Yoga for weight loss - tips for beginners

There are many different methods for losing weight, each with its own characteristics. This article will discuss classical yoga, its benefits, effects, rules and much more in detail.

How it works

Yoga affects weight loss in this way:

• It improves the functioning of the whole organism, which increases the chances of stabilizing a person's normal weight.
• Eliminates subcutaneous fat deposits.
• It speeds up the metabolism, so that food does not stay in the intestines and fats do not have the opportunity to deposit as much. As a result, wastes and toxins are released.
• It works every muscle in the body, tightens and tones them, so the fat goes away.
• Due to physical activity, the calories that come with food are quickly depleted, so a person simply does not gain more extra pounds.

Benefits of yoga and its advantages over other sports:

1. This method of gymnastics helps with stress and nervous states, as it practices proper breathing and general relaxation of the body.
2. It perfectly tones the muscles of the body, and contributes to their proper formation and functioning without unnecessary overloads.
3. Better than any sport improves the flexibility of the joints and the body as a whole.
4. Increases strength and improves overall health.
5. Increases blood flow to the head, which promotes brain function.
6. During classes, people can meditate and find inner balance, which is simply necessary after a hard day's work.

Tips for beginners

1. If you are just starting to practice yoga, then you need to perform simple exercises, since it is harmful to immediately subject an unprepared body to heavy loads. It is best to do warm-up exercises for muscles and joints.
2. The first workout should last no more than fifteen minutes, so that the body has time to work, but at the same time not overloaded.
3. Proper breathing is already half the success, so you need to devote enough time to it.
4. During menstruation and in the first days after it, classes should be as light as possible and have a calming and relaxing effect.
5. When exercising, it is best for pregnant women to limit themselves to sitting positions that will not harm the unborn baby.
6. To benefit from these classes, you must practice yoga regularly (two to five times a week).
7. Before classes, it is necessary to prepare a sports outfit and a special blanket.
8. Drafts must be avoided in the room where the sessions will take place.
9. To make your muscles more flexible, like real yogis, you need to stretch often.
10. It is advisable to give up bad habits and eat healthy so as not to interfere with the beneficial effects of yoga on your body.
11. Before classes, do not overeat, otherwise you may experience unpleasant bloating. It is best not to eat at all three hours before exercise.
12. The total course time should be between one and two hours. With longer classes, the body is under too much stress.
13. If during training you experience muscle pain, you need to give up difficult exercises and switch to easier exercises for a while.

Exercises to lose weight

It is best to start yoga at home with the following exercises:

1. "Tolasana" (sitting posture). Such an exercise very well helps to develop the muscles of the hands after a long stagnation, and also contributes to a better understanding of your body, teaches you to control it. This, in turn, will help with other postures.
   • Sit on the mat.
   • Bend your knees and cross them.
   • Supporting yourself on your hands, balance your body, rising above the mat if possible.
   • Take a deep breath and exhale slowly.
   • Return to the starting pose.
2. Parivrtta trikonasana or triangle (standing). This exercise relieves back pain, strengthens the muscles of the thighs and contributes to a person's weight loss in the lower abdomen, sides and waist. In addition, it helps to build correct breathing (only when performing the pose slowly).
   • Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.
   • Raise your arms and spread them out to the sides.
   • Turn the foot of the left foot outwards and lean towards it, extending the fingers of the right hand.
   • Stop in this position for thirty seconds, then replace the arm and leg with the other, do the same.
   • At the same time, you need to take care of your body. It must move with the hand.
3. Asan (pose) in seated position "Gomukhasana". This posture improves blood flow to the legs and arms, which has a beneficial effect on future more complex weight loss exercises. Moreover, it helps to focus and focus on yoga.
   • Sit on the mat and bend your knees.
   • Stretch your right leg under your left knee and straighten your back.
   • Put your left foot on your right.
   • Cross your arms behind your back.
   • Stay in this position for thirty seconds, then switch legs and straighten your arms.

Mandatory exercises include:

1. Lying pose - "Dhanurasana" or bow.Technical:
   • Lie on your stomach and bend your knees, raise them.
   • Put your hands behind your back and wrap them around the outside of your ankles.
   • Inhale and slowly arch your back, lifting your pelvis slightly off the ground.
   • Pull your head back.
   • As you exhale, return to the starting position.
2. "Bhujangasana or cobra":
   • Lie on your stomach, bring your feet together and stretch out your fingers.
   • Place your hands under your shoulders.
   • Supporting yourself on your hands, inhale and at the same time raise yourself up so that your feet are still on the mat.
   • Bend over and stretch your neck back as much as possible.
   • Take a step out and slowly lie down on the mat.
3. Standing Pose - "Half Moon or Ardachandrasana":
   • Go straight.
   • Imagine a line around you and, placing your right foot, draw a semicircle with your foot so that the leg does not bend at the knee.
   • In this case, the body should also move with the leg, and the arms should be lowered down.

Complete the workout with the following exercises:

1. Urdhva Prasarita.This asana is very effective for weight loss because it works the lower part of the body, especially the thighs and the abdomen, from which the accumulations of fat come off.
   • Lie on your stomach.
   • Close your legs together.
   • Bend your arms and press them against the body so that the palms are under the pelvic bones.
   • Gain strength and lift the body and legs, focusing only on the hands.
   • In this case, you also need to stretch your neck and head upwards.
2. "Virkshasana or tree":
   • Stand up and put both feet together.
   • Raise one leg and bend it at the knee.
   • Rotate it so that the foot is on the inside of the right thigh.
   • Rest it on the leg and open it to the maximum so that the muscles of the thighs and pelvis work well.
   • When you feel you can stand up straight, raise your hands and linger for a minute.
   • After that, you can rest again.

It affects the leg muscles, strengthens them and contributes to the slimming of the thighs. In addition, this posture improves a person's overall balance and concentration.

Reviews of those who have lost weight

In order to understand what effect can be achieved by doing yoga, consider the reviews of people who have tried it:

1. Male, 28 years old. "I have been interested in this way of doing gymnastics for a long time and finally decided to try, besides, there was a need to lose weight. At first it was very unusual and even painful, because before that I had never played sports before, but after a week of training the pain in the muscles disappeared and everything became more fun. I enjoyed exercising three times a week for five months. During this time, I lost 11 pounds. At the same time, I didn't really follow diets and refused practically nothing. Now I only do it as a hobby, because I really like this job. »
2. Female, 35 years old. "On the advice of a friend, I started practicing these yoga classes to remove my flanks and my cellulite. I practiced video tutorials at home twice a week. In the first classes I felt wooden, because neither my legs nor my hands really obeyed, but then I got used to it and even got carried away. As a result, in eight months of work, I acquired a completely new figure, slender and beautiful. Lost twelve pounds of fat. Also, I started to feel stronger and healthier. Now I advise everyone to use such a safe method to lose weight.
3. Girl, 21 years old. "This gymnastics is a real salvation for me. I work in a sedentary job and as a result I am overweight and have severe spinal problems. Neither dieting nor fasting helped me, so I decided to try this method as well. I trained alone, without a coach. Of course, the result was not immediate and I had to sweat, but after two months I felt better. My figure took at least some form and the tension in the spine decreased. I continued to train and in six months I lost eight kilos, which I am very satisfied with.
4. Female, 29 years old. "I have been battling with my pounds for over a year, but I still can't achieve what I want. When I heard about such a trendy yoga, I couldn't resistand I also started classes. To be honest, I expected more. According to my understanding, it should have been a more intense training, but there was only a warm-up and a stretching of the muscles which did notdidn't want me to lean in the right direction at all. As a result, I stopped the classes after the first two weeks, because I didn't see the result. I didn't fit. "

Accordingly, according to the reviews, we can say that in most cases this weight loss method helps people and they lose weight. Yoga classes must be practiced regularly for the effect to be really noticeable.

Opinions of doctors

Doctors consider this gymnastics quite productive if done reasonably and without contraindications. They justify this by the fact that during such classes a person is not subjected to heavy loads, but only performs gymnastic exercises that help improve muscle tone and bring order to the general condition of the body. body.

Contraindications to yoga for weight loss

Prohibitions include the presence of health conditions such as:

1. Hernias in the abdomen and on the back.
2. The first six months after a stroke.
3. Last months of pregnancy.
4. Heart and kidney diseases.
5. Exacerbation of ulcers, cholecystitis.
6. Hypertension.
7. Mental illness (although depression can be treated).
8. Tachycardia.
9. Arthritis and its exacerbations.
10. After severe head trauma.
11. After operations no earlier than six months.
12. With a cold.
13. When the vertebrae are moved.

Quick Tips

1. Always do a light warm-up before starting the class.
2. After each pose, you need to take a break and restore the breath.
3. Half an hour after class, you need to drink a glass of water to bring the water balance back to normal.