Does Hot Yoga Enhance Weight Loss?
Written by Shoshana Pritzker Monday, 10 May 2010 20:05
By Lana Russo
About two years ago, I was at my local gym when I saw a very fogged up studio filled to the brim with people doing yoga. This wasn’t ordinary yoga, though. The sweat was flying; I could hear the panting. It looked, well, disgusting. But something attracted me to it. As a Vinyasa yoga teacher, I didn’t want to “discriminate” against this type of yoga, known as Bikram. I figured, what the heck? Let me check this out. The classes were absolutely packed twice daily and everyone always came out praising the heavens above, talking about how energized and great they felt. I decided I would give it a whirl. Before signing up, however, I did some research.
Bikram yoga is generally regarded as the most intense type of yoga. It involves 26 postures and two breathing exercises in 90 minutes, all performed in a room heated to 105 degrees with about 40 percent humidity. Yogiraj Bikram Choudhury is the founder of the worldwide Yoga College of India. Born in Calcutta in 1946, Bikram began yoga at the age of four with India's most-renowned physical culturist at that time, Bishnu Ghosh— the younger brother of Paramahansa Yogananda (author of the most popular book on yoga, The Autobiography of a Yogi, and founder of the Self-Realization Fellowship in Los Angeles).
The long list of “hot” yoga devotees is long and esteemed. Celebrities such as Madonna and Andie MacDowell have all been said to practice; even the 37th President of the United States, Richard Nixon, took part in Bikram yoga, from the master himself: Bikram Choudhury. (So happy was Nixon with the practice— used to treat phlebitis— that he invited Bikram to live in the United States!) The series of postures is now copyrighted and there is a Bikram hot yoga studio in nearly every major city and town in this country. Bikram yoga is a big business, and Choudhury is a wealthy man, many times over.
Hot Yoga And Weight Loss?
There are many reasons the masses turn to Bikram. The heat has been said to ease many ailments. Scientific research generally supports the view that yoga can be helpful in reducing chronic pain. Further, heat also helps “feed” the muscles by increasing the circulation of oxygen-laden red blood cells. This is wonderful news…but I suspected that one big reason so many people pack together like sardines in a sweaty can: weight loss. I wondered, as well, if there was a connection.
Many proponents of Bikram claim that weight loss is possible with Bikram, stating that by releasing bound fat cells and working the endocrine glands to "fire up" metabolism, Bikram yoga encourages weight loss. Most people do not experience dramatic weight loss according to a scale, though, because as you are losing fat, you are building muscle mass. What you will see is a general slimming all over, according to practitioners.
According to Bikram’s website (www.bikramyoga.com), to get the pain-relief benefits and weight loss, it is recommended that you take at least 10 classes a month. As a beginner, it takes the body three classes for your body to understand the proper approach to the posture, and 10 classes for your body to begin to work with the posture. Yogis claim that digestion and respiration, as well as endocrine, lymphatic and elimination systems will begin to work harmoniously through hot yoga practice. As well, your appetite will normalize and unhealthy cravings will diminish. All of these results will allegedly help normalize your weight if you devote yourself to regular practice.
Intriguing, But True?
Alas, I went to the class. I went several times, actually. It’s absolutely a very tough workout— one that makes you feel like you’re going to vomit mid class. I brought my husband with me, who viciously whispered to me how “gross” it was and that he was going to slide everywhere. There were young men, older men, young women, older folks— all different body types and all different levels of fitness.
I left Bikram sessions feeling lighter and stronger. My husband felt pretty good, too. I must note, it’s very important to hydrate if you plan on trying this. Here’s my two cents in terms of weight loss. I weighed myself when I got home from the first session. And yes, I had lost about 3 pounds. I was swimming in my yoga pants. My husband lost a few, too, and magically forgot the way he complained for over an hour and said he’d go back.
Then, later on, I ate dinner and had a cocktail. The pounds were back. I believe that while Bikram will make you sweat your fanny off and certainly impart a “purifying” feeling, the weight you’re losing is nothing more than water. As a yoga teacher, I feel that the heat blasting is false heat building, and I would rather work with creating my own heat. Further, doing the same exact series of poses in a row each time bored me. I like a little creativity with my yoga. Those feelings aside…I was still quite intrigued about the weight loss issue.
An article published in WebMD (www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=53572) noted that the claim that yoga (especially this type) aids in weight loss is mixed. It was noted that “any physical activity, coupled with controlled eating, aids weight loss. Different yoga methods are practiced at different speeds and strength levels, burning calories at different rates.” Rather, Bikram yoga shouldn’t be used exclusively as a weight-loss tool; it should be used in tandem with a healthy eating plan and other exercise. Bikram yoga can help with other aspects of a weight-loss program; the physical benefits allow you to exercise more effectively and the mind/body connection increases your awareness of what foods your body does and doesn’t need.
Though scientific literature doesn’t have much to say about Bikram specifically, it is wonderful for increasing your body’s suppleness, as well as increasing the flexibility of your muscles and tendons— which helps prevent injuries when partaking in other sports. So while studies abound about yoga for joint pain, yoga for osteoporothosis, yoga for Alzheimer’s, and even yoga to help improve heart conditions, the jury is still out on hot yoga and permanent weight loss. Many health pundits believe the only true testimony to weight loss is provided by believers and practitioners, and until the science is proven, questions remain.
The yogi (Bikram himself) believes medical science will prove Bikram yoga is good for you. He’s collaborating in two separate clinical trials, with doctors from the University of Southern California and Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in New York (http://www.bikramyoga.com/CBS60Minutes.htm). They're studying Bikram’s effect on bone density and the overall benefits of yoga. I say, think of Bikram yoga more for increasing flexibility, becoming one with your mind and body and purifying your soul— all in a challenging fashion. Please note that Bikram does not intend to “cure” you of body and mind issues— the affect is more symptom relief.