Hot Yoga

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ljschou
ljschou Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone lost weight with practicing hot yoga? Would love to hear about it.
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  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    Hot yoga does not cause weight loss, because only a calorie deficit can do that. Exercise is never essential to weight loss. In other words, weight loss happens in the kitchen, fitness starts in the gym (or the hot yoga room. :D).

  • Joaniecan2014
    Joaniecan2014 Posts: 6 Member
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    Hi, I went through a Bikram phase a few years ago. I didn't lose any weight, but I definitely toned up and was curvy. The class teacher would often mention that we were burning 500 or more calories per class.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Hot yoga doesn't give you a higher calorie burn than normal yoga so be careful of the inflated. Burns people suggest

    But you lose weight from the food you consume
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Joaniecan2014 wrote: »
    Hi, I went through a Bikram phase a few years ago. I didn't lose any weight, but I definitely toned up and was curvy. The class teacher would often mention that we were burning 500 or more calories per class.

    What? I hope you laughed
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Joaniecan2014 wrote: »
    Hi, I went through a Bikram phase a few years ago. I didn't lose any weight, but I definitely toned up and was curvy. The class teacher would often mention that we were burning 500 or more calories per class.

    What? I hope you laughed

    I agree.

    I don't know why people insist that things yoga, aerobic classes, and even weight lifting, burn such high calories. They really don't, and the true calorie burn would be difficult to come up with because none of these things are steady state cardio.
  • ThisIsRae
    ThisIsRae Posts: 13 Member
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    I didn't lose weight from doing hot yoga (or yoga in general) specifically, but the feeling of triumph after conquering a long class was immensely helpful because a) I wouldn't want to go and eat lots and undo all of my hard work and b) the classes were very stress relieving, so I wasn't stress eating on top of my normal intake. Additionally, even if you aren't burning a ton of calories (500 calories, I also hope you laughed), the fact that you are moving and working your body and muscles is always a plus :)
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
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    Hot yoga will not make you lose weight. A calorie deficit does that.

    Just like stretching in the sun sweating my butt off doesn't burn calories or "tone" me up.
  • glenelliott5872
    glenelliott5872 Posts: 150 Member
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    Exercise is part of the energy deficit equation. IMHO it just isn't many calories.
  • ffbrown25
    ffbrown25 Posts: 110 Member
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    I practiced Bikram yoga for about a year. My heart rate stayed pretty high during those 90 minute classes due to the heat and strenuous nature of the poses. I wouldn't be surprised if I burned 600-700 calories each class. They're no joke! I definitely noticed a positive change in my body during that time, though I was not trying to lose weight at the time.
  • Nessiechickie
    Nessiechickie Posts: 1,392 Member
    edited July 2015
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    I did Bikram Yoga and Oxygen Yoga (Advertised as a different Hot Yoga) and combined it with working out. I lost a lot of weight but I think the Yoga more so just helped lean me out. If that makes sense. Also my mom has done yoga for years and never lost weight.
  • KateSimpson17
    KateSimpson17 Posts: 282 Member
    edited July 2015
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    You might burn a few calories with yoga, but not all that many. Most of the "weight loss" would probably come from sweating out water weight and not replenishing enough... which means you're dehydrated, not losing weight.

    Edit: you will probably strengthen muscles a lot, though... which may make it look like you've lost some weight possibly depending on how intensely you yoga (is there a verb form of yoga? Yogaing?) There's no denying yoga is good for you... focusing on breathing, developing strength, maintaining balance, becoming flexible... but as far as weight loss is concerned its all malarkey.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    ffbrown25 wrote: »
    I practiced Bikram yoga for about a year. My heart rate stayed pretty high during those 90 minute classes due to the heat and strenuous nature of the poses. I wouldn't be surprised if I burned 600-700 calories each class. They're no joke! I definitely noticed a positive change in my body during that time, though I was not trying to lose weight at the time.

    That's not how it works. Sorry.

    Your heart rate is not directly associated with calorie burn at all.

    Yes yoga is an amazing form of exercise, and can give you great physical results alongside a calorie defecit but it is not a huge calorie burner in itself...neither is strength training.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,709 Member
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    ffbrown25 wrote: »
    I practiced Bikram yoga for about a year. My heart rate stayed pretty high during those 90 minute classes due to the heat and strenuous nature of the poses. I wouldn't be surprised if I burned 600-700 calories each class. They're no joke! I definitely noticed a positive change in my body during that time, though I was not trying to lose weight at the time.
    Watching a horror movie would do the same with heart rate though.
    Thing is yoga is an anaerobic exercise and anaerobic exercises don't burn that many calories. 300-400 calories in that time is more accurate.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

  • ffbrown25
    ffbrown25 Posts: 110 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    ffbrown25 wrote: »
    I practiced Bikram yoga for about a year. My heart rate stayed pretty high during those 90 minute classes due to the heat and strenuous nature of the poses. I wouldn't be surprised if I burned 600-700 calories each class. They're no joke! I definitely noticed a positive change in my body during that time, though I was not trying to lose weight at the time.

    That's not how it works. Sorry.

    Your heart rate is not directly associated with calorie burn at all.

    Yes yoga is an amazing form of exercise, and can give you great physical results alongside a calorie defecit but it is not a huge calorie burner in itself...neither is strength training.

    Bikram yoga, or hot yoga, is not regular yoga, though. It is an extremely strenuous, 60-90 minute, aerobic, cardiorespiratory exercise that does burn a significant amount of calories. I agree that what matters in weight loss is a calorie deficit, and I think Bikram yoga, or hot yoga, is a good step toward achieving that.
  • ManiacalLaugh
    ManiacalLaugh Posts: 1,048 Member
    edited July 2015
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    Well, before anyone makes too much of an argument around it, the doctor who conducted the CSU study on Bikram yoga even said that if you're inexperienced, your session may only burn the same number of calories as a 3.5 mph walk. However, if you're experienced and able to do all of the poses and movements to their highest efficiency, you might end up burning a lot more.

    So this may end up being a completely relative thing. It's not going to be a consistant burn for everyone.

    Source: snewsnet.com/news/csu-bikram-study/
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Interesting

    n=19 and experienced yoga practitioners but still " team found that, on average, the men burned 460 calories, while the women burned 333 calories."
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    I love many types of yoga, but not hot yoga. I passed out my first and only time.

    Yoga does help me with weight loss, but less from calories burned than from supporting equanimity and thus preventing emotional eating. See: How Yoga Can Help End Binge Eating

    Also:

    Yoga may benefit heart health as much as aerobics

    ...The study team analyzed 37 randomized, controlled trials involving 2,768 people through December 2013. The trials either looked at yoga compared to no exercise or to aerobic exercises. Participants’ average age was 50 and they were followed for anywhere from 12 weeks to one year.

    Those who did yoga had significant improvements in a range of risk factors. Systolic blood pressure (the top number) dropped by an average of 5.21 mm Hg, and diastolic pressure (the bottom number) dropped 4.9 mm HG. LDL “bad” cholesterol fell by an average 12.14 mg/dl and HDL “good” cholesterol rose by an average 3.20 mg/dl. Average heart rate was lower by a little over 5 beats per minute and weight loss averaged a bit over 5 pounds.

    These changes were similar to the improvements seen among people who did aerobic exercise instead.

    Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/26/us-health-yoga-cardio-trials-idUSKBN0K40Y520141226


  • ljschou
    ljschou Posts: 15 Member
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    Thanks for the discussion- my favorite exercises running and hot yoga- addicted to both, but running is hard on the body, especially after 40!
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Interesting

    n=19 and experienced yoga practitioners but still " team found that, on average, the men burned 460 calories, while the women burned 333 calories."

    That press release also says the calories burned are approximately the same as walking putting those numbers as gross, not net, calories.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    If heat made you burn fat, there would be no fat people in Florida.

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