Want To Lose Weight? Pick Up A Hula Hoop

The journey to weight loss can be full of obstacles and, yes, boredom. If you’re sick of doing the same old exercise routine day in and day out, it’s time to shake things up by shaking those hips. I’m talking about hula hooping, and yes, it can give you an amazing workout. Switching up your workout routine can be one of the best ways to break through weight loss plateaus, and hula hooping is an easy way to do just that.

How Hula Hooping Burns Calories

Hula hooping compares pretty favorably with most other group classes in terms of heart rate and calorie burn. In fact, exercisers can expect similar results from a hula hoop workout as they’d get from boot camp classes, step aerobics and cardio kickboxing—all of which meet fitness industry criteria for improving cardiovascular fitness. Also, by burning approximately 210 calories per 30-minute session, hooping falls within accepted guidelines for exercise that can contribute to weight management.

While most people think of the hula hoop as a children’s toy that was all the rage back in the 1950s, modern hooping started primarily as a form of dance expression using larger, weighted hula hoops, but in recent years it has found its way back into the fitness world. Trendy gyms like Crunch and Equinox have incorporated hooping into Pilates and yoga classes, while hooping-specific classes and fitness studios are also blossoming around the country. These hooping classes generally incorporate a wide variety of hooping choreography and dance music into a fun and fast-paced group workout. Hoopers are now using hoops that are 37 to 45 inches in diameter and weigh 1 to 4 pounds. These larger, heavier hoops rotate around the body more slowly, making it easier to hoop while potentially burning more calories and eliciting improved fitness benefits.

Related: 6 Common Mistakes that Prevent Weight Loss

How To Get Started With Hula Hooping

My first encounter with a weighted hoop was a few years ago with the ladies from HOOPNOTICA. I hooped for 30 minutes straight and my abs were so sore the next day….I was hooked! I purchased a dozen of them and use them in my summer boot camp classes and we have a blast. The best part is that while you are simultaneously laughing and doing aerobic exercises, you are also secretly sculpting your waistline. It’s a little bit like riding a bike, the movement comes back to you in the first 10 minutes and the weighted hoop is a completely different animal than the $5 hoop at the toy store.

A weighted hula hoop will run you around $45 but it’s worth it for a fun, new workout routine that you can actually have fun doing while losing weight. Pick up a weighted hula hoop today and you’ll be surprised how quickly you pick the movement back up—and how much more fun it can make your weight loss journey.