It’s Official: Dancing Is The New Black!

 

 

 

Black is what black does. No, we are not getting into a pseudo-intellectual discussion about the colorless way of living a mundane life.

We are talking of everything that is ‘in’. Black has been, and will always be. Either to hide your beer belly or to look as suave as Don Draper for the most important date of your life, you would probably choose black. But to turn heads, you need to stay healthy. And to stay healthy, you need to get healthy. We suggest: consider dancing. It’s fun, and it comes loaded with benefits. From ballet and salsa to belly dancing and tribal energy dance, moving to music is a great way to boost your fitness and keep active. Want to show your strength? Step out of the gym and on to the dance floor to reap these benefits.

Dance Away Your Calories

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Dancing is one of the best calorie-burning, muscle-strengthening, toning, and balancing exercises around. Studies show that you can burn between 500-700 calories per hour, depending on your size, and level of fitness. In comparison, an hour on a gym treadmill burns about 400-500, and can be tedious and boring. Try fun, action-oriented Zumba or Hip-Hop dancing. You can even buy DVD’s to do in your own home, but dancing in a group is a lot more fun.

Get Disco-tastic Benefits

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Grooving to your favorite beats can be freeing as well as sexy. Designed to boost the confidence of those of us who struggle to make any sort of impression on the dance floor in clubs as well as a great choice for aerobic fitness, Zumba is a happy drug. Zumba is an electrifying joy. You forget everything – especially stress from your daily life. Zumba improves your mental health and improves your physical image which in turns helps you feel better.

Ditch The Gym

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Variety is important when working out. Challenging the body in new ways will help to increase fitness level. It will also alleviate boredom and loss of interest from doing the same old thing each workout. Whether it is Zumba, hip-hop or pole dancing, consider new and challenging ways to keep fit.

Punch Stress In The Face

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Functioning in a socially interactive group of people once or twice a week, or even doing Zumba routines in your living room, has been shown to reduce stress, depression, and increase endorphins (feel good brain chemicals) that brighten mood. Feeling more confident about the way your body is moving on the dance floor can really boost your self-esteem and quite possibly your love life. According to studies, women find men who can dance to be more confident, outgoing, and social. Don’t worry if you think you have two left feet! Put on your dancing shoes, and dance like no one’s watching!

Stimulate Your Brain

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Any time you learn new information, you give your entire brain a workout. Listening to music and moving your body simultaneously requires using different areas of your brain at the same time. According to a study in the journal Heart, this kind of dual activity, listening to music, and making snap decisions like those required during dancing, really fires up the neurons in your entire brain. It helps sharpen cognitive skills and output. The result is an overall energizing effect on your mood and physical well-being. Did we mention that dancing is also an aphrodisiac?

Say Goodbye To Diseases

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Recent studies have shown dancing to have the following disease-prevention benefits: fights heart disease by decreasing blood pressure and maintaining a normal weight; fights diabetes by normalizing blood sugar levels and controlling weight; strengthens bones and joints, preventing osteoporosis. Believe us (and the researchers), dancing also reduces the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Whether you grab your partner, go with friends to a nightclub, take a class, or would rather just put in a few DVDs and hit the floor in your living room, dancing can really help you improve your physical, mental and social health. A word of caution: Psy-style dancing won’t help though. Oh, and you are welcome!