Corporate or non-corporate, our hectic lifestyle and busy schedules often leave us burned out and tired. Additionally, unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise, and high-stress levels – all of these give rise to a vanity devoid concerning problem – A Flabby Tummy.
Yoga, a centuries-old way of relieving stress and improving strength and flexibility helps you to have a healthy body and mind surpassing the inevitable stress levels of our lives.
“The Belly” – An epidemic lifestyle problem is forcing people to be cautious of their expanding waistlines that have adverse repercussions and results in increased instances of metabolic disorders like, cancer, diabetes and other.
The wider your abdomen and hips are, the higher is the level of risk of falls, joint pain, and digestive problems. However, there are no shortcuts to get rid of abdominal fat. Proper diet, combined with a good and guided fitness routine, is the only way to solve this lifestyle epidemic problem.
Yoga for Belly Fat
The word ‘Yoga’ has been derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Yug’ which refers to the
union of our individual consciousness and the universal consciousness.
A misconception that Yoga involves only a set of exercises to hold certain postures for a few seconds and is meant for those who were already fit, is fundamentally flawed. Eliminating the pseudo-truth, the skill lies in understanding the mechanism of different asanas and their effectiveness.
Yoga aims at making you fit by increasing flexibility, by twisting the body in all directions; sideward, forward, backward, upside down and other poses that help in
opening up the otherwise rusted muscles and thereby facilitate weight loss.
Before you decide to start the journey towards a healthier body, it is important to understand the various factors that contribute to weight gain. Apart from faulty dietary habits, one should identify that weight gain also stems from the inefficient functioning of various bodily functions.
Breathing practices in Yoga aim at cleansing, balancing and rejuvenating our inner organs and their functions. Various breathing exercises and basicasanashelp in increasing metabolic and heart rates.
All Yoga asanas aim at cleansing your inner mechanism, strengthening your core and stamina, increasing flexibility, and upping your metabolic rate.
From all walks of life, “Motherhood” is the beginning of a new life for every woman; however, pregnancy can have serious effects on the mother’s posture and abdominal weight. The pressure of carrying the baby for nine months, lifting, carrying and nursing the baby and pushing the stroller often takes a toll on the spine and back muscles and deforms the posture. Regular practice of yoga before and after pregnancy helps in improving posture by opening up the shoulder and chest and relieving stiffness of all joints, most importantly of the hips.
Yoga helps in bringing about a balance in between that previous and the present life and helps the body to get back to its normal rhythm gradually. But it is best to start doing yoga only after 6 months of delivery to avoid injuries and complications.
Physical exercise has always been held important for the overall well-being as well as to keep health-related troubles at bay but it should always be kept in mind that “any form of physical activity will remain futile and unproductive if not teamed with proper diet.”
- A controlled check on spices and processed food consumption.
- Home-cooked food, fresh fruits, and vegetables should be prime in one’s diet.
- Portion controlled eating – quantifying the amount of food consumed in one sitting to avoid binge eating.
- Understand your body’s requirements based on age, gender, lifestyle, and work pressure.
1. TriangularposeorTrikonasana
This asana works on the sides of your body, arms, and thighs. 2. The boat pose: You will feel your stomach muscles going for a toss but trust me,
this will kill that stubborn belly fat.
3. The bridge pose: This works wonders on your hips, thighs, stomach as well as back.
4. Plank: Builds strength and endurance in your abs, back, and core. The plank is one of the best exercises for core conditioning but it also works your glutes and hamstrings, supports proper posture, and improves balance.
By-Anushka Malao Yoga Teacher, Geriatric Movement Specialist, Injury Prevention Therapist, Energy Kinesiologist