Today we are talking about an activity that women of all ages like very much : zumba, an activity that is often proposed to us in the gym, and which consists of an aerobic workout to the rhythm of Latin music, very fun and engaging. But does zumba make you lose weight? This is what many readers ask me and every time I answer that a lot depends on how we do this business. Even those who do weights or run every day, it is not certain that they will get results: the key, as for everything, is commitment, and this goes very much in weight loss. Commitment means not only participating in the activity, but above all making it stimulating on a body level.
Personally, I’ve always been skeptical of zumba: In fact, I know many people who have neither lost weight nor changed their physique while doing zumba even two or three times a week. Yet plenty of zumba instructors are slim, athletic, and have harmonious bodies. Therefore?

So let’s clear our ideas by reading the advice of a true zumba pro, Beto Perez . Beto is actually more than a professional: if you know zumba well, you will know that he is the creator of this aerobic discipline, that is, he had the idea of ​​combining aerobic work with the musical involvement of Latin American dances.

In a special interview , Perez explains what the benefits of zumba are , and how you can use zumba to slim and sculpt your body. First of all, the first thing is to consider music as the key to the exercise : it is essential to find an instructor who offers a “soundtrack” suitable for aerobic work, changing it often. It must be totally engaging and must make us forget that you are struggling: if you always do zumba with the same music, you will never have the desired effects, because the risk is that of not being able to disconnect with the mind and not work therefore. excellently following the rhythm. The more you work according to the rhythm and speed of Latin music, the more Zumba will make you lose weight.Più ci muoviamo con lentezza e non seguiamo al ritmo, più stiamo sprecando solo tempo.

Un altro consiglio che ci dà Perez se vogliamo usare lo zumba per dimagrire è liberare la mente: è il corpo il vero protagonista dell’allenamento, e per permetterci di avere quell’effetto antistress che è parte predominante del dimagrimento, dobbiamo essere abili a “staccare” e a lasciarci coinvolgere totalmente. Se vogliamo ottimizzare i risultati, saltiamo con più energia e contraiamo l’addome, le gambe  i glutei nei movimenti più statici. 
Se siete imbarazzati, se siete impacciati, se avete timore che gli altri vi guardino stranamente visti dal di fuori, se fate la metà dei movimenti, dovete superare questi vostri limiti. Insomma: lo zumba funziona solo se vi scatenate. E per scatenarvi dovete rompere gli indugi mentali. E’ questo mix di liberazione corporea e liberazione dello stress che fa dimagrire oltre al mero lavoro aerobico.
Perché lo zumba funzioni, Perez suggerisce di farlo tre volte a settimana per un’ora. Se le lezioni sono due, si può optare per fare una terza lezione a casa. Guarda questo o altri video youtube per iniziare.

However, nutrition is important : you cannot rely on activity alone to lose weight. Perez suggests focusing on fruits and vegetables, reducing portions, and cutting down on energy-dense, high-sugar, and high-fat foods. No drastic diets, however: for zumba to be effective it must be done in the best conditions of health and energy. So yes to healthy carbohydrates, no to too low-calorie diets (less you eat, less calories you consume) or no carbohydrates.