14 yoga poses that will help you tone your body and lose excess weight

They say that yoga helps you lose weight, tighten your stomach, and get rid of cellulite and sagging sides. Any instructor will tell you that losing weight is not the main goal of this type of practice. However, it is quite possible to tighten your figure and lose weight during exercise.

By working diligently in yoga training, you can lose weight no worse than doing cardio. The advantage of exercise is that at the same time you get a good strength load, working the deepest muscles of the body, developing your flexibility and endurance. Yoga is intended for healing, but it also helps to normalize metabolism, cleanse the body of toxins, improve the functioning of the respiratory and endocrine systems, and, accordingly, lose weight.

Who is easier to lose weight

Some people who come to classes begin to lose weight very actively, while for others the process is much slower. What is the reason?

If a person who comes to a yoga class weighs quite a lot, then he will lose weight much faster than someone who initially weighed less.
For beginners who have not exercised for a long time (or maybe never), the weight loss process at first will be much more active than for a physically fit person.
Losing weight will not keep you waiting if you don’t miss classes, give your all to them and combine all this with proper nutrition.

Nutrition rules

There are 2 components to losing weight – nutrition and exercise. Yoga is no exception.

How to eat according to yoga:

You can't eat when you have strong emotions. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s joy or anger, you can’t do that.
Eat when you're hungry. Hunger can be real and emotional (I eat because I’m bored/scared/lonely).
Drink 100 ml every hour. This is the most optimal mode, since the feeling of thirst simply does not have time to arise.
Breakfast should be hot, it can be whole grain porridge, but not with milk. But melted butter in porridge is a great idea.
Eat a lot for lunch, but don't overeat. If you don't like soup, don't force yourself (though creamy soup is a great compromise). And dinner should certainly be light.
Eat slowly. Don’t rush yourself, don’t snack on the go, chew thoroughly. Don't eat in front of the computer or phone. Let this be your kitchen, an ordinary, but cozy and pleasant environment.

How to lose weight effectively

To the question “Is it possible to lose weight with yoga?” we will answer: “It is possible, but it all depends on you.”

Don't miss classes. The minimum number of workouts is 3 per week (lasting 1-2 hours). Remember that the main thing is to show up. Then the body itself will start working. Fight laziness, don't look for excuses. Soon yoga will become a part of your life, and you won’t want to skip classes.
“Give your best” during each exercise. There is no need to feel sorry for yourself. Work to your full potential. Only then will you achieve positive results (including weight loss). This, of course, does not mean that you need to “jump out of yourself” or work until you lose consciousness. Everything should be within reason, especially when you are a beginner. But if you constantly think: “No, this is too difficult for me” and get out of the asana very quickly or, even worse, don’t try to do it at all, you will not achieve results. Work to the limit of your capabilities, sometimes just turn off your head. Believe me, the body can do a lot. Sometimes we don’t even suspect its capabilities!
Work smart. Perform any exercise not just for the sake of it, but in such a way as to feel every muscle that should be involved in that particular asana. Don't feel the load? Contact your instructor. Most likely, you are doing the exercise incorrectly.
Start eating right, give up fatty, fried, starchy foods, limit your consumption of sweets, salty foods, and alcohol. Eat more fresh greens, vegetables and fruits. This diet is sometimes called the “yoga diet.” Many people who seriously practice and delve into philosophy gradually switch to healthy eating and give up meat. We do not suggest vegetarianism to you if you are not ready for it. However, you just need to start eating right. This will be beneficial both for your health and well-being and for weight loss.
Give up bad habits. Smoking, alcohol, and night snacks are completely unhelpful. In addition, they interfere with normal metabolism and weight loss. Once you have set out on the path to health and slimness, go to the end!
For beginners, it is extremely important not to give up! During the first few lessons you may not succeed. It is in this situation that many people quit training. Difficulties should only strengthen you. Listen to yourself, carry out the load according to your strength. There is no need to be shy or worry that someone is doing asanas better than you. Everyone was a beginner once. In addition, people of different ages, weights and levels of physical fitness come to yoga. You came to exercise only for yourself and your health!

How many minutes a day

What do you associate yoga with? Perhaps with skinny Indians doing amazing exercises. However, today yoga is much more popular in Europe and the USA than in India. But the fact is that there are not many people who practice yoga regularly.

Yoga asanas are accessible to everyone. At any bookstore or kiosk, you can buy a book or video on yoga. The practice of yoga has become widely available material, so the decision to devote a few minutes to losing weight and practically seeing whether yoga helps you lose weight and get rid of belly fat depends on the individual.

The daily practice of hatha yoga makes a significant contribution to making the body of practitioners flexible and elastic, and the internal organs healthy.

Instead of looking for a new miracle diet and magical ways to lose weight, you need to do what will bring real benefits and long-lasting effects.

Start monitoring what you eat and when you eat it, so you can quickly protect yourself from compulsive overeating, snacking, and stress eating.
Burn fat from your belly and buttocks while working other parts of your body.
Reduce stress, which accelerates the accumulation of abdominal fat.
Speed up your metabolism to burn fat throughout the day.

Light exercise is a simple and safe way to lose a few extra pounds.

Debunking myths

Myth No. 1. Extra pounds are a contraindication to yoga. This is wrong. Of course, a large belly will make it difficult to perform some asanas, and excess weight can cause problems with the spine if overexerted. But that’s why you want to practice, to become healthier, slimmer, fitter. In case of severe obesity, some exercises are contraindicated, but a properly chosen gentle exercise in combination with a diet selected by a nutritionist and moderate cardio training will be beneficial. In addition, overweight people who want to lose weight are recommended to use auxiliary equipment during exercise (belts, bricks, ropes, etc.) and listen very carefully to the instructor’s recommendations.
Myth No. 2. If you have problems with blood vessels and high blood pressure, you cannot practice. If you don't exercise your blood vessels, your health problems will only get worse over time. A careful and gradual introduction to asanas is what you need. Don’t set a goal to perform a headstand in your first class. Under the clear guidance of an instructor, over time you will be able to easily perform “inverted” asanas without consequences in the form of dizziness or headaches. In addition, breathing exercises and some types of practices (for example, fly yoga) are recommended for people suffering from weak blood vessels in the brain. Listen to your body, choose the right load - and you will help your health.
Myth No. 3. Yoga is not suitable for men. Nonsense. The practice was created by men and for men. You can look for a men's group or go to a general one. Even if there are more women in the class, there is no need to be embarrassed. Exercises are no less useful for you than for the fairer sex. If you want to lose weight, pump up your muscles and think that yoga is nonsense, attend at least one class with a dynamic or strength bias. Many asanas are much more difficult for men than for women, and their stretching is naturally much worse. During training, it is the stronger sex who sweats and gets tired the most. Due to this, you will burn calories and, accordingly, lose weight even more actively than women.
Myth No. 4. Yoga is just breathing and resting in “Shavasana”. There are many types of practice. Among them, of course, there are meditative ones. However, most of them are quite intense, great for weight loss and can give a head start to any aerobic activity.
Myth #5: Yoga doesn't help you lose weight. Of course this is not a panacea. But losing extra pounds by exercising is quite possible (especially for beginners). In addition, compared to aerobics or running, the load on the heart and blood vessels in this type of activity is moderate and correct. In addition, yoga will not harm, but, on the contrary, will help your ligaments, joints, and back. It is this practice that has the fewest contraindications compared to other types of physical activity and is often recommended by doctors as a prevention and aid in the fight against diseases of the musculoskeletal system and the cardiovascular system.
Myth #6: Yoga is boring. Even if we discard philosophical meanings, practice develops concentration, balance, and endurance. It strengthens your fortitude by training your body, teaches you to be in harmony with yourself, to love yourself and the world around you. High-quality performance of asanas will not allow you to get bored. In addition, with all the variety of practice options, everyone today can choose the type that they like, which will be interesting and productive for them.

What types of yoga are most effective?

If one of your goals is to lose weight, first study the characteristics and features of each type of activity, and then decide what is right for you.

Dynamic practices

Dynamic versions of intense yoga are the best for losing calories. Thanks to them, you can achieve weight loss the fastest. Among them:

Ashtanga Vinyasana is an active type of training with a quick change of asanas.
Kriya - this practice involves spending a certain amount of time in each pose; it is also a fairly dynamic workout.

“Working through” lessons

These types are extremely effective for working all parts of the body. They allow you to “pump up” muscles without exercise equipment.

Iyengar is a leisurely exercise, during which the change of asanas occurs very smoothly, and the static load lasts a large amount of time.
Power - lessons with an emphasis on strength and endurance.
Hatha is a mixture of different styles and their thoughtful execution with detailed muscle work.
Fly - practice in special hammocks attached to the ceiling of the hall. Allows you to gently and effectively stretch all muscles and ligaments, helps you learn to maintain balance.
A steam room can include different practices. A “living simulator” in the form of an exercise partner helps to give a very effective load to the muscles, giving a good stretch to the back, legs and arms.

"Relax"

Non-dynamic options involve predominantly breathing and meditative practices. You can't expect them to lose weight. However, you can achieve harmony with yourself and become a more peaceful person.

Kundalini is a set of breathing exercises that activate the body’s internal reserves.
Sivanando consists of a leisurely practice with a lot of relaxing asanas.
Sahaja and Aishwarya yoga include chanting mantras, pranayama, and meditation.

"Hot" yoga

Bikram and thermo (or hot yoga) are performed in a room heated to 38-49 degrees with high humidity for 1.5 hours. This practice reduces the risk of sprains and injuries and promotes active weight loss. Bikram classes should be taken with caution by people with cardiovascular diseases and a high degree of obesity.

Slow-paced exercise burns up to 150 kcal/hour. An average pace allows you to lose up to 260 kcal/hour, intense exercises - up to 400. Bikram yoga and other “hot” practices burn up to 750 kcal/hour.