Does Core Power Burn Calories? Separating Fact from Fiction

January 12, 2026 •

3 min read

While Core Power protein shakes provide a calorie-containing recovery fuel, a CorePower Yoga class is a high-intensity workout that actively burns a significant number of calories. This critical distinction clarifies how the term “Core Power” relates to calorie burning and weight management.

Quick Summary

This article explains that calorie burning is a result of exercise like CorePower Yoga, while Core Power protein shakes contribute calories and support muscle recovery, indirectly influencing metabolism.

Key Points

Core Power Protein Shakes Add Calories: The shakes are a source of calories and protein, not a tool for burning them.
CorePower Yoga Burns Calories: The high-intensity yoga classes actively burn calories through physical exercise.
Protein Boosts Metabolism Slightly: The high protein content of the shakes causes a small increase in calorie expenditure through the thermic effect of food.
Exercise is the Main Calorie Burner: Workouts involving cardio, weights, and heat, such as CorePower Yoga, are what create a significant calorie deficit.
Combining Both for Success: Using the shake for recovery after the workout maximizes muscle repair and overall fitness gains.
Distinguish Between Shake and Workout: It's crucial to understand the difference to effectively manage weight and fitness goals.

The phrase “Core Power” can refer to two very different things in the fitness world: a popular line of high-protein milk shakes and a brand of yoga studios offering intense, athletic-style classes. Understanding this ambiguity is crucial when asking, “Does Core Power burn calories?” The short answer is: the workout burns them, but the protein shake provides them.

Core Power Protein Shakes: Fuel, Not Fire

Core Power protein shakes, made by Fairlife, are designed to aid muscle recovery and growth, not to burn calories. In fact, these shakes contain calories and are meant to be consumed as part of a balanced diet, often post-workout. For example, a 14oz bottle of the 26g protein shake contains 170 calories, while the Elite 42g version contains 230 calories.

The Thermic Effect of Food and Metabolism

While the shake itself adds calories, its high protein content can influence metabolism through the thermic effect of food (TEF). TEF is the energy your body uses to digest, absorb, and process nutrients. Protein has a higher TEF than carbohydrates or fats, meaning the body expends more energy to break it down. This does not, however, mean the shake creates a net negative calorie effect; it simply means the caloric impact is slightly less than the listed value.

Muscle Building: Protein is essential for repairing and building muscle tissue. Since muscle burns more calories at rest than fat, increasing your lean muscle mass can boost your resting metabolic rate, leading to more calories burned throughout the day.
Satiety and Appetite Control: The protein in these shakes also promotes feelings of fullness, which can help manage appetite and reduce overall calorie intake. This can be a beneficial part of a weight management plan.

CorePower Yoga: The Calorie-Burning Workout

Unlike the protein shake, CorePower Yoga is an intense, physical workout specifically designed to burn calories and build strength. The classes incorporate elements of cardio, strength training, and traditional yoga poses, leading to an elevated heart rate and increased energy expenditure.

Factors that Boost Calorie Burn in CorePower Yoga

High-Intensity Workouts: Classes like 'Yoga Sculpt' and 'C2' are dynamic and challenging, combining yoga flow with weights and cardio bursts to maximize calorie burn.
Heated Studios: Many CorePower classes are conducted in heated rooms (up to 104°F). This added heat forces the body to work harder to regulate its temperature, further increasing calorie expenditure.
Core-Focused Movements: The emphasis on core strength engages major muscle groups, contributing to a more significant overall calorie burn.

Core Power Comparison: Shake vs. Workout


Feature	Core Power Protein Shake	CorePower Yoga
Primary Function	Post-workout recovery and muscle building	High-intensity workout and calorie burning
Caloric Impact	Adds calories (e.g., 170-230)	Burns calories (e.g., hundreds)
Metabolic Effect	Boosts TEF slightly; supports muscle for RMR increase	Directly increases metabolic rate during and after exercise
Main Benefit	Fuels muscle repair and provides amino acids	Builds strength, flexibility, and promotes weight loss
Role in Weight Loss	Supports recovery and can increase satiety	Creates a direct caloric deficit through exercise

The Synergistic Relationship: Combining Nutrition and Exercise

For optimal results, the protein shake and yoga class can work together. You burn calories in the yoga class and then consume the protein shake afterward to recover and repair muscles. This combination maximizes the benefits of your fitness routine. Lasting weight loss and improved fitness require a holistic approach combining exercise, proper nutrition, and stress management. The shake is a tool to support your body while the workout is the activity that expends energy.

Conclusion

It's important to clarify what you mean by "Core Power" to understand its role in calorie burning. The Core Power protein shake does not burn calories; it provides them to fuel your body and assist in muscle recovery. In contrast, a CorePower Yoga class is a physically demanding workout that burns calories through intense exercise, heated environments, and strength training. For those with weight management goals, using the protein shake to recover from the calorie-burning yoga class is a highly effective strategy. Ultimately, achieving a calorie deficit is the key to weight loss, and CorePower Yoga helps you achieve that through exercise, while the shake supports your body's recovery process.

Frequently Asked Questions

While Core Power protein shakes are not a weight-loss product, they can aid in a weight management plan. Their high protein content helps build and maintain muscle mass, which boosts metabolism, and promotes feelings of fullness to help reduce overall calorie intake.

The number of calories varies by product. For example, a 14oz bottle of the 26g Core Power shake has 170 calories, while the Elite 42g version contains 230 calories.

No, you cannot lose weight solely by drinking the shakes. A calorie deficit, where you burn more calories than you consume, is necessary for weight loss. While the shake can aid recovery and satiety, it provides calories that must be accounted for in your daily intake.

The calories burned during a CorePower Yoga class vary depending on the class type, intensity, and the individual's body weight and effort. High-intensity classes like Yoga Sculpt, which include cardio and weights, can burn several hundred calories.

Yes, exercising in a heated room increases your body's energy expenditure as it works harder to keep you cool. This contributes to a higher overall calorie burn during the class.

Core Power shakes are milk-based protein drinks. They are made from Fairlife ultra-filtered, lactose-free milk.

The shake and the yoga class serve different purposes. If your goal is muscle recovery, choose the shake. If your goal is to burn calories and increase fitness through exercise, choose the yoga class. For a holistic approach, combine the calorie-burning workout with the recovery-boosting shake.