Easy Yoga Exercise for Weight Loss: Goddess Pose Variations

Pelvic floor yoga doubles as an easy yoga exercise for weight loss. Poses are gentle on the body, modified for your personal needs, and the movements can help you build muscle tone with consistent practice. This article focuses on a Goddess Pose variations, which can be easily modified to help you on your weight loss journey.

As always, please get the permission of your doctor before attempting this or any other physical exercise.

Yoga for larger bodies

Those who carry a little more weight in the middle may find poses laying on the belly or reaching forward to be a challenge because the belly gets in the way. Fortunately, Goddess is one of the many poses that is easy for people worried about their center getting in the way. Here, I'll discuss some tips on how to adjust Goddess Pose not just for weight loss, but to protect the health of your pelvic floor.

There are a lot of Goddess Pose Variations that may Help with Your Weight Loss Journey

Goddess is a great pose for weight loss because you can do so much with it to increase intensity and burn more calories. Traditional goddess pose has you squat wide legged with the shoulders directly above the hips. Unfortunately, this puts a lot of pressure on the pelvic floor, which is especially true for those who are trying to lose a little weight.

Remember, you should only attempt a new exercise with the permission of your doctor! If you have a weak pelvic floor and are dealing with a condition such as prolapse, don't extend the feet really far apart. It's okay to shorten the step here!

Here are a few Goddess Pose Variations Intended to Help Keep your Body Safe While You Exercise:

1. Traditional Goddess Pose

Goddess pose variations are simple yoga exercises for weight loss. In the traditional pose, the spine and pelvic floor are in a neautral position to protect and stretch the pelvic floor.

Goddess Pose Variations as Simple Yoga Exercises for Weight Loss- Traditional Pose

Holding this posture activates the booty and arm muscles, and naturally burns calories without needing to move out of the posture. It also stretches the muscles of the pelvic floor. Here are some tips to help you get started:

Shorten the distance of your feet if you feel pressure in the pelvic floor. You don't want to be too wide or you lose support "down there"
Squat down, ensuring the knees constantly pull outward and point the same direction as your feet (pointed 45 degrees out)
Pull the tailbone back and lean forward slightly, which shifts your body in a way that the organs "down there" can rest on the pelvic floor as you are exercising. Leaning the upper body forward helps you to keep your spine in a natural, straight alignment while increasing your heart rate.
You can squat as deeply as you'd like, just be sure the knees don't extend beyond the toes and don't drop below 90 degrees.
Don't forget that when you inhale, the belly and bottom of abdomen should be allowed to naturally press out and drop down. This is key for your pelvic health.

2. Goddess Pose Variation - Stability

Adding a yoga block to your goddess pose variation does wonders for the body. It's a simple yoga exercise for weight loss, as lowing the hip above the block increases core strength and stability.

Goddess Pose Variations as Simple Yoga Exercises for Weight Loss- Stability with Block

There are lots of tricks for increasing intensity in this posture. Adding a block under one foot or simply raising the heal while keeping the pelvis in a neutral position can do wonders for the body. It increases calorie burn beyond the traditional pose, and also stretches your pelvic floor. Here's how to do it:

Rest one foot flat on a yoga block
Adjust the hip above the raised foot so that both hips are parallel to the floor
If you have sore knees, stay in this version of the posture with soft knees and tuck your tailbone slightly
If your knees are okay, squat down as you would in the traditional pose (knees behind the toes, tailbone pulled back, lean upper body forward slightly to maintain straight back)
Don't forget that when you inhale, the belly and bottom of abdomen should be allowed to naturally press out and drop down. This is key for your pelvic health.

3. Goddess Pose Variation - Strengthening with Movement

Do you need a pose to burn calories AND strengthen the pelvic floor muscles? Look no further! This is one of the Goddess Pose Variations that I like the most as a yoga exercise for weight loss because it also works to strengthen the entire body. Follow these steps (but stick with the first two variations if your pelvic floor needs more stretching than lifting):

Avoid this version if you have sore knees.
Come into the squatting version of your preferred goddess pose variation, with a straight spine and comfortable knees
Inhale deeply and allow the belly to drop down (relaxing the pelvic floor)
On the exhale, slowly straighten the knees as you tuck the tailbone under (strengthening the pelvic floor), gently squeezing the glues if you want to increase the intensity.
The exhale lifts the pelvic floor and gives stability "down there," and this tip is crucial for your pelvic health in this posture
Inhale, allowing the belly to drop, as you come back into the squatting variation you prefer and repeat. Each motion should be tied to the appropriate breath to ensure the pelvic floor is allowed to move through its full range of motion.

Goddess pose variations can do wonders for many different bodies because there are so many different ways you can modify and adjust for your needs. It truly is a great yoga exercise for weight loss, especially with consistency and combined with a healthy diet.

I hope these tips are helpful to you, and that your health journey brings you joy.

-Tracy