Those who are new to yoga may find it unbelievable that originally there were 8,4oo,000 yoga poses practised and taught by Lord Shiva. It was possible for Him, but not for humans, therefore 84 of them were chosen to be practical for humans. Out of those 84, many yogic practitioner believe that only 32 are good enough for overall health. This is a matter of debate, and we have no intention of getting into how many are good or enough. We’ll focus on practical and easy yoga poses that can be practised by anyone looking for belly fat reduction. Sounds good?
Easy yoga postures
Well, things are difficult before they become easy. The same goes for yoga postures. There are many yoga poses that can be practised by anyone, but you either don’t know them or simply ignore them as they seem to be easy or ineffective. Why not make them part of your daily activities so that you get the benefits without even realising or putting any extra effort? Frankly speaking, that is what used to happen with me inadvertently when I was in high school. Later I came to know that those postures that I tried for fun or just to relax were actually some of the most easy yoga postures for belly fat loss. As a result, I was relatively thin and more active than most of my classmates who were obese.
Natural Yoga
Without getting into the official or ancient definition of natural yoga, lets try to understand it literally. For example, breathing is almost a natural activity that happens without any effort from us. However, when the same breathing is done consciously following a tried and tested pattern, it becomes Pranayama. Similarly, some of the most natural postures, if practised regularly as part of our daily activities, help us burn belly fat naturally. They are actually yogic postures, but can be incorporated in our daily lives. And the best part is, you need not make extra time for them. All you need is just be mentally ready to make those slight changes in your routine while ensuring that you go about your regular activities.
Sitting Cross-legged
If you are not aware, then let me tell you that sitting on the floor is the most natural and relaxing posture. You’ll find it difficult only if you are obese beyond a certain level. In that case, obviously you cannot make it your routine to sit cross-legged every day. Others who can sit cross-legged can try watching TV in this posture. Just sit on the floor every day for at least half an hour while watching TV or doing any other activity. You will notice the difference in a few days. In fact, during traditional festivals in India, people even eat meals sitting on the floor, and it is quite acceptable and also considered auspicious.
Benefits of sitting on the floor
You can even buy a small low-height table to work on, so that you can sit in this posture for longer duration. Sometimes I don’t mind placing my laptop on the small table and work for hours sitting cross-legged on the floor. Believe me, this will not only improve your digestion, help you burn belly fat but also relieve knee joint pain and keep your spine healthy. There are a few variations or methods of sitting on floor, which are equally effective if you are looking to flatten your stomach easily. You can choose whichever postures suits you the best or change your positions as per your comfort level.
Half-Cobra Pose for Flat Belly
This is a simple posture which can be done by any one. However, what really matters is how long you can stay in this posture. If you cannot lift your head backward while placing your palm on the floor, then start with getting support from elbows or doing Half-Cobra Pose. Stretch your head backwards the way you normally do in full Bhujanganasa. Gradually, when your spine becomes slightly flexible in 15-20 days of performing this pose on elbows, you can place your palm and attain the actual Bhujangasana. Just perform the posture on elbows and try to stay in this pose for 2 minutes, 3 minutes or 5 minutes depending on your stamina. In fact, you can even read your phone messages or attend phone calls in this posture. This will make the activity more natural and effortless.
In half cobra pose, following activities can be done
- Watching TV for up to half an hour every day
- Light reading such as reading a small book, magazine or even newspaper
- Phone messaging or even browsing on a laptop
- Obese students can even make notes or do small writing assignments
To avoid any side-effect, ensure that You
- Straighten your spine by lying flat for a few minutes before getting up if you have been in half-cobra pose for 10 minutes of more. You can even try savasan for better effect. However, that may take time.
- Do not put extra pressure on your back. The moment it starts hurting, change your posture so that you feel relaxed.
- Change your position smoothly without any jerky movement.
- Do not try this posture immediately after meals.
Cat Cow Pose and Rabbit Pose in a Sequence
Cat-cow posture can be done immediately after waking up. Similarly you can perform rabbit posture for 30 seconds to 2 minutes every day immediately after waking up. These two minutes every day can work wonders for your health in general. The rabbit pose is effective for obtaining flat belly. All you need to do is develop the habit of doing these quick yoga postures every day. The results will be visible soon.
Sun Salutation-Surya Namaskar
Sun salutation is a set of 12 postures in a sequence. These postures work on every muscle of our body and help in weight loss, better digestion, mental peace and clarity. These postures essentially stretch all parts of our body, which is highly recommended for flexibility and overall fitness. As the name suggest, you have to salute the sun, therefore the best time to do this is early in the morning during sunrise.
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