Do you practice yoga? How have you benefitted if so? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
For Lent, Karen Taylor Bass held plank pose for one minute a day. After 22 days, her abs gained definition, and her waist lost inches.
Numerous studies have shown that yoga can help reduce total body weight and fat, including waist circumference. “Yoga is not a magic pill,” warns certified yoga instructor Bass. But with consistency, she says, “you will see optimal benefits for the body, including trimming the waistline.” Bass shares six of her favorite yoga poses, which, along with a balanced diet, help tone the midsection.
How these moves help
These poses engage the core, making abs stronger and reducing fat around the belly. Bonus: each pose has a host of benefits for the entire body. Be sure to consult your doctor before trying new exercise routines.
Plank Pose
Start by lying on your stomach and push up onto your forearms and toes. Your back and legs should be as straight as possible. Clasp your hands if it helps you balance. Aim for 30 seconds to start. To modify this pose, you can have your knees on the mat with your forearms extended.
Downward Dog
Begin on all fours, hands, and knees (tabletop position). Ground down into the palms and raise the knees off the mat while shifting the stomach toward the thighs and into a v shape. Hold and breathe for 30 seconds to start.
Boat Pose
Sit with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands behind your knees, lift your chest, and engage the back muscles as you inhale, then engage your inner thighs and draw your lower belly in and up. Lean back on your sitting bones and lift your feet to about knee height, toes spread out. Bring your arms parallel to the floor. (You can keep your hands behind the knees instead of bringing your arms parallel.) To go further (if you can), straighten your legs. Stay in this position for 2-5 breaths and work up to 10 breaths. To come out of the pose, on an exhalation, bring your feet down and sit with a straight spine, holding on to your legs for a couple of breaths.
Bridge Pose
Start by lying on your back. Place your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart, and keep your knees bent. Put your hands down at your sides, palms down on the floor. Inhale and push your hips up towards the ceiling. While holding the pose, relax the shoulders and keep the palms of the hands glued to the ground for support. Hold for 30 seconds and then lower down.
Side Bends
Starting in Mountain Pose, raise your right arm overhead and gently bend your upper body to the left side in a reaching motion. Keep your upper body facing straight ahead—don't twist it to the side as you bend. Lean forward slightly to prevent "hunching" your back and shoulders. Keep your hips, shoulders, and ears in a straight up-and-down line. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the right side.
Chair Pose
Start in Mountain Pose. Exhale as you bend your knees and move your hips back like sitting on a chair. Send your hips back rather than your knees forward so that you can still see your toes. Inhale as you raise your arms up towards your ears and soften your shoulders. Hold for 30 seconds to start.
Do you practice yoga? How have you benefitted if so? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
