Quote:
Originally Posted by Cubalibre7
Has anyone practiced Bikram Yoga? I'm going to be honest, I'm 50 lbs overweight and losing slowly. I walk 4 times a day, and wanted to add 1 day of yoga to work other parts of my body without vigorous aerobics (which I can't do).
It seems that this type of Yoga is intense. I'm wondering it is is just too much at my present weight.
Anyone been down this road???
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Well, I started 60 lbs overweight when I began my Bikram practice mid January this year. I weighed 193 lbs and wore a size 18. I am on my 57th class and I have lost 2 dress sizes, 15 lbs of body fat, and gained 7 lbs of muscle. My blood pressure was 140/85 and 6 weeks later it was 100/68. I also have asthma. It is the only exercise I can do without taking my medication prior to class.
Although my "weight" has remained relatively steady this past month my size continues to diminish. So I have stopped even checking the scale. It's irrelevant at this point.
Bikram IS intense. However, it doesn't matter how old, sick, out of shape, what past injuries you have .... you CAN do it!
I was SOOOOO out of shape when I took my first class. I could not even do many of the poses, or so I thought. My full expression of a pose was perfect for me, for where I was at that present moment. Each class I got a little bit better and each class I got a bit thinner, noticeably. Not to mention I got stronger and more flexible. At the beginning I would not have dared move out of the back row (reserved for beginners.) One day the owner of the studio (who when she began weighed 215 lbs but is now a very svelt 130 lbs) asked me to be in the front row (reserved for advanced students) so new students could see proper technique. I scoffed, but she insisted and stated that my practice was beautiful. I have had many students comment on how "good" I have become.
This is a perfect exercise for someone who is heavy because there is no impact on your body like with running, walking, jogging, or just about any other aerobic activity. It works every single muscle, tendon, joint, organ and part of your body. I lose body fat even on the days I do not go to class.
I average 3 days a week, but I try to go 4 or more whenever I can. I day a week will not make any sort of dramatic impact on your weight loss.
We have several female instructors who have lost significant amounts of weight through Bikram yoga. One instructor started at 180 lbs and is now 120 lbs. Another followed Bikrams advice for beginners and came everyday for 2 months. After two months she had dropped 60 lbs. Did I mention none of them, nor I have dramatically changed our diets?
I cannot recommend it more highly.
You must hydrate yourself very well prior to class. Drink more water than you think you need. Drink water throughout class and especially after class. Do not eat 2-3 hours prior to class or drink any sort of caffeinated beverage. The class will increase the caffeine's effect - made that mistake once (drinking coffee on the way to class), not to mention the caffeine will dehydrate you. Take 5 classes (as close together as possible) before deciding if Bikram is for you or not.
Here are the positive effects I have had:
My skin is radiant.
I have stopped losing clumps of hair
Dramatic blood pressure change without medication(doc said WOW - don't stop this yoga)
Cut use of asthma medication by 50%
Continuous body fat loss
Muscle gain
Improved peak flow (asthma doc is quite happy as well)
Period volume has been cut in half as well as having little or no period pain, bloat or overwhelming cravings (which is a HUGE improvement for me)
Improved sleep (suffer from insomnia, but rarely have a problem sleeping anymore)
Much improved sex drive (which had plummeted to nearly nothing)
Haven't been to the chiropractor in months and at my last visit he commented on how "lose" my muscles were and asked what I was doing (again a don't stop doing this yoga comment)
Improved self-esteem.
Started at a size 18 and now I am a 14. I plan on being a size 10 by mid summer.
I FINALLY feel like I can see the light at the end of the weight loss tunnel! I have tried Atkins, South Beach, NutriSystem and just about everything else you can think of to lose weight - I would lose about 10 lbs and then suffer setbacks. I USE to be in phenomenal shape. I taught fitness and was a personal trainer for years. I was also an avid martial artist and kickboxing instructor up until about the middle of my pregnancy with my daughter (she is now 3.) A C-Section and severe post partum depression kicked my butt and left my body just totally out-of-whack.
Birkam yoga has changed my life and my health in ways that I would not have believed 6 months ago. I have even been hit on by men other than my husband as of late
I still have more weight to go, but dang does it feel good to keep buying smaller pants and yet not worry about that piece of chocolate cake I had the other night!
Go, run to the nearest studio. Don't give up because it will be hard and it won't really ever get easy. It's not suppose to, but you will find people who are very non-judgmental and supportive of your journey because they have been there too.
Good luck,
Sweet Angeline