Weight loss today is a common quotient amongst people from varied age groups, different walks of life and regions, regardless of their fitness levels. The modern lifestyle is filled with unhealthy eating choices, fast food junk, ignorance towards personal health, and sedentary lifestyle. All of these factors promote lethargy and weight gain.
Weight loss journey today has not only become the ultimate goal for people, but it is one of the prime reasons that people are moving towards fitness and yoga in general .Yoga for weight loss is not only a simple and a sustainable way to stay fit, but it is one of the most practical forms of workout which not only works on reducing body fat but also helps in overall well-being that includes relaxing the mind, improving flexibility, and supporting weight management in a healthy manner.
The reason that yoga is becoming a popular choice for people aiming for weight loss is the fact that yoga brings with itself mindful movement, breath work techniques, awareness about one’s body and burning of calories through improved digestion, reduced stress levels, and building of lean muscle in a healthy manner.
For people who are new to weight loss through yoga, one might think that Yoga is a very time taking and requires one to be already flexible in order to start yoga, especially to achieve weight loss. Yoga does not require fancy equipment or a gym membership, but a yoga mat and comfortable clothing.
It is all about the way one approaches yoga and the lifestyle practices that they inculcate alongside with this physical movement that yields holistic results. In this guide, we shall be understanding the science behind yoga and weight loss, learn about the role of breath work in the journey of weight loss, and five amazing yoga poses that will help in weight loss.
Understanding the science behind yoga and weight loss
Improves digestion
Yoga not only attempts to shape the body physically, it affects the body internally. Practicing yoga not only helps one gain strength, but also allows one to see changes inside their body. One such change is improvement in digestion. When one has good digestion their metabolism naturally improves, helping in the breakdown of food and better absorption of nutrients. This leads to one staying full for longer and eating mindfully.
Promotes mindfulness
When you start practicing yoga regularly, it not only improves the physical vitality, but also promotes mindfulness. You would become conscious about the kind of food that you are eating as well as the quantity of food you intake. Not only will you shift to eating healthy but also eating mindfully. This will help you identify your hunger cues and allow you to enjoy food within limits.
Improves sleep
It is no surprise that good sleep and weight management are interconnected. When you have poor sleeping cycles, the lethargy and stress shows up on your body.
But when you start practicing yoga, you see improvement in your sleep quality as well as sleep duration. This helps your body to digest food properly and allow the absorption of nutrients to happen efficiently leading to better weight management.
Boosts metabolism
Yoga promotes metabolism, for that matter any kind of physical movement boosts metabolism. When the body’s metabolism is healthy, the food we consume gets digested easily and efficiently. This makes one feel fuller and energetic throughout all day, allowing you to not only enjoy your day actively, but also be mindful about maintaining the metabolism.
Awareness about one's body and Prana
Practicing yoga makes one more aware about themselves and their body. While you’re attempting a certain yoga posture, you look at your body and your interconnection with breath with a heightened awareness.
This consciousness of mind, body, and breath allows you to feel more connected to yourself and be gentler towards yourself. Once you start practicing yoga, you start treating your body with more love and respect, allowing yourself to feed not just your body but also your Prana which is the vital source of all life energy.
Role of breath work in weight loss
One may wonder that how a physically visible change like weight loss can be altered through breath work. But the ancient sages of India have always emphasized on the role of breath work in all sorts of changes read to the related to the body and the mind that includes weight loss. Breath work techniques such as Diaphragmatic breathing, Alternate nostril breathing (Nadi Shodhan), Kapalbhati (Skull shining breath) are useful breath work exercises which promote weight loss by improving the metabolism and reducing stress levels in the body.
Today modern science has proved through its many researches that our body tends to accumulate stress in various parts like the lower abdominal, hips, neck etc. Being conscious about breath work and inculcating breath work exercises in everyday yoga routine can be beneficial both for the mind as well as the body in terms of stress and weight reduction.
Five yoga poses to ace weight loss
Adho mukha Swanasana (Downward facing dog)
The downward facing dog is an iconic yoga posture which is practiced in almost all styles of yoga. This yoga posture strengthens the upper body as well as the lower body and increases the blood flow in the body to support endurance, making it an effective posture for calorie burning.
Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)
The Cobra pose is an effective yoga posture that stimulates the upper body, especially emphasizing the core muscles. Practicing this posture helps in engaging the core and is effective in burning upper as well as lower belly fat and engaging the lower back and hip muscles.
Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend pose)
The Paschimotanasana an amazing yoga posture that deeply stretches the entire body especially the back and the spinal body. It is effective in stretching the hips, hamstrings, and lower back. Practicing this posture stimulates digestion and tones the abdominal muscles.
Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations)
Surya Namaskar is one of the most vouched for yoga flows. It is a combination of twelve effective yoga poses that when practiced with breath awareness boosts metabolism, tones the overall body muscles, and burns calories for the full body. Practicing Surya Namaskar regularly improves the digestive fire also known as Jatharagini, and improves blood circulation as well as stability.
Navasana (Boat pose)
The Navasana is the ancient and effective version of crunches. It directly targets the abdominal muscles, making it one of the best yoga postures for burning belly fat. Not only is it effective in burning calories but it also helps in strengthening the hip and the spine muscles
Conclusion
Weight loss is a journey. No miracle can make one lose fat in a day or a week, at least in a healthy manner. So picking up yoga as a ritual will not only help you lose body weight effectively, but also cultivate discipline and build deeper connection with your body and mind. All kinds of physical workout are effective mentally, but the effect of yoga on your mental and emotional health is phenomenal.
When yoga is combined with consistency, mindful choices, and healthy eating, the result is long lasting. Also, if you are someone who wants to explore Yoga teacher training and pick up professional certification courses in yoga like the 200 hour yoga teacher training Goa enrolling with credible yoga ashrams like AdiYogam can be an excellent choice.
For more information: https://www.adiyogam.com/200-hours-yoga-teacher-training-certification-in-goa/
Add Comment