Is this a real thing?
A student recently approached me after a class asking about losing weight with Tai Chi Walking. They had seen an online class that promoted this and was interested in my thoughts.
My thoughts
I told them that while practicing may lead to some weight loss, that is really just a beneficial side-effect.
Losing weight is a matter of the body burning more calories than it is taking in. Any cardio or movement can play a role in this and Tai Chi is no exception.
One of the more favorable things about training Tai Chi is that it is low impact cardio. When we practice, our breath does not really quicken, though we may slightly sweat. This makes it possible to begin a class at almost any level of overall health. However, this also means that if someone is looking to sweat and shed pounds, they should most likely look elsewhere.
I would highly encourage people to seek out exercise that raises the heart rate, to an appropriate level, as part of an overall healthy existence. But I would recommend this, and resistance training, in addition to Tai Chi, Yoga and/or Pilates.
They are all pieces of the puzzle and the fun is getting to dabble in them all.
Enjoy the process!