Yoga is superb for strength and mental focus, but can it shrink your rear end? Yes and no. Yoga poses can tone your buttocks, but they will not target fat. However, the extra calorie burn paired with stress reduction can help you lose weight all over, resulting in a smaller bottom line. To whittle your buns faster, include yoga in a total weight-loss program along with healthy eating and regular exercise. If you're a workout newbie or have any major medical issues, consult a doctor before you embark on your routine.
About Yoga
Yoga is more than physical exercise; it is a complete lifestyle program that includes poses as well as breathing methods, meditation, restraint, healthy observances and more, all designed to bring you to a higher level of consciousness. Developed thousands of years ago in India, yoga gained popularity in America in the 1960s. Researchers do not know exactly how yoga affects the body, but it can lower heart rate, ease hypertension and increase lung function. It also releases feel-good endorphins in the brain.
Yoga for Buttocks
When it comes to yoga, your best booty-shrinking bet is to go for more intense styles such as Ashtanga, Vinyasa and Bikram. The more active the yoga, the more calories you will burn, and fat loss is all about calories in versus calories out. You also want to sculpt your bottom with yoga postures that target the gluteal muscles. These include Locust pose, Half Moon pose, Warrior I pose and Warrior III pose.
Mindfulness
When it comes to battling the bulge, yoga has a secret weapon -- psychology. The meditative nature of yoga promotes mindfulness and mental balance, banishing stress and anxiety. This helps you make better lifestyle decisions, including better eating choices, and may even help ease binge-eating disorders. High stress levels are also linked to increased cortisol, a hormone that leads to excess abdominal fat. Cortisol also triggers overeating, further contributing to weight gain.
Weight-Loss Tips
As terrific as yoga is for your mind and body, it is only one piece of the weight-loss puzzle. To lose a significant amount of fat, the Mayo Clinic prescribes a diet of 1,200 calories per day. To feel your best, get most of these calories from plant sources such as leafy greens and other produce, whole grains such as buckwheat and quinoa, and low-fat proteins such as cottage cheese and kidney beans. Eat some fats from plant sources such as avocado and canola oil.
References
Writer Bio
Nina K. is a Los Angeles-based journalist who has been published by USAToday.com, Fitday.com, Healthy Living Magazine, Organic Authority and numerous other print and web publications. She has a philosophy degree from the University of Colorado and a journalism certificate from UCLA.