Yoga And Weight Loss: How Much Of A Calorie Blaster Is Bikram Yoga Really
Bikram yoga, also known as hot yoga, has soared in popularity in recent years, thanks in large part to its reputation as a calorie blaster. Some studios claim their Bikram classes will help you burn as many as 1,000 calories in a single session, which sounds like a dieters dream.
But for every Bikram enthusiast, theres a Bikram skeptic. Many have claimed that theres no hard evidence suggesting hot yoga burns a significant amount of calories, and, until recently, thats been true. But now a new study from San Diego State University casts new light on that question.
Results? Well, theres good news and bad news. The study concludes that, while Bikram yoga can be a useful part of a general weight maintenance or weight loss plan, its not the intense aerobic calorie burning activity some have claimed it to be.
But are they? Thats the question researchers at San Diego State U wanted to answer. The researchers recruited 26 healthy men and women from local yoga studios and had them complete a 90-minute Bikram session. The scientists measured their heart rate and oxygen intake throughout the class and used the data to measure the aerobic intensity of the different poses, and of the class as a whole.
Does Hot Yoga Burn More Calories Than Unheated Yoga
“It has become a popular belief that hot yoga is good for weight loss, but this is not scientifically backed with relation to hot yoga specifically,” said , a registered yoga teacher who’s trained in hot yoga. “Yoga itself will burn calories, but hot yoga is not proven to burn more calories than a nonheated Vinyasa class.”
That doesn’t mean hot yoga can’t be good for your calorie burn and weight-loss goals. The high temperature forces your body to work harder to cool itself off , which increases your heart rate, said Jorianne Numbers, MS, an exercise physiologist at Northwestern Medicine. A 2002 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise supports that heat can lead to more weight loss, showing that you burn more fat for fuel in hot temperatures.
There’s also the fact that your muscles are more pliable in warmer temperatures, Jorianne said. That makes it easier to stretch and hold poses for longer, which can positively impact calorie burn. Julia also told POPSUGAR that, “Hot yoga, specifically power yoga, may encourage you to work your muscles a bit harder, which may lead to burning more calories to a comparative Vinyasa class where you don’t feel as challenged.” However, much of that might be a mental effect of feeling like you’re should push yourself harder in the warm, sweaty environment than a physical reaction to the heat, she explained.
Power Yoga Poses For Weight Loss
Bikram yoga is hot in every sense of the word. More than 500 studios and a million practitioners worldwide are a movement fueled by the promise of extraordinary health benefits from following a yoga routine in the equivalent of a steam bath. Bikram is the best-known hot yoga, and its founder claims the sweaty regimen will cure everything from chronic diseases to flabby midsections. The 90-minute sessions may burn away old samskaras; and they will definitely burn off calories.
Recommended Reading: Hot Yoga Calorie Calculator
What Are Some Common Misconceptions About Yoga
There are a lot of myths about yoga that we can talk about. For example, there is a general idea that you need to already be flexible to do yoga. Yoga will make you flexible. Flexibility is not considered a prerequisite for practising yoga.
It is often said that yoga is only about stretching. While asanas might look a lot like stretching, they also help you strengthen and tone your muscles. Yoga has a wide number of benefits including facilitating weight-loss and calorie-control, improving your bodys balance and posture, boosting your nervous, respiratory, digestive and circulatory health, improving your memory retention capacities and preventing premature onset of ageing processes. Despite a heavy emphasis on stretching and flexibility, yoga provides you with an all-round, holistic health improvement. Therefore, yoga is often considered a complete lifestyle rather than simply a fitness exercise.
What About Yoga And Weight Maintenance
Its common sense that an active lifestyle could help with weight management. Whether you enjoy HIIT or yoga, a consistent workout routine spells good things for your body.
A population-based research study in 2017 suggested that folks who practice yoga tend to have less weight gain over time than the general population.
The researchers concluded that yoga could be a practical way to maintain your weight and prevent weight gain as you get older.
Ommm, yes! There are so many incredible health benefits of yoga:
- boosted energy
Don’t Miss: Apex Poses Yoga
It Ups Your Lung Capacity
While you might think a stifling room makes it harder to breathe, the breathing exercises in hot yoga can actually help train your lungs to retain more air, says Numbers. Deeper breaths force them to expand more than usual, which allows for more oxygen to enter the blood stream and get to the other organs.
Does Hot Yoga Burn Calories
Any time you get your body moving, you will burn calories. So ofcourse when you move more you burn more calories. That means yoga classes thathave you moving around more provide a much better calorie burn and thus weightloss benefit.
That means you do burn calories during hot yoga. However, the addedbenefit of being in a heated room is that it speeds up your heart rate justbeing in there. The more your heart has to work the more calories you burn.
On average, women burn about 350 calories in one session of Bikramyoga, meaning it can create enough of a calorie deficit to promote weight loss.
Also Check: How To Add Yoga To Garmin Connect
Read Also: How To Add Yoga To Garmin Connect
You Risk Heat Exhaustion
Even if you passed your last check-up with flying colors, if you cant stand the heat in a hot yoga studio, your blood pressure may drop, making you feel dizzy or nauseated, says Numbers.
And this sensation can totally sneak up on you. So while you might feel greatall purified and sweatyfor the first 30 minutes of class, it’s important to take note of how you’re feeling throughout the flow, especially if you’re a hot yoga newbie.
Calories Burned In Bikram Yoga Vs Running
Regular cardiovascular exercise burns calories and fat, reduces the risk of heart problems and disease, increases endurance and improves mental state. Although running burns more calories than any other cardiovascular exercise, many athletes enjoy the health benefits of practicing Bikram or “hot” yoga, which include improved flexibility and muscular strength; however, Bikram yoga, on its own, does not provide the same cardiovascular calorie-torching benefits of a 90-minute run on the treadmill.
Don’t Miss: Can You Do Yoga After Botox
Why Hot Yoga Is Bad For You
Although practicing hot yoga is safe for most people, it can cause some people to overstretch, and suffer from dehydration. In extreme cases, it can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. To practice hot yoga safely, drink plenty of water, ease yourself into classes, and leave the room if the heat becomes too much.
Your Target Heart Rate
Knowing where your heart rate should be is essential to effectively monitor it during a Bikram yoga class. You can calculate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. Your heart rate during a hot yoga session should be only a percentage of that number. Falling into a zone between 55 and 90 percent. Periodically during class, at least once or twice, take your pulse for 15 seconds, either on your throat or wrist. If your heart rate is in your target zone but you wonder if its still a little high. stop exercising and see how quickly it slows back down. Timothy McCall of Yoga Journal says your heart rate should return to almost normal within minutes of stopping exercise.
Don’t Miss: Does Hot Yoga Burn A Lot Of Calories
Calories Burned For Yoga
Hatha Yoga
Number of Calories Burned Per Hour: 170
When most people speak of “going to yoga class”, this is the type of yoga they are referring to. This is a generic type of yoga that teaches you the physical postures. This is probably the most common type of yoga taught in the US. If a class simply lists itself as “yoga”, you can bet it’s Hatha yoga.
Although you won’t burn as many calories as you might in other types of classes, you will be burning calories, learning the basics, and feeling longer, looser, and more relaxed than before you started.
Ashtanga Yoga
Number of Calories Burned Per Hour: 395
While Ashtanga is based on the ancient teachings of yoga, its popularity has fallen by the wayside in the US. This rigorous style of yoga has you do a specific sequence of postures that links each movement to a breath. Ashtanga always performs the exact same yoga poses in the same order, but this does not mean it is easy.
Ashtanga is a rigorous, pushing your limits, physically demanding regimen, which is how you burn this number of calories in only 1 hour!
Bikram Yoga
Number of Calories Burned Per Hour: 500
The number of calories burned per hour might seem impossible, but if you have ever watched one of these classes, you won’t be too surprised. Like Ashtanga, Bikram always follows the same sequence of poses, but you will sweat in places you never thought possible as these yoga classes are held in super heated rooms.
Vinyasa Yoga
How Hot Yoga Classes Can Help You In Your Weight Loss Journey
Many people today have a desire to improve their level of physical fitness or to lose weight successfully. Of course, various forms of exercise can be extremely helpful for losing weight, becoming more fit, and improving existing health conditions. Hot yoga has become increasingly popular for assisting with weight loss in a low-impact, healthy way. So, what is hot yoga and how can it help you lose weight more effectively? Well address these questions in more detail below.
What is Hot Yoga?
Hot Yoga encompasses a variety of yoga types, including including hot vinyasa, Bikram, Barkan, and Babtiste yoga, which are all practiced at The Hot Yoga Spot. A hot yoga class is practiced in a heated room, anywhere from warm to hot . You can find both slower-paced hot yoga such as a hatha style, and faster paced powerful flows like vinyasa. While there are a variety of hot yoga offerings to try, each type can promote powerful weight loss benefits.
How Can Hot Yoga Help You Lose Weight?
While Hot Yoga provides a high calorie burn, the weight loss benefits it provides can be seen off the matt as well. Some of the most common benefits people can experience from hot yoga are listed below.
Increased Calorie Burn
Performing yoga moves in an environment that has been heated to a much higher temperature than normal can increase the heart rate and lead to more calories being burned through the course of the workout. This can assist with a faster progression of weight loss over time.
Don’t Miss: What Is Vajra Yoga In Astrology
So Does Yoga Burn Calories
Some passionate yogis will swear that yoga burns as many calories as any other sport or athletic activity, while others are skeptical that it actually burns any calories at all.
I think its time we get to the bottom of the issue and figure out just how effective yoga is as a calorie-burning exercise.
To do this, we first need to realize that the number of calories burned in a yoga session depends on several factors, including but not limited to:
; ;;length and intensity of the session
; ;;gender
; ;;the type of yoga
Concerning length and intensity, most yoga classes tend to last about an hour long.
As far as gender, men usually burn more calories than women.
This will still vary widely from person to person though, as a large determinant of how many calories are burned has to do with your weight.
But I’m getting ahead of myself…
How Many Calories Does Iyengar Yoga Burn
This style of yoga puts a heavy emphasis on posture and alignment and can be quite intense.
However, you do use props to help you with proper alignment which makes this a perfect choice for people rehabbing injuries. People with chronic pain from previous injuries or ailments that affect the muscle and joints can also benefit from this type of yoga. This style is very intense but not impactful, which means that fewer calories will be shed.
Average calories burned: 100-200
You May Like: What Does Sutra Mean In Yoga
Other Benefits Of Yoga
Though yoga is a great way to lose weight, there are even more important benefits that you get from practicing any form of yoga even if just for 10 or 20 minutes per day.
Sure, you can burn calories and lose weight, but yoga is a more rounded practice that not only affects your physical but your emotional and mental health as well. This is not only an exercise but a strategy to counteract the world that surrounds us with anxiety and stress.
There are some other big benefits of adding a short 10- minute yoga session into your daily or weekly routine. Lets take a look at some of those below.
- Improved flexibility and muscle tone
- Better mental health and improved mood
- Better strength, posture, and balance
- Mindfulness and relaxation
How Many Calories Does Yoga Burn Calorie Burn For Each Yoga Types
If you are interested to know about How Many Calories Does Yoga Burn? Then this article is just what you will need to go through. We will discuss calorie burn and hence the weight loss, that you may expect from each of the yoga types. Stay Tuned.
Before we get on to a detailed discussion about the benefits of yoga in weight loss, let us understand a little more about yoga as a form of exercise itself, and how it helps us burn calories.
Whether you are a seasoned yogi or an intermediate one, you have a fair idea about how yoga stretches certain muscles in our body, increases flexibility and helps us relax both physically and mentally.
We all are aware about how it is regarded as a form of exercise, but the real question which leaves us wondering whether yoga really helps us in losing weight or not.
So, let us understand a few basic things about yoga itself before we head onto knowing more about the amount of calories different types of yoga help us to burn.
Also Check: Is Hotpod Yoga Good For You
What Should I Bring
The only prop you truly need for hot yoga is a mat, but bringing a few additional items may provide a more enjoyable experience.
When selecting your mat for hot yoga look for one that has a good grip or is advertised as non-slip. From the humidity to the sweat, the extra grip will be especially important in a hot yoga class.
As you sweat it will also be helpful to have a towel available. Many hot yogis like to have a smaller towel available to wipe sweat from their face and lay a larger towel directly on their mat.
Though it may not be advised to drink water during a yoga class, you may need to so you stay hydrated. It is helpful to keep a water bottle handy.
Opt for a reusable, insulated bottle to keep your water at your ideal temperature. Not everyone cares for hot water after hot yoga.
Standard yoga props such as a strap or block can also be used in a heated class. These props aid in supporting or moving deeper into poses. If your instructor provides modifications these will be helpful to have on hand.
Bring to Class:
Some classes provide all of the necessary props, others may charge for yoga mats, and others may not even have mats available. If you dont own your own equipment check with your studio before you arrive to know what they loan and the prices.
Everything You Need To Know About Hot Yoga
How many calories does one hour of hot yoga burn? Hot yoga is capable of burning about 500 calories per hour. Now, what are the benefits of hot yoga? Let us look into some benefits of hot yoga in the following points.
- Hot yoga would make you more flexible
- It is a better way of cardio workout
- It helps in the process of eliminating stress
- It helps you burn the major amount of calories
How many calories are burned in hot power yoga? The hot power yoga helps in the process of burning calories. Hot power yoga helps in burning 620 calories in a time span of sixty minutes.
So, hot power yoga is also an important type of yoga that helps in reducing weight.
Also Check: What To Wear To Yoga Class
How Many Calories Does Hatha Yoga Burn
Hatha is probably the least impactful version of yoga other than restorative. Did you know that the term hatha is used for the basic practice of yoga itself? This is the bare bones idea of using postures and motions to maximize your body awareness.
As a result, Hatha yoga is great for new yoga enthusiasts. Keep in mind that the low-intensity level in this type of yoga does burn many calories. Even so, you will feel better!
Average calories burned: 170-300
Cool So Will Yoga Help Me Lose Weight
It could!
People lose weight by creating a calorie deficit. So, to lose weight, you need to either burn more calories or eat fewer calories .
The truth is, there are a lot of workouts that burn more calories than yoga. You could try HIIT, cardio dance, weightlifting, etc.
But there is something magical about yoga: the mindfulness factor.
Researchers in a 2016 study found that folks who practiced yoga tended to do less stress-eating and be more mindful at mealtime. Thats because yoga helps relieve stress and anxiety. Yoga classes also tend to foster supportive communities.
So if youre trying to lose weight, picking up a yoga practice could help you:
- say no to unhealthy foods
- avoid using eating as a coping method for stress or other emotions
- get more in tune with your body, including when youre hungry vs. when youre just craving a snack
- feel better about yourself in general
- soothe back or joint pain that kept you from trying more vigorous workouts
Don’t Miss: What Is The Difference Between Yoga And Pilates
