Losing Weight With Ballet

I was getting ready for ballet on Wednesday night, and I caught a look at myself in the mirror.  I'm honestly shocked at how much weight I've lost taking ballet classes.  I'm not a vain person, but I have to share this with you.

I recently read back to the first post of this blog, and I was really nervous back then!  Nervous about the leotard and tights, nervous about making a fool out of myself (which I do at least once a class!), worried about losing weight before classes started in the fall.  Now that I've been taking class for about 8 months, I can honestly tell you not to worry about losing weight before taking your first class.

Jump right in!  No, seriously.  You will MELT off the lbs taking dance class.  I entered my Wednesday night class duration into a fitness tracker that I use, and it told me I'd be burning 1000 calories that night!

Here is what I looked like when I started in Fall 2012, 2 weeks before classes started:


Definitely could use to lose a few here.  I have to say, the pants I was wearing back then are 3 sizes too big for me now!!  Speaking of now, this was taken May 2014:



I don't know if you can really tell how much I've lost, but it's a significant amount.  I've really toned up, too!

This is after the follwing class load:

Monday:  Lyrical-- 1 hr
Wednesday:  Technique-- 1.5 hrs
Wednesday:  Pointe-- 1 hr
Thursday:  Contemporary-- 1 hr

I didn't change my diet much at all, and I'm a classic "get fast food for lunch every day" kind of person.... or I was.  I realized that I'm losing significant weight while also eating all of that crap, so I've decided to modify my diet.  I'd like to lose more in the thigh and love handle areas for my recital in June.

I really thought it would take a lot longer to see progress and results.  When I first started I really struggled with flexibility and stamina.  I was quite strong right away (a result of riding horses and working on farms for so many years??) but I got winded easily.  My flexibility was really bad, especially considering how flexible I used to be.  I used to have splits in both directions, great turnout, huge extension, but not anymore!  I couldn't even get 90* battements (leg lifts).  I couldn't rise up out of a grand plie, at all!! Arabesque?  45 degrees if I was lucky.

8 months later, things are significantly different.  I'm pretty close to getting the splits, my turnout is about 150*, about 110* battements, and 90* arabesque.  My stability and core are getting tighter.  I'm THIS close to doing a pirouette in the center en pointe.

I guess ballet has changed my life.  It's hard, relaxing, silent, loud, and just emotionally and physically satisfying.  I've failed at just about every other workout thing that I've tried.  Swimming, running, zumba-- I never stuck with any of them for longer than a month or two.  I enjoy them, but nothing inspires me to keep doing it.  Ballet is the opposite of that.  I would like to take class every day.  I'd like to open a studio, or a pointe shoppe.

Perhaps the overall moral of the story, is figure out what keeps you off of the couch.  If nothing else has kept your interest, maybe ballet is the thing for you. 

Anyways, I just had to share.  Yes, you will lose weight taking ballet class.  A lot of it.

Happy Dancing!



This post has generated a lot of interest.  Someone asked me to write a follow up post, which I did!  It can be found HERE!





Comments

  1. I am an adult beginner and have been dancing for just over 1 year. I have caught on pretty quickly and began point in the fall. I really enjoy reading your blog. It's so honest, real, and exactly what adult dancers want to read out - other peoples real life experiences. I especially enjoy the posts about the shoes - I'm on my second pair of Russian Pointes (I take classes in the Vagavona style) and I'm still trying to work out exactly what I need. From your blog I'm learned that: I have "Egyptian feet" with low arches, medium length toes and a low profile. I need shoes with a low crown, softer shank, medium vamp, and tapered box. Thanks for all of the help!

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  2. I am also and adult beginner, been doing ballet for a year and a half. While I lost my excess weight before starting ballet, it has given my body so much shape and definition that I had never thought possible! Before I had tried exercising so many times and never got results. I changed my eating habits and lost the weight and decided to try ballet. I hadn't been counting on it reshaping me and I just can't believe how toned I've been getting.
    I think it's great that you've been able to lose weight through dance!

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  3. Me too i'm a beginner. I found an undeniable weight loss through ballet.

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