Bikram Yoga

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Stewie316
Stewie316 Posts: 266 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
For anyone that does Bikram Yoga and use's a HRM. Does it really burn as many calories as people claim and can it result in weight loss?

I'm asking because most calorie counters and people claim that 90 mintues of Bikram can burn close to a thousand calories or more. I entered my statistics into some calorie counters and it says I should burn 850 calories. When I used my HRM, it said I burned 450 calories. I knew not to trust the 850 calories, because that seems almost impossible. Even 450 calories seems kind of high. The yoga is intense and I feel like it really is an endurance type workout. I've actually asked bikram yoga students if it can be used to lose weight and the general consensus is that it's not meant to lose weight. INow this doesn't make since to me. If I'm burning calories, I should be losing weight right?

Also, I joined a challenge before and did it for 11 days straight and counted my calories. I didn't lose a pound. Maybe, I was retaining water, idk. I do love Bikram Yoga though and will add it back as part of my workout routine.

What are your thoughts?

Replies

  • balance9
    balance9 Posts: 160
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    From one Arizona girl to another :drinker: Bikram yoga is an intense practice!!! Good for you. 450 calories sounds about right for an average weight woman. Trust your HRM for the most accurate guide. But it is way more than just a calorie-burner. You will build long, lean muscle very quickly. It's a great strength workout, and an excellent complement to any workout program. Give it a month, and you will see a major difference in your body.
  • Stewie316
    Stewie316 Posts: 266 Member
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    Thanks, I'm going to start adding it back to my workouts next month. Hopefully, I can do the 30 day challenge sometime this year.
  • lailalakhaniali
    lailalakhaniali Posts: 8 Member
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    but you don't actually lose weight? i get the other benefits part of it but i would also want to lose weight with it. thoughts?
  • Macy9336
    Macy9336 Posts: 694 Member
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    The other students were probably put off by the weight loss question because it's not a right reason to practice yoga according to many traditionalists. To them, yoga is meant to prepare the body for meditation. It is meant to be practiced respectfully for its spiritual tradition. Weight loss is a side effect for some people. To a traditionalist, its like saying you're going to do a Native American fast and sweat lodge because you want to lose weight...taking the same approach to yoga is viewed as a similar kind of misuse of what is traditionally meant to be a spiritual practice.
  • inesnsr479
    inesnsr479 Posts: 14 Member
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    I do another type of Hot yoga (Moksha yoga) and a 60 min class (that includes 5 min warm up and 5 min cool down) only burns 280-350 calories depending on intensity since pose vary every class unlike Bikram which has the same poses every time

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