Most people find gym workouts the best way to burn belly fat, but that’s not the only exercise to help get rid of excess fat around the belly.
So you may be wondering what that other exercise is that will help you get rid of belly fat?? Well, it is Yoga.
For centuries people have used Yoga to heal their body and mind while also losing weight without breaking any sweat.
But how is that possible??
Well, the reason Yoga can help you lose weight comes from the mental side of it.
We all know that stress leads to a poor diet. And Yoga helps significantly reduce stress, which allows you to make better decisions and lowers your cortisol levels.
Cortisol is the stress hormone responsible for weight gain. Reducing your cortisol levels will help you lose weight naturally.
Anyone can do Yoga without really trying, but what makes a difference is how you challenge yourself and your mind. The more you challenge yourself, the more calories you will burn, resulting in more weight loss.
So what is a Yoga asana?
Asana simply means pose in Sanskrit, so yoga asana means yoga pose.
Below you’ll find 10 belly fat loss yoga poses and their Sanskrit names beside them.
1. Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)
Cobra pose is an excellent way to strengthen the spine while engaging with the chest, shoulders, and abdomen muscles.
This asana also helps relieve stress and Firms the buttocks.
How to perform:
- Lie face down
- Extend your legs back, and place the tops of your feets on the floor
- Spread your hands on the floor under your shoulders.
- Press the tops of your feet and thighs and the pubis firmly onto the floor.
- Hold the pose anywhere from 15 to 30 seconds
2. Bow pose (Dhanurasana)
This asana is called a bow pose because it looks like an archer’s bow. The torso and legs represent the bow’s body, and the arms the string.
Bow pose stretches the entire front of the body, thighs, abdomen, and deep hip flexors. This pose may look easy to do, but the abs do all the work, which causes the muscle around your belly to burn more fat.
How to perform:
- Lie face down
- Lift both your hands and feet
- Take hold of your feet with your hands
- Hold this pose for 25-30 seconds
- Repeat 2-3 times again
3. The plank (Kumbhakasana)
The plank pose is the most helpful pose for anyone trying to get rid of belly fat as it engages the most with your abdomen muscles.
This pose also strengthens the arms, wrists, and spine.
How to perform:
- Lie face down
- Lift your body up with straight arms like in the picture above
- Balance on your toes
- Face forward or down
- Hold for 25-30 seconds until you feel the burning sensation on your abdomen muscles
- Repeat 3-4 times again
4. Boat pose (Naukasana)
If you are not new to Yoga, you might have already heard about this pose and how it helps strengthen the abdomen muscles.
Although the boat pose will work your core muscles, it’s no gym crunch, but you can get the same results if you maintain a good posture and do it for more than a few minutes every day.
How to perform:
- Lie down on the floor
- Straighten and raise your legs
- Slowly hoist up your body
- Stretch your arms by forming the “sides” of a boat
- Try to maintain a 45-degree angle and make sure your body is in a V-shape
- Hold this pose for 25-30 seconds
- Repeat 3-4 times again
5. Camel Pose (Ustrasana)
This pose is not as easy to perform as it may look.
Camel pose is an excellent asana for those who spend prolonged time sitting and doing computer work as it helps improve posture and relieve back pain.
This asana is also a great way to stretch your abdomen, chest, shoulders, and thigh muscles.
How to perform:
- Kneel on the floor with your knees hip-width and your thighs straight and perpendicular to the floor.
- Arch your back inwards and rest your hands on the top of your buttocks.
- Slowly lean back to touch and then hold your heels with your hands.
- Hold this pose for 25-30 seconds
- Repeat 3-4 times again
6. Cat Pose (Marjaryasana)
Cat pose is an effortless beginner fat loss yoga pose that stretches the back, torso and neck while also engaging and strengthening your core muscles.
How to perform:
- Start on your hands and knees in a “Tabletop” position.
- Make sure your knees are set directly beneath your hips
- Keep your elbows and shoulders in line and perpendicular to the floor
- Your head should be in a neutral position, eyes looking at the floor
- Now with each exhale, round your spine toward the ceiling
- Inhale, coming back to neutral “tabletop” position
- Do this for 60 seconds
- Repeat 3-4 times again
7. Chair Pose (Utkatasana)
Chair pose strengthens the ankles, thighs, and spine while stimulating the abdominal organs, diaphragm, and heart.
This is an excellent asana for belly fat loss as it focuses on engaging your core muscles.
You can also increase the strength of your thighs by squeezing a thick book between them during this pose.
How to perform:
- Start in a standing position
- Join your palms and raise your arms towards the ceiling
- Bend your knees, and try to go into a sitting position
- Hold this pose for 25-30 seconds
- Repeat 3-4 times again
8. Dolphin Pose (Catur Svanasana)
Dolphin pose calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression, which contributes to weight gain and poor diet.
This asana stretches and strengthens the arms, legs, shoulders, and hamstrings while also preventing osteoporosis.
How to perform:
- Come onto the floor on your hands and knees
- Your palms should face down above your head like in the picture
- Raise your hips while keeping your spine straight
- Keep your legs straight, pressing down on your heels
- Hold this pose for 25-30 seconds
- Repeat 3-4 times again
9. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)
This pose may look extremely easy but can be pretty tricky to stretch and hold your feet while maintaining good posture.
Seated Forward Bend stretches the spine, shoulders, hamstrings and engages with your core abdominal muscles.
Several traditional texts hail this asana for increasing appetite, reducing obesity, and curing diseases.
How to perform:
- Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you
- Lean forward from the hip joints, not the waist
- Touch core with thighs while stretching the spine
- Place forehead on shins or knees
- Stretch your arms straight and grab your feet with your hands
- Hold this pose for 25-30 seconds
- Repeat 3-4 times again
10. Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)
This is a fun asana to do and can be very easy, depending on how flexible your body is.
Happy baby pose Calms the brain, helps relieve stress and gently stretches the inner groins and the back spine.
How to perform:
- Lie on your back
- bend your knees into your belly
- grab the outsides of your feet with your hands
- Open your knees slightly wider than your torso
- Position each ankle directly over the knee
- Now act like a baby (crying is optional)
- Hold this pose for 25-30 seconds
- Repeat 3-4 times again