Laugh calories away

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- It can burn calories. It's something kids do a lot more often than adults. It has proven health benefits and it can be done just about anywhere and won't cost you a thing.

What is it? Laughter yoga.

Laughter yoga incorporates laughing, breathing, stretching and clapping.

"The component that's the most important is that you don't have to find anything amusing," said instructor Phyllis Rollins. "There are no jokes. There's no reason. There's no comedy. We laugh for no reason."

Yoga student Allen Reinke said at first he felt a little strange laughing without reason.

"Once I loosened up I found out, hey this is fun. It's getting over the first five minutes that's the issue," Reinke said.

Before you know it, you're doing the cell phone laugh, the Woody Woodpecker laugh, and the "oh no you didn't" laugh.

Studies have shown the effects of laughter are serious stuff.

"It has a stimulating effect on your immune system. It just makes you happy," Rollins said. "If you laugh for five minutes, it's the same as doing exercise for 50 minutes."

Laughter yoga won't replace your regular cardio workout, but it will burn calories.

"Your face will ache. Your stomach will hurt. You will laugh until tears come out of your eyes if you're genuinely laughing," Rollins said. "Even if you're not laughing genuinely the body and the brain don't know any difference, so it doesn't really matter."

The idea is if you can get in touch with the joy and playfulness we all had as kids, you won't be so stressed.

"It's a great feeling," Reinke said.

To learn more and to find a Laughter Yoga Club near you, visit www.laughteryoga.org.