The Fun Exercise I Can't Live Without

I’ll admit it — I never liked exercising. In fact, I hated it. I was that girl sitting on the sidelines with fake period cramps while everyone else ran laps in P.E. The one napping on the mat during gym class when we were supposed to be doing 100 sit-ups? Also, me.

Everything changed in college, when I discovered a jazz dance class with my roommate. Suddenly, exercise stopped feeling like punishment. Those hours flew by as I pranced across the wooden floors and spun to Broadway, contemporary, and jazz swing music. I lost 10 pounds that semester and, more importantly, gained a confidence in my body’s ability to move in ways I’d never felt before.

But soon, real life took over — marriage, work and raising four kids left little time or energy for dancing. Any spare moments at the end of the day were spent vegging out on the couch with the TV remote in my hand.

I tried to stay fit: walking, jogging, Pilates, kickboxing, weight training. But I dreaded every moment and inevitably found reasons to quit.

Then a friend convinced me to try a new gym in town that offered Zumba classes. I was surprised to see people of all ages, sizes and ethnic backgrounds in the class, and what I also didn’t expect was the easy camaraderie and complete lack of competitiveness among my fellow gym mates. No one cared if you wore mismatched clothes or had two left feet.

We were all there for a healthy cardio workout — and to have fun.

After that first class, I was hooked. Now that I’m a regular, I can’t imagine life without Zumba. It’s the full-body workout with both physical and mental health perks that make the exercise feel more like a dance party rather than a chore. It brings back the joy I felt in those college jazz classes, but now I’m learning how to mambo, salsa and merengue — with a little twerking on the side. (Yes, there are 80-year-olds in my class who twerk better than my kids.) The upbeat Latin rhythms are contagious, and whenever the music starts, my hips move in ways I never imagined. Before I know it, I’m sweating and laughing with my classmates as we shimmy and shake to cumbia and reggaeton beats.

Zumba is one of the most energetic, uplifting dance fitness classes you can take, and the benefits are numerous:

It’s a Full-Body Workout

Zumba’s dance movements engage your arms, legs, glutes, back, and core all at the same time. You build and tone muscle, burn 300 to 600 calories in an hour, boost your metabolism, and lose weight — all while having fun.

Supports Cardiovascular Fitness

The cardio dance workout reduces blood pressure and lowers the risk of heart disease. The mix of fast and slow intervals of Zumba also helps lower bad cholesterol and boost good cholesterol for better overall health.

Improves Coordination and Flexibility

Zumba’s warm-up and cool-down stretches strengthen balance, endurance and flexibility. The easy-to-learn choreography also helps you coordinate movement, no matter your fitness level, and you’ll be surprised how quickly your dance skills will improve!