Try these 5 simple yoga poses for beginners to kickstart your weight loss journey

Yoga is this expanding universe of spiritual and physical practices that integrates body, mind and spirit towards a state of oneness with our surroundings. What is special about this practice is that it can be taken up regardless of your age or weight.

Fortunately, yoga is for everyone and there is no one-size-fits-all approach towards practising it. Yoga has, for centuries, helped its disciples to improve and maintain their health of muscles, joints, and organs. It is great for flexibility, strength, stamina and mobility and keeps the mind relaxed and focused.

Yoga, due to its wide offering of benefits, is also a fantastic choice for people looking at starting their journey towards weight loss as it strengthens muscles, helps detoxify the body and release tension. 

So roll out that mat and try these five simple asanas of yoga for weight loss, which can be practised twice/thrice a week and gradually be made a part of your daily routine:

1. Bridge pose
Think of this pose as an all-purpose tool in your rejuvenation kit as it energizes you and makes you strong:

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Instructions:

• Lie down with your back on the floor.
• Bend your knees and set your feet firmly on the floor.
• Exhale and, while pressing your inner feet and arms actively into the floor, push your tailbone upward toward the pubis, firming the buttocks, and lift the buttocks off the floor.
• Keep your thighs and inner feet parallel. Clasp the hands below your pelvis and extend through the arms to help you stay on the tops of your shoulders.
• Lift your buttocks until your thighs are about parallel to the floor.
• Stay in the pose for 20 to 40 seconds. Release with an exhalation, rolling the spine slowly down onto the floor.

2. Mountain pose
Mountain Pose makes for a great foundational pose that improves posture and helps strengthen muscles.

Instructions:

• Stand with your toes together and heels slightly apart.
• Spread your toes and place your weight evenly through both feet.
• Engage your core and tuck your hips under a bit so your tailbone is pointing down toward the floor. Relax your shoulders and roll them back and down.
• Inhale and reach your arms overhead, while pressing down into your feet.
• Take long, slow, deep breaths in and out of your nose. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths.

3. Chair pose
An intensely powerful pose, this one strengthens the muscles of the legs and arms.

Instructions:

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• Stand straight with your feet slightly apart.
• Stretch your arms but don’t bend your elbow.
• Inhale and bend your knees, pushing your pelvis down like you are sitting on a chair.
• Keep your hands parallel to the ground and back straight.
• Take deep breaths. Bend gradually but make sure your knees don’t go beyond your toes. Try to stay in the pose for 30 seconds to a minute.
• To come out of this pose straighten your knees with an inhalation, lifting strongly through the arms.

4. Cat pose
This one will do wonders for your spine and stomach.

Instructions:

• Make sure your knees are set directly below your hips and your wrists, elbows and shoulders are in line and perpendicular to the floor (“tabletop position”).
  Centre your head in a neutral position, eyes looking at the floor.
• As you exhale, round your spine toward the ceiling, making sure to keep your shoulders and knees in position.
• Release your head toward the floor, but don’t force your chin to your chest.
• Inhale, coming back to a neutral tabletop position on your hands and knees.

5. Crescent lunge pose
This is an important pose to tone and strengthen your arms, thigs, core and spine.

Instructions:

• Take a big step forward with your left foot to start in a staggered stance, with your feet almost mat-length apart.
• Bend your front knee and keep your back leg straight and heel lifted off the floor.
• Try to bend your front leg so that your thigh is parallel to the floor.
• Square your hips toward the front.
• Extend your arms towards the ceiling on either side of your head and stretch up as you also press into the mat and feel the stretch in your hips.
• Hold for five breaths and repeat on the other side.
• To move into a low lunge, simply drop your back knee to the floor, keeping the leg extended long and the shin flat on the mat.

Start out with these simple yet effective poses and reap the benefits of yoga for weight loss.