Yoga is a system of training of your mind, body, and spirit, for purification of your soul and attaining oneness with the supreme consciousness. The goal of yoga is to calm the mind, ensure better co-ordination of mind and body so that we live a healthy life and experience spiritual growth.
If you think you are not ‘the yoga type’, think again. Anyone can do it, men and women of all shapes, sizes, and abilities. In a gym, you are really pushing yourself to go further when you are working out. In yoga, it’s opposite. The poses encourage all ranges of motion that the body is designed to perform.
Also Read: Health Benefits of Daily Yoga
Yoga has an important role to play in treating obesity. Yoga techniques affect the body, internal organs, endocrine glands, brain, mind and other factors concerning the body. Various yoga techniques can be practiced effectively to reduce weight and achieve normal, healthy condition for your mind and body. The positions or postures are especially useful to reduce the fat in various parts, especially forward bending, twisting and backward bending asana help reduce fat near the abdomen, hips and other areas.
Yoga poses for obesity
• Sun salutations
Sun salutation is very beneficial in obesity management. 24 sun salutation asana, with a speed of 4 rounds in 1 minute provides great benefits. It tones all muscles and stretches all internal organs increasing blood and oxygen supply to these parts.
• Boat pose
Perform boat asana to strengthen your abdominal area hip flexor, tone muscles in your midsection, improve digestion, and relieve stress. You can use a yoga strap to aid you in holding the asana longer or if you cannot keep your legs straight.
• Eagle pose
This pose will strengthen the legs, knees, and ankles. It stretches and tones muscles of the leg and can help relieve leg cramps and helps in treating obesity.
• Mountain Pose
The Mountain yoga asana promotes stillness, strength, relaxed power and immovable stability associated with mountains. This yoga posture and coming back to the stillness after other poses is one of the ways of becoming acquainted with stillness.
• Warrior Pose
The warrior pose improves balance and agility and strengthens your legs, back and arms. It also targets the chest, shoulder, neck and abdominal area.
• Corpse Pose
This pose is the final stage in a yoga session. It relaxes and refreshes the body and mind. To come into this posture lie on your back, arms by your sides, you’re facing up. Breathe deeply and slowly through the nostrils until the pose is completed. Your leg should be straight and together, with your feet rolled out to the sides. Tilt your forehead slightly higher than your chin. Let your body completely relax. Clear your mind of all stress, tension, and worries. Hold the pose for 10 minutes, then release.
Yoga can also help reduce joint pain by improving the body alignment to reduce strain on joints by allowing the frame to bear more of the body’s weight.
People who are overweight often feel disconnected from their bodies. Yoga helps bring the mind-body connection to the force which can improve self-image and acceptance of your body. Most importantly it can help you feel better, improving both your physical fitness and elevating your mood. Regularly practicing yoga brings balance in your body, reduces obesity and promotes physical and mental peace.
