skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Did you watch the Dancing with the Stars Season Finale last night? Wasn't it obvious that Nicole Scherzinger was going to win the competition with Derek Hough? She was a trained dancer and professional singer, so she has had much more practice time than any one of the other contestants. She deserved to win, she was the best dancer in this competition.
Since summer is quickly approaching, have you been trying to get in shape for bikini and swim suit weather? Are you tired of your gym routine? Do you want to do something more interesting? While watching Dancing with the Stars this season I noticed that the competitors were getting more and more fit as the weeks went on. I always knew that dancing was hard work, but I had no idea it was such an amazing sculpting and toning exercise. While dancing every muscle group is engaged when you hold poses and move around. Also, your ab muscles and core are usually engaged and your legs and arms are constantly moving. It is a very physical exercise.
In the last few years, my parents started taking Arthur Murray dance classes and started competing in dance competitions. Not only are they happy when they are dancing because it is such a social activity, my mom has lost a lot of weight as well. Dancing has become a great fun activity as well as exercise for my parents.
Many people may think that ballroom dancing and ballet is not for them so they don't try dancing as a form of exercise. However, there are so many different dance classes out there, you can definitely find one that could work for your lifestyle and taste. For example, there are dance classes offered in the modern dance style, jazz, tap, hip hop, and many other varieties. The great thing about dance is that it is a pretty inexpensive activity and classes can be found everywhere from your local gym, the YMCA, to a professional dance studio.
Try something new for the summer. Dance!
Have you ever gone on a crash diet to lose weight? Did you lose all the weight and gain it back? Did you fast on liquids all day for a week? Eat cookies for every meal? Only ate protein and no carbs? Only ate vegetables or only ate fruits? How about the Cabbage soup diet? Or the Cayenne Pepper and Lemon Juice diet? Diet protein bars in the morning with a shake for lunch?
I know a lot of people who have tried many of these diets without much success. Initially they lost the weight and put it on again pretty quickly after they stopped the diet. It is not a healthy way to lose weight because it puts your body under all kinds of stress and actually causes your body to hold on to fat because it does not know when it will get food again.
There is no magic to losing weight. It is just about adopting a sensible exercise and meal program for yourself. Some of the diets that teach portion control while using healthy a combination of carbs, proteins, and vegetables at most meals are good ways to learn how to eat and how much to eat at every meal.
To start:
1.) Clean out your pantry of all foods that tempt you and cause you to overeat when it is in the house.
2.) Set a goal of how much you want to lose and why.
3.) Stock your fridge with lots of healthy fruits and vegetables for snacks and meals.
4.) Start eating at home and cooking your meals more often. It is less fattening than eating fast food or out at restaurants.
5.) Get a support system. Ask your family to give you pep talks when you need it or take walks with you to get moving.
6.) Start exercising daily for at least 30 minutes a day. Take a walk, take the stairs and just start moving.
7.) Make sure to eat small meals throughout the day to keep your energy up. Also, this helps you to stay full throughout the day so you don't reach for the junk food.
8.) Plan your meals so you don't run into a last minute eating situation that can cause you to eat unhealthy because you have no time to cook.
Start slowly. Be good to yourself. If you have a bad day of no exercise or bad eating, brush it off and make sure your next meal is a healthy one and that you get exercise the next day. Losing weight should be at a consistent healthy pace. This will get you the best long term results.
Posts
