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Yoga for weight loss really works!
Yoga for weight loss might not seem like the in thing to do, with all the new fancy fitness classes around now, but it is.
Even if you are more the type who enjoys lifting weights and intense cardio sessions, you can gain a lot from incorporating yoga for weight loss into your training.
Yoga offers so many great benefits and yoga for weight loss is also a thing.
It turns out that yoga is actually a very effective way to torch calories and to help you to reach your weight loss goals without really feeling like you are trying super hard.
Yoga is quite enjoyable and also helps to stretch and lengthen your body.
It is also a great way to relax and unwind after a long and stressful day or to start a busy and hectic day.
Either way, it is a great way to give your mind and body an emotional and physical lift.
Yoga helps to reduce cortisol levels which are associated with stress and stress can lead to "bad" actions such as overeating and thus, weight gain. By simply lowering your cortisol levels you will be able to lose weight naturally.
Try a nice deep stretch to relax and unwind, with a pose like the extended side angle pose demonstrated in this video;
Just like with anything that you apply yourself to, the more that you put into it, the more that you will get out of it.
Yoga is all about challenging yourself and trying new things. Even if you do not consider yourself to be extremely fit or flexible, you can work your way to new levels of flexibility and strength as you work on yourself each time you do yoga.
Many people think that they have to be moving at a fast pace and sweating all over the place in order to get a good workout and to lose weight but this a myth.
Yoga for weight loss is a very efficient and effective way to shed access pounds, and it keeps your metabolism revving throughout the day, even after your yoga session.
There are many different asanas or "poses" that you can try. "Asana" actually means "to be in a comfortable seated position."
This type of yoga comes from Ashtanga yoga and refers to the physical exertion as well as the relaxation of your mental state. By practicing asanas, you will enjoy the great benefits of internal and external awareness.
Most of the poses in yoga are repeated, and you will work the muscles on one side of the body at a time instead.
Yoga Poses
One good asana to start your routine with is the wide-legged forward bend, also known as the Prasarita Padottanasana.
For this pose, you will place your hands so that they are touching the floor before you. You can also stretch out your shoulders for an extra stretch. You will spread your feet about 3-4 feet apart and then bend forward at the hips.
You want to keep your back nice and straight. You should feel your hamstrings stretch. Hold this position for about five breaths and then clasp your hands right behind your back before bringing them back up towards the ceiling.
Another asana is the lunge where you stretch out your hips. If you sit for a long period so time this is a good way to stretch out those tight hips.
This pose will also help you to become more flexible. You can choose where you want your arms to be, but you will actually be stretching your muscles in the location that your hands are.
For example, if you position your hands on your knee directly in front of you, you will not be stretching your hips as deep as if you were to place them up and tilted backward.
No matter where you decide to put your hands you want to keep your knee at a steady 90-degree angle. Hold your pose for 30 seconds and repeat on your other side.
There are many different asana poses that you can try and you'll want to try as many as you can so that you'll give your body different things to try and to challenge yourself to stretch a little further and to work out different muscle groups.
It will also give you the opportunity to see how flexible you are and what poses are your very favorite.
Some other asana poses to try to include the following;
Yoga for weight loss, poses;
- Standing Forward Bend;
- Plank Pose;
- Tree Pose;
- Four Limbed Staff;
- Warrior I;
- Warrior II;
- Cow Pose;
- Warrior III pose; and,
- shoulder stand.
If you've done aerobic or other types of workout routines or followed along to a workout tape, you may find that some of these moves are incorporated into the workout routines so you'll already know some of these fat-blasting yoga moves.
To do the Shoulder stand, you will actually hold your body upside down. It is considered to be an inversion, and you will lie on your back to begin. Then you will bend your knees slightly as you press your feet into the air.
Put your hands on the ground and use them to slowly roll yourself backward and on your upper back slowly. You will want to bring your hands to the lower part of your back as you do this right above your hips in order to keep yourself upright and balanced. Extend your legs towards the sky and hold for about six breaths, Your goal will be to hold for 30 seconds, but it can take some practice to work up to that.
The Child's Pose is a common stretch that is often done after a workout to help stretch out the muscles that have been worked.
It is very simple yet very effective. For this pose, you simply have to bend your knees and sit with your derriere resting on your heels.
You should bend your knees quite wide and rest your head on the mat in front of you. You can rest your arms behind or in front of you.
This pose is also an effective relaxation pose so you should not be tense or strained in any way. You need to simply breathe in and out for six breaths or for as long as you feel you need to.
The Chair Pose is another common type of squat that you may have done in your legs of iron workout video.
It seems simple enough but will make your legs and arms burn in no time.
All you do is squat but hold that position with arms raised. It is an effective weight loss move, and you will feel it in your muscles for sure.
You'll also want to keep your feet together and squat as low as you can go. You should be able to see your feet before your knees but if you can't you're not doing it right, and your knees are bent forward too much.
Your yoga for weight loss practice
Yoga is not a new fad or a trend that is going to go away anytime soon. It has been shown to offer great benefits to the body as well as the mind and is all about balance.
Yoga is all about the balance of mind and body and is a quiet way to energize your whole being so that you can face the many challenges that life throws your way.
It is something that you can do anywhere and in a very small space. You do not need to buy any fancy equipment or even go to a gym class to do it.
All you need is a mat, for extra comfort, and yourself. You don't even need to splurge on fancy training shoes. You don't even need socks. Yet it is very effective in helping you to reach your goals in life and to find the balance that you are seeking.
Different yoga poses will offer different benefits to different parts of your body. Some poses will help to stretch out your muscles, some will help to elongate your entire body. Some will help to support the skeletal structure of your body, and still, others will help improve your circulation.
You will also find that you can challenge yourself and as you get more familiar with the moves, you can even bind your poses to give yourself a deeper stretch.
When you bind in yoga, you are basically linking your hands in order to rotate your torso as well as your shoulders.
They are more challenging, so you may not be able to do it right away, but as you increase your flexibility, it is a great way to really up your yoga session and really give your body a good stretch.
Binding requires a considerable amount of strength as well, and you will need to be able to touch your hands together. This is easier said than done but you can always work your way up to it.
It also requires mental balance and concentration.
No matter what your fitness level is or how much or how little you know about yoga, you have to start somewhere.
The important thing is to stick to it. It's like anything, you need to build on what you already know and what you have already done so just spend some time on yourself every day Even if you can only squeeze in a couple of yoga moves into your busy schedule, it is better than nothing.
You need to take time to breathe and to give something back to yourself.
There is no excuse to skip out on your time or to neglect yourself.
You need to be revived from time to time so that you can complete the tasks that you need to complete or to be able to give your family the happy self that you can truly be.
In other words, you need a break, and you need to take it. Do something good for your body and your mind, and you'll be more productive as well.
