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| i was introduced to bikram in january 2005. i did it at least once a week then, and on my own whenever i could until september. september 5 until november i did my yoga daily, faithfully. in those two months, i did 6x a week of yoga, missing only one or two classes.
i remember feeling great, feeling strong, and every wonderful sensation you could think of. that was my "career high" in yoga. my skin was really good, too, and i just had to glow.
pretty soon the holidays rolled in, i began missing a day or two and then soon more classes. i got sick twice, missing practice for several weeks. i began again this january, almost daily. and then i had to rest my back in february for two weeks because i really couldn't bend so much and i was in pain doing the standing balancing poses.
i didnt give up on bikram though. i couldn't. i really just couldn't.i still try to go four times each week.
looking back now, i've done 7 months worfth of bikram yoga and while i know i have developed strength and flexibility like i never had, im looking for results that are clearly missing.
it may seem superficial, although i'm so bothered that i don't seem to be losing weight. i have no idea how much i weigh, becauselike many of you, i base it on how i feel and how my clothes fit. while at practice i am strong and i delight over every bead of sweat that falls on my towel, when i'm back in the real world wearing normal clothes i feel bulky, boxy, and not so motivated.
i think i'm gaining instead of losing. a lot of people have commented on how my arms seem more muscular, and i'm fine with that because they've never been this toned. i do feel my jeans and trousers getting more snug on me, due to enlarged muscles in my thighs, which i dare not measure. it's hard finding a pair of non-stretch jeans that will fit me--it really bothers me. i've never been "hippy", but i think that my hips in particular are widening, as is my back. still, my stomach remains my ultimate problem--it's flatter, maybe, but it's still quite loose. i'm thinking of going on a crash diet or seeing a dietician even, just to kickstart my losing. it's really belly fat i'm worried about.
and i'm thinking, do i need to go back to my old routine of daily running just to lose this belly? do i need to go swimming, do i need to take up a new sport?
the sad thing is, i know i don't want to. i am completely sold over to bikram yoga. i look at my calves and how they're beautifully toned, i remember how i feel after every sweat session, i remember how good it is to bounce out of bed in the morning, and i attribute it all to my bikram yoga practice. i can't give it up. but i'm afraid it's not giving me what i want to have out of it.
so now i ask advice from you yogis and yoginis here...what do i do? i would love to shrink a dress size or two just like the others in the testimonial page over at bikramyoga.com. i may be doing something wrong.  |
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| I love yoginis, no matter what they look like. I'd 10x much rather have a woman who took care of herself with "big" thighs, than a rail thin woman who didn't exercise. Yoga puts a smile on my face, what more could anybody ask for in a woman? |
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| This is just my opinion but I think everyone has a Bkram quota - maybe you've reached yours and your body has plateaued. I like cross training so you can use your muscles differently. Sometimes less is more, too. Women tend to eat more for energy when they don't get enough sleep. Sleep can get a good weight loss aid (very Daoist - doing by not doing).
I'd write more but it's time for me to go to sleep myself. Nighty Nite 
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 418
Location: New York | I agree with Fifi (I often agree with Fifi!) that there is a Bikram quota. I know that was the case for me. I did the Bikram teacher training in Spring 2002 and I did pretty much nothing but Bikram yoga for those 9 weeks. I would hear all of these people rave about how they were in the best shape of their lives, but I felt like I really lost a lot in terms of my fitness level by doing only Bikram. Over time, the body adapts to doing the same exact thing, day in and day out. I think you have to shock the body by cross training (both in terms of exercise mode and type of training) to increase your fitness level.
The only thing you're doing "wrong" is doing only Bikram, all the time. My advice would be to integrate some other form of exercise- preferably cardio- with Bikram. |
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| thanks for the advice. what cardio would you suggest?
i don't wanna go back to running and damage my kness when i've worked so hard at strengthening them. |
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| I agree that sleep helps with weight.
I have a bad knee and used to run. I think running may hae hurt my knee. I do ellipticals, but at times I wonder if its good. Doctors have told me ellipticals are ok and to avoid the stairmaster, which I miss. I never go past a resistence level of 3 on ellipticals to protect my knee. I also give myself a couple off days from cardio a week. Swimming may be good too. I walk on the tradmill towarm up and abit after. Ellipticals can give u a good worko out.
What have u been doing to strengthen your knee? I could use tips with that. |
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| i responded to this in the 'weight loss' section.  |
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| Thanks, Jackie Cat!
I've been meaning to try this myself: purchase waterproof ankle weights and run in waist deep water (in the pool).
Actually, swimming can be very aerobic. Isn't there a swim group for adults called The Masters? They do their laps and swimming exercises for 2 hours at the community pool I sometimes frequent. Some of the women do it for exercise, some do it for competition. It's easier to get into the discipline of vigorous exercise with a group of people and a coach pushing you.
Good luck |
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| Masters swim teams are great for experienced swimmers. our Y also offers swim lessons for new adult swimmers which provides training and usually lasts about an hour per lesson (once or twice a week). they'll accept experienced swimmers as well.
i was going to join the master's swim team, but i discovered that it's part of a larger organization. aside from pool fees (even though i'm a member of the Y and technically there shouldn't be pool fees, they cound this under the 'aerobics' program like water aerobics, which 'cost extra' and therefore we have pool fees), there was also a fee/dues for joining the 'league' and you have to compete X number of times during the year which also has fees. whereas the swimming lessons only had the pool fees. So, if i wanted to have a set swim time with a group and a coach, swim lessons would be a better idea for me. |
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| mastered the standing head to knee
now im working on straightening it out for the full duration of the standing bow pulling. i want to be able to do a standing split soon! |
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| I worked out 10ish times a week before taking up bikram. I do 5ish bikram classes a week and have since the beginning of Feb. Anyhow I feel like I've plateaued a bit too. All I've done is add 3 cardio sessions a week in the morning. A 5 minute warm up on an elliptical and then I walk 1 minute/full spring 30 seconds for 20 minutes, then a 5 minute cooldown. That works like a charm for me. |
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help! i'm not losing weight.
