Weight loss: How can breathing help you in shedding those extra kilos

Practicing deep breathing and meditation will not only bring peace and solace to your mind but will also massively refine your health. Breathing also known as mindfulness will improve your concentration and relieve your stress levels. In addition to these breathing methods can help you in losing weight. Apart from practicing calisthenics and Pilates in your workout regime, do include breathing exercises.

Your weight loss journey will become very enriching and exciting if you’ll lose weight in a peaceful and calm manner. This process will benefit your mental as well as physical well-being.

Let’s read about such mind-blowing breathing movements:

Kapalbhati is an incredible breathing exercise which can prevent you from being overweight and help you in losing weight effortlessly.

How to perform- Sit on your yoga mat with folded legs, ensure that you are in the correct posture by keeping your back and neck aligned. Place your palms on your knees and gently close your eyes. Inhale gradually and exhale speedily. While exhaling the air, you will sense an inward abdominal movement. Repeat this process for at least 5 to 10 minutes.

Bhastrika breathing exercise will make you energetic and will boost your metabolism thereby, leading to a quick calorie burn.

How to perform- To practice Bhastrika Pranayama, sit restfully keeping your back and neck straight. Ease the muscles of your stomach and keep your eyes closed. Keep your palms on your knees and start taking deep and fast breaths both while inhaling and exhaling. The breathing should be rhythmic and make sure that you don’t take more than a second while breathing in and breathing out. While performing this, you should feel your diaphragm expanding and contracting in coordination with your breaths. Practice this procedure for 5 to 10 minutes.

This form of exercise will amp your metabolism, expand your oxygen intake and balance the levels of your body’s hormonal secretions.

How to perform- Choose a peaceful and quite corner and sit down in padmasana keeping your shoulders stretched out and your back upright. Ease your palms and close your eyes using your thumbs. Place your hands in such a manner that your index fingers are touching your forehead exactly above your eyebrows. Your middle and ring fingers should be on your closed eyes. Inhale deeply and exhale gradually. Keeping your mouth shut, while breathing out imitate a humming sound. The vibrations of the sound should be felt on your fingers. Gently place your fingers on your knees once you have performed this procedure. Redo this exercise for about 5 to 10 minutes.

This exercise balances both the channels of the body and releases toxins. There is an oxygen intake in the cells which refreshes the body’s system leading to weight reduction.

How to perform- Sit in a comfortable position and ease your shoulders, your back should be straight. Form a chin mudra of your left hand and keep it on your knee. Keep the tip of your index finger and middle finger of your right hand in the centre of your eyebrows. The ring finger and little finger should be on your left nostril and your thumb should be on the right nostril respectively. Close the right nostril with ease using your thumb and exhale from your left nostril. Inhale from your left nostril and exhale from the right. Practice this exercise for about 9 times at least, taking gradual deep breaths.

Take shallow breaths while performing this exercise as it assembles the toxins and increases the oxygen supply in the cells of your body.

How to perform- Lie down on your yoga mat and notice your stomach making gradual upward and downward movements. It helps in toning the abdominal area and reduces stomach fat. It also helps in proper bowel movements and relaxing the body muscles.

While you are breathing from your mouth, you do not only feel rejuvenated, but your extra belly fat is also reduced. A force will be felt on your abdominal muscles while practicing this exercise. This activity is also helpful in toning your face, your chin and cheeks will have a refined look.

How to perform- Open your mouth and start breathing in and out, count till 10 while practicing this breathing exercise. Make sure that you are exhaling the air slowly as compared to inhaling it. You can perform this activity thrice in a day, taking 10 minutes for each round.