Yoga for Weight loss is the need of millions of people. There are people who can`t gain weight no matter what they do, and then there are people who can`t lose weight. However, there are certain methods to lose weight if followed properly, like Yoga.

Yoga is now very popular and widely recognized in the world at large. It is the basic tool of Ayurveda to balance the three doshas of the body. These three doshas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha) decide the body appearance and functionality. Various Yoga Asanas directly target the relevant body part and works to eliminate fat.

In this blog, you would know all those power Yoga Poses for weight loss that helps in reducing fat of different body parts.

Benefits of Doing Yoga :-

1. It burns stored calories.
2. It increases metabolic rate that boosts the energy usage in the body.
3. Yoga boosts body energy circulation and endurance.
4. It releases the tension of body tissues, relaxes the nervous system and brings relief.
5. Improves body flexibility.
6. Creates a positive attitude and increases body activity levels.
7. Brings mind stability.
8. Balances the three Doshas (Vata, Pitta & Kapha)

Related: 21 Actionable Yoga Exercises for Weight Gain

1. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (The Bridge Pose) –

This asana is known as bridge pose because of its gesture as you can see in the image. This asana targets various body parts like back, gluteus, shoulder area, thighs and face muscles. This asana also helps in stimulating thyroid gland that in turn produces metabolism-regulating hormones. It also maintains the health of abdominal organs which keeps the digestion good. The overall impact of this asana brings weight loss and better body functionality.

HOW TO DO ?

• Lie down on your back on the floor and bend the knees while keeping the feet on the floor.
• The bending should be to the extent that your feet come in the same gap to your hips as with your hands.
• Now while placing your hands on the floor, try to raise your body upward from the middle.
• Try to stay in the same posture for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Repeat the step 3-5 times.

2. Parivrtta Utkatasana (Twisted Chair Pose) –

This asana is good for the strengthening of thighs, back, neck muscles, quads, gluteus, and abs. This yoga for weight loss is very beneficial for lose unnecessarily stored fat on stomach sides, hips and thighs.

HOW TO DO ?

• Stand straight and bend the knee like you are sitting on a chair.
• Now stay in this pose and join your hands in prayer pose.
• Slowly and gradually turn to look towards the roof while moving your body to a possible extent.
• Don’t push your pelvic muscles. It should be neutral and the load should be on the legs.
• Stay for 30 seconds then come back in normal position, then repeat the same on another side.
• Watch the image closely to understand the pose better.

3. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose) –

Dhanurasana is helpful in eliminating stomach fat, toning chest and leg muscles and increases body flexibility. It also improves the functionality of abdominal organs and corrects digestion.

HOW TO DO ?

• To this asana, lie down on the floor on your stomach.
• Take a deep breath and lift your legs up.
• Now raise your neck and try to hold your feet with your hands in the same pose. In doing so, your chest area and leg area will rise more.
• Try to stay in the same pose for 30 seconds then come back in the relaxed pose.

4. Simhasana (Lion Pose) –

This pose is highly beneficial for those people who face the issue of stammering or lisping. While for weight loss, the asana targets the face fat, hand and spine muscles. It is a good relax buster also. If done constantly, it removes the face fat around the chin and neck.

HOW TO DO ?

• Sit on your heels but don’t erect the feet.
• Now put both the hands on the floor in front of you.
• The head, neck, back should be in one line.
• Open your mouth and stick out your tongue as much as possible.
• Stay in this situation for 1 minute and do three sets.

5. Shalbasana (Locust Pose) –

This yoga for weight loss is beneficial to strengthen the lower back muscles, stomach muscles, flexibility to back and spine, shoulder and neck muscles, thighs and leg muscles. In doing so, this asana reduces the unnecessarily accumulated fat and tones the body tissues.

HOW TO DO ?

• Lie on your stomach and rest your hands under the thighs.
• Forehead and chin will be on the floor.
• Now raise one leg above the floor up to 10 inches.
• Your leg should be straight, don’t bend the knees.
• Do the same with another leg.
• Now try to stay in this position for up to 1 minute.
• Then slowly bring down both legs to the floor and rest.
• Do 2 sets after 2 minutes gap.

6. Chalan Chakki Pose (Mill Churning Pose) –

This asana is highly beneficial to reduce the fat stored around stomach and abdomen. The pose is also good for post-naval recovery, regulating the menstrual cycle, and for toning the area of the abdomen and pelvic muscles. Don’t do this asana in case of 3 months post pregnancy, surgery, and stomachache.

HOW TO DO ?

• Sit on the floor spreading both legs out in the front.
• To get the right pose, assume a hand-operated chakki is in between your legs.
• You should feel comfortable without putting extra pressure on back or legs.
• Now lift both the hands in 90 degree angle from your body and rotate them like making a round circle.
• The extent of rotation should be to the length of your legs.
• Do this pose to clockwise and anticlockwise position 10-15 times.

7. Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose) –

This asana is a power yoga which helps in the elimination of fat in multiple ways. Due to pressure bearing, wrist and elbow become strong, unnecessary fat around abdomen eliminates, and tones the whole body.

HOW TO DO ?

• Lie on your stomach.
• Now put both the hands on the floor to raise your body on them.
• Bend the hands and stay in the same position for 1 minute.
• You Toes should be in the 90-degree angle from the floor.
• Head, back, and legs should be in one line.
• Don’t do the asana if experiencing pain or have any injury in shoulder or stomach.

8. Ardha Pincha Mayurasana (Dolphin Pose) –

This asana helps in strengthening and toning the biceps, triceps, and arms.It reduces the extra fat of upper body. It also improves digestion and removes back pain.

HOW TO DO ?

• If you have seen dolphin diving into water then it would be easy for you to do this asana.
• Observe the image above to do the exercise.
• Focus on the alignment of body.
• The weight balancing should be done on elbows, shoulder and feet.

9. Mandukasana (Frog Pose) –

This asana is beneficial for regulating insulin level, cures stomach pain, benefits in cardiovascular diseases, improves leg and hands flexibility, and reduces fat from thighs, upper back, and hips

HOW TO DO ?

• Sit in the pose as you sit in Vajrasana.
• Make fist with both hands and touch the stomach while joints touch the naval.
• Now try to touch the ground with forehead.
• Bend downwards as much as possible. You fists will press your abdomen.
• Hold this position for 20 seconds.
• Doing this asana daily will help reduce belly weight.

10. Bharadvajasana (Seated Twist Pose) –

This yoga asana for weight loss helps in stretching the body, reducing the storage of fat by increasing tissues activeness, stretches spine, shoulder and hips area, brings relief in back pain, increases digestion, and benefits in other ways.

HOW TO DO ?

• Sit on the floor while legs opened. Then shift your base on the right hip and bend the both legs towards the left side.
• Put the right leg on the left thigh.
• Now take your right hand behind the back and try to touch the torso of the right leg.
• Touch the knee of right leg with left hand.
• Move your head towards right side.
• The back should be straight.
• Try to stay in the same position for 30 seconds.

11. Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Twist Pose) –

This asana works to stretch the upper body part, abdominal muscles, and tones the sides. Don’t do the asana in case of a headache, menstruation or insomnia.

HOW TO DO ?

• Sit on the floor spreading both legs in front.
• Bend your right leg and try to touch the left hip.
• Bring your left leg outside the right knee making an upward down V shape.
• Hold the left feet with the left hand and place the right hand on the floor behind you.
• Stay in the same position for 30 seconds then come in relax position.

 Yoga for weight loss video

12. Naukasana (Boat Pose) –

Naukasana is another asana to lose belly and abdomen fat effectively. With constant practice and efforts, one can gain toned abs. This asana should refrain from doing if suffering from hernia, spinal injuries, or insomnia.

HOW TO DO ?

• Sit in a comfortable position while both legs stretched out straight.
• Both legs should be in one line and attached.
• Now place your hands beside the body and lift your both legs upwards.
• Raise legs up to the height of the head, only hips on the floor.
• Then slowly raise both hands straight towards the knee and stay in the same position.
• Do for 30 seconds and two sets in gap of 5 minutes.

13. Matsyasana (Fish Pose) –

This asana is also good for reducing fat of abdomen, thighs, hips, intestines and chest area. The asana increases the stretching ability of the body and balances digestion function. If you suffer from migraine, blood pressure or hernia, then this asana is suggested.

HOW TO DO ?

• Sit on the floor in Padmasana pose.
• Now in the same pose, slowly lie down backwards, without opening your legs.
• As your head touches the floor, take both your hands to the touch the feet.
• Then try to raise the back up as much as possible, leaving head and hips on the floor.
• Stay in this position for 30 seconds-1 minute at least and come back in normal gesture.
• Do two steps of the same.

14. Tadasana (Mountain Pose) –

Tadasana is the taken from the name tada which means mountain. This asana helps in strengthening core and thighs, improves posture, and tones the whole body.

HOW TO DO ?

• Stand straight, legs and feet together but heels with a little gap.
• Now raise both your hands straight, palms joined, over your head.
• After straight hands, raise your whole body, leaving the balance on the toes.
• Inhale deep breathes during this pose.
• Stay in this position for 30 seconds at least.
• Then come back in normal position.
• Do this 3 times.

15. Mountain Chair Pose –

This is a power yoga asana of basic mountain pose. This asana strengthens the thighs, knees muscles, reduces belly fat, and tones the lower area. This pose is very much appreciated for eliminating fat quickly. This is a good yoga to lose weight from hips and thighs.

HOW TO DO ?

• It is simple to understand as its name.
• First stand straight and raise hands as in the mountain pose.
• Then bend the legs to come in the sitting on chair position.
• Stay in this position for at least 30 seconds and maximum 1 minute.
• Hold your breath during the pose.
• Do 3 sets of this asana.

16. Standing Side Lean –

This yoga pose works to reduce the fat on the sides. It is very good asana to increase body balance and tone the body tissues. It is also helpful in stretching the body for relaxation.

HOW TO DO ?

• Stand straight, legs together and hands up straight and together.
• Now, lean your head and chest area to one side, slowly.
• Lean to the point you are comfortable to hold on.
• Now stay in this position, holding the breath, for at least 30 seconds.
• Do the 2 sets of this asana for both sides.
• After each set, return in mountain pose first then come in normal stature.

17. Jalandhara Bandha (Chin Lock) –

This asana is especially beneficial in increasing the breath holding power. On the other hand, it also increases body internal energy sources which help in improving the body functionality including metabolism and energy circulation. It is also good for thyroid patients but those who suffer from high blood pressure, are not suggested to do this asana.

HOW TO DO ?

• Sit in the Padmasana pose.
• Now lean forward a bit while keeping the back straight.
• Take a deep breath and hold it.
• Move your head towards your chest and press your chin in the chest.
• Don’t push your neck too hard.
• While in this pose, meditate in your mind.
• Stay like this as long as you can hold breath comfortably.
• Then release and come in normal situation.
• Do 2 sets.

18. Adho Mukha Swanasana (Downward Facing Dog) –

This yoga pose helps in strengthening the shoulders, arms, knee muscles, hips and back muscles. The asana brings relaxation to the body and reduces fat from unwanted areas.

HOW TO DO ?

• Put both your palms on the ground, like you are preparing for push-ups.
• Now, raise your body from the middle. Lift hip portion as much as you can.
• The hands, head, and back should be in one line to the hip.
• Same way, feet, knees and thighs should be in one line to the hip.
• You will make an upside down V shape.
• Stay in this position while drawing belly inside and holding the breath.
• Then come back in the normal pose. Do 3 sets.

19. Downward-Facing Dog (Plank Flow) –

Similar to Downward-facing-dog asana, this asana is done with the previous one. One set of Adho Mukha Swanasana then one set of this asana. It contributes in strengthening the shoulders, arms, back and reduces belly fat by toning abdomen muscles. This is helpful yoga to lose weight from hips and thighs and brings toned muscles.

HOW TO DO ?

• Put your palms on the floor, and straighten the hands.
• Now bring the whole body in one line till the toes.
• In this pose, your hands bear the weight of body while toes support the lower part.
• While doing this, draw belly inside and hold breath for 45 seconds.

20. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog Pose) –

This yoga for weight loss is very promising in strengthening the chest, arms, biceps and triceps muscles. Avoid the pose till you have neck pain or shoulder injury.

HOW TO DO ?

• Lie down on the floor on your stomach.
• Now put your palms on the ground and raise your head up.
• Straighten your hands in 90 degree from the ground.
• Deep inhale the air and hold it.
• Toes should touch the floor.
• Do 2 sets.

21. Modified Side Plank –

This asana helps a great deal in strengthening the sides, cores, chest area and shoulders. This asana comes in power yoga poses for weight loss because of its ability to engage whole body muscles.

HOW TO DO ?

• Lie down, turn to one side.
• Put the pressure of body weight on the elbow of that side.
• The whole body should be in one line while doing this.
• Now raise the upper side leg in the air.
• Stay in this position for 30 seconds.
• Alternatively, you can put the palm on the floor instead of elbow for better power yoga pose

End Note :

All the above-mentioned yoga poses for weight loss are highly effective in improving body ability, toning cells, and upgrading functionality. If you do the combination of above-mentioned poses with sincerity and consistency, you will find changes in your body appearance, body-feel and efficiency on daily basis. Remember to meditate while doing yoga. It should be done in peaceful and natural light equipped environment. Also, focus on your diet. Add more and more nutritional items in your menu and keep away from snacks/ fast foods.