5 Best Yoga Exercises for Weight Loss

Yoga Exercises for Weight Loss and Wellness

Losing weight doesn’t have to mean lean diets, continuous fat-burning cardio, and heavy lifting. These tips may help, but long-term success often involves addressing what’s challenging your body and mind, whether that’s stress, a slow metabolism, poor sleep, emotional eating, or the state of our collective minds. 

Many approaches exist to manage weight, yet few address all of the contributing factors at once, and one of them is yoga. 

The ancient Indian practice “yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit word “yuj”, which means to unite the body, mind, and emotions. It is a holistic mind-body practice that improves many of the causes of weight gain by promoting flexibility and strength. It also works on your body’s inside: the mind as well as the muscular system. 

Research published in Frontiers in Immunology (2018) shows that yoga can significantly reduce cortisol levels—the stress hormone linked to weight gain—while boosting metabolism by increasing lean muscle mass. Additionally, a 2016 study in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health found that sequences like Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) can burn approximately 13–15 calories per round, combining cardiovascular activity with strength and flexibility.

5 Best Yoga Exercises for Weight Loss

Now, let’s explore the best yoga exercises for weight loss that burn calories, strengthen the body, and calm the mind—making weight loss both effective and balanced.

1. Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)

What’s an advanced series of yoga poses that many use as a warm-up in yoga classes, commonly referred to as ‘the king of all yogasanas’? Surya Namaskar. It targets the entire body, making it a comprehensive set of weight loss exercises in yoga. It strengthens the muscles of the neck, shoulders, back, and legs, as well as the soft tissue in the arms, hands, and wrists. The difference is the way this is practised. It’s most effective as a yoga practice if you do it while engaging your lower abs.

A complete round of Surya Namaskar comprises two sets of twelve yoga poses and can burn up to 13.90 calories for an average-weight person. 

Each Surya Namaskar moves you through 12 yoga poses in the span of 1–2 minutes.

How to Do:

• Stand at the front of your mat with feet together, palms folded at your chest.
• Inhale and raise your arms overhead, stretching upward. Exhale and bend forward, placing your hands beside your feet. 
• Step back into a plank, lower into Chaturanga, then inhale into Cobra or Bhujangasana. 
• Exhale into Downward Dog. Step forward, inhale up, exhale fold, and return to standing. Repeat for 12 poses per round. 

Tips:

• Keep your navel tucked in for better core engagement. 
• Start with 4–6 rounds and gradually increase to 12–108 rounds over time.
• Maintain a steady breath, linking inhalation and exhalation to movement.

Surya Namaskar Calorie Calculation:

Sun salutations help you lose weight – practising the ancient exercise form daily would be beneficial. One round of Surya Namaskar helps to burn up to 13.90 calories for someone who weighs approximately 60-70 kilos. You can now target the challenge for yourself. As you progress, you can gradually increase the number of rounds of Surya Namaskar to 108. By the time you achieve this number, you’ll be.

2. Virabhadrasana (Warrior Pose)

Warrior Pose (Virabhadrasana) tones the legs, arms, and lower back. It also develops stamina and helps in doing a vigorous yoga session. Ujjayi breathing (a pranayama that both heats the body and helps calm the mind) is good to do while in this pose to help give you strength to hold it. The Warrior Pose can also enhance metabolism since blood and oxygen are circulated to the muscles from head to toe. Not only that, but when you build muscle with the Warrior Pose, your body is more equipped to burn calories and fat even when resting.

How to Do:

• Step one foot back, keeping your front knee bent at 90°. 
• Raise your arms overhead, keeping your shoulders relaxed. 
• Gaze forward, keeping your back leg straight while maintaining balance on the ground. 
• Now hold the pose for 20–30 seconds, then switch to the other side. 

Tips:

• Practise Ujjayi breathing to build heat and maintain focus. 
• Engage your core and thighs for stability. 
• Improves stamina and boosts metabolism as your muscles work.

3. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

Dhanurasana is one of the effective yoga asanas to lose belly fat. It gives a good stretch to the stomach area and helps melt the fat as it tones arms and legs. It may not be a weight loss yoga pose, but the Bow Pose can help you lose weight indirectly: by strengthening your muscles, yoga will boost your metabolism. Although the Bow Pose may contribute to a weight loss regimen, it is most effective when combined with other health-promoting habits, such as clean eating, for noticeable effects.

How to Do:

• Lie on your stomach with your arms at your sides. 
• Bend your knees and hold onto your ankles with both of your hands.
• Inhale and lift your chest and legs off the floor, pulling your ankles to lift higher. Hold for 20–30 seconds, breathing steadily, then release. 

Tips:

• Stretch the stomach completely for a toned core.

• Take out a yoga mat so you’re comfortable and don’t hurt your neck.

• You can mix this pose with the other poses for an amazing weight loss sequence.

Also Read – Top 10 Health Benefits of Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

4. Konasana (Sideways Bending Pose)

This asana can be effective in reducing fat close to the waistline, and it is one of the best yoga exercises to lose belly fat. Furthermore, incorporating the Kona pose into your daily yoga regimen can serve as an indirect catalyst for weight loss by improving flexibility and balance, as well as supporting the digestive system.

How to Do:

• Stand with feet wide apart. 
• Turn one foot out and bend that knee at 90°. 
• Place your elbow on the bent knee or your hand on the floor, and extend the other arm overhead, creating a straight line. 
• Hold for 20–30 seconds, then switch sides. 

Tips:

• Maintain a long torso and do not round your chest.
• Concentrate on slow, deep breaths to promote digestion.
• Aids in burning tummy fat and works your body to the flexibility you desire.

5. Utkatasana (Chair Pose)

The higher the rate of metabolism, the more fat that is burned. This yoga asana can help in increasing the metabolic rate, and it is considered to be one of the best yoga poses for weight loss at home. In the Chair Pose, your muscles need to engage to hold you there, and that means you’re burning energy. As muscles shorten, the metabolic rate of the body increases in order to supply energy to sustain the work. It also strengthens and tones the thighs, legs, and knees.

How to Do:

• Stand with feet hip-width apart.
• Inhale, sweep your arms up.
• Exhale as you bend your knees, sitting back into a chair.
• Be sure to stay on your heels and lift your chest.
• Hold for 20–30 seconds and then relax.

Tips:

• Engage thighs, core, and glutes to increase calorie burn. 
• Breathe steadily to sustain the pose longer. 
• Enhances metabolism and tones legs, thighs, and knees.

Also Read – Top 10 Excellent Benefits of Utkatasana (Chair Pose)

Other Weight Loss Tips:

• Regular practice of yoga asanas for weight loss: If you are practising the best yoga exercises to lose weight but practising them only on weekends with junk food in between, it will give you negative results. This is why it’s very important to keep consistency with whatever exercise you are doing.
• Good eating habits: By choosing the best foods for your body (those with high nutrients and low in fat) and controlling portion size and timing of meals, you will increase your body’s potential to burn fat during yoga sessions and build a lean, muscular body. You can also refrain from processed foods and soda, eating too much or not eating at all, and watching TV or talking while you eat – all of which will stall your weight loss.
• Get outside: Being outdoors can also help improve your mood and decrease stress levels, even if you’re taking a walk or spending time enjoying nature. Try to arrange some group activities (such as hiking and bicycling) on weekends.
• Be patient for the results: yoga is a slow form of exercise, which means it works steadily to create lasting transformation. So be patient.

Also Read – How To Increase Your Flexibility With Yoga

Conclusion

Yoga is a great, natural, and gentle way to help with weight loss, boost metabolism, and boost your overall strength as well (physically and mentally). By regularly practising such techniques as Surya Namaskar, Warrior Pose, Bow Pose, and Chair Pose, you get long-lasting results and improvement to all parts of the body.

If you want to embrace a yogic lifestyle, then there is no better place than Rishikul Yogshala where expert trainers take you through traditional practices for self-discovery and adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Last modified Date: 12-Sep-2025