Zumba, a dance-fitness program set to Latin music, provides an aerobic workout along with body toning and sculpting exercises. One Zumba session can burn anywhere from 350 to 900 calories based on your level of exertion and other factors, according to Zumba of Michigan fitness instructor Debbie Lim. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends about 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity on most days for weight loss. If you have lost weight, 60 to 90 minutes of exercise a day may be needed to maintain your weight loss, according to the USDA.
Zumba Background
Zumba was conceived by Colombian fitness instructor Alberto ''Beto'' Perez in the mid-1990s. Perez forgot to bring his traditional music to an aerobics class he was teaching in his native Cali, Colombia, so he substituted his own salsa and merengue mix. He spontaneously created the first Zumba moves to the music he had in his backpack, and his aerobics class loved it. In 2001, Perez brought the concept to Miami and teamed up with entrepreneurs Alberto Perlman and Alberto Aghion to create the Zumba Fitness business. The concept has grown to 110,000 locations in more than 125 countries, according to the Zumba website.
Weight Loss With Zumba
Weight loss is a balancing act that requires learning how to balance your ''energy in'' and ''energy out'' over a long period of time, according to the USDA. “Energy in” are the calories taken in from food and drink. “Energy out” are the calories burned during basic body functions and physical activity. Any physical activity, including aerobic workouts such as Zumba, increases the number of calories burned. You will lose weight when the calories you eat and drink are fewer than the calories you burn.
Calories Burned During Zumba
Zumba is an aerobic workout that combines dance and fitness moves to the beat of Latin music. Dance styles incorporated into the routines include merengue, salsa, mambo, rumba and flamenco. Calories burned per Zumba session vary for each individual, based on factors including body type, energy exerted, range of motion, age and gender. In one class, one participant could burn 300 calories, while another can burn up to 1,000, according to instructor Lim. Along with burning calories, other benefits of Zumba include improved cardiovascular strength and muscle tone, stress relief and brain stimulation, Lim says.
Recommendations
According to the Calorie Control Council, if you burn 3,500 calories more than you consume over the course of a week, you will most likely lose 1 pound. That breaks down to 500 fewer calories burned per day. This can be accomplished by a combination of limiting food intake and increasing activity. For example, if your calories are reduced by 200 per day and your activity is increased to burn 300 calories per day, perhaps in one Zumba session, it's possible to lose 1 pound a week. The USDA recommends a combination of exercise and choosing nutrient-dense foods for weight loss. The Calorie Control Council recommends gradual weight loss for safe and effective long-term loss of body fat.
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