Yoga For Weight Loss:Top 10 Yoga Poses For Weight Loss

Everybody in this world wants healthy weight and physical activity. People who have overweight and obesity are at increased risk for many serious diseases and health conditions including hypertension, diabetes, stroke, osteoarthritis and many other fatal diseases. But one can get free from these diseases losing one’s weight. Now, the question is, how can it be made possible? It is possible to do this naturally through regular practice of ‘yoga for weight loss‘.

What is yoga? Yoga is a regular practice of body and mind that developed in ancient India. There are many yoga branches and styles like Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga etc. in modern yoga science. One should practice these according to proper methods. Nowadays, yoga masters also suggest some specific poses of yoga for kids. Here are top 10 yoga poses for weight loss, which you just have to practice 7 days. This effective yoga poses need to be practiced for just 30 minutes a day.

1.Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)

Tree Pose is one of the most popular yoga poses. While performing, it gives the true spirit of a tree.

Method

First, straighten your spine. Now place your hands close to your chest in the pose of salutation or raise your head above your head in the pose of salutation. Now lift the right leg and place it on the thigh of the left leg. The lower part of the foot will stick to the thigh. Keep breathing normal and stay in this position for 20 seconds to 30 seconds. Then lower the right leg and lift the left leg in the same way and do the pose again. Practise the pose six to eight times by changing legs in this way.

2.Eagle Pose (Garudasana)

While in Eagle Pose, the body appears like an Eagle or a mythological bird, Garuda. So, the name of this pose proves that it is an old yoga pose.

Method

Stand with your spine straight. Now bend both the hands from the elbows and in the manner of twisting the other hand with one hand, place the right hand under the left elbow and place the palm of the right hand in the posture of salutation on the palm of the left hand. Now keep the left foot on the ground, raise the right foot off the floor. Cross your right thigh over your left thigh as high up the thigh as possible. Hook your right foot around your left calf. Keep breathing normal and stay in this position for 20 seconds to 30 seconds. Now change the arms and legs and practice the pose three or four times.

3.Legs Up The Wall Pose (Viparita Karani Asana)

It is both a pose (asana) and posture (mudra) in hatha yoga. It is an excellent, calming pose for your morning or bedtime meditations.

Method

First lie down on your back. Place both hands on the ground on either side of the ribs. Now take a deep breath and lift your legs as high as possible above your head. Bend the arms from both elbows and hold them on both sides of the waist. Now lift the legs higher with the weight on the elbows and bring the legs along the head. Hold the lower part of the body with your hands. The waist will be bent, but the knees should not be bent. Keep breathing normal and stay in this position for 20 seconds to 30 seconds. Then breath out, lower your legs, relax your arms and do the pose again. Practice the pose 2/3 times in this way.

4.Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana or Sarpasana)

Cobra Pose is performed in a cycle of poses in Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) as an alternative to Upward-Facing Dog Pose (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana).

Method

Lie on your stomach with your legs straight. The side of the foot should be folded as far as possible and placed on the floor. Place the palms of both hands upside down on the floor on either side near the ribs. Now lift the head as high as possible with the weight on the palm of the hand, keeping it on the floor from the feet to the waist and bend the head back as much as possible and look upwards. Keep breathing normal and stay in this position for 20 seconds to 30 seconds.

5.Plow Pose (Halasana)

It is said that Plow pose is an inverted yoga posture that stretches the spine and shoulders while refreshing the nervous system.

Method

Lie on your back with your legs crossed and your arms straight at the sides of your body. Press them down on you mat to lift the hips and thighs up even higher. Now take a deep breath keeping your hands on your hips, lift your legs straight and bring them down to the floor as far back as possible behind your head and breath out. Only the toes will be on the floor. Create space between your chin and your chest. If you’d like an additional shoulder opener, remove your hands from your lower back, extend them on the mat in the opposite direction, and clasp the hands. Breathing will be normal. Stay in this position for 20 seconds to 30 seconds.

6.Headstand Pose (Shirshasana)

Headstand yoga pose is called the king of all poses. It is described as both a yoga pose and a mudra in classical hatha yoga, under different names.

Method

First bend your legs and sit on your knees. Now place the palms of both the hands on the ground like a triangle from the elbows and Breathing normally place the head on the floor in front of the knees. Clasp the fingers behind the head and support the back of the head with the clasped hands. Now lift the waist with both folded knees to breathe with the weight on the head and elbows. Now keep the legs in pairs and gently straighten and exhale. In this condition the head, neck, back and legs will be in a straight line vertically from the ground. The weight of the body will fall on the head and the body will be balanced on the waist, arms and elbows. Keep breathing normal and stay in this position for 20 seconds to 30 seconds. This yoga pose is best done on an empty stomach; preferably early morning as a part of one’s regular routine.

7.Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adhomukho Svanasana)

Downward Facing Dog Pose is one of the most basic but one of the crucial poses in Yoga. It is hardly ever found a yoga class without it.

Method

Stand with your arms and legs in a position that looks like a table. Now keep your arms and legs straight and lift your waist a little. This time your body posture will look a lot like the English letter V. Now try to stretch the neck and push the ground with both hands. Place both hands in such a way that both hands touch the two ears. Keep breathing normal and stay in this position for 20 seconds to 30 seconds.

8.Seated Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

It is said that the name Matsyendrasana came from the fact that the pose was promoted by one of the first Gurus of the Navnath tradition, Yogi Matsyendranath.

Method

At first, sit in Dandasana. Press the ground with hands, and while breathing in, lengthen the spine. Bend the left leg and bring the left leg over the right knee and keep the left foot on the ground. Fold the right leg and land the foot near the left buttock. Keep it relaxed. Bring the right hand over the top of the left foot and hold the left toe. While exhaling, bend the torso as much as possible, and bend the neck so that the left shoulder can focus. Hold the ground, and inhale normally. This is the pose of Ardha Matsyendrasana. Look at the picture below. Keep breathing normal and stay in this position for 20 seconds to 30 seconds. Do all the steps in reverse order. All these steps then repeat on the other side as well.

9.Standing Forward Bend Pose (Uttanasana)

‘Ut’, means ‘intensity’ and the ‘Tan’, means ‘stretch, extend or lengthen out’. In this yoga pose, the spine is given a deliberate and intense stretch. So this pose is called Uttanasana.

Method

Stand up straight on the yoga mat. Keep a gap of about an inch between the two legs. Bend the whole body from the waist down without bending the knees. You can hold both knees with your hands, bend the body down in this way. Stay in this position for 20 seconds to 30 seconds.

10.Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

Bridge Pose is an inverted back-bending yoga pose in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise

Method

Lie on your back. Bend your knees and set your feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms on the floor with your fingers reaching toward your heels. You should be able to just barely touch the backs of your heels with your fingertips. Lift your hips towards the ceiling. Roll your shoulders, and make sure your chin touches your chest without you having to move it. Let your shoulders, feet, and arms support your weight. Make sure your thighs are parallel to each other and the floor. Interlace your fingers and push your hands harder to the ground to lift your torso higher. Stay in this position for 20 seconds to 30 seconds. Slowly lower your hips back to the floor.

By Krishna Das