Yoga exercises for weight loss: 3 complexes, reviews and when to expect results

18 April 2022

In general, initially yoga was not developed at all for weight loss, but as a practice aimed at the harmonious development of the body and spirit. Moreover, it was the spiritual component that was fundamental. Through the retention of complex postures, yoga redirects energy flows, clears the mind, develops willpower, strengthens the spirit through meditation, the fight against vices, rethinking and humility. And the "side" effects of such practices turned out to be: healing the body, getting rid of bad habits, restoring metabolism and, as a result, normalizing body weight.

Healing effect and contraindications

Regular practice and a properly selected training course have a pronounced positive effect on the body. Of the obvious advantages, the following points can be noted:

back pain disappears - most of the poses involve the spine, remove the "clamps";
blood pressure normalizes - in people with low blood pressure, blood vessels dilate and blood circulation improves (hypertonic patients need to be vigilant);
calmness comes - through self-knowledge, stress resistance increases, anger, nervousness and tension pass;
the body becomes flexible and obedient - the yogi feels every muscle and controls it;
immunity is strengthened - breathing techniques contribute to oxygen saturation of the blood, improve metabolic processes;
digestion improves - there is a massage and restoration of the normal position of the internal organs;
general endurance increases - holding complex postures trains all muscle groups;
nutrition is getting better - awareness in the choice of products comes, the craving for "harmful things" disappears, the contents of the refrigerator are gradually changing;
the appearance of the skin improves - useful substances are better absorbed, the body is cleansed faster.

Contraindications to yoga are the following conditions (you need to consult a doctor):

exacerbation of chronic diseases;
hypertension;
pregnancy older than 12 weeks;
mental disorders;
oncology;
hernia;
infectious diseases;
increased ICP;
heart diseases;
the first year after any surgery and stroke;
period of menstruation.

The disadvantages include the fact that the benefits of yoga becomes obvious only after at least two months and subject to regular practice.

Types of yoga practices

Due to inexperience, you can get confused in the difficult-to-pronounce names of varieties of yoga. To keep you "in the know" - here are brief descriptions of the main areas.

Hatha yoga. The "ancestor" of most modern areas of yogic practices. It is from here that the main asanas (body positions) are taken and developed. Hatha or "simple yoga" consists of static postures aimed at developing all major muscle groups, balance, endurance. For weight loss, you need to combine with dietary restrictions. Suitable for beginners.
Kundalini yoga. Focused more on self-improvement. Postures are combined with reading mantras, meditations, a special technique of diaphragmatic breathing. Breathing yoga enriches the body with oxygen, improves metabolism. Due to this, the effect of losing weight is achieved.
Ashtanga yoga. Here, postures are changed dynamically, without stops and in strict sequence, interconnected by vinyasas (repeating sequences of asanas). The full name is Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga.
Bikram yoga. It is also called "hot yoga". For classes, it is necessary to create high humidity (at least 40%) and temperature (around 40 ° C) in the room. Energy consumption in such conditions increases and the effect of weight loss, respectively, is more pronounced.
Power yoga. Power yoga is designed just for weight loss. The loads here are quite high, so it is better for people with zero physical fitness to wait a little and start getting acquainted with hatha yoga.
Iyengar yoga. Here, poses are performed using a support and asanas are comprehended according to the principle "from simple to complex", so this practice is ideal for overweight people and complete beginners.
Fitness yoga. Quite a "young" direction. Here are deliberately collected yoga exercises for weight loss. Most often, this mix is taught in fitness clubs in group classes.
Yoga for fingers. Here, energy flows are redirected through special plexuses of fingers - mudras. There are about 180 of them in total. Surprisingly, there are also yoga mudras for weight loss.
Shindo. This is the so-called Japanese yoga. A wellness practice that combines philosophical ideas and gymnastics, vibrational and breathing techniques.
Qigong. This gymnastics is called "Chinese yoga". A variant of recreational gymnastics that combines smooth unhurried movements, the desire for complete self-control and spiritual purification. According to reviews, it has a powerful therapeutic effect.

There is also a variety of yoga designed specifically for teenagers. This takes into account the active phase of body growth, the development of the hormonal system, the formation of the skeleton. Indeed, in such a responsible period for the child, the main thing is not to harm.

Why yoga makes you lose weight

Some sports doctors believe that weight loss from yoga is a pure placebo effect. After all, it has long been proven that fat burning occurs at a high heart rate. But in yoga this does not happen. But, on the other hand, an overweight practicing yogi is a rare occurrence. So, is there a weight loss effect?

And that's why. With deep diaphragmatic breathing, the blood is saturated with oxygen, metabolic processes improve, and toxins are removed. Spiritual development calms the mind, increases stress resistance. As a result, cravings for sweet and harmful things disappear. And the performance of some postures leads to a decrease in the size of the stomach - a person eats less food. All these processes in a complex and give a "weight loss" effect.

Before the start of classes

Before you start yoga classes (for weight loss or not - it doesn’t matter), read the rules for training.

Pick a time. Yogic practices require a responsible approach and systematic. Decide what specific time of day you can allocate time for classes. No one should interfere with you, distract you, you should not rush anywhere.
Don't eat before class. The stomach must be empty. Otherwise, some asanas can provoke nausea and vomiting. It is advisable to practice either in the morning before breakfast, or in the evening, two to three hours after a light (this is important) dinner.
Remove noise. You should not be distracted by the noise of the TV or music, or conversations, children's games. If you can’t stand complete silence at all, you can quietly turn on a relaxing melody or, for example, the sounds of nature.
Ventilate the room. You shouldn't feel stuffy.
Pick up your equipment. The uniform for classes should not constrain movements, crush or, conversely, be too voluminous and "get tangled" in the limbs. Choose clothing material that is breathable. You do not need shoes at all - all exercises are performed barefoot. You will also need a special non-slip mat.
Do a workout. Before the main complex of poses, you definitely need to "warm up" with articular gymnastics. It will take literally a quarter of an hour.
Breathe properly. Breathing should be nasal, even and calm.
Focus. When performing each pose, concentrate on your own inner world. But do not forget to control the involved muscles.
Do not hurry. Learn asanas gradually: start with the simplest, then complicate.
Stop if you feel pain. There shouldn't be any pain. If at some point you feel pain, do not persist - stop the session.

If possible, sign up for classes at the club. The trainer will give you the correct technique for performing asanas, so you can avoid possible injuries and increase the effectiveness of home practices.

Complexes of yoga asanas for weight loss

Each of the yoga exercises described below is designed to start the process of losing weight. But do not forget - in order to speed up the parting with fat, you need to observe dietary restrictions: minimize the consumption of simple carbohydrates, fatty and fried foods.

And one more important point: in yogic practices there is no clear prescription for how long to maintain one or another asana. The average time is from 30 seconds to three to five minutes. Although, an experienced yogi can hold the poses for hours.

Complex 1

Description. This is perhaps the most difficult complex for yoga. But losing weight here will be the most effective.

Asana sequence:

Namaste (greeting). Stand up straight. Legs together. Bring your open palms together at your heart. Fingers pointing up. Temechko stretch to the ceiling. Breath blue, measured.
Tadasana (mountain pose). Stand up straight. Feet point straight ahead. Squat down and slowly straighten back up. Pull up your knees. Pull in your belly. Raise your shoulders and lower them back. The fingers are pointing to the floor. Stretch your head towards the ceiling. Breathe slowly, deeply.
Uttanasana (stretch pose). Stand up straight, stretch your spine. Slightly spread your legs, feet are parallel. Lowering down with a straight back, stretch your palms to the floor as far as possible. If you can, put them on the floor, if not, fix them as low as possible on the shins. Breathe calmly. Try to get even closer to the floor with the crown. Maintain the pose for as long as possible.
Virabhadrasana I (warrior pose). From tadasana, jumping up, spread your legs to a distance of about a meter and a half. Through the sides, bring straight arms to parallel with the floor. Move the right toe 30° inward and move the left toe 90° to the left. The navel points to the left knee. Bring your open palms together in namaste and point upwards. Arch your back. Maintain the pose for as long as possible. Slowly take tadasana. Repeat the steps on the other side.
Vasishthasana (sage posture). Sit on your knees. The back is straight. Place your right hand on the mat. The arm is straightened. Stretch your right leg to the left and rest its outer side on the floor. The whole body is elongated in a straight line. Stretch your left hand to the ceiling. The head continues the line of the spine, the face is directed forward. Hold the pose for at least 30 seconds. Get on all fours, then kneel down and repeat on the other side.
Utkatasana (chair pose). This asana is good for strengthening the leg muscles. Take tadasana. Join your palms at your chest. Raise your folded palms as high as possible - your arms should become straight. Open your chest. Begin to lower your pelvis as if you are trying to sit up. The back is straight, do not lean forward. Lock in this position as far as you can. Take tadasana.
Bhujangasana (cobra pose). Lying on your stomach, stretch your limbs. Legs can be brought together, or you can slightly apart - as you like. Place your hands on the floor so that your wrists are under your elbows and your fingers do not extend beyond your shoulders. Raise your body with your back muscles as far as you can. Help yourself with your hands and lift your body even higher. The crown aims at the ceiling. Hold the pose for as long as you can. Lie down and relax.
Balasana (child pose). Get on all fours with your hips slightly apart. Get down on your heels. Stretch your arms forward enough to lift your pelvis. Relax your back, let the spine stretch under the weight of the pelvis.
Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog pose). Get up on all fours from the balasana. Straighten your legs, leaning on the toes. Arms, back, neck - one straight line. Without bending your legs, place your feet on the floor. Pull your buttocks and knees up.
Shalabhasana (locust pose). Lie on your stomach. Rest your chin or forehead on the mat, whichever is more comfortable for you. Place your palms under your thighs. Raise your legs as far as you can. Lock the pose for the maximum amount of time. Relax.
Paripurna Navasana (full boat pose). Sit on the floor. Pull your knees up to your chest. Stretch your hands. Straighten your legs so that your torso and legs form a right angle. The back is straight. The head continues the line of the spine. Hold the pose for as long as you can.
Chaturanga dandasana (staff pose). Lie on your stomach, lean on outstretched arms, tear your pelvis off the floor. The feet rest on the toes. The body is elongated in a clear straight line. Twist the pelvis, tighten the press. Bend your arms until your elbows and shoulders are in line. Hold the pose for as long as possible.
Shavasana (corpse pose). Lie on your back. Spread your legs as you feel comfortable. Feet are relaxed. Hands lie next to the body, straight, relaxed, palms up. Send a wave of relaxation, starting from the toes. Feel the tension leaving your feet, calves, thighs, buttocks, lower back. Then the back, shoulders, arms, palms, fingers relax. The last tension leaves the muscles of the neck, face, scalp.

If you feel tired, then you can apply the pose of a dead man or the pose of a child between performing asanas. Rest just one or two minutes and continue the practice. The final shavasana can be held for up to half an hour.

Complex 2

Description. This complex is shorter than the first, but no less effective for weight loss. Begin the session with a welcome gesture and tadasana.

Asana sequence:

Utkatasana (chair pose). See description above.
Utkata Konasana (goddess pose). Sit in a plié. The hips and lower legs form a right angle, the knees are maximally retracted to the sides. Hands at the initial stage can be folded at the chest in a namaste gesture. And when you have fully mastered the asana, hold the pose with your arms raised.
Palakasana (plank pose). Lie on your stomach. The feet rest on the toes. Put your hands under your shoulders and straighten your arms. Tuck your pelvis and tighten your abs. Keep the body straight, without bending, do not raise the pelvis. Lock the pose for the maximum amount of time. Relax.
Vasishthasana (sage posture). See description above.
Naukasana (boat pose on the stomach). Lie on your stomach. Raise your straight arms and legs as far as you can. The back is arched, the gaze and palms are directed down. Hold the pose for as long as possible. Relax.
Shavasana (corpse pose). See description above.

Complex 3

Description. This yoga is for weight loss of the abdomen and sides. The proposed asanas are aimed at working with these problem areas. Start also with greetings and tadasana.

Asana sequence:

Virabhadrasana I (warrior pose). See description above.
Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog pose). See description above.
Anjaneyasana I (half moon pose). The initial asana is a down-facing dog. Next, place your right foot between your palms. Slowly move your left leg back, lowering your pelvis as far down as you can stretch your groin. The knee of the right leg does not go beyond the toe. Straighten your back, straighten your diaphragm. Raise your straight arms up. Arch your back, pulling your head back. Hold the pose for as long as possible. Return to dog pose and repeat with the left leg.
Paripurna Navasana (full boat pose). See description above.
Balasana (child pose). See description above.
Palakasana (plank pose). See description above.
Bhujangasana (cobra pose). See description above.
Shavasana (dead or corpse pose). See description above.

All of the above complexes can be performed at home and even with zero training. Do not be afraid if some asanas do not work out for you the first time - everything will come with experience. And if it is difficult for you to repeat the poses while reading, then it is easy to find videos on the Internet with a visual explanation of all the intricacies of asanas. Even well-known fitness trainers produce such programs, for example, Jillian Michaels and Denise Austin have yoga complexes for weight loss.

And most importantly: in order for home yoga for weight loss to have pronounced results, regularity is needed. Set aside at least half an hour for classes, but every day. After a couple of months, you will notice that your body becomes flexible, toned, nervousness goes away, you smile more often and radiate positive.

Reviews: "For peace of mind - that's it"

First review: "And I have always regarded yoga mainly as breathing exercises. At one time I went to yoga classes, but I can say that I did not achieve any special results. I do not think that yoga is useless, I think that there should be a normal trainerAnd this pleasure is expensive, I don’t know about others, but it’s easier for me to lose weight the old fashioned way.
The second review: "You lose weight from hatha yoga. Not quickly, gradually, but you lose weight. There is a desire to eat right, not to eat fatty, fried, sweet things. If you practice thoughtfully and treat yoga as a spiritual practice, then after a couple of months you will noticethat you become a balanced, calm and self-confident person. Regarding the figure, it tightens up, becomes athletic and flexible, it is immediately clear that you are doing some kind of sport. Excess fat deposits in the hips and abdomen disappear, the body becomes proportional. But you need to do it constantly, not once a week. For the first 2 months, I lost 7 kg, exercising 5 times a week, for 30 - 40 minutes. I weighed 60 kg, now 52 - 53, with a height of 168 cm. "
Third review: "And you try yoga for a couple of months, up to 5 times a week, do yoga, see what happens, lose weight or not. I do yoga, after a month of classes, I began to notice that my diet has completely changed. , then something is automatically excluded from the diet, habits change. My relatives noticed that I practically stopped drinking coffee, but I don’t feel like it, I drink a lot of water, for some reason it pulls. I noticed with surprise that I, a terrible sweet tooth, forgot when was the last timeate sweets, the body seemed to be drawn to proper and wholesome nutrition. I took up yoga, lost weight, rejuvenated, freshened up, my whole body tightened, the skin, the oval of the face became clearer, the neck was good, gait, posture. "
Fourth review: "I would not say that yoga is a super tool for weight loss, if you also do not start eating in accordance with it, but to bring yourself into peace of mind and maintain good health - that's it! "
Fifth review: "And I like yoga! It combines a complex of useful actions: in 1, it maintains body tone, in 2, it develops endurance and teaches you to maintain balance, in 3, a sense of harmony, in 4, after it you really don’t want to eat, at 5, helps with back pain and I can list the positive qualities of this activity for a long time. "