Will belly dance help me lose weight?
If all you do is attend a belly dance class once a week the simple answer is, "No!"
When I started belly dance classes in 2005 I weighed nearly 14 stone and wore a dress size 18. For me, belly dance was the inspiration for my weight loss rather than the cause.
I started performing with a troupe from my class and didn't like the way I looked in photos. It took me a while to do much about it because I was working about 80 hours a week as a primary school teacher; I was stressed and I ate too much. I looked in the mirror and became more stressed so I ate some more.
My husband inadvertantly helped because he went to all the performances with me to take photos and if there were any of me with too much belly hanging out he'd do some digital magic on his computer with something called a warp tool and voilá! Instantly 20lbs lighter. This showed me how I could look and added to the inspiration.
I worked on the weight loss sporadically over the next couple of years but it wasn't until I took early retirement that I got serious about it. I wanted to follow my dream and teach and perform dance and I also wanted to be an inspiration and an example to my students. Now that I finally had the time I revised my old university nutrition text books and studied more online and started to seriously work on my weight and fitness. There was no magic formula, no miracle pill. I worked out the calorie needs for a woman my age and height and counted the calories of everything I ate. Sometimes it was a real chore and sometimes I exceeded my limit but over all I've stuck with it for the last three years.
Counting calories isn't the only requirement (nothing worthwhile is ever so easy!) I also exercise regularly - practising my dance, working with dance DVDs, following an old Canadian Air Force exercise programme I was given back at the dawn of time - and walking, sometimes 3 or 4 miles a day when the weather is good.
If all you do is attend a belly dance class once a week the simple answer is, "No!"
When I started belly dance classes in 2005 I weighed nearly 14 stone and wore a dress size 18. For me, belly dance was the inspiration for my weight loss rather than the cause.
I started performing with a troupe from my class and didn't like the way I looked in photos. It took me a while to do much about it because I was working about 80 hours a week as a primary school teacher; I was stressed and I ate too much. I looked in the mirror and became more stressed so I ate some more.
My husband inadvertantly helped because he went to all the performances with me to take photos and if there were any of me with too much belly hanging out he'd do some digital magic on his computer with something called a warp tool and voilá! Instantly 20lbs lighter. This showed me how I could look and added to the inspiration.
I worked on the weight loss sporadically over the next couple of years but it wasn't until I took early retirement that I got serious about it. I wanted to follow my dream and teach and perform dance and I also wanted to be an inspiration and an example to my students. Now that I finally had the time I revised my old university nutrition text books and studied more online and started to seriously work on my weight and fitness. There was no magic formula, no miracle pill. I worked out the calorie needs for a woman my age and height and counted the calories of everything I ate. Sometimes it was a real chore and sometimes I exceeded my limit but over all I've stuck with it for the last three years.
Counting calories isn't the only requirement (nothing worthwhile is ever so easy!) I also exercise regularly - practising my dance, working with dance DVDs, following an old Canadian Air Force exercise programme I was given back at the dawn of time - and walking, sometimes 3 or 4 miles a day when the weather is good.
Weight loss isn't the only advantage that I've gained; I've become much fitter than I've been since my youth. I took a week long contemporary dance course in August 2010 and was able to keep up with twenty something year old professional dancers and teenagers without breaking into a sweat, gasping for breath or being crippled with stiff muscles. Not bad going for a grandmother of 7!
In addition to the physical benefits I also feel better about myself and have much improved self confidence.
In addition to the physical benefits I also feel better about myself and have much improved self confidence.
2006 - Dancing with friends in my back garden.
All images on this site are by my husband and are copyright of www.markhurdphotography.co.uk. If you need portrait photos (he does "digital cosmetic surgery", too), event photos or have other photographic requirements please visit his website.
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