Increased belly fat, especially the deep inner fat puts you at the risk of chronic disease, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Dancing no matter what your age, weight or health status can help to melt away the fat. You can borrow moves from hip-hop, belly dancing and jazz to tone your muscles and shed that extra fat.
Effective dance routines for weight loss are mainly ballroom dance like Tango, Jazz, Cha-cha and Pasa Doble or street dance forms like salsa and hip hop. These high energy dance routines can be compared to an intense workout at the gym and often yield the same results.
Time to put on the music and warm up for an active dance session.
Step Hop
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, hands on hips.
- Step forward with right foot, then lift left knee to hip level as you hop straight up on right leg.
- Land with feet together.
- Do 16 reps, alternating sides.
Camel Twists
- Stand feet hip-distance apart. Press your chest forward as you arch your spine. Keep your shoulders retracted and your arms at your sides.
- Reverse the action by drawing your abs in, tucking your pelvis and allowing the shoulders to press forward.
- Continue to work the ripple for 60 to 90 seconds.
Belly Roll
Master this skill, to target your rectus abdominis.
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and your arms floating alongside you, slightly to the back.
- Breathe in to expand your ribs and pull in the lowest portion of your abs.
- Relax your breath, expand your lower belly and draw in the upper region of your abs.
- Alternate the moves to create a wavelike movement. Work your way up to 30 seconds or longer.
Lunge Jumping
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, arms extended overhead.
- Lunge forward with left leg, bending both knees 90 degrees.
- Jump straight up, switching legs in midair, so that you land in a lunge with right leg in front.
- Do 12 reps, alternating sides.
Hip Circles
Put on some swanky tunes to get you in the mood. Belly dancers work every aspect of their core.
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Lift your arms slightly to the sides of your body.
- Shift your hips right and left to get them warm.
- Move into a circular motion — move your hips right, back, left and front. Repeat in the opposite direction. Keep the move going for about 90 seconds.
Have some fun, and watch the fat melt.