If there's one thing we've learned from Dancing With The Stars, it's that a little swinging, swaying, jumping and jiving can lead to significant weight loss (the spray tan doesn't hurt either)! Here are the best dances for weight loss and how they stack up against more traditional forms of exercise.
Exercise is important to keep the body agile and promote healthy weight loss. It benefits the cardiovascular system and flushes toxins from the body. Along with a good diet and adequate rest, exercise is one of the most important aspects of regaining and maintaining good health. Dance is just one type of exercise associated with healthy weight loss.
The Best Dances for Weight Loss
Everyone has different tastes in music. The kind of music you like will play a distinct role in how well dancing contributes to healthy weight loss.
Zumba – Zumba dance classes are all the rage and are performed well in a group setting. Join a class and have fun with your friends. You will get fit in the process and shed those extra pounds.
Calories burned: 250 and 350 calories per hour
Salsa – Salsa is a combination of movements that can be performed either with a partner or on your own. It makes an ideal dance workout for cleaning the house and working in the yard.
Calories burned: 300 – 450 calories per hour
Ballroom Dancing – It is similar to yoga when it comes to exercise. You don't have to be moving at top speed for a short amount of time. Ballroom dancing can be performed for longer periods of time and still produce the same results.
Calories burned: 150 – 320 per hour depending on the intensity
Jazz – Jazz or swing dancing can also be used if you want a steady beat that keeps you moving at a good pace.
Calories burned: 300 – 550 calories per hour
Freestyle – Freestyle dance can be a combination of any type of dance routine played to popular music, such as hip hop, country or rock. As long as there is a steady beat and rhythm that you can dance to, you can use it for a dance routine.
Calories burned: 200 – 500 per hour depending on intensity
Dancing vs. Traditional Forms of Exercise
In comparison to traditional forms of exercise, dancing is unique. Regular exercise can become boring and routine, while dance is ever changing. You can choreograph dance routines that include various types of movements and repeat them over and over, or you can choose to follow the beat of the music.
You can also mix and match different types of music with different types of dances to achieve your healthy weight loss goals. The sky is the limit when it comes to options and, if you continue to include variety, you will never get bored. For people who are driven and motivated by the upbeat nature of a song or particular style of music, dance is an excellent way to exercise.
Dancing With the Stars and Weight Loss
Dancing With the Stars has proven that dance can be an effective weight loss tool. Several celebrities who have performed on the show say they actually lost a fair amount of weight during their time on the show, and that by continuing to dance, have maintained their new weight. Stars like:
Marie Osmond (31 pounds)
Gladys Knight (60 pounds)
Kirstie Alley (100 pounds)
Jane Seymour (20 pounds)
While each celebrity's amount of weight loss varied, they all claimed that being on the show gave them a new perspective on weight loss and showed them that exercise really can be fun and exciting. In fact, most of the contestants on the show encourage others to explore dance as a viable option compared to conventional forms of exercise.