Online Yoga Techniques to Lose Stomach Fat

Losing stomach fat is challenging under any circumstances, but especially if you're stressed out. According to Harvard Medical School's Harvard Health Publications, the stress hormone cortisol is linked specifically to the accumulation of abdominal fat. Though you can't spot-reduce belly fat, you can lose body fat overall with regular cardio exercise and a healthy diet. To reduce the accumulation of more fat in the stomach, however, perform yoga to reduce stress and cortisol levels. Yoga can also help you develop toned abs for a stomach you'll want to show off.

Things You'll Need

• Yoga mat

Show More

Instructions

Warm Up

• 1

  Down Dog pose warms up and engages both belly and spine.

  Warm up with Down Dog pose, or Adho Mukha Svanasana. Position yourself on your hands and knees, making sure the hands are directly under the shoulders and the knees under the hips or slightly back. Breathe deep, long breaths through the nose so it sounds like snoring or ocean waves. This breathing, called Ujjayi, results in a calming and meditative effect. Slow the breath down by pulling it through the nose and across the palate, with your mouth closed. Exhale the same way, and continue breathing this way throughout the practice.

• 2

  Keep your fingers separated with the middle fingers pointing straight ahead. Engage your core to lift the hips up and back as you straighten the legs and press down on the hands and feet. Glance at your feet to make sure you can't see your heels in order to keep your alignment.

• 3

  Keep the neck long, relaxed and in line with the shoulders as you lengthen the spine back into the pelvis. Breathe into the belly five to 10 times.

Down Dog Crunches

• 4

  Down Dog Crunches are inspired by power yoga.

  Inhale and raise the right leg as high as feels good to you. As you exhale, bend the right knee and use the core to try to bring the knee to the nose as you move the shoulders over the wrists for Down Dog Crunches.

• 5

  Inhale and raise the leg again, straightening it for a deep stretch. Repeat two more times with the breath, holding the last one for five long Ujjayi breaths. For an advanced variation, bring the knee to the right elbow, then the left elbow and hold five breaths.

• 6

  Raise the leg and straighten again on the inhale and bring it down to meet the other foot on the exhale. Repeat on the left side.

Flip the Dog Counterpose

• 7

  Flip the Dog is a deep back-bend like Wheel, great for releasing the core and back.

  Inhale deeply and lift the right leg high again. Now exhale and bend deeply at the knee, mindfully opening the pelvis toward the sky. Place the right foot down to the outside of your left foot as you Flip the Dog. The feet will naturally swivel to face back.

• 8

  Inhale and lift the right, reaching your arm straight out behind you as your torso rotates the chest and belly up toward the sky. Feel your core muscles releasing tension, toxins and fat.

• 9

  Take a few deep Ujjayi breaths and deepen the pose. Come back to Down Dog by reversing the movement. Repeat on the other side.