My friends suggested a GLP-1 for my weight gain. I found my answer on the dance floor.

I’m petite, have a small frame, and have never had to struggle with weight issues.

I regularly went to the gym six days a week, and have done so for years taking a combination of strength training and boot camp-style classes in addition to walking.

Despite my efforts, I started adding on weight — just over 10 pounds in about 24 months.

I didn’t know why or what to do about about the weight gain.

I was working out almost every day, but I felt exhausted and defeated.

Others suggested I turn to medication. “Don’t stress, just get on a GLP-1, and if your doctor won’t give it to you, just grab it online,” one friend told me.

My BMI wasn’t high enough for my doctor to prescribe medication, and I didn’t want to override my provider’s advice.

But despite all of my effort, I wasn’t seeing the results I wanted.

Then, during a gym class, I realized I had become lazy.

I was picking up the easiest weights and would go through the motions, never pushing myself too hard during workouts.

The repetitive movements were just so boring.

After that class, I tried to think of an activity that might bring me more joy.

Wasn’t there something else that could be more fun?

That’s when I decided to take more dance classes, instead of just the one I was already taking on Saturdays.

I was a danced into high school, but I had to leave the program because of difficulties at home.

I always felt sadness and disappointment about quitting.

I had continued dancing on and off as an adult, but I had never really returned to it in a meaningful way.

I thought about how much I loved to dance as a little girl, grinning ear to ear even when I forgot all the steps.

Research has shown that the surprising benefits of dance extend beyond physical fitness.

Now I take four to five dance classes a week, a combination of modern, and West African.

It’s fun and doesn’t feel like the same drag that the gym was to me.

And I finally lost those stubborn pounds I had gained.

When I take classes every week, I mix up levels to keep challenging myself and track my progress.

Dance has also given me a community where we hold one another accountable and empower one another as we cheer one another on.

Returning to dance has helped me shed those few extra pounds, but it has also helped me connect to a part of me that is more accepting of myself and others.

I’m happier and healthier than I’ve been in years, and no longer associate something I love with failure.

I’ve learned that the workout that keeps me coming back is the one I enjoy, and it’s never too late to try again.