Of no other fat-loss activity--eating less, walking on a treadmill, doing sit-ups--can it be said that participants eagerly count the minutes until their next opportunity to lose weight. Zumba, a form of dance instruction combining powerful interval training with beats from Latin America, India, Brazil and the Caribbean, stirs profound enthusiasm among its adherents. They buy official clothing and dance-specific shoes, attend three-hour Zumba-thons and, somewhere along the way, find pounds disappearing, too.
Preparation
Step 1
Log your weight before your first Zumba class, advises Zumba founder Beto Perez in "Zumba: Ditch the Workout Join the Party! The Zumba Weight Loss Program."
Step 2
Calculate a healthy weight for your height: Take 100 lbs. for the first 5 feet of your height and add 5 lbs. for each extra inch to get to the midpoint of your ideal body-weight range. Aim to weigh no more than 10 percent higher than this midpoint.
Step 3
Take body circumference measurements with a cloth tape measure of your abdomen, thighs, hips, biceps, chest and calf.
Dancing
Step 1
Bring bottled water, a small towel, workout clothes, and tennis, cross-training or dance shoes to your workout, recommends Los Angeles City College. Be prepared for an hour of exercise in disguise that will work your core and burn an estimated 600 to 1,000 calories an hour, depending on your degree of enthusiasm, according to "Zumba: Ditch the Workout Join the Party! The Zumba Weight Loss Program."
Step 2
Follow the instructor's verbal cues on what to do for each song. Begin with a warm-up song that often includes easy marching or isolation exercises for the arms and hips that preview song choreography to come. Throw yourself into the fast rhythms and catch your breath on the slow rhythms; the instructor will follow interval-training techniques to maximize fat burning during your 60 minutes.
Step 3
Drink water before the class, sip during the class and drink a glass or two after exercise, Perez recommends.
Step 4
Attend at least three classes a week. You'll burn nearly 12,000 calories in a month, Perez writes, the equivalent of 3 ½ lbs. a month, or 42 lbs. over a year.
Nutrition
Step 1
Eat fresh fruit or yogurt about an hour before class to add glycogen, a form of carbohydrate that provides fuel, to your muscles. Avoid high-fat snacks and meals, which will slow you down during class, Perez writes.
Step 2
Eat portions of lean protein, such as eggs, chicken, fish, turkey and low-fat dairy items for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Eat three servings a day of carbohydrates obtained from beans, bananas, yams and brown rice, and unlimited amounts of low-calorie vegetables such as asparagus, parsnips, peppers, mushrooms, lettuce and eggplant. Consume ripe, fresh fruits, ideally locally grown.
Step 3
Weigh yourself once a week and record the figure in a log or spreadsheet. Update your measurements of your body circumferences.
Tips and Warnings
- For even faster weight loss, look for longer weight-loss-specific Zumba classes of 90 minutes, or attend Zumba-thons, which might run three hours and feature multiple instructors.
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Bottled water
- Towel
- Workout shoes
References
- "Zumba: Ditch the Workout Join the Party! The Zumba Weight Loss Program"; Beto Perez; 2009
- Zumba Fitness: About
- Jefferson Community College: Zumba for Weight Loss
- Los Angeles City College: Zumba Fitness
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