Yoga for Flat Abdomen
------------------------------
Abdomen is one of the most common areas where we gain weight. A fat belly not just affects the way we look and dress up but it also becomes a source of embarrassment for many of us.
However with some yoga techniques, it is possible to turn your fat belly to a flat one.
Sit straight- The foremost thing you have to do is sit straight. Most of us have the habit of leaning which adversely affects our spine and stomach. Leaning makes our back muscles weak and the front muscles tight. So make sure you sit straight and keep your spine erect.
Lifting the legs- Lie down on your back and put both your hands under your head or straight and stretched on the floor. Now join your legs and gradually lift them upwards without disjoining. First bring your legs perpendicular to the floor and your feet pointing towards the ceiling. Now move your raised legs closer to your body till the time you feel your back arching. Use your ab muscles and slowly move your legs downwards.
Remember that you have to inhale while lowering your legs and exhale while lifting them up.
Pavan-muktasan - Once you are able to do this yoga successfully, try a little harder one. In this you lie down exactly the way mentioned before. Now lift you knees and let your feet touch the ground. Gradually bring your folded legs towards your body and lift your head. Bring your hands forward and hold the legs with them. As your feet hang in the air, try to touch your nose to the knees. Hold the breath for a second. Then return to the original position and leave the breath. This is known as the pavan-muktasan. You may do it first with just one leg and later with both. It is a great way to shrink your belly because it reduces abdominal fat and makes knees and thighs flexible.
Torso Stretch (Bhujangasan)- Lie upside down (on your belly) on the floor. Bring your hands forwards, fold them to rest your palms across your chest. Now lift your upper body gradually by the support of back muscles and pressing the upper side of your feet, your toes and your shins against the floor. Press your palms into the floor and straighten your arms. Keep your head straight. Look forward and breathe. Hold your breath for around 30 seconds (if you can) and then release it.
The Torso stretch is immensely beneficial for those who want to get rid of backache and excess padding on the belly.
Locust pose (salabhasana)- The pose is meant to strengthen the abdominal muscles. Lie on your stomach and join your feet. Stretch your legs backward i.e. away from the body as much as possible. Now stretch your palms alongside your body with palms facing up. Gradually raise your arms of the floor and keep them parallel to the body. Simultaneously endeavor to raise your head, chest and legs off the ground and stretch them all up and away from the center of your body. Balance your body on your abdomen and breathe steadily. Remain in the posture till the time you can or from 10 to 30 seconds.
Bending forward pose (Paschimotanasana)- Sit and stretch your legs in front of you. Join the legs.
Inhale and move your rest of the body towards your toes. Bring your hands forward and hold your toes with them. Try to touch your forehead to your knees. Hold your breath for around 30 seconds and then exhale and come back to the normal position.
The Bow (Dhanurasana)- If you can try something difficult then the bow pose could be of great help to reduce abdominal fat. For this you lie down on your stomach and hands straight pointing towards your feet. While inhaling gradually lift your legs and try to hold them with your hands, simultaneously raising your chest. Hold the inhaled breath and let the abdomen balance the weight of the body. You will find that a trunk forms as your back archs. Look straight and be in this posture for around 30 seconds. Then slowly exhale and leave your legs, guide them to the floor and rest your whole body.
Some Points to Remember
1. Go slow.
2. If you are not able to control your breath, breathe. Do not create problem for yourself by succumbing to the temptation of holding breath.
3. To avoid injury and complications listen to your body. Do not drive your body against its limits. Consult a doctor if you want.
4. Try saying “Om” because yoga is based on mind-body connection. So take some time to clear your mind and establish contact with your body before you commence yoga moves.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Lose Tummy Fast
There is no miracle cure that will help one lose tummy fat, mostly due to the fact that the stomach is one of the most obstinate fat holdouts for many people. Short of major liposuction and tummy tucks, one must lose tummy fat at a slow rate. There are no quick diets, or quick pills that will result in one being able to lose tummy fat quickly.
The most important factor in helping one lose tummy fat is regular cardiovascular exercise. This does not mean taking casual walks. Generally, depending upon one’s age, one should work out for at least 15-20 minutes, five days a week, at peak heart rate. Aerobic dancing, jogging, fast walking, jazzercise, swimming, and using stair steppers, bicycles or ski machines can all help one lose tummy fat.
Generally, one must work up to peak heart rate, and one should check with a doctor regarding what one’s peak should be. But usually, the 15-20 minutes should occur after about 15 minutes of warming up. One will get to peak heart rate more quickly if one is working more than one major muscle group simultaneously, like the arms and legs. Thus aerobic dancing or swimming may be more effective than riding a bike.
Second, exercises that work the stomach muscles are important. Building muscle mass in the body helps us to burn calories more efficiently and reduce fat storage. Lean stomach muscles can reduce the size of a larger stomach. Many people do abdominal crunches to lose tummy fat, but often do them incorrectly.
Using a weight machine, or participating in Pilates 2-3 times a week may be more effective. As well, Pilates helps one work other problem areas like hips and thighs. If one doesn’t have the times for a full Pilates' class, adapt 15 minutes of abdomen-oriented exercises for home use. One many not lose tummy fat if abdomen exercises are not combined with the fat-burning power of cardiovascular exercise. A combination of both is needed in order to lose tummy fat.
In addition to exercise, pay attention to diet. Do not eat in excess of what you need-most westerners consume far more food than what the body really requires. Sticking to the Food Pyramid diet is often one of the best ways to lose tummy fat.
Lastly, stress does often cause fat to accumulate around the stomach. Fortunately, someone who is regularly exercising is going a long way toward reducing stress already. One might further help their battle to lose tummy fat by trying to destress, using a variety of relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and prayer.
Significant stress that seems to occur without outside stressors may suggest one is suffering from chemical imbalances. If you suffer from panic attacks or great anxiety, you may notice more tummy fat and it may be harder to lose. One should address this with a physician, as restoring an appropriate chemical balance can significantly reduce stress, and possibly help one lose tummy fat. As well, one should always see a physician prior to beginning an exercise program.
Courtesy/Referred from : www.wisegeek.com
The most important factor in helping one lose tummy fat is regular cardiovascular exercise. This does not mean taking casual walks. Generally, depending upon one’s age, one should work out for at least 15-20 minutes, five days a week, at peak heart rate. Aerobic dancing, jogging, fast walking, jazzercise, swimming, and using stair steppers, bicycles or ski machines can all help one lose tummy fat.
Generally, one must work up to peak heart rate, and one should check with a doctor regarding what one’s peak should be. But usually, the 15-20 minutes should occur after about 15 minutes of warming up. One will get to peak heart rate more quickly if one is working more than one major muscle group simultaneously, like the arms and legs. Thus aerobic dancing or swimming may be more effective than riding a bike.
Second, exercises that work the stomach muscles are important. Building muscle mass in the body helps us to burn calories more efficiently and reduce fat storage. Lean stomach muscles can reduce the size of a larger stomach. Many people do abdominal crunches to lose tummy fat, but often do them incorrectly.
Using a weight machine, or participating in Pilates 2-3 times a week may be more effective. As well, Pilates helps one work other problem areas like hips and thighs. If one doesn’t have the times for a full Pilates' class, adapt 15 minutes of abdomen-oriented exercises for home use. One many not lose tummy fat if abdomen exercises are not combined with the fat-burning power of cardiovascular exercise. A combination of both is needed in order to lose tummy fat.
In addition to exercise, pay attention to diet. Do not eat in excess of what you need-most westerners consume far more food than what the body really requires. Sticking to the Food Pyramid diet is often one of the best ways to lose tummy fat.
Lastly, stress does often cause fat to accumulate around the stomach. Fortunately, someone who is regularly exercising is going a long way toward reducing stress already. One might further help their battle to lose tummy fat by trying to destress, using a variety of relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and prayer.
Significant stress that seems to occur without outside stressors may suggest one is suffering from chemical imbalances. If you suffer from panic attacks or great anxiety, you may notice more tummy fat and it may be harder to lose. One should address this with a physician, as restoring an appropriate chemical balance can significantly reduce stress, and possibly help one lose tummy fat. As well, one should always see a physician prior to beginning an exercise program.
Courtesy/Referred from : www.wisegeek.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)