I signed up for a Yoga class at the Y, and I have gone twice (it meets twice a week) and I really enjoy it. I am also really feeling it lol

But I have a question that I am way too embarrassed to ask the instructor.......I know Yoga will improve my balance, stretching and even mental stability haha! But will it burn fat? I am doing cardio and soon weight lifting on the days I don't have Yoga, but still......will Yoga balance my mind BODY and soul?

Thanks!

is your heart rate elevated when you do it? --

Yoga won't necessarily burn fat, so it's not a good choice for weight loss. However, it is activity and does burn calories. The health benefits from yoga are too numerous to mention. It helps strengthen your core, balance and flexibility. This helps in your daily life, and in any exercise regime.

Since I started taking yoga, my cardio has improved; I keep my back straighter for longer; when I start to get tired in cardio, I don't hunch over as much as I used to. It has also helped my weight training, by keeping my limbs more flexible, and my core stronger for stabilization purposes.

I don't count on yoga as a weight loss tool, but I do count on it as an integral part of my fitness regime.

Though yoga itself isn't necessarily cardio training, the benefits are seriously amazing.

I can't say that it burns fat, but it definately I think alltogether makes you lose more weight because of the benefits.

I have stopped having to go to my chiropractor so often. The biggest benefit is the fact that I get less little weight-related injuries. Like... I don't get shin splints when I jog on the treadmill anymore, and where my knees used to kill me on the elliptical, they don't even hurt at all afterwards now. My ankles are the best reward, though. At first I couldn't hold many of the asanas for long because of their weakness, but it's really the only of the excercize forms that helps develop strength there without pounding the **** out of them.

Of course there's the obvious relaxation factor that comes in. Not the relaxation after you've slept, but a more pure, centered relaxation.

But my fave benefit is that I feel TOTALLY HOT afterwards.
It's great. I feel like a delicate flower and all that crap, which at my size is no small feat!
My butt's more lifted, my hips are less tense and I walk noticably more lithe.

Yoga seems really interesting. I have recently tried Yoga Booty Ballet...it is a lot of fun and there is a yoga section tward the end. It is kind of hard, but after two weeks I already feel better at it! I am a pretty large girl (272) and am really inflexable so my arms just can't support all of that weight. But yesterday I managed to "trasition fluidly" from down do to up dog! I just pushed myself up! For me this is the best part of yoga. The sense of acomphisment! I really help that it will improve my balance and help me get stronger! I know that it can!

Mari

I cannot begin to tell you the benefits of doing yoga. I was in car wreck a long time ago and would probably be limping the rest of my life if it was not for yoga. Yoga does tone the whole body, but it is not as effective at it as straight cardio. However, I have lifted weights, ran, done all that stuff and I always go back to yoga. You just can't beat it for feeling good. And it does do some strength training because on some poses you are lifting your body weight. I say if you enjoy it, and will stick with it, then it is the right thing to do. Excerise you enjoy and will do is more important than torchureing yourself at something you will not do...IMO

Agreeing with all about Yoga. The flexibility that you get from doing it is amazing. It also helps with circulation. You can get the 'cardio' feeling if you do Iron Yoga or Moksha Yoga (hot yoga) but I wouldn't replace your cardio workouts for Yoga - I'd do both! Your strength and flexibility will improve great lengths if you incorporate it in your exercise regime.