Megha Jaitly, 37, weighed 75 kgs after she delivered her twins in 2016. She knew she had to lose weight but never wanted to hit the gym.
“I was scared of weight training and bored of running on the treadmill for hours”, she confides. Instead, she found her calling in Yoga.
The joy of not having to wear shoes while working out and the flexibility of rolling out the workout mat anywhere — be it in any corner of the house or in the leafy outdoors — was most gratifying.
Since then there was no looking back.
In the first year, she lost seven kilos but the mental peace and calm that she gained along, was far worthwhile.
Today she runs her own yoga practice, Meg & Yoga, with students from US, Canada and India. She has lost a total of twenty five kilos in her entire yoga journey till date.
“Yoga acts like an aerobic exercise when done at a moderate speed, helping one get in shape."Megha Jaitly, 37
"Moreover, it holds an advantage over other workouts. It diminishes stress - one of the main factors that leads to increase in weight”, says Meena Waghray, faculty at Art of Living.
“If done with a proper technique and breathing practice, you will be able to see quick results. It doesn’t just boost your flexibility and mental health but also burns calories quickly”, says Tarini Nirula, Yoga teacher and Wellness Advocate at YogaTara.
So all you need to do is — choose the right kind of yoga asana and perform it correctly. Here are seven asanas that will help you lose more weight better than any high intensity workout.
Dhanurasana or Bow Pose
If belly and back are your problem areas, then bow pose is what you need.
This pose involves staying in a face down position, bending your knees while keeping your knees hip-width apart.
Lift your chest and thighs off the floor and hold your ankle like a bow. Hold the pose for at least 30 seconds to get better results.
You can repeat two to three sets to reap maximum benefit. This asana strengthens the abdomen organs and leg muscles.
“It helps increase the efficiency of abdominal muscles and aids in digestion thus, reducing belly fat”, says Manoj Kutteri, Medical Director and CEO of Atmantan Wellness Centre who holds a bachelor’s degree in Natural Medicine and Yoga.
Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation
This is an age-old practice that is often linked with weight loss. It is a full body workout that can be done with high intensity or at a slow pace.
“The set of twelve asanas in Suryanamaskar work on the whole body, making it ideal for weight loss."Dr Jitendra Varshney
"It tones the neck, shoulders, spine, arms, hands, wrists, leg and back muscles”, says Dr Jitendra Varshney, Wellness Director at Six Senses Fort Barwara.
“Sun salutation is a great tool to speed up metabolism. It acts as a detoxifying agent, by getting rid of enormous quantity of carbon dioxide and other toxic gases. By helping normalize the activity of endocrine glands - especially the thyroid gland it helps reduce body fat”, says Kutteri.
“The longer you hold each pose, the better its benefits will be”, says Jaitly, adding,
“Staying in one asana promotes weight loss, by breathing right. When all cells are healthy, metabolism increases and toxins get released.”Megha Jaitly, 37
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana or Bridge Pose
Lie down on your back, bend your knees, keep your feet flat on the floor, and press down.
Now push your torso up, placing your hand under your hips, palm facing down. Your head and neck remain on the floor flat.
“Pushing your chest upwards helps improve metabolism and aids in digestion”, says Varshney.
This pose works on your glutes, helps strengthen back muscles and aids in body toning. It therefore great for reducing inches and weight loss.
Virabhadrasana or Warrior Pose
This pose involves standing straight, stretching your legs without bending your knees , keeping your back straight, twisting the upper half of the body, and raising your hands — straight like a wing.
Stay in the position for 10 seconds.
“This pose helps tone your thighs and shoulders. The more you hold that pose, the better the results you gain. With just a few minutes of warrior pose, you will get tighter quads”, explains Varshney.
That's not all! Warrior pose is an upper body workout like no other. This pose also helps strengthen arms and shoulders.
Trikonasana or Triangle Pose
To perform this pose, stand with your feet apart, bend down, turn your left leg slightly towards the right, and set your right foot forward. Now, touch your feet by stretching both hands towards the ceiling. Maintain the pose for 20-30 seconds.
This pose works on the fat around your belly and waist by improving digestion and promoting blood circulation in the entire body.
It activates lower obliques, strengthens thighs, and relieves backache. For those want to tone their thighs and hamstrings, this works wonders.
Utkatasana or Chair Pose
Begin this by standing straight and raising your arms above your head in a Namaste pose. Bend your knees so that your thighs are parallel to the floor like a chair.
Stay in the position for atleast 30 seconds for better results. This pose works on your lower
body and helps tone muscles around thighs and glutes. It also channelize the fat around hips, waist, abdominal area, resulting in faster weight loss.
Chaturanga Dandasana or Plank Pose
Spread your on a mat and then balance the entire body on your hand and wrist.
“A plank is an excellent way to strengthen the core. It helps burn fat and increases the overall productivity of stomach, butts and thighs”, opines Kutteri. It helps strengthen and tone your shoulders, back, buttocks, thighs, abs, and core. Make sure to hold the pose for at least 30 seconds.
(A freelance food and fashion blogger, Pranjali Bhonde Pethe aims at getting people and their favourite food and style closer through her blog moipalate. Email her at pranjali.bhonde@gmail.com and follow her on @moipalate.)
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