Lose Your Weight on Yoga Mat

The major problem faced by people all around the world is obesity. It is very simple to say that you have extra weight. But the effect it has on humans is really dangerous. Obesity is the main reason for almost all heart related diseases and joint diseases. Over weight will let your body immobile and thus your body will become inflexible. This is a scenario which will end up in pains in the joints and slow blood circulation in body. Lower the rate of blood circulation, lower the rate of metabolism and it brings effects in series. People all around the world want to maintain a right proportion of fat in their body.

Yoga is a best way to have a balanced weight in your body. Practicing Yoga daily will help you to tone your body and will bring you results in a very short period. Some of the best Yoga posses for weight loss are listed below.

What are the best yoga posses for weight loss?

There are different Yoga posses which will benefit you with weight loss. They are:

   1.     Ardha chandraasana

(Pic courtesy: yoganga.com)

This is a pose which will help you in toning your buttocks, thighs and sides of your tummy. The stretches you do at the side of your tummy will really help you out in burning out the calories and fat settled at that region and thus will give a right structure to the tummy. But make sure that you don’t have any digestive issues, spine problem and high blood pressure. It is better to avoid this pose if you have any of these issues.

   2.     Veerabadhrasana 1

(Pic courtesy: www.yogaeastbourne.com)

This is an asana that helps you to stretch your stomach, tummy region, thighs, buttocks and the pose will not just stretch them but also tightens them. People who have high fat at these regions can try this pose daily to get best results.

   3.     Veerabadhrasana 2

(Pic courtesy: Wikipedia)

This asana will benefit same as Veerabadhrasana 1, but also concentrates on the abdominal region. It will strengthen the region and will have a good effect on weight loss. But make sure that you are practicing the asana under guidance. Mistakes done in this asana will bring worst effects.

   4.     Utkatasana (Chair Pose)

(Pic courtesy: www.artofliving.org)

In this pose, the person will be asked to pose like a chair. This pose will let the person to balance well and hence will tighten the thighs and buttocks. But people who have a back bone problem and knee injury must have to avoid this asana. Because; if you do the asana with back pain; then the pain will be increased due to balancing.

   5.     Vrikshasana

(Pic courtesy: www.metaphysics-knowledge.com)

This asana is great for your arms and abdominal region. But this asana should be avoided if you have injuries in your knee and back. This asana will increase blood flow in these regions and hence injuries there will bleed more.

All these Yoga posses must be learnt well from a guide and then have to be performed. Doing Yoga posses wrongly will affect you with severe problems sometimes. 

Know your Personality through Yoga

We all have our own likings and preferences, and like everything else you may have your favorite Yoga pose too, something you prefer above all others, some may like a rigorous stretching down the spine while others may prefer to lie peacefully in a  corpse pose. But did you know it also tells about your state of mind and mood? Surprised?

Well yes, may be today you look forward to an intense challenging work out and tomorrow you just want a slow bit spiritually calming session. Unfold the mystery and see what your Yoga pose tells about your personality!!

Shavasana (Corpse Pose)

(Pic courtesy: Wikipedia)

If your mind feels calm with the thought of this pose, it means you desire relaxation, the little “me” time; you are tired and crave for rest.  You listen to the needs of your body, which is a great thing to practice. Go ahead, relax your body and mind, rejuvenate yourself, this simple relaxing pose will revive you and get you going for the new day ahead!!

Vrikshaasana (Tree pose)

(Pic courtesy: www.metaphysics-knowledge.com)

As you balance on one leg, this pose requires a lot of inner and outer strength; it’s not as easy as it looks. However, if you like this pose then you are competitive with yourself, you like testing your limits, yet you are grounded. To others you seem to be calm and composed, standing gracefully in this pose, yet inside you know that how much effort you have put in to achieve that grace and calm that radiated from your personality!

Keep up the good work, you are a real charmer!

  

Padmaasana (Lotus Pose)

(Pic courtesy: Wikipedia)

If you prefer this pose, you are a spiritual person, mental peace is above all for you and you are well connected with your inner self. You are competitive person who knows how to achieve success by being patient, quiet and poised. You don’t rush things and you see good in others. Well, continue being so well connected with your higher self; you have what it takes to lead a healthy holistic life.

Kapotaasana (Pigeon Pose)

(Pic courtesy: Wikipedia)

This pose is known to improve the overall posture and flexibility of a human body. If you prefer this pose, you are craving to release stress, anxiety and negative emotions that are bottled up inside, as hips release the negative feelings and energy from your system since stress, tension and anxiety are often stored there.

You value relationships, so continue to enjoy this pose while many others simply shy away, it’s better to release negativity and anxiety by practicing this pose rather than simply exploding and  venting out on our colleagues, and near and dear ones!

Sirsasana (Headstand Pose)

(Pic courtesy: Wikipedia)

It is indeed a challenging pose, definitely not so easy. If this is your pick then you are different from the crowd, you seek a challenging, adventurous life, and you know how to do that. You have an out of the box thinking and you see the world with a different perspective. You know how to calm and distress with a little adventure and a lot of challenges.

No matter what your favorite pose is, keep moving, keep stretching and relaxing for a better healthier and happier you.

Yoga v/s Gym – Which one to choose and when!

A healthy mind and a healthy body is the key to a happy life and we believe it when we work towards it and see it for our own selves. However, technology and sciences have made it possible for us to choose between various exercises and routines, as per our preference and work on our health accordingly.

One of the most common questions that arises for every individual, when they take on the path of a healthy body and better living, is if to choose gym routines or opt for Yoga exercises. If you are also troubled with the same question then here are a few benefits and fall backs of yoga and gymming, which will allow the individual to then make an informed choice:

Gym

1.     One can work on their muscle mass and burn calories quicker and it has been noticed that an hour of exercising at the gym will make you drop calories faster than an hour of Yoga would have.

2.   Gym workouts can often make you shed your weight, with their exercising equipments and routines, in no time. So if you want to lose weight in a jiffy then this is your best solution.

3.     Weight training that is done at a gym will help in increasing the efficiency of the heart and the lungs, by burning calories and help in toning the muscles, developing strength and working on the posture.

4.     With the help of weights, one can work on reshaping their arms and buttocks and tone, firm or shape their entire body with a balance of different gym routines and exercises.

5.     Sometimes vigorous workouts at the gym can be harmful to an individual’s health and a halt in everyday gym routines might lead to unhealthy behaviour and a turn for the worse.

Regularity in a gym is very essential as not being regular will just offer the least results to the individual and also have a worse impact o their health in the long run.

Yoga

   

                                      

  1.  Along with power yoga, hot yoga and various other exercises, it is important to maintain an  organic and healthy diet for best results.

   2.     Weight reduction, body cleansing and peace of mind achieved through Yoga is often considered    as more natural than by means of gym exercises and routines.

   3.     Promoting muscle mass, fine toning one’s body and working towards a holistic approach of            health and wellness f the mind is possible with Yoga.

  4.     One can surely attain the key to enhancing their calmness, concentration, focus and work on          their flexibility and stamina at the same time.

Yoga does help an individual get fitter or slimmer but if weight reduction is the primary goal than gym exercises are offered an edge with respect to their results! The latter question i.e. when to choose gym and when Yoga, is what holds more weight as every individual’s goals and priority of fine tuning body, mind and health is what makes the final decision of the exercise routines. 

Are you overweight…? Here are 10 Yoga tips to help you manage your weight

Are you burdened by overweight? Idea of gym gets your thoughts racing with scene of you running on a treadmill while it is calculating your heart rate, respiratory rate, distance you have covered (without reaching anywhere) all in bold flashy figures whereas the person next to you is beaming with his/her new set records. All this brings a pang of anxiety, or spending on the gym membership doesn’t appeal you much because compliance has been an issue, then we have a much simpler solution for you!!

“YOGA” – yes, this magic word is surely your thing, all you need is a Yoga mat and calm composed surroundings, and you are good to go! 

In gym you push your body to get desired results whereas in Yoga you learn to listen to your body, synchronize with it, you attain that delicate balance of incoming and outgoing breath. Yoga not only helps in attaining metabolic equilibrium hence managing weight issues but also helps in posture correction as your body is designed for movement and not for slouching in front of a television or a computer. From fat to fit, from overweight to oh, great!! From obesity to flexibility!! With the regular practice of these asana, your overweight present will soon be a history and that will open up your vision, your mind and add a boost to your self-esteem!!

Here are 10 awesome yoga workouts that help mobilize fat from the belly, strengthen the abdominal muscles, stretch and make your muscles shed plumpness effectively. So, come on let’s begin the ‘Slim and Sassy’ mission:

  

   1.       Suryanamaskar (Prayer pose)

(Pic courtesy: www.harekrsna.de)

As the name suggests the “sun salutation” is the powerful 12 step exercise, a complete body workout to keep you fit and flexible. It takes care of you from head to toe. It’s best warm up for your body before starting the yoga routine.

Practicing it will benefit shape your hips and legs, also tone up your abdominal muscles as controlled breathing is an important part of all steps.

   2.     Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)

(Pic courtesy: healthshlok.com)

This asana works on deep muscles of your hip and extensors of your back spine. It also stretches the sides of your body, tones your arms & thighs, and helps in mobilization of fat from waist. It also improves digestion.

   3.    Chakraasan (Wheel Pose)

(Pic courtesy: www.a2zyoga.com)

In this pose your inner thighs roll up, tailbone extends, upper arms swapoutward, upper back twists, head looks down to the ground. It helps to remove fat build up from oblique area, increases the hip flexibility.

1  4.     Utkatasana (Chair Pose)

(Pic courtesy: perusals.wordpress.com)

This one literally has you positioned as if you are sitting on a chair. It can take some time to build up enough strength to hold the pose for more than a breath or two. It strengthens lower back, tones thigh, leg, ankle and knees.

   5.     Veerbhadrasana (Warrior Pose)

(Pic courtesy:  www.howtogetrid.org)

This pose strengthens the arms, shoulders, thighs and back muscles, all in one go. It will strengthen the muscles of your back, thighs, abdomen and core.

It is an excellent Stretching exercise for the chest and lungs, shoulders and neck, belly, and groin.

   6.      Halasana (Plough Pose)

(Pic courtesy: Wikipedia) 

Named after the shape of plow (or plough), used to loosen the soil and prepare the land for sowing the seeds, similarly this pose prepares the mind, body, and soul for renewal. It reduces belly fat, and improves balance and flexibility. It strengthens the back muscles.

   7.     Sarvangasana (Whole Body Pose)

(Pic courtesy: Wikipedia) 

An excellent body balancing pose, not just well for weight management but also for achieving that delicate whole body balance. Regular practice leads to improved blood circulation, weight loss and better digestion.

   8.      Vakraasan (Twisted Pose)

(Pic courtesy: www.fineremedies.com)

Sitting asana performed by twisting upper body to side with one leg extended and other flexed. Good exercise for stretching and strengthening back muscles.  Works on belly and those rigid side handles.

   9.    Naukasana (Boat Pose) 

(Pic courtesy: eyogaguru.com)

You straighten your legs and bring your palms up to rest behind your head and feet higher than your head. This is a very challenging pose at first, but regular practice will get you there. It not only strengthens the back and abdominal muscles but also tones your legs and arms.

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   10.  Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

(Pic courtesy: healthshlok.com)

In this pose your body shapes up like a flexible arc. It opens your chest, stretches your abs. Besides toning the belly, the spinal flexibility improves your posture and acts as a stress reliever also.

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These asana not just help with weight management but also instil some discipline in your life, make you calm and get your inner energies flowing!! 

The Best time to practice these asana is either in the morning or in the evening. It is the best if stomach is empty prior to the practice. The whole idea is to be more aware of your body, recognizing the weak areas that need attention and taking proper action for strengthening them!! With proper knowledge, something things are as simple as they sound, isn’t it?