There’s a widespread misconception that starving yourself and exercising too much could help you lose weight and get back in shape- sure, it could work out, but not in the long run. There are several possible reasons of weight gain, and a slow metabolism is one of them.
Here are 5 simple yoga poses that you could try at home, which could help you give your metabolism a push in the right direction. Just make sure you get advice from your healthcare provider before you try it yourself, especially if you’re a newbie.
Standing Backbend
This pose is a valuable energizer- it contracts your glute muscles, abdominal, chest and hip muscles, and also improves the flexibility of your spine. Start by standing straight on the ground and slowly bending backwards, placing the palms on your hand on the back of your upper thigh for some support. Don’t exert a lot of pressure and push yourself backwards- just tilt it slightly, breathe in and get back to the original position as you breathe out.
Half Moon Pose
The half moon pose does a lot more than just improving your metabolism- it targets your hip abductor, hamstring and oblique muscles and enhances your ability to balance. Stand on one leg and slowly bend down on the left side, placing the fingers of your left hand on the floor. Hold your right hand straight up and your right leg parallel to your hip and breathe in. Stay in this position for a couple of seconds and follow it with the other side.
Tree Pose
The tree pose is probably one of the easiest yoga poses to try. This powerful balance pose uses the muscles in your legs to strengthen the core, the legs and the abdominal muscles as well. Infact, apart from boosting metabolism, this pose also helps you stay more calm and focused.
Simply stand straight on the floor on one leg and visualize yourself as a tree with roots going down into the ground. Hold both your arms above your head and visualize them as branches. Try to hold a steady position and breathe.
Shoulder Stand
This pose is thought to work by stimulating the thyroid gland and improving the secretion of thyroid hormones, thereby boosting metabolism. Start by lying down on your back and slowly lifting your legs upwards as you breathe in. Use your hands to support your lower back and move your entire torso a bit upwards- make sure your neck and head do not move. Hold this position for a couple of seconds and slowly release.
Plow Pose
Also known as Halasana, the plow pose is an effective yoga pose to try out to boost your metabolism naturally. This posture compresses your throat region, which stimulates your thyroid gland and boosts metabolism.
Simply lie down on your back and use your abdominal muscles to bring your legs over your head. You can also use your hands to support your lower back, and try to bring the tips of your toes back towards the floor. If hold onto this pose for a couple of seconds and then release slowly.
