Hot yoga for weight loss?

[FreeBird3]

Has anyone tried hot yoga for weight loss? I'm taking my first class tomorrow. According to some websites, one 90-minute hot yoga session can burn between 500 to 1000 calories depending on one's fitness level.

I just incorporated my new diet plan of roughly 1200 to 1400 calories per day coming from veggies, fruits, whole grains, dry/cooked beans, and fish. I want to know if anyone has successfully lost weight soley by doing hot yoga several times a week.

I don't want to burn myself out with all these new changes, so I figured taking up hot yoga won't be as intimidating as taking up zumba or spin classes. We'll see though...

I'd love to hear from anyone who has tried hot yoga and what he/she thought of it.

[pattyhues]

Neither. Those are primarily for toning up and stretching.

If you want to lose weight you need to do cardio, and lots of it.

[Daimere]

Yoga only? I don't think so. As a combination of cardio, yeah. Although some studies have suggested frequent yoga goers have less body fat because of the mind body connection.

[sontaikle]

Someone in the calorie counters was doing hot yoga and had lost weight doing that with calorie counting.

A friend of mine does the hot yoga and she loves it. She says she sweats like crazy, but I'm not sure how much she burns doing it...she says she feels refreshed afterwards so that's why she does it.

Remember though, exercise is not for weight loss. You exercise to get fit and make yourself healthier. You control your diet for weight loss.

Originally Posted by pattyhues

Neither. Those are primarily for toning up and stretching.

If you want to lose weight you need to do cardio, and lots of it.

No. As long as you create a calorie deficit than you should lose weight. You don't actually need to exercise.

[ringmaster]

some say you can lose weight with just diet alone. so you can probably lose weight with diet and yoga. unless you are sure you are burning 500-1000 extra calories doing the yoga, just don't eat back those calories!

Originally Posted by Daimere

Yoga only? I don't think so. As a combination of cardio, yeah. Although some studies have suggested frequent yoga goers have less body fat because of the mind body connection.

I heard this too, it helps you be more aware of what you are eating. Plus it helps reduce stress which can be a trigger for over eating. I've also heard some poses help stimulate the thyroid. I don't know if any of this true though

[Tina21]

I went to hot yoga. I didnt find it did anything. The room wasn't 'hot' or like a sauna like I expected. I expected it to make me sweat.

It was more that they put the heating on and a few stretches later I just left sleepy.

It wasn't for me, but I'm not a pilates and yoga person Ive tried both and didnt find it did anything - Some find it works, Kate Winslet apparently loves pilaties!

But personally I prefer to tone by doing floor exersizes, where it can feel my muscles working and building and different types of sit ups etc.

However - If you go and dont like it try somthing else! Best to try everything once - maybe you'll really like it. Coupled with cardio it may be right for you let us know how it goes!

[osaunt]

I have to say that I LOVE bikrum yoga and encourage you to give it a try. At my current weight/ age, high and even medium impact exercise is quite uncomfortable. Even standard yoga was too hard because in many poses I was unable to support my body weight. In bikrum there is a specific set of poses and all are easily adaptable to all fitness levels. The room is heated to 105 degrees - you sweat buckets!

Personally for me WL was moderate, I lost ~10 lbs in 6 weeks and I was going 2-3 times a week. The big bonus for me was how I felt. I have problems with depression/fatigue and while I was doing bikrum regularly my symptoms improved dramatically. I had tons of energy, increased mental clarity, I felt AMAZING. And though I had been losing weight consistently for more than 6 mos, I got the most compliments from family/friends/coworkers during that time - I felt as if I radiated health

I had to take a break unfortunately because finances are tight and it is expensive I hope you give it a try and let us know what you think. I do other forms of exercise, walking/hiking, fitness videos because I should but bikrum was one of the few activities that I actually looked forward to and I hope you have a similar experience.

[berryblondeboys]

Anything that builds strength/muscle helps with weight loss if you calorie count along with it. I'm doing yoga twice a week, cardio 3 times a week and strength training 2 times a week. Cardio for my heart, yoga for limbering up and loosening tight muscles and strength training to strength my muscles and build more muscle to burn more fat. All of them burn calories when I doing them. Some more than others, but it sure beats sitting on the couch which is what I would be doing otherwise!

[ilovemo]

Hot yoga has several benefits, but in regards to losing weight if you do it alone you will lose weight but at a slower rate then lets say.. running. But the feeling youll get after doing hot yoga is undeniable.. its so refreshing and motivating.. you feel so light and like you accomplished something fitness wise. Its great.. def keep an open mind, and drink lots of water before hand and something with electrolytes (coconut water! yum) afterwards. Happy yogaing.