As you munch on leftover Halloween candy and contemplate your Thanksgiving Day menu, it may be a good idea to add some workouts to your schedule to beat the holiday weight gain!
Fred Astaire Dance Studios offers low-impact workouts designed to help people burn calories and increase energy. One hour of ballroom dancing can burn between 600 to 800 calories, depending on the intensity of the dancing. Aside from burning calories and helping lose weight, ballroom dancing can improve flexibility and increase muscle strength. Working on dance steps will also help improve your endurance and increase energy levels.
We offer group and private lessons at our local studios. Our certified dance instructors create a welcoming, fun environment for people of all ages and stages of their fitness journey. Following the outbreak of the pandemic, we launched an Online Lesson Platform that allows people to learn the time-honored tradition of ballroom dancing at home at their convenience. Our Online Lesson Platform features a vast library of online dance lessons and courses led by our certified dance instructors and International Dance Council members. There is also an option to book private, 30-minute, live-streaming lessons.
Holiday Weight Gain a Myth
Despite the plethora of Christmas cookies, rich cocktails, and mashed potatoes on the menu during the holiday season, research offers good news when it comes to holiday weight gain. While diet culture touts the holidays as a time where people gain an average of five pounds, the medical community disagrees. People only gain just under a pound during the holidays, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. However, people who are already obese are likely to put on more weight than individuals in healthy weight ranges, WebMD reported.
Although research reveals that you are not likely to pack on the pounds during the holiday season, implementing an exercise routine can help improve your mood and spark joy. Self-care and exercise are often neglected during the busy holiday months. Cold weather and busy schedules make December the month lowest for frequent exercise, Pew Research reported. In addition to getting your blood pumping and helping counteract additional calories, exercise is a great stress reliever. The prospect of spending time with extended family and higher than normal expenses send stress levels skyrocketing over the holidays. Implementing an exercise routine as the holidays approach will help give you the energy you need and provide a welcome respite to help you enjoy the magic of the season.
Dance Videos Offer Inspiration
While starting a new hobby might not be top-of-mind as the holiday season rolls around, taking better care of your health is an important priority. Check out how one woman renewed her passion for ballroom dancing and lost 125 pounds.
Fast-paced dances like the salsa, quickstep, and cha-cha will burn more calories than a slower foxtrot or waltz. Take a look at these two clips from the popular British television dance show, “So You Think You Can Dance.”
In the first video, dancers perform a high-energy cha-cha.
Here’s a clip of dancers getting groovy and burning some calories dancing the salsa.
Celebrate the Holidays at FADS
If you are ready to improve your physical fitness by adding ballroom dancing to your exercise routine, contact your local Fred Astaire Dance Studios to schedule a lesson.
