10 Yoga Poses that Increase Metabolism

Twisted Chair pose helps increase circulation by not only using every muscle in your body but also twisting, which wakes up your internal organs and aids in digestion.

How to: Stand with your feet and legs together. Begin to bend your knees and sink your hips down and back as if you were sitting in a chair far behind you. Bring your palms together in front of your chest. Rotate your spine to bring your right elbow to your left knee. Try to keep your chest lifted the whole time. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds and then repeat on the other side.

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Locust pose strengthens the muscles in your legs and lower back while opening up your chest and elongating your spinal column. Like all back bends, Locust pose boosts energy and revs you up.

How to: Lie on your stomach with your arms alongside your body, palms facing up. Lift your head, upper body, arms, and legs up off the floor. Keep your arms and legs active and look forward or slightly up depending on your flexibility. Hold for 45 seconds before releasing everything to the floor and turning your head to one side. Repeat three times

Like Locust, Bow pose is a back bend that helps boost energy and keep your metabolism burning strong. Bow also opens up and stretches the front of your body while strengthening your back muscles.

How to: Lie face down on the floor and bring your hands alongside your body, palms facing up. Bend your knees and reach back with your hands to grab your ankles (Don't grab your feet). Keeping your legs hip-distance apart, lift your heels up and away from your body, which will pull your chest up off the floor. Keep your shoulder blades down, away from your ears the entire time. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds and then release, turning your head to the side.
Repeat two more times

In addition to building strong, lean leg muscles, Eagle pose energizes the entire body and helps with digestion.

How to: Start in a standing position and bend your knees slightly. Lift your right leg up and around your standing leg and hook your foot and ankle behind your left calf. Sink your hips down and back as if you were going to sit on a chair. Cross your arms at your elbows and wrists in front of your chest and hold for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Come out of the pose, shake out your legs, and switch sides.

Crescent Lunge gets your heart rate up, which helps speed up your metabolism. It also strengthens your legs and stretches your hips.

How to: Begin in downward dog pose. Step your right foot between your hands. Lower your hips into lunge position and shift your weight onto the ball of your back foot, bringing your hands to your hips. Stay up on the ball of your back foot and lift your upper body so that you're standing straight up. Keep your hips squared the entire time. Bring your arms above you and reach for the ceiling.  Palms should be facing each other. Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute and then switch sides.

Bridge pose is a gentle inversion that works with gravity to open your entire chest and shoulder area. Because the chest is lifted up towards the chin, the thyroid gland is being massaged. (Your thyroid makes the hormones that regulate your metabolism.)

How to: Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet hip-distance apart and flat on the floor. Reach down with your fingertips to see if you can feel your heels.  If not, walk your heels a little closer to your body.

Press your weight into your feet to lift your hips up towards the ceiling. Keep your thighs parallel. Bring your arms underneath you and try to clasp your hands together (Don't worry if you can't do it at first). Roll your shoulders blades toward each other and hold this pose for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Release and roll slowly back to the floor. Repeat two more times.

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Plow pose is an inversion so it increases circulation in your thyroid, adrenal, and pituitary glands. This helps send out feel-good endorphins and hormones throughout your body, balancing your metabolic system.

How to: Lie on your back and bring your legs straight up in the air towards the ceiling. Bring your arms alongside your body with your palms down. Press into your hands and lift your legs over your head.

If your legs do not touch the ground behind you, bring your hands to your back for support. If your feet do hit the ground, then do what you did in Bridge pose and clasp your hands together, trying to roll your shoulder blades towards one another.

Shoulder Stand is another inversion so it has similar benefits to Plow pose. Plus, it’s a great stretch for your neck and upper back.

How to: Lie on the floor on your back with your arms alongside your body, palms down. Bring your legs in the air towards the ceiling. Press into your hands to lift your legs over your head, coming to Plow Pose.

Clasp your hands together and try to roll your shoulder blades towards each other. Bring your hands to your lower back for support, make sure your fingers are spread wide. Slowly lift your legs to the ceiling one leg at a time. Try to get as straight as possible by walking your hands close to your shoulders. Hold for 1 to 3 minutes

Fish is a counter pose to Shoulder Stand that stretches the front of your neck. It has a calming effect on your body. (You can see why—most of use hold a lot of stress in our neck and shoulders.)

How to: Lie down on your back. Bring your hands, palms down, under your butt. Bend your elbows and lean on them by pressing them into the floor. Lift your chest up toward the ceiling so your back is arched. Bring your elbows towards each other, as you did in Bridge and Shoulder stand. Finally, drop your head back towards the floor behind you.

Easy Spinal Twist Is a great pose to help stimulate you digestive system, which helps you lose weight.

How to: Lie on your back and bring both knees in toward your chest. Holding your left knee into your chest, let your right leg straighten out on the floor. Bring your bent left knee across your body, keeping your shoulder blades on the floor. Turn your head to look over your left shoulder to complete your twist. Hold for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Bring both knees into your chest and repeat on the other side.