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Last updated on June 5th, 2024 at 05:54 pm

Yoga is an ancient spiritual practice collection of asanas, mudars, meditation, and berating, a perfect union of body, mind, and breath to improve overall health and fitness. It is a technique to prevent stress and tension, these asanas provide strength and flexibility to the body and calm the mind and nervous system. We all know that yoga is connected with meditation and mindfulness, it is a slow and easy process to revive health and fitness.

Is yoga effective in weight loss(Obesity)?

Over body weight (Obesity) is the major problem today faced by every second person, it is a common and complex problem, and one of the most important factors of many health-related issues. If you want to manage your weight by doing yoga, so yes, yoga is effective in weight loss, a full-body workout for weight loss, it can help with obesity, promotes mindfulness, boosts metabolism, and improves inner strength.

There are many ways to lose weight like gymming, running intermittent fasting many more but yoga is a natural and excellent way to reduce weight effectively and quickly. In this article, we suggest some powerful and effective yoga poses that can help you reduce weight and get a healthy and fit body.

How Can Yoga Help in Weight Loss?

Yoga helps in reducing weight and controlling cortisol levels which is the major cause of weight gain and obesity, consistently practicing yoga helps in burning calories very fast, tones the body muscles, and burns fat quickly. Yoga poses are full-body workouts and play a key role in weight management, it is quite a simple and easy approach to loosen weight.

It also increases stamina and improves metabolism by supplying more oxygen to muscles and cells, yoga poses help in losing belly fat, strengthening the abdominal muscles, loosening fat around the arms, legs, and belly, and toning the muscles.
Improves body flexibility, hormonal imbalance, and the digestive system, It also helps in improving mindfulness which will help you in desert habits and prevent emotional and stressful eating causes of unnecessary weight gain.

Benefits Of Yoga in Weight Loss

• Manage stress and anxiety
• Reduce Medications
• Improve Mindfulness
• Balance Eating Behaviors
• Increase flexibility, Strengthen Body
• Improve Respiratory System
• Boost Metabolism
• Stress Management
• Improve Body Energy
• Weight reduction, Helping in building Calories
• Balance Hormones
• Increase Concentration and Focus

The Best Yoga Poses for Weight Loss

1. Bow Pose

How To Do Bow Pose

1. Lie on your stomach on a yoga mat or soft surface.
2. Keep your arms alongside your body, palms facing up.
3. Bend your knees and bring your heels towards your buttocks, keeping them hip-width apart.
4. Reach back with your hands and grasp your ankles.
5. Inhale deeply and lift your chest and thighs off the mat by pressing your feet into your hands.
6. Keep your gaze forward and your neck in a neutral position.
7. Lift your thighs as high as you can while simultaneously lifting your chest and upper body.
8. Keep your shoulders relaxed and away from your ears.
9. Hold the pose for 20-30 seconds, breathing deeply and evenly.
10. To release, exhale and gently lower your chest and thighs back down to the mat.
11. Extend your legs and relax in Corpse Pose (Shavasana) for a few breaths.

Muscles Worked:

1. Back
2. Shoulder And Chest
3. Thighs
4. Hips

2. Suraya Namaskar

This pose is also helpful for Diabetes Patients.

How To Do Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar)

1. Start with a prayer pose, palms together.
2. Inhale, raise arms, arch back.
3. Exhale, bend forward, touch toes.
4. Inhale, step right leg back, arch back.
5. Exhale, step left leg back, plank position.
6. Lower knees, chest, and chin to the floor.
7. Inhale, lift your chest into the Cobra pose.
8. Exhale and lift your hips into Downward Dog.
9. Inhale, step right foot forward, arch back.
10. Exhale, step left foot forward, touch toes.
11. Inhale, raise arms, arch back.
12. Exhale, return to prayer pose.

Muscles Worked:

1. Core
2. Legs
3. Arms And Shoulder
4. Back
5. Hips

3. Bridge Pose

How To Do Bridge Pose

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat.
2. Lift your hips towards the ceiling.
3. Press into your feet and arms to lift higher.
4. Hold for a few breaths.
5. Slowly lower back down.

Muscles Worked:

1. Back
2. Glutes
3. Hamstrings
4. Core
5. Hip Flexors

4. Boat Pose

This pose is also helpful in Thyroid Health.

How To Do Boat Pose

1. Sit on the floor with your legs bent and feet flat.
2. Lean back a bit and lift your feet off the ground.
3. Straighten your legs, forming a V shape with your body. (As shown in the image).
4. Stretch your arms out parallel to the floor or hold onto your thighs, whichever is comfortable.
5. Hold for a few breaths, then lower back down.

Muscles Worked

1. Abs
2. Hip Flexors
3. Lower Back Thighs
4. Hip Muscles

5. Upward Plank Pose

How To Do Upward Plank Pose

1. Sit on the floor with your legs straight.
2. Place hands behind hips, fingers pointing towards feet.
3. Lift hips toward the ceiling.
4. Straighten arms and legs.
5. Hold for a few breaths.
6. Lower hips back down.

Muscles Worked:

• Arms
• Shoulders
• Core Muscles
• Legs
• Wrist Flexors

6. Triangle Pose

How To Do Triangle Pose

1. Stand with feet wide apart.
2. Turn right foot out, left foot slightly in.
3. Stretch arms out to the sides.
4. Reach right hand down to the shin, ankle, or floor.
5. Extend left arm up, and look up.
6. Hold for a few breaths.
7. Switch sides.

Muscles Worked:

1. Legs
2. Core Muscles
3. Side Body
4. Shoulders and Arms

7. The Warrior Pose

How To Do Warrior Pose

1. Stand tall.
2. Step one foot back.
3. Bend the front knee.
4. Extend arms out.
5. Look forward.
6. Hold and breathe.
7. Switch sides.

Muscles Worked:

• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Gluteal Muscles
• Calves
• Core Muscles
• Shoulders and Arms

8. Shoulder Stand

How To Do Supported Shoulder Stand

1. Lie on your back on a yoga mat or plain surface.
2. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
3. Using your abdominal muscles, lift your legs off the floor and bring your knees towards your chest.
4. Place your hands on your lower back for support, with your elbows tucked in close to your body.
5. Push your hands against your lower back and raise your hips off the floor. Lifting your legs straight up toward the ceiling.
6. Avoid turning your head from side to side.
7. If comfortable, extend your legs upward, keeping them together and toes pointed.
8. Hold the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute, breathing deeply and evenly.
9. To exit the pose, slowly lower one leg at a time back to the floor and gently relax your hips down.
10. Straighten your legs and relax on your back for a few breaths before moving on to the next pose.

Muscles Worked:

1. Neck And Upper Back
2. Shoulders
3. Core
4. Legs And Glutes

9. Cobra Pose

How To Do Cobra Pose

1. Lie face down with your legs straight and your hands under your shoulders.
2. Push your hands into the floor and lift your chest, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
3. Arch your back gently and look up. (As shown in the image).
4. Hold for a few breaths, then lower back down.

Muscles Worked:

1. Back
2. Chest
3. Shoulders
4. Hip Flexors
5. Abdominals

10. Chair Pose

How To Do Chair Pose

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Inhale, raise your arms overhead.
3. Exhale, bend your knees like you’re sitting in a chair.
4. Keep your back straight, chest lifted.
5. Hold for a few breaths.
6. Inhale, straighten your legs and arms up.
7. Exhale, lower your arms and return to standing.

Muscles Worked

1. Quadriceps
2. Glutes
3. Hamstrings
4. Calves
5. Core Muscles

11. Child Pose

How To Do Child Pose

1. Start by kneeling on your yoga mat with your knees hip-width apart.
2. Sit back on your heels and bring your big toes together, allowing your knees to widen slightly.
3. Exhale and lower your torso forward, resting your forehead on the mat.
4. Extend your arms forward or alongside your body, palms facing up, and relax your shoulders.
5. Allow your chest to rest on or between your thighs, and let your belly soften as you breathe deeply.
6. Press your hips back towards your heels to deepen the stretch in your lower back and hips.
7. Hold the pose for 1 to 3 minutes, or longer if comfortable, breathing deeply and surrendering to the pose.
8. To release, gently walk your hands back towards your body and slowly roll up to a seated position.

Muscles Worked

1. Back
2. Shoulders
3. Hips
4. Thighs And Legs

How Often You Should Do Yoga For Weight Loss?

Yoga promotes a healthy and disease-free life with a disciplined routine, yoga is a full-body effective, and sustainable workout to loosen weight easily. If you are serious and consistent about your weight loss, practice yoga, 3-5 times a week, at least for 30-45 minutes daily.

This will help you burn more calories and fat burn quickly and also promote your physical, mental, and spiritual health, The poses suggested above are effective in your weight loss journey, a gentle, easy, and relaxing way to lose weight and results you get a healthy fit and tone body.

Causes Of Over Weight Gian (Obesity)

1. Dietary Habits
2. Poor Diet
3. Lack Of Physical Activity
4. Genetics
5. Medical Reason
6. Stress
7. Hypothyroidism

Risk Of Over Weight (Obesity)

• Type-2 Diabetes
• Heart Dieses
• Stroke
• Breathlessness
• Increased Sweating
• Joint And Back Pain
• Snoring
• Felling Frequent Tiredness
• Low Confidence & Self Esteem

Frequently Asked Questions

CONCLUSION

Yoga is a union of body, mind, and breath, working on mental and physical well-being. There are numerous benefits of practicing yoga regularly, it makes the body disease-free, and flexible and strengthens the muscles.

Yoga is the best approach to dealing with obesity and managing overweight. The different poses, pranayama, and mudras, help your body burn calories very fast. It also helps in developing a deeper connection between body and mind and makes you more aware of your own body. Yoga is the best way to get your inner peace and power.

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About The Author

Honey

Honey is a certified yoga teacher from Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar. Through the learning process, she realized, that yoga can be helpful in the wellness of one’s life.