I don't do yoga.

There, I said it.

I've tried yoga. I admire yoga. My wife occasionally does yoga. I even like to include a few yoga movements in some of my clients' workouts. But for some reason, I never became a yogi.

I do admire the increased flexibility, the stress release and the amazing balance people get from doing yoga regularly.

Some of you are yoga fanatics and swear by its benefits.But some of you may be offended when I tell you that yoga, by itself, is largely ineffective at helping you lose fat.

In 2005 and 2007, two separate studies measured the metabolic rate of people taking a beginner yoga class and found a calorie burn of 2.3-3.2 calories per minute, about the same calorie burn as strolling through the mall at a very leisurely pace.

This would equate to 104-144 calories burned during a 45-minute yoga class. At this rate, to burn 1 pound (or 3,500 calories) of fat, you'd have to perform over 28 hours of yoga.

Now, what if you are more advanced and do a very challenging yoga class? Another study, completed in 2006, asked that question and measured the heart rate of participants performing a more vigorous yoga exercise called Ashtanga. Researchers compared Ashtanga to the same types of beginner yoga routines from the other studies and found a slight increase in calorie burn. Emphasis on the word slight. At this rate, it would require 24 hours of Ashtanga yoga to burn one pound of body fat.

Why choose to go into a dark, smelly (there have been several reports of mold in Bikram studios), ridiculously hot (105) room to exercise? You may feel more exhausted, have a higher heart rate and sweat far more than in regular yoga, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're doing your body good.

When any room is excessively heated, your heart rate may increase and you may sweat (i.e. sitting on a couch and watching TV in a hot room). But does that mean you're improving your body? When your body temperature rises, your heart has to work extra hard to pump blood to your extremities to cool you down.

Read more:
Harley Pasternak Blogs: 4 Modified Yoga Poses to Boost Strength and Flexibility