Yoga Diet And Poses For Weight Loss

Written by Shirin Mehdi, BA  • 

Do you think you’re overweight? Are you tired of your friends and relatives constantly giving you suggestions on how to shed kilos? If yes, then this post is just for you!

The healthy combination of yoga and a good diet plan can effectively help you lose from 1 to 3 kilograms per month. Wondering how yoga and diet are related? Don’t be surprised, it has been tried by several people, and the results have always been great!

Want to know more about the yoga diet and the other ways yoga can help you lose weight? Then read on!

Yoga Diet Plan For Weight Loss:

If you add the following list of foods to your diet, losing unwanted weight will be an easy task. Go through them carefully and ensure you have added all of these foods to your weight loss chart!

1. Nuts:

According to a recent study conducted at Loma Linda University in California, people who added nuts to their diet were 46% less prone to obesity than those who didn’t (1). Nuts are rich in protein as well as fiber that digest very slowly and ensure you are full for a very long time. If you compare nuts to other refined carbohydrates, you will find that nuts do not lead to a hike in your blood sugar or blood pressure levels.

However, you should be careful about the calorie intake. Stick to 20-24 almonds a day or try some peanuts and pistachios. That will help you in a great way!

[ Read: Yoga Asanas For Losing Weight Quickly ]

2. Popcorn:

Thinking of a healthy snack? Try popcorn. It is very low in calories. But make sure it’s plain popcorn. Some of you make a big mistake by choosing butter or cheese popcorn just because popcorn is light. Please don’t do that. When you add butter or cheese to something, the calories get doubled. And when you are trying to shed some kilos, it is advisable to stay miles away from high-calorie dairy products like these. Popcorn contains only 30 calories a cup that has 4 grams of fiber in total (2).

3. Spicy Foods:

This should be good news for all “teekha” lovers! If you love spicy food, do know that it can boost your weight loss. According to Rumsey, if you add cayenne pepper while cooking, you are not only going to shed the body fat but also add great taste and flavor to your meals (3).

4. Water:

Water should be your best friend while you are trying to lose weight. There are a few times during the day when you feel hungry, and it isn’t even your meal time. What do you do then? Grab a calorie filled snack? No! Sometimes our body isn’t really all that hungry. It just wants something to be pushed down into the stomach. And this is where you can add water.

If water bores you too much, drink flavored water. You can add a dash of lemon to your bottle of water and shake a little. That should be good! Even German researchers have recently declared that your metabolic rate increases by 30% when you drink 17 ounces of water daily (4).

5. Peaches:

Looking for something that will tickle your taste buds? Try peaches. You can make a healthy salad using this at home, and it will not only taste good but also fill you up. Just add some berries and yogurt to a plate full of freshly diced peaches. Your mouth is going to be full of flavor. High fiber fruits such as apples, berries and peaches are known to fill you up (5).

6. Chicken:

You can also eat chicken or other kinds of protein such as eggs, beef, and fish. Even legumes are a good option. This will boost metabolism, help you build lean muscles and help you lose unwanted fat successfully (6)!

7. Breakfast:

One of the biggest mistakes most women make these days is skipping breakfast. Please understand that your body needs breakfast. If you miss it, you will eat double throughout the day and possibly put on a little more weight (7).

You should eat a heavy breakfast because that will give you energy, boost metabolism and lead to weight loss. You can also plan your meal from before. Have two boiled eggs and some banana sandwich with brown bread. That should do.

8. Dark Chocolate:

Like the idea of eating chocolate between meals? Here is your chance. According to Blunter, when you eat little chocolate, you save yourself from the horror of eating other foods such as pastries, cookies and ice cream (8).Unlike milk chocolate, dark chocolate happens to be low in calories. So go for dark chocolate!

9. Oats

Having whole grains and cereals is a must for weight loss programs. Oats happen to be a smart and healthy option. If you don’t like the taste of oats, you can slice a banana and add it on top of your plate of oats. You could also try berries or strawberries. They are great options too. Oats tend to be very filling and can control your appetite for a long time because of the fiber and water content (9).

10. Beans And Other Vegetables:

Add beans and pureed vegetables to your diet to lose weight. When researchers at Penn State added pureed vegetables to a single bowl of macaroni and cheese, they seemed to like the dish, and in fact ate 350 calories lesser (10).

Now that you know the kind of foods to eat in order to lose weight, how about trying out some super recipes? Read on!

Healthy Recipes To Try At Home:

Here is a couple of quick and healthy recipes you should try at home to lose weight!

1. Brown Bread Chicken Sandwich:

Ingredients:

  • Two slices of brown bread
  • One egg
  • 50 grams of shredded chicken
  • Half of a cheese slice

Steps:

  1. Slice one boiled egg into three to four pieces.
  2. Place the sliced cheese on one side of your bread.
  3. Keep the shredded chicken on top.
  4. Place the egg on it.
  5. Now add some pepper on top.
  6. Place the other slice of bread on top.
  7. Your sandwich is now ready.

2. Dinner Garlic Chicken:

Ingredients:

  • One large chicken breast
  • Half a cup of toned milk
  • One fourth of a garlic clove
  • Lemon juice and a tablespoon of tobacco

Steps:

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a plastic bag.
  2. Now bake it for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
  3. You can use fresh zucchini and honey. Drizzle it on top.

Try out the above-mentioned two recipes and enjoy the benefits! And also, there are a number of yoga poses that can aid you in your weight loss process.

Yoga Poses For Weight Loss:

Here is a list of the top 6 yoga poses that help you lose weight within a short period of time. Practice for 30 minutes a day to see great results!

1. Warrior Pose:

The warrior pose will stretch your hips, buttocks and stomach, give you strength and ensure weight loss. Here is how you should do it!

  1. Stand straight and keep both your feet together. Your hands should be placed by your side.
  2. Now take your right leg and extend it forward and make sure your left leg is extended backwards.
  3. Now bend your right knee again so that you are in a lunge position.
  4. Gently twist the torso so that you are facing your right leg that is bent.
  5. Turn your foot sideways slightly.
  6. Exhale gently and raise your body upwards. It should be a bit away from your bent knee.
  7. Now stretch your arms upwards.
  8. Your torso is to be tilted backwards.
  9. If you want to get out of this pose, exhale and straighten your leg.

2. Chair Pose:

The chair pose will strengthen your core muscles and tone your thighs and buttocks.

  1. Stand and keep your back straight. Fold your hands together (as if you are wishing someone ‘Namaste’).
  2. Now slowly bring your hands above your head and bend the knee in such a way that your thigh is parallel to the ground. It should be making a triangle.
  3. Bend your torso and breathe.
  4. Keep yourself in this position for as long as you please. Now go back to the first position.

3. Forward Bending Pose:

The forward bending pose will help your body relax and stretch those hamstrings. To perform this in the right way, go through the instructions carefully.

  1. Stand up straight.
  2. Now bring your hands up and make sure they are above your head.
  3. Inhale gently now.
  4. Bend forward in such a way that you are pushing out your buttocks.
  5. Your palms should be touching the floor. The forehead should be touching the knees.
  6. Now come back to the first position.
  7. Repeat.

4. Kapala Bhati Pranayam:

The Kapala bhati pranayam is a popular breathing exercise that will boost weight loss. It will strengthen the muscles of your stomach and ensure all the stomach fat is burnt. You will also get rid of love handles, improve digestion and get rid of excess weight.

  1. Sit on your yoga mat. Keep your back straight. Your palms should be placed on your knees, and they should be facing upwards.
  2. Exhale through the nose and pull through the stomach.
  3. You begin to breathe in when the stomach muscles are loose.
  4. Now contract the stomach muscles as you inhale and exhale. You should be pushing the air in and out.
  5. Do this around 50 times before you can rest.

[ Read: Power Yoga Workouts To Reduce Weight Fast ]

5. Bridge Pose:

The Bridge Pose will tone the thighs, stretch the shoulders and tone your abs too. It will also remove all stress and anxiety and make you feel relaxed and composed. It also reduces symptoms of menopause and is effective for weight loss.

  1. Lie down flat on the yoga mat with your feet kept flat on the ground.
  2. You should exhale and push yourself upwards.
  3. Now raise the body in such a way that both your head and neck are flat. The rest of your body should be high up in the air.
  4. You may use your hands in order to push it down for needed support.
  5. In case you are flexible you may also clasp your fingers below the raised back to add a little more stretch to it.

6. Tree Pose:

The tree pose is for the muscles of your abdomen. It will tone your thighs as well as arms.

  1. Stand up straight with your feet together.
  2. Now bring most of your body weight on one leg. Make sure a little is left for the other.
  3. You may raise your leg and make sure your foot is facing inwards.
  4. Now hold the ankle so that you can pull up the leg.
  5. Keep the heel of the foot on the inner thigh of your other leg.
  6. Raise your hands high up above your head to ensure that your fingers are towards the ceiling.
  7. You can focus your mind in order to maintain your body balance.

Follow these tips and bid goodbye to weight related problems! And have you ever tried yoga diet for weight loss? How did you feel? Share with us by commenting in the box below!

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