Belly fat is a problem, and not just because of how it looks. The type of fat that collects in your belly is called visceral fat. It surrounds your organs and raises your risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. To find out if you have excess fat in this area, put a tape measure around your midsection at bellybutton-level. More than 35 inches in women and 40 inches in men is too much. Here are a few reasons why belly fat forms and how to lose it.

Causes of Belly Fat

1. If you take in more calories than you burn off, you put on pounds everywhere — including in your middle. You need to cut about 500 calories a day to lose a pound. That may sound like a lot, but look at cutting the highest-calorie foods from your diet first. Cookies, french fries, soda, and juice pack many calories into a few sips or bites. Replace those first with low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods like broccoli, apples, brown rice, and brothy soups.
   
2. Age might bring wisdom, but it isn’t kind to your midline. With each passing year, your muscle mass declines and your metabolism slows, so you don’t burn as many calories as you used to. That means you can eat the same amount and still see the number on the scale creep up. Age-acquired weight tends to collect around the middle. To prevent unwanted gains, cut back on calories or add more muscle-building exercise.
   
3. If you eat right and exercise and those stubborn pounds still won’t go, your genes could be to blame. Another clue is if other family members struggle with their weight. Genes control how your body burns calories, how quickly you feel full, and whether you gain weight in your thighs, butt, or belly. Even if belly fat runs in your family, you can overcome your genes with the right diet and enough exercise.In women, the combination of aging and the loss of estrogen at menopause adds up to weight gain. Genes, loss of muscle mass, and overeating also contribute to weight creep in your 40s and 50s. The extra pounds that might have settled in your hips earlier in life now cluster in your middle, also thanks to hormone changes. That weight shift does more than make your pants tighter. It can also raise your risk for heart disease.
   
4. Diet plays a major part in weight gain, lack of movement contributes, too. To avoid putting on extra pounds in your belly and elsewhere in your body, get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic exercise each week.
   
5. Too little shut-eye could be part of the reason you’ve gained weight. Your body makes hormones that make you feel full. Lack of slumber can make them less effective. That’s why, when you’re sleep-deprived, you may overeat and gain weight, especially in your belly. When you don’t get enough sleep, you may also crave more high-calorie comfort foods.

While Performing yoga to lose belly fat, individuals can experience inner peace, as well as stay in shape. Time to increase your confidence and reduce unwanted “baggage” in your life!

Yoga Asanas to Reduce Belly Fat:
Regular practice of yoga strengthens your core and abdomen muscles and thereby contributing to a flatter abdomen. You can practice yoga to reduce tummy fat and the asanas that require bending and twisting also help relieve you of any gas buildup that causes bloating. Visceral fat is stored in the stomach and has the risks of many diseases. Certain yoga asanas for stomach fat loss, will help burn this stubborn fat and reduces the overall body fat. Studies have proven that regular practice of yoga for a year has helped reduce fat and the inches on the waist.

Here we explain how to reduce belly fat by yoga asanas. These yoga poses not only for belly fat and helpful for fitness and health for both men and women.

1. Wheel Pose (Chakrasana):
Chakrasana or the wheel pose is a wonderful exercise for reducing belly fat. It can stretch your abdominal muscles and also unlock your heart chakra. This is one of the best Yoga exercises to reduce belly fat.

How To Do?

• Lie down on your back, curve your knees. Your feet must stay on the floor and keep closer to buttocks. Set your hands on the earth, the palms must be straight and keeps by shoulders.
• At present raise your head and shoulder and then raise your hips from the ground plus poise yourself on your hands plus feet.
• You can try to attempt to raise one leg in the air for 20 seconds. You must repeat the same by the other leg.
• Try this yoga for abdomen fat loss.

Precautions: Pregnant women must not practise Chakrasana. Avoid this pose if you have serious spinal cord issues.

2. Cobbler’s Pose (Baddha Konasana):
Also called the Baddha Konasana, the Cobbler’s pose is one of the simplest Yoga asanas. It aids in weight loss and can be performed by beginners as well. It also treats a number of ailments other than belly fat reduction. Follow the below Yoga steps to reduce belly fat:

How To Do?

• The cobbler’s pose is single of the easiest plus obliging pose of yoga. You require sitting down by your spine straight.
• Your knees must be twisted and the soles of your feet must be opposite each other.
• You must push the soles jointly and grasp this pose for as a minimum a minute.

Cautions: Avoid this exercise if you have a groin injury. You can also place a mattress underneath for additional support.

3. Boat Pose (Naukasana):
Boat pose or the Naukasana is great for toning your abdominal muscles. It can improve your flexibility and strengthen your body. This is a best Yoga for belly fat burning.

How To Do?

• Sit down on a mat, and stretch out your legs. Your knees should be pulled up, thighs should be tight and your toes should be pointed out.
• Now attempt to lift your feet of the ground plus carry your legs to a 45 degree angle. Breathe in while you lift your feet and evade winding your knees.
• The backbone ought to be straight plus your body is supposed to make a V shape. Lift your arms to the shoulder height.

Caution: Do not perform this exercise if you are pregnant or suffering from chronic spinal issues.

4. King Pigeon Pose (Kapotasana):
Here is another Yoga exercise for belly fat. Kapotasana or the King Pigeon pose stretches your abdominal area and tones the muscles. It is an advanced pose that must be performed once you are well-versed with the basic poses.

How to Do?

• Be seated on your feet by your knees plus calves locked together. You may want to use a few soft cloths beneath you to avoid pain.
• Now arrive onto your knees and put your hands on your hips. Stretching out the torso, stare on top.
• Grasp your heels slowly, one hand following the other. Curve backward and widen out the chest with belly.
• Bend more your torso and put head between your feet and stay 20 seconds.

Caution: People with blood pressure issues must refrain from performing this exercise.

5. Locust Pose (Shalabhasana)
Shalabhasana or the Locust Pose is an excellent spinal exercise, that can also work on your abs. It can firm your belly muscles and helps in natural burning of fat cells. This is one of the best Yoga poses to lose belly fat.

How To Do?

• Recline face down by your palms opposite the ground. When inhaling, you must lift your legs up without twisting your knees.
• Your upper torso and hands must also be lifted up giving you a stretch of the abdominal muscles.
• Poise yourself on the belly. This pose is very beneficial to reduce the abdominal fat.

Caution: Do not perform this asana if you are pregnant or suffering from serious ailments.

6. The Back Stretching Pose (paschimottanasana):
Also known as the paschimottanasana where the person has to sit with her legs stretched out in front of her and then with arms outstretched pointing upwards inhalation should be done. This follows the pattern of exhalation where the hands along with the upper body bends towards the feet with the spine pin straight and the palms holding onto the feet. This is a great way to get some stomach exercise that you truly required to burn excess fat in your body.

Here’s How to do this:

• Stretch your legs and sit straight.
• Raise your arms and inhale slowly.
• As you exhale, lean forward and touch your toes. Ensure you don’t bend your knees.
• Touch your head to your thighs and hold your toes.
• Stay in this posture for about 20 seconds.
• Repeat.

Caution: Avoid this asana if you suffer from severe back problem or diarrhea issues.

7. Camel Pose (Ustrasana):
Ustrasana or the camel pose is an asana for reducing belly fat and give strength to muscles. It can tone your abdominal area, thighs and arms to improve the flexibility. This is an advanced and best Yoga to reduce belly fat.

How to do this?

• Kneel down on your knees and then bend torso backwards in an arched form towards heels while his arms go backwards supporting his upper body weight on the back of your foot.
• The trick is to hold the position for a while, inhalation exhalation continuing and then go back to the basic pose and then do it all over again.
• This must be done in succession over the next few days for the best results.

Caution: This pose can strain your neck muscles. So, refrain if you have problems related to the neck.

8. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana):
Cobra pose is another effective asana to reduce belly fat. It is especially helpful for women in shedding their post-partum weight. This stretching exercise is easy to perform for even beginners and is a best Yoga to reduce belly fat in 15 days.

How to do?

• Start by lying on your front, your arms resting at the side of you.
• Now stiffen your marrow as you tense up your abdomen and start lifting your shoulders, waist up.
• You can use your palms and elbow as a support as you tilt your head creating a slight dent on your marrow.
• Remain in this posture for about 30 seconds.
• Repeat twice.

Caution: People with Hernia must refrain from performing this exercise.

9. Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar):
Surya Namaskar is a set of Yoga asanas for belly fat loss. This is a set of 12 yoga poses, plus the forward along with backward curve allow stretches, whereas deep breathing perform throughout the work assist in detoxification. Perform Surya Namaskar daily in the morning. It is the best Yoga to reduce belly fat in 1 week.

How To Do?

• Follow the instructions of each of the asanas.
• Begin slowly, by five rounds, raising the counts slowly above time.
• Increase the count to 12 rounds, depending on the feasibility.

Caution: Surya Namaskar must not be performed during menses or pregnancy. People with hernia or spinal issues must avoid this sequence.