Firstly, by way of contrast, let’s look at why many mainstream weight loss methods often fail. The main, underlying theme of all failures to lose weight or to keep it off once lost is that people don’t stick to their guns. A great weight loss diet is only great for as long as a person can stay with it. As soon as that person stops the diet, any weight they managed to lose will come straight back on, usually with a couple of extra pounds in tow. The same goes for exercise routines and work out schedules. They’re great while they’re being adhered to, but as soon as they’re abandoned, the unwanted extra weight returns.

What many diets or exercise programs don’t factor into their makeup is that people are living, breathing, thinking beings. They are not robots or computer generated characters that repetitively conform to what’s written on a diet sheet or workout routine. People need motivation and inspiration. Often the goal of weight loss itself is not motivation enough, when the means to the end is seen as a chore and not an enjoyable pastime.

Enter dancing for weight loss as the fun way to lose those unwanted extra pounds. People are far more likely to stick with dancing for weight loss because it’s something they see not as a chore but as something that is fun to do!

Let’s now put things into perspective with regards the validity of dancing for weight loss as a real way to achieve success. Dancing as an activity focuses the body while simultaneously engaging the mind. When you add some up tempo music with its rhythmic beat and memorable tune, dancing for weight loss becomes so much more than other more ordinary forms of exercise. That’s because the music, rhythm and the person’s own dancing movements takes them to a transcendental state which combines uplifting emotions, soothing inner peace and a focusing of their thoughts onto the joy and excitement of what they’re doing in that moment.

Dancing for weight loss is such a positive, enjoyable and uplifting activity while at the same time being a kind of exercise that is both physically demanding and engages many different muscle groups. This way, it does everything a full blown aerobic workout does by raising the heart rate, increasing the breathing and blood flow. This, in turn feeds the muscles that are doing the work which demand more of the body’s stored energy which results in excess fat being used up. This means the body’s metabolism is increased and muscle tone is improved and excess weight is lost.

In fact, by dancing for weight loss a person gets all the benefits that the chore of a tough work out provides. Plus they are more likely to keep doing it because it’s such an enormous amount of fun!

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There are a variety of reasons why dancing might be effective treatment for depression. Brisk physical exercise has been shown to increase a group of brain biochemicals associated with maintaining a sense of well being. Certainly, fast paced dancing would qualify as an activity that could have a positive effect on brain chemistry.

In addition, the depressed people who participated in the salsa dancing study may have had their self esteem boosted by learning a new skill. This may have had some positive effect on their symptoms of depression. Plus, the simple process of interacting with the other participants on a social basis may have been somewhat therapeutic. Depressed people often isolate themselves socially which may further contribute to their symptoms of depression.

If you have a history of depression and are seeking an alternative treatment independent of prescription medications, you may want to consider signing up for a dance class in your area. Although salsa dancing was the mode of dance used in this study, there are other forms of fast paced dance that may have a positive impact on brain biochemistry. Plus, dancing is usually enhanced by upbeat, happy music which may also subtly alter brain biochemistry in a positive manner.

Although a dance class would be ideal for the potential treatment of depression due to the social interaction involved, you can also use a dance video at home to help relieve your symptoms. Anything that gets you up off the couch and moving should have a positive effect on the symptoms of depression. Choose a dance video with lively, fast paced music to further help elevate your mood. It’s important that you dance for at least thirty minutes in order to get maximal, mood elevating benefits.

It’s important that you continue your prescription medications for depression, if you were advised to take these by your doctor, but dancing may be an additional, all natural step you can take to further enhance conventional treatment of your depression.

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