Yoga Combat Fat Accumulation By Cutting Stress Level And Burn Through Physical Activity

By Patricia | January 20, 2009

What Is The Best Way To Burn Belly Fat

Yoga is widely recognized for it’s effectiveness as a tool for relaxation and meditation, but it is also extremely effective as a physical workout for fat stores that are normally obstinate. This is particularly true for those who have crossed their thirties. Firstly, yoga’s effectiveness as a mode of relaxation and as a stress buster helps lower stress levels and consequently the levels of associated hormones. Insulin sensitivity is also improved, which means that less food is stored as fat.

Yoga plays a dual role, which makes it so much more effective than other physical routines. This can be understood if the build up of fat in the abdominal region is better understood. The accumulation of fat in this region differs from fat build up in other areas, as with a better blood supply, there is also a better supply of the stress hormone cortisol. High stress therefore results in a greater accumulation of fat, as cortisol levels rise. Yoga being not just a physical discipline, but also mental, combats fat accumulation by cutting stress levels and burns fat through the physical activity.

There are a number of disciplines of yoga that you can chose from, but some of the most popular for weight loss include hot yoga, Hatha yoga, and booty ballet yoga. Most forms of yoga incorporate the same postures or asanas and breathing techniques or pranayams, as they are all derived from the traditional disciplines of yoga. They differ in the sequence in which the postures and breathing techniques are practiced and the environment in which they are practiced. They also may differ in the flow, with some following a fast sequence, while others are fast.

Here are some of the postures or asanas that are particularly useful for weight loss and should be incorporated into any weight loss program.

  • Pavanamuktasana - Wind Relieving Pose: This asana or pose can be practiced for just half a minute for each leg. It not only helps reduce abdominal fat, but also improves flexibility in the hip region and the knees.
  • Bhujangasana - Cobra Pose: This exercise again needs to be practiced for just half a minute. This exercise increases the elasticity and strength of the dorsal spine, while reducing belly fat.
  • Dhanurasana - The Bow Pose: This pose too improves spinal flexibility and blood circulation as well.
  • Pada Paschimottanasana: This posture is excellent for reducing belly fat and also removes air from the intestines.

Exercising or practicing yoga alone however will not help if an unhealthy diet is maintained, so make it a point to consume a healthy, well balanced yogic diet.

2.    Do you have good relaxation techniques in yoga?
Yoga has been widely recognized the world over as being one of the most powerful stress reduction practices. Exercise in itself helps combat stress, and yoga is so much more than a physical discipline. It includes many exercises and techniques that have given rise to a number of stress reduction techniques popular the world over. Most of us don’t even realize how much of these techniques have derived from the ancient discipline of yoga. Yoga’s combination of physical exercises with breath control make it extremely powerful as a stress reduction tool equipping and enabling it’s practitioners to free their minds completely and relax their bodies. With greater awareness and communication, and the simultaneous rise of stress levels, yoga has become increasingly popular and gained mainstream acceptance in recent decades.
There are various yoga disciplines and each of them offers a variety of benefits. All of them have common origins and have diverged in their implementation of the postures, breathing techniques and other practices. If you are turning to yoga specifically as a method of stress reduction there is no single style of yoga that is superior or better as compared to another. Chose a discipline based on your levels of fitness and requirements. Breath control is another integral aspect of yoga and helps to combat almost any stressful situation.
There are a number of poses or asanas that are particularly useful for relaxation and here are a few of them:
•    Corpse Pose
•    Reversed Corpse
•    Superior Posture
•    Crocodile Pose
•    Flapping Fish
Practicing these asanas with dedication will bring you peace and tranquility and also leave you feeling energized after your yoga routine. These postures or asanas are not as easy as they may appear to be. Practicing them mechanically will not produce much result as they need to be followed rigorously and the tension and stress in your muscles must be released consciously. Sleep is also vital and a lack of sleep or disturbed sleep is one of the biggest contributors to stress. This forms a vicious cycle as stress causes a lack of sleep and vice versa. Yoga can break this cycle, relaxing your body and mind and improving your sleep patterns. Practitioners sleep better and can wake up after fewer hours of sleep feeling a lot more refreshed.
Certain asanas are however not meant for individuals suffering from certain health conditions or injuries, so always make it a point to consult a skilled trainer. In addition, it would always be advisable and beneficial to learn from a skilled instructor and practice under his guidance as practicing some of the asanas improperly can result in injuries.