Top 10 Yoga Postures for Weight Loss

We can trace the roots of Yoga to the dawn of civilization. The word sprouts up from the Sanskrit word ‘Yuj.’ Dating back to 2700 B.C, the origins of this spiritual practice are quite archaic. However, when the modern world is engulfed with hustle-bustle, we notice a Yoga Renaissance that hopes to bring an Order to this Chaos. We are a part of this cosmos and Yoga helps the union of individual subconsciousness with the Universal Being. It is not merely a practice about looking good or feeling good but goes way beyond.

"Do you want to look good or feel good? How wonderful you feel within yourself is most important"- Sadhguru.

The 20th and 21st century is an era where new age inventions and discoveries thrive. With the commencement of computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones, physical movements of the individuals have seen a massive decline. We often prefer to sit continuously in front of our computer screen and shun away with all kinds of physical exercises. We notice that this has an adverse effect on our health. We can see the changes in our body, and we slowly begin gaining weight. Being constantly glued to the screen and indulging in unhealthy habits of munching snacks can also lead to obesity. It becomes indispensable to take charge of our health. Many Gurus have propounded that the answer lies in Yoga. You can start your journey of Yoga for weight loss now. The passion for the same must rise within you and then only the explicit outcomes can be achieved.

It is a myth that Yoga only benefits in soothing the mind and the soul. The practice can be seen as a boon for your body. One must not confuse Yoga with traditional exercise, which helps to burn a few calories. Yoga can increase the mindfulness and how one feels about their own body — generating awareness to include healthy food habits in the routine. Yoga provides a holistic approach towards weight loss and helps you envision your eating and sleeping habits. Some of the Yoga postures work like magic and fosters the path of losing weight. Now instead of preaching more about Yoga, I proceed to take you on a journey to the ten propitious poses/postures that aids in bringing your body back to track.

Plank

We somehow share a love-hate quantum with Plank. Being a simple and effective exercise it acts to strengthen your core. A one minute Plank for the beginners can turn out to be a heightened sense of achievement. Looking simple from the outside, it is quite dubious in nature. If you master this art, then you have already moved one step up the ladder. Place a mat on the floor and assume the position of doing a push-up. Hold your stance for like a minute without moving your body. Friends, I know this can be a little difficult to handle in the starting, but if you make up your mind, anything can be accomplished.

Warrior II ( Virabhadrasana B)

Virabhadra takes its name from the incarnation of Lord Shiva. Virabhadrasana II or Warrior IIis a Yoga Pose that focuses on boosting the stamina. The strength of a warrior lies in the thighs and shoulder, and this particular asana helps you to accomplish the same. Stand in an upright position and stretch your arms to the side. Tilt your head towards your left and stretch your legs. Bend your front knee so that your thigh assumes a parallel with the floor. Keep on reminding yourself that you are a mighty warrior. Hold the pose for at least a minute or two and then switch sides.

Warrior III (Virabhadrasana C)

Now arises the time to summon the spirit of the warrior inside you. Take a flight, and let's get started with the Virabhadrasana III or Warrior III pose. You see friends; we are now moving to some of the challenging poses. This pose aids to build power inside you and helps to strengthen your back, arms and legs. It is best performed with the support of the wall. This asana helps you enlighten your consciousness. It is always better that you perform this pose under the guidance of an able teacher.

Triangle (Trikonasana)

Friends, the path is now becoming difficult. Do not lose your focus, and you will realize that nothing is impossible. The Triangle or Trikonasana pose helps to sustain the body balance. It also creates harmony and balance between mental and physical entities, thereby fashioning an equilibrium. Do not forget to do a warm-up exercise before starting the asana. Stand straight with your legs wide apart. Tilt your right foot by 90 degrees and then stretch your body to one side so that one hand touches the right foot and the other hand remains in the air. This asana is best performed by keeping your eyes open. Keep the posture intact for a minute or two.

Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Regarded as one of the quintessential Yoga poses, it is one of the widely practised asanas around the world. To observe this asana you keep your head down, touching the floor and thrust the weight of your body on palms and feet. The arms stretching forward with shoulders at a width apart, legs straight and hips raised high. Focusing on the hamstring and calf muscles of the legs, the Adho Mukha Svanasana pose builds the strength of your shoulders.

Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana)

Brace yourselves as now you are embracing the art of ‘Mother of all Asanas.’ Packed with powerhouse, kindly do not perform this pose without a Guru. In addition, where to find one? Search for Yoga classes in Gurgaon, and you can come across some of the certified and trained professionals. It helps to boost the metabolism rate, increase blood circulation and burns the fat lot faster. Apart from this, the asana also proves beneficial in relieving you from the stress. It is best performed with a blanket to provide support to your neck. If you are a novice in the field, do not, I repeat Do not take the risk of performing it on your own, and contact a proficient in this field.

Bridge (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

Coined from the Sanskrit word ‘Setu’ meaning Bridge and ‘Bandha’ meaning caught, it is an inverted back bending asana where your body assumes the shape of a bridge. Where Downward Dog pose comprises of forwarding bend, this pose indulges the users in inverted bends. Seen as a constructive pose, it energizes your body, stretches the chest and calms the brain. Seen as a blessing for the women during their menopausal phase, one can easily practice this asana under the able guidance of a Yoga Guru.

Twisted Chair (Parivrtta Utkatasana)

Do you know how to do Squats? We call this pose a Yoga version of Squat but wait, just make it two or three times more intense. It works wonders for your quads, glutes and abs. And you know what? The Twisting helps digestion, working miraculously in losing weight. The asana appears to be in the shape of a chair, a little twisted though. Since we are now moving towards the complex poses, kindly perform the same with thorough guidance.

Bow (Dhanurasna)

Known to provide an imperative impact for weight loss, Dhanurasana is a back-bending asana in Hatha Yoga. Taking a prone position, you grasp your feet to lift your legs and chest and form a bow with your body. Your arms become a representation of the bowstring. It is one of the most powerful asanas aiding for your weight loss and has other proven benefits too. Practice this to relieve the menstruation disorder, to improve your posture, and more.

Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar)

The Yogis had a firm belief that our body is governed by divine impulses of light. Surya Namaskar or also known as Sun Salutations is an asana where you pay tribute to the epitome of light, the Sun. It has an amazing impact on the stomach, heart, intestines, and your entire body. The asana helps to regulate the bowel movement, thereby cleaning your body toxins. On average, one can burn up to 13.90 calories with a single round of Surya Namaskar.

Your body is the canvas, and you are the painter. Start maintaining a healthy lifestyle and welcome Yoga in your life. In the end, I would like to conclude with what Socrates had said, "The Secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new."

I am Sunny Khanna a certified yoga trainer at Leela yoga classes in Gurgaon.