Want to look like a million bucks before D(iwali)-day? This celeb fitness trainer has some tips for you
Try out some of these amazing yoga asanas to look (and feel) gorgeous this festive season.
By ET Online | Updated:
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Make these yoga poses shared by master yoga practitioner and celebrity fitness coach Anshuka Parwani to look your best this Diwali!
The countdown for the festival of lights has begun. One of the major festivals of India, Diwali is the time to go wild with fireworks, light up our homes and indulge in delicious mithais (sweets) and other goodies. However, this can be the perfect occasion for you to light up the room with your beauty. No time like Diwali to show off the new you. Want to flaunt your curves in that statement ethnic wear? Get down to get rid of those love handles!
Celebrity trainer Anshuka Parwani who has helped Bollywood divas like Kareena Kapoor Khan and Alia Bhatt maintain their svelte figures have been tirelessly uploading a series of Diwali Special weight-loss videos on her Instagram handle. Titled ‘Get Fit This Diwali’, the series is a step-by-step guide to lose fat from all the ‘problem areas’ of your body like abs, hips, thighs, tummy, etc., through yoga. We list some of the most effective yoga postures below:
Want to step out in a figure-hugging lehenga? Planning to wow your date with a classy LBD (little black dress)? Then work on getting rid of the extra flab in your upper body. Here are a few yoga postures that are sure shot ways to get leaner, arms, shoulders and chest :
Arm circles:
This is an easy-breezy warmup exercise but works wonders in toning your upper body. Most importantly, it can be done anywhere in your drawing room or while you are at your desk.
How to do it:
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and stretch your arms.
Circle your arms forward and backwards in cyclical motions, and make the circles bigger, until you feel a stretch in your triceps.
Reverse the direction of the circles after 10 seconds or so.
Anshuka Parwani tip: Arm Circle- 15 reps
Plank Walk Outs: Also known as the walking plank, this exercise will help strengthen your core as well as the upper and lower muscles like glutes, hamstrings, calves etc.
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How to do it:
Put your hands directly under your shoulders.
Gradually shift to the side. Move your right hand and foot to the right.
Lift your left hand and foot to meet in the centre.
Anshuka Parwani tip: Plank Walk Outs -15 reps.
Bear Plank: This exercise is perfect for strengthening your core and keeping back pain and spinal problems at bay.
How to do it:
Be on your hands and knees. Keep your feet flexed and your toes on the floor.
Press yourself to the ground
Engage your glutes to slightly tuck your tailbone.
Contract your abdominals and draw them in.
Lift your knees about 1 inch (2.54 cm), keep your chin and head steady, and your eyes should be on the floor beneath your head.
Breathe in and out. Try not to arch your back. Make sure your stomach does not break position and drop to the floor.
Anshuka Parwani tip: Bear Plank - 15 reps.
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Reverse Table Top Dip: This is a great exercise to slim down not just your shoulders and upper body, but also your hip!
How to do it:
Sit in a relaxing position. Push your legs out and place them slightly above the floor. Lean on your hands.
Take a deep breath and press firmly into your hands and feet.
Keep your elbows straight while you lift your hips.
Take deep breaths before lowering yourself.
Anshuka Parwani tip: Reverse Table Top Dips - 15 reps
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Forearm Plank: Forearm planks are a great way to keep your abs toned and taut. This exercise target your transverse abdominis (the ab muscle below your belly button), rectus abdominis (the muscle that is located in your midsection), internal and external obliques (side muscles of your abdominal region)
How to do it:
Lie facedown on the floor.
Keep elbows directly under your shoulders, palms to the floor.
Breathe deeply, and tuck in your abs as you raise your body, using elbows and toes. Keep your palms on the floor.
Keep your butt steady. Don’t raise it or let it sag down.
Anshuka Parwani tip: Forearm Plank- as many as your body allows it.
Want to show off your toned legs for an evening outing? Try one of these asanas.
Garland Squats: Also known as Malasana, this yoga posture is great for keeping your legs slender, and also improving your balance. If you have lost your lower body flexibility from a sedentary lifestyle, this pose is just what you need to get some of that youthful flexibility back!
How to do it:
Start with standing with your feet apart.
Bend the knees, lower your butt towards the floor and bring yourself to a squatting position.
Place your upper arms inside your knees and bend your elbows. Bring your palms together in an anjali mudra (prayer position).
Try to place your thumbs on your sternum, to keep your chest lifted.
Keep your spine straight.
Anshuka Parwani tip: Garland Squats - 15 reps
Warrior One Lunge: Also known as Virabhadrasana 1, this pose is ideal for strengthening the core of your lower body and improving your flexibility.
How to do it:
First, step your right forward, so that your toes are in line with your fingertips and shift your foot to the left.
Bend your front knee 90 degrees.
Place your left heel on the floor so that your foot forms a 45-degree angle to your mat.
Press your left thigh bone back so that your left knee is straight.
Raise your body slowly. At the same time rotate your biceps, bring your palms together and look up your thumbs.
Anshuka Parwani tip: Warrior One Lunge - 15 reps
Pigeon Pose: This pose is excellent for enhancing flexibility.
How to do it:
If you are already doing the downwards-facing dog pose, bring your leg up to a downward dog split.
Bend your right knee and bring it forward.
Place your left knee on your mat. Your left leg should be flat on the floor.
Square your hips.
Bring your body into a forward bend over the right leg.
Continue squaring your hips.
In the end, curl your left toes under and ease back into a Downward Facing Dog.
Anshuka Parwani tip: Downward Dog to Pigeon - 15 reps
Upward Plank Pose: Also known as Purvottanasana, this pose is ideal for boosting upper body strength. This also improves your balance and respiratory system.
How to do it:
Start in a staff pose with your hands on the floor and your fingers pointing forward.
Bend your knees, keep your feet on the floor and lift your hips.
Stay for 30 seconds.
Anshuka Parwani tip: Upward Plank Pose-15 reps.
Bridge Reach: Also known as setu bandha sarvangasana, is a back-bending posture that helps stretch the thighs and helps make your respiratory system healthy. It can also help you relieve stress and headache in a healthy way.
How to do it:
Lie on your back.
Bend your knees and keep your feet on the floor.
Keep palms flat.
Lift your hips. Exhale.
Roll your shoulders back and underneath your body.
Love handles are seldom something we love! These pesky bulges of fat can be found around the waistline. A proper nuisance if you are planning to show off that midriff at a party.
Mountain Pose: Also known as Tadasana, this yoga asana can help you improve your posture and also keep tummy fat in check.
How to do it?
Stand with your feet a few inches apart.
Lift and spread your toes and the balls of your feet gently. Rock slowly back and forth, side to side.
Lift your sternum.
Relax your arms behind your body.
Balance your head, and align them to the centre of your pelvis.
This posture can be done with a single hand or both hands.
Knee-to-elbow pose: This asana will help you improve the flexibility of your hips. In Sanskrit, this is known as Phalakasana. It has other benefits such as improving your core strength. It also exercises your entire body. It is also great for strengthening the spinal cord.
How to do it:
Start from a high plank position, with your hands underneath your shoulders.
Round your shoulder blades and press yourself to your mat.
Inhale and exhale once. Draw your right knee towards the right elbow. Draw your knee as close to the elbow as possible.
Inhale and send the right leg back to a plank position.
Anshuka Parwani tip: Knee-to-elbow pose- 15 reps on each side.
Triangle Pose: Also known as Utthita Trikonasana, this yoga asana works wonders for toning your legs and hips and improves your balance.
How to do it:
Lift your right thigh.
Extend your right hand in front. Keep your right hip tucked.
Lower your right hand and keep it near your ankle.
Point your left finger upwards towards the ceiling while keeping your left shoulder firmly in its socket.
Turn your head to stare at your left fingertips.
Draw your right leg upward.
Stay for about five breaths.
Anshuka Parwani tip: Triangle Pose -15 reps on each side
Tired & Overwhelmed At Work? Try These Yoga Poses To Deal With Burnout
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The chaos of our work life can take its toll. The endless mails, deadlines, meetings and negotiations can be draining in itself, but if you are navigating a toxic workplace, the situation gets far worse. Burnout is inevitable in such cases, and it is only a matter of time before tiredness engulfs you, smashes your self-esteem, and make you unproductive. However, how our workplaces are or who we work with cannot be changed overnight, so we suggest that you focus on self-preservation and try these simple yoga asana to cope with the growing fatigue better.
The chaos of our work life can take its toll. The endless mails, deadlines, meetings and negotiations can be draining in itself, but if you are navigating a toxic workplace, the situation gets far wo..
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When you feel very overwhelmed after spending 8-9 hours at your desk, which still doesn't seem to cut it for your boss, try the tree pose or Vrikshasana. This pose teaches you the importance of balance, a lesson that we often seem to forget in our busy lives. It calms you down, and gives your feet the firm footing (and the exercise) that they need. This pose also increase your neuromascular coordination, alertness and concentration. It will help you recover from a bad day and go back to work with a reset mind.
When you feel very overwhelmed after spending 8-9 hours at your desk, which still doesn't seem to cut it for your boss, try the tree pose or Vrikshasana. This pose teaches you the importance of balan..
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Downward dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana has several benefits that can help you avert an impending burnout. This posture helps in stress relief of the neck and back. When a person is bent forward blood flows into the brain which in turn aids in relieving headaches, mental fogginess, and mild depression.
Downward dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana has several benefits that can help you avert an impending burnout. This posture helps in stress relief of the neck and back. When a person is bent forward blood f..
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Child’s pose, also known as balasana gives a good stretch to the parts of the body that store the maximum amount of stress -- the spine, neck, and lower & upper back. It boosts blood circulation, and improves digestive (which gets badly affected by stress). It also empties your head and allows it to reboot and restart again, with improved productivity.
Child’s pose, also known as balasana gives a good stretch to the parts of the body that store the maximum amount of stress -- the spine, neck, and lower & upper back. It boosts blood circulation, an..
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The first thing that stress harms is your central nervous system. Therefore, to protect it from being badly impacted try savasana or the corpse pose. Savasana also helps in lowering your blood pressure, which can skyrocket if you have hypertension, and is constantly in a stressful work environment. It is also a great pre-sleep asana and by clearing your head it gives you better quality of sleep.
The first thing that stress harms is your central nervous system. Therefore, to protect it from being badly impacted try savasana or the corpse pose. Savasana also helps in lowering your blood pressu..
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Cobra pose or Bhujangasana gives your spine the much needed exercise and is an antidote for the pain induced by hours of bending forward to see the laptop screen. However, it does way more than that. This asana relieves symptoms of mild depression, reduces inflammation and gives a boost to your self-esteem. So, if your toxic colleagues have been trying to prove how incompetent you are, just get home and try the cobra pose, and know that you are the special child of the universe, you are good at what you do.
Cobra pose or Bhujangasana gives your spine the much needed exercise and is an antidote for the pain induced by hours of bending forward to see the laptop screen. However, it does way more than that..
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It isn't bad that you want to escape from a workplace that pushes you towards burnout and show little consideration towards your health. However, until you do the jail break, be a warrior who can defend himself/herself. The warrior pose gives you a sense of grounding and rootedness, and also takes away your stress. It improves blood circulation and boosts respiration.
It isn't bad that you want to escape from a workplace that pushes you towards burnout and show little consideration towards your health. However, until you do the jail break, be a warrior who can def..
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Yogic breathing practices ground us in the present moment. Also known as pranayama it increases our lung capacity to take in more air, improves sleep quality and helps us deal with stress better. If there is one yogic practice that you choose to accept in your life, it should be this breathing practice. Trust us! It cannot change your life, but it will make you more mindful and give you a perspective into things that you didn't have before.
Yogic breathing practices ground us in the present moment. Also known as pranayama it increases our lung capacity to take in more air, improves sleep quality and helps us deal with stress better. If ..
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