Most of the articles on yoga for weight loss are superficial. They contain some exercises that have been spied on somewhere and general formulations that have no value. As a result, no matter how much you study in these lessons, the stomach and sides stay with you. In fact, you can lose weight very quickly with yoga if you know how. Therefore, I will tell you about a really quick way that I accidentally discovered during my yoga classes.
To be honest, I never had any doubts if yoga helps to lose belly fat. It was always clear to me that a flat stomach is an added benefit from regular yoga practice. I have seen how people who always go to yoga classes are transformed and become slim and fit. But all this happens gradually. If you want to get the result as soon as possible, then read the article to the end. After you know the simplest yoga exercises for weight loss at home, I will tell you about three secret yoga exercises that will allow you to remove belly fat literally a centimeter 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 rug in the morning and do a few simple exercises. Do this yoga complex for weight loss at home every morning. It only takes 15 minutes. The complex includes all types of asanas: standing, bending, twisting. Each asana affects certain parts of the body, improving blood circulation and metabolism, normalizing hormonal levels, and gently invigorating the internal organs. Through these influences, this yoga complex stimulates the weight loss process. Static asanas are more related to the direction of hatha yoga; kundalini yoga is also well proven for weight loss.
Why is morning exercise recommended? Because usually at this time our stomach is empty and about 8 hours have elapsed since the last meal. This is an important nuance. One of the Yoga Masters from whom I studied said: the effectiveness of asana depends on the emptying of the stomach. And, of course, before you start this simple yoga for weight loss, drink a glass of water and empty your intestines.
- Stand straight with your feet about the width of your feet, inhale and raise your arms above your head with your palms facing inward.
- Exhale and bend your knees, falling to the floor, as if you are sitting on a chair.
- Your torso will naturally tilt forward. Try straightening your shoulders, pulling your shoulder blades, and lowering your shoulders from your ears. Breathe deeply, take 5 deep breaths and exhalations.
- Stand in the same chair position, but instead of extending your arms over your head, lower them to chest level while bending your legs.
- Then bring your palms together as in prayer and rotate your upper body to the right so that your left elbow rests gently on your right thigh.
- Keep your abs strong and hold a deep breath in and out. Hold the pose for five breaths in and out. As you inhale, straighten your knees to return to the starting position, and then do the exercise on the other side.
- Go on all fours with the width of your knees apart, palms just below your shoulders.
- Throw your fingers wide and put your weight on your hands.
- As you exhale, lift your knees off the floor and straighten your legs, raising your pelvis.
- Push off the floor with your arms and legs, pushing your pelvis up and stretching your back, as if pulling the mat in different directions with your palms and feet. Relax your neck and hang your head loose.
- Stay in this position, taking 5 deep breaths and exhalations.
- Front position - dog face down. As you inhale, straighten your left leg and raise it as high as you can.
- As you exhale, slowly bend your leg, bring your left knee to your chin. As you do this, try to pull your stomach inward, pulling your navel toward your spine.
- On the next breath, straighten and raise your leg again. Repeat 5 times for one leg and 5 times for the other.
- Front position - dog face down. Bring your right foot forward between your arms so that you are in a low lunge, like a runner before you start.
- Rotate the left heel slightly so that the toes of the left foot are facing the right heel.
- Raise your torso as you extend your arms up. Straighten your shoulders and arch your back slightly, pushing your chest out.
- Breathe deeply, take 5 deep breaths in this position. Then repeat the exercise on the other side.
- Starting position - hero pose 1. Direct your right foot and shift the weight of your whole body to it.
- Raise your left foot off the floor and spread it backwards, moving forward so that your body is like a T. Your whole 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 find it difficult to maintain balance, first you can help yourself by following a chair.
- Stay in this position for five breaths and then repeat on the other side.
- Lie on your stomach with your legs together, your forehead resting on the mat, your arms outstretched, palms down.
- Pushing your stomach and stomach, lift your legs straight and your arms up. Keep your legs, arms, and upper body from the navel above the ground, relaxing only your hips and lower abdomen.
- Breathe deeply, take five deep breaths in and out.
- Lie on your stomach with your forehead on the mat, and stretch your arms at your sides, going up. As you exhale, bend your knees, pulling your heels as close as possible to your buttocks. Grasp your ankles with your hands and spread shoulder width apart.
- As you inhale, lift your upper body and thighs off the floor and reach with your heels back from your buttocks. Be sure to relax your lower back by spreading your shoulder blades down and back. Only the lower abdomen and hip joints are in contact with the floor.
- Take 5 deep breaths in this position, then return to the starting point.
- Go on each base with your feet slightly apart, arms just below your shoulders.
- Tighten your abs and keep your back straight, raise your right leg and left arm at the same time, while straightening as much as possible. Hold this body position for 5 deep breaths and exhalations.
- Then do the same thing again with your left foot and right hand.
- This is the same exercise as the previous one, with the difference that we are here on a plank, not on all fours.
- Start by standing in a plan with straight arms.
- Then, keeping your back straight, raise your left leg and right arm, stretching them out as far as possible. Hold this asana for 5 deep breaths and exhalations.
- Then repeat in the other direction.
Yoga for weight loss
Do you want your weight loss yoga classes to work really well? So that you literally feel every morning that you are getting easier? Then do not be lazy after completing complex asanas to practice breathing exercises (pranayamas) and meditation. Meditation + pranayama + asanas - this is the magic recipe for yoga for weight loss. Start each morning with yoga, including all three components in your lesson and the result will soon be forthcoming.
Meditation Burning Fat
Yoga restores hormonal balance in the body by calming the mind and achieving inner harmony. But this is not the only reason that yoga contributes to weight loss. Let’s take a look at what a typical yoga class practices in a studio or fitness club.
Usually, a yoga lesson begins with meditation. In almost any class, you will first be asked to sit quietly for 10 minutes and be aware of what is happening inside and out.
Many studies, by the way, confirm that regular practice of meditation alone already has a positive effect on health, hormones and the normalization of weight. In addition, meditation develops awareness, leading to better eating behaviors and a more mindful approach to eating. This is also important.
Pranayama
The second thing you do in yoga is pranayama, that is, breathing exercises.
Some pranayamas are designed to train one very important muscle in our body - the diaphragm.
As a result of a persistent inactive lifestyle, the diaphragm stops working at its full strength and becomes weak and tight. And most training systems in the West pay little attention to this muscle. But not yoga.
In yoga, proper breathing and the development of the diaphragmatic way of breathing are of great importance. That’s why you do a lot of pranayamas and let your diaphragm work hard and expand at its full strength.
Moving the diaphragm during breathing is of great benefit to the whole body.
- First, each expansion and contraction of the diaphragm gently massage internal organs - heart, liver, pancreas, gallbladder. This results in their purification and stimulates their work.
- Secondly, the diaphragm directly affects the digestive process, affecting the stomach, if we do not forget, of course, to actively move it.
- And thirdly, with full deep exhalation, the diaphragm, rising high upwards, affects the solar plexus area, where thousands of nerve endings are intertwined, this leads toon stimulating the pathological nervous system, which is responsible for the rehabilitation and recovery of the body.
The pathological nervous system is often suppressed as a result of the constant pursuit of modern man on goals. Constant tension, stress, nervous activity hinder the healing processes and rehabilitation of the body. And yoga masters, fully aware of this, have developed breathing exercises that balance two contrasting nervous systems - the pathological and the sympathetic. This contributes to weight loss much more than constant exhaustion diets and fitness.
The most famous pranayama for weight loss is probably called uddiyana bandha. Many people today know that this exercise is a "vacuum". So this “modern” vacuum, which has existed for thousands of years, is an integral part of the yoga system.
3 easy steps for quick results
For those who read the article to the end, who faithfully performed the asanas, breathing exercises and meditation, I will tell you about one interesting case from my yoga practice. I will share my personal experience.
The First Secret
The practice of asanas in yoga is considered to be only a preparatory step for pranayama breathing exercises. And pranayama, in turn, serves to prepare for meditation - to purify the mind and focus. Therefore, at a certain stage of my practice, I started training breath holding. My goal was to hold my breath for as long as possible. Literally just after the start of that training, I suddenly noticed that I get brighter in my body and stomach every morning. And there has been a significant reduction in fat on the abdomen and sides. This unusual effect added to my interest. I started looking for information on the Internet and realized that I was not the only one who had a similar experience. Moreover, effective weight loss systems are all based on breath holding. So you can put this method into circulation.I dealt with delays on the liberties training table, these are people who dive into the sea without scuba gear.
Here is my workout table:
- 1 minute delay - Rest 1: 30
- Delay 1: 30 - Rest 1: 30
- Delay 1: 30 - Rest 1: 30
- Delay 1: 35 - Rest 1: 30
- 1: 40 delay
This table is for breath holding during inhalation.
While resting between sets, I took short 20-30 second pauses on full exhale.
The Second Secret
This secret is very much related to the breath. I am not a doctor and have no idea how this effect is explained from a medical point of view, here is just my personal observation. So I noticed that belly fat does not accumulate if you try to do full exhalations during daytime breathing. It sounds easy, but if you look at yourself, you may find that at the end of each exhalation, there is still air in your lungs to breathe out. This is especially true when you are sitting. It will be difficult for you to exhale completely if your back and lower back are intact. Most likely, the effect of this method of breathing is that the muscles of the press, lower back and diaphragm are used for complete exhalation. Therefore, they are kept in good shape.
In short, this is the second secret of yoga for weight loss: during the day, try to exhale 2 times longer than inhalation and you will be satisfied.
The Third Secret
The third secret flows smoothly from the second. And perhaps this is the most important rule for losing weight with the help of yoga - tidy up the muscles of the lower back. Working the muscles of the lower back, stretching and strengthening them - that's what removes fat from the abdomen and sides very effectively. An inactive lifestyle kills the lower back, which must always be in an extended position. Flabby muscles that have lost their elasticity are not able to support body weight, imbalance occurs, leading to fat accumulation. There is one yoga exercise that will help you lose weight fast and effectively. Do it only 5 minutes a day and the result will be there.
- Roll a blanket or towel.
- Lie on the floor and place a rolled-up blanket under your lower back.
- Spread your arms behind your head and bring your little fingers together.
- Extend your legs and bring your thumbs together.
- Lie in this position for 5 minutes.
This exercise brings the pelvis, lower back, and abs back to their natural state. As a result, belly fat is not necessary and disappears quickly.
Lose weight with yoga - basics
The most important principle of yoga for weight loss is consistent practice. I recommend exercising 6 times a week, at least an hour every day.
If this seems like a difficult schedule, start with short exercises, but every day, this approach will help you build a habit. And once yoga gets used to it, you will naturally start extending the length of the session to stay on the mat for a little longer.
The second principle is to do what you really enjoy. Try to get some pleasure, pleasant sensations in yoga. The main concern is to connect yoga classes with feelings of joy.
Third principle - do not think about losing weight. Remember that yoga is very beneficial for the body as well as the mind, psyche and state of mind. Losing weight is not a nice bonus, and you will realize this very soon if you practice yoga regularly for at least 2-3 months.