Yoga and meditation have been used for years for relieving stress. But in recent times, yoga has also been widely used for losing weight. The mechanism is simple. Yoga increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin. The more sensitive body does not store the excess food as fat but uses it for fueling the body. Yoga also gives strength to body parts like arms, legs, butts and abdominals. You can perform the below given exercises at home and lose excess and stubborn body fat. You will require a carpeted space or yoga mat for performing these exercises.
Routine for Yoga exercises that help in losing weight
The yoga routine must be followed at least three times a week, if you want effective results. Each move should be done at-least once with 3 to 5 deep breaths. If you want to gain results quickly then you should do each pose with 5 to 8 breaths. Also, increase the number of repetitions to 2 or even 3. Do not overdo the exercises as it might unnecessarily strain your muscles.
Crescent
Stand on the mat and keep your feet together. The toes should be kept in the forward direction and arms should be at the sides. Inhale deeply while lifting your arms overhead towards the ceiling. Now exhale and bend in the forward direction (from the hip area). Bring your hands down simultaneously. You can bend you knees. Now you can inhale, and when you exhale, set up the right leg back into the lunge. Bend the knee at an angle of 90 degree, so that the knee is right over the ankle of the toe. Extend the right leg and raise the arms in the overhead direction towards the ceiling. Keep your gaze in the forward direction. Stand in the same position for a while and then repeat the exercise.
This move involves abs, arms, thighs, and hips and makes them firmer. It also reduces deposited fat.
Willow / Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
Stand with feet together. Keep your arms at sides. Now, lift your left leg and place the left foot on the inside area of the right thigh. While doing so, bend the knee towards the side. Touch the palm of the hands together, in front of the chest. Now, take 2 deep breaths. While inhaling for the 3rd time, extend your arms in the overhead direction, towards the ceiling. Now exhale. Inhale again while bending the torso towards the left side. You can repeat the exercise 4 to 5 times. Try to press the foot onto the thigh. Switch the legs in-between the exercise.
This move exercises the abs. With regular exercise, you lose lots of belly fat as well.
Rocking Boat (Paripurna Navasana)
For this exercise you need to sit on the yoga mat. Bend your knees while keeping the feet on the floor. The hands should be placed on thighs. Now lean back around 45 degrees while raising your feet. The calves of the legs should now be parallel to the floor and toes should be pointed. Keep your torso straight while leaning back. The head should also be in line with the body. Exhale. Inhale again while lowering the legs and torso to a distance of 4 to 5 inches. Your body will form a wider V shape. Exhale and raise the legs and torso again. You can repeat this weight losing yoga exercise for 4 to 5 times at a time.
The move gives firmer abdominals and back and reduces fat at these areas.
Hover (Chaturanga Dandasana)
This is basically a push-up which you can perform easily. Inhale, take the push-up position, place the arms close to the body and keep the body in line from head to heel. While exhaling, lower the chest towards the floor, keep the abs tight and bend the elbow backwards. Hold the position for a few seconds. You can then raise one of your legs to a height of 10 inches and then lower it. Now switch the legs. You can repeat the exercise for 5 times.
The move gives firm back arms, abs and shoulders and reduces the belly fat.
Chair (Utkatasana)
Stand while keeping your feet together. Now inhale and raise your arms towards the ceiling, with palms facing each other. Now exhale and sit back around 45 degrees. Keep the knees behind the toes. Gaze in the forward direction and keep your abs tight.
The above given exercises help to reduce deposited fat and also enhance the strength of body parts. Yoga helps to reduce cortisol, a hormone which aids the accumulation of fat in belly.
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