Step inside California's Club Bounce and you'll witness the typical party atmosphere of any nightclub. Take a closer look though, and you'll see the majority of people shaking their groove things are overweight. That's because this is a club that caters to BBW (big beautiful women) and BHM (big handsome men).

Click on the video below to learn more about Club Bounce. Story continues below the video



With some researchers predicting that 75 percent of adults could be overweight by 2015, plus-sized nightclubs like Club Bounce may be giving the majority of our population what they want most -- acceptance. Body-image expert and author of "Love Your Body, Love Your Life," Sarah Maria, says this kind of acceptance can be very powerful. "The better people feel about themselves, the more willing they are to make healthy choices. Positive changes come from a feeling of power -- not inadequacy."

One patron, Vanessa Grey, told the Associated Press she agrees. "When you're out there trying to get your dance on at those other places, you get looks, the stares. But not here. Everything's accepted here."

Need a workout that's as fun as it is effective? Look no further than the dance floor.

Bootylicious pop star Beyonce Knowles has one of the most coveted bodies in Hollywood, so just how does she do it? Beyonce, 28, dances her butt off -- literally. When she's not performing her high-intensity shows, Beyonce is rehearsing for hours at a time. In fact, prior to touring, rehearsals will regularly last for 12-hours, and she spends the entire time dancing in high heels to prepare for the concerts. But that's not all -- Beyonce also admits to doing "regular" workout things like running on the treadmill and doing squats. She reportedly keeps her abs in shape with numerous crunches, bicycle crunches and planks.

But perhaps Beyonce's best workout secret is that she fits exercise into whatever she does. She admits that she tones her butt and glutes by taking the stairs whenever she can, and she spent a recent vacation with her husband Jay-Z jumping on trampolines and jet-skiing in the tropics. But she's not afraid to take some downtime when necessary too. "Either I'm doing absolutely nothing and relaxing -- reading a book, sitting by the ocean and not answering any questions -- or else I'm hands-on and giving 100 percent, working really hard," she says.

And, of course, Beyonce watches what she eats, even trying controversial juice fasts (for which she apologized later) when she needs to slim down in a hurry.

Photo: Courtesy of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

You may have heard of Zumba -- a.k.a. the Latin dance-exercise craze that's taking over a fitness center near you, or perhaps your very own DVD player. Now there's a new component (available in stores September 10, 2009) -- a book with workouts, diet plans, menus and recipes, along with an instructional DVD, plus a "5-Day Express Diet." Beto Perez, Zumba founder and celeb fitness guru, says that even his dance exercise routine needs the other key component to weight loss, watching what you eat, as "the symbiotic relationship between diet and exercise is the secret to weight loss success." Below, Perez and co-author Maggie Greenwood-Robinson, explain how fitness newbies and know-it-alls alike can benefit from Zumba and if losing nine pounds in five days, like the express diet claims, is really safe.

That's Fit: What separates Zumba classes and workouts from other routines?

Beto Perez: One word -- fun. Most people who begin taking Zumba used to hate exercising. Because they enjoy and look forward to their Zumba classes, it makes it much easier to stick with it. There is also a lot of variety involved in Zumba because of all the different dance styles used from merengue and salsa, to rumba and reggaeton.

Photo: Mitch Haaseth

With a personal history of weight issues, and a brother who died as a result of undiagnosed diabetes, Mara Hall, 32, saw dancing as a way to get her own diabetes and weight in check. Weighing in at over 290 pounds, she began taking dance classes. By the time she tried out for "Dance Your Ass Off," she'd dropped down to 261. During her last performance on the show, which ended this week, she had dropped an additional 26 pounds. In an interview with That's Fit, she gives the inside scoop on how the show helps its participants achieve weight-loss success and what her fitness goals are for the future.

That's Fit: You struggled with weight issues all your life, and when your brother's diabetes-related death was followed by your diagnosis, you knew you needed to achieve a healthier weight. Why did you choose to try out for "Dance Your Ass Off"?

Mara Hall: I was in denial [for a long time]. Diabetes is a silent killer. It's not like other disease where you automatically get sick. You don't really know the magnitude of the disease until it hits you. I didn't exercise. I didn't lose weight. I continued to overeat. Even after my brother died, I didn't think that it couldn't happen to me. But I grew up and matured and I said, "Look, Mara, you really have to get this under control and you have to get this together, because if you don't, you're not going to make it to the age of 40." So I started working out. As an adult with early onset diabetes, I began taking dance classes in 2003. I thought it was a great way to lose weight. And "Dance Your Ass Off" [appeared in my life] right on time.

Initially, I thought that "Dance Your Ass Off" was just a dance show. I love dancing. I've been dancing -- tap, jazz, all kinds of dance -- ever since I was a little girl in Detroit, MI. Once I did some research, I found out that it was a weight-loss show as well. I thought, How great is that to be able to do what I love and lose weight as well?

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Any serious gym rat or outdoorsy fitness guru knows that working out is not just good for your figure and physical health -- it can provide a wealth of mental health benefits as well. This week on AOL Health, we review a slew of recent studies that indicate the impact a wide range of activities -- from house work to dancing -- have on brain power, stress levels, quality of sleep, social skills and more. One interesting find? Regular physical activity might be just as effective, or more effective, as anti-depressants, depending on the severity of your mental problems, according to a series of studies conducted at Duke University. Learn more about exercising to improve your mental health.

Photo: Dave Hogan/Getty Images

As the stunned world mourns the loss of Michael Jackson, who died at the age of 50 yesterday at U.C.L.A. Medical Center, speculation about the King of Pop's cause of death is everywhere. We're wondering too -- could his rigorous training for an upcoming tour be part of the puzzle?

"It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest at his home," said brother Jermaine Jackson at a hospital news conference yesterday. Others are talking about the stress that consumed the superstar's life, his frail and thin body, his pre-tour workouts with "The Incredible Hulk" star Lou Ferrigno, and painkillers -- allegedly taken to cope with performance-related injuries.

No doubt, Jackson's rehearsals and performances over the past 40 years were grueling (he'd once broken a vertebra and leg from a fall on the stage). For his upcoming 50-show world tour, Ferrigno was reportedly making secret visits to Jackson's Los Angeles mansion to help him work on his fitness for dance routines. But some sources report Jackson -- who once rehearsed the famous moonwalk dance sequence for four hours until it felt like second nature -- would not lift weights.

Regardless of the outcome of his autopsy, and whether or not he was pushing himself too hard in workouts, one this is clear: Jackson inspired millions with his music and his moves. And doesn't that just make you want to get up and dance?

It's not just for the Moulin Rouge anymore ... Can-Can, the high-kicking, 19th century dance style, is making its way into fitness centers.

There's nothing slow-paced about the Can-Can. Dancers are constantly in motion -- holding up their frilly skirts, kicking in time, twirling, even doing cartwheels. And while showing a little leg certainly isn't as scandalous as it was in the 19th century, there's just something silly, sexy and daring about dancing the Can-Can.

If you happen to live on the other side of the pond, you can find Can-Can classes at Polestars locations. In North America, you might have to wait a while for this fitness fad to catch hold. In the meantime, try out another fitness dance class or -- if it's the daring part of Can-Can you find appealing -- consider taking a pole dancing class for fitness.

What dance classes have you taken for fitness?
[via Lemondrop]

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Don't you think the world would be a better place if we danced more? Ellen Degeneres thinks so, and so does a prominent British minister, who thinks we should all shake our booties a little bit more than we're used to. And it's not because health secretary Alan Johnson likes seeing the flailing-armed moves of thousands of pasty Brits, it's because he thinks dancing is the answer to solving the obesity crisis we're in the midst of.

"The point about dance is you don't have to be a professional," he said recently. "You don't have to be brilliant on your feet but it gets you moving and that is what all of us need. We evolved as human beings to find food scarce and to expend a lot of energy. Now we live in a society where energy-rich food is abundant and labour-saving technology is ubiquitous."

I think he's right. We need to find some way to work off our calories, and dancing is sure more appealing than jogging.

If you're not into dancing yourself, tune in to Dancing with the Stars Season 8 and watch these 13 stars shake and shimmy their way to fitness.

(via Calorie Lab)

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Maybe you're lucky enough to live where it's warm in February. Where I live, however, it feels like we're in the middle of a never-ending winter. I spent one day this past weekend at a sledding hill and plan to go back soon to try out the ice skating rinks and cross-country skiing trails. It's a pleasant change from my usual living-room based winter workout.

Whether you want to stay toasty indoors or you're ready to brave the cold, AOL Health has a list of fun winter workouts, including:

• Mall walking. Believe it or not, this can be a decent workout. Try circling the mall several times before slowing to a window-shopping pace. And be sure to check with your local mall; some have walking clubs and open the doors early for walkers.
• Dance. Whether you're just moving to some tunes in your living room, following a dance exercise DVD or hitting the club with some friends, dancing can be a great workout.
• Ski or snowboard. Both downhill and cross-country skiing are excellent sources of activity. And they're exhilarating, too!
  
• Snowshoe. It may look easy, but walking with snowshoes is an intense activity. Use poles for balance and cross over an open field or walk along a snow-covered path.

For more ideas, check out the full article on AOL Health.

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Got a big ol' boulder of salt handy? Good -- take this news with it. Star magazine is reporting that Kevin Federline is looking to join Dancing With the Stars.

Now, he was a backup dancer at one point, so he might actually be pretty good on the show. And the contestants tend to drop a lot of weight -- something he could really stand to do. However, there's one problem -- aren't you supposed to actually be, you know, a star?

Sounds like that workout DVD isn't working out, but let's hope K-Fed starts working out anyway. Rumor has it he'll be following his ex, Britney, while she's on tour, so perhaps her rockin' new bod will inspire him to bust a move of his own. Even if he's not being filmed or getting paid to do it.


We don't all have the opportunity to lose weight on a TV show, but if you're hoping to shrink a size, click on the badge below for a little help!

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I just love Beyonce's Single Ladies video. And I'm not alone. The video has more than 30 million hits on YouTube, it's inspired an amazing number of home-videoed spoofs and one of the best ever Saturday Night Live skits, thanks to Justin Timberlake (who looks surprisingly good in a leotard).

If the song gets you moving, then you might as well learn to shake it like Beyonce. Dance instructor Michelle Hillier of fit2dance breaks down the six main moves in the video. Learn the steps and you can follow along with Beyonce and the Single Ladies.

Dancing is a great way to get fit while having fun. In the time it takes you to learn the moves, master the choreography and dance along with Beyonce, you'll have burned a lot of calories. And who knows? If you are a single lady, seeing your sexy moves might inspire your man to "put a ring on it" after all.

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The new season of Dancing With the Stars will air on March 9th. So now the question is ... which stars will show us their moves? We love watching the stars get fit and improve their dance moves during the course of the season ... it's like boot camp with sequins and heels.

Sherri Shepherd, co-host of The View, is a possibility. InTouch magazine reports that ABC is interested in having Shepherd on the show, and Shepherd is on board with that idea. But the funny lady sounds as interested in the dancers as in dancing. Shepherd said "Oh, my goodness! I am so in love with Maksim [Chmerkovskiy], but he's engaged! And Tony Dovolani's married! I mean, they're all freakin' taken! I just want to get a 'pas doble' with somebody on that show!"

Rumor has it that Stevie Wonder is also in consideration.

Which celebs would you like to see on DWTS?

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Last week, I had an exclusive interview with the one and only Donny Osmond. He's currently co hosting ABC's new show Rediscovered, and I thought it would be appropriate to ask what everyone else is probably wondering: "Are you planning on following Marie's footsteps and joining the cast of Dancing with the Stars?"

When Marie competed last year, Donny seemed to spend just as much time on the show throwing in his two cents. He obviously has rhythm and is no stranger to the stage, so why wouldn't he take a stab at that fancy disco ball trophy?

Maybe Donny is afraid of not getting as far in the competition as his sister did? Maybe he's worried about not doing those glittery costumes justice? He's asked this question every day, but until we spoke on the phone, I had never heard him give a definitive answer.

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Last week, you told us that -- for the majority of you -- Christmas cookies were your biggest holiday weakness. But if you had a few more than you'd planned on over the past few weeks, don't beat yourself up over it -- you may have already burned them off in all your hectic Christmas activities.

Assuming a Christmas cookie has 90 calories ...

• An hour of singing Christmas carols burned off one cookie.
• An hour of writing Holiday cards burned off one and a half cookies.
• An hour of baking burned off two cookies.
• An hour of shopping burned off two cookies (and no one does just an hour of shopping -- if they do, I am so so jealous).
  
• An hour of decorating burned off three cookies.
• An hour of dancing burned off three and a half cookies.
• An hour of shoveling snow burned off four cookies.
• An hour of splitting wood for the fire burned off four and a half cookies.

See? Those holiday cookies don't seem so bad now, do they?