Maintaining a yoga practice can be a great way to reduce stress, stay in shape and calm the mind. But when it comes to stress relief, not all yoga poses are created equal: Some positions are particularly effective for promoting relaxation, tension relief and restfulness.

"Yoga helps us slow down for a moment and tune into the breath. Simply the focus on one thing -- which is the very definition of meditation -- allows us to decompress," Dr. Terri Kennedy, registered yoga teacher and president of Power Living Enterprises, Inc. told The Huffington Post. "The actual asanas [poses] release tension in different ways, and help certain parts of the body."

With this being said, I've decided today to share with amazing and easy yoga posed to fight stress. Enjoy! 

1. Easy pose

Easy Pose has some great benefits in addition to promoting groundedness and inner calm, such as: opens your hips, lengthens your spine, amplifies the state of serenity, tranquility, and eliminates anxiety, relieves physical and mental exhaustion and tiredness. Focus on your breath in this pose and sit still with a straight spine for at least 60 seconds.

2. Downward facing dog

This is one of the most practiced poses in any yoga sequence. The effects of downward dog help stretch, strengthen and neutralize the spine while rejuvenating the mind with its slight inversion. The opposite flow of energy is great for respiration problems common with stress and anxiety.

3. Child's pose

Even if you prefer a supported child’s pose, the therapeutic benefits are endless. Calm your brain, relax the hips, and gently stretch into the ankle joints. Many find this pose in the middle of a practice simply to come back into their own body.

4. Bridge pose

Not to be confused with the full wheel, the bridge pose provides gentle stretching of the back and legs while alleviating stress and tension. The pose can reduce anxiety, fatigue, backaches, headaches and insomnia, and is even thought to be therapeutic for high blood pressure. Eva Norlyk Smith, Ph.D., yoga teacher and Managing Editor at YogaUOnline, recommends a supported bridge pose with a block underneath the sacrum as a gentler and more de-stressing way to enjoy the stretch.

5. Corpse pose

Savasana is a pose of total relaxation, making it one of the most challenging asanas. Shavasana gives the nervous system a chance to integrate that in what can be thought of as a brief pause before it is forced once again to deal with all the usual stresses of daily life. Lie on your back with your eyes closed, arms by your sides and palms facing up. Allow your ankles to fall outward. Allow your body to melt deeper into the mat with each breath. Stay in this pose for a minimum of 5 minutes. 

6. Legs up the wall

This supported inversion drains the body of toxins and releases bad energy. Simply changing the path of blood flow creates new energy. Easy inversions like legs up the wall reduce ailments like headaches, insomnia and anxiety, and is even believed to help with mild depression.

Yoga calms your mind, but it can't possibly help you lose weight, right? Wrong. For starters, you'll sweat, blast calories, and tone and shape your entire body, especially if you practice a more physically active style of yoga, such as Ashtanga, Vinyasa, or Bikram (hot yoga). In fact, you can torch 400 calories in one Bikram class, roughly the same amount you'd burn by running for 40 minutes at a moderate pace—but with a lot less stress on your body.

With everything being said, here are 10 amazing yoga poses that will not only help you lose weight, but also keep your body fit and toned :

1. Pigeon pose

Begin in Downward Facing Dog. Bring right leg forward to the ground, placing right knee behind right wrist, and allowing right heel to draw in toward groin—the closer it is to the groin, the gentler the stretch. Using the arms to support body weight, lift chest and lengthen spine as you stay here for as long as you comfortably can. Return to Down Dog and repeat on opposite side.

2. Crow pose

From a deep squat, place your hands flat on the floor in front of you so they are shoulder width apart. Come to your tiptoes and walk your feet closer to your body. Then slowly bring your weight forward onto the hands and off the feet until your knees touch your upper arms. As you deepen the bend in your elbows, inch the knees up above the elbows, bringing them as close to the armpits as possible. Transfer the weight fully onto the arms, squeeze your elbows in, tighten your abs, and press your shins into your forearms, causing your feet to float up behind you. You might want to rest in Child's Pose for a few breaths after Crow.

3. Down dog pose

Come down on all fours. Spread your fingers wide on your mat. Tuck your toes, lift your hips up and back, and extend your legs. Press your shoulders toward the floor and relax your neck. Press your palms against the floor. Walk your feet back, pull up through your hips, and press your heels down.

4. Shoulder stand pose

Lie on your back with arms by your side. Bend your knees and rock your legs up, bringing your knees to your forehead and placing your hands under your hips to support them, keeping your elbows on the floor. Slowly straighten your legs into the air, balancing for 8 to 10 breaths, then slowly release your knees and roll gently back onto the floor.

5. Bow pose

Lie down with your belly on the ground. Your chin should be touching the ground. Keep hands beside you with your palms facing upward. Your legs should be placed at a 6 inches distance from one another. Bend your legs at the knees and bring the heels close to your hips. Now grasp the ankles with both your hands. Slowly lift your chin, head and neck backwards. Your chest should be still on the ground. Now inhale deeply and lift your legs, thighs, chest till only your abdomen is touching the ground. Balance yourself on the abdomen only. Pull your legs with your hands as much as possible so as to arch your body completely in the shape of a bow. Bring your feet together. Now look up and gaze at a point on the ceiling. This is your final position. Hold your breath while in this position. When you feel a strain on your back, exhale fully and return to your original position.

6. Camel pose

Kneeling, with your body erect and your knees directly beneath your hips, and toes curling under. Stack your hips on top of your knees, your shoulders atop your hips, and your ears atop your shoulders. Then place the palms of your hands on the small of your back, fingertips facing up. If that's uncomfortable, the fingertips can face the floor. As you inhale, inflate the chest and feel your breastbone rise, floating the ribcage up and off the waist. Then continue to lift the upper back up and over an imaginary ball behind you until you begin to reach one hand and then the other toward the heels. You should arrive in your deepest arch only in the upper back when both hands rest comfortably on your heels or props. Take 5 full, complete breaths, letting the head drop back; if that strains the neck, tuck the chin and relax the face muscles.

7. Standing forward bend

Stand on the mat straight and in relaxed position. Bring your legs together keeping just a few inches distance from one another. Now bend forward and touch your ankles with your hand. Keep forehead positioned in front of your knees. If you are a beginner, you may face difficulty in coming forward without bending your bend knees. So just bend your knees a bit and touch your ankles. Another option is that, don’t bend your knees and instead of touching your ankles keep a block in front of you. Support yourself on that.

8. Rotated triangle

Lower the fingertips of your left hand to the floor outside your right foot. Open your shoulders to the right and extend your right arm up. Bring your left foot forward about 12 inches and press your heel down so your toes point a little out to your left side. Straighten your legs.

9. High lunge

From low lunge, lift your hips until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Extend your arms straight up next to your ears and relax your shoulders. Put some weight onto your left foot, reach your heel out behind you for stability.

10. Low lunge

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, arms at your sides. Step forward with your right foot. Bend forward from the waist and press your fingertips to the floor on each side of your right foot. Bend your knees slightly and step back with your left leg into a low lunge. Push through your left heel and sink your hips low.

Yoga is an ancient practice followed and practiced by many around the globe. It has benefited everyone who has regularly practiced the age-old form of exercise. In today’s fast paced age, people look up to yoga as a perfect exercise for a healthy body and stress-free life.

Practicing yoga on a daily basis has certainly helped many people in reducing and gaining weight. People often blame their genes for being overweight or underweight. But that is not the case every time. It’s not always the genetic makeup that is responsible for weight gain. Our lifestyle and eating habits also play a negative role in weight gain. There is a lot more you can do to reduce weight naturally. Power yoga is a healthy and effective weight loss option. Yoga for weight loss for women is a popular choice these days!

Yoga can be the best and simple option for weight loss as it does not have any side effects. It is a slow process and has long lasting effects. If you want to lose weight in the natural way, always remember 3 D’s: Discipline, Determination & Dedication. And yoga of course!

There are various yoga asanas for weight loss. These include back-bending exercises, standing asanas, sitting asanas and much more.

Yoga For Weight Loss – Top 27 Asanas:

1. Setu Bandh (Bridge Pose):

For doing this, you have to lie down on your back and bend your knees in such a way that your feet rests on the floor. Now the distance between your feet & buttocks should be the same as your hands. Now, try to lift your body in the upward direction. Try doing this 5-10 times & then release. This asana gives a good massage to your thighs & lower back.

2. Bhekasana:

Lie on your belly and reach back to grab your feet as in bow pose. Now through inhalation, lift up your chest and squeeze the shoulders towards each other. Fold your feet towards the hip region and let your hands hold the toes. Hold this pose for 5 breaths and then gradually release.

3. Dhanurasana:

This is also known as Bow pose. All you have to do here is to lie down on the floor with your belly touching the ground. Keep your hands besides your chest. Now take a deep breath and lift your legs & thighs up. At the same time, you have to try to catch your legs with your hands. Remain in this position for 30 seconds & release

4. Shalbasana:

Lie on your belly with your hands resting below your thighs while forehead and chin are resting on the floor. Now try to raise your left leg up to 10 inches. Keep your leg straight. Do not bend your knees. After that, try doing the same with your right leg too. At the final stage, do this with both your legs.

5. Chakki Chalan (Grinding Pose):

This is again a very effective exercise & asana for reducing belly fat. For this, you have to sit in a comfortable position & spread your legs straight in front of you. Both your legs should touch each other. Do not bend your knees. After that join your hands & move it in circular motion over your legs. This gives a good massage & stretch to your stomach, hands & legs. Do it 10 times in clockwise position & 10 times in anti-clockwise position. Release slowly.

6. Nauka Chalan (Boat Pose):

For this, you have to sit down in a straight yet comfortable position. Spread your legs straight in front of you. Your legs need to be joined to each other. Do not bend your knees. Place your hands besides your body. Now try to move your hands forward & backward. Also, move your body in the same manner as you move your hands. They should move as if you are riding a boat. Do it 10 times in clockwise position & 10 times in anti-clockwise position. Release.

7. Pavanmuktasana (Wind-releasing Pose):

Lie down on your back in straight position. Now lift up your left leg & bend it from the knee. Now, try to press your left leg towards your stomach. Try to touch your chin to your knee. For this, you will have to lift up your head a little. Try doing the same with right leg as well. Once you successfully do this, try doing the same movement with both the legs at the same time. This gives a good stretch to your stomach & helps in reducing unnecessary fats.

8. Ardha Matsyendrasana:

Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Bend your knees, put your feet on the floor and then slide your left foot under your right leg. Lay the outside of the left leg on the floor. Step the right foot over the left leg and stand it on the floor outside your left hip. Pressing right hand against the floor just behind your right buttock, and set your left upper arm on the outside of your right thigh near the knee. The right knee will point directly up at the ceiling. Here, you have to exhale & turn towards the inner side of your right thigh. Remain in this position for about 30 seconds & then release. Try doing this the other way too.

9. Vakrasana:

For this, you have to sit in a comfortable cross-legged position. Now, keep your right hand on your left knee. Try to twist your body in the left direction. Do not forget to keep your posture straight. Try doing this in the right direction too.

10. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose):

In this pose, you have to position yourself into a curved pose which resembles a snake. Sleep on the ground in such a way that your forehead touches the ground. Now place your palms under your shoulders in a manner that it gets tucked close to your body. Stretch your legs in a way that the top of your feet presses down into the mat. Now inhale & slowly press your hands to stretch your arms, sending your chest upwards. This pose looks like a snake & hence it is called the cobra pose or the snake pose.

Read the whole article here : Top 27 Best Yoga Asanas For Losing Weight Quickly And Easily

Lower back pain is one of the most common complaints in US today. The Mayo Clinic states that most people will experience low back pain at some point in their lives. Lower back pain is experienced by sedentary people as well as highly-trained athletes.

For lower back relief please do the following poses daily or at least after your workout. Breathe deeply in and out of the nose while doing these poses.

1. Downward-Facing Dog

This classic yoga pose is a great total body stretch that targets back extensors, or the large muscles that help form your lower back, support your spine, and help you stand and lift objects.

2. Child's pose

It may look like you’re resting, but child’s pose is an active stretch that helps elongate the back. It’s also a great de-stressor before bed at the end of a long, exhausting day.

3. Supine Hamstring Stretch

Lying on your back, bend your right knee into your chest and place a strap or rolled-up towel around the ball of your foot. Straighten your leg toward the ceiling. Press out through both heels. If the lower back feels strained, bend the left knee and place the foot on the ground. Hold for 3-5 minutes and then switch to the left let for 3-5 minutes.

4. Two-Knee Twist

Lying on your back, bend your knees into your chest and bring your arms out at a T. As you exhale lower your knees to ground on the right. Keep both shoulders pressing down firmly. If the left shoulder lifts, lower your knees further away from the right arm. Hold for 1-2 minutes each side.

5. Triangle Pose

Triangle pose is great for strengthening the back and legs and can help lengthen your muscles along the sides of your torso while stretching the muscle fibers along your outer hip (your IT, or iliotibial, band).

6. Cat and Cow Pose

The perfect poses for an achy, sore back, cow and cat stretches loosen back muscles, whether as part of a yoga routine or as a warm-up for another workout.