Yoga Practice Promotes Wellbeing

 

Yoga Benefits The Entire Body

Yoga exercises are physical preparations (Asana) meaning seat a series of poses in physical posture intended to condition the aspirant’s body invoking ambition while increasing flexibility, strength, and stamina. Yoga practice intensifies mindfulness reducing stress helping people make better decisions in everyday activities. Mastery of Asana is regarded by one's ability to hold one of the scribed poses postures for an extended period of time without involuntary movement or physical distractions that may impede your progress. According to Zippa over 300 million people around the world practice yoga.  The global yoga industry is worth 105.9 billion dollars in 2022. The average yoga practitioner in the U.S. spends 62,640 on yoga classes, workshops, and equipment over their lifetime. The global yoga industry is projected to be worth 215 billion in 2025. Yoga has become popular due to its many health benefits toning the entire body building lean muscle while losing body fat.

Studies indicate 54 percent of people started practicing yoga to reduce tension and improve their mental and physical strength and 43 percent of people practice yoga to feel happier. Pranayama meaning breath control is a series of exercises intended to stabilize the rhythm of breathing in order to encourage complete respiratory relaxation. Yoga routines consisting of a series of poses lasting 30 to 60 minutes in duration can benefit from controlled breathing with each pose inhaling at the beginning of each pose then exhaling to release your breath. According to yoga, there are two main functions of proper breathing: to bring more oxygen to the blood and thus to the brain and to control prana or vital energy leading to control of the mind inducing feelings of calm. Practicing exercises regularly helps oxygenate the body's organs and function properly participating in intense physical activities including cycling, aerobics, walking, yoga, swimming, elliptical training.  People who participate in regular physical activities live longer, healthier lives.

Aerobic activitieses involve leggings, arms, hips and muscles increasing fitness, and stamina strength. Types of yoga include hatha, lyengar, vinyasa, hot yoga, and ashtanga. If you are looking for a meditative class, ashtanga focuses on mindful movement. Powerful yoga poses boost metabolism helping you lose weight toning the entire body using exercises designed to strengthen muscles through a series of movements. Aerobic yoga workout using vinyasa a series of continuous dynamic movements between each yoga pose is the flow of movement used to get your heart rate up increasing flexibility, stability, strength, calmness, and focus while toning the entire body. Vinyasa yoga is performed wearing comfortable clothing in bare feet on a mat praticing exercises designed to move your body through a variety of poses in different directions and ranges of motion which increase flexibility. There are different types of yoga offering different health benefits for the body building lean muscle and burning off body fat while other yoga practices quiet the mind with relaxing techniques improving focus. 

Yoga routines are available for beginners, intermediate and advanced levels lasting from 30 to 60 minutes in duration. According to The National Institute of Health, scientific evidence shows that yoga supports stress management, mental health, mindfulness, healthy eating, weight loss and quality of sleep. 

Cheers!

Patricia Lynn

Photo by Oksana Taran on Unsplash

Yoga Workout Benefits Entire Body

Yoga Increase Physical Fitness

Yoga is a form of exercise promoting spiritual, mental physical practices of disciplines originating in ancient India thought to date back to 3000 BCE.  Studies suggest 37 million Americans practice yoga, up significantly from 20 million active participants in 2012.  Outside India yoga has developed into a postural based fitness routine often used to increase flexibility used for relaxation techniques. Studies suggest people who practice yoga 3 times per week increase metabolism managing weight effectively. Yoga stretching has become popular among people worldwide for a variety of reasons exercising to a sequence of poses designed to build lean muscle while losing body fat benefiting the entire body.

Stretching is typically used by athletes to increase range full of motion moving as far anatomically as possible during any given exercise. Yoga benefits the sports enthusiast adding the practice to their regular exercise regime boost physical performance substantially improves balance, posture, and flexibility. Performing regularly yoga can increase core abdominal strength may help reduce future injuries. In rehabilitation yoga is often used as a form of physical therapy to aid in healing, gaining flexibility in muscular tissues while providing a form of deep relaxation.

Flexible muscles reduce the risks of injuries increasing physical strength making everyday activities easier on the body. Yoga routines typically vary in length of duration from 30-60 minutes often available for beginners, intermediate and advanced levels. As you progress in your yoga fitness routine workouts become more challenging in complexity building strength and endurance using targeted sequins of poses. Stretching is commonly used as a form of exercise in which muscles and tendons are deliberately extended to increase flexibility in order to improve muscle tone.

Lose Weight With Yoga

Using your own body weight perform yoga exercises building muscle holding each pose for a short duration in consecutive repetitions in each routine. Downward facing dog pose elongates the entire body stretching the arms torso, legs and back improve blood flow throughout each muscle group. Increasing flexibility is essential for maintaining vitality in physical fitness to gain strength using dynamic stretching yoga poses.  Yoga for weight loss tone sculpt lean muscles burning off calories using weight bearing exercises to lose weight while gaining flexibility. Implementing healthy lifestyle choices including sensible dieting combined with regular exercise has been scientifically proven to significantly reduce body weight. 

Yoga is considered holistic therapy has increased in popularity to reduce stress potentially producing favorable physical and mental clarity among people of all ages. Studies indicate yoga benefits weight loss boosting the metabolism to burn off calories effectively with each routine losing body fat. Routines can be found in different durations. from 10 minutes to 60 minutes long varying in length of time and difficulty of poses. 

Studies indicate people who practice regular yoga exercises showed increased physical and mental improvements in social behaviors. Large muscle groups develop performing yoga hips, legs, and thighs toning the entire body managing weight effectively stretching each muscle group optimizes your workout using progressive yoga stretches designed to increase the metabolism burn off body fat.

Cheers!

Patricia Lynn

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10 Powerful Yoga Poses For Weight Loss

How Yoga Maximizes Your Metabolism

Yoga has been around for thousands of years and has now become one of the most sought after workout routines for many people around the world.  Yoga is used in meditation, prayer or physical activity for its wellness and improved health benefits and weight loss 

Working out at the gym lifting weights or doing any aerobic activity is a great way to lose weight, however, using yoga for strength training and weight loss is a good way to gain movement and flexibility into your routine.  

Using sequences in a yoga routine for 30 to 60 minutes can greatly improve your metabolic rate in which you burn calories.  Yoga takes fitness to a whole new level by incorporating specific deliberate moves going from one pose to the next holding your entire body weight in each pose. 

You will gain strength, stability while toning and tightening your whole body.  Building lean muscle with each pose will help you lose weight, look and feel your best both mentally and physically. Yoga is a great stress buster.

There great yoga routines that will help you lose weight from beginner, intermediate to advanced. Choose a program that fits your experience and fitness level.  As you progress in your practice you will gain more agility, focus, and strength. 

Research shows that people who use yoga in their fitness routines are calm, centered, need fewer medications due to better health practices.  Yoga can transform your body on every level and should be practiced 3 times per week to reach the full potential benefits along with a good diet to achieve your weight loss goals. 

Yoga History Dates Back To 5,000 Years

Yoga has a long complex history that can be divided up into four main periods of development, Patrice and innovation.  In the beginning development of yoga originated by the Indus- Sarasvati civilization over Northern India 5,000 years ago.  The word yoga was first mentioned in the sacred texts of the Rig Veda.  Yoga has many places of obscurity and uncertainty due to its oral transmission of oral texts and the secretive nature of its teachings. 

The early teachings were transcribed on palm leaves and have been easily damaged, lost or destroyed.  The development of yoga can be traced back to 5,000 but some researchers have found evidence of yoga practice up to 10,000 years old.  Yoga has a long rich history and is considered to have enormous effects on our health and fitness. Lose belly fat with powerful yoga poses.

Yoga is still practiced today using the same techniques that have been proven to work for thousands of years.  Routines can vary according to your level of fitness from beginner to intermediate to advanced levels.  Yoga can increase strength and stability and endurance while stretching your entire body.  

There are many poses commonly practiced in yoga for very specific reasons including weight loss, flexibility, back pain relief, increase blood flow, increase oxygen to muscles and organs, wellness, meditation, strengthening, endurance, and relaxation.  

Always work within your own limits and abilities.  Avoid certain poses if you have any serious medical conditions.  Ask your doctor before beginning any routine.  If you are new to yoga you can modify any pose to fit your specific needs.

There are routines for every fitness level and need.  When yoga poses are combined into a routine and practiced on a regular basis you will see huge results in your health and weight loss.   

Plank Pose for Six Pack Abs

Plank Pose Kumbhakakassana ( Koo-bank-AHS-un-um) is an arm balancing pose that tones and tightens the entire core of the body including the abdomen and low back.  It strengthens the arms, wrists, and shoulders and is often used to prepare the body for more challenging balances.  

Plank pose also strengthens the muscles around the spine improving your posture. Its name comes from Sanskrit- Kumblank which means breath retention. Usually, the breath is held for a for a brief moment, before lowering the body into a low push up position. Practicing plank poses for several minutes at a time will tone and strengthen your entire body and nervous system building strength and stamina.

Downward Facing Dog

Downward Facing Dog  AD ho Mukh asang (Ah-doh-Moo-Kuh-shvan-AHS-uh-nun  is a standing pose with mild inversion.  Downward Facing Dog name comes from the way dogs stretch their bodies.  Eastern states commonly included this pose in most yoga routines to go from a standing position to facing downward. 

 This pose is great for increasing circulation, strengthening chest, arms, low back and aiding in flexibility. Downward Facing Dog stretches the entire body including hamstrings, back, arms, ankles, wrists, chest and spine.  This is considered a light inversion without standing on your head.  

Inversions from this pose help alleviate insomnia, fatigue, and mild depression. Blood flow to the brain calms the nervous system improves memory and concentration.  Moving from one position to the next will build muscle a key factor in weight loss. 

 As you progress in your practice you will see dramatic results in your health and strength.  Regular practice improves digestion, back pain, and osteoporosis.

Cobra Pose

Cobra Pose (Bhujang Asaa) the asana resembles the serpent with its head raised and is part of a sequence of yoga postures.  Cobra pose will give you a deep stretch for your whole body while strengthening your back and core muscles.  Reduce belly fat and increase strength in your back, spine, chest, and arms.  

Cobra pose is a transitioning to go from the mat into Downward Facing Dog. The Benefits of Cobra pose can open up shoulders and neck, elevate menstrual cramps and make the spine flexible and strong, relieve fatigue, stress and increases circulation.  

Toning your core abdominal muscles will help you burn calories as you shed weight.  This pose is useful for people who have respiratory disorders.  It is recommended to reframe from Cobra Pose if you are having an attack. 

Sun Salutation

Sun Salutation ( Surya Namaskar) Energies your whole body with this fantastic pose as you tone and strengthen every muscle group in your body.  If you are just starting out you can do this lunge and not lower yourself too low.  Raise your arms up overhead and hold the pose.  

If you are more advanced you can take this lunge further to the ground in a 45-degree angle.  Lift your arms up overhead and slightly bend backward keeping in mind your level and flexibility tolerance.  Arching your back can stimulate the thyroid and increase your metabolism. 

Burning more calories to help you lose weight.  Sun Salutation will strengthen your hamstrings, glutes, back and upper body for a total body stretch.  Engage your core muscles as you hold this balancing pose. 

Increase your stability and endurance by holding this pose for a longer period of time 15 – 30 seconds or more.  Listen to your own body and go at your own pace.

Warrior Pose

Warrior Pose Virabhadrasana (Verr-uh-buh-DRAH-unt-nuh) is a standing pose named after mythological Hindu Warrior, Viarbhadra. Incarnation, of the God Shiva.  As this fable goes, Viarbhadra was fierce and powerful with thousands of arms, hair, and eyes of fire.  

The Warrior pose is a powerful pose concentrating on focus and deliberate attention. Holding the pose will strengthen your legs core and thighs as you gain balance and strength. 

There are 5 variations of this pose that will tone and tighten your core abdominal muscles, legs hips and thighs, ankles, arches of your feet, stamina and coronation.  Hold the pose to increase your endurance and burn calories for weight loss. 

Beyond the physical posture, warrior pose creates deep concentration and relaxation.  Focusing on the balance of the pose reduces any distractions as you hone in on your strength and stamina.

Side Plank Pose

Side Plank Pose Vasisthasana (VAH-shees-THAH-sun-nun)  Challenges your ability to stay calm and focused.  Its name comes from Vasistha which means “most excellent”.  Side plank pose is practiced with the top leg perpendicular to the floor, is beyond the capacity of most beginners. Align your body in one long diagonal line from your feet to your head.  

This pose can be modified by keeping the bottom knee resting on the floor with the top leg straight and extended outward.  Advanced levels can raise the top leg while keeping the lower leg straight.  This pose will strengthen your core muscles, obleek muscles ( sides of the abdominal muscles), legs, low back, arms, shoulders, and neck.   

Jillian Michaels Yoga instructor demonstrates the side plank pose in her video called Yoga Meltdown Level 1. Designed to tone, tighten and sculpt your entire body.  This intense workout is perfect for anyone who wants to lose weight with yoga and the routine clearly shows the plank pose form for beginners and advanced levels.  The plank pose should be avoided or modified if you have any neck or injury. 

Triangle Pose

Triangle Pose Trikonasana (trih-koh-NAH-sah-nah) is a standing yoga pose that increases stability, and strength, reduces stress, and tones the body.  The name trikonasana comes from the Sanskrit words “tri” (meaning three”) and “Kona” (Meaning angle) and “asana” (meaning pose)  It refers to the triangular shape the is created when your body is fully extended in this pose.  

The benefits of this pose can have great effects on your body and aid in weight loss by toning and tightening your muscles, improves flexibility of the spine, improves posture, corrects alignment in the shoulders, relieves backache, gastritis, flatulence, indigestion acidity, massages and tones the pelvic organs, corrects the effects of a sedentary lifestyle or faulty posture, assists in the healing of neck sprains, reduces stiffness in the neck shoulders and knees, strengthens the muscles and tendons in the abdominal, obliques ( side abdominal area) shoulders, neck and arms.  

This sequence is practiced in yoga routines going from a standing position to a side bend and then returning to a standing position again.  This movement has great benefits for toning and tightening your core muscle group.  

This pose may cause issues with practitioners with low back problems post lateral disk herniation a challenge in the back.  Those dealing with any serious diseases or conditions such as blood press issues, vertigo, or headaches do not look down at the floor when practicing this pose.  Modify this pose by standing next to a wall or holding onto a chair for extra support. 

Chair Pose

Chair Pose Tadasana (oot-Kah-THAS-annal) Stand in tadasana char pose with feet together, knees slightly bent and arms lifted straight overhead.  Modify this pose by not bending your knees too deeply.  This pose is used in the yoga sequence as a warm up to more progressive and intense moves.  

Chair pose is a fantastic way to strengthen the glutes, hamstrings, and upper back and can aid in the natural movements we do each day in normal activities in sitting down or bending our knees to a lower position and standing up.  Holding this pose for 15 – 30 seconds can build muscle and lose weight. 

Intensify this pose by making it more aerobic going from standing to chair pose moving in a faster motion.  

Anyone suffering from injuries can greatly benefit from this pose to tone, tighten and strengthen your primary muscles, glutes, and hamstrings, and quadriceps, provided you get permission from your doctor or physical therapist.  If you are experiencing difficulty sitting down in a chair or getting out of a chair this exercise is perfect for rebuilding muscle tone and function. 

If you are a beginner or don’t have a good range of motion just yet you can modify this pose and use a chair.  Stand in from of the chair with feet together.  Sit down in the chair and then stand up with your arms outreached stretched overhead.  Do 15 -20 reputations.  

You will see dramatic results in your ability to move and function more naturally in your everyday movements.  Add chair pose to your yoga sequence for more benefits in weight loss. 

Downward Dog Splits

Downward Dog Splits- Adoha-Mukha-svanassan (AH-doh-MOO-Kuh-shvan-AHS-uh-nun) is one of the most recognized poses in yoga.  This variation of Downward Facing Dog yoga pose with one leg lifted high, challenge your balance, stability, and strength.  

This exercise benefits the hips alignment, low back, arms and upper torso for strengthening and stretching your body.  This pose is often done in sequence with a downward facing dog incorporating more complex balancing moves in the yoga routine.  

Some practitioners perform this pose while doing little baby kicks with the lowered foot or flex the lower foot to get more movement in your ankle.   Listen to your body and be mindful of your capabilities and modify the pose to fit your specific needs.  

Downward Facing Dog increases circulation, stretches your entire body, opens the hips, reduces fatigue, builds strength, energizes, rejuvenates and restores the nervous system, relief from fatigue, back pain, headaches and digestion discomfort.  Avoid this pose if you are pregnant have an infection or blood pressure issues.

Tree Pose

Tree pose “Vrksasana” (Virk-SKAS-shun-nuh) comes from two words- Virksa which means tree and Asana means pose, is considered a standing balance pose focusing on balance and stability. Evoking your core, ankles, and hamstrings to hold you steady and remain still in this powerful pose.

Firing up your muscles with tree pose will help burn more calories as you work on your balance.   Holding this pose for 30 to 60 seconds to increase intensively.  Working on your strength and balance will not only help you lose weight it will help prevent injury by developing your physical body, and building muscle and endurance.

The benefits of tree pose are remarkable and improve your focus concentration, and calms the mind. Tree pose is also beneficial for the treatment of sciatic nerve pain.  Building strength in the ankles, calves, and tones the abdominal muscles.  This pose is great for stretching your torso, thighs, and shoulders.  

If you are a beginner and find this pose to be challenging you can hold on to a chair or do this position next to the wall for extra stability.  After practicing this pose a few times you will see a huge difference in your strength and balance.

Yoga Burn 

Yoga Burn begins by toning and sculpting lean muscles while boosting your metabolism to burn more fat.  Beginners and advanced levels will enjoy the full benefit of the training program.  Have fun while practicing a series of sequences designed to totally transform your body helping you lose weight.

Key features allow you to slowly progress to the next phase of exercising at your own pace safely and effectively.  Burn off more calories effectively using the Yoga Burn video program.

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Weight Loss With Yoga

If you want to lose weight with yoga or add this routine to your fitness program you will see the results you are looking for.  Follow a good sensible diet plan that fits your lifestyle and needs.  Add a 30 to 60-minute yoga for weight loss program three times per week for the most benefit.  

Walk once per day for 30 minutes or more for extra cardo.  You will see dramatic results in your health and weight as you progress in your practice.  Tell me what you think about this article.  What is your favorite yoga pose?  Leave me a comment.  

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Cheers!

Patricia Lynn

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