With the emerginginclination of people being vigilant of their growing waistlines and increased instances of various metabolic disorders viz., cancer and diabetes there has been a rapidsurge in people prioritising their health and resorting to personalized diet plans and fitness regimes as recommended by dieticians and trainers.Yoga is an oldest Indian practice associated with maintaining equilibrium between mind, body and soul and thereby it concentrates on over-all health of the body. People these-days look up to yoga as it helps in relieving stress and gives mental peace.
Our chaotic lifestyle and work-loads does not let us live in a healthy and stress-free way. The yearning for junk food as it satisfies our taste-buds and helps in calming us down and stress filled environment gives us an unfit body. By implementing yoga regularly and properly, one can effectively reduce weight, regulate the body and soul. Along with these benefits, one can also experience mental peace.
Best Yoga Poses for Weight Loss:
1. Surya Namaskar:
Surya Namaskar is a series of twelve physical postures, alternating backward and forward bending postures stretches the spinal column through its maximum range giving a reflective stretch to the whole body. Few of its numerous benefits include activation if digestive system, relieves constipation, strengthens abdominal muscles, detoxifies, rejuvenates, prevents skin disorders, helps reduce fat and makes spine flexible.
2. Virabhadrasan:
This is also called a warrior pose. There are 3 different Virabhadrasan poses.
Virabhadrasan 1: It opens the hips, chest and lungs. Stretches arms, legs, shoulders, neck, belly, groin and ankles, thereby strengthening the limbs, abdomen and back. It energizes entire body.
Getting in-to Virabhadrasan 1:
-Begin in High Lunge with your right leg forward in such a way that your right knee is directly over your right ankle, right toes pointing straight ahead and your left toes pointed 45-60 degrees away from your body.
-Make sure that your right heel is in line with your left heel, bring your hands to your hips, squaring hips and shoulders. Now relax your shoulders and back and gently draw them together.
-Inhale deeply, lifting your arms straight up over your head, palms facing each other then bring your palms together. Now, reach up strongly through your arms avoidinggasping rather lift your sternum so you can feel a stretch along your entire torso and spine.
-Keep your palms together and very gently arch your back, looking towards the ceiling. Feel the strength and stability in your stance. Breathe deeply and steadily.
-To release, gently and slowly return to the high lunge stance, straighten out the right leg, steer your body 90 degrees towards left and gently relax. Take a few breaths and repeat the exercise with your left foot forward.
Virabhadrasan 2:
This pose stimulates your abdominal organs, helps in relieving backaches and develops balance and stability. It is also very beneficial for people with carpal tunnel, osteoporosis, flat feet and infertility.
Getting into Virabhadrasan 2:
– Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). With an exhalation, step or lightly jump your feet 3 ½ to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach them actively out to the sides, shoulder blades wide, palms down.
– Turn your right foot slightly to the right and your left foot out towards your left in 90 degrees. Align the left heel with the right heel. Firm your thighs and turn your left thigh outwards so that the center of the left knee cap is in line with the center of the left ankle.
– Exhale and bend your left knee over the left ankle, so that your shin is vertical to the floor. If possible, bring the left thigh parallel to the floor. Anchor this movement of the left knee by strengthening the right leg and pressing the outer right heel firmly to the floor.
– Stretch the arms away from the space between the shoulder blades, parallel to the floor. Don’t lean the torso over the left thigh. Keep the sides of the torso equally long and the shoulders directly over the pelvis. Turn the head to the left and look out over the fingers.
– Stay for about 1 minute in this pose. Inhale to come up and relax. Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of time to the left.
Virabhadrasan 3:
This pose increases stamina and concentration and revitalizes the entire body.
Getting into Virabhadrasan 3:
-From Mountain pose, step the right foot forward and shift all of your weight onto this leg.
– Inhale the arms over your head and intertwine the fingers, pointing the index finger up.
– As you exhale, lift the left leg up and out, hinging at the hips to lower the arms and torso down towards the floor.
– Look down at the floor and stare at a point for balance. Reach out through the left toes and the crown and fingers making one straight line.
– Breathe and hold for 2-6 breaths.
– To release inhale the arms up to lower the leg back to the floor and step both feet together back into Mountain pose.
– Repeat on the other side.
3. Paripurna Navasana:
Also called as “Boat pose”. In this pose, the deep muscles of the abdomen are toned and tightened and the pose also helps improve your posture and stability, lower back, and stretches the spine. Improves digestion, kidney functioning and improves thyroid functioning.
Getting into Boat Pose:
-Begin from a seated position with your legs straight out in front of you then bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the floor, keeping your knees and legs together throughout the pose.
-Place your hands behind your hips and keep your fingers pointed forward towards your feet.
-Now slowly lean back on your hands and lift your legs a few inches off the floor, making sure that your back does not round or bend.
-Maintain the neutrality of your shoulders and draw the shoulder blades back and down to help open up the front of the chest, lifting chest and sternum upwards, keeping the abdominal muscled tightly clenched and the belly as flat as possible.
-Exhale and straighten out your legs while you raise them off the floor, if you cannot straighten your legs completely, keep them slightly bent until your core muscles become stronger.
-Remove your hands from the floor and raise them in front of your chest, palms facing down and the arms parallel to the floor.
-If this is not possible, you can hold on to the backs of your thighs.
-Breathe normally and hold the pose for 30 seconds to a minute.
-Release the pose by bending your knees and lowering your feet back to the floor.
4. Purvottasana:
This pose may seem a bit difficult, but as you practice, you would be able to pose this efficiently. This pose works wonders for back, spine, shoulders, inner thighs and respiratory system.
Getting into Purvottasana:
– Sit with your legs stretched in front of you.
– Put your hands behind your hips pointing towards your feet. Now, prepare your body to rise up.
-Raise your body from the tailbone and try pulling your head back as well.
– It is the exact opposite of the position which you get in just before preparing for a conventional push up.
-Hold on for about a minute and relax gently.
5. Bridge Pose:
Lie down on your back with your hands stretched sideways now fold your knees and spread them out, raising your body up from your pelvis. Take support from your hands and hold the position. This works wonders on your hips, thighs, stomach as well as back.
6. Dhanurasana:
It gives a good stretch to the shoulders, hands, thorax, thighs and the legs. Also massages the abdomen and internal organs thereby improving digestion.It massages the pancreas and is good for diabetic patients. Expands the chest and corrects stooping of the back and shoulders.
Getting into Dhanurasana:
– Lie down flat on your stomach with your hands on the side. Relax and breathe normally.
-Slowly bend your knees backwards touching the back of your buttocks.
-Now arch your head and neck upwards and backwards then move the hands towards the lower leg and hold your lower leg at the ankles. Hold on to the ankles till you complete the asana.
-Now inhale deeply and expand your chest. At the same time, pull the legs upwards using your hands.
-Arch your trunk along with your head and neck. Your thighs will be raised above the ground and you will be resting on the abdomen and the lower part of the chest alone.
-Continue in this position as much as you are comfortable.
-Gently relax and take few deep breaths.
By: Archa Dave
