Got a family history of weight problems? Sedentary lifestyle? Eating a diet heavy in ultra-processed foods, sugar, and fat? All of these can lead to excessive body weight gain.
The variables that further lead to weight gain include stress, mental health issues, hormonal changes, poor sleep, and the use of drugs to address certain mental health concerns. So what is the solution?
There are various strategies to deal with obesity, but no one method works for everyone. You might want to give yoga a try if you’re attempting to reduce weight.
Which yoga poses are best for weight loss? And how should you practice them? We’ll learn all of this in this blog, where we discuss 10 yoga exercises for weight loss. But before that, let us understand how yoga can help reduce weight.
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How Effective are Yoga Asanas for Weight Loss?
By lowering stress, improving mood, minimizing emotional eating, and fostering a supportive atmosphere, yoga may aid in weight loss and maintenance.
Manage stress that may lead to weight gain: Yoga can improve sleep, alleviate chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension, reduce anxiety and depression, lower stress and cortisol levels, improve mood, and reduce the need for drugs that may lead to weight gain.
Improve eating behavior: Yoga reduces emotional eating, stress eating, and binge eating by enhancing mindfulness concerning eating patterns. These behaviors undermine our attempts to lose weight and may set off a vicious cycle of guilt and humiliation that frequently results in quitting.
The yoga community offers acceptance and encouragement: An encouraging and supportive community, such as in Rishikul Yogshala Rishikesh can lead to a promising future. Through our teacher training programs, we aim to build a community that makes you feel at home and help learn and grow – all in one place!
Start your journey with us right away by joining the 300 hour yoga teacher training program at Rishikul Yogshala Rishikesh!
10 Best Yoga Asanas for Weight Loss
Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward Dog Pose
Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose
Chaturanga Dandasana or Plank Pose
Dhanurasana or Bow Pose
Navasana or Boat Pose
Parivrtta Utkatasana or Twisted Chair Pose
Sethu Bandha Sarvangasana or Bridge Pose
Surya Namaskara or Sun Salutation Pose
Trikonasana or Triangle Pose
Utkatasana or Chair Pose
Now let us see how each of these yoga poses can be effective for weight loss:
1. Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward Dog Pose
Adho Mukha Svanasana works every muscle in your body while paying a bit more attention to certain groups of muscles. Dog Facing Downward Pose expands the hamstrings, opens the calves, tightens the arms and legs, opens and tightens the shoulders in flexion, and gets the body ready for the heat.
Your focus and blood circulation will both increase as you hold this position and focus on your breathing.
Step-by-Step Adho Mukha Svanasana Yoga Poses for Weight Loss
Kneel on the ground with your knees apart by hip-width. Lean forward and place your hands directly beneath your shoulders on the floor. Keep your arms and thighs parallel to the ground. Align the shoulders with the wrists and the hands with the knees.
Placing your hands firmly on the ground exhale, bend your knees slightly, push your hips off the floor, and point your toes downward. For a moment, have the knees and elbows bent. Take three breaths.
Straighten your elbows and knees while keeping your heels on the ground and your ears on your inner arms. Examine the navel. Your legs’ back muscles will feel like they are being stretched hard. This is the last position. As long as it’s comfortable for you to do so, stay in this position. Breathe deeply.
When returning to your original position, elevate your head, budge your knees, and softly sit on the ground or mat. Breathe in slowly and deeply.
Repeat this pose three times, progressively extending the duration in subsequent repetitions.
2. Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose
Another excellent yoga poses for weight loss is Bhujangasana. It is a posture that bends the back while simultaneously working the midsection. It helps maintain your back flexibility and is also proven to increase mobility and blood flow.
Step-by-Step Bhujangasana Yoga Asanas for Weight Loss
Lie down on your stomach with your hands overhead and your feet close together.
Join your legs together, then lay your head on the ground.
Place your elbows close to your body while bringing your hands below your shoulders with your palms by the side of your body.
Take a deep breath and elevate your upper body.
Stay in this position for some time after exhaling.
3. Chaturanga Dandasana or Plank Pose
The most effective posture to build core strength is Chaturanga Dandasana. Despite how basic it appears, it has huge advantages. This asana aligns your entire body and strengthens your erector spinae, the muscles on each side of your spine, identical to plank exercises. This enhances stability, posture, and core strength.
Step-by-Step Chaturanga Dandasana Yoga Exercises for Weight Loss
Keep your wrists right below your shoulders and drop your elbows just enough to go into a high plank.
Bend your elbows and bring your shoulders down until they are at the same level as your elbows as you exhale.
Pull your elbows firmly inside your body.
Keep your legs and upper torso a few inches from the ground.
Lift your head or cast your gaze downward.
expand over your upper back and chest.
Press right back into a plank or straight down dog as soon as you exhale. Alternately, bend your knees and take a child’s pose.
4. Dhanurasana or Bow Pose
Are you trying to find the best yoga for weight loss or get rid of abdominal fat? Dhanurasana stimulates the core, thighs, and back while stimulating the abdominal organs and enhancing digestion. Your entire body will be stretched, and enhanced blood flow will help to strengthen and shape your muscles.
Step-by-Step Dhanurasana Yoga Asanas for Weight Loss
Lay flat on your belly keeping your arms at your side keeping your feet apart to the width of your hip.
Take a heel step, bending your knees up toward your butt.
With both hands, hold the ankles of your legs.
Inhale deeply and lift your legs and chest.
Look straight in front of you and stretch your legs. Your physique needs to be bow-tight.
Get back to your first posture after holding for four to five breaths.
5. Navasana or Boat Pose
Boat Pose improves body awareness and concentration. It can give you more energy, combat exhaustion, and make you feel more empowered. The hip flexors, adductors (groin), and lower back muscles that help your spine are all strengthened by the Boat Pose.
By engaging your core and thighs, this position enhances posture and reduces the negative consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.
Step-by-Step Navasana Yoga Asanas for Weight Loss
Kneel on the mat with your feet firmly planted on the ground. Your palms should be by your side.
Raise your feet off the ground just enough so that your shins are parallel to the ground. Your butt should support your body weight.
With your spine straight, slant your upper body gently backward.
Maintain your body straight so that your legs form a “V” shape.
Reach your arms out in front of you so that they are parallel to the ground and that your palms are facing down.
Contract your abdominal muscles and take a few deep breaths.
6. Parivrtta Utkatasana or Twisted Chair Pose
The yoga equivalent of the squat is known as the Parivrtta Utkatasana. However, you should be aware that it is a bit more vigorous and targets the glutes, quadriceps, and abdominal muscles.
The lymphatic and digestive systems are also enhanced by the asana. It is a fantastic method for weight loss.
Step-by-Step Parivrtta Utkatasana Yoga Exercises for Weight Loss
Start in a chair position with your knees closed and most of your weight on your heels.
Put your hands together in the middle of your chest in a prayer stance.
To stretch your spine, inhale. Utilizing your exhalation, tilt forward, turn to the right, and hook your left elbow outside of your right leg.
To increase the distance between your collarbones, squeeze your palms together.
Keep your knees firmly joined. Drop your hips by an additional inch.
Before letting go and folding forward, hold for three to five breaths. Remain seated and repeat on the opposite side.
7. Sethu Bandha Sarvangasana or Bridge Pose
The Sethu Bandha Sarvangasana, or the Bridge position, is another posture with several advantages. It is fantastic for weight reduction, thyroid health, and glutes.
The Sethu Bandha Sarvangasana not only enhances muscular tone but also helps in digestion, thyroid function, and hormone regulation. Additionally, it helps to ease back discomfort by building up your back muscles.
Step-by-Step Sethu Bandha Sarvangasana Yoga Poses for Weight Loss
Bend your knees, keep your legs parallel, your feet hip-distance apart, and lie down on your back in the center of the mat.
You should bring your feet up to your buttocks. When elevating your hips, lift from the pelvic bone instead of the navel by firmly pressing down with both of your feet and inhaling as you do so.
Place your hands on the floor behind your back. Get on top of your shoulders and enlarge your collarbones. Pull your upper thighs inward and tighten your shins on the outside. Keep your thighs parallel and push your buttocks and back of your thighs even higher by pressing down strongly through your heels.
Exhale, let go of your hands and drop yourself to the ground to complete.
Relax your back into a neutral position and take note of how roomy your chest feels.
8. Surya Namaskara or Sun Salutation Pose
The Surya Namaskara, often known as the Sun Salutation, does more than just get the blood flowing and warm the muscles. Most of the muscle groups are stretched and toned, the waist is reduced, the arms are toned, the digestive system is stimulated, and the metabolism is balanced.
Surya Namaskar is a complete bundle of wellness and the most effective approach to losing weight.
Step-by-Step Surya Namaskara Yoga Poses for Weight Loss
Every Sun Salutation round consists of two sets, each set consisting of 12 yoga positions.
Pranamasana (Prayer pose)
Hastauttanasana (Arms raised pose)
Hastapadasana (Forward standing bend)
Ashwa Sanchalanasana with the right leg pushed back (Equestrian pose)
Dandasana (Stick pose)
Ashtanga Namaskara (Salute with eight parts)
Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)
Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward facing dog pose)
Repeat Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose) with the left leg pushed back
Repeat Hastapadasana (Forward standing bend)
Repeat Hastauttanasana (Arms raised pose)
Tadasana (The mountain pose)
9. Trikonasana or Triangle Pose
The Trikonasana aids in digestion improvement as well as belly and waist fat reduction. It increases and accelerates blood flow throughout the body. This pose’s lateral motion encourages you to lose more belly fat and develop your thighs and hamstrings more.
Step-by-Step Trikonasana Yoga Exercises for Weight Loss
Place your legs two feet apart while standing upright on the ground.
After exhaling, elevate both of your hands sideways until they are parallel to your shoulders. Your palms should be facing down and your hands must be parallel with the floor.
As you exhale, bend your right torso and hinge from the hips to touch your right foot with your right hand.
Lift the left hand toward the ceiling while casting an upward gaze.
Remain in this posture for 10 to 20 seconds before returning to the beginning. On the other side, repeat the process.
10. Utkatasana or Chair Pose
Utkatasana, also known as the Chair Pose, unites all the components of your body into a single, strong whole while strengthening and increasing body heat. Chair Pose requires concentration in the breath and the mind, as well as physical power and endurance. You will feel as though you are drawing energy from a deep well when you are focused and balanced in the pose.
Step-by-Step Utkatasana Yoga Exercises for Weight Loss
Align your feet slightly apart while standing straight.
Hold your hands out in front of you, palms down, without bending your elbows.
As if you were sitting on an imaginary chair, fold your knees and squat your pelvis downward.
Raise your hand so that your fingertips are pointing upward.
Rest in this posture while lengthening your spine and focusing forward.
Take a moment to pause and breathe in and out while in the pose.
Closing Thoughts
Yoga won’t magically make you lose weight, but it can address the root issues. Its advantages go beyond the ratio of calories to calories out.
The only secret is to be consistent with your yoga routine, and you can see how it makes you feel better and more positive about yourself.