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Almost all of us have been. Do you really believe someone when they say you can dance and lose weight? Seems too good to be true right? But it is true. The kind of activity that our body requires to lose all this weight is very similar to the cardio engagement during dancing. Plus you get to have fun too.
It is totally possible for one to hate going to the gym. Weight training and the treadmill are not the ideas for a good time for everybody. It can be so discouraging to see none of it making any difference to your weight, even after all that discomfort.
With any new activity, especially physical one, there will be some kind of discomfort attached, so the factor of enjoyment plays an important role. If you enjoy your workout there is a bigger chance of you coming back to it. And consistency and constant movement is the key to effective weight loss.
How Dancing Actually Helps in Weight Loss
Other than the dopamine rush, the whole part where all your muscle groups are engaged definitely go a long way in helping you shed the calories. Because the movement is fast, your heart beat will increase and you will notice the endorphins rush after a successful session.
It has also been proved that dancing can help tone lean muscle, improve one’s cardiovascular endurance, and furthermore even improve flexibility.
Other than being just an overall fun activity, dancing is extremely beneficial for your mental health too. Whether it is the hand to eye co ordination or the beat succession, it engages you in a way like never before. Once you form a routine of engaging in mild to intense physical activity every day, you will see the remarkable change yourself. Here are a few dance form that will help you with your weight loss effectively.
1. Aerobics
The reason why aerobics has been around for this long is because it is just that effective in helping with weight loss. There are a set of exercises, even exercises like swimming or running that help in making your heart and lungs work hard, increasing the amount of oxygen circulating through your blood. If all this combined with a low calorie diet it definitely leads to a significant amount of weight loss. The time and frequency of doing aerobics also matter a lot, when you are a person who weighs a lot, doing mildly intense aerobics three times a week will lead to no weight loss but if you were to do it atleast 6 times a week with a calorie deficit, you would see the changes for sure.
2. Pole dancing
The strength training and the cardio vascular activity make pole dancing one of the most effective dance forms that can be used to lose weight. It has been estimated that on an average if you practise dancing you lose upto 120 to 200 calories in an hour. Though the technique and your body weight matters, it is important to start out slow in the beginning. Accompanied with a great diet that has less calories will definitely result in weight loss.
3. Samba
Rhythmic stomps and brisk movements are the prime parts of this dance form that originated in Brazil. This is an effective way to lose weight as the high intensity and the sharp movements of this dance form engage all your muscle groups and help you shed calories faster whilst you are sweating. The major part is to keep the torso tight and your back straight, it vigorous but easy flowing too. The movements usually incorporate rhythmic twists in graceful patterns and help in toning the lower body. But even the abdominal region ends up benefiting from this. Samba also helps in increasing the metabolism rate so that your can burn calories faster. Because your legs are constantly in motion whilst doing samba, you also end up getting toned buttocks, leaner legs and better obliques.
4. Salsa
One of the most epic dance forms that is not just sexy and a party rocker but also one of the greatest ways to lose weight. The men love salsa, the women love salsa and it has the effect on your body to get it all up and racing – to lose weight! Just 30 minutes of salsa can lead to burning of 214 calories. Not only is t fun it also helps in monitoring your cardio vascular activity which obviously has amazing results. This moderate intensity aerobic exercise is not just vigorous but also extremely addictive. Its a great form of stress relief and just as effective as cardio. And guess what- it is easy on the joints too.
5. Hip – Hop
Hip hop is one of the best aerobic activities you can perform to lose those calories faster. It has been studied that a 60 minute session of hip hop at the gym class can lead up to the burning of 380 calories for an average person. Which is actually quite incredible, the cardio vascular activity also gets improved as the high impact sessions tend to increase your heart rate. If done at full intensity, the more a person weighs the more weight they can lose by doing hip hop. It is amazing to know that they even help in building stamina and improving overall blood circulation. Another admirable thing about doing this dance form is that it will also make your bones stronger whilst ensuring that you have fun filled time.
6. Jazzercise
The most fun filled, fat burning, energy inducing workout for an hour that will most definitely help you in losing weight. Studies have shown that the all muscle group engaging that you are properly burning every calorie and having fun while doing the same. This high intensity aerobic activity has been popular for quite some time but the amount of interest shown by mainstream media is making people opt for it, after all who does not want to have fun while exercising. It is highly addictive ad extremely energetic and vigorous. Even for a person who weight about 90 kilos, an hour of jazzercise can lead to the burning of about 480 calories, which sounds pretty incredible, doesn’t it?
7. Hip Hop Abs
The is also and extremely engaging and strenuous form of dance that helps you in losing weight. studies show that only 5 weeks of intense hip hop abs will not just make you lose weight nut they will also tone your abs to perfection. But it’s important to remember that you have to follow a strict diet so as to make you shed those calories faster. A mild workout can lead to burning of 200 calories in 30 minutes, but an intense workout can burn upto 260 calories. Its better than doing crunches because you will actually be having fun whilst dancing.
8. Zumba
One of the most popular forms of exercise, this style has changed the face of fitness programmes with its extremely enjoyable, addictive and effective set of routines. Women all over the world are doing Zumba to make their fitness goals come true. Along with endurance, stamina and decreased stress levels, the high-intensity dance routines make sure that you don’t just lose weight but also end up gaining confidence, they call it the party without the hangover, the rush of hormones makes everyone feel good and provides bonding opportunities too. And because you are having so much fun while doing it, you do not realize just how hard you are working. Infact, the hard work is now your favorite part.
9. Belly dancing
If you are looking for a fun activity to help you lose weight then belly dancing is literally the best one. A normal session of belly dancing leads to about a loss of 300 calories, but again your diet also plays a very important role in determining your weight loss. Also, the type of belly dancing you do will also matter, if it is the easygoing one where there are just hip movements, it won’t probably be that beneficial. But if it is the type of exercise where it’s all aerobic and your heart rate is actually increasing then there is a chance of your body working faster to burn those calories. When done over a period of time, and quite regularly, the dancer will be able to lose some weight and have fun while doing the same.
10. Bollywood dancing
An unconventional choice but a completely legitimate one. The kind of energy and charisma that Bollywood music has can be enthralling for you to take on. It is literally the best way to exercise as you will get completely engaged and the very rigorous dance steps will make sure that all your body parts are used. The music is superb and the energy is contagious, it is something that will make you want to groove all night. There is a reason why so many of people all over the world are taking up Bollywood classes, the dance form is as fun as it is effective.
11. Ballet
It is vital to realize that any form of physical activity when done consistently can lead to actual results, but the various effects of each activity and what other support exercises you can do with them also matters. A 30 minute session beginner ballet may only burn about 140 calories for an average adult, so it is necessary for one to also follow a diet that will facilitate the weight loss. Other than this, the advantage of taking up ballet is that you can also improve your posture and increase your flexibility do keep in mind that the beginner ballet classes are basically a way to warm up and get your body used to the nature of the dance form.
12. African dance
Now a culturally rich and ethnic dance form is a great way to exercise and shed those extra calories as you will be completely charged with the unusual beats. A lot of women over the world are opting for this dance form to exercise as it is fun, and something new. The beats combined with high intensity workout is aerobic in nature and uses both contemporary specific steps to make the entire routine interesting. The moves themselves will make you want to join the performance and it is the energy that will keep you hooked to it. This will also help you in building stamina and endurance as the dance moves are not the easiest.
Fitness enthusiasts who want to dance at home and not go to workout at a studio can also lose weight. These dance activities are a nice way to tone your body and have fun while doing the same. The reason why people prefer dancing over weights at the gym is because there is a larger possibility of people returning for these dancing classes, as they are obviously enjoying themselves more. Other than the flexibility and improved mood, there ways in which dancing changes our lives for the better. The rhythm and the groove can also take your mind of the monotony of life.
The most important factor is to feel happy and good about yourself whilst doing whatever activity is it that you are doing and if dancing seems to get the moves rolling, then go for it.
