The ultimate yoga for weight loss guide

"Practice, practice, practice, and everything will come." Pattabhi Jois, a famous Indian yoga teacher, has been repeating this mantra all his life! If it all comes from practicing yoga, then would it be good for losing weight? If you've already tried all of the weight loss tips, can't diet for more than a few weeks, or want to exercise for fat loss, chances are you will find happiness in the diet. a yoga practice to lose weight permanently. 

Why do yoga? This is the question we answer throughout this article.

Do you need to lose weight?

This is THE question that is essential to ask yourself before starting a diet! Do you want to lose weight or do you need to lose fat? It's not the same thing!

Indeed, the first proposition is probably influenced by the dictates of society. We are too big compared to the image that the mirror sends us and compared to the models of magazines.

The second proposition rather depends on a major health problem. It is necessary to lose weight because our health is in danger.

To give you an idea, the important thing is to calculate your BMI for Body Mass Index. Sites allow you to quickly calculate it by entering its size and weight. Here is the official classification of the WHO (World Health Organization):

· Less than 16: anorexia or malnutrition,

· Between 16.5 and 18.5: thinness,

· Between 18.5 and 25: normal build

· Between 25 and 30: overweight

· Between 30 and 35: moderate obesity (class 1)

· Between 35 and 40: high obesity (class 2)

· Over 40: morbid or massive obesity

 

If a BMI is between 18.5 and 25, body build is normal. No need to embark on a draconian diet if you want to lose three or four pounds "too much". Doing physical activity keeps you in good shape!

Can yoga help you lose weight?

We are coming! So does yoga make you lose weight and can it help you shed excess pounds? YES! In general! Indeed, yoga consists of a series of more or less toned physical postures (asana) and at a more or less rapid rhythm. So of course, we will move, tone up, strengthen our muscles and de-stress! 

Yoga can help find or keep the line!

When looking to lose weight, one aspect is very important: pleasure! If we do not take pleasure in doing yoga, we will not be motivated, we will go backward and we, therefore, risk not achieving our weight loss goals. Yoga helps to firm and sculpt your body. It can be very useful if you want to have a flat stomach! But yoga is much deeper than just physical activity! If someone is really overweight, practicing yoga solely will definitely not be enough. It will take more cardio activity to burn the accumulated fat.

But it can help to relax and accept yourself by working on the mental aspect of yoga instead. Yoga will not make you lose weight quickly, but its benefits are no longer to be demonstrated for losing stomach, working your abs, reducing the orange peel appearance, or even building muscle evenly. The gentle strength training exercises of yoga combined with a balanced diet can give significant results for effective weight loss.

Which style of yoga should be favored? 

There are several styles of yoga. Any form of yoga is based on breathing and harmony between body and mind. But if you are put off by the slow aspect that yoga often inspires, there are more dynamic styles like Ashtanga or Vinyasa which are particularly effective in helping to burn calories and get thinner. These forms of yoga also help to eliminate accumulated toxins and to listen better to your body and its signals of hunger and satiety. Besides, many yoga postures regulate the activity of the adrenal glands and the thyroid, which help regulate our metabolism. 

We can also try Bikram Yoga if there are no contraindications to prevent it. This involves practicing hatha yoga (the most common form) in a room heated to 40 ° and having a humidity level of 40% to facilitate the elimination of toxins. Bikram lessons generally last 1.5 hours and consist of a series of 26 poses and two breathing exercises. Consult a doctor is mandatory before embarking on the practice of this form of yoga. If the practice of Bikram yoga should be limited to one to two sessions per week, to lose weight quickly, the daily practice of yoga at home can be a good point.

Finally, the practice of daily yoga can be supplemented by yoga classes indoors or with a teacher at home:

· vinyasa yoga,

· ashtanga yoga,

· prenatal yoga,

· sophrology,

· positive thinking exercises,

· mindfulness meditation.

Yoga poses to lose weight 

Associated with healthy food hygiene, composed essentially of fruits and vegetables, fiber, and few carbohydrates, yoga can allow you to lose weight and in particular to lose belly. Pay attention to your general health before embarking on the exercises that follow. If in doubt, call a yoga professional who can advise you and make you do the exercises without risk of injury. Here are some exercises to practice which particularly target the belly!

1. Cobra pose

This posture strengthens the abs and reduces abdominal fat. It also strengthens the spine and back. 

• Lie on your stomach, legs outstretched, 
• Place the palms of the hands on the floor below the shoulders,
• Inhale and lift the chest slowly, 
• Hold the position two full breaths, 
• Rest the whole body on the ground on the exhalation, 
• Repeat 5 times with a 15 second rest period between each repetition.

2. bow pose (Dhanurasana)

Play sports to get rid of excess pounds! Also called basket position, it may remind memories of awakening to the classic to some! This posture strengthens the abdominal strap. It activates the digestive system and is a good stretch of the back.

 

· Lie on your stomach, legs outstretched,

· Bend your knees and grab your ankles with your hands,

· Lift your head on the inspiration while looking in front of you so as not to hurt your neck and lift your legs as high as possible,

· Maintain this position two full breaths breathing normally,

· Return the body to its initial position on an exhalation,

· Repeat 5 times with a 15 second rest period between each repetition.

3. Boat pose

One of the best postures for a flat stomach. It also has stomach benefits and strengthens the back and legs.

 

·Lie on your back,

·On an inspiration, lift your outstretched legs,

·Catch your legs with your hands at the calves (knees if it's too difficult),

·Make sure to keep your back straight and your abs tight so as not to hurt yourself,

·Breathe normally and keep the pose on two full breaths,

·On an expiration, return to the initial position,

·Repeat 5 times with a 15-second pause between each repetition.

4. The plank (Kumbhakasana)

 

The best posture to keep a flat stomach and tone the whole body! It tones the arms, shoulders, back, buttocks and thighs!

 

· Lie on your stomach,

· Place your hands on each side of your shoulders and push yourself off the ground,

· The hands should be aligned with the shoulders, the body should form a straight line from the top of the skull to the tips of the toes,

· Be careful not to elevate your back,

· Keep the position as long as possible while breathing regularly,

· Release the pose on an expiration.

 

 

5. Wind release posture (Pavanamuktasana)

 

This posture helps relieve lower back pain while regulating the acidity level of the stomach. It helps tone the abdomen and hips.

 

· Lie on your back,

· Bend his knees and bring them to the chest on the exhalation,

· Put pressure on the abdomen with her thighs,

· On an exhalation, raise your head to try to touch your knees with your chin, without forcing on the cervical, it is the upper back that works,

· Take a deep breath and hold the pose for two full breaths,

· Resume the initial position on an expiration,

· Repeat 5 times with a 15-second pause between each repetition.

 

With the regular practice of these five postures, the results should soon be felt!