Practicing yoga to lose weight, is it possible?
Contrary to what we believe, it is a discipline that affects not only the mind, but also the body. Originally from India, this millennial practice has long been practiced to discipline the mind, but also to keep the body healthy.
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It is a spiritual and physical activity that does not require any particular skill and that, unlike other sports activities, does not appeal to the competitive spirit.
More than a simple practice of a few defined positions, it is a philosophy that unites body and mind in a state of harmony. A union achievable through breathing exercises and meditation sessions.
Among the many benefits that one knows him, one finds its beneficial effect on the memory and the cognitive capacities, on the cardiovascular, respiratory and pulmonary health.
He is also known to have a positive effect on the quality of sleep and the management of stress and anxiety. It also affects sexuality, pain, bone strength and stabilization and weight maintenance.
In addition to its scientifically recognized benefits , many researchers today are trying to determine its effect on other health complications such as obesity, eating disorders or irritable bowel syndrome. In other words, they are trying to determine if we can use yoga to lose weight.
Disciplines
First of all, you should know that yoga has several types that differ in the course of the sessions, but also in terms of their effects on the body and mind.
Overall, they all respect the same principles and are based on almost the same techniques, same exercises of relaxation and breathing and same postures (asanas). For information, here are the most known types: Ananda; Anusara; Asthanga or Astanga; Bikram; Hatha; Integral; ISHTA; Iyengar; Jivamukati; Kali Ray Triyoga; Kripalu; Restorative; Sivananda; Viniyoga; Viniyasa; White lotus. This list is not exhaustive.
In all its forms, it is a practice accessible to everyone and that responds to the personal needs of everyone.
In what follows, we will talk about its benefits on our mind, our mental health, our body, as well as on our approach to weight loss.
The benefits
This ancestral practice is very beneficial for our health. But you have to have a lot of patience, motivation and determination to better enjoy its multiple benefits on the physical, mental and spiritual levels.
You can use yoga to lose weight indirectly by acting on the factors that lead to weight gain. You can also use it in a direct way to strengthen your figure.
– Boost morale
Yoga is a spiritual exercise that serves to discipline the mind and calm it down.
It allows a better self-control and a greater openness to others. It helps to relax, manage stress and eliminate negative emotions. In our daily lives, we are all subject to stress. The stress of work, children, responsibilities, …
To practice it regularly would be ideal to help us fight against this evil of the century and to reduce anxiety thanks to its relaxing positions.
Several studies have shown its benefits on stress. And as this study, which attempts to compare the effects of yoga to physical exercise, points out, it can be as effective, or even better, than exercise in managing stress and improving the quality of exercise. health.
As you must know, stress is a major factor in weight gain. To manage it and limit its impact on your health, it is necessary, in addition to the practice of a relaxing discipline, to decide to get rid imperatively of the bad habits that it is food or other which engender it.
By limiting the impact of stress on our health, this relaxing practice promotes the loss and maintenance of weight.
– Positive action on behavior
Yoga helps develop many behavioral qualities, such as self-confidence and confidence.
The lack of self-confidence is an evil that ranks our psychic. An evil that manifests itself especially in terms of appearance. No need to deny it because we all have this unconscious habit of comparing ourselves to others at every opportunity.
Practicing this discipline helps to achieve serenity and fully control emotions and gestures during exercise. It also helps to regain self-confidence beyond exercise. This practice allows us to accept ourselves as we are. And this acceptance, in turn, will allow us to eventually evolve and work our body gently to achieve our desired weight loss goal.
His practice also helps keep us motivated. All dieting enthusiasts know the weight of psychic support and the role of motivation in any weight loss approach.
So that’s the second aspect of how to take advantage of yoga to lose weight.
– Boost the beauty
Regular yoga practice will make you more beautiful.
Indeed, the efforts undertaken during a session allow to have a clear skin and a radiant complexion. The repeated stretching and relaxation during postures, maintain the elasticity of your skin and thus slow down the appearance of wrinkles. A real natural anti-aging!
These postures also improve blood circulation, digestion and waste disposal. It is also an effective and natural remedy against acne. Yes, stress causes the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum, which promotes the appearance of acne pimples on your face.
Including certain “inverted” postures in your program, will promote better blood circulation to your face and will make your acne disappear faster.
– Have perfect abs
Tighten your belly and strengthen your abs with yoga postures, it’s possible!
Several positions allow to work and sheath the main muscles of the abdominal strap. Some of these postures contract the muscles, while others stretch them while working their tonicity. So you do not have to train hard in the gym to get well drawn abs.
Postures like the Navasana (the boat), the Ado Mukha Svanasana (Posture of the dog upside down), or the Chaturanga Dandasana (the board), represent perfect exercises of yoga to lose weight and to strengthen the abdominal muscles and muscles. buttocks, while fortifying those of the back and the lumbar region.
To perform them well, focus on the abdominal breathing (inhale the air through the nose so that the belly gets up and exhale through the mouth to deflate the belly). Its very important.
Also plan small recovery breaks by lying on your back for about twenty minutes, between each two postures.
– Yoga to lose weight and fight against cellulite
A yoga posture can easily replace your anti-cellulite cream. It’s free, without risk of allergic reaction and even better, it’s 100% natural!
Muscle and strengthen her thighs in length, gently and especially deep, is now possible thanks to certain postures.
The posture of “the Eagle” is known to be among the best poses to fight against cellulite. It is somehow, the favorite anti-cellulite cream of the yogis. Very often, yoga teachers recommend it for women who suffer from cellulite and seek to firm their thighs, hips, or even preserve the health of their joints. We suggest you to watch this video which details the steps of this posture.
If your goal is to minimize the appearance of your cellulite, there are other postures that you can practice such as Bikram, Crescent Moon, Ashtanga or Agnistambhasana. They strengthen the legs and calves, deepen the muscles of the thighs and glutes and thus make your cellulite less visible.
The 3 positions yoga to lose weight and burn fat
In a general way and in all its forms, this discipline will be able to constitute a precious help in a step of weight loss.
Let’s not forget that, first and foremost, it’s a physical activity.
Of course, the results will surely be different from one person to another and will largely depend on the type you practice, but also the frequency and duration of sessions.
If you focus on weight loss, yoga to lose weight is a very good choice. But in this case, you should choose more dynamic types, more tonics and more powerful. Opt for types like, cobra posture, boat posture or mukha svanasana teen.
These are perfect exercises that will contribute greatly to healthy and safe weight loss.
1. Posture of Cobra (Bhujang asana)
Here is how to practice this yoga posture to lose weight.
Begin by lying on your stomach, legs outstretched and apples of hands below the shoulders.
Then, extend your arms gradually to lift the chest by leaning back.
Stop when you feel that your pubis is detached from your legs.
Try to shake your legs without hardening your glutes. You must look like a cobra ready to attack with your head up.
Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.
Repeat at least 5 times while marking breaks of 15 seconds after each repetition.
2. Posture of the boat
Lie on your back, legs stretched out and arms on the sides.
Gently lift your legs off the floor without bending your knees (feet and toes outstretched).
Then raise your arms while keeping them upright, so as to try to touch your toes.
Try to form a 45 ° angle with your body.
Stay in this position for about 15 seconds while maintaining normal breathing.
Exhale slowly while relaxing.
Mark a pause of 15 seconds and repeat 5 times.
3. Teen Mukha Svanasana (Dog posture upside down)
Get on all fours, feet apart at the width of the pool.
Inhale and exhale slowly while gently stretching your arms forward and your glutes back (towards the heels).
Try to stretch your body in two opposite directions to get the ideal distance between your hands and feet and move to the dog’s position upside down.
Gently lift your legs without straightening them (toes folded) and leave your hands on the floor in front of you.
Tilt the torso forwards and raise your glutes as high as possible.
Now, slide the apples from the hands on the carpet keeping your fingers well apart and pressing hard on the heels that begin to touch the ground.
Do deep abdominal breaths, relax and maintain posture for 1 to 3 minutes or more, if your physical ability allows it.
Practicing yoga to lose weight is a good thing, since it has a considerable and lasting effect on your body type. If you practice it regularly, you will notice the change. Your figure will be lighter, thinner and more flexible.
However, if you feel pain, discomfort, or dizziness while doing these exercises, stop exercising immediately.
As a reminder, this kind of posture is not recommended for people who have recently had surgery, who suffer from back or leg injuries and possibly for pregnant women.
The 3 positions of yoga to lose weight and detoxify the body
As you can see, all yoga postures have beneficial effects on the body. In addition, some have the distinction of cleaning our digestive system and purify our body in depth.
Through stretching exercises and deep breathing exercises, the toxins retained in our body will be gradually eliminated.
If you start to practice postures regularly, you will wake up the main systems responsible for the evacuation of toxins from your body, namely the liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs and of course the skin.
The best postures to choose from are those that will stimulate these five vital systems of our body, also called “detox organs” to allow a deep massage of the digestive system and boost the purification of your body.
1. Pavanamukthasana
Lie back on the floor by joining the heels.
Gently bend your knees and gradually bring them back to the chest, applying pressure on your belly.
Clench your hands under your thighs and raise your head so that it touches your knees.
Breathe deeply and hold this position for 60 to 90 seconds.
Exhale, release your knees and repeat the posture 5 or more times, preferably in the morning. Remember to take 15-second breaks between repetitions.
2. Posture of the bow (Dhanurasana)
Lie flat on your stomach, knees bent and spread.
Keep your legs glued to the floor.
Try to catch your ankles with your hands. Raise your head and lift your legs as high as you can.
Breathe slowly and hold for 15 to 30 seconds.
Repeat 5 times by relaxing 15 seconds after each repetition.
3. Seated torsion
Sit on the ground with your back straight and your legs extended.
Place your right hand behind you while bending the right knee.
Try to raise your left arm towards the bust to help you stay properly.
Place your left elbow on the outside of your right knee bent.
Try to look towards the right hand behind you to keep your back straight.
Keep the position for 5 deep breaths and reverse the movement to the left.
Do yoga to lose weight with your pet
You can practice yoga anytime and again with whoever you want. You can even practice it with your pet. Cat or dog, or even horse, the pictures on the net show us that all the moments are good to stay motivated.
The need to connect to a source of deep nature makes this animal company a real source of inspiration. This phenomenon first appeared in Australia, quickly spread to other countries, and nowadays, gyms have begun to integrate pets, mainly cats, in their training sessions.
This activity known as Cat yoga , is a way to make the session more fun, especially for cat lovers.
There is also what is called Doga yoga . As it indicates, it’s an activity for you and your dog. It is a very canine practice, born in New York and spreading throughout America.
In this practice, the goal is not to learn yoga poses to your dog, but to relax the climate and also strengthen the relationship between the master and his dog, while involving him in different postures.
It is an activity that brings together feelings, stretches, relaxation and meditation. It is also used to promote the obedience of your dog.