Importance of Yoga for Weight Loss
Yoga is more than just a form of exercise; it's a holistic practice that integrates the mind, body, and spirit. When practiced in the morning, yoga can set a positive tone for the day, helping you make healthier choices and promoting weight loss. Morning yoga can kickstart your metabolism, helping you burn more calories throughout the day. It also helps in toning your muscles, improving your posture, and enhancing your overall fitness.
1. Bow pose (Dhanurasana):
This is a very effective asana for weight loss. It works on the whole body by improving digestion, curing dyspepsia (obesity), gastrointestinal problems, gives flexibility, strengthens back muscles, cures constipation and improves blood circulation. How wonderful it is to reap these many benefits from a simple bow pose!
How to do it?
To do this, lay on the floor with your face facing it. And now stretch your hands and feet in the opposite direction, far from your back till only your pelvis and abdomen are touching the floor. It also strengthens your thighs, chest and back.
Note: If you have some stomach related problems, do not practice this pose.
2. Sun salutation (Surya Namaskar):
Start standing, breathe in and stretch both the hands above the head. Breathe out and bend forward. Breathe in and push your right leg back. Breathe out and bring the left leg back. Hold your breath and push your body down. Breathe in and push your chest forward. Breathe out and lift the hips and the tailbone up. Breathe in and bring the right foot forward. Breathe out and bring the left foot forward. Breathe in and stretch your hands above the head. Breathe out and bring your hands down. Repeat this sequence 5-10 times.
3. Naukasana:
This yoga pose is a seated pose that helps to reduce belly fat, improves digestion, improves blood circulation, strengthens abdominal muscles, regulates the function of lungs, pancreas and liver. It can be simply performed. You need to lie down on your back and go into a V-shaped position that looks like a boat. Now, hold that position for 10 seconds and gradually increase the time. You will feel that your stomach muscles are twisting but remember, that is when your stubborn belly fat is killing itself inch by inch.
4. Virabhadrasana:
Stand straight, step your feet wide apart. Turn your right foot out to the side and your left foot slightly inwards. Inhale and raise your arms to the side. As you exhale, bend your right knee. Turn your head to the right and look out over your fingers. Hold this pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Repeat on the other side.
5. Bhujangasana
This pose strengthens your entire shoulder area and upper back, provides more flexibility to the lower back. It helps in burning unwanted stomach fat by stretching abdominal muscles. It helps in burning extra fat on thighs, hips and lower abdominal areas as well. Lie down on your stomach and raise your head and trunk with your palms on the floor. Now bend your arms at the elbows and make an arch and look upward slowly. Don’t rush. You will feel the pressure on your stomach. Extend your toes fully and push them onto the ground to properly experience the pose. Hold this asana for 5 seconds. This pose also helps with regulating the menstrual cycle in women.
