When I stepped foot into my first Bikram Yoga class I was nearly 200 pounds, I drank heavily, ate bad food and was heading down a path far from where I am today. I had been practicing vinyasa flow yoga for a year and was running a few times a week. I wasn’t losing any weight.
I would like to say that my goal when I walked into that Bikram yoga studio was about enlightenment, self-betterment, increased flexibility and mental clarity. I wanted to lose weight, plain and simple and I wanted to look good.
To be honest I wasn’t sure it was possible. I have a big bone structure. I inherited the Dahl metabolism. I told myself everything that I could to reinforce being overweight. In addition, I genuinely thought the food I was eating was relatively healthy. I rarely cooked and when I did I relied heavily on butter, cheese, carbohydrates and red meat to make a meal. Sometimes my ‘vegetable’ for the meal was a sautéed onion.
My love affair the 26 hatha yoga postures that makes up Bikram yoga was rocky. You can read more about that here.
But despite not loving the practice at first, I kept showing up for class because after all – I wanted to look good! For the first year I practiced about three times a week. The following year it was closer to five to six times a week. And slowly (and sustainably) the weight started to come off. My body transformed from soft and inflexible to strong and bendy.
I regained the vitality I was losing under the layers of fat.
The good news is that despite what the scale says (if you have a scale get rid of it ASAP, scales are meant for the doctor’s office) I have created a healthy habit of regular exercise and good eating. I no longer need to “diet” or feel like I’m in any sort of constant struggle with my weight. I have even written articles on nutrition suggestions for hot yogis.
I’ll be honest, I don’t always look like I do in this photo. My weight fluctuates in natural and healthy ranges, sometimes I eat better than other times. Sometimes I practice yoga more than other months. And that’s okay. For me my health journey is no longer about perfection, it’s about wellness.
The weight I lost happened through a life transforming yoga practice. Along the way I acquired other things I needed like mental clarity, increased flexibility, the gift of being more open with my thoughts and emotions and worked through struggles from the past.
So can you lose weight by practicing Bikram yoga? Absolutely. But just showing up for class won’t be enough. You’ll have to work hard. There will be sweat, there will be tears, there will be pushing yourself through roadblocks, and it will all be well worth it.
I lost the weight and gained back my life.
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Lindsay-thank you so much for sharing this. What an incredible journey. I can tell that you have such a healthy outlook on weight. I’ve many times contemplated throwing the scale out the window, but others in my house use it regularly. I like the tight pants test much better :-) I’m so glad you found a form of exercise that you love and that works for you. I think that’s the true secret-or at least part of it. Eat well most of the time and find something you truly love that keeps your body moving. You look fantastic.
Yes yes, way to go! This practice is so awesome and powerful. I agree we should not be obsessed with the number on the scale. It’s more important how you look and feel and how your clothes fit. I weigh in at the local Y (doctor’s office type scale) once every month or two just to confirm I’m staying on track. I notice a little fluctuation from time to time and can always pin it to some level indulging or cheating with my diet. By diet I mean what I eat day to day, not being “on a diet” which is the sure fire way to set yourself up for failure.
Your blog is especially interesting because I lost 80 pounds (net 70 as this moment) in my first 2 years of Bikram yoga (20 after 7 months, then 40 over the next 12 then another 20 over the next 5), but I talk to women at my studio who express frustration with weight loss. It makes me wonder if it’s harder for women, or if some people’s metabolism is just very different.
Hi Michael…just to answer your curiosity, yes…weight loss is very, very different for women than it is for men. It’s harder for various reasons: We naturally have a higher fat to lean muscle ratio than men, it’s easier for men to gain muscle, we have monthly hormonal fluctuations, and last but not least there’s the pre-menopause/menopausal stages of life that cause even worse hormonal fluctuations that grind our metabolisms to a screeching halt. None of this is to say it’s impossible…it’s just harder and we have to be much more vigilant with diet and exercise.
Love this Lindsay. I channel your strength when I’m feeling weak!
Lindsay,
such a heart felt story, thank you so much for sharing. i do so love your outlook on life, your raw honesty .
thanks
Thank you Bonnie!
Hi Lindsay!! I Love your posts and I LOVE BIKRAM YOGA AND THE STUDIO I PRACTICE AT IN STATEN ISLAND “SOME LIKE IT HOT” my teachers are awesome and I’m so happy I got introduced to such and informative site! Thank you
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I have been going for a month now, and yes I pay more attention to healthy eating…not perfect yet, but I have gained a couple pounds?? I so wanted it to go the other direction when I started this. I am now quitting but feeling hopeless with the weight.
Keep going! Watch your salt intake, and believe me, the pounds will shed.
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