International Yoga Day 2018: 5 Yoga Asanas To Burn Maximum Calories And Important Diet Tips

The ancient Indian practice of yoga is known the world over, for its benefits which transcend the physical realm and into the spiritual one. International Yoga Day 2018 is being celebrated all around the globe to push discussions about the ingenuity of this earliest of sciences. Thousands of yoga practitioners have testified to the holistic well-being that yoga has brought about in their lives. The word 'yoga' has been derived from the word 'yug' which indicates a union of the individual consciousness with universal consciousness. Yoga has found wide acceptance with health freaks around the world, due to its long term impact on physical fitness, concentration, mood and a lasting peace of mind. Yoga is also very effective for those who want to lose weight and more importantly, keeping it off.

Yoga poses or asanas engage a lot more muscles of the body, than we are used to moving. Holding yoga poses for definitive amounts of time builds endurance, flexibility and also burns calories, leading to fat burn and weight loss. Yoga may lead to a change in your body weight slowly as compared to other workouts like cardio or lifting weights in the gym, but the change will definitely occur.

Here are some yoga asanas or yoga poses that are the most effective for weight loss and burning calories:

1. Surya Namaskar

Literally translated, surya namaskar means salutation to the Sun and it consists of 12 different consecutive asanas. The more number of times you do the surya namaskar, without a gap, the more the calories burnt. One set of 12 asanas of surya namaskar may burn as many as 13 or 14 calories, depending on how well you are able to hold the poses and how quickly you're able to finish one set.

2. Halasana

Halasana or the plow pose is difficult to attempt and if you are an amateur yogi, it'll take some practice on your part to finally be able to manage the pose entirely. On an average, halasana may help you burn 2 or 3 calories per minute. Obviously then, the longer you hold the pose, the more you burn.

3. Dhanurasana

Dhanurasana or the upward wheel pose is one where you bend your body to form the shape of a bow. The asana tests your flexibility and endurance and may help you burn approximately 3 calories per minute.

4. Veerbhadrasana

The warrior pose is great for your lower back, legs, thighs and arms, all of which receive a good stretching workout. The asana is performed in three parts and tests your balancing abilities, core strength, and requires a fair bit of concentration on your part to hold the poses.

5. Purvottanasana

The upward plank or the purvottanasana works on your back, shoulders, spine, arm muscles and also tests your core strength. Holding the pose will also work on your hips, legs and inner thigh muscles.

A single yoga session may help you burn as many as 200 calories, given that you do all the asanas in quick succession. Speed is key in burning maximum calories during the yoga session.

Diet Tips To Remember While Practicing Yoga

Moreover, it’s important to stay hydrated and eat nutritionally-rich foods before the session, to help you stay energetic during the session. One must remember to keep a gap of at least 45 minutes between your meal and the yoga session. Eat more energy boosting foods like bananas, oats, black coffee, etc. or foods rich in natural sugars like fruits. It’s also important to replenish your body electrolytes after the yoga session, by consuming natural drinks like lemon juice, sugarcane juice, etc.

Happy International Yoga Day 2018!