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Blast Belly Fat
Slim and strengthen your midsection with low impact, big-results yoga
By Lara Rosenbaum, Prevention

It's your secret weapon in the war against belly fat: calm, soothing yoga. Though gentle on the joints, it's still challenging enough to strengthen and tone your abs and burn calories. In fact, yoga may be one of the most effective workouts for fighting the stubborn stores of fat that tend to develop after age 40. Why? Studies show that yoga lowers levels of stress hormones like cortisol and increases insulin sensitivity — a signal to your body to burn fat as fuel rather than store it as fat.

Another belly bonus: A few sessions on the mat can help you curb emotional eating. " Yoga relieves stress, so you may be less likely to mindlessly stuff yourself," says Alan R. Kristal, Dr. PH, a yoga practictioner and researcher at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. "It also helps you become more aware of your body, so you're more sensitive to feeling full from overeating."

More ways to defy your age with yoga:

Ward off crow's feet and frown lines:

Yoga helps relax your facial muscles. The less tension you hold in your face, the few wrinkles you'll develop.

Sleep like a baby:

An Indian study found that daily practice may increase levels of the brain's sedative, melatonin, which decreases as you age.

Keep your hips healthy:

Like stretching, yoga helps keep your muscles supple and flexible, and your body less prone to injury.

The Workout:

Blast Belly Fat
Slim and strengthen your midsection with low impact, big-results yoga
By Lara Rosenbaum, Prevention



It's your secret weapon in the war against belly fat: calm, soothing yoga. Though gentle on the joints, it's still challenging enough to strengthen and tone your abs and burn calories. In fact, yoga may be one of the most effective workouts for fighting the stubborn stores of fat that tend to develop after age 40. Why? Studies show that yoga lowers levels of stress hormones like cortisol and increases insulin sensitivity — a signal to your body to burn fat as fuel rather than store it as fat.

Another belly bonus: A few sessions on the mat can help you curb emotional eating. " Yoga relieves stress, so you may be less likely to mindlessly stuff yourself," says Alan R. Kristal, Dr. PH, a yoga practictioner and researcher at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. "It also helps you become more aware of your body, so you're more sensitive to feeling full from overeating."

More ways to defy your age with yoga:

Ward off crow's feet and frown lines:

Yoga helps relax your facial muscles. The less tension you hold in your face, the few wrinkles you'll develop.

Sleep like a baby:

An Indian study found that daily practice may increase levels of the brain's sedative, melatonin, which decreases as you age.

Keep your hips healthy:

Like stretching, yoga helps keep your muscles supple and flexible, and your body less prone to injury.

The Workout:



Cat-Cow-Pointer Sequence:

Start this sequence in Cat pose, on all fours with your back rounded and abs pulled in. Hold for a few seconds, and then press abs down toward floor, arching back into Cow. Repeat once. Next, raise left arm in front of you and extend right leg out behind you. Hold this position for 5 seconds, then round your back upward, bringing left elbow in toward right knee. Hold this position for 5 seconds, then extend and bring in for a second set. Repeat with the other side for two more sets.

Twisted Warrior

From a standing position, move into Warrior 1, stepping left leg forward, toes straight ahead, and right leg back, toes turned out. Root feet into the ground, engage your core, and twist at the waist, hooking right elbow over left thigh. Make a fist with your right hand and brace left hand on it, lifting your torso up off your thigh and relaxing your neck. For more of a challenge, perform bind by sliding left arm down and around left thigh, clasping hands behind back. Hold for a few breaths, then repeat on right side

Twisted Root

Lie on your back in traditional situp stance — with hands clasped behind head, feet on the floor, and knees bent. Cross right knee over left knee, and try to interlock right ankle with left ankle. Next, inhale and curl head and chest up. Exhale and curl pelvis and thighs up, pulling abs in toward spine. Release and repeat three times. Next, place hands on left thigh. Push against thighs as your thighs resist against hands. Hold for a breath and release, and then repeat the whole sequence with legs switched.


Twisted Warrior

From a standing position, move into Warrior 1, stepping left leg forward, toes straight ahead, and right leg back, toes turned out. Root feet into the ground, engage your core, and twist at the waist, hooking right elbow over left thigh. Make a fist with your right hand and brace left hand on it, lifting your torso up off your thigh and relaxing your neck. For more of a challenge, perform bind by sliding left arm down and around left thigh, clasping hands behind back. Hold for a few breaths, then repeat on right side.



Twisted Root

Lie on your back in traditional situp stance — with hands clasped behind head, feet on the floor, and knees bent. Cross right knee over left knee, and try to interlock right ankle with left ankle. Next, inhale and curl head and chest up. Exhale and curl pelvis and thighs up, pulling abs in toward spine. Release and repeat three times. Next, place hands on left thigh. Push against thighs as your thighs resist against hands. Hold for a breath and release, and then repeat the whole sequence with legs switched.



Bridge With Roll

Place a foam roller or a rolled and double beach towel between thighs. Lie on back with knees bent and directly over feet, and rest hands by heels, palms up. Press heels and balls of feet into the floor with toes up. Exhale and curl tailbone toward the roll, and then using abs and glutes, lift hips and torso toward the ceiling. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths. Lengthen ribs with each inhale, and focus on lengthening your back with each exhale. Lower down starting with upper back and finishing with lower back, keeping pelvis tilted up.


L-Seat

Sit on a mat with legs extended and feet pointed. Place hands on the floor, just outside thighs, and slightly round torso downward, curling abs. Next, pull lower abs in toward spine and use them to lift hips off the mat. Your weight should be balanced between your hands and heels. Hold for five counts and then release, repeating for three reps


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