tunnel syndrome and osteoporosis
• Improves overall stamina and balance.

Triangle Pose

• Just like Warrior ll, this pose also stimulates your internal organs
• It does help in improving digestion
• Strengthens your legs, ankles, knees and back muscles
• Lengthens and strengthens hamstrings, calves, glutes, chest and spinal muscles.
• Like warrior ll, this pose helps with infertility and back problems.
• It helps relieve anxiety and stress

Bow Pose

• Stretches the front part of the body
• Massages and stimulates the internal organs in the throat and abdomen
• Strengthens the back muscles
• Helps to improve posture
• As it stimulates internal organs, it helps with menstruation problems, improves liver and kidney functions.
• Beneficial to people with diabetes.
• Helps with obesity

Advanced pose- upward bow pose

Downward dog

• Lengthens and strengthens the legs and arms
• stretches the hamstrings, calves and shoulders.
• Like warrior 3, it helps with symptoms of menopause
• Helps in case of depression
• Good for those with asthma, sciatica, back issues
• plays a role in preventing osteoporosis

Shoulder stand

• Therapeutic for hormone imbalance related problems
• Massages the thyroid and hypothalamus glands
• Helps those with asthma and throat issues
• Strengthens the upper body as well as the lower body
• strengthens the heart and lungs
• Helps relieve constipation
• Improves flexibility and sleep

Bridge pose

• Works your core muscles
• strengthen the back of your thighs
• Advanced variation work on hip flex-or sand quads thereby strengthening them
• Opens and stretches the chest muscles
• Tones your butt

Extended side angle pose

• Improves stamina and flexibility
• builds strength in the leg muscles
• Tones your abdominal muscles
• Good for people with back pain, sciatica, menstrual problems and osteoporosis
• stretches the chest, lungs and shoulder muscles

Boat Pose

• One of the full body strengthening yoga poses for weight loss
• Helps improve digestion
• strengthens abdominal muscles
• Massages and stimulates the internal organs like thyroid
• Strengthens the back muscle and front muscles of the legs
• Strengthens and tones the belly or abdominal muscles

 

Warrior lll

• This is one of the challenging yoga poses for weight loss.
• Requires sharp focus and balance hence improves your whole body co-ordination
• Helps tone your belly
• Lengthens and strengthens the back, legs, ankles and shoulders.

Conclusion

Determine your calorie requirement using an online calorie calculator.

Choose a diet that is doable even in your busy schedule.

Be patient and persevere till you see results.

Maintain a strong will power so you wont quit when things get challenging.

Always listen to your body. Don’t force it

Have a rest day once a week and relax

 

Read More,

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How To Lose Weight Fast

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