Motivate Me Monday: Zumba

Fitness is a big part of my life, and I do some form of exercise at least four times per week. However there's one gym class that takes up the majority of my schedule, and that's Zumba.

Zumba has really taken off over the past few years, with gyms and village halls across the country offering classes. Before I tried by first Zumba class over two years ago, I was not a dancer by any stretch of the imagination, however after a couple of sessions I was transformed into a Zumba addict.

Combining dance with aerobics, it's a great cardio workout that can burn between 500 and 1000 calories per class! It works your entire body, and although originating from Latin America, it incorporates dance styles from all over the world - from salsa to street and Bollywood to reggaeton, it offers something for all ages and abilities.

I do three 45 minutes classes per week, and I love it. It's so much fun that it doesn't even feel like a workout, and the routines also use recognisable chart songs as well as those traditional to each style of dance.

As well as normal Zumba, some gyms will also offer a range of other Zumba classes, including Aqua Zumba (in a pool, pretty self-explanatory really!), and Zumba Toning, which uses a weighted bar to sculpt your muscles.

If you've not tried Zumba yet, I thoroughly recommend you give it a go. It's a great fat burner and I guarantee you'll leave with a big smile on your face, wishing you could do it all over again. You can find your nearest Zumba class here.

Do you enjoy Zumba? Are you going to give it a go? What are your favourite ways of keeping fit?