The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › General Hot Yoga Discussion › Weight Loss and Hot Yoga › Weight Gain
Tagged: weightgain
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I have been practicing Bikram yoga now for 3 months, going 4 to 5 times a week. I have gained 5 pounds. I started yoga to help maintain or lower my weight. All my clothes fit tighter. My diet is great. I eat healthy and consume around 1600 calaries a day. I also do about 45min of cardio each day.
Why am I gaining weight. I never exercised more in my life. I currently weigh 137lbs.
I know the scale should not matter, but when my clothes are tighter it makes me very depressed.
I really like Bikram yoga but I am going to stop it if I can’t loose the extra 5 pounds.
I can understand why you would be so frustrated!!! I can perhaps shed some light and hope on what MAY be going on. Fist make note that you have not made other changes in your diet and routine (which you already stated as being around the same as before)
Second…. you’ve shared you are exercising more than you ever really have and the hot room CAN be very challenging to new comers. When your body is under too much stress for what ever reason and in what ever form (physical or mental) our bodies tend to pack on the pound 🙁 this is due to the hormones that stress releases. Here is my advice (keeping in mind my thoughts are only mer guessing at ONE poss. reason)
1 look at your nutrition and make sure it is balanced and enough
2 BREATHE in through the nose and out through the nose in class to keep your system calm in the heat and poses.
3 don’t over push yourself!!!!
4 go to class w/ the mind set of relaxing in YOGA class (not going to pound out a workout!)
5. KEEP going !!! Your body WILL catch on and the extra (+) lbs will melt off !!
good luck and keep us posted !OHHH one other note quickly…. how is your bladder? Are you running to the bathroom a lot?
a poss sign of low sodium from all the sweating and would cause a weight gain from your body holding on to all the salt in your diet. (even though you would be peeing like CRAZY you would have some water weight and be bloated)You do sound unhappy, and I can understand why if you wanted to shed some weight…
However 137 lbs is healthy! How tall are you?
If you are between 5″3 and 6″1 you are spot on:
http://www.bmc.org/medicine/medicine/nutrition/images/BMI-Chart.png
Perhaps ask yourself WHY you want to loose weight, and if pushing yourself further, or abandoning yoga all together (nooooooooooooo!), to take up another kind of excercise just for appearances sakes is truly nurturing.
Hot Yoga is an excellent weight REGULATOR– this means when practiced 3+ times a week in conjunction with a healthy diet, Hot Yoga will help your body maintain its optimum weight. Some may gain some pounds. Some may loose some pounds. It all depends where you’re at at that particular point in your life.
It’s also worth noting that MUSCLE weighs substantially more than fat. So initial weight gain might be a good thing!
higher muscle mass= higher metabolism= more efficient calorie burning
Your body also changes shape as your muscles change. That might explain different fitting clothes? Something to think about anyway.
My advice is to give it some time. Let go of judgements. Stay with your practice and accept yourself no matter what comes up. It may not be easy but that’s part of the fun. Right?!
Good luck!
Hi Angela,
I started Bikram Yoga in February this year, and I also experienced a weight gain (about 3 kgs). My weight has now dropped back down by 2 kgs – and I am much leaner, stronger and more balanced than before.
I don’t understand WHY it happened but I believe that because Bikram Yoga is working your body from the inside out, it is just the way your body responds to this wonderful journey… after all, we have spent a long time living without Bikram Yoga so it might just take some time for everything to become rebalanced.
I encourage you not to quit Bikram Yoga – enjoy the journey, and all the benefits will come your way over time.
Namaste,
ShonaHi Angela
Welcome to the forum!
I was wondering if any of the responses to your question resonated for you? Many people have struggled with weight at some time in their lives (me too!).
As I like to encourage everyone, unless you are weighing your luggage to check you don’t pay excess baggage then there is little or no need to have a set of scales at home.
That number you see on that dial is taunting you and seems to be upsetting you more and may be even cementing some very UN-USEFUL (is that a word?) beliefs about your weight and shape that could be either creating a self-fulfilling prophecy or sabotaging your great efforts to be happy in your own skin.
Please throw your scales away.
Go back to the enjoyment you derive from your exercise. Start to look at yourself in the mirror in class and maybe even say stuff like: “everyday I feel better and better in my own skin, everyday I look more healthy, each moment is bringing me closer to everything I want for myself”. Make up your own of course 😉
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂I have been going to Bikram yoga for over 2 years and am disappointed that I have not experienced weight loss and in fact have gained some weight. It is not the numbers on the scale, it is more flab around my middle and hips and thighs, It is not the muscular thighs that I see so often in yoga. I love going to yoga and know it is good for my body, but I wish I could figure out how to get leaner. I am trying to eat better and could always improve in that area, but feel like if I go running a lot that takes the weight off and the yoga doesn’t.
Hello ladykale
I have been thinking about your questions. I have one of my own:
I would love to know if you are willing to let me know what frequency of practice you have. How many times per week you go to yoga, how often in the past and now? You have been practicing 2 years so your practice habits may have changed over time. Please let me know.
On a different level, perhaps your mind and body are caught in the ‘wanting’ of your goal and not the accomplishment of it. Maybe you just want to lose the shape. Your mind has created the wanting of it and not the activity or physical outcome of the shape change itself. Are you in a constant state of wanting as opposed to creating the conditions in your mind (with your beliefs and intentions) to allow you to lose it. You may want to lose the shape but maybe you have a deep expectation that you won’t be able to do it. Is there anything you need to let go of to let what you want to happen, happen?
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hello All,
I’ve been enjoying hot yoga for sixth months now … and I too have put on weight … only a couple of pounds but it’s certainly not going down. I don’t know why – obviously I’d love to look better than I do – but I’ve just decided to enjoy the yoga.
I feel that I’ve had so many other benefits in this short a time: I’m happier, more toned, and have met new friends. I feel that my ‘attitude’ is better. I guess the weight thing will either come later – or I’ll just stop worrying about it!enjoy yourselves
JohnThanks for your post. I recently began Bikram (about three weeks ago).
I went 19 of the past 21 days.This past weekend i just crashed. I have been absolutely exhausted. I can barely convince myself to go tonight. Also i got on the scale and have gained 7 pounds!!!! I was an avid runner and have not ran at all the past 3 weeks. My clothes are definitely tighter in my thighs but my waist is smaller. Im trying to focus on all the positive benefits but i really need to loose weight not gain. Im wondering if i made a rash decision to quit the gym and sign up for one year of Bikram.
I keep reading how my metabolism and food cravings can change with Bikram. I dont want to give up but i am discouraged. I think i should give it at least 30 days to have a chance to make a difference. Perhaps i should just do hot yoga 3 times a week and run the rest; however, i was told by the instructors that to get the real benefits it would be best to go as much as I can. How quickly does it usually take a person body to really start changing?
Hello ydk…
I guess I want to ask you if the only reason you are doing the yoga is your weight loss. (I bet you it’s not!). Sometimes being too fixated or attached to a goal can play havoc with your mind and actually rob you of benefits. It can stop you from surrendering to your practice and make you work too hard. If you are really exhausted you deserve a break. Recovery is as much an essential ingredient of your regime as the actual exercise itself.
If you love running then you need to indulge that passion too. Maybe you are someone who needs a bit of both and allow some balance in your approach. Aim for something that is achievable. Maybe commit to 4 or 5 hot yoga classes per week and go for more if you really feel your body can handle it. Then those extra classes will be a bonus. And you won’t feel bad that you are letting yourself down if you can’t make the extra classes.
You have only been going for several weeks and it is worth it to give Bikram yoga a chance. Thousands of other hot yogis can’t be wrong. :cheese:
Come back here for support!!!
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂I gained 8 lbs in 5 months of practicing Bikram 4 – 6 x week. Oddly enough, I cut down to 3-4 x week 3 months ago due to a new schedule and the weight has come off and then some. And my posture is great and my newly sculpted shoulders and mid-section look awesome- i can finally see the benefits now that the fat is gone! Nothing else (diet, sleep) changed except the temperature outside (getting colder). Weird!?
Hi Holly
The body and mind are fascinating subjects aren’t they? I wonder if you have any thoughts about what was going on for you. For example why were you practicing 4-6 times (a goal to change something fast or a compulsion to go) and why did you change to 3-4? Were you struggling to fit in your busier habit or was it easy to turn up that often?
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi,
I am in the process of reading Bikram’s book. He actually mentions this and says you will gain weight but your body shape will change.
I have to say for me, being an overweight woman who has dieted all her life and failed, it is so nice to finally have something to focus on and be able to get rid of the scale. I don’t have all that negative stuff in my head and instead I like myself because I see growth in my postures. I don’t even go for weight loss even though that is one of the reasons I started. I go because I want to see how much better I can do and because it relaxes me and gives me happiness and energy.
I guess I like myself better with yoga, and even if I don’t get down to regular size I am okay with that. I am doing something that I can be proud of.
To poster #6,
I find that the combination of running and yoga is excellent for muscle building and fat burning. I’ve been practicing steadily for four years. Bikram by itself does not help me lose weight, but the combination of running and Bikram makes the fat melt like butter. I have studied this and believe it is for a number of reasons:
1. Bikram makes you gain muscle, thereby speeding your metabolism. However, since muscle weighs more than fat you may gain weight and experience changes in your shape. I tend to bulk up when I practice Bikram by itself because of the muscle gain, but it provides the sculpting for a beautiful body. Running combined with poses focused on thyriod and metabolism (like standing head to knee) will help you burn off the fat so you can see those amazing muscles! Without running my muscle and layer of fat just makes me look bigger.
2. I find that if I practice in the morning, I end up eating more all day long because I’m ravenous all day. For this reason I practice 3-4 times a week at 5:30pm. I run in the morning 3-4 times a week, which I feel burns more fat, but doesn’t make me as hungry. I try to run and do Bikram on the same day at least twice a week. On these days, I usually wake up the next morning with slight weight loss. I’m not sure if this is water weight or due to 2.5 hours of exercise on a given day. I’ve read you must do aerobic exercise for at least 45 minutes before you begin burning fat. Before that you are just burning glucose in the blood from whatever sugar or carbs you ate that day or the previous day.
3. I can run longer distances at a faster speed when I practice Bikram. I believe this is due to strength I’ve gained as a result of Bikram, but also because I experience fewer body aches and pains from pounding away at the cement or asphalt. All of the poses will increase your flexibility and thereby prevent injury–we know from research that stretching is an absolute necessity if you are a runner who wants to continue running for life. Several poses are critical in avoiding overuse injuries frequently caused by running. Our yoga doctor can probably provide more info here, but I find the following poses most helpful with the knees and hips: tree, fixed firm, camel, and spine twisting; however, any of the poses that build leg strength and flexibility contribute to my injury free running–this includes most Bikram poses!
I hope this helps! Running and Bikram are better together. IMHO 🙂
Janey
I just started doing Bikram four weeks ago and I have been going 4-5 times a week. I have also been going to the gym 2-3 times a week. I have not been dieting, but I’m pretty sure I’m eating less and I know I’m eating better. I am very overweight – in the obese BMI range.
During this four weeks I have noticed that I am smaller. My clothes are fitting better (or in some cases worse…bit too big) and I have noticed a change in shape. I have put on quite a bit of muscle – which I do fairly easily. My abs are rock hard.
But when I checked the scales this morning – I had gained 10 pounds during this period!! TEN POUNDS. That’s A LOT. Not too worried but I really do need to lose. And I do find it disheartening.
I won’t be quitting Bikram as I also have major flexibility problems and it’s helping me a lot. But I must drop some pounds. I’m just plain old too heavy.
Hi alcinoe
Congratulations! You’re very motivated to change your shape. And whatever you’re doing is working.
Sometimes it’s hard to ignore the scales and listen to your body, feel what it feels like, feel better in your clothes and just let that number on the dail …. go!
But that’s really what you need to do.
For the same volume of tissue, muscles weighs more than fat. You are doing a ton of exercise and you are losing shape! That’s fantastic. Would it hurt you to keep doing what you’re doing and just ditch the scales for a couple of months (or forever)?
Maybe those numbers are holding you back. You shouldn’t feel guilty about what you’ve achieved. You should be celebrating.
Ditch ’em and keep doing what you’re doing. (Just remember to hydrate well and with the number of classes you’re doing per week including gym you need to take plenty of sea salt to up the intake of electrolytes so that your muscles and rest of your body can function in top form.)
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Thanks… I don’t think I totally want to ditch the scales, but have to recognise they may not mean much except over the long term. I weighed myself again on Monday morning and had lost six pounds from Friday to Monday (different scales, but still!) So clearly there’s some water retention going on as 6 pounds over three days isn’t a ‘real’ weight loss.
A friend of mine ‘made’ me sign up for the Bikram and promised me I’d lose a dress size in a month if I did. I think I might have lost a dress size (depending on the dress) but not trouser size. I note in hindsight she never promised I’d ‘lose weight’
My fitness goal is greater flexibility and strength – as I really want to play women’s rugby this autumn. (Not sure why, but I do) So although I need to lose some weight to do that, major weight loss before season is definitely not a priority.
As I come to the end of my 30 day intro offer at my local Bikram studio I know I want to continue with it and will be purchasing a 3 month unltd membership. I’m currently unemployed and will never have another opportunity like this to spend time to enhance my practice. After I go back to work I won’t be able to practice so often.
You are so right alcinoe. Take the opportunity and give back to yourself.
Water retention (look it up on this forum) can have a lot to do with an electrolyte lack.
Have a wonderful yoga-intensive time!
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Yesterday the yoga teacher that I took my first ever class from complemented me on how much I’d come along and my ‘incredible’ weight loss. As I was going into standing separate leg stretching pose, she couldn’t see the huge smile on my face and I couldn’t tell her that I am 2lbs up in weight from my first class 5 weeks ago.
I have begun my rugby training now as well…running, aqua aerobics and weight lifting for now, will drop the aqua and start interval training in a couple of months. I plan to do as much yoga as I can (4-5 times a week) for the next three months, but will cut back to 2x a week as I need to up interval training and rugby specific training.
Love that story! Keep it up. Thanks for posting alcinoe
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂I also have the same problem. I’ve been practising bikram yoga for one and half year 3-4 times a week. I feel great and fit and friends tell me that I look like loosing weight but actually I gained 5kgs and I can feel it cause my clothes feel tighter. I always eat healthy food and keep practising bijram yoga but tighter clothes is like a constant 4eminder that I’m gaining weight
This is an interesting topic. I have noticed that bikram definitely makes me retain water, usually about 4-7 pounds. Whenever I take a week or two off I instantly shed the weight. This is frustrating as I eat really well, stay super hydrated and have developed a strong practice over three years. I have recently dropped my practice down to 2-3 times per week and I am noticeably less bloated. I really seem to swell in my face and at that point vanity wins. My studio offers bikram class at 75 degrees so I will try and do that to keep up my strength. I have heard MANY people have the same problem. It’s frustrating as this practice is so cleansing, I always feels like thoroughly cleansed inside and out, full of energy etc. If anyone has any suggestions I would welcome them, I have tried several electrolyte brands as well as himalayan sea salt, also if anyone has a suggestion as to why my husband cramps at night after practicing that would be wonderful, too.
Hello
May I ask you what your electrolyte ‘habit’ comprises? In other words, do you always take electrolytes during hot yoga, or do you take them all the time (even when you’re not doing yoga)? How much are you taking? When are you taking them?
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂-
This reply was modified 8 years, 5 months ago by
Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor).
hi…you should do all yoga posture on daily basis…..and give more time to practice…..you can visit this site for information about yoga pose…
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This reply was modified 8 years, 1 month ago by
deependrakaushal.
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This reply was modified 8 years, 5 months ago by
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