Health is physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. Yoga is a path towards total harmony of body, mind, and spirit and is more than a form of physical exercise. Regular practice of yoga helps in improving digestion and metabolism of the body, which in turn improves health and can assist with weight loss.
Yoga improves life on various levels. Some of the benefits are clearly visible, and some are less so. On the physical level, some of the reported benefits of yoga are:
- Improved flexibility of muscles, increased range of motions of the joints
- Increased muscle strength and bone density
- Improved posture
- Improved digestion and circulation
- Boosted immunity
- Enhanced function of neurological and endocrine organs
Yoga Asanas for weight loss
1
Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)
When practiced quickly, Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) and is an aerobic form of exercise and an excellent way to burn calories and tone muscles simultaneously.
and
2
Marjariasana (Cat stretch)
and
- Come onto your hands and knees. Keep the hands shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart. Place your hands directly under the shoulders.
- Breathing in, look up. Raise your chin and tailbone towards the sky while pressing your navel towards the ground
- Breathing out, arch your back and press the chin to the chest as you straighten your arms
- Repeat these steps, coordinating with the breath, for about 5 to 10 rounds
Benefits of Marjariasana (Cat stretch):
- Increases flexibility of the spine
- Strengthens wrists and shoulders
- Massages the digestive organs
- Tones the abdomen
- Improves digestion
and
and
3
Konasana (one arm) and for Weight Loss
and
- Stand straight with feet together and arms alongside the body.
- Breathe in, and gently raise the left arm up.
- Bend to the right as you breathe out; keep your left arm,
- pointing towards the ceiling.
- Turn your head to look up at the left palm.
- Keep elbows straight and focus on gently moving your pelvis more to the left, pressing on the four corners of the feet. Hold this position for few moments.
- Breathing in, lift your body back up to the center.
- Breathing out, bring the left arm down.
- Repeat with right arm.
Benefits for Konasana (one arm):
- Stretches the sides of the body and the spine.
- Tones the arms, legs, waist and abdominal organs.
and
4
Konasana (both arms) for Weight Loss
and
- Stand with feet about 2-feet apart. Balance your weight equally on both feet.
- As you breathe in deeply, raise your arms overhead and join the palms together, interlocking the fingers. Keep the arms touching the ears.
- As you breathe out, bend to the right. Focus on straightening the elbows, pressing feet firmly into the ground, and moving the pelvis to the left. Hold this position.
- As you breathe in, lift back up to standing position.
- As you breathe out, bring the arms down.
- Repeat bending to the other side.
Benefits for Konasana (both arms):
- Stretches the sides of the body and the spine.
- Tones the arms, legs, waist and abdominal organs.
and
5
Trikonasana for Weight Loss.
and
- Stand with your feet about 3-feet apart. Triangle-trikonasana.
- Rotate the right foot 90 degrees to the outside.
- Rotate the left foot 15 degrees to the inside
- Align your right heel with the center of the left foot
- Stand erect, pressing the feet firmly into the ground. Balance yourself
- Breathing in, stretch the arms out to the sides, palms facing up
- Breathing out, bend to the right side. Keep the arms in a straight line, with the right arm reaching for the right foot and left arm reaching for the ceiling.
- Turn your head to look up at the left palm. Rotate your torso to have the chest facing the opposite wall. Hold this position. (If you are bending forward toward the floor, come up a bit and focus on bending sideways.)
- Breathing in, pull yourself up with the strength of your left arm.
- Repeat steps 2-10, bending to the left side.
- Breathing out, bring the arms down.
- and
Benefits for Trikonasana :
- Stretches the sides of the body.
- Tones the arms, legs, and abdominal organs.
- Improves flexibility of the spine and hips.
and
6
Sarvangasana for Weight Loss
and
- Lie on your back. With one movement, lift your legs, buttocks, and back so that you come up high on your shoulders. Support your back with the hands.
- Move your elbows closer towards each other, and move your hands along your back, creeping up towards the shoulder blades.
- Keep straightening the legs and spine by pressing the elbows down to the floor and hands on the back. Your weight should be supported on your shoulders and upper arms, and not on your head and neck.
- Keep the legs firm. Lift your heels higher as though you are putting a footprint on the ceiling.
- Bring the big toes straight over the nose. Now point the toes up. Pay attention to your neck. Do not press the neck into the floor. Instead, keep the neck strong with a feeling of tightening the neck muscles slightly.
- Press your sternum toward the chin. If you feel any strain in the neck, come out of the posture.
- Keep breathing deeply and stay in the posture for 30-60 seconds.
- To come out of the posture, lower the knees to forehead.
- Bring your hands to the floor, palms facing down.
- Without lifting the head slowly bring your spine down, vertebra by vertebra, completely to the floor.
- Lower the legs to the floor. Relax for a minimum of 60 seconds.
- and
Benefits of Sarvangasana:
- Stimulates the thyroid and parathyroid glands and normalizes their functions.
- Strengthens the arms and shoulders and keeps the spine flexible.
- Nourishing brain with more blood.
- Stretches the heart muscles by returning more venous blood to the heart.
- Brings relief from constipation, indigestion and varicose veins.
- Follow the instructions of your teacher/trainer/guide.
- Do not stretch uncomfortably.
- Do it regularly.
and
These and other Yoga asanas along with maintaining a healthy diet can help to improve the functioning of the body systems, the effect of which can be weight loss and overall well-being.
To experience this and learn more.
Join us for our Sri Sri Yoga Sessions in
and
and
