If you’re looking for a low-impact way of shedding the pounds this spring, you might want to consider yoga. You might not think that yoga is really designed for weight loss, and while it doesn’t burn as many calories per hour as aerobic exercise, it can help to tone you up, get rid of inches and get you feeling healthier.

Yoga is all about doing exercises that allow you to work at your own level without having to push yourself too hard. This helps you to build up endurance, flexibility and overall fitness at a pace that suits you. It can also help you to achieve the body you want in a more relaxing way, serving as a method of de-stressing as well as exercising.

So, what yoga poses can help to get rid of excess weight? There are a number of different moves you can use to help lose weight, but it is important to perform them regularly each week and maintain a healthy diet in order to see the best results.

Crescent

Start this pose by standing with your arms at your side and feet together. As you inhale, raise your arms up straight, stretching them up towards the ceiling. Exhale and bend slowly forward from the hips. Aim to bring your hands to the floor - you can bend your knees to make this easier.

Inhale in this position but as you exhale move your right leg back so you are in a lunge position with your left leg bent in front of you and your right leg stretched out behind. Inhale again and stretch your arms up straight before returning to standing straight with your arms at your side. Repeat the routine, this time moving your left leg backwards.

Rocking boat

Sit on the floor with your knees bent, hands on your thighs and your feet flat on the floor. Keep your back straight as you lean back to around 45 degrees. As you lean, raise your feet with pointed toes.

With each inhale, lower both your legs and torso a few inches and then on the exhale, raise them up again. Do this between three and five times in order to tone up your legs and abs.

Chair

This is a reasonably easy move that can help to firm up your thighs and buttocks, helping you to lose inches. Simply stand straight with your feet pointing forwards and your arms by your sides. As you inhale, stretch your arms above your head towards the ceiling with your palms facing each other. As you exhale, move as though you are about to sit down - still with your arms up - ensuring your knees stay behind your toes.

Inhale and return to your starting position before repeating. If you want to make it more intense try balancing on the balls of your feet as you move back and look up at your fingertips rather than forwards.

Hover

This position is similar to planking, meaning it helps to workout your abs, arms, shoulders and back. Start off in a position similar to how you would perform push ups from. Place your arms on the floor below your shoulders, keep legs straight and slightly apart and your head straight and looking at the floor.

As you exhale, lower yourself almost to the floor as though you are doing a push up. Hover a few inches above the floor while breathing slowly. Try holding the position for 20 seconds before building up the amount of time you can stay above the floor in this pose.