Hula hooping has made a comeback, and for good reason -- you can burn some serious calories by trying to keep that hoop from collapsing at your feet. Some hula tricks can even add to the joyful experience of hula hooping and burning calories.
Calories
Even using a light hoop, you burn 200 calories in 30 minutes, according to the American Council on Exercise -- while being stationary, with both feet on the floor. You can add variety and calorie burn by trying to balance on one foot, or doing some dance moves. Body weight increases the amount of calories you burn. For instance, if you weigh 150 pounds and hula for 30 minutes you'll lose 120 calories, according to Calorie Lab who puts hula in the same category as dancing.
Versions
A new twist on the classic, lightweight hula hoop, are weighted hoops you can purchase at specialty stores. They require more effort, but burn more calories. According to Spinning Hoops, you can burn 400 calories in 30 minutes when using a weighted hula hoop.
Strategies
If keeping a hula hoop spinning around your hips for 30 minutes straight sounds daunting, remember you can break up your sessions, just like with other cardio-vascular exercise. In other words, if you hula 10 minutes three times a day, you still get the same benefit.
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