For the Whole Family: Dance Dance Revolution

Sunset Party Dancing Girl Silhouette

Marilla Mulwane says,

I do not believe in starving yourself to lose weight, or in having to spend hours at the gym every day, or in not being able to enjoy your favorite foods.

Did that catch your attention? It did mine. Yes, Marilla, tell me more about how to become svelte, or at least not so lumpy, in the privacy of my own home and without too much suffering. Please!

Well, she does tell us, at Associated Content. Taking a peek at her bio, we find that Marilla Mulwane started writing stories like “The Monster That Never Lived,” at a very young age. I love her already! (My first story, written in 4th grade, was about a mad Russian scientist who planned to destroy the world, I forget how. Something to do with potatoes. Because potatoes were my favorite, and a potato-less world was the worst fate I could think of.) Anyway, I feel we are sisters under the skin, and can’t wait to find out what she thinks.

In summary:

** With the Dance Dance Revolution workout and diet, Mulwane lost 35 pounds and 8 pant sizes in four months. She describes her workout plan, and how and why yours might vary. She also describes the modifications to her diet, and why. One interesting point she makes is that you can retrain your taste buds, to a less dangerous level of appreciation.

** Dance Dance Revolution is recommended as a family activity. Yes, Mom and/or Dad, that means you. Older kids might shy away, but if you start them young enough, dancing with Mom and/or Dad will seem very natural.

** You can program the game with your goals, depending on how much time you plan to spend, or how many calories you aim to burn, and it will totally cooperate by revealing how many more songs you need to dance to, before the session goal is reached.

** You need to buy the game, and Playstation is said to be the version of choice. Used, older versions can be found for little money. You’ll need a mat and a video screen… Check out this video clip where an incredibly cool 5-year-old demonstrates how to shake it but not break it. I invite you to share a nostalgia moment. One of my golden memories from junior high school is a boy who said, “Shake it, but don’t break it! Wrap it up, and I’ll sure take it!” Exactly what overweight young women are longing to hear, and this program has the potential to make it happen.

Mulwane is one of the most vocal cheerleaders for Dance Dance Revolution, but she’s certainly not the only one. This thing is huge. In the pages of Overweight: What Kids Say, we find several quotations from actual kids who are crazy about this mode of exercise, including a girl who hates to go outside in the winter. Another girl, 13-year-old Ella, says she is hooked on it. Yes! Instead of being hooked on junk food, she’s hooked on healthful exercise. What’s not to love about that?

Your responses and feedback are welcome!

Source: “How to burn calories and lose weight playing Dance Dance Revolution,” AssociatedContent.com, 10/09/09
Source: “Overweight: What Kids Say,” Amazon.com
Image by Pink Sherbet Photography, used under its Creative Commons license.

2 Responses

  1. I loved your article. It was very amusing and entertaining. It really made me smile.

    Thanks! From your sister under the skin.

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Profiles: Kids Struggling with Weight

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The Book

OVERWEIGHT: What Kids Say explores the obesity problem from the often-overlooked perspective of children struggling with being overweight.

About Dr. Robert A. Pretlow

Dr. Robert A. Pretlow is a pediatrician and childhood obesity specialist. He has been researching and spreading awareness on the childhood obesity epidemic in the US for more than a decade.
You can contact Dr. Pretlow at:

Presentations

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the American Society of Animal Science 2020 Conference
What’s Causing Obesity in Companion Animals and What Can We Do About It

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the World Obesity Federation 2019 Conference:
Food/Eating Addiction and the Displacement Mechanism

Dr. Pretlow’s Multi-Center Clinical Trial Kick-off Speech 2018:
Obesity: Tackling the Root Cause

Dr. Pretlow’s 2017 Workshop on
Treatment of Obesity Using the Addiction Model

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation for
TEC and UNC 2016

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the 2015 Obesity Summit in London, UK.

Dr. Pretlow’s invited keynote at the 2014 European Childhood Obesity Group Congress in Salzburg, Austria.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2013 European Congress on Obesity in Liverpool, UK.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2011 International Conference on Childhood Obesity in Lisbon, Portugal.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2010 Uniting Against Childhood Obesity Conference in Houston, TX.

Food & Health Resources