8 Yoga Exercises to Lose Weight at Home

The journey to lose weight can often feel like a mental challenge as much as a physical one. It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that only high-intensity workouts can burn calories, which leads to many people overlooking yoga. 

While yoga may not produce the immediate, drastic results of a cardio-heavy routine, its power lies in a gradual, sustainable approach. Through consistent practice, yoga strengthens and stretches muscles, which leads to a toned physique and a healthier relationship with your body.

This guide will walk you through how yoga contributes to weight loss, which types are most effective, and a specific sequence of 8 yoga exercises you can do at home to help you on your journey. We’ll explore how a consistent practice can transform both your body and mindset.

Can You Lose Weight by Doing Yoga?

Absolutely. While often associated with flexibility and stress relief, yoga is a powerful tool for weight management. Its benefits go beyond simply burning calories. According to research-backed evidence, yoga addresses many underlying causes of weight gain, making it a holistic solution.

Here are eight physiological mechanisms through which yoga supports weight loss:

1. Improved Mindfulness: Yoga fosters a strong mind-body connection. This heightened awareness, which is often called “moving meditation”, can extend to your eating habits. This study from the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that practicing yoga can help reduce emotional eating and binge eating in young adults by making you more attuned to your body’s hunger and satiety cues (1).
2. Stress Reduction: Chronic stress elevates cortisol levels, a hormone that is linked to increased abdominal fat and cravings for sugary, high-fat foods (2). Yoga’s focus on deep breathing and relaxation techniques has been shown to lower cortisol, which helps manage stress-related weight gain (3).
3. Better Sleep Quality: Poor sleep disrupts hormones that regulate appetite, such as ghrelin (the hunger hormone) (4). The calming effects of a regular yoga practice can significantly improve sleep quality, which has been seen in particular in women with sleep issues (5). This helps regulate your appetite and reduce cravings (4).
4. Increased Muscle Mass: Many yoga poses require you to support your own body weight, which can help to build lean muscle (6). Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat, which means it burns more calories even when you’re at rest. Over time, building muscle through yoga increases your resting metabolic rate (7).
5. Enhanced Digestion: Exercise overall can stimulate the digestive system, promoting more efficient processing of food and elimination of waste, which is essential for maintaining a healthy weight (8).
6. Calorie Expenditure: While it varies in style, a single yoga session can burn between 70 and 150 calories. This corresponds to a metabolic equivalent (MET) range of 2 to 5.9, depending on the intensity, with more vigorous styles such as power yoga reaching the higher end (9).

More dynamic forms like Vinyasa or power yoga elevate your heart rate, providing a solid cardiovascular workout that contributes directly to a calorie deficit (10).

1. Improved Joint Health: Yoga is a low-impact exercise that improves flexibility and strengthens the muscles around your joints. This can reduce joint pain, especially in those with arthritis, allowing you to engage in other forms of physical activity more comfortably and consistently (11).
2. Supportive Community: Joining a yoga class provides a sense of community and support. Research has shown that social networks heavily influence health behaviors (12). Being part of a group that encourages positive habits can provide the motivation that is needed to stick to your weight loss goals.

To learn more about how yoga compares to other low-impact exercises, read our detailed comparison of Pilates vs yoga for weight loss.

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Which Yoga Is Best for Fast Weight Loss?

When the goal is weight loss, not all yoga styles are created equal. To maximize calorie burn and build muscle, you’ll need to choose a more dynamic and physically demanding practice.

Here’s a breakdown of the best types of yoga for weight loss:

• Vinyasa Yoga: Often called “flow yoga”, Vinyasa links movement with breath in a continuous sequence of poses. The fast pace keeps your heart rate elevated, which provides a strong cardiovascular workout. A typical Vinyasa class is excellent for burning calories and building stamina.
• Power Yoga: As the name suggests, this is an athletic and challenging style. Based on Ashtanga yoga, it involves a vigorous, flowing sequence of poses that is designed to build strength and endurance. If you have a good level of fitness, power yoga is one of the most effective options for weight loss.
• Ashtanga Yoga: This is a structured and physically demanding practice that involves a specific sequence of postures performed in the same order every time. It’s a disciplined style that builds internal heat, detoxifies the body, and significantly improves strength.
• Bikram Yoga (Hot Yoga): Practiced in a room heated to 105°F (40°C) with 40% humidity, Bikram consists of 26 poses and two breathing exercises. The heat increases your heart rate and makes your muscles more pliable, which leads to an incredibly sweaty and intense workout that can temporarily boost your metabolic rate.

While more gentle forms such as Hatha or restorative yoga burn fewer calories, they still offer significant weight loss benefits by reducing stress and improving mindfulness, which can curb emotional eating.

If you’re just starting, consider exploring our guide to yoga for weight loss for beginners to find a style that suits your fitness level.

8 Calorie-Burning Yoga Exercises to Lose Weight

Incorporating a yoga routine into your morning can set a positive tone for the rest of the day. It helps awaken your body, boost your metabolism, and may even reduce food cravings.

This sequence is designed to be a complete flow that targets major muscle groups, raises your heart rate, and promotes fat loss. For the best results, aim to practice this sequence two times through, followed by a few minutes of relaxation in Savasana (corpse pose).

How to structure your practice:

• Time per pose: Hold each pose for the number of breaths indicated.
• Repetitions: Complete the entire 8-pose sequence on one side of the body, then repeat on the other side. Perform the full sequence (both sides) twice.
• Total time: This should take approximately 20-30 minutes.

1. Child’s Pose (Balasana)

This resting pose is a great way to gently stretch your hips, thighs, and ankles while calming the mind. Start here to center yourself and prepare for your practice.

Steps:

1. Begin on your hands and knees.
2. Spread your knees wide apart while keeping your big toes touching.
3. Sit back on your heels.
4. As you exhale, fold forward, resting your torso between your thighs.
5. Extend your arms forward or rest them alongside your body.
6. Rest your forehead on the floor and breathe deeply, feeling the stretch in your back.
7. Hold for 4 deep breaths.

2. Locust Pose (Salabhasana)

This pose is excellent for strengthening the muscles in your back, buttocks, and hamstrings. 

Steps:

1. Lie on your stomach with your legs together and your arms alongside your body, palms facing up.
2. Rest your forehead on the floor.
3. On an inhalation, lift your head, chest, arms, and legs off the floor. Keep your arms parallel to the floor and reach back through your fingertips.
4. Engage your glutes and back muscles to lift higher.
5. Look forward or slightly up, keeping your neck in line with your spine.
6. Hold for 6 breaths.

3. Downward-Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

A foundational yoga pose, downward-facing dog stretches the entire body, builds upper-body strength, and can help tone the abdominal muscles.

Steps:

1. From a tabletop position (on your hands and knees), tuck your toes and lift your hips up and back to form an inverted ‘V’ shape.
2. Press firmly into your palms and spread your fingers wide.
3. Keep your head between your upper arms, looking toward your navel.
4. Work on straightening your legs and lowering your heels toward the ground.
5. Pull your belly button in toward your spine to engage your core.
6. Hold for 6 breaths.

4. Warrior Pose I (Virabhadrasana I)

This powerful standing pose strengthens your legs, core, and arms while stretching your chest and shoulders.

Steps:

1. From downward-facing dog, step your left foot forward between your hands.
2. Pivot your right heel down to the floor, with your right foot turned at a 45-degree angle.
3. On an inhalation, rise up, raising your arms overhead with palms facing each other.
4. Bend your front (left) knee to a 90-degree angle, ensuring it’s directly over your ankle.
5. Keep your back leg straight and press the outer edge of your back foot into the floor.
6. Look up toward your hands.
7. Hold for 6 breaths.

5. Reverse Warrior Pose (Viparita Virabhadrasana)

This pose builds on warrior I, adding a side bend that deeply stretches the side body and obliques.

Steps:

1. From warrior I, keep your legs in the same position.
2. On an exhalation, slide your right hand down your right leg and lift your left arm up and back, creating an arch in your side body.
3. Keep your front knee bent.
4. Gaze up at your left hand.
5. Hold for 6 breaths.

Read more: Yoga Warrior Sequence Step By Step For Beginners

6. Extended Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana)

Triangle pose strengthens the legs and core while providing an intense stretch for your hamstrings, hips, and spine. It’s also effective for toning your side abdominal muscles.

Steps:

1. From reverse warrior, straighten your front (left) leg.
2. Hinge at your left hip and reach forward as far as you can.
3. Release your left hand down to your shin, ankle, or the floor.
4. Extend your right arm straight up toward the ceiling, creating a straight line with your left arm.
5. Turn your gaze up toward your right hand.
6. Hold for 4 breaths.

7. Intense Leg Stretch Pose (Prasarita Padottanasana)

This wide-legged forward bend stretches the hamstrings, calves, and hips while strengthening the feet and ankles. The inversion aspect also helps calm the mind.

Steps:

1. From triangle pose, lift your torso and turn both feet to face the long edge of your mat. Your feet should be wide apart with the outer edges parallel.
2. Place your hands on your hips. Inhale and lengthen your spine.
3. As you exhale, hinge at your hips and fold forward.
4. Place your palms on the floor directly under your shoulders.
5. To deepen the stretch, walk your hands back in line with your feet and try to bring the crown of your head toward the floor.
6. Hold for 8 breaths.

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8. Garland Pose (Malasana)

This deep squat is fantastic for opening the hips and groin and strengthening the ankles.

Steps:

1. From your wide-legged forward bend, heel-toe your feet closer together, about hip-width apart.
2. Turn your toes out slightly and lower your hips down into a deep squat.
3. Bring your palms together in a prayer position at your chest, pressing your elbows against the inside of your knees to open your hips further.
4. Keep your spine long and your chest lifted.
5. Hold for 6 breaths.

To end your sequence, release from garland pose, repeat poses 4-6 on the right side, and then finish with a final downward-facing dog before relaxing in Savasana.

For a more gentle approach, particularly on rest days, you can try these poses for lazy yoga for weight loss.

Is 30 Minutes of Yoga a Day Enough to Lose Weight?

Yes, a consistent 30-minute daily yoga practice can be very effective for weight loss. In 30 minutes, you can complete a dynamic Vinyasa or power yoga sequence that elevates your heart rate, burns a significant number of calories, and builds muscle. Consistency is more important than duration. 

A daily 30-minute practice is more beneficial than one long, infrequent session. This regular habit also reinforces mindfulness and stress reduction, which helps you make healthier choices throughout the day.

Read more: 10 Yoga Stretches to Ease Neck and Shoulder Stiffness

How Long Does It Take Doing Yoga to See Results?

Patience is key. While you may feel better mentally and physically after just a few sessions, visible weight loss results typically take a few weeks to a couple of months of consistent practice (3-5 times per week). 

The timeline depends on factors such as the intensity of your practice, your diet, and your starting weight. Adopting a long-term mindset is crucial. Yoga is about sustainable change, not a quick fix.

Can I Lose 10 kg in a Month with Yoga?

Losing 10 kg (approximately 22 pounds) in a single month is an incredibly aggressive and generally unrealistic goal. To lose this much weight, you would need to create a massive calorie deficit, which is difficult to achieve safely through yoga and diet alone.

A healthy and sustainable rate of weight loss is typically 0.5-1 kg (1-2 pounds) per week. While yoga will contribute to your weight loss, it should be part of a comprehensive approach that includes a balanced diet, adequate hydration, and potentially other forms of exercise.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is yoga or walking better for weight loss?

Both yoga and walking are excellent for weight loss, and they offer different benefits. Walking is a great low-impact cardio exercise that burns calories. Dynamic yoga styles can burn a similar number of calories while also building muscle, which boosts your metabolism. The best choice will depend on your preference. Combining both can be a highly effective strategy.

• What is the best time of day to do yoga?

Many people prefer to practice yoga in the morning to start their day with energy and a clear mind. A morning session can also help regulate your appetite for the rest of the day. However, an evening practice can be beneficial for winding down, relieving stress, and improving sleep quality. The best time is ultimately when you can be most consistent.

• How many days will it take to lose weight with yoga?

There’s no magic number, as results vary for everyone. With a consistent practice of 3-5 times per week, combined with a healthy diet, you may start to see noticeable weight loss within 4-8 weeks. Remember that progress is not always linear, and the non-scale victories – such as increased energy, better mood, and clothes fitting differently – are just as important.

• How many steps do I need to walk in a day to lose weight?

While it’s not directly related to yoga, a common fitness guideline is to aim for 10,000 steps per day. This is a good general target for maintaining an active lifestyle and contributing to a calorie deficit. However, the exact number that is needed for weight loss will depend on individual factors such as your diet, metabolism, and overall activity level.

The Bottom Line

Yoga offers a path to weight loss that nurtures both the body and mind. By building strength, increasing flexibility, and fostering a mindful connection with yourself, you can achieve sustainable results that last. The key is to start, stay consistent, and be patient with your journey. This sequence of yoga exercises to lose weight at home is a great place to begin.