Are Chair Yoga Belly Fat Exercises Effective to Trim Your Waistline? 

Beginner chair yoga for weight loss and for more experienced practitioners has always been the saving grace: its accessibility benefits a majority of people and its effects can be  body-changing.

Of course, we all know that trimming the fat in only one area is impossible, your entire body has to be involved in this process.

Whole-body exercises and movements, like chair yoga in this case, could become additional remedies for burning calories, especially when you emphasize muscle activation. 

Eating healthy  foods, staying hydrated, sleeping enough, and exercising are core perpetrators of healthy weight. Yet, implementing a chair yoga routine on a daily basis could speed up the fat reduction process in your belly. 

Even inexperienced weight lifters can handle chair yoga. All they need is a little time to get the hang of the proper form and technique entwined with deep breathing. 

Today we’re going to find out the answer to a few questions, one of which applies mainly to the role of chair yoga in belly-fat reduction. Are chair yoga belly fat exercises effective to trim your waistline? 

For “dessert”, you’ll obtain top-notch chair yoga workouts to enjoy at home or at a special yoga studio. 

Can you lose belly fat by doing chair yoga?

There are two possible answers to this question. 

One possibility is that chair yoga for beginners and advanced practitioners may provide a pivotal change to your waistline because this practice addresses one of the main causes of abdominal fat: stress. 

Let’s face it, stress impacts us in versatile ways, potentially making us either satiated more frequently or to snack at the times we prefer not to. Research shows that stress affects the body’s ability to lose weight and increases the likelihood of gaining fat in the abdominal area (4).

Chair yoga, by contrast, is a powerful tool for lowering stress levels and promoting your overall well-being (5). Here’s a potential thing that could happen: 

You’re less stressed, therefore, eat better meals in a more mindful manner and avoid frequent snacking for no reason. 

Chair Exercises for Belly Fat engage the abdominal muscles, making them more toned and stronger. Below we will list a few different chair yoga exercises that could be beneficial for your abdominal muscles

On the other hand, though, there is one thing that you need to remember  – you can’t spot reduce fat in any part of your body. Body fat loss comes from a balance in the amount of calories you are eating in a day and the amount of calories you are burning in a day. . No matter how long you’re going to perform chair yoga poses, you won’t trim the belly fat if you CONSUME:

• more calories than you burn daily
• high-fat, sugary foods
• sugary beverages
• processes meals

Of course, enjoying your guilty pleasure once in a while is all right, yet, making it an eating habit, unfortunately, could kill the whole “fat-reduction” buzz. 

To sum up the answer, you can lose belly fat by doing the 28-day chair yoga for weight loss or even longer practices as long as you: 

• eat lean proteins, fruits, veggies, and whole grains (3);
• are in a calorie deficit in which you are burning more calories than you are consuming
• engage in other forms of exercise to tone yourself up: walking, running, swimming, or strength training are at your service;
• sleep enough (seven to eight hours works perfectly well)
• drink enough water
• reduce stress by incorporating versatile mindful techniques, physical activities, or consulting a specialist if the issue transforms into something much more frequent that impacts your life.

BetterMe App helps you achieve your body goals with ease and efficiency by helping to choose proper meal plans and effective workouts. Start using our app and you will see good results in a short time.

How do you get a flat belly with yoga chairs?

Without further discussion, let’s move directly to the promised chair yoga exercises that can  reduce belly fat. These 9 free printable chair yoga exercises for weight loss can help you get rid of procrastinating thoughts and start your practice today. 

Most of them are suitable not only for adults or overweight people but older individuals who have limited mobility. 

Chair Twisted Seated Pose

This exercise can  stimulate your digestive system. In addition, it targets the obliques and rectus abdominis.

How to perform:

1. Sit straight with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Inhale deeply, then exhale, and turn to your right side, placing your left hand on the outer side of your right thigh.
3. Avoid arching your back, and turn your head to look over your right shoulder.
4. Hold the twist for a few breaths, then release and repeat on the other side.

Chair Cat-Cow Stretch

This exercise can improve flexibility and strengthen the core, especially the obliques and rectus abdominis. In addition, it also can stimulate  digestion, which aids fat metabolism.

How to perform:

1. Sit on the edge of a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Place your hands on your knees.
3. Inhale, arch your back, and look up toward the ceiling. Then, exhale, and round your spine while tucking your chin to your chest.
4. Repeat for 10 to 15 repetitions.

Chair Seated Forward Bend

This exercise will stretch your entire back and may promote digestion. It primarily works the core and hips.

How to perform:

1. Sit on the edge of the chair with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Inhale deeply, and while exhaling, bend forward from your waist, trying to reach your hands to the floor.
3. Keep your spine elongated, and your neck relaxed.
4. Slowly come back to the sitting position. Repeat for 8-10 repetitions.

Chair Plank

Chair plank strengthens the entire core and can tone the arms and back, and promotes  a stronger midsection.

How to perform:

1. Place your hands or forearms on the seat of the chair, and walk your feet back until your body creates a straight line from your head to your toes.
2. With your core engaged, avoid sagging in the lower back. Hold this position for 10 seconds, while breathing evenly.
3. Release, and return to the starting position. Repeat for five cycles.

Chair Eagle Pose

This exercise is great  for engaging your core. It can also help to release tension in the shoulders and hips. 

How to perform:

1. Sit on the chair with your feet flat on the ground.
2. Cross your left thigh over your right thigh, wrapping your left foot around the back of your right calf.
3. Cross your left arm over your right arm, bending at the elbows, and try to touch your palms together.
4. Hold this twisted position, while breathing deeply.
5. Release, and switch sides. Repeat for five to 10 cycles.

Chair Seated Leg Lifts

The following chair exercise targets the lower belly and can strengthen the hip flexors. 

How to perform:

1. Sit firmly on the chair with your back straight.
2. Hold the sides of the chair for support, and lift one leg to hip height, trying to keep it straight. If you can’t lift a straight leg, no worries, you may lift your knee in the beginning.
3. Lower it down without touching the floor, and lift again.
4. Switch legs after your set.
5. Repeat for 8-10 repetitions.

Read more: 21 Day Chair Yoga: Reasons To Add This Challenge To Your Routine

Chair Warrior III Pose

This pose promotes balance strengthening the core and lower back. The muscles you’ll engage here include the rectus abdominis, erector spinae, and glutes.

How to perform:

1. Stand in front of the chair pushed up against a wall, holding onto the seat for support.
2. Lift one leg behind you and lean your torso forward, forming a straight line from head to lifted heel.
3. Make sure you’ve engaged your core and your standing leg is pushing through the full foot.
4. Return to the starting position, and switch legs.
5. Repeat for 8-10 repetitions.

Chair Boat Pose

This pose strengthens the core and can improve  balance. Muscles engaged include rectus abdominis and hip flexors.

How to perform:

1. Sit sideways on the edge of the chair.
2. Slightly lean back, lifting both legs off the floor to a 45-degree angle.
3. Extend your arms parallel to the floor. Keep your core engaged and your spine straight.
4. Hold the pose while breathing deeply.
5. Lower your legs to release. Repeat for three cycles of 10-15 seconds.

Chair Side Stretch

This chair side stretch targets the obliques and enhances flexibility in the side torso. By the way, if you spend a lot of your time sitting on a chair, you’ll benefit from this exercise as it gives a stretched feeling to the muscles that get compressed while seated. 

How to perform:

1. Sit on the chair with your feet flat on the ground.
2. Raise your left arm overhead, leaning to the right side, to feel a stretch on the left side of your torso.
3. Hold for a few breaths with your core engaged.
4. Return to the starting position and switch sides.
5. Repeat for 8-10 repetitions.

Can yoga reduce belly fat?

You have learned that chair yoga for weight loss, for seniors and others, may be effective at trimming belly fat. 

What about traditional chair-free yoga? 

It’s no rocket science that yoga is beneficial for your heart health, strength and flexibility, back pain relief, the quality of your sleep, and stress management abilities (1).

Regarding the weight-loss qualities, yoga takes the win as well. One study in 2016 on women with abdominal obesity, suggests that integrating yoga may promote combating abdominal obesity (6).  

Another recent study in 2021 concluded that yoga tendency can decrease BMI (Body Mass Index) and BFM (Body Fat Mass) and increase muscle mass (2).

Hence, entwined with a healthy diet and active lifestyle, yoga is vital for trimming the fat in  your entire body. 

Does wall chair reduce belly fat?

Wall chair (also known as a wall sit) is another powerful exercise you can confidently add to your Chair Yoga Workout Plan. Yet, in this case, you won’t need any chair. The chair will be imaginary and you will use the wall to brace yourself and hold this position.  

Wall sits are great for strengthening the core and can help  you lose the extra fat from the abdomen. As you start doing this exercise, you place pressure on your entire core , which can help  burn the stubborn belly fat.

Here’s how you can do it in the right way: 

1. Stand straight with your back pressed against the wall.
2. Slide down, move your legs forward, and bend them.
3. Keep your thighs parallel to the floor with your feet pressed into the floor.
4. Hold the position for at least 30 seconds.
5. You can increase the duration gradually.
6. You should feel this in your lower body and core. The longer the duration, the more work your quads and core will be forced to do in order to keep you stable.

If you wish to free yourself from all the extra pounds that have been weighting you down for way too long, start using the BetterMe app and overhaul your entire life!

FAQs

• Does the chair yoga plan really work?

Yes, a chair yoga plan can help you feel and look better by improving your mobility, managing stress levels, boosting your metabolism, strengthening your muscles, and toning your body.  Plus, chair yoga is a great form of exercise for older and younger adults who have arthritis or a fear of falling. 

• How many calories does 30 minutes of chair yoga burn?

On average, a person can burn around 50 to 100 calories per 30 minutes of a chair yoga session. Of course, these results differ, depending on the individual and the complexity of the exercises themselves. Additionally, the intensity at which you do the exercises will have a dramatic impact on your total calories being burned. If you are able to keep your heart rate up for an extended period of time, this will lead to a greater overall calorie burn. 

• Does 28 day chair yoga work for weight loss?

Yes, chair yoga for 28 days may be beneficial as long as you follow the practice consistently, enhance the sets during your sessions, and consume meals that are within your daily calorie intake limit and are  loaded with lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains. Aside from chair yoga, it’s good to stay active by performing other types of sports, whether it’s volleyball, running, strength training, swimming or even just a daily walk. 

• Is it OK to do chair yoga everyday?

For the most part, it is okay to be doing chair yoga everyday as long as you are keeping the intensity on the lower end of things. Chair yoga tends to be a safer form of exercise due to being a low-impact or gentler version of traditional yoga forms. Even though chair yoga is less likely to lead to significant weight loss, this practice can still help you develop a healthier relationship with exercise. Additionally, when added in with proper food intake, it can lead to lasting body changes. 

It encourages regular mindfulness and can lead to more mindful eating habits and a shift to weight loss.

The Bottom Line

Are chair yoga belly fat exercises effective to trim your waistline? The short answer is yes since this form of yoga addresses one of the main causes of abdominal fat: stress. And stress affects the body’s ability to lose weight and increases the likelihood of gaining fat in the abdominal area. 

Nonetheless, doing chair yoga on its own is not fully effective for weight-loss purposes compared to more vigorous training. In addition, those who aim to reduce their waistline circumference need to make better food choices and be mindful of their daily calorie intake in order to see reduction. 

Unfortunately, most of your weight goals will depend on other factors besides physical activity: calories eaten, hearty meals, quality of your sleep, stress levels, and hydration. Their mixture, combined with chair yoga sessions, can help you “seal the weight loss deal”. 

Always remember to contact a medical professional before starting any new exercise program. There may be underlying conditions that would prevent you from doing these types of workouts.