1000 Calorie Dance Workout

Burning 1000 calories in an hour sounds like a great idea. Many new dance workouts, including Zumba and Kukuwa Dance Workout, claim to burn up to 1000 calories in a single 60 minute session. Joy Bauer, nutritionist and contributor to the Today Show, claimed that Rihanna burns 1000 calories an hour while on stage and noted that many people are also engaging in this new dance workout phenomenon but the question really is, will it work for you?

Weight and Calories Burned

Your weight affects how many calories you burn during activities. For instance, according to the Mayo Clinic, one-hour of high impact aerobics burns 511 calories in a 160-lb person and 763 calories in someone weighing 240 lbs. The heavier you are the more calories you burn, so the number of calories burned during your dance workout depends on your weight.

Intensity Matters

The calorie comparisons by the Mayo Clinic are for those exercising at the same intensity level. It is possible for a heavier person to burn almost 1000 calories during a dance workout, assuming they are keeping pace with their slimmer counterparts who burn far less. Make sure you are not overdoing it or underdoing it by gauging your intensity through your heart rate or your rate of perceived exertion (RPE).

Dance Workout Benefits

Dance workouts benefit your body by strengthening bones and muscles, toning your body, improving your posture and balance, increasing stamina and flexibility and warding off illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoporosis, and depression. Additional benefits include lowered stress, more confidence and more mental acuity. This all on top of being an enjoyable way to meet people.

Sensible Expectations

You really have to shake it for the entire 60 minutes to burn 1000 calories during any dance workout, at any weight. Adding a good, hard sweat session to your routine makes it easier to achieve the calorie deficit necessary to lose weight. A dance workout is a great option, even if you don't burn 1000 calories an hour.