Yoga is an old but effective way of enhancing one’s mental and physical abilities. Although yoga may seem like an easy breath in and out intended to calm your mind, it is also a way of breaking a sweat and losing fat. Losing weight by practicing yoga may sound like an impossible feat. Though yoga is not fast-paced or challenging in ways like weight lifting does, it is still effective. I assure you, with the right yoga poses, weight loss can be achieved.

Think again, yoga has been around for more than 5000 years I believe if it was a fad, it wouldn’t have lasted this long. Yoga does more than what an aerobic or weight lifting workout would have done.

Yoga leaves your body refreshed instead of worn out, loose instead of tight and flexible instead of stiff. Doing the right yoga poses for weight loss will help you achieve the body you desire and with calm moods.

Can you lose weight by doing yoga?

Doing yoga supports physical, mental and spiritual development to get the better part of yourself. It is one of the best ways to get relieved off stress and anxiety.

Yoga has more than being stress relief as it aids weight loss. Although it may seem gentle and calming, yoga is very effective in burning calories. It targets major muscle groups challenging them, pushing them to the limit and toning them as it burns off fat.

As we sleep, our body processes like metabolism, digestion, blood circulation all burn calories. This means sleep also aids weight loss. people who suffer from insomnia use yoga to gain sleep much faster. You can learn more about how sleep aids in weight loss.

What are the best yoga poses for weight loss?

1. The boat pose.

With this yoga pose, the body is brought in a V shape and is balanced on your buttocks.

How it is done

• Lie on the ground with your hands on the side of your body.
• Slowly lift your upper body along with your legs in a straight manner.
• Your body should make a V-like shape while your hands are parallel holding lightly around your knees. to the ground.
• Maintain the position for about 10-20 seconds.

Benefits of the boat pose.

• Strengthens the abdominal area, hips, and spine.
• Burns belly fat.
• Relieves stress, depression, and anxiety.

2. Downward Dog Pose

The dog downward pose is also known as the Adho mukha svanasana is a weight-bearing pose that needs you to position your upper body on your hands for support. It looks like an inverted letter V and it is excellent in toning the arms and biceps.

How to do the dog pose

Start on all fours, aligning your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips.

• Stretch your elbows while relaxing your back.
• Raise your hips keeping your back straight while letting your hands support your body weight.
• Your body should make almost an inverted V. Your body should be straight throughout with bending at the knees or elbows.

Benefits of the downward dog pose.

• Stretches the arms, legs, shoulders, hamstrings, and calves.
• It helps to burn arm fat.
• Calms the brain and helps to relieve stress, depression, and anxiety.

3. Bow pose.

The bow pose burns belly fat faster and stretches the whole body from the ankles, thighs, groins, abdomen, and chest burning fat all along.

How to do the Bow Pose.

• Lie flat on your belly, arms on the side and body stretched out on a yoga mat.
• Bend your knees and bring your heels close to your butt.
• Reach your hands to hold your legs around the ankles.
• Strongly lift your heels away from the butt along with the thighs.
• Your chest should also be raised from the floor and you will be lying on your belly at this stage.
• Hold this position for about 20-30 seconds and don’t stop breathing throughout.

Benefits of the bow pose

• Stretches the entire body making you more flexible and healthier.
• Improves your posture.
• Burns abdominal and back fat.

4. The chair yoga pose.

Just like the name, it is like you are sitting on an invisible chair while doing this pose. It gets well with your quads, hamstrings, thighs, and calves. Since it uses major muscle groups, it is a great calorie burner.

How to do the chair.

• Stand on a yoga mat hands to the side.
• Bend your knees and lower your hips like you are sitting on an invisible chair as you raise your hands above your head.
• Your thighs should be parallel to the floor and hold this position for 20-30 seconds.
• Benefits of the chair yoga pose.
• Strengthens the ankles and legs while toning the thighs calves, butt, hips, shoulders and back.
• It is a great calorie burner as it involves major muscle groups.

5. The warrior III yoga pose.

For a challenge of stability, flexibility, and balance, you should try the warrior 3 yoga pose. Maintaining your balance during the pose will require engaging your leg and core and back muscles toning them in the process. It is difficult to execute at first, you might experience shaking while doing it but that will show that it is working out.

How to do the yoga III pose.

• Begin in a standing stance with hands at the side of your body.
• Carefully raise your leg back while keeping it straight as you lower your upper body. Aim at forming a right angle (90 degrees) between your standing leg and the leg lifted. It should be straight and parallel to the ground.
• Your upper body should be parallel to the floor and straight streamlined with your leg. Your hands can be stretched forward to give you more balance or near your chest in a praying stance.
• Hold this position for about 20-30 seconds then alternate the foot.

Benefits of the Warrior III pose.

• It creates stability throughout the whole body.
• Strengthens the legs, core, calve, back and ankles.
• It is a good calorie burner as it targets major muscle groups.
• It tones the thighs and legs by burning more fat around those areas.

6. The plank pose.

There are many various forms of performing the plank. But the most effective plank pose for losing weight with yoga is by supporting your upper body on your palms while your hands are straight. The plank pose will target the abdomen, core, and arms. It is a great belly fat burner to expose those hidden abs.

How to do the plank yoga pose.

• Start on all fours with your wrists directly under your shoulders.
• Stretch out your legs and rest on your toes while keeping your body straight.
• Your upper body should be supported by your hands, belly tucked in and body in a straight line from shoulders to the heels.
• Hold this position for about 20 -30 seconds.

Benefits of the plank.

• The plank tones all core muscles including the tummy, chest and lower back.
• It strengthens your back, abdomen, arms a, wrists and shoulders.
• Plank improves your posture.

7. The triangle yoga pose.

Triangle yoga pose works on the major muscles of the groins, legs, hips, shoulders, and back. It is a great fat burner around the area of muscles it targets. It relieves stress and anxiety plus many health benefits.

How to do the triangle pose.

• Start by standing with about 3- 4 feet width apart and upper body straight with arms at the side.
• Turn the right toes sideways towards your right and left toes slightly inwards.
• With your legs straight, thighs firm, don’t bend your knees and reach for your right toes with the right hand while your left hip is stuck up.
• Hold for about 20-30 seconds then alternate to the other side with the same procedures.

Benefits of the triangle pose.

• The triangle pose stretches the legs, groins, hips, chest, shoulders, and spine burning fat around the areas.
• This yoga pose can stimulate the abdominal organs, aids digestion.
• The triangle pose helps to alleviate stress and anxiety levels.
• The standing forward bend.
• The standing forward bend yoga pose is very common and always used as a test for your fitness

8. Standing forward bend.

How to do the standing forward bend

• Start Standing with a few inches between your legs.
• Without bending your knees, lean forward and touch under your feet with your palms.
• Your head should be between your knees.
• Hold for 20-30 seconds.

Benefits of the standing forward bend.

• The pose tones the abdominal muscles, back, and legs.
• It is a great way to relieve stress and anxiety.

9. Shoulder stand yoga pose.

This is an advanced yoga pose that requires you to rest your body weight on your shoulders while you are feet are raised in the air. It can be difficult for a beginner but as you get used to yoga it can be very effective as it has a lot of health benefits.

How many calories does yoga burn?

During yoga, you can burn from 180 to 360 calories depending on the type of yoga poses you do. Doing power yoga poses for longer periods will burn more calories than relaxing or calming yoga poses.

The type of yoga poses and the time spent will determine how many calories are burned during yoga.

How many times a week should I do yoga?

Doing yoga as often as possible will get you to be a better person you always wanted to faster. You can practice intense yoga poses at least 3 to 5 times per week for at least an hour to achieve weight loss.

On other days, do more relaxing and calming yoga poses. If you are a beginner, start slow and gradually increase the intensity or more advanced yoga poses as you get stronger and more flexible. You can do yoga for at least 20 minutes for the start and increase gradually.

Is yoga alone enough exercise?

Yoga has been around for more than 5000 years, an exercise that has stayed this long must be sure an effective one. Yoga is effective in burning calories and toning muscles. With a lot of different yoga poses some of which are fast-paced, gentle or some relaxing poses.

In order to hold onto a pose, much strength is needed for balance. Yoga targets areas like arms, core, glutes, back and all major muscle groups. This means that it can be effective in weight loss and it alone can be enough to help you lose weight.

Yoga alone can be enough exercise as it does everything you would need in an exercise, talk about burning calories, physical fitness and relieving of stress and depression

How can I lose weight fast with yoga?

To lose weight with yoga, you need to practice at least 3-5 times of intense yoga poses for at least an hour. On the other days, you can do more calming and gentle yoga poses. Keeping it balanced will help you achieve weight loss faster.

Aim at doing multiple yoga poses like 8-10 for effectiveness. One yoga pose will not be as effective as various poses which will challenge your body from different angles.

The bottom line

Yoga poses will help you achieve weight loss faster if they are combined with a proper diet and other workouts like cardio. Start out with slow with beginner yoga poses then you can advance to more complex and hard poses as you get stronger and flexible.