Do you want to lose weight in a healthy way? If so, you have come to the right place! In this blog post, we will discuss 11 yoga poses that are perfect for burning calories and shedding unwanted pounds. Yoga is a great way to get in shape and improve your overall health. It is low impact, and can be modified to fit any fitness level. So, if you are looking for a way to boost your weight loss efforts, consider adding yoga to your routine!
How effective is yoga for weight loss?
There is a lot of research to support the claim that yoga is an effective weight loss practice. One study published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine found that overweight participants who practiced yoga for eight weeks lost more weight and body fat than those who did not practice yoga. They also had lower levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) after yoga class. This suggests that yoga may be helpful in reducing stress and promoting healthy weight loss.
Another study, published in the International Journal of Yoga, looked at the effect of a 12-week yoga program on body composition and metabolic parameters in obese menopausal women. The results showed that the yoga group showed more weight loss, decreased body fat mass, and less waist circumference than the control group. They also had a decrease in fasting blood sugar and an increase in HDL (good) cholesterol.
So, yoga can help you lose weight, body fat, and inches off your waistline. So start practicing yoga to lose weight more effectively.
What are some effective yoga poses for weight loss
Utkatasana
Trikon Asana
Virbhadrasana
Downward Dog
Anjaneyasana
Uttan Padasana
Pad Sanchalan Asana
Pad Chakrasana (Leg Rotation)
Phalakasana (High Plank Pose)
Sarpasana
Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
1. Utkatasana
Utkatasana or chair pose should be part of your weight loss regime as this asana deeply affects thigh, hip and abdominal muscles. This is a deep squat pose which also helps to build strength in the legs and core while also burning calories.
Steps
To do this pose, stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Stretch your arms to the front, palm facing downward and elbow straight.
Bend your knees and lower your hips into a squatting position. Imagine if your are sitting on an imaginary chair.
Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
Keep breathing normally.
Stay for 30 seconds.
Repeat for 2-3 times. Gradually increase the duration.
2. Trikon Asana
Trikonasana, also known as the triangle pose, is a great yoga pose for toning the thighs, hips, and waist. It also helps to improve balance and coordination. You can do this pose regularly for greater result.
Steps
Stand with your feet together and your body straight.
Step your left foot on the side about three feet distance. Turn right feet towards the right at 90 degree.
Lift your arms up sidewise, parallel to the ground.
Inhale and while exhaling slowly bend down sidewise from the right. Keep the knee straight.
Hold your right ankle.
Lift left arm up, fingers pointing up towards the ceiling. Look up at your hand.
Both the arms should be in the singular straight line.
Repeat two times with each leg.
3. Virabhadrasana I
Virabhadrasana I, or the warrior pose I, is very common yet one of the challenging yoga pose. It is named after a fierce warrior Virbhadra. This is one of the great poses for weight loss. It strengthens and tones the thighs, hips, hamstring and buttocks. It also helps to reduce lower body fat.
Steps
To do this pose stand with your feet together and your body straight.
Step your right foot to the front at about three feet distance.
Left feet is turned at 45 degree angle, right feet is facing forward. Heel of both the feet should be in a single line.
Bend your front knee at 90 degrees. Now your thigh is parallel to the floor and your knee is stacked over your ankle. Your right outer hip is pinned back.
Press left thigh bone towards the back and straighten the left knee.
Inhale and raise your arms and torso up. Arms should be at shoulder-width distance and both palms facing each other.
Keep pressing your left thigh and pelvic towards the floor. Draw lower belly up and back.
Hold for ten counts.
Exhale then come back to initial position.
Repeat two times with each leg.
4. Downward Dog
The downward dog pose is a basic yoga pose that stretches and strengthens your body. It is especially beneficial for the calf, shoulders, glutes and very effective for weight loss.
Steps
Come on all fours with your knees just under your hips and palm little forward from the shoulder.
Curl your toes then lift your knee off of the ground. Push your tail bone and hip up. Sink your heels down towards the floor.
Keep your hands firm and spread your fingers. Press your palm, forearm and thoracic towards the ground.
Engage the quadriceps to shift the weight off of from the arms.
Let your head hang.
Do not step the feet toward the hands in Down Dog in order to get the heels to the floor.
Stay for ten counts. Then come back to the initial position and relax your body.
5. Anjaneyasana
This is a great yoga pose for weight loss for beginners. This asana helps improve flexibility in the hips and thighs. It also helps to strengthen and tone the abdominal muscles.
Steps
From Downward-Facing Dog, step your right foot forward between your hands, keeping your left leg bent. Right knee and ankle should be in a parallel line.
Put the left knee down and extend the left leg straight out behind you.
Reach your arms up toward the ceiling in a way that your biceps are touching your ears. Join the palm together in namaskar mudra.
Stretch your spine and arms back and open your heart.
Press the tailbone downward and feel the stretch in hip flexors.
Hold for ten counts, then switch sides.
Repeat this pose twice with both legs.
6. Uttan Padasana
This yoga pose is most effective asana to lose weight from abdominal region. This asana aids digestion, remove toxins from the body and stimulate abdominal organs.
30 Degree Angle
60 Degree Angle
90 Degree Angle
Steps
Lie down on your back with your legs straight out in front of you. Both the legs should be joined together.
Place your hands beside you on the floor, palm on the ground. Now tuck thumb and index finger under your hips, keep the elbow straight.
Take a long deep breath and breathe out and contract the abdominal muscles engage your core again breathe in and lift both the legs up at 30 degree. hold for ten counts.
Exhale then inhale again and lift both the legs up from 30 to 60 degree. Hold for ten counts.
Exhale and inhale again then lift both the legs up to 90 degree. Hold for ten counts.
Repeat five times.
7. Pad Sanchalan Asana
Pad sanchalan asana is a cyclical movement of both legs together. This asana helps in the weight loss by working on abdominal and core muscles. This asana is a part of abdominal/digestive group of yoga asanas and helps reduce ailments associated with digestive system. It is also one of the effective asana in yoga for weight loss sequence.
1
2
3
Steps
Lie down on your back with your legs straight out in front of you. Both the legs should be joined together.
Place your hands on the floor beside you palm towards the ground. Now tuck thumb and index finger under your hips and keep the elbow straight.
Bend both the knees and bring it towards the chest, inhale and lift both the legs up. Exhale and bring it straight down but don’t let it touch the ground. The leg will move in a cyclical motion.
This is one round complete ten rounds.
After that move the legs in opposite direction. Lift both the legs up and inhale and while exhaling bend the knees and straighten the leg.
Do it for ten rounds.
8. Pad Chakrasana (Leg Rotation)
This yoga poses for weight loss help you lose weight rapidly from lower abdomen, thigh and hip. This asana also strengthen the core and tones the muscles of thighs, hips and groin. It also helps in strengthening the back muscles.
Steps
Lie on your back with both legs extended straight out in front of you. Place your arms by your sides with palms facing down.
Now take a deep breath and lift both legs off the ground. Engage the glutes, contract hip and thigh muscles, keeping the legs together rotate it in a circular motion from left to right. Rotate for ten rounds.
Repeat in a counter-clockwise direction for ten rounds.
9. Phalakasana (High Plank Pose)
As the name suggests, in this asana body is held in a way that looks like a plank. In this asana main focus areas are the core and shoulder muscles. This yoga poses for weight loss is very effective in toning the arms, chest and abdominal muscles.
Steps
From downward facing dog, come into high plank pose by dropping the hip down and moving your body forward. Your whole body should be in a single line.
Keep your legs together, toes active, knee straight.
Adjust the position of the hand. Your palms should be shoulder width apart, fingers pointed outward.
Roll your shoulder back away from the ears. Engage your triceps and shoulder muscles.
Square your hips, Lift your head up and contract the abdominal muscles.
Hold for ten breaths. Then come down.
Repeat five times. Increasing duration in each round. Try to hold up to one minute.
10. Sarpasana (Snake Pose)
Sarpasana works on upper body fat and helps tone shoulder arms and remove fat from neck region. This is a resting pose that helps in relieving stress and fatigue. It also tones the abdominal muscles and improve digestion.
Steps
Lie down on your stomach with forehead resting on the floor, legs extended behind you.
Keep your feet together and flat on the ground. Interlock your fingers at the back.
On an inhalation, lift your chest & torso away from the mat while stretching the arms and shoulder towards the back.
Look up at the ceiling, taking care not to crunch your neck. Hold for ten counts then release back to starting position.
Repeat two more times.
11. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
This pose works on the entire body, strengthens and tones the abdominal muscles, back, hips and thighs. This pose also works for weight loss plan.
Steps
Lie down on your stomach with legs together and stretched out behind you. Reach back and take hold of your ankles.
On an inhalation, lift your chest and torso off the mat while stretching legs upward parallel to the floor.
Look straight. Hold for ten counts then release back to starting position.
Repeat two more times.
Now that you know some yoga poses for weight loss, it’s time to get started! These poses are a great way to help tone your body and lose weight. So, what are you waiting for? Get moving!