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Dance the Weight Away
Sick of the gym? Give dance a try. It's a great calorie burner, and most important it's fun!
Remember 8th grade dances? At the end of the fast songs, you and your buddies were practically sweating. These days, you certainly don't need to exert yourself to the point of perspiration, but however you participate, dance is great exercise! And the best part is—it's fun.
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"Any kind of movement can have fitness benefits," says Ken Alan, a former professional dancer and spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise. "The specific benefits depend on the kind of dance you do." Some types will help you burn fat, others will tone muscle and increase your flexibility.
"Dance is absolutely a good workout. It helps with muscle tone," says Lyn Sentkowski, a Weight Watchers member who found her way back to community theater dance. "Your whole body is involved, not just your legs. You're constantly tightening your abs, pulling up your butt and making sure your arms aren't floppy. It's also a good brain workout—it's just you and the music and your body. It's great for de-stressing."
Tips for Taking to the Dance Floor
There's no question that dance has endless benefits, but it might seem intimidating for those of us who weren't born with, say, Sarah Jessica Parker's body. Here are five ways to beat dance-class anxiety:
1. Create a safe and nurturing environment.
To get comfortable with the way you dance, Rochelle Rice, author of Real Fitness for Real Women (Warner Books, 2001), suggests that you first practice dancing at home.
2. Wear what you want.
"Wear clothes that make you feel good—stuff you look forward to putting on," says Rice.
3. Don't look in the mirror.
"You'll get too caught up in the vision and not the experience," says Rice. "Close your eyes and feel the movement."
4. Remember, it's a process.
You'll get more comfortable each time you dance, so don't give up.
5. Just do it.
"Don't wait until you reach your weight goal to do something you love," says Sentkowski. "Go find a class that you like. Sample what's around. If you're uncomfortable in one, try another. Don't like ballet? Try tap. You don't have to have the perfect body to dance."
Pick the Type of Dance That's Right for You
Belly Dancing
"It's easy on your joints," says Rice, "and it can awaken a whole other side of you. You'll get excited about moving your body, and therefore continue. And that's the most important thing."
Ballroom
This dance is great for beginners, if you're comfortable dancing with somebody else. In most classes, you're paired with a partner, and you may be required to switch more than once (great for singles!). And the physical benefits? "It gets your heart beating faster," says Alan, "which means you're burning calories at a higher rate."
Ballet
If you want a workout that tones muscle and increases joint flexibility, try ballet. The surprise benefit here is discipline: "Ballet requires precision, technique and form," says Alan. "It will give you lots of good muscle conditioning and flexibility. You'll develop balance, coordination and better alignment and posture."
Tap
Want to burn a lot of calories? Try tap, one of the best cardio dance workouts—even more so than ballroom dance. Says Alan, "Your feet are flippin', floppin' and flappin.' It's a great way to improve coordination." In addition to cardio benefits, tap has psychological perks, too: It's upbeat, which makes it a great mood enhancer.
Swing
"Swing is a calorie burner," says Alan, "and since you're paired up, there's a lot of social interaction." Swing, like ballroom dance, has gotten popular again in recent years. It should be easy to find a class near you.
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