I never knew exercise could be such fun!
@Sandra1952 (6047)
Spain
January 13, 2010 1:40pm CST
As you know, I've lost a lot of weight recently, and I need to firm up a few bits here and there. The problem I have is, because of joint problems, I'm not allowed to go to the gym, and it's too cold to swim in our outdoor pool or go for walks at the moment.
I was wondering what I could do for the next couple of months, and the answer came from our local Town Hall. They are running belly dancing classes for local residents, at the bargain price of just 6 euros a month. No - your eyes didn't deceive you - I'm going to belly dancing classes.
The first class was on Monday, and I was surprised at how supple I was and how much I could do. The stretching and relaxation exercises before and after the dancing made me feel really good, as well, and I wasn't even too stiff on Tuesday either. There was another class today, which was more strenuous, but I still kept up with the rest of the ladies - even though I'm the oldest one there by at least 10 years. We have a goal to work towards - we're going to perform a dance during our village's fiesta in July.
So ladies - have you ever learned to belly dance? Was it what you expected? If not, have you gone along to any other type of exercise or dance class and really enjoyed it? And let's not leave the boys out. What's your take on belly dancing? Have you ever seen a belly dancer in action? Did you realise that it was excellent exercise, or is it just a male fantasy to you?
4 people like this
13 responses
@sunnycool (12714)
• India
14 Jan 10
hi Sandra,i have read about your weight loss in some discussion today.oh yeah-when was the first time you were called sexy haha.Belly dancing-you must be having fun--may be i should answer the question you had for boys right---i have never seen a belly dance in live but i woudl love to watch your video though and hope you would be glad enough to share it with us.i hope you would be as gracious as everyone and hot too
.great day.
.great day.2 people like this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
14 Jan 10
Hello, Sunnycool. Yes, it is great fun, and I'm really enjoying it. Well, there's no video yet - it may come, if I'm good enough and I think I'm sexy enough. Watch this space.
1 person likes this
@BART78 (2927)
• Canada
14 Jan 10
belly dancing is really one of good exercise and my wife also is interested with it, with regard to your joint pain, include in your diet EFA (essential fatty acids) like flax seed oil, extra virgin oil or fish oil/omega3..to have healthy joints and don't forget gelatin, believe it or not, gelatin is a source of two very important amino acids that are required for collagen formation: glycine and praline. several studies (Adem et. al. Therapiewoche, 1991) have shown gelatin providing improvements by reducing joint pain and improving cartilage health 
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
14 Jan 10
Hello, Bart. I do use olive oil, but I didn't know gelatin was useful. I'll try that. Anything to help. Tell your wife belly dancing is great fun, and also great exercise. I also find I'm sleeping better since I started this, so it's a win-win situation.
1 person likes this
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
14 Jan 10
Hi there Sandra and good for you on both counts - losing wieight and the belly dancing!
It has become very popular here in Italy too and certainly puts a different accent on exercising. Last year in the summer there were many different groups of belly dancers putting on shows in the villages like you will be doing this coming summer. I was with a friend and when we saw them we too promised ourselves that it will be one of the things we will be doing when we get to be on the pension. Much better than playing bridge!
I haven't time to do the gym at the moment and it seems like hard work to me but the idea of doing something fun (not sure about doing the summer shows though) really is enticing. I can see that at this rate I will have too much on my plate when the pension years do get here as I am already filling up the agenda ! 
It has become very popular here in Italy too and certainly puts a different accent on exercising. Last year in the summer there were many different groups of belly dancers putting on shows in the villages like you will be doing this coming summer. I was with a friend and when we saw them we too promised ourselves that it will be one of the things we will be doing when we get to be on the pension. Much better than playing bridge!
I haven't time to do the gym at the moment and it seems like hard work to me but the idea of doing something fun (not sure about doing the summer shows though) really is enticing. I can see that at this rate I will have too much on my plate when the pension years do get here as I am already filling up the agenda ! 1 person likes this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
14 Jan 10
Hello, Diana. Yes, I really am enjoying it, and it doesn't seem like exercise at all. I'm a bit apprehensive about the show, but hopefully by then I'll be pretty confident with the dancing and I'll have got rid of the last bit of excess baggage.
Funny you should say that about retirement - Tony says he's been so busy since he retired, he wondered how he ever found time for work. Our friends who visit us say the time seems to go so quickly - probably all the time we spend outdoors - not that there's much of that at the moment.
Our friends who visit us say the time seems to go so quickly - probably all the time we spend outdoors - not that there's much of that at the moment.1 person likes this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
14 Jan 10
Hello, Sunnycool. Form an orderly queue - there are lots of men on here who want to watch us.
1 person likes this
@sunnycool (12714)
• India
14 Jan 10
wow this would be amazing--belly dancing has turned out to be a good way to loose weight and enjoyment comes in excess.I would love to watch you guyz belly dancing
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
13 Jan 10
Hm, they fixed it so I'm getting notifications from Holly, and now I'm not getting them from you? yikes...
Well anyway...
Friday night there was a belly dancer at dinner (Indian restaurant). I never really thought about it being good exercise, but it makes sense. I'm not much for dancing - stiff as a board - but I would like to get back into yoga.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
14 Jan 10
Fun is good....
Some of my notification problems are fixed, but I didn't get a lot yesterday from people I usually do get them from. Hopefully it was just temporary...
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
14 Jan 10
Hello, Dawn. You are having problems with your notifications, aren't you? Perhaps you should put some antiseptic cream on them to make them better.
Apparently, the legs do the work to swing the hips, so it's a good workout for the legs and the midsection, and the arm movements help to tone the arms as well. We start with stretching exercises, so it's a good all over workout, as well as being great fun, so I'm more likely to stick with it.
Apparently, the legs do the work to swing the hips, so it's a good workout for the legs and the midsection, and the arm movements help to tone the arms as well. We start with stretching exercises, so it's a good all over workout, as well as being great fun, so I'm more likely to stick with it.1 person likes this
@RachelleNH (1396)
• United States
13 Jan 10
Hmm, never tried it. It looks so hard. Here in the US we have a channel called FitTV and they have an hour class on there...I don't know how they get their tummies to move that way. I have taken up walking...it's my best bet right now..I'm not overweight-I'm just out of shape. I've found that I sleep way better when I do the daily 30 minutes-and I also feel better about it.
Big congrats to you for finding something you love (and losing weight while at it!)
1 person likes this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
13 Jan 10
Hello, Rachelle, and welcome to MyLot. I've already discovered that you use your legs to get everything moving. Once you grasp that, it's surprisingly easy. I've only had two lessons, and I really beel I've made progress. I slept well after the last class - I'm sure the exercise helps.
@RachelleNH (1396)
• United States
13 Jan 10
That's fantastic...if you feel it-you'll show it. I did gain a few lbs myself after the holidays-I love those cordial cherries so much I ate a whole box..Yikes! I might give belly dancing another try...maybe it's a lot like hula hooping (without the hula hoop)
@pradeep12 (93)
• India
14 Jan 10
i never knew exercise could be such fun because i have done exercise after exercise i lost my weight i became fresh i am working more than earlier i became healthy i wake up early and became fresh every day i became good after exercise
2 people like this
@Canteen (592)
• China
14 Jan 10
i'm so jealous. here in my country the dancing course is very expensive. i don't think i can afford it. no doubt dancing is an excellent t way of exercise, i have huge interest in dancing. i wanna learn ballroom dancing, like cha-cha, samba and western coast swing. but i have Palmar Hyperhidrosis, which means my palms are always sweating. 
seems for me dancing is a dream which will never come true. anyway i can enjoy watching others dancing.
i'm going to buy a pair of badminton rackets. so that i can play badminton with my bf.
ps: best wishes for your performance. 
seems for me dancing is a dream which will never come true. anyway i can enjoy watching others dancing.
i'm going to buy a pair of badminton rackets. so that i can play badminton with my bf.
ps: best wishes for your performance. @Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
14 Jan 10
Hello, Canteen. Yes, dancing and exercise classes are expensive in England as well. It's a shame about your palms - have you tried wearing cotton gloves to keep them more comfortable? Still, it will be nice to share the badminton with your boyfriend, and that's great exercise as well. At 57, I'm a bit old for that.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
15 Jan 10
hi sandra what a neat idea.I have seen it on television but never did it in a class. I love to swim but need to be in an indoor place which is very hard to find. belly dancing looks like a lot
'of fun and would be real aerobic exercise . that would rev up ones metabolism and make weight loss easier too.,I know it is an excellent exercise and would really help one to limber up and lose weight too.
1 person likes this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
15 Jan 10
Hello, Hatley. I bet you can still shake your stuff with the best of them - but what would your roomie make of it? It's great fun, and I must be fitter than I thought, because I can still move normally the next morning. 
It's great fun, and I must be fitter than I thought, because I can still move normally the next morning. 
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
14 Jan 10
Hello Sandra, good for you, but remember if your diet goes too well you won't have a belly to dance with. I was dragged up once in Turkey to join in but public dancing is not really too my taste, so I must have had a drink at the time. I feel very smug that when people join Greek dancing the men tell me that it should really only be for men, traditionally, so I always get out of that one.
Keep it up though my dear, it sounds like good exercise.
I was dragged up once in Turkey to join in but public dancing is not really too my taste, so I must have had a drink at the time. I feel very smug that when people join Greek dancing the men tell me that it should really only be for men, traditionally, so I always get out of that one.
Keep it up though my dear, it sounds like good exercise.1 person likes this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
14 Jan 10
Hello, Thea. Actually, you don't need the belly, as it's the legs that get things moving. I've learned that much already. I'd have liked to see you on your feet in Turkey, though. I'm really enjoying it, which is going to keep it going.
@jellymonty (2352)
•
13 Jan 10
I take it I should look out for you on the front cover of Vogue Magazine Nice one for shedding off the pounds
I'm a professional belly dancer and have belly dancing for almost ten years. Its loads of fun plus the boys all have their eyes on me so its fantastic
Nice one for shedding off the pounds
I'm a professional belly dancer and have belly dancing for almost ten years. Its loads of fun plus the boys all have their eyes on me so its fantastic1 person likes this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
14 Jan 10
Hello, Jelly. Nice to see you back. Hope you enjoyed the cruise. Well, if belly dancing will give me a figure like yours, I'll certainly stick with it. And it's certainly nice to be admired, especially at my age. Don't think I'm cover girl material, though - even with the weight loss.
@froggieslover (3069)
• United States
13 Jan 10
Hello Sandra, I have never been belly dancing but it sure does seem like it would be very fun. I am not sure if I can be that smooth to belly dance to well 
When I was in Wisconsin this last summer we went to their state fair there and there was theses girls doing this exercise called Zumba and we watched it for a little while and it looked like so much fun. It is just a version of aerobic cardio exercising and dancing. I think the great thing about it is the fact that one at any age can be capable of doing this sort of exercise and there are many different dancing types that they do so it makes it exciting. You will have to let us all know how the belly dancing continues to go for you...
When I was in Wisconsin this last summer we went to their state fair there and there was theses girls doing this exercise called Zumba and we watched it for a little while and it looked like so much fun. It is just a version of aerobic cardio exercising and dancing. I think the great thing about it is the fact that one at any age can be capable of doing this sort of exercise and there are many different dancing types that they do so it makes it exciting. You will have to let us all know how the belly dancing continues to go for you...1 person likes this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
13 Jan 10
Hello, Froggieslover. I'm certainly finding it easier than I thought to do the movements, although I'm very tired at the end of it - I know I've had a work out. It's great fun, and the music carries you along. I'll be reporting on progress.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
14 Jan 10
I've never thought about taking a belly dancing class mostly because I don't know if there are any offered around here that are a decent price. However, if there was I would certainly be up for it because it would be a great new form of exercise. Honestly, the class that I've gone to that I enjoyed the most was Yoga that I went to with some of my other mommy friends and I would love to do that on a regular basis, but the cost of it is too much for me to handle.
1 person likes this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
14 Jan 10
Hello, Dorannmwin. Yes, cost seems to be a barrier to exercise classes. I certainly couldn't have afforded to go in England, but in Spain the local town halls run a lot of subsidised classes and activities for residents. The local government tax is about one quarter of what we paid in England, yet we get so many extra benefits for our money. Several people say yoga is good - perhaps I'll try that next!
