Real Fitness Experts

Weight loss programs come in many forms today. Some prey on the desire for a quick fix, and some do help you lose weight quickly – at least for a while. But maintaining a healthy weight isn’t something that most people can mange quickly and maintain over the long haul. The only way to lose weight and keep it off is through permanent lifestyle changes: Eat a healthier diet, watch portion sizes and exercise regularly.

Many start exercise programs, but do not stick with them for very long. Dr. Andrew Weil states “physical activity has gone down in our population, with many people exercising less than 30 minutes per week.” Finding an exercise class that interests you can be a key element to long-term lifestyle changes. If you actually enjoy your workout, you are more likely to stick with it.

The latest workout craze is a dance oriented fitness class that incorporates dance movements into an aerobic workout to make it more exciting and fun. Dancing is a great workout because it increases your heart rate and incorporates every muscle group in the body. It can help you develop muscle tone, lose weight and gain flexibility. Dancing regularly helps burn up excess calories that otherwise get stored as fat.

Dance fitness programs like Dance Trance in Jacksonville, Florida is a great dance exercise program that has helped many students lose weight and get back into shape. This MTV style class is jam-packed every night with a wide range of students wanting to get a great workout. Director Jay Handline says “students come for a wide variety of reasons, but there isn’t a better workout than dance because you lose yourself in the music and actually have fun with it.”

Student Rhea Hitchcock joined Dance Trance one year ago to lose weight. She was eating a healthy diet, but wanted to start working out to lose extra pounds. Rhea has lost 90 pounds since she started the Dance Trance program. She says it is easy to lose weight because she likes to attend class. Compared to other aerobic programs, she finds dancing more exciting and she feels because she likes it, she gets a better workout. Under a Doctor’s care, she has also been able to discontinue her blood pressure medication and asthma medication due to her change in health status.

Students quote that it is the excitement of dancing that keeps them in class. Student Casey Childers says that Dance Trance is so enjoyable that “I don’t even feel how intense and beneficial the workout really is. The music and atmosphere relieves my stress and puts me in the right mind to accomplish my fitness goals.”

It is obvious from watching the Dance Trance workout that the students are having fun. “It isn’t easy,” Director Jay Handline says, “you have to put energy and effort into dancing, but the payoff is great.” “There isn’t another workout that incorporates so much personal expression and emotion in to such a vigorous workout. I think that is the reason most students like Dance Trance.” It is obvious that dancing can keep you in shape and help feed your desire to lose weight. Dancing brings a new component to the fitness class, although it may not be for everyone many people are finding it refreshing, fun and a great motivator for a healthy lifestyle. And if having fun is part of the program, keep on dancing!

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About the Author

Beth Handline is a a dance instructor and co-owner of Dance Trance Fitness in Jacksonville, Florida. Visit the number 1 dance fitness resource on the Internet at www.dancenetfitness.com for more great information about dancing for weight loss and fitness!