Exercises are basically meant for keeping a person fit and active. A proper exercise schedule helps to boost a person’s metabolism and aids in weight loss. There are many exercises to lose weight, of which Zumba is one of them. Zumba for weight loss is one of the most effective and easiest ways to burst out calories in short periods of time. In today’s article, you will get to know how beginners can achieve weight loss through Zumba.
What is Zumba
Zumba is an interval workout which has low to high-intensity moves dance. These dance moves help to pump up your heart rate which in turn boosts the cardio endurance level. The dance moves in Zumba help to target various areas of the body which in turn increases the strength of the body. It can be easily practiced at home with no usage of equipment.
Zumba for weight loss
Zumba is a high-energy required form of aerobic exercise which is a form of dance. It can be a fun way of practicing it as it increases physical activity and helps to burn out calories.
In order to lose weight, it’s important to create a calorie deficit. The calorie deficit can be created by burning more calories than what persons consume. More calories can be burned by increasing daily physical activity and by reducing the daily calorie intake.
By practising Zumba of medium to high intensity, a person will be able to burn approximately 300 to 900 calories. This can be for one to one and half hour duration. A better weight loss practice can be achieved by practicing Zumba two to three times a week. But this Zumba should be combined with strength training sessions which helps to achieve faster weight loss goals. No doubt a balanced diet along with a proper schedule of exercise will help you to lose weight more efficiently.
Calories burned with one hour of Zumba
Calorie burning with help of Zumba depends upon the following factors
- Age
- Weight
- Genetics
- The present physical fitness level of the person
- Intensity of workout
Zumba can burn more calories than kickboxing, aerobics and power yoga as well. This was stated when a study was conducted in 2012. According to this study, about 19 healthy participants aged between 18 to 22 burned about 9.5 calories per minute in Zumba class. The class lasted for about 40 minutes. So, on average, about 370 calories can be easily burned by practising 40 minutes of class. Read also Workouts For Weight Loss
If a person wants to increase the calorie level in a Zumba class then pumping up the intensity levels will help greatly. Maximum heart rate can be monitored by wearing a heart rate monitor which ensures that we are giving 60 to 80 per cent of effort.
Zumba has different variations in it to be practised such as HIIT Zumba or Zumba strength training class. By participating in different variations of Zumba more calories and fat can be burned a person. Rea also Fat To Fit Weight Loss Transformation, 17 Days Challenge
While being in a calorie deficit it’s important to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. Proper intake of vitamins and minerals should be monitored in order to avoid any sort of deficiencies in the body.
Crash diets will not help with weight loss. A balanced diet rich in whole grains, and lean proteins with healthy fats can maintain the weight loss process on a long-term basis. Sudden weight loss can be dangerous to health.
How often Zumba must be practised for weight loss
Zumba can be practised three to four times a week. Zumba activity also depends upon the health and fitness level of the person. According to American Council on Exercise, per session of Zumba class should aim to burn 300 to 400 calories in order to lose weight.
Do not make the body adaptive to any kind of workout practiced. While in Zumba, a person should also practice other forms of cardiovascular exercises such as swimming, power walking along with jogging.
It’s important to keep your body challenged in order to achieve weight loss goals. On days when Zumba is off, strength training can be practised in order to tone and lose fat from the body.
About 500 calories per day should be burned in order to lose weight. One pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories, so an estimation of 3,500 calories should be burned in order to lose a pound of weight.
Benefits of Zumba apart from weight loss
- Zumba has many other benefits such as strengthening the core. A core workout is most important in order to maintain flexible movements from the midsection to the hips.
- Zumba helps to boost heart health in comparison with aerobic exercise.
- Great dance coordination can be learned with dance movements.
- A person’s energy level can be maintained along with improving their mood.
Step-by-step Zumba dance workout for beginners
If you are a beginner at Zumba then go for these 5 easy steps to lose weight. Zumba has emerged as an effective and fun way to combine dance and also workout. Let’s begin
1. Salsa move
- The basics of salsa are one of the very common steps of practising Zumba.
- Bring your feet together and step one foot on the side and place your weight on that foot.
- Then bring that foot to the centre and come to the first position with feet together.
- Practise the same step with the other legs.
2. Merengue
- In merengue, it’s important to step on every beat of the music.
- Start with feet together and step your foot on one side and drag the other foot in that direction only.
- Then bring both feet together in the centre and do the same with the other foot.
- A step of merengue that is common in Zumba is moving hips to the right and stepping to left.
- Then move hips on left and step onto right foot.
3. Reggaeton Basics
- Begin with keeping your feet wide apart.
- Tap to your right foot by taking a big step with help of your left foot. Then lean onto the right foot.
- Do the same with the right foot and lean onto the left foot.
- In another move, stand with feet wide apart and step backwards with feet together.
- Jumping should be continued with standing your feet together.
4. Cumbia
- It’s also known as a Shuffling move.
- In the basic step, one foot is stepped forward and then place the weight on that foot for a moment.
- Then another foot should be in the right or left direction.
- Then bring the first move to the middle and step again forward to perform this move.
5. Cha Cha
- The basic step of Cha Cha involves a triple step.
- In order to begin with it keep your feet together.
- Now keep the ball of your right foot on the ground while raising it up.
- Now raise the left foot up and keep the right heel on the floor.
- Then keep the left heel on the floor and raise the right foot up.
- Repeat it on another side as well.
Zumba for burning belly fat
Belly fat is the most stubborn type of fat which takes time to melt. Zumba not only helps in targeting belly fat but it takes the fat off which sits on other body parts as well. Zumba workouts are high-intensity forms which help to improve cardiovascular health and help to lower cholesterol levels in the body as well. Upon practice, it helps to burn away fat quickly. Read also Fat To Fit Weight Loss Transformation, 17 Days Challenge
As mentioned, Zumba has different variations and one is Zumba HIIT. In order to lose belly fat, Zumba HIIT should be practiced for at least 3 to 4 sessions in a week’s time. This should be practiced for at least 2 months to see a visible difference in your stubborn belly fat. The plank form of Zumba workouts also works best for burning belly fat.
Best time to practise Zumba for weight loss
The best time is to practice during the evenings from 2 pm to 6 pm. At this point in time, body temperature is highest. When body temperature increases it optimizes muscle function and increases strength. This makes our bodies most prepared order to exercise. Thus, evenings are an effective time of the day for working out. Read also Chia seeds for weight loss, Nutritional Value and Recipes
Which kind of Zumba is best for losing weight
Zumba is a full-body workout that helps to burn maximum calories. Upon practicing Zumba for 40 minutes a person can burn 370 calories which are far way better than other sorts of workout. An interval style HIIT Zumba is great for weight loss as it helps to reduce the harmful subcutaneous fat from the body.
Effective tips for weight loss with Zumba
- Eat a diet which is low in carbs and high in protein.
- Keep yourself hydrated all the time.
- Include more whole grains, veggies and fruits.
- Avoid more processed and high sugary foods.
- Healthy snacks help you to maintain desired energy levels.
- Different forms of workouts should be practised in order to make the weight loss process faster.
- Work out for at least 5 times a week in order to see positive results.
