I have followed 1200 calorie diet, done lots of exercises, but still did not lose weight. Do not get tensed or panic. Because, cortisol is the stress hormone which increases stress levels in the body and thus leads to weight gain.
This can be controlled by yoga. Yoga asanas are done, where your get physically fit and mentally relaxed. Yoga aids to weight loss, relaxes brain and lowers cortisol levels. Here are the 10 simple yoga poses for weight loss and you will achieve you goal faster and help to reduce excess fat in body and makes you fit and healthy.
Beginner Yoga Poses For Weight Loss:
Warrior I – Virabhadrasana 1:
This is part 1 of 3 in virabhadrasana. You must assume yourself as warrior and continue to do all the 3 asanas, continuously.
How to do?
- Stand in a mountain pose and keep your hands on the hips.
- Stretch both your feet, with right foot out and left foot slightly inwards
- Bend your front knee for about 90 degrees
- Inhale and exhale while doing this
- Slowly move your hands upwards and join them
- Hold the position for 30 seconds and leave
- Now do it in the opposite direction
What happens?
- Stretches the groins, chest, lungs and shoulders
- Increases stamina
- Works on thighs and arms
Warrior II – Virabhadrasana 2 :
This is the second pose , and same as part 1
How to do?
- Stand in the same pose as of above,
- Keep your front knee for about 90 degrees and thighs firm
- Stretch your arms out parallel to the floor, stay relax and breath slowly.
- Hold on for 30 seconds
- For beginners, it may be difficult, but reduce your time in the starting period.
What happens?
- Strengthens legs and ankles
- Strengthens abdominal organs
- Gets relief from back pain, especially during pregnancy.
Warrior III – Virabhadrasana 3:
It is the toughest asana out of 3. The pose is difficult for the beginners, but after practise, they will get used to it.
How to do?
- Stand as said in the above 2 poses.
- Stand firm straight and stretch your feet.
- With right feet straight and left foot slight out.
- Stretch your hands twist your chest towards your face and join your hands.
- Stretch and lift your legs up, parallel to the floor, keep your face down and Inhale
- At this moment, your body must be exactly parallel to the floor.
- Hold the position for 10 seconds and rest
What happens?
- Tones the butt and flattens the abdomen
- Energizes body
- Improves concentration and memory
Chair pose – Utkatasana :
It is the basic yoga asana, to beginners, which helps in reducing weight. It resembles as if you are sitting on the chair.
How to do?
- Stand straight and keep your feet together
- Bend lower in a squatting position, bend your feet low, in front of the knees.
- Stretch your hands up, see to it that your arms reaches your ears
- Keep your hands and spine straight and firm
- Inhale and exhale
- Hold this position for 30 seconds.
What happens?
- Strengthens and tones leg muscles, hips, ankles and back
- Improves functioning of heart and diaphragm
- Keep your thighs firm and parallel to the floor
Boat pose – Paripoorna Navasana:
Boat pose works on the tummy directly and aid to work loss.
How to do?
- Still down on the floor, with palms and feet touching the ground, hips and spine straight
- Now move your hands slightly back, with fingers balancing the body
- Raise your legs, keep straight, parallel to the floor
- Now when you feel body is balanced, stretch you arms in the forward direction
- The pose looks like small boat and so is called as boat pose
What happens?
- Improves digestion and relieves stress
- Strengthens spine, tones the abdomen and gives flat stomach
Triangle pose – Trikonasana :
In triangle pose, asana comes in the form of triangle
How to do :
- Stand straight and feet apart of about 3 feet
- Turn right foot outwards and left foot slightly inward
- Raise your left arm up and press the right arm on the right feet.
- Keep your legs strong, arms firm, spine firm
- Hold on the pose for about 15 sec and do it in the other direction.
What happens?
- It improves digestion and reduces belly fat
- Tones the abs and arms
- Burns more fat and tones muscles.
Lord of dance pose – Natrajasana :
This is the pose of the lord shiva dance(tandav), called as natrajasana.
How to do?
- Stand in a mountain pose, with feet together and the arms by the side
- Raise the right leg backwards, extend your right hand and hold the raised leg
- Now slowly, Stretch your left arms front wards.
- Inhale and maintain the pose for about 30 seconds and rest
- Now do this in the opposite direction for 5 times
What happens?
- It helps in burning calories and lose weight
- Calms your mind and stress buster
- Develops the flexibility of stretching of entire body and improves body balancing.
Side plank – Vasisthasana:
like all other planks, this planks also works mostly works on the abs.
How to do?
- Bow down on the mat with feet and palm touching the floor
- Head facing the floor, arms and thighs straight and firm
- Now inhale and tilt feet to the left,
- The outer right side of the feet is touching the mat, left foot is on the right foot
- Transform your weight onto your right hand, as you raise the left hand from the ground
- Slowly raise the left hand straight facing the ceiling, and hold the position for 30 sec
What happens?
- Hips, thighs, abdomen gets firm, stiff and strength.
- Thighs and arms gets toned
- Burns more calories and flattens belly fat
Shoulderstand – Sarvangasana:
This is the master of all poses, a little training is needed in the beginning. Take the help of your partner in the intial stages of pose and then you will get used to it
How to do?
- Sleep on the mat, with knees bent and feet apart
- Start raising your knees upwards with finger toes facing the ceiling
- With the help of your hands, push your back and rest your elbow on the floor
- With the help of both of hands, push your upper back, with exactly your chest touching your face, head straight and your eyes seeing the toes
What happens?
- Works on thyroid glands
- Improves blood circulation, strengthens back, abdomen, hips and abs
- Stops hair fall and premature coloring of hair.
- Prevents kidney, menstrual and urinary disorders
- Decreases body weight and gets toned body automatically
Tree Pose- Vriksasana:
This pose resembles the pose of tree. This is not as easy as it looks. The whole body has to be balanced, as is quite tough for the beginners to balance the body.
How to do?
- Stand straight on the floor, with feet apart
- Now slowly raise your left foot and rest it on the right thigh
- Right thigh must be straight without any bent
- Keep your back and arm straight and firm
- Join your hands and rest it on the heart for balancing
- After body gets balanced, slowly raise the hands facing towards the ceiling
What happens?
- Improves concentration
- Strengthens and tones arms, muscles, hips and abdomen
- Improves body balance and stability
Tips of doing yoga:
- Always inhale and exhale while breathing
- Never perform yoga on the floor, take a mat
- There must be at least a gap of 1 hour of food intake before and after doing yoga