The growing rate of obesity and illness is a world issue. Latinos face the same concern. Now, they are focusing on yoga and gym workouts to find the better way to stay fit.

Yoga vs. Gym Workout

Yoga improves flexibility, builds muscle strength, increases blood flow and perfects posture. Meanwhile, doing regular physical activities improves mood, boosts energy, controls weight, and combats health conditions and diseases.

A study led by Dr. Daniel Hughes examined the best way to stay fit between taking a yoga class or being a regular at the gym. The first workout is about stretching, balancing and core strengthening while the latter involves "pounding the treadmill and pushing up the heart rate."

In the said study, there were three groups of participants. One group practiced yoga, the second group did the gym workout and the third group just kept themselves consistently active.

All groups were asked to do an hour workout at a time, three times a week.

The Winner Is

Hughes was positive that the gym workout was better. Meanwhile, Michelle Hart, one of the participants, was rooting for yoga to excel.

"I think I was expecting that one would be stronger than the other, and probably thinking that yoga would be the end all be all," Hart said.

Nydia Tijerina -- Darby, PT, DPT, MS, Yoga Therapist was also thinking the same as Hart. "And I would have been right in there putting major bucks on the yoga," she said.

However, the result was surprising because the three groups showed the same results.

"All three arms were just as effective in terms of body fat, fitness and physical function," Hughes explained.

All the participants lost the same amount of body fat, which was about four percent. There was one advantage for the yoga group, though: they performed better in terms of stretching and reaching.

However, Cindy Schmelz, who belongs to the group who did the gym workout, was not surprised with the results of the activity. She believes that as long as one sticks to an activity it will be beneficial.

Do Activities that You Enjoy

The key is to keep active three hours a week. So, if you want to stay fit, keep moving.

"You can just go out and be active, 10 minutes at a time, but for heaven's sake, find something you enjoy and lock in and do it and if you don't enjoy it, experiment until you find what you do," Hughes advised.

Do you agree with the results or were you also surprised? Which do you think is better: yoga or a gym workout? Please share your thoughts by providing your answer in the poll.