Viral TikTok Weight Loss Dance: Solid or Scam?
There has been a trend circulating on TikTok about a weight loss dance that promises to produce six pack abs. Popularized by user @janny14906, the dance looks sort of like a standing crunch performed at high speed and will supposedly target your abdomen to reduce belly fat and build muscle. However, as we have discussed in other posts on this blog, you cannot really “target” certain areas for fat reduction. What is more, this TikTok user “is promoting this exercise as what do if you want to get skinny, she also has other posts where she says multiple times, 'Exercise for an hour a day and eat whatever you want,' which of course is completely incorrect and this kind of advice is exactly what gets people into a lot of trouble where they go for a run then eat their faces off and end up gaining a bunch of weight.”[1]
Look, we are all busy—it makes sense that we would want a shortcut to reach our health and fitness goals, especially since there are only so many hours in the day (not to mention the holidays are quickly approaching). However, nothing is going to replace the efforts of making healthier eating choices and consistently exercising at a pace that is right for you. If this viral weight loss dance appealed to you because you want to focus on your core, the Mayo Clinic recommends focusing on exercises like planks, sit-ups, or a yogic bridge phase (but, of course, talk to your physician before starting any new diet or exercise routine).[2]
The takeaway? If you love to dance, feel free to embrace dance for your cardio as long as you have your doctor’s approval. But at the end of the day, a healthy lifestyle is more than a viral TikTok video. If you want to see results, you need to put in the work!
[1] Isaac, Paulina Jayne. “Why Experts Say Tiktok's Viral Weight Loss Dance Is Dangerous.” Cosmopolitan, Cosmopolitan, 1 May 2021, https://www.cosmopolitan.com/health-fitness/a36307738/tiktok-weight-loss-dance-viral-expert-dangerous/.
[2] “Why Your Core Muscles Matter.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 29 Aug. 2020, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/core-exercises/art-20044751.