On Sunday, I took my very first belly dancing class and I not only loved it, but I’m already hooked. 

In that short 1-hour class, I found a form of exercise that’s new and totally inspiring and ripe with possibilities for helping me maintain great health and feel my best.

It all occurred at a women’s health conference where I was leading one of the afternoon breakout sessions (on overcoming sugar addictions).  Even though I had a hundred things on my to do list, I was committed to taking the day for myself to attend other sessions, connect with interesting women and learn something new.

But when I showed up for belly dancing, I really didn’t know just how transformative it could be. 

I’ve been drawn to the idea of belly dancing for quite some time. Might be that I’m enthralled with the music. Or maybe it’s that I’ve always been fascinated by some of the cultures where belly dancing is a tradition, like Turkey and Morocco. But on this given day, the stars must have aligned and I was truly in the right place.

What I loved about the experience and what resonated with me is that belly dancing is totally about feeling empowered. It doesn’t matter how big or small your belly is, anyone can do it. In fact, one of the women teaching the class had a tummy of ample size and she made the moves look easy (which they’re really not).

Here are just a few insights I glimpsed in my short class:

• This is about tuning into your body and getting comfortable with it.
• It’s all about moving in ways that I don’t normally. And with a little patience, I started to get some of the rhythm.
• It’s about letting go and having fun, no need to worry if you look silly
• You don’t have to hold your stomach in — I love that part!

I know most of us are concerned with getting sufficient amounts of exercise and to me, it has to be something I really want to do. I’ve tried salsa and ballroom dance but they just weren’t right for me.  Fun but not motivating enough to keep doing them.  I can see how belly dancing is the perfect addition for me to mix it up and do something totally different yet keep my interest (and the good news is that there’s a place right in New Haven that teaches lessons).

And when we’re interested and motivated, stay healthy doesn’t have to be so hard.

What about you, ever tried belly dancing? What’s your favorite exercise to stay healthy and feel your best? What keeps you motivated?

Filed under: Exercise, Motivation, Optimal Health, Women's Health