People have been sweating it out on the dance floor for years now, and the fact that it is a great workout is pretty well understood. However, like any workout, there are ways to get the most out of it, or ways to minimize the benefits that you'll get.

People who go to night clubs or dance parties to get their groove on can certainly work up a good sweat, and burn off some calories. With a good mix of music or a DJ who really knows how to work the crowd, it can really be a lot of fun, as well as a way to get some great exercise. Unfortunately, night clubs and parties usually come with ways to retard the weight loss benefit in the form of high-calorie drinks, snacks, and other foods.

If you want to just "cut a rug" and have a blast, then by all means, at least get the exercise benefit out of it, even if you aren't going to lose any weight. However, if you want to have the fun of dancing, and ALSO the weight loss benefit, here are some ways that dancing can crank up your weight loss efforts!

A Consistently elevated Heart Rate

One of the best ways to lose body fat is to keep your heart rate elevated for long periods of time. Notice the term "lose body fat" as opposed to the term "lose weight". Many allegedly miraculous weight loss programs cause you to lose water weight or even healthy muscle tissue, both of which are unhealthy, short-lived, and can actually cause you to gain more weight back after the program.

Your mission when it comes to weight loss is to lose BODY FAT, not just to lose weight. Body fat goes away whenever your body has a need for energy that cannot be met by whatever calories are presently in your system. Specifically, whenever you elevate your heart rate into your Target Heart Rate zone (roughly 60%-85% of your maximum heart rate), you open the flood gates of your body's fat burning ability.

If you have ever really gotten into a dance set, at a party or otherwise, you know that you are breathing heavier than normal, you start to sweat, and your body starts to go looking for energy. That's the "sweet spot" whenever you are in a position to start losing weight, right there on the dance floor. However, that is provided that you don't hit the chips and dip table or suck down a beer as soon as you get off the floor… 

Increased Metabolism

In addition to just raising your heart rate so that your body goes looking for additional calories from stored body fat, dancing raises your metabolism more than a more "traditional" exercise because dancing utilizes so many different muscle groups.

It would be impossible to list the specific muscle groups that are used when dancing because it obviously depends on the type of dancing that you are doing. However, the thing to remember is that whenever you dance, you use many muscle groups all in conjunction with each other, and that "confuses" your body about where to obtain the energy for that activity. The more intense your dance routine is, and the more muscle groups you manage to incorporate, the more "confused" your body will get.

The benefit to confusing your body in this manner is that not only will you burn calories during your dance activity, but you will continue to burn calories long after you stop. The more you can crank up your metabolism during any type of exercise activity, the longer it will take your body to "normalize" afterwards.

So, the next time you feel like getting a little "freaky" when you dance, go for it! 

A Powerful Core 

Your "core" muscles encompass many different muscles groups, including your inner and outer abdominal muscles, your side abdominal muscles, the muscles of your lower back, and also the musculature that supports your spine. Having a strong core is necessary for many reasons, not the least of which being the prevention of injury, increased mobility, and the ability to do activities that people with a weak core cannot do.

Although dancing uses many different muscle groups, it all starts in the middle, where your core muscles are. You can't gyrate your hips, bend over backwards, dip your partner, or do any other fancy (and calorie burning) dance moves if you can't control your core muscles.

Not only will dancing increase the strength of your core and your brain's ability to control those core muscles, but having a strong core also sets you up to do other activities later on with an increased sense of "solidity," for lack of a better term.

Whenever you feel like you have a strong core, it is the same idea as building a house on a solid foundation. Anything is possible whenever your central power unit is in great shape. The confidence of having a strong core will cause you to be more willing to do other physical activities later on down the road that will enhance your weight loss efforts, in addition to the calories that you burn during your dance routine.

Boost to your Self-Esteem

Right on the heels of a cranking up your confidence by building a stable core comes the related benefit of raising your level of self-esteem. Dancing in a manner that makes you feel good about yourself carries over even after you get off the floor. By getting in touch with your body and controlling it in such an intimate and precise way, you feel mentally more in touch as well.

Look at the crowd at any night club or party, and look at the people who are dancing vs. the people who are just watching. The dancers are having fun, they aren't bored, they aren't shy, and they are rarely all alone. Even a dancer who goes to a night club alone does not stay that way for long, as he/she gains momentum and self-esteem as their mind and body come together while dancing.

In addition to just having a dance partner at a party or a night club, however, that self-esteem tends to carry over into other areas of your life as well. When you feel confident and in touch with your body, and you put your body "out there" frequently on the dance floor, it becomes a lot more difficult to consciously pack on unnecessary "curves".

Picture yourself getting busy on the dance floor, shakin' your thing, and having a blast, and then try to picture yourself wolfing down a double cheeseburger, a large order of fries, and a sugar-filled soda. Those two pictures just don't mix, do they? 

As with any other exercise protocol, you can get a lot out of dancing, or you can get the minimum benefit by not taking it very seriously.

If you want to take it seriously - and use it as a fun and very effective way to lose weight - then get your groove on in the privacy of your own home with exercise routines built specifically for the dancer in you: Turbo Jam and Hip Hop Abs.

Lose some weight, and learn how to be the center of attention on the dance floor all at the same time. Now that is time management!