Yoga, an ancient method to stay fit, has been around for centuries in India, but it created a rage only a few years ago when Westerners realized its importance and benefits. You are likely to find yoga studios everywhere in the West, and thanks to its popularity, India too has woken up to its benefits. Now, many yoga classes have popped up and many gyms to offer yoga. If you are struggling to lose weight, you can incorporate yoga in your fitness regimen and see the results soon.
Static tiger pose:
This exercise will build core strength which is essential to help you not just shed flab but also strengthen your body. To do this pose, be on all fours on a yoga mat and lift up one leg and extend the opposite arm. Hold this Static Tiger Pose for three deep breaths. Bring back the arm and leg to the starting position and swap sides, extending the other arm and opposite leg, looking down towards the mat to keep the spine in line and take three deep breaths.
Sitting spinal twist:
Losing flab from the waist and sides or your love handles is also tricky. This pose will trim and define the waist while also exercising the spine. Sit in a crossed leg position. Bring your hands by the side of your hips as you lengthen the spine. Bring one hand across to the opposite knee, rotate the spine and look over one shoulder into a Sitting Spinal Twist. Inhale. Exhale and go back to the starting position. Swap sides and rotate and look over the other shoulder. Inhale. Exhale back to the Centre.
Lift and twist crunch: Come to a semi-supine position, lying on your back. Feet flat on the floor, chin tucked into the chest, hands down by your side. This position allows the back muscles to completely relax and the spine to come into the correct alignment. Next, we will be going into the Lift and Twist Crunch. This is a Pilates exercise and is excellent for trimming the waist and toning the tummy. Bring the hands behind the back of the neck, lift and twist the upper body to one side and bring elbow towards the opposite knee. Inhale and lower your back down. Exhale, lift and twist towards the other side, inhale return to starting position.
Plank:
Start on your hands and knees, bringing the knees back a little, tuck the toes under, lift the knees up off the floor and come into a Plank Pose. Draw your tummy muscles in and in, breathing deeply into the side and back of the rib cage. Aim to hold for 30 seconds and increase the time gradually. Plank really helps strengthen your core.
The hundred exercise:
Come to a semi-supine position for The Hundred Exercise. This classic exercise defines the tummy muscles and promotes a strong and healthy back. Bring the legs into a tabletop position, hip-width apart. Lift the arms up off the floor and lift the head neck and chest upwards, being careful not to strain the neck but rather taking the strain in the tummy. Start to pulse the arms up and down. If you would like to advance the pose, extend the legs up towards the sky or stay in tabletop position if you prefer. Keep drawing the tummy muscles up and in. Aim to continue for 50 seconds.
Yoga workouts for weight loss: While traditional yoga is a great exercise for the entire body, you can also try fun workouts that combine yoga with other fitness forms to help you burn more calories. Here are some of them that you can try if you do not like traditional yoga.
Power yoga:
Power yoga is a mix of intense yoga moves that are done in a loop to increase your heart rate and help burn more calories. The yoga poses are done back-to-back without stopping which is what makes power yoga a fun workout especially for those who think traditional yoga is slow-paced. Power yoga is cardio as well as a full body workout at the same time.
Diet is important:
While adding yoga to your routine is great, what you eat is also important. Without the right diet, you cannot achieve good results as your body cannot function well unless it has good nutrition. Therefore, make sure you follow a healthy diet along with your yoga routine. Give up junk foods with the occasional cheat day once in a while, make sure you eat on time and have portion control so that you don’t overeat. Smaller, frequent meals are better than bigger meals thrice a day. Include greens, seeds, nuts, and fruits in your daily diet to get the right nutrition and energy. Cooking your food in a healthy way is also important so that nutrition is retained.
Go the Ayurveda way: Ayurveda is a 5000-year-old tradition from India and helps in achieving optimal health. According to Ayurveda, when you are perfectly healthy, the extra fat melts away on its own. So, we bring to you five tips from Ayurveda which will help you in getting healthy and thus, get rid of those extra kilos.
Exercise when you wake up: Did you know the ideal time to exercise is between 6 am and 10 am? This is because it is the time when water and earth elements are high in the environment. These, when combined, create coolness, slowness, and inertia. Exercising in the morning counteracts sluggishness, brings warmth to your body and prepares the mind for the new day. Performing 30-45 minutes of exercise in the morning helps in burning calories and keeping you on track.
Eat your largest meal at noon:According to Ayurveda, ‘you are not what you eat, but what you digest’. Digestion is one very important and basic point of Vedic tradition. According to Ayurveda, you should eat your largest meal at noon. Noon hour is when your digestive fire, known as Agni, is the strongest.
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