How to Reduce Weight Through Yoga

Yoga is both a physical and a mental activity that teaches control and unity of body and mind. Along with improving your mental state, yoga can be used to reduce weight and improve physical health. While certain techniques strengthen your muscles, internal organs and endocrine glands, one of the best aspects of yoga is how it tones and affects the body in a slow, uniform manner. In this way, anyone, no matter what age, can practice yoga and see, firsthand, the results in their physical and mental health.

Things You'll Need

  • Yoga mat
  • Loose-fitting clothing
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Instructions

    • 1

      Practice regular yoga positions or "asana" that involve the movement of twisting your abdomen as well as bending forward and backward. These yoga positions will help strengthen your core, and the cardiovascular activity will assist in burning fat throughout your body. Proper posture can have an effect on almost all the body systems, including the muscular, respiratory, endocrine, excretory, circulation, digestive, reproductive and nervous systems.

    • 2

      Change "asana" or position repeatedly instead of maintaining one position for a long period of time. While maintaining a position will offer improved mental and meditative benefit, using speed in changing position, like exercise, will better affect your physical condition. In order to receive the most physical benefit, increase your repetitions of a position as your strength improves.

    • 3

      Incorporate Surya Namaskar in your yoga routine. According to Yoga Vidya Dham, a nonprofit yoga education organization in India, this exercise is the best way to burn calories and reduce weight while using yoga. Surya Namaskar is a sequence of seven "asanas" that tone a multitude of the body's muscles and strengthens internal organs, increasing blood and oxygen supply in the process. Pick up a yoga book or visit a yoga website in order to properly learn the seven steps involved in Surya Namaskar.

    • 4

      Practice breathing techniques or "Pranayama." These breathing techniques can increase lung capacity and metabolism, thus helping burn fat. Using breathing exercises to lose weight will not cause rapid weight loss, but will assist and enhance other yoga techniques that involve cardiovascular activity. Yoga books and websites will list many different breathing techniques one can learn.