Dancing for weight loss: effectiveness, exercises at home. Belly dancing for weight loss is the sure way to an ideal figure

Physical activity benefits any body. But if men like strength exercises, most women prefer dance programs. There are many of them, they are varied, as they say, for every taste. One of the popular trends is dancing for weight loss at home. Videos of such lessons have long taken their place among the arsenal of those losing weight at home. Dance programs for weight loss differ in many ways. When choosing yours, you need to take into account your physical fitness, intensity of exercise, musical preferences and much more.

Among the popular modern dance styles the following can be distinguished:

oriental dances,
indian dances,
latina,
step dance,
strip dance,
hip hop,
club dancing,
ballroom

You can increasingly find tango schools. It is not difficult to assume that hip-hop is more popular among young people, just like club dancing or strip dancing. The older generation gravitates towards tango, like any classic. But oriental dancing is in favor with ladies of any age.

Do you want to understand what dance program yours, what kind of dancing do you need for weight loss? Video lessons for beginners will give an idea of the intensity of the load, the plasticity of movements and the direction of the musical accompaniment. Van needs more movement and fiery rhythms - choose Latin or hip-hop, gravitate towards smooth steps and lyrical music your element ballroom dancing. But if you like oriental melodies, bewitching, alluring and smooth movements, feel free to take up oriental dances.

Dancing for weight loss at home

Dancing tango at home or learning pole moves is somewhat unusual. But belly dancing is quite suitable for home practice. Moreover, oriental dance lessons for weight loss, videos of which are not difficult to find, are designed for any level of training. Even if you have never danced, you will master the initial skills quickly enough. From now on, everything will only go progressively. From lesson to lesson you will feel more confident, you will learn to enjoy not only physical activity, but also the fact that you will be able to do what seemed unattainable just yesterday.

Remember, no matter what your body is like at the moment, it should not become a reason to give up dancing. The grace of a woman sometimes means much more than her volume!

What dances help you lose weight quickly?

Without a doubt, the fastest results come from the most intense dances. Breakdancing, fast ballroom dancing, such as quickstep, cha-cha-cha, and jive hold the palm. But, despite the fact that oriental dancing does not give such a quick effect, it is most beneficial for the female body. Yes, there is no such intense and forceful load, but flexibility and coordination develop, plasticity improves and the muscles that make a woman a woman are trained. There is an opinion that ancient oriental dances are not only a way to attract male attention, it is also a kind of medical procedure aimed at improving women's health.

Oriental dancing for weight loss at home

When choosing which dances to do to lose weight, pay attention to oriental dances. With regular exercise, even if not immediately, you will begin to lose weight. The load is distributed in such a way that the muscles in the most problematic areas are tightened. Hips and buttocks become more and more attractive from time to time, arms and shoulders become more expressive, waists become thinner and thinner.

There are a variety of dances you can dance at home to lose weight. When practicing from a video, first watch everything carefully; do not try to immediately repeat complex movements. After all, if something doesn’t work out right away, it will be quite difficult psychologically to force yourself to repeat it. Remember the golden rule: from simple to complex. Only after mastering the lesson well should you move on to a more complex level.

It’s not without reason that those who choose belly dancing for weight loss don’t start their reviews with how much their weight has decreased. Most of the fans of eastern movements say that their general condition is improving, and not only physical. The mood, perception of the world, awareness of one’s place in this world change as the woman begins not only to copy the teacher’s movements, but also to dance. After all, dance is creativity, you want, even philosophy. By dancing, we don’t just train our muscles, we improve spiritually, no matter how trite it may sound.

Video lessons for beginners: Oriental dancing for weight loss

Lesson 3

To achieve the best effect, it is quite possible to combine oriental and fast dancing for weight loss. Even so, depending on the mood, today it’s a belly dance, and tomorrow it’s a fiery cha-cha-cha. More energetic dances will provide additional physical activity, while oriental dances will help develop flexibility and smooth movements.

It is important to note that, as in any other case, regularity of exercise is the basis. Even if you’re not in the mood, try, make an effort, but don’t skip training. Once, twice, three times, and now you don’t feel like it at all. Don’t look for excuses for yourself, don’t come up with excuses - just get up and dance, in a few minutes you will forget about your “I don’t want to.”

Belly dance for weight loss. The video will help you not only get your figure in order. Video lessons will teach you the basics, and as you progress, you will learn new movements. When the time comes, the teacher on the screen will become the source of your creativity. You will learn not only to repeat, but also to improvise or build your own dance line.

Belly dancing for weight loss is a set of rhythmic movements to pump up the oblique muscles to oriental music.

There are countless fitness programs that can help you lose extra pounds and tighten the problem waist area at home. There are standard workouts where the usual cardio and strength exercises are performed. But not everyone likes them. Dancing to reduce your waistline helps you immerse yourself in the mysterious culture of the East and provides a joyful mood after training.

Oriental dances have long been used to work out the abdominal muscles. They effectively target problem areas and make the body fit and feminine. Thanks to smooth movements, the shoulder girdle and buttocks are strengthened. But does it help you lose weight around your waist?

With the help of such dances you will not be able to achieve relief. For expressive abdominal muscles, you need to go to the gym and work with free weights. By dancing, you will get a flat and toned stomach without flabby, sagging skin, remove your sides, and get rounded buttocks.

Arab dancers have voluminous hips and fat around the waist. Why doesn't belly dancing help them lose weight or stay toned? In the East, it is not customary to limit yourself in food, and traditional dishes are full of carbohydrates and fats. And local ideals female beauty differ from European ones - here they like a lady to be round, with expressive hips and large breasts.

The influence of dance on the process of losing weight

During exercise, a lot of tension is felt in the abdominal area. Dance combinations trigger metabolic processes in the body and break down fat cells. In 1 hour of training at a fast pace you can burn 500 kcal or more. And if you exercise every other day, you will get rid of 1600 kcal within a week.

We confidently declare that belly dancing is an effective way to combat extra pounds, which affects the reduction of the waist. But without regular training and proper nutrition the settings will remain the same. The load is not so great that it covers all the errors in your lifestyle.

Rules for practicing at home

Belly dancing lessons for weight loss are not just a set of rhythmic movements, but a beautiful and mesmerizing dance. But first you need to learn the basics. If you can't go to group classes, try studying on your own.

List of belly dance exercises at home:

Place. The room should be bright and large, with wall mirrors to see the details of belly dance for weight loss and improve the technique.
Comfortable clothes. The form for exercise should not constrain or interfere with movements. Wear something revealing and form-fitting to feel more relaxed. A mandatory attribute of belly dancing is a scarf on the hips. If you dance tabla style, then choose fabric with coins. While moving, they will help you get into the rhythm and create an incendiary oriental atmosphere.
Music. Choose upbeat, energetic tunes to start with. Later, when you master the combinations, switch to more melodic notes.
Healthy food. You can start training after 1.5 hours of eating. Meals should be light and rich in proteins. After your workout, wait an hour to snack on vegetables.
Regularity of classes. To make your waist aspen and remove the sides and cellulite on the hips, experts recommend dedicating 30-60 minutes to exercise every day or 2 hours 3-4 times a week.

It is contraindicated to dance for a slim figure during pregnancy, menstruation, diseases of the female genital area, tumor processes, inflammation, vertebral displacement, varicose veins, hernia.

If you have chronic diseases of the respiratory system, cardiovascular system or spinal pathology, then consult your doctor about selecting loads.

Dance Basics

If you decide to fight fat deposits on the waist with the help of belly dancing exercises at home, then you can try in practice several effective tasks to work out this area.

Basic exercises that involve the abs and other problem areas:

Place your legs together, feet touching each other, bend your knees slightly. Now slowly wiggle your hips, as if drawing a spiral with your body.
The technique of this task is similar to the previous one, but the legs are straightened and the movements are performed at a fast pace. The upper body remains in place.
Place your feet shoulder-width apart and try to tense your abdominal muscles so that your pubis rises slightly. It is difficult for beginners to complete the task right away.
Stand straight and move your hips smoothly, trying to take small steps to the right and left.
Rise up slightly on your toes. Start moving your hips up and down, shifting your weight to one leg at a time. Make movements as quickly as possible. First learn to do it on the spot. When you get used to it, start walking to the side, forward and backward, while simultaneously performing an exercise based on belly dancing.
The lower part is motionless and the back is straight. Start doing a belly wave. It will be difficult for beginners, but over time it will begin to work out.
Now let's stretch the neck. Lower your head down and flip your hair. Rotate your head as if you were drawing a figure eight. The exercise looks incredibly beautiful from the outside for women with long hair. If you feel dizzy, stop.

To develop the correct technique, watch video lessons from professional trainers on the Internet.

Belly dancing classes are aimed at developing the muscular frame. Girls online notice the first results after 2-3 weeks of training.

What can you combine classes with for greater effectiveness?

Oriental dancing is not a way to lose weight, but a whole culture. You should do them if you are attracted to smooth, sexy and rhythmic movements, unusual costumes and an abundance of jewelry. Otherwise, training will not bring pleasure and results. To speed up abdominal weight loss, you can use abdominal exercises in between dances.

Complex for working out the abdominal muscles:

twisting;
straight and side plank;
twisting to the side;
bike.

For successful weight loss, work your abs 3 times a week. Do all exercises 15-20 times for 3-4 approaches, increasing the number of repetitions every day.

Forget for a while about bread, sweets, fast food and fried foods. Try to train yourself to eat at the same time, without skipping meals. Stay hydrated by drinking 15 liters of clean liquid per day to speed up your metabolism and promote healthy skin. Eat more protein foods, vegetables and fruits and don't focus too much on losing weight. If you force yourself to go on starvation diets, then breakdowns cannot be avoided.

Dancing for weight loss at home are a fairly effective way to lose weight. By dancing, you not only eliminate extra pounds, but also make your figure more precise and beautiful. Today, many people enroll in dance studios to weight loss classes, where a professional instructor will explain and tell you how and what movements you need to do in order to achieve the desired effect. But, unfortunately, not everyone can afford it.

What dances help you lose weight quickly at home? These include oriental, Irish, Latin, Latin American and other types of dances. The first and last options train, the second has a positive effect not only on the stomach, but also on other parts of the body, the third is a set of movements that will help you lose extra pounds from the buttocks and thighs. Latin dancing will also help pump up your belly.

Absolutely everyone loves to dance. Some people do it better, some do it worse. But everyone can master a few steps. What dances should you do at home to lose weight quickly and without harm to your health? For example, it develops plasticity, and Latin American dances are quite energetic and rhythmic. Extra pounds will gradually disappear if you exercise regularly.

You should not practice dancing without prior preparation. Before starting classes, you need to warm up properly, warm up each muscle and only then start.

It is worth noting the following benefits of losing weight using a dance program at home:

Home training for weight loss can be done at any time convenient for you, and you do not have to adapt to the instructor and group, postponing your more important matters.
You won’t have to pay anything for this method of losing weight, since you will practice at home using videos on the Internet, and the classes will be effective.
All muscles take part in the dance process, so you don’t have to think about removing extra centimeters from your thighs separately and separately.
Dancing is a lot of fun; this activity will not only help you lose weight, but will also bring you a lot of pleasure.
In addition to a slender and toned stomach and other parts of the body, you will get healthy and strengthened muscles.
Dancing will help you relax.

In addition, during classes you will learn a lot beautiful movements, which you can later show off at any party. It is also worth noting that during dancing, blood circulation significantly improves, lymphatic drainage increases and thus, with the help of intense movements, excess fat deposits are burned. Below we have selected the most interesting dance styles that are perfect for losing weight.

Zumba

Belly dance

Salsa

Dance aerobics

Hip-Hop

Irish step

So, with the help dance exercises. It's not that difficult if you follow the instructor's advice. And it doesn’t matter whether you went to dance with a professional or just watch videos on the Internet. To begin with, you need to carefully read general recommendations for dancing classes.

Important rules before starting training:

Never begin active movements during training without prior preparation. First, warm up your muscles with special exercises, and only then start training.
Choose exactly the weight loss dance that you like. Irish, for example, helps to form correct posture, oriental and Latin movements help train the stomach, and so on.
Find the most suitable place for dancing. This could be a spacious living room or a large corridor; it is advisable that you see yourself in the mirror during training.
Eliminate all factors that irritate you. Turn off your phone, send your pet to another room, and it is advisable that you are alone at home, so no one will distract you.
The shoes and clothes you will dance in should be comfortable. If you are working out at home, wear socks (only if the floor in the house is not slippery), elastic shorts or leggings and a loose T-shirt.
If you have eaten beforehand, wait an hour or an hour and a half before you start moving.
For effective weight loss turn on rhythmic fast music, which you like.
Don’t expect phenomenal results from your first lesson, because at first not everything will work out, the main thing is to enjoy the process.

Anyone can learn to dance if they want. Therefore, remember that the main thing in this matter is numerous training sessions.

If you don’t know how much time you need to exercise to lose weight, then the best option is to exercise for 2 hours 3 times a week or 30 minutes 5 times a week. After training it is necessary. Just don't overdo it. Especially the first time.

Note! There's no point in dancing if you open the refrigerator after class and start emptying it. Eat small portions 4-5 times a day, preferably healthy foods.

The biggest advantage of this method of losing weight is a great mood. After all, dancing classes charge you with energy for the whole day. With their help, you will not only lose weight, but also gain self-confidence.

Contraindications for dancing

If you want to quickly lose weight through dancing or fitness, you should know that these activities have a number of specific contraindications.

The main ones:

The presence of certain diseases (renal failure, cardiovascular diseases, chronic and similar). IN in this case Dancing can cause serious damage to your health.
Pregnancy and lactation period. During pregnancy, you should under no circumstances lose weight, especially exercise your abdominal muscles, as this is fraught with unpleasant consequences not only for you, but also for the baby. And during the period breastfeeding playing sports is fraught with loss of milk.
In case of problems with the respiratory system, dynamic dancing is not recommended, as it can aggravate the disease.
If you feel unwell, have a cold or have a high temperature, it is not recommended to dance.
During the menstrual cycle, you should not do physical activity, as you may experience bleeding or severe stomach pain.
Varicose veins, hernia, certain neoplasms, and vertebral displacement are obstacles to some dance movements.
If you have joint problems, scoliosis, have had knee injuries, or are first-degree obese, then pole dancing is not recommended for you.

Today there are many types of dances for weight loss. If you wish, you can take private lessons from a professional, study in a group, or study on your own at home. The main thing is to follow certain rules and have fun. And if you have certain contraindications, consult your doctor.

Thus, dancing is one of the most effective and enjoyable ways to lose weight. They not only help you get rid of extra pounds, but also have positive influence to your health. So, you will look younger, fresher, fitter. Your muscles will be toned.

Pay attention! If you feel worse after exercising, consult your doctor immediately.

In addition, a person who is into dancing will be able to impress anyone on the dance floor during a party or corporate event without any problems. And if you choose the type of dancing that you like most, then the exercises will bring pleasure and improve your mood. And the main thing is that you don’t have to exhaust yourself with unbearable diets or spend a long time in the gym.

In an hour of training you can get rid of up to 450 kcal on average., and during a public performance almost 600 kcal. It turns out that if you exercise 3-4 times a week, you will burn almost 1500-1800 kcal. In addition to exercise, you should follow a diet.

What muscles work: oblique abdominal muscles, rectus muscles, back. Arm exercises strengthen the triceps, which are often a problem area for women. Therefore, after belly dancing, flabbiness goes away and a beautiful relief is acquired. The leg muscles are well worked out - quadriceps and gluteus maximus muscles.

Professional dancers have a round, protruding belly. This is due to specific movements. To pump up your abs, you will have to additionally do exercises for twisting, lifting the body, and legs.

Belly dancing has an impact such an effect on the body and body: simultaneous work of the muscles of the thighs and buttocks, due to which the folds in the lower back and back go away, a feminine and graceful silhouette is formed, and back pain goes away; hip thrusts help fight cellulite; the condition of internal organs, especially the female reproductive system, improves, metabolism accelerates; due to head movements, blood circulation in the neck muscles and oxygen supply to the brain are stimulated; Smooth movements help develop stretching and joint function. The pain goes away.

Diet for weight loss with dancing includes: eating more protein (eggs, meat, fish, dairy products, seafood, legumes, nuts), eliminating fast carbohydrates (buns, candies, cookies and other sweets and flour), but before training you can eat fruit, dark chocolate half an hour before training, marmalade without sugar, maintaining water balance - 1.5-2 liters of water, mineral or plain, green, herbal tea. The total caloric intake should be no more than 1200-1500 kcal per day. You should get enough sleep and try to avoid stress.

Contraindications: heart failure, spinal problems, joint pain, gastrointestinal diseases. You can dance if you don't make sudden movements.

How to dance belly dance at home for beginners.:

"Rocking chair." You need to move your hips left and right, up and down. You should stand straight, knees slightly bent, and buttocks raised to the sides.
"Wave". You should only move your hips; your upper body remains static. They draw waves up and down in a circle.
"Eight". Use your hips to write a number in the air at waist level. To form clear features, you need to do the exercise deeply, describing a figure eight, lifting and pushing your buttocks to the sides.
"Circle". The hips or chest move in an imaginary circle.
"Strikes." The stomach is thrown up with the help of the hips, then it lowers on its own. The same is done with the buttocks and chest, only they need to be fixed for a couple of seconds in the maximum position.
"Pendulum". They move one hip to the side, then up, then lower it. Same thing with the other one.
"Shaking." It can be done with different parts of the body: thighs, arms, stomach, buttocks, chest. Vibrating movements should be performed as long as possible. Professional performers can perform the movement for up to 15 minutes.

Read more in our article about belly dancing for weight loss and its features.

Read in this article

Belly dancing or belly dancing moves are great for weight loss because they provide moderate-intensity cardio. Namely, active exercises that make the heart beat faster help burn fat reserves. In addition, they help make the figure more prominent, flexible and feminine. Belly dancing develops and strengthens the muscles of the abs, back, and hips. This is a great alternative to boring gym sessions.

During the dance, the heart rate increases, blood circulation and oxygen saturation improves. Therefore, the body begins to burn calories more strongly. In an hour of training you can get rid of on average up to 450 kcal, and during a public performance almost 600 kcal. It turns out that if you exercise 3-4 times a week, you will burn almost 1500-1800 kcal.

Of course, looking at oriental beauties with curvy figures, it’s hard to believe that belly dancing helps you lose weight. But the fact is that in these countries it is precisely these forms that are valued. And if the goal is to directly lose weight and get your figure in order, then in addition to exercise you should follow a diet.

What muscles work

Belly dancing creates a feminine figure. During the class, girls perform figure eights, pendulums, rocking chairs - all these movements activate the oblique abdominal muscles, rectus muscles, and back. Arm exercises strengthen the triceps, which are often a problem area for women. That's why after belly dancing, flabbiness goes away and beautiful relief is acquired.

The leg muscles are also well worked out. Since most movements are performed with bent knees, there is an excellent load on the quadriceps and gluteus maximus muscles. It is important to note that during dancing there are many repetitions, so the fibers are worked deeply and give good tone. But in the end, the body will not be pumped up. Therefore, if you want to acquire denser and more prominent forms, you will have to additionally engage in power loads.

It is especially worth paying attention to the fact that professional dancers have a rounded, protruding abdomen. This is due to specific movements. Therefore, it will not be possible to pump up six-pack abs, although the fat deposits will go away. To do this, you will have to additionally perform exercises on twisting, lifting the body, and legs.

Belly dancing also has the following positive effects on the body and body:

Simultaneous work of the muscles of the thighs and buttocks. Folds on the lower back and back go away. A feminine and graceful silhouette is formed. Back pain goes away.
Hip thrusts help fight cellulite by making the skin and muscles more elastic and firm.
The condition of internal organs, especially the female reproductive system, improves. In addition, digestion improves and intestinal function accelerates. This means your metabolism becomes faster.
By moving your head, blood circulation in the neck muscles and oxygen supply to the brain improves. This contributes to its active functioning, improving mood and energy.
Smooth movements help develop stretching and joint function. The pain goes away.

Watch the video lesson on learning belly dancing:

Diet

To lose weight with belly dancing, you will need to additionally monitor your diet. Only the combination of diet and sports leads to weight loss and gaining a firm body. The following nutritional features will help you achieve the desired results much faster:

More protein. It is protein that is building material for muscles without causing fat deposits. As a result, muscles will form and burn lipid cells for energy. The diet should include more eggs, meat, fish, dairy products, seafood, legumes, and nuts.
Eliminate fast carbohydrates. To start losing weight, you will have to forget about buns, candies, cookies and other sweets and flour. But before training, half an hour before training, you can eat fruit, dark chocolate, and sugar-free marmalade.
Maintaining water balance. A sufficient amount of fluid helps maintain metabolism and removes harmful toxins and waste from the body. You need to drink 1.5-2 liters of water per day. You can also have mineral, green, herbal tea.

In general, to lose weight you need to create, that is, you need to spend more than you eat. The total caloric intake should be no more than 1200-1500 kcal per day.

Also, to lose weight you should get enough sleep and try to avoid stress. Because this leads to eating and overeating, respectively, weight gain, even despite weight loss.

Where can I learn

You can learn belly dancing for weight loss in special studios or fitness clubs, where classes are held even for beginners. They are found almost everywhere. The main thing is to pay attention to the regularity of classes and the quality of movements.

There are also dance schools, where they usually learn to dance in order to perform. But this is not suitable for everyone, so it’s worth signing up for them if you’re really interested.

You should choose an instructor carefully so that he can find an approach to each student and monitors the correct movements.

Expert opinion

Yulia Mikhailova

Nutrition expert

But start belly dancing if his temperament suits him. For some, the movements seem too slow, and sometimes contradict the inner state of femininity. If a girl wants to develop these qualities in herself, then she should try it. But if you don’t like Belidance, then go to training with bad mood and under stress, it will only get worse.

How to Belly Dance at Home for Beginners

If you don’t have time to go to a club or school, or the girl is shy, then you can study on your own. The Internet has more videos and channels of belly dancing for weight loss at home. In addition, you can purchase CDs with recordings for self-study. They have detailed instructions how to dance and do exercises. However, it will be easier to do this with a coach.

Contraindications should definitely be taken into account. People with heart failure, spinal problems, joint pain, and gastrointestinal diseases should be careful and consult a doctor first. But if you do not make sudden movements, then belly dancing does not cause harm.

You can learn the following simple exercises on your own:

"Rocking chair." You need to move your hips left and right, up and down. You should stand straight, knees slightly bent, and buttocks raised to the sides.
"Wave." You should only move your hips; your upper body remains static. They draw waves up and down in a circle.
"Eight". Use your hips to write a number in the air at waist level. To form clear features, you need to do the exercise deeply, describing a figure eight, lifting and pushing your buttocks to the sides.
"Circle". The exercise is performed in the same way as the previous one, only the hips or chest move in an imaginary circle.
"Strikes." The stomach is thrown up with the help of the hips, then it lowers on its own. The same is done with the buttocks and chest, only they need to be fixed for a couple of seconds in the maximum position.
"Pendulum". They move one hip to the side, then up, then lower it. Same thing with the other one.
"Shaking." It can be done with different parts of the body: thighs, arms, stomach, buttocks, chest. Vibrating movements should be performed as long as possible. You should start with a couple of seconds, gradually increasing. Professional performers can perform the movement for up to 15 minutes.

Belly dancing can help you lose weight and improve your figure. This is good cardio exercise. You should exercise with the mood and desire, and if you follow a special diet, you will be able to achieve visible results much faster. This is a good alternative to boring workouts at the gym.

Everyone is familiar with belly dancing, which is perceived by many only as a means of seduction. Modern craze This is not the only goal they are pursuing. Increasingly, women are starting to study oriental dancing for weight loss in order to hone their figure, make it more attractive, get rid of fat on the sides and cellulite on the hips. The question is, is it a myth or reality - losing weight like this? in an unusual way? Let's find out!

How does weight loss happen?

Belly dancing involves large number abdominal and thigh muscles. Fat deposits begin to split, they are gradually replaced by elastic and beautiful muscles. In 1 hour of active exercise, about 400 kcal are burned.

Physical activity and exercise speed up blood circulation, which helps eliminate pain, which is concentrated in the abdomen and thighs.

Dancing relieves nervous tension, which eliminates compulsive overeating.

Since the anterior part of the peritoneum works most actively, this normalizes the functioning of the intestines - digestion improves, stagnant feces are removed. With sweat, harmful substances and excess fluid are removed from the body.

With proper nutrition, oriental dancing really helps you lose weight. However, you need to understand that the results will be somewhat different from regular fitness training or diets:

fat folds will disappear primarily from the abdomen, sides, buttocks and thighs, and not evenly throughout the body;
in a week you will lose only 1-2 kg, and after a month of intensive exercise, weight loss may stop altogether;
This method is not suitable for losing weight by 10 kg or more.

Any oriental dance helps you lose weight if you follow a number of rules, but only slightly. Basically, it is suitable for women who want to make their waist narrow and their hips round and beautiful. Correction of the figure and weight loss of no more than 5 kg - these are the goals that you can set for yourself when choosing this dance style. With persistence, achieving them is quite possible.

If you plan to use belly dancing to lose weight, you will need patience, regular practice and compliance with certain rules.

Nutrition

Without proper nutrition, it is very difficult to lose weight, even if you dance for days on end. In an hour of classes, you can spend 400 kcal, and then immediately gain them while sitting in the evening with a portion of your favorite chips and cola. To achieve results, you will need:

Reduce daily caloric intake to 1200-1500 kcal.
Reduce your intake of fats and carbohydrates.
Make fruits, vegetables, berries and low-fat protein foods the basis of your diet.
Limit salt to 5 g per day.
Drink plenty of water.
Arrange every 1-2 weeks.
Don’t give up even when the weight stops falling - continue to eat according to these rules.

As for the meal schedule, there are 2 options. Either you choose the fractional meals so beloved by nutritionists (eat little by little, but often, 5-6 times a day, with lunch and an afternoon snack), or the classic three meals a day. The main thing is to develop the right eating habits. And then belly dancing will promote weight loss 2 times more effectively.

Other physical activities

Very often girls ask the question whether oriental dancing can be combined with Pilates or other workouts aimed at losing weight.

Here you need to stick to the golden mean so as not to harm the body. If you exercise every day, you won’t achieve anything: your muscles won’t have time to recover, your performance and endurance will be zero by the end of the week, you won’t feel any joy from such activities, so you shouldn’t count on losing weight. Here is the scheme the instructors offer:

Monday, Friday - oriental dances;
Wednesday - sports training;
Tuesday, Thursday - rest.

Wednesday can also be devoted to belly dancing, but at the same time devote a small part of your time to the sport every day. These could be:

morning exercises;
light jogging;
walking;
for short distances;
swimming (no more than 2 times a week).

The frequency and intensity of sports activities will largely depend on physical fitness. But those who have extra pounds usually cannot withstand serious stress. Moreover, when you start studying belly dancing and practicing it, you will have neither energy nor time left for anything else. After an hour of training, you will be exhausted, and on rest days you will still have a desire to repeat this or that type of movement, and you will dance.

Additional measures

It's one thing to learn belly dancing for fun, and completely different to lose weight. In the second case, you will have to work hard and constantly remember your goals. The more kilograms you need to lose and the shorter the period allocated for this, the more active it is recommended to act. Given the slow pace of weight loss, it is necessary to take a number of additional measures:

sign up for ;
make wraps for the hips and abdomen;
use for weight loss;
move as much as possible.

All this will speed up the achievement of the desired goal and increase the effectiveness of oriental dance classes.

At home or in the studio

Many sources claim that if you decide to learn belly dancing in order to lose weight, you must take lessons from a master, otherwise there will be no result. In reality, everything is not so simple. Let us give just one fact as an example.

One studio that practices oriental dancing conducted a survey of those who have ever approached them with a request to teach them belly dancing over the past 5 years. The results obtained were somewhat unusual:

75% wanted to learn to dance specifically for the purpose of losing weight, 5% - for their own pleasure, 15% - to seduce men, 5% - for further professional activities.
Only 20% of those who applied remained to continue their studies, the rest refused to study for various reasons (most often due to heavy workload).
But the most important thing: of those 80% who left the studio, 30% continued to study at home and 25% of them achieved significant results in losing weight.

What do these numbers say? It is not always necessary to take oriental dance lessons from masters. Yes, they give loads on the verge of what is possible (accordingly, more calories are burned). Yes, they focus on the technique of performing movements so that the necessary muscle groups are worked out (again, good for body shaping). But! At the same time, psychologically this causes discomfort for many: compared to others, they feel clumsy and fat, and they often feel like nothing is working out.

But when a woman dances at home alone, she has no one to be shy about, she is relaxed, chooses her favorite music and enjoys the lessons. The psychological aspect is very important here. Without disruptions, weight loss occurs much faster. Therefore, it is not necessary to check the box next to “sign up for a studio.” Try it - yes, you can. If you can bear it - great, no - don’t torture yourself and study on your own (using video lessons, for example).

Basics

What does it take to master the art of oriental dance for the purpose of losing weight? First, decide on the type you will master:

Egyptian school requires smooth movements- weight loss will be slow, but the figure will acquire feminine and rounded shapes.
Arabic - with characteristic waves of flowing hair.
Turkish - with seductive movements and the use of a pole, somewhat reminiscent of a pylon, the school is very popular among dance techniques for weight loss.
Dabka requires bouncing and jumping, looks unusual, but for weight loss it is one of the most effective options.

To have fun, purchase a bright outfit and special accessories:

cane;
sagata (metal disks);
shawl;
fans;
small drums;
I'm babbling.

All these accessories require the ability to wield them while dancing, which forces you to be extremely concentrated, spend more effort, and therefore more calories. All movements are performed in front of a mirror.

Basic techniques

The basic belly dance movements that you will need to master first are divided into several blocks:

legs - all movements are made on half toes;
hips - various movements to the sides, in different planes, at unimaginable angles, they are the ones who will contribute to weight loss to a greater extent;
shoulder girdle - you will need to learn to move your shoulders and chest separately;
hands - the main movements are made with the hands, everything else is as relaxed as possible;
head and neck - movements are performed in different planes.

There are also basic exercises:

plastic: waves, eights, circles (develop flexibility and femininity);
blows: keys, rockers;
shaking: with different parts of the body (knees, shoulders, buttocks);
walks: with a twist, cross step, haggala step - their fast pace will make you lose hundreds of calories in the initial stages of training.

And, of course, you need to be able to take the starting position of the body:

the top of the head is directed as high as possible;
shoulders relaxed and lowered;
the shoulder blades are brought together as far as possible until the back hurts;
chest forward;
knees relaxed;
the abdominal and buttock muscles are tense and ready to work.

At first, the dance may not work out, but over time the body will still learn to perform basic exercises and techniques. When the extra pounds go away, they will only work on the plasticity and flexibility of the body, maintaining the achieved results.

Contraindications

Not everyone can lose weight through belly dancing. It puts a powerful load not only on the abdominal muscles, but also on the organs located in this area. Such intensive exercises have a number of contraindications:

heavy menstruation;
pregnancy;
oncology;
exacerbation of inflammatory processes;
vertebral displacement, osteochondrosis, problems with the spine;
flat feet;
obesity;
liver and gastrointestinal diseases.

Before you start practicing oriental dancing for the purpose of losing weight, it will be useful to get permission from your doctor.

Video tutorials on belly dancing:

If you want to “load” your whole body in addition to your stomach, try this.