11 Yoga Poses for Weight Loss.

You may think of yoga as something gentle and mindful – a slow, spiritual journey of self-discovery…

…rather than a fast road to weight loss.

However, scientific research, as well as anecdotal evidence, all point to yoga’s uncanny ability for weight loss.

And the results keep rolling on in:

One study at the ‘Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle’, involved more than 15,000 adults in their 50s.

Those who did yoga at least once a week for 4 or more years lost an average of 5 pounds.

While those who didn’t practice yoga, packed on an average of 13.5 pounds…a difference of nearly 20 pounds!

It gets better:

Participants who started at a healthy weight were more likely to maintain their ideal weight than the non-yoga posing control group. 

Reduction of Cortisol and Belly Fat.

Another less obvious way that yoga is linked to weight loss, is its ability to lower stress.

Here’s the deal:

Stress can release excess cortisol, which can trigger stress-related eating.

And it gets worse:

Excess cortisol increases your blood sugar levels, leading to belly fat storage – one of the most dangerous kinds of body fat. 

Not surprisingly, yoga lowers cortisol levels, making it easier to shed belly fat.

Lower Stress Levels Also Encourage Mindfulness.

Such present-moment awareness is a powerful slimming tool.

According to a study published in the journal ‘Qualitative Health Research’, simply becoming more mindful through yoga practice reduced women’s binge eating within 12 weeks.

The cause?

Introspection leads to change.

For example:

Recent research points to the fact that most of us vastly underestimate how much we eat.

Between deadlines, meetings, the boardroom, and family life, many of us fail to appreciate what’s on our fork.

Coupled with snacks that ‘don’t count’ and dubious meal choices, the calories quickly add up.

Related posts:

• 10 Yoga Poses to Relieve Stress
• I Didn’t Need to Avoid Stress to Feel Calmer; I needed To Do This

10 Yoga Poses for Weight Loss.

1. Warrior Pose II.

Firms legs, thighs, butt, back and arms.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Begin with your feet 4 to 5 feet apart.
2. Turn your right foot out 90 degrees, so your toes are pointing to the top of the yoga mat and pivot your left foot slightly inwards around 45-degree angle.
3. Next, raise your arms to shoulder height, palms facing down and reach through your fingertips.
4. Finally, exhale and bend your front knee directly over your ankle. Keeping your shin straight, sink in at the hips till your thigh is parallel to the ground and gaze across the tip of your right middle finger.
5. Hold for 10 deep breaths, then repeat on the other side.

Related post: 7 Best Yoga Poses for Lower Back Pain

2. Upward Plank.

Shapes up your back, shoulders and arms.

What you need to know:

1. Sitting on your mat, bend your knees and place your feet on the floor, heels a foot away from your buttocks.
2. Next, exhale, press your inner feet and hands down against the floor, and lift your hips until you come into a reverse table-top position, torso and thighs approximately parallel to the floor, shins and arms approximately perpendicular.
3. Without losing the height of your hips, straighten your legs one at a time. Lift your hips still higher without hardening your buttocks. Press your shoulder blades against your back torso to support the lift of your chest.
4. Hold for 5, long, deep breathes.

Related Post: 10 Yoga Poses for Flexibility

3. Triangle Pose.

Firms the sides of your tummy and thighs.

5 simple steps:

1. From a standing position with the legs 3 feet apart, turn your right foot outwards 90 degrees and the left toes slightly inwards. Inhale and press your hips out to the left as you raise both arms parallel to the floor.
2. Exhale and rotate only the arms, raising the left arm up and resting the right hand against the right leg, with the palms facing forward.
3. Press into the feet, keeping your legs strong. Reach your fingertips away from each other, bringing your arms into one straight line with your shoulders stacked on top of each other.
4. Hold for 3-6 breaths.
5. Repeat on the other side.

Related: Yoga Poses for Beginners: Simple Poses…Powerful Results

4. Bridge Pose

Works wonders on your hips, thighs, stomach as well as back.

1. Start on your back, bend both knees and place your feet flat on the floor hip width apart.
2. Press your feet into the floor, inhale and lift up your hips, rolling your tailbone off the floor.
3. Press down into your arms and shoulders and lift your heart towards the sky.
4. Breathe and hold for 4-8 breaths.

Follow Xukkhini

5. Downward Facing Dog.

Tones arms, shoulders and tummy.

How to do ’em:

1. Begin on your hands and knees with your knees directly below your hips and hands slightly forward of your shoulders and curl your toes under.
2. Next, exhale and lift your knees away from the floor. At first, keep the knees slightly bent and the heels lifted away from the floor.
3. Then, breathe out, push your top thighs back and stretch your heels onto or down toward the floor. Straighten your knees but don’t lock them.
4. Finally, press through your index fingers, don’t hunch your shoulder blades and keep your head between your arms, not hanging.
5. Hold for 5 – 10 breaths.

Related post: 10 Yoga Asanas for Strength

6. The Four-Limbed Staff Pose (or low plank pose).

Tones your core, shoulders, arms abs and back.

1. Starting from the plank pose exhale as you bend your elbows and lower your torso and legs parallel to the floor.
2. Keep your shoulders away from the floor, but down, away from your ears.
3. Lift your thighs away from the floor, lengthen your tailbone toward your heels, and draw the lower ribs away from the floor to avoid collapsing your lower back.
4. Look down at the floor or slightly forward.
5. If you’re struggling to maintain alignment, place your knees on the floor until you have built more strength.

Related: 10 Surprising Benefits of Yoga: You Won’t Believe #8

7. The Crescent Pose.

Tones your abs, hips and thigs.

1. From Downward Facing Dog, step your right foot forward between your hands as you exhale.
2. Raise your heart and torso as you exhale while sweeping your arms overhead, palms facing one another.
3. Your torso should be completely upright with your arms beside your ears as you look up at your thumbs.
4. Keeping your front shin vertical, arch backwards by reaching back through your left heel and lengthening your tailbone towards the earth. Note: do not over arch your lower back!
5. Make an effort to draw your lower ribs into your body.
6. Now repeat on the other side.

8. The Tree Pose.

Firms your side abs.

What you need to do:

1. Stand with your feet together, arms at your sides.
2. Place the sole of your left foot on the inside of your right thigh, knee bent to side.
3. Touch your palms in front of your chest for 2 breaths.
4. On your third inhale, extend the arms up, reaching your fingertips towards the sky.
5. Exhale, and bend torso to left. Inhale and straighten. Repeat 3 to 5 times, pressing foot into thigh.
6. Switch sides!

9. The Chair Pose.

Firms butt and thighs.

1. From a standing position, inhale and raise your arms above your head, perpendicular to the floor.
2. Exhale as you bend your knees, bringing your thighs as parallel to the floor as you can.
3. Draw your shoulder blades into your upper back ribs as you reach your elbows back towards your ears.
4. Hold for 5 -10 breaths.

Related post: 8 Yoga Poses for Depression

10. The Dolphin Pose.

Shapes up hips, arms and legs.

1. Begin on your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders, and your knees directly under your hips.
2. Gently lower your elbows to the floor directly beneath your shoulders.
3. Tuck your toes and lift your knees off the floor. Reach your pelvis up toward the ceiling, then pull your tail bone toward the wall behind you. Keep your knees bent as you lengthen your spine and spread your shoulder blades.
4. Then, gently begin to straighten your legs. If your upper back begins to round, bend your knees again until your spine is straight.
5. Draw your shoulder blades into your upper back ribs and toward your tailbone. Widen across your collarbones.
6. Your ears should be next to your upper arms. Relax your head, but do not let it flop!
7. Hold for 5-25 breaths.

11. The Boat Pose.

Tones and flattens your tummy.

1. From a seated, knees bent position, lift your legs till your shins are parallel to the floor.
2. Next, extend your arms so they’re in line with your legs and at shoulder height.
3. Finally, straighten out your legs and float that boat!
4. Hold for 5 – 10 breaths.

Introducing: Yoga Burn for Women

If you’re really serious about improving your health with yoga and want a simple yoga strategy you can use in the comfort of your own home, then I highly recommend Zoe Bray-Cotton’s Yoga Burn for Women.

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• Shape and tone
• De-stress and relieve tension
• Manage your weight
• Gain flexibility
• Boost immunity and
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In this program, you’ll learn the secret to Yoga Burn for Women’s success – a technique known as Dynamic Sequencing.

This strategy forces your body to adapt, giving you a more shapely, feminine body that looks great.

What’s more, Yoga Burn for Women is designed exclusively for women from any walk of life who want to lose weight and get in shape, without trekking to the gym and spending countless hours performing fruitless cardio.

The program is specifically tailored to suit women of all fitness levels from the very new to advanced yoga students.

You’ll also learn how to optimize each pose to take advantage of your very own fitness levels.

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