Weight Loss with Yoga

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Modern lifestyle has come with a baggage of ailments like hypertension, blood pressure, diabetes etc.; overweight people are more susceptible to these ailments. In today’s society obesity problem has assumed an epidemic proportion mostly due to overeating, sedentary lifestyle and poor selection of food. Obesity may also be due to thyroid problem, psychological stress and in some cases metabolic problems, i.e., the body is not efficient in turning food into energy.

There is no short-cut to weight loss other than eating sensibly and exercising regularly. Yoga is said to be the best form of exercise for weight reduction because it has no side effects. Though the benefits of yoga are many, the best one can benefit is from the weight loss perspective. It is highly beneficial for those who are primarily focused on weight reduction.

The mechanism of yoga is simple and yet extremely effective. The slow and steady poses, which require slow breathing in every posture, build up heat and potentially cause calorie reduction. Yoga acts on the metabolism as well as on the fat cells. The deep breathing in yoga increases the oxygen intake to the cells in the body, including the fat cells which burn in contact with oxygen. Apart from this, yoga makes one overcome anxiety, which is a major reason for overeating.

Through different yoga poses (asanas) one can easily shed extra body fat. Some poses rouse sluggish glands and improve hormonal secretions. For instance, the thyroid gland has a major effect on our body weight as it has an effect on the metabolism. Poses such as sarvangasana (shoulder stand) and matsyasana (fish pose) are particularly effective for the thyroid gland. These poses boost fat metabolism, the process of converting fat into muscle and energy.

One school of thought believes that yoga causes weight loss because it focuses on mind/body awareness. Such awareness translates into positive eating habits, and more care regarding what kind of food one puts into the body. People who have greater body awareness may also notice when they feel full and stop eating. Further, many people eat for reasons other than hunger, including depression and anxiety. With yoga one becomes more focused and may be better able to recognize sadness as sadness, and not hunger.

Yoga is a known stress buster; it is also one of the most effective workouts for fighting stubborn fat stores, especially the ones in the abdomen. Studies show that yoga lowers levels of stress hormones and increases insulin sensitivity—a signal to your body to burn food as fuel rather than to store it as fat. The best way to flatten the abdomen is through the combination of diet and exercise. Diet will help lose extra weight and flab and exercise will firm the abdominal muscles. Yoga workout for weight loss designed by us will do just that while firming up your arms, legs, butt, and abs.

Benefits of the Yoga Weight Loss Program:

• Promotes healthy and safe weight loss
• Helps burn fat and detoxify the body
• Excellent exercises for improving the respiratory, circulatory, and digestive systems
• Helps purge the system of emotional and mental negativity and promotes inner balance and strength
• Tones the thighs, buttocks, calves, and abdominal muscles
• Strengthens the shoulders and back
• Opens up all energy pathways, which help to open up your life
• Moves energy in new ways to promote expansion and creativity
• Help dissolve stress and boost the immune system

When a person is overweight, it puts a lot of pressure on the joints. Joints are very important part of the body. If they don’t function properly it puts the body to lot of trouble. Less weight means less stress on joints. Osteoarthritis is a common joint disorder that most often affects the joints in knees, hips, and lower back. Extra weight increases the risk of osteoarthritis by placing extra pressure on these joints and wearing away the cartilage (tissue that cushions the joints) that normally protects them. Weight loss can decrease stress on the knees, hips, and lower back and improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Complete Yoga Weight Loss Program

• Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
• Eka Padasana (One Foot Pose)
• Surya Namaskara (Salutations to the Sun)
• Padachakrasana (Leg Rotation)
• Gatyatmak Meru Vakrasana (Dynamic Spinal Twist)
• Vyaghrasana (Tiger Pose)
• Gatyatmak Pachimottanasana (Dynamic Back Stretch)
• Druta Halasana (Dynamic Plough Pose)
• Vipareeta Karani Asana (Inverted Pose)
• Matsyasana (Fish Pose)
• Bhastrika Pranayama (Bellows Breath)
• Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (Psychic Network Purification)
• Laghoo Shankhaprakshalana (Intestinal Wash)
• Ajapa Japa

Diet: Avoid oily, fried, or starchy foods, and eating between meals.

Note: Always do yoga practices under an expert guide.