Can Yoga Help You Lose Weight?

Many people have the misconception that the only way to lose weight is through a crash diet and exercise regime. But yoga is the perfect alternative since it allows you to be in control of what you eat and when you eat. In addition to all the positive effects of yoga on weight loss, it also helps to improve the mood, ease stress and gives you the confidence you need to set goals and meet them!

The first step towards weight loss through yoga is to learn the three most important yoga poses. These are the warrior one pose, crocodile pose and the Downward Facing Dog pose. In warrior one pose, your right elbow will face your right knee. Your left shoulder faces your left hip. In crocodile pose, your right shoulder will face your hips.

Next, you should understand how the other yoga poses will help you lose weight. The cat-cow pose will help you reduce your waistline while increasing your firmness and flexibility at the same time. The Downward Facing Dog will increase strength in your abs and lower back. Finally, the warrior one pose will lengthen and tone all of your muscles in your arms, shoulders and legs. Once you have mastered these three poses, you can move on to the next stage which is Restorative Yoga. This type of yoga pose relaxes your mind and body through deep breathing and visualization.

Next, you must understand that the only way to lose weight quickly and effectively is to incorporate some healthy eating into your daily routine. If you eat less calories, you will remain slim. On the other hand, if you eat too many calories, you will gain weight. To effectively learn the correct amount to eat each day, you should do the experiment of just watching what you eat for a week. That way you will get a clear picture of what the correct number is and you can also make effective changes in your diet.

While you are doing the experimentation, you might as well try the following yoga poses to enhance your weight loss program. These yoga exercises are perfect for beginners since they are easy to follow and don't require too much physical activity from you. You can do the four basic yoga postures of Standing Forward Bend, Downward Facing Dog, Lying Flat in the Pushup Position and Child's Pose.

In Standing Forward Bend, you will have to stand with your legs apart at a 90 degree angle. Keep your back straight and your abdomen contracted. You can twist your upper body forward and bring the right arm behind your head. Slowly start moving your arms backward, resting on the sides of your knees. Your knees should be slightly bent as you keep your torso straight.

For the Downward Facing Dog, you will have to lie on your back and your left leg at the front of your waist. You need to keep your right hand below your left knee. Bring your right thigh toward your left and cross your legs. In Cat- Cow pose, you will have to face your knees and lean your trunk on the floor while keeping your head up.

In Laying Flat in the push up position, you will have to prop your legs up by raising your legs and resting on the floor. Your hands should be placed on the floor firmly. Then you can bend your right knee and bring your left one inch down while maintaining your head up and your shoulders perpendicular to the floor. You can practice these yoga exercises for at least ten days and you will see the results in your weight loss attempts.