Yoga has been gaining popularity all around the world and is mainly because of how accessible it is. You don’t need to go to the gym or get some equipment. All you need to do is make some time and follow the steps diligently. A beginners yoga weight loss plan will include numerous exercises of different types that will help you in your weight loss journey.
Any beginner’s yoga plan will involve easy poses so that you can get used to the mechanics and test your flexibility. If you are consistent with your yoga exercises, your flexibility will get better over time as well.
The Benefits of Yoga
There are numerous benefits to yoga. This ancient Hindu practice helps balance the humour in your body and aids with digestion, respiration and the general functioning of your body. It also helps you have a calm mind, helps with anxiety, and helps you get better at handling your days.
Another important benefit of yoga includes weight loss.
While it is understandable that you would want to see visible results as soon as possible, you need to give yoga some time, at least around three months. If you are disciplined, you will see visible results in six months.
Doing yoga alone will not benefit you in an impactful way. If you are trying beginners yoga for weight loss, you also need to include the following steps in your routine.
- Make sure you have a healthy diet. Include green smoothies, green tea, and fewer carbs but ample protein in your day-to-day diet plan.
- Wake up early. The old saying “early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” – is indeed true. Early morning yoga sessions are the best for your body’s functioning.
- Don’t give up on other exercises. Go running or for a brisk walk, and include the gym in your routine whenever you can, even if it is just some weightlifting.
- Do not overdo it. Many people are under the assumption that yoga is easy and you can do it as much as you can to see quicker results. However, just like in any other exercise routine, you need to start small and keep building upon it when it comes to beginners yoga for weight loss.
If you are just starting with yoga, here are the basic poses and exercises that you can partake in. They will help you with different targets but all of them will add up to you losing weight.
Child’s Pose
This is the good old classic yoga pose that is a staple in every beginners yoga weight loss routine. This yoga pose can be used to punctuate your yoga routine, between different poses.
It helps stretch your body, starting from your spine, lower back and until your ankles.
Make sure you focus on your back muscles and feel the tension get released. Do not try to be quick with it, take deep breaths and rest. If you have knee injuries, are pregnant or have high pressure, we suggest you skip this one out.
Plank Pose
The plank pose is a seemingly easy yoga pose, but you need to be poised and have your perfect posture to reap its benefits.
It helps in building strength in your core, shoulders, arms and legs, and makes sure you get toned limbs.
If you have carpal tunnel syndrome or lower back issues, do not try the plank pose, as it might further complicate your issues.
Tree Pose
Often treated as the poster child for yoga poses, the tree pose, or Vriksha asana is very well known. It helps with your balance and with the strengthening of your core, ankles, thigh and even spine.
Focus on your breathing and be slow with it. Do not do it if you have low blood pressure or balance issues.
After you perfect these poses, you can proceed with the following poses that are focused on beginner yoga for weight loss.
Cat-cow pose
This asana is helpful if you want to lose belly fat. Get on all fours and make sure your wrists are parallel to your shoulders. Your knees should similarly be parallel to your hips. Once you have perfected this position, get down in a cow pose. Focus on your belly and take a deep breath. Look at the ceiling and make sure you can feel the strain on your chin.
Hold the pose for a while and then slowly shift to the next pose.
Chair pose
The chair pose is similar to a squat and it helps you lose weight by focusing on both your upper and lower body muscles. This beginners yoga for weight loss focuses on your glutes, thighs, quads, calves and ankles as well. Push your thighs together, bend and squat. Focus on your breath and make sure you can see your toes when you look down.
Hold this position for a while and then shift to the next one.
Bow pose
The bow pose is one of the most useful beginner yoga for weight loss. It helps you stretch your entire front body while also making your back muscles stronger. Lie flat on your stomach with your hands at your sides. Bend your knees towards your hips. Make sure you are exhaling when you are doing that. Proceed by stretching your hand backwards and holding your ankles. It might take a little effort and you might feel your breathing get hitched, but make sure you are taking long and deep breaths. Lift your chest and head so that you appear like a bow and hold the position. Keep breathing and then let go of the position. You can lie down for a while.
The biggest advantage of yoga is that it helps you with a variety of things. Even when you are focusing on yoga which is about weight loss, it will help you with your agility, strength building, flexibility, and inner health as well.
If you have been feeling unsure about how to get on with yoga and if you are on the overweight side, this is your sign that you get started. Incorporate the poses we have discussed in your beginner’s yoga weight loss plan and get going. Be patient, make sure you are eating good and being diligent in your routine and you will see the difference soon.