If you have excess fat weighing you down, yoga might not immediately come to your mind as the best form of weight loss. Images of contorted athletes with toned, slender bodies may make this type of exercise seem unattainable for the average person, but the truth is that stretching has excellent health benefits for every shape and fitness level. A great way to get into the habit of using yoga for exercise is to start the morning with a simple series of yoga stretches.
Stretching To Reduce Extra Fat
After a long night of sleep, stretching is a great way to get the blood flowing. Many of us go from laying in bed to sitting in a car, then to sitting at a desk and back home to sitting on a couch. All of this lack of movement can lead to excess fat accumulation and health troubles. Yoga has been shown to help with weight loss in a variety of ways. By expending energy, reducing back and joint pain, and improving mood, yoga is an excellent way to improve health. (1)
To make yoga a part of your routine, start with these 12 poses to get your body used to stretching. Each pose can be done in a series, holding the stretch for up to 30 seconds. You can do 2-4 sessions of yoga stretching a day, making sure to take time to relax. Take deep breaths and make modifications whenever you need to. If you can’t get the pose exactly right or as deeply as you’d like, keep working at it. (2)
Follow the steps on these 12 stretches to increase your wellbeing and decrease your excess fat, stress, and stiffness.
1. Downward-Facing Dog
Begin in a tabletop position on your yoga mat, placing your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips. As you exhale, lift your knees off the floor and lift your hips towards the ceiling. Press your palms to the mat, your head between your arms, and stretch your legs without locking your knees. If you need to modify, raise your hands up on blocks or a chair.
2. Standing Forward Bend
Spreading your feet apart as your stand, exhale and bend your body forward until your hands touch the floor. If you need to bend the knees, you can. Make sure your feet are rooted to the ground as you breathe.
3. Cat And Cow
This pose is a great way to loosen up your spine. Starting again in the tabletop position, inhale. As your exhale, arch your back and gently lower your head towards the floor–like a flexing cat. Inhale to switch to the cow pose, lifting up your head, chest, and hips towards the ceiling. Switch between these two positions 5 to 10 times.
4. Child’s Pose
This is a great resting position between poses while also being extremely relaxing. Starting in the tabletop position, touch your toes together and then sit back on your heels while leaving your arms in front of you. Lower your torso onto your thighs and stretch your arms forward as is comfortable. You can touch your forehead to the floor or hover it above.
5. Warrior II
Standing tall, place your feet about 3-4 feet apart. Stretch your arms out so they’re parallel to the floor and turn your left foot to face forward and your right foot turned out. Bend your knee and lean forward, sinking your hips into the ground while turning the head to face the bent leg.
6. Reverse Warrior
In the same pose as Warrior II, your right hand will instead rest on the right leg as you reach the left arm up to the sky. You can look upwards if it’s comfortable for your neck, or look forward.
7. Triangle Pose
In this same position as Warrior II, stand tall on your mat with your arms out to either side with palms facing down. Inhale, and then bend your torso as you exhale, lowering the left hand to the left leg. Resting your hand on your shin, ankle, or the floor, reach the right hand towards the ceiling and softly gaze up at your hand.
8. Plank
Kneeling on the floor, make sure your hands are placed underneath the shoulders. As you inhale, lift your knees and plant the balls of your feet firmly on the floor. Try not to let your hips collapse; breathe and keep your body in a straight line with your head looking just beyond your fingertips.
9. Lunge
In a plank position, inhale and step the left foot forward so it’s between your hands. Keeping your left leg bent, align your knee over your ankle and your back right leg straight. Lifting up the chest, look forward as you breathe.
10. Crescent Lunge
From the lunge position, lift up the hands and bring the palms together. Stretching the spine upwards, look up to create a gentle backbend.
11. Upward Dog
Lying face down on the yoga mat, bend the elbows straight as your lift your torso up. With your chest out, lift your hips and knees off the ground and support your legs by pressing into the tops of your feet.
12.Three-Legged Dog
Get into Downward-Facing Dog, and lift a leg high as you inhale. Take a breath and then lower it, and alternate with the other leg.
Making these yoga stretches a part of your routine will help your burn excess fat and increase your overall wellbeing. Taking some time every morning will be worth the extra effort for your health.
