High-temperature yoga only reduces water but not weight loss

In the past two years, high-temperature yoga has become popular in major health clubs and yoga studios. This kind of yoga is practiced in an artificial high temperature environment. You can sweat profusely with a few simple stretching movements or even lying still on the ground. It is not difficult to lose a kilogram after a class. People who want to lose weight can see hope from it.

Is high-temperature yoga really so "effective"? Actually, it's not. When the body is at high temperatures, blood naturally flows to the epidermis to help dissipate heat. If stretching exercises are carried out at the same time, the muscles also need blood to provide energy. In addition, the body sweats a lot and quickly dries, and the blood becomes sticky. This not only cannot it simultaneously provide energy for skin heat dissipation and muscle movement, but the body may experience a series of discomfort. What's more, yoga emphasizes peace of mind, and high temperatures can lead to mental tension, which in itself runs counter to the peace of yoga.

In fact, losing weight is about losing "fat", not water. Many people find that after a high-temperature yoga class, their weight can be reduced by about 1 kilogram, so they think they have lost weight. This is misleading. In a high temperature environment, the body will sweat more in order to maintain normal physiological functions, but this does not mean burning fat. In fact, most of the weight that is "lost" is water, and it must be replenished.

Secondly, if you want to lose weight effectively, you should meet three basic conditions: low-to-low intensity aerobic exercise, full-body exercise, which lasts for more than 20 minutes. For the latter two, yoga can satisfy both, but it cannot satisfy the first one.

Aerobic exercise refers to an exercise method with low intensity, long duration, and full participation of oxygen in the metabolic process in the body. Common ones include running, swimming, cycling, etc. When we do long-term aerobic exercise, our body uses both glycogen and fat. When the exercise intensity is about 65% of the maximum oxygen intake, our body relies more on fat for energy. Yoga is of little value for training cardiopulmonary endurance and muscle endurance. It is neither aerobic exercise nor exercise intensity is high enough, so the weight loss effect is not great. (Internship Editor: Wu Jinyu)