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…Sedentary lifestyle killing – aerobic expert

…Dancing burns calories – Pregnant woman

By Providence Ayanfeoluwa

The Convener of Lagos Women Dance, LWD, Mrs Angela-Tony Iji, yesterday, emphasized the need to cultivate singing and dancing as an important fitness exercise that eases depression and help stress out.

She said this during the third edition of LWD 2022, held at the National Stadium with the theme: “Entertainment Meets Health #StressOut,” adding that the LWD also commemorate International women Day yearly.

Iji said that the idea was born out of depressive times during the COVID-19 era with a view to bringing women out of the shelf.

She said: “LWD was born out of depressive times for me as a woman and it was during the COVID-19 era, I knew a lot of women out there were going through same challenge and some have lost their sources of livelihood. To help these women who had little or no time to unwind, I thought of dancing which I love so much, I did research on it because whenever am depressed, I sing and dance.

“So I decided to put the LWD together for women to come out under an umbrella to stress out once in a while, dance and sweat, network and mingle. The focus was for women to come out of the shelf, homecare, chores, among others.

“They are enough for everybody and never enough for themselves. They never thought of their own health and lives as a matter of seriousness. So we want to de-emphasize the idea of women locking up without stressing out,” she said.

A pregnant participant/ Dance Fitness Instructor, Mrs Blessing Kuje, said: “I was not invited but I feel I want to come and participate, fortunately, I came and saw some people that know me as an instructor and they dragged me on stage.

“I love and enjoy dancing. I came to encourage women that pregnancy is a temporary thing, what happens during and after nine months, in terms of accumulated fat is what matters. Dance helps you burn stress, calories, it eases the mood by making you happy and after dancing you would feel relaxed,” Kuje said.

Also, Dance and Aerobic Instructor/Lifestyle Couch, Victory Akingbade, Sedentary lifestyle has not helped any woman, even as most of them do not eat healthy.

Akingbade who doubled as Official Instructor for LWD, said: “Dance is very important, it has high energy workout to keep fit and healthy, it helps the mood, helps weight loss with good posture, when you inculcate dance as an exercise you would become fit.

“Sedentary lifestyle is killing, detrimental to health. If you don’t create time for wellness, you would be forced to create time for illness. Our health must be prioritized. A sedentary lifestyle has not helped any woman; most of them do not eat healthily. It takes a fit mum to have a fit family. It is imperative to stay fit, be intentional with your health, prioritise yourself. Don’t just stay fit, stay healthy, eat right and make your eating ability paramount.

Fitness Trainer and Wellness Coach, Hadiza Mukhtar, added that dance is strategic to burning calories and keeping fit.

Mukhtar said: “Dance is safe for anybody. Women generally do not de-stress, they need to de-stress, there is a need for more awareness, stress is ageing us, affecting our health. 90 per cent of homes that together check them outside their homes; de-stressing has a ripple effect.”