Whenever anyone says or gestures that they want to lose weight, most of the time, they point to their guts saying “I wanna lose all this!” Obviously, abdominal weight loss is a goal for many people.

However, what most people might not be aware of is that-of all exercises-Yoga actually can help immensely for weight loss in the abdominal region. There are specific poses, that target excess weight in the abdomen and coupled with a customized diet, those seeking abdominal weight loss would find success in using these yoga exercises.

Let’s go over them, shall we?

Abdominal Weight Loss: Yoga Poses to Use.

1. The Sun Salutations:

These are a combination of poses that serve as a warm up-routine for a Yoga session or class. They are very similar to the popular calisthenics exercise known as burpees. However, they differ in that they have a spiritual significance included as a result of executing them. Due to the forward and backward bending motions involved, after performing a few to several rounds on a daily basis, you are bound to notice a marked loss of weight in you abdominal area and the added bonus of muscular tone.

2. The Bow Pose:

This simple pose involves laying flat on your belly and grabbing your ankles with both arms while simultaneously lifting your head up high. When performed correctly, you should be resting on your abdomen. Needless to say, it is a pose commonly recommended for weight loss and the prevention and correction of chronic constipation.

3. The Peacock Pose:

This is slightly more challenging. The objective is to balance your abdomen on your conjoined elbows while simultaneously raising your legs and head of the floor. Naturally, merely attempting it speeds up abdominal weight loss and detoxification of the visceral organs and the preparatory stage could suffice as the actual execution of the pose till the mastery of it is achieved.

4. The Abdominal Lift:

This is not a pose, per-se but is a specific exercise that involves you exhaling your breath and pulling the diaphragm in while holding the breath out. This is a specific abdominal exercise for weight loss, spiritual rejuvenation and detoxification.

Now friends, there are other poses such as the shoulder-stand, the forward-bending pose, the spinal twist and the wheel pose that also target increase in muscular tone and weight loss in the abdominal regions, however from practice the 4 above will perhaps be the most effective.

Do note though that if you are female and pregnant or in your menstrual period, some of these poses might not be the best to execute.

Moreover, since these poses-besides helping with abdominal weight loss-aid tremendously with detoxifying, it is advised that one eats a proper and healthy diet to augment the actions of these poses.

Other fantastic exercises for abdominal weight loss include your intense Aerobics, the use of the ab-wheel, basic sit-ups, windmills etc.

So empower yourself with these tips and information to achieve your goal for weight loss. Lose that gut starting today.

Foras Aje is an independent health researcher and founder of Bodyhealthsoul.com. He writes on health and wellness and Safe Weight Loss Tips and invites you to stop by his site for up to date information for improving health today.

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The thought that life can be simple for many of us is a hope and a dream that we can’t afford to wait to happen. We have to make an effort towards it. And as many would agree, it starts with avoiding the pains, problems and frustrations of disease by changing to habits which result in good health. It is only in good health that life seems worth living anyway.

No matter how much we would want to rely upon outside influences, people, doctors or medicines, we all begin to realize, more than ever before, that we each have to do our part in building and maintaining our own health. This has to be done in spite of so many factors that are against us, such as environmental pollution, water problems, chemicals in food and many others.

Hygiene was once a very basic and important health measure to avoid contagion of every kind. That laxity that now exists throughout many medical institutes and hospitals and also out in the community is quite distressing and makes good community health even more difficult. But it remains first on the agenda of yogic disciplines.

Most of us realize that the simple life is usually the healthiest and that it is sensible to eat healthy fresh, natural food and to avoid the processed and refined commercial products, each of which usually contains chemicals and preservatives one would not choose to eat - that is, if we read the label! Anyway there is nothing as enjoyable as simple fresh food prepared in the home kitchen.

Exercise is a bit of a problem but we are generally fortunate to have access to health farms and fitness establishments that encourage exercise. Body building also encourages us to exercise, as well as the local walks and our yogic exercise disciplines. But we never seem to be able to do enough exercise as there never seems to be enough time. We must make time!

We know to breathe deeply to get enough oxygen for our body cells. But pollution of the atmosphere in the cities and suburbs makes it more difficult particularly for those who already suffer from asthma. So we have to practice yogic breathing exercises in the best possible outdoor situation we can manage as it is inadvisable to practice in air conditioned environments. Yoga teaching gives breathing deeply and gaining control of the breath top priority. It’s interesting to discover how much more control of the breath and how much more energy we seem to have after practicing for a few weeks.

We may have forgotten to consider the importance of an erect body posture when walking, sitting or at times of rest but through practicing the Yoga asanas one becomes very much more aware that the body can only function well if the vital organs are not under constant pressure. So we begin to stand tall.

So it seems for improved health and as a simple natural health insurance program, we should consider hygiene, fresh food diet, body posture, exercise and our breathing habits. To these well known factors, the yogic teaching adds an occasional fast, the addition of herbs as food supplements, some special body postures or asanas to improve health problems and the practice of relaxation.

But these relate to physical health measures to help us feel vital.

What about the psychological factors which will help us to feel happy?

In yoga classes we are taught how to relax our minds and bodies for two reasons. One is to become free of stresses and strains. The other is to enjoy a whole range of pleasant moods and feelings when we are quiet and there is nothing to do. We begin to be aware of other parts of our nature that have been neglected because of our constant activity.

Relaxing out on the floor isn’t as difficult as it sounds, in fact it becomes quite comfortable after getting used to being without mattress and pillow! When you lie there with your eyes closed instead of going to sleep as is tempting sometimes, you feel so calm and almost floating and it is so pleasant you seem to be all feeling instead of thinking - just by lying still! It’s much better than taking sedatives.

Meditation is a kind of relaxation for the mind but we have to sit upright to do this. Some people cant manage to sit cross legged, in fact not many are able to in a class, but classes have alternative positions and they can find one that’s suitable. Then we do the same thing, keeping still, shutting our eyes, breathing rhythmically and when we get tired of that just sit there a little longer and it feels really pleasant. You’ll even stop thinking about whether you left the gate open and other things that generally come into your mind. You may like to practice this at home.

Somehow when we are relaxed we begin to feel more content. Then we begin to think more clearly in deciding what we really want with our lives. Then we find we have the energy and vitality needed to go ahead and do it. In living fully, we realize that we are happy. It is simple!

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Yoga

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Also known as the loud breathing technique, the Ujjayi is performed by breathing through both nostrils while keeping the glottis closed to a degree. This technique is used in order to increase your control over the activity of your lungs. It also functions as a method of clearing the throat. The name comes from the fact that the air passing through the partially closed glottis makes a constant and fluent sound. Yogis try to eliminate nasal sounds and to keep the constant flow of air and sound on a harmonious tone.

In order to correctly practice this breathing method you have to use chin lock and also employ the closure of both nostrils. Keep the pause for as long as you can and gently exhale at the end. The left nostril is usually used to let out the air. In case you kept your nostrils closed with your fingers you can simply release pressure of the left nostril and the air will flow out naturally. Simultaneously with releasing the nostril try to unlock the chin and open the glottis to a higher extent.

Inhaling air should be given half the time you reserve for exhaling. Determining the precise inhalation and exhalation times is different for each person but you will probably find this out yourself while practicing Ujjayi. Holding the pause for a long time between breathing in and out might be difficult to do. In time, however, you will be able to hold the pause as long as the exhalation time.