You might not think yoga can help with weight loss, but the right poses – done in the right way – can help you to burn fat while also taking care of your overall wellbeing. According to fitness experts Philip Knox and Devin Thomas, ‘The first factor you should consider is that not every type of yoga is conducive to consistent weight loss. Some types are better for reducing stress and helping relaxation but don’t provide the cardiovascular workout needed for weight loss. The second factor is consistency. As with any fitness plan, yoga needs to be done regularly and with intensity. Finally, it is important to remember to maintain a healthy diet in combination with any workout regimen.’
If you’re looking for a yoga class – rather than just a few poses – to help you lose weight, there are several options you can try. Vinyasa or flow yoga is made up of a series of Sun Salutations that you move through quickly, and this helps your body to raise your heart rate and burn calories. Bikram or hot yoga is similar, but you are in a heated studio that is heated up to 105°F so that you also eliminate toxins. However, if you want to try out yoga at home, there are certain poses that specifically aid in weight loss. So, which yoga poses can help you to kick-start your metabolism and build up lean muscle tone?
1. Cobra Pose: ‘Even beginners can get good results from this simple yoga pose, which works to firm the buttocks and tone the abs,’ say Knox and Thomas. ‘Lie face-down on the floor, with the tops of your feet flat against the ground. Press your legs and hips down. Place your hands under your shoulders, palms down and fingers spread apart. Press into your hands, lifting your head, chest and upper back off the mat. Keep your gaze forward and up and your shoulder blades down and back. Push back your shoulders and feel the stretch spread evenly along the length of your spine. After a few deep breaths, relax to a prone position on an exhale.’
2. Wind-Releasing Pose: Knox and Thomas assert, ‘This fat-burning yoga pose is great for targeting your abdominal area. Lie down on the floor and bring your knees up to your chest with your ankles together. Clasp your arms together over your knees as you bring your head up off the floor. Breathe deep as you feel the stretch work your abs, then relax slowly.’
3. Bow Pose: ‘This advanced yoga pose can really burn fat while toning your arms, legs and abdominal area,’ Knox and Thomas explain. ‘Lie down on your stomach, bend your knees and reach around to grab your feet. Pull in your stomach and extend your feet upward, raising your upper body at the same time. Keep your shoulder blades down and back. Hold for several breaths, then relax.’
4. Side-Stretch Pose: ‘This yoga pose can help raise your heart-rate and burn calories,’ Knox and Thomas enthuse. ‘Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip width apart. Rotate your torso and turn both your feet to the right. Keeping legs straight, exhale and hinge over your right leg until your torso is parallel to the floor, reaching your hands to the ground (if you can’t touch the floor, you can rest them on a block). Hinge further with each exhale, moving your torso closer to your right thigh. Remember to keep breathing, then relax and repeat in the opposite direction.’
5. Warrior I Pose: Knox and Thomas note, ‘This yoga pose can work your abs, thighs and arms, and is most effective if used as part of a sequence like Sun Salutation. Standing straight, step your left leg 4-5 feet to the left, then rotate both feet and your torso toward the left. Bend your left knee over your toes while keeping your right leg straight. Raise both arms high above your head with your fingertips pointing upward, looking up at your hands.’
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