Most of the articles on yoga for weight loss are superficial. They contain several exercises that have been spied on somewhere and general language that has no value. No matter how much you learn in these lessons, the stomach and sides stick with you. In fact, you can lose weight very quickly with yoga if you know how. That's why I'm telling you about a very quick path that I accidentally discovered during my yoga classes.
To be honest, I've never had a doubt about whether yoga will help you lose belly fat. It was always clear to me that a flat stomach is an additional benefit of regular yoga practice. I've seen people who constantly take yoga classes transform and get lean and fit. But it all happens gradually. If you want to get the result asap, read the article to the end. Now that you know the easiest yoga poses for weight loss at home, I will tell you three secret yoga poses that literally remove belly fat an inch a day.
Yoga for weight loss for beginners at home
At home it is very easy to do asanas - static yoga postures. To do this, it is enough to spread the carpet in the morning and do a few simple exercises. Do this yoga complex at home every morning for weight loss. It only takes 15 minutes. The complex includes all types of asanas: standing poses, bends, twists. Each asana affects certain areas of the body, improves blood circulation and metabolism, the hormone level is normalized and there is a gentle massage of the internal organs. It is through these influences that this yoga complex triggers the process of weight loss. Static asanas are more related to the direction of Hatha Yoga, Kundalini Yoga has also proven itself for weight loss.
Why is it recommended to practice in the morning? This is because our stomachs are usually empty at this time and about 8 hours have passed since the last meal. This is an important nuance. One of the yoga masters I studied with said: The effectiveness of an asana depends on the emptiness of the stomach. And of course, before you begin this simple weight loss yoga, have a glass of water and empty your bowels.
- Stand with your feet about an inch apart, inhale and raise your arms over your head with your palms facing inwards.
- Exhale, bend your knees and drop to the floor as if you were sitting in a chair.
- Your upper body naturally leans slightly forward. Try straightening your shoulders, pulling your shoulder blades back, and lowering your shoulders away from your ears. Take a deep breath, take 5 deep breaths and exhale.
- Stand in the same chair position but instead of stretching your arms above your head, lower them to chest level while flexing your legs.
- Then, like in prayer, bring your palms together and rotate your torso to the right so that your left elbow is gently resting on your right thigh.
- Keep your abs strong and take deep breaths in and out. Hold the pose for five breaths. As you inhale, straighten your knees to return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
- With your knees shoulder-width apart and your palms directly under your shoulders, get on all fours.
- Spread your fingers apart and put your weight on your hands.
- As you exhale, lift your knees off the floor, straighten your legs, and raise your pelvis.
- Push the floor off with your arms and legs, push your pelvis up, and straighten your back as if you were pulling the mat in different directions with your palms and feet. Relax your neck and let your head hang loosely.
- Stay in this position and breathe deeply and deeply 5 times.
- Starting position - dog face down. As you inhale, straighten your left leg and raise it as high as possible.
- As you exhale and slowly bend your leg, bring your left knee to your chin. As you do this, try to pull in your stomach and pull your navel towards your spine.
- With the next breath, straighten your leg and lift it up again. Repeat 5 times for one leg and 5 times for the other.
- Starting position - dog face down. Bring your right leg forward between your arms so that you are in a low lunge like a runner before you begin.
- Rotate your left heel slightly outwards so that the toes of your left foot point towards your right heel.
- Raise your torso while extending your arms. Straighten your shoulders and arch your back slightly, pushing your chest out.
- Breathe deeply, in this position 5 deep breaths and exhale. Then repeat the exercise on the other side.
- Starting position - warrior pose 1. Extend your right leg and transfer your entire body weight onto it.
- Lift your left leg off the floor and straighten it back, leaning forward so your body looks like a T. Your entire body is parallel to the ground. The crown and arms are pulled forward and the toes of the left foot are pulled back. If you are having trouble keeping your balance, you can first help yourself by leaning in a chair.
- Hold this position for five breaths and repeat on the other side.
- Lie on your stomach with your feet together, your forehead on the mat, your arms outstretched forward, palms down.
- Squeeze your stomach and buttocks together and raise your straight legs and arms. Keep your legs, arms, and torso away from the navel above the floor and only rest on your hips and lower abdomen.
- Take a deep breath, take five deep breaths in and out.
- Lie on your stomach with your forehead on the mat and straighten your arms with your palms up. As you exhale, bend your knees and pull your heels as close to your buttocks as possible. Grasp your ankles in your hands and spread your hips shoulder-width apart.
- As you inhale, lift your upper body and thighs off the floor and reach back with your heels from your buttocks. Make sure to relax your lower back by spreading your shoulder blades down and back. Only the lower abdomen and the hip joints are in contact with the ground.
- In this position, take 5 deep breaths and then return to the starting position.
- With your legs and arms slightly apart, get on all fours directly under your shoulders.
- tone your abs and keep your back straight, while simultaneously lifting your right leg and left arm, straightening them as much as possible. Maintain this posture for 5 deep breaths and exhalations.
- Then repeat this with the left leg and right arm.
- This is the same exercise as the previous one, with the difference that here we are on a plank, not on all fours.
- Start by standing on a plank with your arms straight.
- Then, keeping your back straight, raise your left leg and right arm and extend them as far as possible. Hold this asana for 5 deep breaths and exhalations.
- Repeat this process in the opposite direction.
Yoga for weight loss
Would you like your weight loss yoga classes to really work well? So that literally every morning you feel like you're getting easier? Then do not be lazy after you have completed the complex of asanas to practice breathing exercises (pranayamas) and meditation. Meditation + Pranayama + Asanas - this is the magic recipe for yoga for weight loss. Start yoga every morning, including all three components in your class, and the results won't be long in coming.
Meditation to burn fat
Yoga restores the hormonal balance in the body by calming the mind and achieving inner harmony. However, this is not the only reason why yoga contributes to weight loss. Let's take a look at what exercises make up a typical yoga class in a studio or fitness club.
Usually a yoga class begins with meditation. In almost every class, you will be told first to sit quietly for 10 minutes and be aware of what is going on inside and out.
Incidentally, many studies confirm that just regular meditation practice has positive effects on health, hormones and weight normalization. In addition, meditation develops an awareness that leads to better eating behavior and a more mindful approach to eating. This is also important.
Pranayama
The second thing you will do in yoga is pranayama, that is, breathing exercises.
Some pranayamas train a very important muscle in our body - the diaphragm.
A constant sedentary lifestyle leads to the diaphragm simply not working with full force and becoming weak and tight. And most Western training systems pay little attention to this muscle. But no yoga.
In yoga, great value is placed on correct breathing and the development of diaphragmatic breathing. Therefore, you will do many pranayamas and allow your diaphragm to work hard and expand with full force.
The movement of the diaphragm while breathing is of great benefit to the entire body.
- First of all, each expansion and contraction of the diaphragm performs a gentle massage of the internal organs - heart, liver, pancreas, gall bladder. This leads to their purification and stimulates their work.
- Second, the diaphragm directly affects the digestive process and the stomach, if of course we do not forget to actively move it.
- And thirdly, the high ascending diaphragm affects the solar plexus area, where tens of thousands of nerve endings are intertwined, when the exhalation is completely deep. This leads to stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the rest and recovery of the body.
The parasympathetic nervous system is often suppressed by the constant pursuit of goals by modern humans. Constant tension, stress and nervous activity block the healing processes and the recovery of the body. And the masters of yoga, fully aware of this, have developed breathing exercises that balance two opposing nervous systems - the parasympathetic and the sympathetic. This contributes much more to weight loss than constant strenuous diet and exercise.
Probably the most famous pranayama for weight loss is called uddiyana bandha. Many people today know this exercise as "vacuum". So this "modern" vacuum is an essential part of the yoga system that has existed for many thousands of years.
3 simple steps for quick results
For those who have read the article to the end, have conscientiously performed all the asanas, breathing exercises and meditations, I will tell you an interesting case from my yoga practice. I will share my personal experiences.
The first secret
The practice of asanas in yoga is only seen as a preparatory stage for pranayama breathing exercises. And pranayama, in turn, serves to prepare for meditation - to purify the mind and focus. So at some point in my practice I began to practice holding the breath. My goal was to learn to hold my breath for as long as possible. Literally immediately after starting such a workout, I suddenly noticed that I feel lightness in my body and stomach every morning. And the fat on the stomach and sides has decreased noticeably. This unusual effect piqued my interest. I searched the internet for information and found that I wasn't the only one faced with a similar experience. In addition, there are entire effective weight loss systems based on holding your breath. So you can get this method into circulation.
I dealt with delays at the freediving training table. These are people who dive into the sea without diving equipment.
Here is my training table:
- Delay 1 minute - break 1: 30
- Delay 1: 30 - pause 1: 30
- Delay 1: 30 - pause 1: 30
- Delay 1: 35 - break 1: 30
- 1: 40 delay
This table is used to hold your breath while you inhale.
While I was resting between sets, I also took short breaks of 20 to 30 seconds while exhaling fully.
Second secret
This secret has a lot to do with breathing too. I am not a doctor and I have no idea how this effect is explained from a medical point of view. This is just my personal observation. Hence, I have found that if you try to exhale fully while breathing during the day, no belly fat accumulates. It sounds simple, but if you observe yourself you may find that at the end of each exhalation, there is still air in your lungs for you to exhale. This is especially true when sitting. It will be difficult for you to fully exhale if your back and lower back are rounded. The effect of this method of breathing is most likely explained by the fact that the muscles of the press, lower back and diaphragm are used for full exhalation. This will keep them in good condition.
In short, the second secret of yoga to weight loss is this: try to exhale twice longer than inhale during the day and you will be happy.
Third secret
The third secret also flows smoothly from the second. And, perhaps, this is the most important rule for losing weight with the help of yoga - to get the muscles of the lower back in order. Working with the muscles of the lower back, stretching and strengthening them - this is exactly what removes fat very effectively from the abdomen and sides. A sedentary lifestyle literally kills the lower back, which has to be in a stretched position at all times. Loose muscles that have lost their elasticity can no longer support the body weight, an imbalance occurs that leads to the accumulation of fat. There is one yoga exercise that can help you lose weight quickly and effectively. Just do it 5 minutes a day and the result will be.
- Roll a blanket or a towel.
- Lie on the floor with a rolled-up blanket under your lower back.
- Extend your arms behind your head and connect your little fingers.
- Extend your legs and bring your thumbs together.
- Lie in this position for 5 minutes.
This exercise brings the pelvis, lower back, and abdominal muscles back to their natural state. As a result, belly fat becomes unnecessary and quickly disappears.
Lose weight with yoga - basic principles
The most important principle of yoga for weight loss is consistent practice. I recommend practicing 6 times a week, for at least an hour every day.
If this seems like a difficult schedule, start with short workouts, but this approach will help you develop an exercise habit each day. And of course, once yoga becomes familiar, you lengthen the length of the session to stay on the mat a little longer.
The second principle is to do what you really enjoy. Try to find pleasure and pleasant sensations in yoga. The main task is to combine yoga classes with feelings of joy.
The third principle - don't just think about losing weight. Remember that yoga is very beneficial for the body, mind, psyche, and state of mind. Losing weight is just a nice bonus, and you will understand this very soon if you practice yoga regularly for at least 2-3 months.