How long should you dance a day to lose weight
Calories Burned, Dance Options, More
You might think of dancing as something you just do at the club on Saturday nights. While dancing is a great way to unwind and have fun, it has so many other benefits, too.
In fact, dancing is an excellent way to exercise, burn fat and calories, and lose weight. So, if you’re looking to add some new moves to your workout routine, read on to learn how dancing can benefit your weight loss efforts.
Like most forms of aerobic or cardio exercise, dancing has many health benefits, including weight loss.
Besides burning a good number of calories, dancing can also increase your muscle strength. Building lean muscle mass may help you burn fat and tone your muscles.
Some of the health benefits of regular cardio exercise, such as dancing, include:
- increased stamina
- improved mobility and flexibility
- a better sense of balance
- improved blood flow
- a stronger immune system
- better sleep
- reduced stress
- reduced risk for certain chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease
Dancing also has mental health benefits. Aerobic exercise may help improve your mood and reduce your risk of depression.
Dancing has extra benefits because it’s often a social activity. Dancing with a partner or in a group can create a sense of community and help you feel more connected to other people.
And just as importantly, it’s a fun activity. When you enjoy doing something, you’re more likely to keep doing it. This is why dancing can be a great way to stay motivated when it comes to exercise for weight loss.
As with most types of exercise, faster, more vigorous forms of dancing will burn more calories than slower dancing. For example, hip hop dancing burns more calories than ballroom dancing.
Below are some examples of how many calories you’ll likely burn during 30 minutes of dancing if you weigh 150 pounds. If you weigh less, you’ll likely burn fewer calories, and if you weigh more, you’ll likely burn more.
Calories burned in 30 minutes
- Ballet: 179 calories
- Ballroom: 118 calories
- Hip hop: 207 calories
- Salsa: 143 calories
- Swing: 207 calories
- Country Western line dancing: 172 calories
- Tap: 164 calories
The U.
S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of high intensity exercise each week for health benefits, including weight loss.
So, if dancing is your main form of exercise, the amount of time you spend doing it depends on how vigorously you dance.
If you’re looking for substantial weight loss (5 percent of your body weight or more) experts recommend at least 300 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week.
There are many different types of dance, all of which offer health benefits and the potential for weight loss.
Many gyms offer dance classes, and there are also plenty of online dance videos you can try to see what form of dance feels right for you.
If you prefer something less structured, you can also just crank up your favorite music in your living room and dance around for 30 minutes or more. If you’re moving and getting your heart rate up, you’re reaping rewards and burning calories.
If you’re interested in specific types of dance classes, here are some popular dance options for exercise and weight loss.
Zumba is a dance fitness program set to Latin and other international music.
It uses interval training, alternating between fast and slow movements. These short bursts of high-intensity exercise help you burn even more calories than just dancing at a consistent speed. And it’s a full-body workout, so you’re able to tone and strengthen many of your muscles.
Zumba has many other health benefits, including:
- weight loss, with an average calorie burn of 9.5 calories per minute
- decreased pain sensitivity, according to a 2016 study
- social benefits and a feeling of community, since it’s a group workout
The choreography in Zumba isn’t meant to be formal, so you can join in as long as you keep moving. Many gyms and community centers offer classes that welcome all fitness levels.
Hip hop dancing is a high-intensity, high-impact form of dancing.
It includes everything from break dancing to modern dance-like moves. Some gyms may offer hip hop dance classes, but there are also many online videos available to help you become familiar with hip hop choreography.
Benefits of hip hop dancing include:
- a high calorie burn
- muscle strength, especially leg and core strength
- increased agility and coordination
A lot of hip hop dance involves repetitive motion, much of which is high-impact. These moves can lead to injuries if they’re done incorrectly or if you don’t give yourself time to rest in between dance sessions.
Ballet is a form of classical dance that focuses on precise movements and technique. While the slow movements of ballet may not burn as many calories as other types of dance, it can still help improve your health and fitness with:
- increased muscle strength and tone, especially in your legs and core
- increased flexibility, agility, and coordination
- improved your posture
Many dance studios offer ballet classes for all levels.
If you’re interested in ballet movements, you may also want to try barre classes. These classes, which are offered at many specialty studios or gyms, incorporate ballet, yoga, and Pilates into a workout based on small isometric movements.
Pole dancing, also called pole fitness, can be a great form of exercise. It involves moves like holding yourself up on the pole, twisting yourself around, and creating shapes with your body.
In addition to providing cardio exercise, some of the benefits of pole dancing include:
- improved flexibility, especially in your back and legs
- increased muscle strength, especially in your upper body
- fat burning due to strength training movements
A word of caution: Pole dancing requires a lot of gripping and twisting. You may want to opt for a different form of dance if you have hand, wrist, shoulder, knee, or back injuries. It’s also important to train with an instructor to avoid injury.
Ballroom dancing includes partner dances like the waltz, foxtrot, and tango.
Even salsa dancing can count as a type of ballroom dancing.
While there’s competitive ballroom dancing, it’s also a great workout for amateurs. Check your local community center or dance centers in your neighborhood to see if they have ballroom dancing classes you can attend.
Ballroom dancing can provide benefits like:
- increased muscle strength, especially in your core, legs, and back
- increased flexibility
- improved balance
- cognitive benefits, such as exercising your memory as you work to remember the steps
This is a low-impact type of dancing, so it’s a great way to get aerobic exercise if you have joint issues.
As with any exercise, there are safety precautions to bear in mind to minimize your risk for injury. Following these tips may help you stay safe while dancing:
- Warm up by doing dynamic stretching before you start to dance.
- Drink water during and after exercise.
- Make sure your form is correct.
Incorrect form increases your risk for injury. If you’re exercising in a group and need help, ask the instructor. If you’re exercising on your own, an instructor at a gym may be able to help you. Dancing in front of a mirror can also help you ensure that you’re moving correctly. - Consider doing moves in half-time at first.
- If you feel pain at any point, stop. Some forms of dancing might be hard or challenging, but it should never hurt.
- Make sure the area around you is uncluttered to avoid tripping or falling.
- Take rest days.
- Cool down after you dance.
- If you have an injury, are pregnant, or have an underlying medical condition, talk with your doctor before starting a dance program.
Dancing is a great way to boost your fitness, lose weight, and gain other health benefits. And it’s a form of exercise that’s often a lot of fun and done in a group setting, which may motivate you to keep at it over the long term.
You can try dancing on your own to your favorite tunes, or you can opt for a more structured format by joining a dance class or group session at your gym or local dance studio.
There’s also the option of following along to online videos that focus on dance moves to lose weight.
What’s most important is to find the style and type of dance that you most enjoy. If your goal is to lose weight, aim for more than 150 minutes of moderate intensity dance or 75 minutes of high-intensity dance each week.
Can Dancing for 30 Minutes a Day Help You Lose Weight?
Dancing is a great way to burn calories.
Image Credit: Luis Alvarez/DigitalVision/GettyImages
Depending on your preferences, you can work out in the gym or dance for weight loss. Sometimes you just need an engaging form of exercise to keep you coming back and shedding off the pounds. Dance gets your heart pumping faster, and you can burn massive calories in as little as half an hour.
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Dancing for 30 minutes a day can help you meet your weekly exercise requirements and burn calories. Coupled with a reduced energy intake, it may help you lose weight.
Burning Calories to Lose Weight
Weight loss is difficult but straightforward. You need to burn more calories than you take in. The name of the game is energy balance, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
When you burn more calories than you take in you're in a state of negative energy balance. This should be your goal if you're trying to lose weight.
The number of calories burned while dancing depends on several factors, according to the MD Anderson Cancer Center. The primary consideration is the intensity of the exercise. Different types of dance have different intensities. If you do a slow waltz with a dance partner, you'll burn fewer calories than you would following a hip-hop dance exercise video.
Read more: 4 Fit-tastic Benefits of Step Aerobics
The second factor they mention is body weight. If two people do the same activity at the same intensity, the heavier person will burn more calories.
When you're larger, you simply have more mass to move and your muscles have to work harder.
The last factor is your body composition. Muscles use more energy than fat, so people with more lean mass will burn more calories.
Dance for Weight Loss
A table from Harvard Health Publishing shows the difference in calories burned between different types of dance and body weight. A 125-pound person will burn roughly 90 calories in 30 minutes of slow dancing, 165 calories in disco or ballroom and 180 calories in fast or ballet dancing.
A 155-pound person will burn 112 calories in 30 minutes of slow dancing, 205 calories from disco or ballroom and 223 calories from fast or ballet dancing. A 185-pound person will burn roughly 133 calories in 30 minutes of slow dancing, 244 calories from disco or ballroom dancing and 266 from fast or ballet dancing.
As you can see, the number of calories burned depends on both the intensity of your dancing style and your body weight.
Before you commit to using dance as a form of exercise to lose weight, seek out different options. Find a dance style that you enjoy, but also one that is safe and appropriate for your fitness level.
Aerobic dance classes are popular because you can join a group of people, have fun, listen to music and burn calories. Zumba, for example, is a popular aerobic dance class. You might be able to find it at your local gym, or you can use online videos to practice.
A June 2016 study published in Homosporticus, which used a small sample size, found that Zumba classes helped 45 women, ages 25 to 35, get in shape. The subjects enrolled in 24 sessions spread over eight weeks. By the end of the study, they experienced a reduction in body fat mass and total weight. These findings indicate that Zumba may help you get leaner.
Exercise and Weight Loss
The number of calories you burn per session is important, but you also have to look at things on a larger scale.
Doing one dance session per week probably won't make a big difference. If you want to lose weight, start by following the guidelines published by the American Heart Association (AHA).
The AHA recommends getting at least 150 minutes of exercise per week. That translates to two and a half hours. If you do 30 minutes of dance per day, five days per week, you're hitting the appropriate numbers.
Read more: The Best Beginner Dance Exercise Videos
In addition to weight loss, there are other health benefits you can get from regular exercise, including the following:
- Lower risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
- Better sleep.
- Improved brain function and memory.
- Stronger bones.
- Improved mental wellbeing.
You can try hip-hop dance for weight loss, but it may or may not work. As discussed earlier, there are two sides when it comes to the energy balance equation: calories in and calories out.
Dance increases the number of calories you burn, but it won't offset the effects of bad eating.
A September 2019 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that exercise alone might not be as helpful as you think, at least when it comes to weight loss.
Proper Nutrition for Weight Loss
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study explains that exercise will help you maintain weight loss you've already achieved, but it might not be the best way to lose weight in the first place. Cutting the number of calories you consume by adjusting your diet will yield better results than physical activity alone.
Researchers actually mention a study that showed subjects eating more once they started to exercise. Although they were burning more calories, they were also consuming more. As a result, the weight they lost one year after starting an exercise program was zero.
The USDA has some diet tips for those looking to lose weight. They explain that a short-term diet is not the best solution. Rather, make changes to your diet that you can stick to over the long-term.
Researchers describe the strategies used by what they call "successful losers." These are people who went on a diet and then kept the weight off over the long term. In addition to staying active, you should eat regular meals, including breakfast. Successful dieters reduced both their calorie intake and the amount of fat consumed.
Read more: 13 Sneaky Weight-Loss Hacks You Probably Haven't Heard Before
Sometimes it's hard to figure out what foods to eat. Many popular diets shun carbohydrates, while others discourage fats. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has some basic recommendations for healthy food choices to lose weight.
A healthy meal plan should include veggies, fruit, whole grains and low-fat dairy. For protein, you should eat lean meat, poultry, fish, beans and nuts. Choose these lean sources of protein as opposed to fatty foods like full-fat dairy and red meat. Protein sources that are higher in fat have more calories and tend to contain more saturated and trans fats.
What dances help to lose weight?
Learn how to lose weight by dancing, provide scientific data and advice on exercise frequency and nutrition.
Petr Yastrebov
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Dance and lose weight!
Contents of the article
You can think of dancing as something you do in a club on a Friday night. But in fact, dancing is a great way to exercise, burn fat, calories, and lose weight. Men Today has already written about how beneficial dancing affects well-being. If you're looking to add a few new moves to your workout plan, read on to find out how dancing can help you lose weight.
How many calories can you burn dancing?
As with most forms of exercise, faster and more energetic forms of dancing burn more calories than slower ones.
For example, dancing hip-hop will expend more energy than waltzing. Here are some examples of how many calories you can burn in 30 minutes of dancing if you weigh 70 kilograms:
- Ballroom dancing: 118 calories
- Hip-hop: 207 calories
- Salsa: 143 calories
- Swing: 207 calories
The US Department of Health recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise each week. This is necessary for health benefits and weight loss.
So if dancing is your main form of exercise, the amount of time you spend doing it depends on how vigorously you do it. If you want to lose significant weight (lose 5 percent of your body weight or more), experts recommend at least 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
( See also: How Lack of Sleep Prevents Weight Loss: 5 Reasons to Sleep More)
Dance Variations and Weight Loss
There are many different types of dance, each with health benefits and potentially weight loss.
Many gyms offer dance lessons, and online dance videos are available to help you figure out which form of dance is right for you. If you prefer free movement, you can simply turn on your favorite music in the living room and dance for 30 minutes or more. If your heart rate increases in the process, you burn calories. If you are interested in certain types of dance, here are some popular options for exercise and weight loss.
Zumba
Zumba is a dance fitness program with Latin American and other international music. It is based on interval training, where fast and slow movements alternate. These short bursts of high-intensity exercise will burn even more calories than just dancing at a steady pace. Many fitness clubs and community centers offer zumba classes suitable for all fitness levels. Numerous studies also speak about the benefits of dance. For an hour of training, you can burn 400-500 kcal.
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Hip-hop
Hip-hop is a high-intensity, high-performance form of dance.
It includes everything from breakdancing to modern dance moves. Some gyms may offer hip hop classes. Many dances in this style include repetitive movements, some of which are associated with a strong percussive load. These movements can lead to injury if done incorrectly or if you don't take time to rest between sessions. For an hour of training, you can burn 400-450 kcal.
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Ballroom dancing
Ballroom dancing includes partner dances such as waltz, foxtrot or tango. Although there are many competitions in ballroom dancing, it is a great workout for amateurs. Visit your local community center or dance studio in your neighborhood to see if there are ballroom dancing classes you can attend. Ballroom dancing is low-impact, so it's a great way to get some aerobics if you have joint problems. The effectiveness of ballroom dancing is also confirmed by research. For an hour of training, you can burn 300-400 kcal.
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Belly dance
During this type of dance, many muscle groups work. Moreover, the abdominal muscles are the hardest. In addition, the muscles of the shoulder girdle and back are strengthened. At the same time, the load on the joints and ligaments during classes remains minimal. Belly dancing will help you lose weight and tighten your figure. For an hour of training, you can burn 350-400 kcal.
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Pole dance
This type of dance will allow you not only to relax, but also to lose weight. Classes include all types of loads: power, aerobic, stretching, elements of acrobatics. Dancing for weight loss on a pole tightens all muscle groups. So, the muscles of the arms and shoulder girdle, the press and muscles of the back, legs and buttocks, as well as the calf muscles are actively working.
Classes improve flexibility, stretching, transform posture and gait. For an hour of training, you can burn 450-450 kcal.
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Flamenco
Passionate Spanish dance sets a very fast pace, so that the process of losing weight will not seem monotonous and boring to you. In order to master flamenco, you need to learn how to beat a fraction, keep your back straight and arch your hands. After a few months of training, the hips and buttocks decrease in volume, and the calf muscles acquire a beautiful relief. Also, with the help of this dance, you can lose weight in the arms and neck. Other elements of flamenco, twists and turns, work out the muscles of the back. This will help you strengthen your spine. For an hour of training, you can burn 300-400 kcal.
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We have prepared some tips to increase the effectiveness of dancing for weight loss.
In particular, do not eat at least an hour before class so that you feel comfortable doing it. It is also recommended to drink a glass of water 20 minutes before the start of a dance workout. In addition, to maintain muscle 30-40 minutes after a workout, you need to eat a small portion of protein with carbohydrates.
Let's talk about the dance routine for weight loss. You can practice both in the morning and in the evening. However, if you practice intense dance loads in the afternoon, then it is better to perform them at least three hours before bedtime. To achieve the greatest results, you need to practice at least three times a week.
Read also:
5 Tips to stay motivated to lose weight
4 effective ways to unload your brain: dancing, sex and something else
Is it possible to lose weight through dancing - a great way to lose weight
Contents
Getting rid of extra pounds is one of the tasks that many girls set themselves when signing up for a dance studio, while most of us associate weight loss with exhausting workouts in the gym rather than with exciting activities on the floor.
So can you lose weight with dancing? Let's jump ahead and answer right away: yes, but only with an integrated approach and the support of a qualified trainer-teacher. You can easily find a real professional who will help both with motivation and with the tactics of burning excess in our club.
How to lose weight by dancing
There is no secret here: our body gets rid of stored fat stores when it expends more energy than it consumes. Therefore, we can do this in two ways: increase the load or create an energy deficit (that is, reduce the number of calories consumed). And if you do both, it's a combo! The body itself will not notice how it begins to lose excess. At the same time, dancing as an effective physical activity and a method of losing weight is best suited: here is the music that cheers you up and makes your heart beat faster, and your favorite hobby, and the motivation to be more successful in your dance group. Yes, the mere fact that, having signed up for a dance, you have to leave the house once again to come to class, it will help to burn calories.
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How it works
Here's what will happen in your body while you move on the floor: first of all, metabolism is activated. The body will burn calories intensely for several hours after a workout. During this period, it is advisable to drink more fluids, but do not take heavy meals, so as not to interfere with the "magic" process of losing weight. With regular dancing, the lymphatic system normalizes its work, and this is getting rid of all kinds of edema and the ill-fated cellulite. The result will not be long in coming: the skin will tighten, the muscles will tone up, and the silhouette will become clearer and, of course, more feminine. In addition, dancing is a great exercise for the heart, and if you used to suffer from shortness of breath, it will pass soon after regular training.
Here are some more pleasant "bonuses" from dancing:
- You lose weight in a pleasant company, supporting each other and not being left alone with your "extra" kilograms;
- Many dance exercises work those muscles that are difficult to "touch" even in the gym;
- In any case, you get a strengthened muscular corset, which means an even posture, a toned stomach and tight hips;
- Unlike many other sports, there are practically no contraindications for dancing, and even if you have health problems, you can choose the right direction;
- Dancing is the optimal combination of strength and cardio workouts, which is considered the most suitable for the fat burning process, and due to the alternation of periods of tension and relaxation, your workouts will come closer to the intervals that are now so popular in gyms.
In addition, if you came to a special studio, it means that you are not indifferent to classes, and these are increased chances that you will not give up training and losing weight halfway, but continue to dance even when the desired result is achieved.
Experts even identify five areas that are the best helpers for those who want to lose weight:
- Strip plastic and pole-dance include both power and aerobic loads, as well as stretching and acrobatics. Naturally, all this forces the body to train in an enhanced mode. Weight loss guaranteed! It should be borne in mind that classes in this direction do not begin at all with an approach to the pole, but with the development of basic exercises that strengthen the muscles of the whole body. They say that even those parts of the body that I had not suspected before begin to work.
- Reggaeton is a direction that requires good physical preparation and a trained body. Energetic dance replaces full-fledged cardio.
Plus - increased load on the legs, hips and buttocks. - Belly dance. Great for those who want to tighten the muscles of the body and see the long-awaited press. In "shaking" the whole body is strengthened, and calories are burned due to energetic movements. In addition, belly dancing is believed to work the thighs and buttocks, toning them without boring squats and lunges. Worth a try!
- Irish step - this trend has become one of the top leaders for weight loss, maybe unexpectedly, but quite justifiably: it is believed that such activities completely replace jogging in the park. The upper body in the Irish step is almost not involved, but the legs work out to the fullest.
- Flamenco - provides the body with a uniform load. This direction trains all major muscle groups, toning them and correcting the feminine silhouette. Flamenco is a very energetic dance that will not let you get bored during class. And it is also very useful for the spine and, as a result, a beautiful posture.
All Latin dances and modern jazz also got into the top ideal for weight loss dance styles.
Do not expect from dancing that you will start to lose weight in some specific places. Belly dancing, for example, will not make you press "cubes", leaving your arms and legs as they were. Weight loss is a complex process, and the fat layer is burned throughout the body, and in problem areas - the slowest. But certain dance directions will be able to increase the physical load on specific parts of the body, where beautiful muscles will subsequently appear instead of “burnt” fat. Is this not a sporty fit figure?
How to speed up the process
Losing weight is not a quick process, but the first results can be seen after a few dance lessons. When you need to lose more than a couple of kilograms, you should think about proper nutrition, without which no fat burning is possible. The scheme is simple: we increase the load on the body and at the same time create a small calorie deficit.
