The best way to stretch for weight loss is to do yoga poses. Yoga will burn calories, improve your flexibility and help tone your muscles. One 50-minute Hatha yoga class burns around 144 calories, according to an article on MedicalNewsToday.com entitled "Evaluating Benefits of Yoga." The caloric burned is about the same as that of walking at a slow pace for the same amount of time. Take a class or try a yoga routine at home like the one recommended by HealthGenie.org in an article called "Weight Loss Stretches that Work."
Step 1
Do chair pose to tone your buttocks and legs as you burn calories. Stand with your feet hip-width apart on a yoga mat and raise your arms straight over your head so that your biceps are in line with your ears. Stretch your arms as far as you can upward. Lean forward slightly while keeping your spine straight. Bend your knees and squat toward the floor as you move your hips backward. Keep your feet flat on the floor to stretch your calves. Hold the pose for three to five breaths.
Step 2
Stand back up straight and step forward with your right foot to hold the Crescent pose. Position your right knee above your right ankle. Lift your left heel off the floor and press it back. You should feel a stretch in your left hip, left calf, and left quad. Keep your arms stretching toward the ceiling with your shoulders pulled back to stretch your chest. Hold the pose for three to five breaths to really allow your body to stretch. Switch the position of your feet and hold for three to five breaths.
Step 3
Bring your feet back next to each other to prepare for Willow pose. Raise your right foot and place it on your left inner thigh. Turn your right knee outward at a comfortable range without turning your hips to stretch your groin muscles. Lean sideways toward your right knee with your arms still raised over head and breathe out your nose. Inhale and stand up straight again. Repeat three times. This sideways movement will also tone your oblique abdominal muscle and stretch your spinal muscles. Switch sides so that you are standing on your right leg with your left foot presses into your inner thigh.
Step 4
Do the Boat pose next. Sit on a yoga mat and lean back slightly with a straight spine. Extend your arms straight with your palms turned up. Position your arms so that they are parallel to the floor. Bend your knees and raise you feet off the floor. Balance on your "sit bones." Straighten your legs so that they are at a 45 degree angle to the floor. Pull your toes back to feel a stretch in the back of your legs. Pull your shoulders back too to open and stretch your chest.
Step 5
Roll over so and get on your hands and knees. Place your hands on the mat with your palms flat on the floor. Your hands should be slightly greater than shoulder-width apart. Extend your legs straight back and hold yourself up on your toes instead of your knees. Bend your elbows and lower yourself down until your chin is a few inches from the floor. Keep your elbows tight to your sides and your back flat. Press back with your heels to feel a stretch in your calves. Hold this pose for three to five breaths.
Step 6
Do this routine three days a week on nonconsecutive days.
Tips and Warnings
- Try Power or Ashtanga yoga for a higher caloric burn. Ashtanga yoga is more athletic. You probably won't be able to do it daily unless you are an advanced exerciser.
Things You'll Need
- Yoga mat
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