Many people see yoga as a way for hippies to become one with the Earth. While I’m certainly not arguing that case there is so much more to yoga. Not many people associate yoga with weight loss because on the surface it appears you are just standing still in a lot of different poses. The thing about standing still in certain poses is that it puts a strain on muscles. This causes muscles to start to rip, in a good way. When the muscles rip they need to rebuild and that requires energy. Some of this energy is taken from the fat your body has stored. This is why some people believe that fat turns into muscle and vice versa. The first time people do yoga they assume it would be a breeze. Turns out some almost pass out in the first 10 minutes. This article includes a compilation of the 21 best yoga asanas (poses) for losing weight quickly and easily. A word of warning, some of these are difficult to do so don’t strain yourself the first time around. Yoga is something that needs to be practiced for many years before it can be mastered. You’ll find yourself feeling muscles that you didn’t even know existed because yoga provides you with a full body workout. Before you attempt these poses watch the videos for each. Some are meant for everyone and others are meant only for advanced yoga practitioners. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t other yoga asanas that you can perform that will help. There are hundreds of yoga asanas to perform that will benefit you. We just like the ones below because they can help push you to the limit and back again.

PASCHIMOTTANASANA (SEATED FORWARD BEND)

Benefits:

• Improves digestion
• Soothes anxiety and reduces fatigue
• Relieves stress
• According to traditional texts, this pose can increase appetite and reduce obesity

SARVANGASANA (SHOULDER STAND)

Benefits:

• Stimulates the thyroid glands and abdominal organs
• Improves digestion
• Reduces fatigue
• Tones the legs and butt

VIRABHADRASANA I (WARRIOR POSE)

Benefits:

• Stretches your belly, lungs, and chest
• Strengthens the muscles at the back
• Strengthens the thighs, calves, and ankels

GARUDASANA

Benefits:

• Improves concentration and sense of balance
• Strengthens the ankles and calves
• Stretches the thighs, shoulders, and upper back

ARDHA CHANDRASANA (HALF MOON POSE)

Benefits:

• Strengthens the abdomen, thigh, buttocks, and spine
• Improves digestion and balance
• Relives stress

BHEKASANA (FROG POSE)

Benefits:

• Stretches the abdomen and the chest
• Improves posture
• Stimulates the abdominal organs

SHALABHASANA (LOCUST POSE)

Benefits:

• Stretches and strengthens the shoulders, chest, and belly
• Stimulates the abdominal organs
• Relieves stress and improves posture

NAUKA CHALAN (BOAT POSE)

Benefits:

• Strengthens the abdomen and hip flexors
• Stimulates the kidneys and intestines
• Relives stress and improves digestion

PAVANMUKTASANA (WIND-RELEASING POSE)

Benefits:

• Stimulates the abdominal organs, thereby increasing their efficiency and improving digestion
• Relieves constipation
• Helps reduce fat in the abdominal area

VAKRASANA (HALF SPINAL TWIST POSE)

Benefits:

• Helps reduce fat in the abdominal region
• Strengthens the spine

PADAHASTASANA

Benefits:

• The abdominal organs are stimulated, thereby improving the digestive health of your body
• Lowers heart beat rate and relieves physical and mental exhaustion

SHIRSHASANA (HEADSTAND)

Benefits:

• Tones the abdominal organs and improves digestion
• Strengthens the arms, legs and spine
• Calms the brain and relieves stress

HALASANA (PLOW POSE)

Benefits:

• Reduces stress and fatigue
• Stimulates abdominal organs
• Calms the brain

UTTHITA HASTA PADANGUSTASANA (EXTENDED HAND-TO-BIG-TOE POSE)

Benefits:

• Improves balance
• Strengthens legs, ankles, and the backs of the legs

VASISTHASANA (SIDE PLANK POSE)

Benefits:

• Stretches the belly, arms, and legs
• Improves your balance

We all know the struggle of losing weight. It can be a daunting task to try and lose even a couple pounds. People can tell you hundreds and hundreds of ways to lose weight. Now, they may all be true, but only some of them are going to guarantee that you actually lose weight. This article includes 7 DIY tips that everyone can apply to their daily lives. While doing random tips aren’t going to help you drop a significant amount of weight we all need to start somewhere:

1. START SMALL

Don’t try to lose 20 pounds in the first few days of starting a healthy lifestyle. That just isn’t realistic. Set smaller goals for yourself. Have that one big goal (let’s say 20 pounds), but set smaller goals that you need achieve to get to your main goal. When you set small goals, things will seem much easier for you. Once you start seeing that you can achieve your smaller goals, you’ll get a mental boost that will keep you motivated to achieve your bigger goals. You won’t need anybody else to try and motivate you to do your best. Having smaller goals will allow you to see each step you need to take to reach your big goal. It makes you realize that going from point A to point B has a lot of steps in between, it’s not just a big leap and you’re at your goal.

2. DON’T SKIP MEALS

I know this may sound weird at first because it makes sense that if you don’t eat as much, you will be able to lose weight. For the people that think this, they are significantly setting themselves back. Don’t skip any meals. Even if you are in a rush going somewhere, you need to make sure you eat something. One missed meal can set you back quite a bit when you are trying to lose weight. You are more likely to keep fat on your body when you skip a meal. Again, it sounds weird but that’s how it really is. The only way you may be able to get away with skipping a meal and getting not holding onto the fat is if you are on a ketogenic diet. This type of diet is going to turn your body into one that burns fat first, instead of sugar. Your body will look to burn fat at all times of the day, so skipping a meal MAY not hurt you as much. When you don’t skip a meal, you are ensuring that your body stays awake. Breakfast, for example, wakes your metabolism up and gets everything else going. The sooner you can get your system going, the easier it will be to lose weight and keep it off. Skipping meals also leads to more cravings throughout the day. You are more likely to snack a lot more as well. These are factors that are going to cause you to gain weight no matter what kind of diet you’re on.

3. VISUALIZE

Many people don’t understand the power of visualization. You have to be strong mentally to keep visualizing the same thing over and over again. You need to see the future you. See the pounds you want to lose just falling off your body. When you can see how you are going to look after dieting and working out after a few weeks, you are going to achieve that, as long as you take all the necessary steps to get that body. Even during days where you don’t feel like doing anything, you need to see yourself in a different way. Use that as motivation. The key to visualization is doing it every day. You can’t just do it once and expect that image to stay in your head. Visualizing what you’re going to look like on a daily basis will make everything easier and you’ll be more proud of yourself when you actually achieve that body.

4. POPSICLES… YUM!

Yes, popsicles. They aren’t made just for children. Popsicles are great for anybody that wants a quick snack that is low in calories and can help curb any cravings you may be having. You can make your own fruit popsicles if you don’t feel like having just a regular popsicle. They are fairly easy to make. Just cut up any fruit of your choosing, add it to an ice tray, fill in the empty space with water, place popsicle sticks in the tray, put the tray in the freezer, wait a couple hour and you have your own fruit popsicles. Depending on your diet, popsicles may go against it because a lot of them are filled with sugar. Just keep an eye out for what kind of popsicle you are eating and you’ll be okay.

5. EXERCISE

We hear this often. You need to exercise if you want to lose weight. There are ways to lose weight with dieting, but exercise is going to help you drop weight much faster. You don’t have to workout for hours to lose weight. Being active for 30 minutes can get the job. Yes, working out longer is going to help you lose more weight, but you’ll be good with just 30 minutes if you are just starting out. Even if you can’t squeeze in 30 minutes, doing something every day is much better than doing nothing on some days. Try to break a sweat, increase your heart rate, force your lungs to work a little harder. The more you can make your body work, the more weight you can expect to be dropping.

You've just lost weight and you don't want to see that number go back up on your scale. Although gaining the weight back might feel inevitable, it doesn’t have to be. In fact a recent analysis by the National Weight Control Registry found long-term weight maintenance is possible — if you follow these key behaviors. Without further ado, here are 12 tricks that help lose weight and keep them off:

1. BUILD MORE LEAN MUSCLE.

Maintaining or even increasing your metabolism is possible by continuing to build lean muscle. "Muscle has a higher metabolism than fat does," explains Emily Banes, RD, clinical dietitian at Houston Northwest Medical Center. If you don't yet train with weights, add this type of exercise to your overall program now. If you do, increase the amount of weight you're working with to keep yourself challenged.

2. FIGHT OFF HUNGER WITH MORE FILLING FOODS.

A three-year University of Pittsburgh study of 284 women between the ages of 25 and 45 found that those who avoided weight gain the best were the ones whose meals kept them feeling full. "Keeping that feeling of fullness can be done with foods high in fiber — think fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein," says Jenna Anding, PhD, RD, of the department of nutrition and food science at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.

3. AVOID TEMPTATION.

The University of Pittsburgh study also found that women who best controlled their weight were good at resisting the temptation to binge on forbidden treats. This doesn't mean never indulging in a gooey dessert again, but rather picking — and limiting — your moments. There are many ways to avoid daily temptations, including planning ahead when eating out, eating out less, and banning your worst weaknesses from the house.

4. COUNT CALORIES.

Another hallmark of successful weight maintenance, according to the University of Pittsburgh study, is regularly counting calories. Use a journal such as MyFitnessPal to keep a running total throughout the day if that helps you keeps track of calorie consumption. In the weight-control survey, the women who were most successful at less than 1,800 calories a day and limited fat intake.

5. PLAN YOUR MEALS IN ADVANCE.

A maintenance diet has a lot of the same components as a weight-loss diet. Having a meal-by-meal plan that you can stick to, although it has more calories than your diet plan did, can act as a guide to keep you on track.

6. CONSIDER ADDING MINUTES TO YOUR EXERCISE PLAN.

Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week, but emphasize that the more you exercise, the better able you are to maintain a weight loss. Participants in the weight control survey walked for at least 60 minutes daily — or burned the same calories with other activities — so aim for 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity every day.

7. MEASURE YOUR PORTIONS.

According to a Center for Disease Control (CDC) study of more than 4,000 U.S. adults, the biggest factors in success were measuring portions and fats, the most caloric foods, in particular. This doesn't mean you have to carry a food scale everywhere you go, but using it as often as possible at home will teach you how to eyeball portion sizes at restaurants and immediately know how much to eat, and how much to take home in a doggie bag.

8. WEIGH YOURSELF DAILY.

The same CDC study reported that people who weigh themselves once a day are twice as successful at keeping off lost weight as those who don't step on the scale as often. Daily weigh-ins, which can be discouraging when you're on a diet, can be a boon during maintenance; they let you see, and stop, any slow creep upward as soon as it happens.

9. INCLUDE DAIRY IN YOUR DIET.

According to a study of 338 adults, those who ate three or more servings of low-fat dairy daily were more likely to keep off the weight than those who ate one serving or less. For women in particular, this has the additional benefit of improving bone health.

10. LET YOUR PLATE BE YOUR GUIDE.

When you can't count calories or measure portions accurately, Banes recommends using the "plate method" as a way to control the amount you're eating. A great tip for dieters, it works just as well for people on a maintenance plan. Simply put, when you serve yourself using this method, at least half your plate should be vegetables and the remaining space should be divided evenly between lean protein and whole grains. If you go back for seconds, limit yourself to vegetables, fruit or low-fat dairy.

11. WATCH LESS TV.

In the National Weight Control Registry Survey, dieters who watched fewer than 10 hours of TV a week were more successful in maintaining weight loss than those who spent more time vegging out in front of the tube. And less TV time might have other benefits, too — an analysis from the Harvard School of Public Health found that too much TV can raise your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and death.

12. EAT BREAKFAST.

They call it the most important meal of the day for a reason. In the survey, women who regularly ate breakfast were more successful with long-term weight loss than those who skipped the first meal of the day. It’s best to eat similar healthy choices regularly (think oatmeal, Greek yogurt, and fresh fruit) and always start out with a good breakfast to avoid splurging or overeating on special occasions. Now that you know the secrets to long-term weight-loss success, get started with your weight management program today!

As always, in order to lose weight you need to follow a comprehensive plan that includes a healthy and balanced diet, get physical exercise several times a week, drink plenty of water, and keep good habits. Plenty of times we've also mentioned that there are many ways to lose weight. You can supplement your weight loss routine with some natural remedies to still achieve the weight loss desired. So without further ado, continue reading on to learn more about the plants that aid in weight loss:

BEST PLANTS FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

You can divide plants into two weight loss groups:

1. Diuretics: These eliminate any retained fluids** and increase your urine production.
2. Detox: These increase your body’s overall metabolism** and ability to burn fat.

If you’re following a comprehensive weight loss plan these plants will help you achieve your desired results in less time. Among the plants that are both diuretic and cleansing we have:

HORSETAIL GRASS

You can find this plant in herbal or natural stores. Ingredients

• 100 g of dried horsetail grass
• 1 liter of water

Preparation

• Boil the water and add the horsetail, let it simmer for 30 minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool while covered.
• Strain the liquid, pour it into a bottle or another container with a tight lid, and store it in the fridge.
• Drink 2 tablespoons (15 ml) of this liquid mixed with a cup of water (200 ml) every day.
• Don’t store this tea for more than two weeks.

NETTLE

There are numerous misconceptions about this plant. In fact, it has plenty of beneficial properties that will help you lose weight. Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of dried nettle leaves (30 g)
• 1 liter of water

Preparation Boil the nettle in water for 10 minutes. Let it steep, then filter the liquid and drink up to three cups a day (before each meal).

BIRCH

Bark from the birch tree is widely used thanks to its health benefits. Ingredients

• 50 g of birch bark
• 1 liter of water

Preparation

• Boil the bark for five minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow it to steep for another five minutes.
• Strain the liquid into a jar or bottle for storage.

Drink up to six tablespoons of this infusion a day, either diluted with water or natural juices.

CHICORY ROOT

Chicory is sometimes added to salads as you would lettuce. Its flavor is slightly bitter but very rich, and you can harness its ability to help you lose weight by making chicory tea from the roots. Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of dried chicory root (30 g)
• 1 liter of water

Preparation

• Mash the roots and boil them for 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let steep for 15 additional minutes.
• Strain the liquid and drink up to two cups a day.

YERBA MATE

This tea is consumed widely throughout South America, in countries like Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, and Paraguay, and is known for its diuretic properties. In addition to making yerba mate the traditional way, some people prepare a simple tea using the yerba. Ingredients

• 1 handful of yerba mate
• 1 cup of boiling water (200 ml)

Preparation

• Prepare your tea as you would with any other herb.
• Let it steep for a few minutes before filtering and drinking.

Some stores sell tea bags labeled “mate,” which can also be a part of your weight loss regimen.

THISTLE

Just like with nettle, not everyone is aware of the benefits of this wild plant that can be found in just about any field or side of the road. It’s also sold in health food shops and herbal stores. To take advantage of its excellent properties, make a tea. Ingredients

• 50 grams of dried thistle root
• 1 liter of water

Preparation

• Heat the water to a boil, add the root, and let simmer for 15 minutes.
• Drink up to three cups a day, before each meal.

FUCUS

This little-known algae grows on the sea floor and has a high content of iodine and other mineral salts like:

• Potassium
• Bromine
• Magnesium
• Calcium
• Iron

It’s often used to fight obesity because the iodine stimulates the thyroid gland, which increases your body’s metabolism. Fucus is a powerful diuretic plant with laxative properties, which also suppresses the appetite and helps reduce the urge to eat. You can find it in extract form, in powder, or in capsules. Tea is undoubtedly the best way to consume it. Ingredients

• 15 grams of fucus algae
• 1 liter of water

Preparation Boil the fucus for six minutes, remove from heat, and drink up to three cups of the liquid each day.

IGNORE DAIRY

Lactose sensitivity is way more common than you probably think--even if you possibly have the mildest case. Many people experience some form of negative side effects (most often gas and bloating) after milk, cheese or yogurt. We're not saying cut these out for good, but ahead of a big event, steer clear of dairy just to be safe, since you never really know how your body is going to react.

LEMON WATER FIRST THING IN THE MORNING

This is a commonly known trick of the celebrity beauty diet for a reason: It works. A glass of warm water with lemon in the morning jump-starts your digestive system and sets everything off on the right foot, right away. For an added kick, sprinkle in some cinnamon or cayenne pepper for extra anti-inflammatory power.

AVOID SALT

Salt causes the body to retain water, so it's best to stick to pepper when you're looking to feel slimmer.

CHEW SLOWER

When you eat too quickly, you swallow more air, which can cause bloat. Chew slower and more mindfully and maybe skip the after-lunch gum (which has a similar effect) while you're at it.

EAT SMARTER

A number of foods are great at getting rid of unwanted bloat. Asparagus stimulates the growth of good gut bacteria; bananas contain high levels of potassium to flush excess sodium out of your system; and watermelons (90 percent water) also have natural diuretic properties. Snack accordingly.

GLACIATE YOUR FACE

If your eyes and cheeks are looking especially puffy, try this incredibly simple trick: Wrap an ice cube in a thin tea towel and rub over the affected areas. This eases inflammation and makes your features look instantly more defined.

INNER CONFIDENCE

As corny as it sounds, a lot of confidence comes from within. Walk into a room with your shoulders pulled back and head held high, knowing that you look great regardless. (And maybe pull in your core while you're at it.) Chances are you'll end up feeling and looking way better than if you were to walk in hunched over and emanating bad vibes. Fake it till you make it, folks.

If you want to burn down and diminish the belly fat around your stomach, you need good advice! Adding these four ingredients to your diet will help you get your stomach into shape much quicker. Without further ado, the four ingredients that are the best for slimming down your stomach are: pineapple, broccoli, cucumber and celery. You can blend them into a top-notch detox smoothie. For the smoothie, you’ll need:

• 1 celery stalk
• A medium cucumber
• 1 250 ml cup of chopped parsley
• 3 rings of fresh pineapple slices

The first thing that you’ll need to do is wash the vegetables and pineapple, remove the rind. Add everything to a blender and blend together until the mixture is homogeneous. Don’t add any ingredients such as salt, black pepper, sugar or sugar alternatives.

Recommendations for drinking the smoothie

In order to guarantee its benefits, you should drink this pineapple and vegetable smoothie within 15 minutes of preparing it to make sure that it doesn’t lose its properties. You should aim to drink it in the morning on an empty stomach. Make sure to combine the smoothie with exercise and a healthy diet because they’ll ensure results during the first week. You’ll notice a flatter stomach in as soon as six days.

Smoothie’s benefits

You’re probably asking yourself, what makes this drink so powerful and how can it have so many fast-acting benefits? Well, its ingredients are the perfect blend. Celery Starting off, there’s celery, which is a low-calorie food: 100 gr of celery only has 16 kcal. It’s also a fiber-rich food. Actually, it’s the fiber that adheres to the stomach and helps us feel full. In addition, according to some studies, something as simple as increasing the amount of fiber intake in our diet is one of the most important components that’ll help us lose weight. Cucumber As we saw with the celery, cucumbers also provide us with fiber and have the same nutritional value, which makes it low in calories. Cucumbers are 95% water, which will help you get in the 2 liters of water a day that are recommended** for weight loss. Parsley Continuing on our list, parsley is another healthy food. It boasts plenty of fiber: 3.3 g for every 10 g of parsley. We should also know that the same amount of cucumber and celery contain 0.5 g and 1.6 g of fiber, respectively. That means that parsley has a gentle, natural diuretic effect. Pineapple When it comes to pineapple, 100 g of the fruit contains 1 g of insoluble fiber and 50 kcal. In addition, pineapple makes the smoothie more palatable and it works as a diuretic, which helps eliminate liquids from the body.

The best time to eat them and other fat-burning options

As we’ve mentioned earlier, this smoothie has the best results on an empty stomach. You should also try to have it once a day, however, this depends on your weight-loss needs. If you want to burn fat, try the following smoothie: Ingredients:

• Pear
• Kiwi
• Pomegrante
• Orange or lemon juice

Preparation: Wash all the ingredients, remove all seeds and chop the fruits to add to the blender. Process with water or add orange, or lemon, juice to make an even blend. Pour into a glass and enjoy.

Weight loss is not an easy topic to discuss. There are literally many things that can impact your journey to losing weight. The interesting part is that the ways to lose weight or gain weight is endless. You have to exercise, eat well, manage your habits, and be more aware of what you're eating. Looking at the bigger picture, those are probably the biggest topics when it comes to losing weight: Regular exercise, following a good diet plan, making sure you are eating correctly, and practicing mindful eating. You see these articles literally everywhere. So without further ado, in this article we will go over the 4 simple tricks that can be added to any diet to help when you're feeling bloated or stuck, or just want to feel... better. Try one on for size or adopt them all—these small changes can jumpstart your weight loss, wherever you are in your journey.

SWEAT LESSER THAN USUAL

In a study comparing groups who ran or cycled for 30 versus 60 minutes a day, the half-hour group dropped 33 percent more weight and spent 20 percent more time being active later in the day. Since we are programmed to conserve cals, when we burn lots of them through exercise, our bodies may hoard them later—by moving less and eating more. So, two options: Cap your cardio at 30 minutes, four times a week. Or if you love a longer workout, keep moving later in the day to ensure your metabolism hums.

WHOLE GRAINS

People who eat them tend to be slimmer than those who don't. Why? These sturdy carbs require extra energy to break down. Their fiber also traps some of their cals, whisking them out of your body before they can be stored away as fat. Shoot for several servings a day, and sneak whole grains into snacks and desserts, says Amy Gorin, R.D., a nutritionist in New York City. "Add oats into smoothies or put a healthier spin on rice pudding by swapping in brown rice for white."

EAT MEALS, NOT SNACKS

We've long been told to eat frequently, in small amounts, to level blood sugar. But a new study found those who ate fewer, larger meals weighed less. How so? You burn more cals processing a larger meal than lots of little ones. Stick to noshing breakfast, lunch, and a small dinner, says study coauthor Gary Fraser, M.D., a professor of medicine at Loma Linda University in California.

DON'T CLEAN YOUR PLATE

"That means you're eating with your eyes rather than listening to your body's satiety cues," says Erin Palinski-Wade, R.D., author of The Belly Fat Diet for Dummies. "You almost always end up eating more than your body needs." Forgo the last 10 percent of each meal by leaving a few bites on your plate. Nutritionists estimate this trims almost 200 calories a day, helping you ax 10 pounds in six months.