Why Dancing Is One of the Best Exercises to Lose Weight

Are you searching for one of the best exercises to lose weight because you are sick of the same old thing? Face it: many forms of exercise can be painfully boring and tedious. Some exercises, like swimming, are great if you belong to a gym, or if you have a pool at your home or in your community. However, most of us don’t have such amenities as a pool or a tennis or racquetball court.

Almost anyone, though, can dance! Now, you are going to have to make this a very individualized activity. This means that you need to do a little research, and reflection about yourself, and figure out how you dancing as exercise can work for you. If you don’t already dance recreationally, but you want to experiment, you can take a dance class and then practice what you learn.

The reason why dancing is one of the best exercises to lose weight is that it is great for cardio. You burn more calories by keeping your heart rate elevated for a 20-minute period. Doing something that is fun, and not like a typical workout, is a great way to burn calories faster. When you move at this rate, you are also boosting your metabolism, your energy, and--by releasing endorphins--your mood, all in a natural way. If you do this intensely enough, you will achieve a runner’s high.

Depending on what kind of dancing you do, you will tone your body and achieve other fitness goals like improved flexibility and increased circulation. Dance can be done slow or fast and still benefit you. If you want to slow-dance, then you are best advised to look into ballroom dancing. Most slower dancing is done in pairs, but if you take a class, a partner will be assigned to you. Of course, if you know someone who wants to learn with you, then you can bring that person along. Better still if you have a partner who also wants to pursue dancing as one of the best exercises to lose weight, because you can drive each other toward your fitness and weight loss goals.

If you want toning and muscles, then ballet may be for you; or if you like a faster pace and a more lighthearted form of dance, you could look for an adult jazz, hip hop, or modern dance class.