I attended “Dancing With The Stars” this week to cheer on a good friend of mine, Jake Pavelka. Jake and I were on the same “Bachelorette” show together and became pretty good friends from that experience. He was then asked to be the next “Bachelor” and he blew up from there. I got to chat with Jake for a few minutes after the show and asked how he and Vienna were doing. He replied, “My girlfriend and I; I mean my fiance and I, are great!!” I couldn’t help but chuckle as he is still getting used to the whole situation.
During the last bit of our conversation I asked him how the intensity was during practice and rehearsal. He replied, “Man, it’s tough. I have lost ten pounds thus far while eating a 3,800 calorie diet.”
Each couple practice and rehearse for at least six hours a day, thus burning an enormous amount of calories. An intense hour of dancing burns 500 to 700 calories depending on your height, weight, and fitness level. So, let’s say Jake burns 700 calories an hour for six hours, that’s a grand total of 4,200 calories. No wonder he has lost so much weight!
Not only can you enjoy a serious calorie burn from dancing, here are some more fitness and health benefits of dancing:
- Improve stamina
- Increase endurance
- Improve flexibility
- Lower blood pressure
- Improve cholesterol level
- Improve balance and coordination
- Prevent or help treat osteoporosis
- Reduce stress (except when performing live in front of millions of viewers)
- Lower risk of coronary heart disease
- Increase energy levels
- Improve body composition
- Strengthen bones of the legs and hips
Make sure to vote for my friend Jake Pavelka, he definitely needs our support. Good luck Jake!