Yoga for weight loss is a practice that many people have tried. But, do you really know what yoga does to your body? There is a lot of talk about the physical benefits of yoga, but less discussion about its mental and emotional benefits. Yoga is more than just a new exercise fad; it’s a way of life for people who want to feel in touch with their inner self and learn to accept themselves. And when you do yoga for weight loss you are learning to accept yourself as you are now.
Multiple Benefits of Yoga Poses for Weight Loss and Overall Wellbeing
One of the first things you will learn when you learn yoga for weight loss is the sun salutation. The sun salutation is simply a slow, steady stretch of the muscles. Many people misunderstand this pose as a stretching exercise, when it’s actually more of a strengthening pose. The sun salutation strengthens your connective tissue and helps keep your internal organs balanced. It’s a great yoga for weight loss pose for people who are experiencing problems with digestion, constipation or have excess belly fat.
Another yoga for weight loss pose that works the entire body is the Cobra pose. The Cobra pose has been practiced for thousands of years and has been used for cardiovascular conditioning and to reduce stress. In this pose you stay in the upside-down position and breathe in as you let go of tension in your neck, shoulders and legs. You will burn calories throughout the entire day when you practice this pose and may even find that you can burn extra belly fat during your workout because of the increased circulation caused by the breathing and the extra muscle toning.
When you practice yoga for weight loss you are strengthening your nervous system. Yoga helps strengthen the muscles, glands and nerves in your digestive system which helps digestion and weight loss go hand in hand. Strengthening your nervous system allows your body to absorb nutrients from your food better, digest it easier and stimulates your immune system.
The third benefit of yoga for weight loss is that it improves your mental health. In addition to improving your digestion and mental health through concentration and breathing, yoga also helps you focus on the big picture. Your body goes through physical changes throughout your workout, but your mind stays largely the same. There’s a big change in how you perceive yourself after yoga. You may even notice that you start to laugh a lot more than before. This is because your mental outlook on life is also changing.
Yoga for weight loss allows you to eat a healthy diet while at the same time getting the most out of your workout. Eating healthy foods will make it easier to lose weight and help keep you from gaining back the weight you had lost. Most people who use yoga poses for weight loss eat fruit and vegetables instead of high fat, greasy treats. This makes it much easier for them to stay on a healthy eating plan while still burning calories.
You may be surprised by just how much weight you can lose by practicing yoga poses for a few minutes a day. If you perform these yoga routines three to four times a week, you can lose up to fifteen pounds in less than two months! That is amazing, especially when you consider that most people will only be able to lose about half that much weight in a year. The combination of losing weight, improving your mental state, exercising your muscles and increasing your overall stamina takes most people years to accomplish. When you incorporate yoga into your daily routine, you can accelerate the results so much faster.
In a Nutshell
If you want to learn more about yoga asanas, you can find numerous yoga books at any bookstore or online. You can also find DVDs that will show you different yoga poses as well. In addition to using yoga asanas for weight loss purposes, you can also use this ancient practice to heal your mind-body connection. After you master each pose, you can begin practicing the other poses as well. This is the best way for you to learn and practice each pose in turn without rushing.
