Dancing for weight loss has got to be one of the funnest activities around. But dancing for weight loss is not for everyone. If you are moderately overweight, it is a good way to burn calories; if you are obese, dancing for weight loss is probably not for you. Why not? Because dancing puts too much stress on your joints, which can lead to nasty injuries.

How dancing for weight loss works Losing weight does not have to mean spending grueling hours at the gym; exercising can actually be enjoyable – onstage! At least that is what the contestants of the new Oxygen competition Dance Your Ass Off claim about their pound-shedding workout. “I’d daydream about somebody giving me the opportunity to show that I could dance and lose weight at the same time,” says contestant Pinky about dancing for weight loss.

It is one of the best ways to reshape the body, says Danny Teeson, one of three Dance Your Ass Off judges. “The continuous cardio movements burn lots of calories. Plus, you’re constantly shocking your muscles, so they don’t get muscle memory,” says Teeson about the optimal core workout – in fact, a 15-minute routine can burn about 100 calories.

Muscles tend to remember repetitive motions, preventing them from getting the maximum benefit from exercise. Keeping muscles guessing challenges them in new ways and helps them feel the burn. Co-judge Mayte Garcia (who is working on her own fitness DVD, The Elements of Belly Dance With Mayte) says that while dancing makes the body work, the mind does not think it is really breaking a sweat.

The fun factor behind dancing for weight loss “People do not realize they are working out when they are dancing. It is more of an art. The motivation is to have a good time,” explains Garcia. [via]