Exercising with a hula hoop is a great way to shed a few pounds while having fun at the same time. Hula hoops are easy to find and are usually fairly inexpensive. You could exercise with hula hoops made for kids if you choose, or with a weighted hula hoop made for exercising. Weighted hula hoops are a bit larger, weigh around two pounds (907 grams) and rotate around the body a bit slower. Theoretically, this means they are easier to keep up around your hips so you don't have to constantly bend down and pick it up.

Hula hoop exercises are great for strengthening your core muscles, the abdominals. It also works to strengthen your legs. Hula hooping is an aerobic exercise, meaning it burns fat and increases the heart rate. It is especially important to get aerobic exercise if you are trying to lose weight. Before you do any type of exercise, warm up with some stretches or a quick walk so you do not injure yourself.

The most basic hula hoop exercise you can do is to try to keep the hula hoop up around your waist while you rotate your hips. This is the way you've probably always played with hula hoops as a child, and while it is simple, it is very effective at strengthening your abs and slimming the waist. To increase the difficulty of the hula hoop exercises, try to increase the amount of time you spend exercising. In the beginning, you may only be able to exercise with the hula hoop for a few minutes, but as time goes by, you could work up to 20 or 30 minutes.

Another option is to add a second hula hoop, and try to keep both of them up. You could also try punching while you are doing the hula hoop exercises, because this will engage your arms and work out those muscles as well. Another option is to put on some music and try dancing while hula hooping. Another way to exercise your arms or legs is to place the hula hoop around one arm or one leg and then swing it in large circles. Make sure you have lots of space around you if you try this, though.

If you are having trouble keeping interested in the hula hoop exercises, it may be a good idea to purchase a fitness video. There are numerous fitness DVDs that offer a guided workout with hula hoop exercises. Even if you are not good at hula hooping right away, just the act of trying the hula hoop exercises will be a good workout.