Better ability to use nutrients from food?

Congratulations! It sounds to me like you have gained some muscle weight from your yoga. If your dress size has changed already, then you are definitely on the right track!

When I started Bikram a year ago, I felt like I needed to lose 10 pounds to get back to my regular weight and so that my clothes would fit me again. I remember that I sent a distressed post to Gabrielle wondering how I could possibly not be losing weight after a few months of this intense yoga. I felt like I was working SO hard and not seeing any impact on the scale. Guess what happened–I did not lose ANY weight according to the scale. However, all of my clothes now fit again. Basically, I am 10 pounds heavier than I look. Hmmm, I have all of the many benefits of yoga–including looking thinner–but the scale tells me otherwise. I gave my scale away.

Maybe it would make sense for your goal to be based on measurements or body fat percentage instead of pounds? That might make you feel better about your journey.

I think that more frequent and smaller meals is a great idea. I also think that 1000 calories is a really small amount of calories to get by on when you are exerting yourself so much in yoga. Everyone is different, though. You asked if yogis survive on very little food. I can only speak for myself on that, but I actually eat about as much as my 6’4″ boyfriend does. As long as I go to yoga 4-6 times per week and walk about 3 miles 4-5 days per week, I do not have any concern with weight gain. I do try to eat healthy food. I don’t eat processed food, cook with olive oil, lots of veggies (I seem to have trouble getting the fruit in), very little white flour or sweets. I also include nuts, avocados and dark chocolate in my diet. I believe that the concept of including enough MUFAs (look it up online) is a good one.

Best of Luck and, again, congratulations on your success thus far.

Namaste,
Cindy

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I am so not going to give up – I’ve decided to try a different strategy and to cut way, way back my portion sizes and eat 5-6 times only the amount I can fit to my palm. Previously I’ve eaten 3 meals although my caloric intake hasn’t been very high, I actually have problems to go over 1000 calories. But maybe my body really doesn’t need that much food and can survive with very little. Please give me some info – does yogis survive with very little food?

You may wish to see a nutritionist, or do some deeper research to help support your yoga and weight loss journey. It is common nutritional knowledge that below about 1500 calories per day the body will enter ‘starvation mode’ and begin to store calories rather than use them. This creates weight gain and at the same time you can become very tired. Here’s an article you might be interested in: http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/calories/burning_calories/starvation.htm An average ‘healthy’ weight loss goal is 2lbs or ~1kilo per week. This means a total deficit (by food or more exercise) of 500 calories per day. Beyond that, you may start to lose stamina or enter the ‘starvation mode’ as described above. Many people burn 500 calories in one Bikram class alone.

The good news is that weight gain while losing actual size would indicate increased muscle mass. Increasing your muscle mass will increase your metabolism so your body will continue to find balance and make good use of the food you eat more permanently than just dieting alone. If you want to be very scientific about it, you could have your body fat percentage measured, find out what is a healthy goal for you, and then use a heart-rate monitor in class a few times to find the amount of calories you burn in class. This information will help you plan more carefully how much to eat to continue to fuel your weight loss plans!

Bikram does have a saying about how yogis can eat less than average people as we do gain nutrition and digest more efficiently than others. It is something I have experienced-digesting a meal in 2 hours instead of 4 hours and feeling great, but it happens over time (for me it was only in teacher training with 2 classes per day).