What Is Yoga

The full form of YOGA is “Your Objectives Guidelines and Assessment”.  Yoga exercise is a mind and body practice that can build strength and flexibility. The word ‘yoga’ is derived from Sanskrit, meaning to unite.

Yoga is a comprehensive practice that arises in senior India and surrounds physical postures (asana), breath control (pranayama), meditation, and ethical principles. Yoga is also unique in that it’s a physical, mental and spiritual exercise all in one.  It includes various postures and stretches, controlled breathing techniques, and meditation to improve physical fitness, reduce stress, and attain mental balance. Approximately 8.7% of Americans are Yoga exercise practitioners.

Approximately 54 % of the people started yoga to release tension. There are over 18,000 registered yoga schools across the globe. Yoga teaching is becoming an increasingly popular career choice. 

Yoga was initially practiced as a form of healing. By practicing yoga regularly for 30 min everyday, you can develop your core muscles along with bringing positive changes in your body. Practicing yoga benefits decreases blood pressure by 3.8 mmHg. Performing “power yoga” can improve your self-esteem.

Wow Yoga Exercise Can Aid In Weight Loss

Yoga exercise for weight loss can also help you burn calories, as well as increase your muscle mass and tone. Yoga may reduce joint pain, which in turn allows you to exercise more and increase your daily activities. These are only some of the many benefits of Yoga exercise.

If you have trouble losing weight despite your best efforts, this is because obesity is a complex disease with many causes. A family history of weight issues can make it more likely that you’ll have the same issues managing your weight. A diet high in ultra-processed foods, sugar, and fat and being inactive also contribute to weight gain. Stress and struggles with mental health, including medications to treat certain mental health conditions, poor sleep, and hormonal changes, are all factors that further contribute to weight gain.

Yoga Can Aid In Weight Loss Through Several Mechanisms:

Mindful Eating: yoga benefits encourages mindfulness, both on and off the mat. By fertilizing awareness of the body and its consciousness during practice, individuals may become more attuned to their hunger and fullness indication, making them less likely to overeat or indulge in unhealthy foods.

Balanced Hormones: Certain yoga poses, such as backbends and inversions, can help regulate hormone levels, including cortisol and insulin, which play crucial roles in metabolism and fat storage.

Improved Sleep Quality: Sufficient sleep is essential for weight management, as poor sleep can disrupt hunger hormones and lead to weight gain. Yoga exercise can promote better sleep quality by reducing stress and anxiety, calming the nervous system, and enhancing relaxation, all of which contribute to healthier weight management.

  Types Of Yoga Beneficial For Weight Loss

A 2016 study suggested that people who develop mindfulness through a yoga benefits practice may be better able to resist unhealthy foods and comfort eating. They may also become more in tune with their body so that they notice when they’re full.

 Several types of Yoga exercise for weight loss can be particularly beneficial for weight loss due to their emphasis on physical activity, calorie burning, and metabolism-boosting effects.

Yoga And Better Sleep

Practicing yoga can help improve the quality of your sleep. Ideally, you should sleep between 6 and 9 hours each night.

Yoga And Calorie Burning

A 60-minute yoga session will burn anywhere from 200-600 calories, depending on your weight and the type of yoga you practice.

Poses To Do At Home

Sun Salutations

Do at least 10 Sun Salutations. You can increase intensity by holding some of the positions for longer periods or by speeding up the pace.

Boat pose

This pose engages your whole body, especially your core, and helps reduce stress.

Plank pose

Spend 10 to 20 minutes doing variations of plank pose.

Types of yoga

The most common types of Yoga exercise for weight loss:

Vinyasa yoga

In vinyasa classes, movements are coordinated with your breath in order to flow from one pose to another. Vinyasa styles can vary depending on the teacher, and there can be many types of poses in different sequences.

Hatha yoga

It is great for beginners. Hatha yoga can provide numerous benefits, including improved flexibility, muscle tone, and balance, as well as reduced stress and anxiety. It also serves as a foundation for other styles of yoga, providing a solid grounding in basic poses and principles.

Ashtanga Yoga: Ashtanga yoga follows a specific sequence of poses performed in a flowing, dynamic manner. It is a physically demanding practice that emphasizes strength, flexibility, and stamina.

Bikram Yoga: Bikram yoga consists of a series of 26 poses practiced in a heated room. The heat is intended to increase flexibility, promote detoxification, and enhance the cardiovascular benefits of the practice.

Iyengar Yoga: Iyengar Yoga exercise focuses on precise alignment and the use of props such as blocks, straps, and bolsters to help practitioners achieve correct alignment in poses. It is known for its attention to detail and therapeutic approach.

Yin Yoga: Yin yoga involves holding passive poses for extended periods, typically targeting the connective tissues and joints. It is a slow-paced practice that promotes deep relaxation and flexibility.

 Essential Yoga Poses For Weight Loss

Muscle mass is essential for several reasons. For example, it ensures a healthy weight, reduces the risk of injuries, and builds bone mass density.

Chaturanga Dandasana – Plank Pose

Plank pose strengthens the core, shoulders, arms, and legs while improving posture and stability. Holding the plank position engages multiple muscle groups and can increase metabolism, making it an excellent pose for building strength and burning calories.

Virabhadrasana – Warrior Pose

To hold yourself in Low Plank (Chaturanga), you need to recruit the muscles in your wrists, arms, abs, and lower back, so they all get a workout. Strengthening the core muscles helps your standing posture, among other things.

Trikonasana – Triangle Pose

Below are the 5 benefits of trikonasana yoga benefits if practiced regularly.

• ·         Strengthens the legs, knees, ankles, arms and chest
• ·         Stretches and opens the hips, groins, hamstrings, calves, shoulders, chest and spine
• ·         Increases mental and physical equilibrium
• ·         Helps improve digestion
• ·         Reduces anxiety, stress, back pain and sciatica

 A. Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar)

Benefits of Surya Namaskar

• ·         Helps maintain cardiovascular health
• ·         Stimulates the nervous system
• ·         Helps in stretching, flexing, and toning the muscles
• ·         An excellent exercise for weight loss management
• ·         Strengthens the immune system
• ·         Enhances cognitive functions
• ·         Improves overall health, strengthens the body, and relaxes the mind

B. Warrior Poses (Virabhadrasana Series)

Warrior pose or Virabhadrasana is one of the most powerful poses in yoga benefits.

Benefits Of Practicing Warrior Yoga Poses:

• ·         Increases Strength & Endurance
• ·         Improves Balance
• ·         Enhances Mental Focus
• ·         Balances Energy & Emotions

C. Plank Pose (Phalakasana)

BENEFITS

• ·         STRENGTHENS ABDOMINALS
• ·         STRENGTHENS SHOULDERS AND ARMS
• ·         STRENGTHENS GLUTES
•  

COMMON MISTAKES IN PLANK POSE

TO AVOID:

• DUMPING WEIGHT ON WRISTS
• FINGERS TOGETHER
• SHOULDERS TOO FAR AHEAD OF WRISTS
• CHEST CLOSED
• SHOULDERS SHRUGGED
• NOT A STRAIGHT LINE FROM SHOULDERS TO HEELS

PROPER ALIGNMENT FOR PLANK POSE

TO TRY:

• WEIGHT EVENLY SPREAD THROUGH HANDS
• WRISTS IN LINE WITH SHOULDERS
• CHEST OPEN
• SHOULDERS AWAY FROM EARS
• STRAIGHT LINE FROM SHOULDERS TO HEELS