One of the biochemical processes that occur in every organism, metabolism is the actual function by which your body turns the food you eat and drink into energy. Several factors affect your actual rate of metabolism, including your age, gender, and activity level. While most people tend to accept metabolism as static, there are actually several things you can do to boost your metabolism – one of which is yoga.
Components of Metabolism
Aside from just the factors that influence metabolism – age, gender, and activity level – there are actually several important components that play a part in the actual function of your metabolism. These are digestion, circulation, and muscle. By increasing your activity level in any capacity, like with yoga, you are able to improve your digestion and circulation, which also leads to increased lean muscle. For this reason, yoga is an excellent way to boost your metabolism.
- Improving Digestion
Much of yoga centers on positioning the core and controlling breathing in such a way as to help the organs function properly. As the majority of the digestive system is situated in your abdomen, yoga is extremely helpful for supporting proper digestion. Certain poses, like twists, are even designed to detox the digestive tract.
- Increasing Circulation
If your circulation is poor, your body is not receiving the flow of clean, fresh blood that it needs for your organs to function at an optimal level. This, in turn, has an impact on your metabolism. That deep, intentional breathing that is the basis for yoga functions to restore circulation and can actually clear and reduce pressure in the arteries.
- Building Muscle
Yoga is designed to challenge your strength, balance, and flexibility. In so doing, each practice helps you build muscles. Muscle burns more calories than fat. So the more muscle you have, the more calories you’ll burn. And the higher your metabolism will be to burn those calories more efficiently.
Poses to Increase Metabolic Flow
While any yoga practice is effective for supporting metabolic function, these poses are more specifically designed to support a healthy metabolism.
Plow
The plow is typically done toward the end of class when the body is already warm. This pose, in which you lie on your back and slowly pull your legs over your head, compresses the throat. It is a common yoga for metabolism. This compression is intended to stimulate your thyroid and increase your metabolism, as it strengthens your abs and stretches your legs and back.
Shoulder Stand
A challenging inversion, Shoulder Stand is also purported to affect the thyroid gland and rev up the metabolism. You can achieve this pose by slowly transitioning from Plow and supporting your back with your as you carefully raise your legs to the sky. It is important that you do not move your head or neck in the pose and keep a slight bend in your waist and knees.
Warrior III
Warrior III is a standing pose that will challenge and strengthen your legs, ankles, back, shoulders, and core, one of the best yoga for metabolism. This pose improves posture and stability. Requiring a well-aligned core to maintain, the pose also supports digestion. To move into Warrior III, begin in Mountain, bringing your hands to heart center. Then gently bring lift one leg behind you as you lean your upper body forward and become parallel to the floor.
Tree
A strong standing pose is a good yoga for metabolism, Tree forces you to engage all of the muscles in your legs as well as your core. Not only does this pose build muscle, but it also promotes good balance and core strength. Begin by visualizing a tree, rooted into the ground yet standing tall. Then adopt the same posture with your legs rooting into the ground and your upper body expanding upward and outward. Find a hand position that is comfortable for you and allows you to breathe.
Standing Backbend
Standing Backbend is both energizing and strengthening. It enables you to practice a backbend in a safe, supported posture at the same time forcing you to strengthen and stretch the muscles in your glutes, low back, chest, shoulders, hips, and core. It is important to move into this pose slowly. Stand with your glutes firmly in place with your hands or fists pushed into the boy points along your spine. Carefully push your hips forward and raise your chest skyward as you lean back.
Contrary to popular thought, yoga is extremely effective for supporting your metabolism. This practice improves digestion, increases circulation, and builds muscle. While any yoga practice is effective for supporting metabolism, poses including Plow, Shoulder Stand, Warrior III, Tree, and Standing Backbend are particularly effective for promoting metabolic function.
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Author Bio
Jordan is the beauty and brains behind Beautifully Alive! She loves eating healthy and trying new recipes. The self-proclaimed Zumba Queen has a passion for beauty products and loves reading new books. She’s always down for a DIY project!
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