How Yoga Can Help You Lose Weight? 5 Easy Poses to Try

(Image via Pexels/Alexy Almond)
Best and effective yoga poses that will help you to lose weight. (Image via Pexels/Alexy Almond)

If you want to lose weight, yoga can absolutely help you. It is a holistic ancient practice that is gaining popularity all over the world due to its numerous benefits. When done correctly, yoga can help us with a variety of issues. Daily yoga practice leads to an overall lifestyle change that provides a multitude of benefits, including improved mind-body connection, increased flexibility, stability, and muscle mass. People of all ages can benefit from the health benefits of yoga.

If losing weight is your ultimate goal, the type of yoga you practice is important. Continue reading to learn more about the various yoga poses that have been shown to aid in the weight-loss process.


How will Yoga help you lose weight?

Yoga will help you lose weight through both direct and indirect means. Regularly practicing appropriate yoga poses such as the sun salutation (or Surya Namaskara) will help you burn calories, tone your muscles, lose fat, and gain muscle mass. Additionally, doing yoga will also improve the body's digestion and gut health, which will in turn aid in effective weight management.

Indirectly, regular practice of yoga will help in eliminating the underlying issues that might be the cause of weight gain. For instance, yoga will help with effective stress management, which is known to help with weight loss. Prolonged stress increases cravings for sugary and junk foods, leading to an increase in body weight. Yoga will teach you how to effectively manage the emotions and anxiety that frequently cause high levels of stress.

Regularly practicing yoga will also enhance body awareness and mindfulness. This will help in decreasing habits such as binge eating and stress eating which are the known to negatively affect diet routines.


Dolphin Pose and 4 other Yoga Poses to Lose Weight

1) Four Limbed Staff Pose or Chaturanga Dandasana

The four-limbed pose is one of the most effective yet underrated yoga poses that will help you lose weight by burning calories and toning muscles. This yoga pose will effectively work on several muscle groups throughout your body, including your legs, shoulders, arms, and core.

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How to do it?

Assume the high plank poses on the floor before drawing your lower body and shoulders away from the floor with heels pressed on the ground. Next, lower yourself back on the floor with elbows bent at a ninety-degree angle and at the same height as the shoulders. Release and repeat.


2) Crescent Pose or Ashta Chandrasana

Crescent poses will help you lose weight by toning your entire body through a deep stretch. The lengthening and expansion of the neck, hips, arms, thighs, and shoulders through the pose will help to burn the excess fat from the body along with enhancing the flexibility of the entire body.

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How to do it?

Start off by stepping one foot forward while bringing both of your arms overhead. Keep your gaze on your arms and do not excessively arch your back while pulling your tailbone towards the ground. Swap sides and repeat.


3) Pyramid Pose or Parsvottanasana

Pyramid pose tends to involve the movement of the deep forward fold that helps in stretching muscles and lengthening the spine. This pose will help you lose weight by activating several muscle groups in the body along with improving posture.

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How to do it?

Step one foot forward with a lengthened spine before bringing your torso towards the front leg of the forward leg. Hold for a few breaths before releasing. Swap sides and repeat.


4) Dolphin Pose or Ardha Pincha Mayurasana

Dolphin poses are among the most popular and effective yoga poses for losing weight and shaping your body. Furthermore, the dolphin pose is also good for improving the digestive function of the body as well as relieving stress.

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How to do it?

Assume the tabletop position on the ground before lowering your elbows and pressing them parallel to each other. Lift your pelvis towards the ceiling with knees off the ground and straightened legs. Hold for about ten breaths before releasing.


5) Cobbler Pose or Baddha Konasana

The cobbler pose will help in targeting the fat of the inner thighs that is more than often neglected along with the pelvic region and hips. Additionally, the cobbler pose is also good for building stability and strength of the body which can be mimicked in the advanced yoga poses and movements of daily life.

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How to do it?

Position yourself on sitting bones with bent knees and soles of both your feet pressing together. Keep your spine in an elongated position with shoulders rolled back. Hold the cobbler pose for some time before releasing.


Bottom Line

The aforementioned yoga poses will help to lose weight by targeting the muscles throughout the body. These yoga poses will provide numerous advantages to the body that also include burning calories, increasing flexibility, reducing the chances of injuries, toning the body, and improving posture.

Aside from the physical benefits of yoga, it is also beneficial to your mental health. It effectively manages stress, brings calmness, and improves nervous system function.

Yoga, if coupled with a nutritious diet, will help you lose weight faster. A nutritious diet of fiber, healthy carbs and fats will ensure that you remain full for a longer time and have the energy to go on throughout the day.

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