Bikram's Hot Yoga Calorie Count?

sjiphone
sjiphone Posts: 67 Member
edited November 12 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi - By using the Bikram's website calculator (http://www.bikram-yoga-noosa-australia.com/weight-loss-and-yoga.htm) I figured out I burn off about 10 cals per minute practicing hot yoga. This seems a little high to me. What count do others use?

Replies

  • yerfgirl
    yerfgirl Posts: 65 Member
    I just log it as regular yoga. I'd rather under estimate calories burned than over estimate.
  • margojr4
    margojr4 Posts: 259 Member
    I've used my HRM and burned an avg of 500 calories per 75 min session.
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
    HRMs DO NOT work accurately with thermal stress. Just the heat raises your heartbeat but does not burn calories. That calorie estimate will be way higher than your actual burn.
  • faith519
    faith519 Posts: 5
    I found that most web calorie counters exaggerate a lot. The best advise is to use a heart rate monitor for a session and then you can use that as baseline.
    I started vinyasa flow yoga and most online calculators counted around 6-800 calories for a 90-minute session, however, when I used my HRM it only counted about 300 calories.
    Same happened when I tried looking for the calorie burn of a kettlebell session: in a 45 min session I burn about 400 calories (sweating and panting), while the online calculators would say around 800-1000 calories.
    It's a bummer. To be honest at first I was a little disappointed by how hard I need to work to get those calories burnin'..
  • Stewie316
    Stewie316 Posts: 266 Member
    I wouldn't trust the online calculators for bikram yoga, they greatly over estimate. If you do have to use it, cut the calorie burn in half.

    The calculator said I would burn 800 calories during 90 minutes, but my HRM told me 450 max.
  • marifp
    marifp Posts: 1
    From the online calculate it says I burnt 1089 calories. No way... I will probably count as regular yoga for now.
  • velick
    velick Posts: 2
    I have not seen an accurate calorie count for a Bikram yoga class. I will tell you that I sweat harder in Bikram than on even a long intense run, so I'm sure you burn a ton! The heat add to a thermogenic effect of the exercise which makes it particular beneficial to those trying to burn fat. If you find any accurate counts please let me know as well. I think I'm just going to put in 90 minutes of yoga and see what that comes up with. Namaste
  • velick
    velick Posts: 2
    Here's what Livestong has to say about it:

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/115471-calories-burned-during-bikram-yoga/
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    I have not seen an accurate calorie count for a Bikram yoga class. I will tell you that I sweat harder in Bikram than on even a long intense run, so I'm sure you burn a ton! The heat add to a thermogenic effect of the exercise which makes it particular beneficial to those trying to burn fat. If you find any accurate counts please let me know as well. I think I'm just going to put in 90 minutes of yoga and see what that comes up with. Namaste

    No, the heat makes you more fatigued, but does not significantly add to calorie burn. For those advocating the use of HRMs--they aren't that accurate for either bikram yoga or regular yoga.

    Neither of these activities are huge calorie burners. That's just the way the physiological ball bounces. It doesn't take away from the benefits and it doesn't mean they can't be part of an effective weight loss program. Even if the burn is only in the 200-400 per hour range, if you do it for 90 minutes, that's still a decent chunk of calories. And there are plenty of other physical/mental benefits as well.
  • Annabelle78
    Annabelle78 Posts: 2 Member
    :smooched:
  • Annabelle78
    Annabelle78 Posts: 2 Member
    I've used my HRM and burned an avg of 500 calories per 75 min session.

    Thats good to know as Im about the same age as you, although I know iuts based on weight and height too. Also the class I do is 90 mins
  • xlipservicex
    xlipservicex Posts: 54 Member
    I would say that the websites exaggerate it but I also think MFP is seriously undervaluing hot yoga. IF you are actually burning 300-400 cals more you should be eating at least some of those back.

    MFP says I burn 250 cals. Bikram says I burn 992.

    I imagine its somewhere in the middle. but I do think it's being undervalued on here and you should consider that when counting it because if you aren't eating enough to make back some of the calories you burn your weight loss will slow down.
  • reneereeser
    reneereeser Posts: 5
    well- everybody puts in different effort- some may burn 600-800,
    while other burn 350-500....
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    HRMs DO NOT work accurately with thermal stress. Just the heat raises your heartbeat but does not burn calories. That calorie estimate will be way higher than your actual burn.

    I agree.
  • miacuorex3
    miacuorex3 Posts: 6
    Maybe this is helpful

    http://bikramyogabenefitsinfo.com/bikram-yoga-calories-burned-your-fat-effectively.html

    I always try to look for a formula instead of using the automatic calculators that are so easy to find online. It does seem a bit high, but at least it's explained. And again, it's only an approximation!
  • brittany41230
    brittany41230 Posts: 3
    It seems high to me also. I just started Bikram Yoga yesterday, and according to my instructor, in 90 minutes i will burn anywhere from 600-1,000 calories. When i use online calculators that factor in my weight, they all tell me i am burning up to 953 calories. (i am 140 lbs). It just seems too good to be true.
  • brittany41230
    brittany41230 Posts: 3
    Exactly, and weight has a lot to do with it also.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Maybe this is helpful

    http://bikramyogabenefitsinfo.com/bikram-yoga-calories-burned-your-fat-effectively.html

    I always try to look for a formula instead of using the automatic calculators that are so easy to find online. It does seem a bit high, but at least it's explained. And again, it's only an approximation!

    Because a page titled "bikram yoga benefits" is the first place I would go for an objective analysis.

    Big surprise--the calorie information on this page is utter nonsense.
  • fatcity66
    fatcity66 Posts: 1,544 Member
    According to 3 different sites I have consulted, Bikram hot yoga burns significantly more calories than other types of yoga. I believe it...it's tough and my friends that do it are all in incredilby great shape! Also P90x Yoga burns a ton of calories. Anyway, as a woman over 200 lbs, I put my burn at least 600cal/hr. Hope that helps!
  • kaaaaylee
    kaaaaylee Posts: 398
    I used my HRM once and burned 860cals in a 90 minute session.
  • fatcity66
    fatcity66 Posts: 1,544 Member
    Maybe this is helpful

    http://bikramyogabenefitsinfo.com/bikram-yoga-calories-burned-your-fat-effectively.html

    I always try to look for a formula instead of using the automatic calculators that are so easy to find online. It does seem a bit high, but at least it's explained. And again, it's only an approximation!

    Because a page titled "bikram yoga benefits" is the first place I would go for an objective analysis.

    Big surprise--the calorie information on this page is utter nonsense.

    What information? I see nothing but a title page.
  • bakerl444
    bakerl444 Posts: 2
    To Mr. ACE certified, ACE estimates about 237 calories per 50 min for power yoga. It also states that it IS an aerobic exercise. Keep in mind that the study from which they derived this number had only 15 subjects and did not establish statistical significance (meaning the findings aren't even valid in the medical world). The variance of calories burned was 6 to 1 calories/ min. So basically ACE has no idea.


    - clinical data analyst (12 years experience)
  • caloriemuse
    caloriemuse Posts: 18 Member
    What I'd be interested in is the formula's that these tools are using as well as the assumptions they are making.

    Even the study referenced above states that they were dealing with seasoned yoga practitioners, no mention of their weight, range of ages between 19 and 40. That's not nearly enough information to make any sound reasoning from the broad brush strokes of information.

    No matter what calculator I use there seems to be one consistent element and that is that weight can have a pretty dramatic impact. Regardless of whether the end result is something that sounds reasonable or is really only a pipedream.

    To share some personal experience; I've been doing a version of Bikram for the last 6 years and there's a huge distinction in class between the level of workout between people that have been practicing for a long time (> 5 years) and those that are new (< 5 years) as well as a distinction between thin and heavy folks. You've basically got one person standing there barely sweating breathing through their nose the entire class and the next person is sweating like crazy and on the verge of being out of breath the whole class. Clearly there's a distinction between the two experiences. Now, there is a reasonable question about the metabolic distinction and how that relates to calories burned but I've yet to see that illustrated anywhere such that a calculator could be understood.
  • sweetpea813
    sweetpea813 Posts: 112 Member
    I did Bikram for about a year. I thought I was burning about 900 calories in a class and I was eating half those back. I actually gained a few pounds. I started a high intensity dance class when I stopped Bikram and the pounds started to drop off. I think the 'calories burned' listed for Bikram is greatly overestimated unfortunately.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    Yoga is not strenuous and I would not expect to see more than 3-400 calories for an hour.
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    edited February 2017
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    Yoga is not strenuous and I would not expect to see more than 3-400 calories for an hour.

    1y26b2yhin10.gif

    My azz gets pretty kicked in the yoga class I go to (power vinyasa), but I do agree with the calories burned part of your statement. Also, this thread is old AF.

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