ZUMBA Baby!

Making Changes

This week I was waiting with great anticipation to change my exercise routine. The exercises I’ve been doing are becoming increasingly dull and lackluster. To make a change I remembered how much I love dancing! Whenever my husband asks me what we should do for date night I’m looking for a local dance venue to shake things up. I really don’t care what I look like doing it. I’m not a professional dancer by any means. I just love to feel my body move and work up a sweat. I also admit being a Dancing with the Stars junkie. My daughter Kelly and I can’t wait each week for a new episode.

I think that for all of us there’s something we wish we could do or be something we admire in someone else. Dancing and ice skating were two such things for me. I envisioned myself moving to the beats or gliding effortlessly on the ice. I grew up watching Fame and Dorothy Hamill. The ice skating idea behind me, dancing is still a favorite since I love music, movement, people and the bright lights of the night.

The need for a routine change led me to ZUMBA! At first I researched what this dance/cardio craze was all about. I had seen numerous ads on television, in my e-mails and on my facebook page for these classes. Once I knew what I wanted to do I sent out a question to my facebook friends asking if they knew what it was like. My friend Alyce, who’s an amazing aerobics instructor herself at a local Level 1 gym in Michigan, suggested a friend who was teaching a ZUMBA class near my home.

What Is It?

The Zumba® program fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a one-of-a-kind fitness program that will blow you away. Zumba® is one exciting hour of calorie-burning, body-energizing, awe-inspiring movements meant to engage and captivate.

The routines feature interval training sessions where fast and slow rhythms and resistance training are combined to tone and sculpt your body while burning fat. Add some Latin flavor and international zest into the mix and you've got a Zumba® class!

History

Celebrity fitness trainer, "Beto" Perez, stumbled upon the concept of Latin-inspired dance-fitness in his native Cali, Colombia in the mid-‘90s.

One day, he walked into his aerobics class and realized he had forgotten his aerobics music. Thinking quickly, he grabbed whatever tapes he had in his backpack. Beto's tapes were comprised of songs he loved, the traditional Latin salsa and merengue music he listened to all his life. But it was a challenge to improvise a whole class on the spot using non-traditional aerobics music. Beto rose to the challenge and from this last-minute improvisation a revolutionary new concept in fitness was born – the Zumba Fitness-Party™! The class soon became the most popular class at his fitness facility.

Where To Begin

First of all you have to leave your inhibitions at the door. Forget about everyone else in the room and concentrate on your own rhythm and love for music. At first I admit I was a bit apprehensive about trying it out. Was I coordinated enough? Could I get through the entire class without collapsing? What would others think of me? I just turned 46 and age is always in the back of my mind when I attempt anything. My head says yes, my body sometimes says no.

My worries soon dissipated once I got to the Dance Studio. The room was larger than life and the mirrors went the entire length of one wall. I was going to see myself dance and move for the first time. I wasn’t sure I wanted to look at myself move but I did take a few peeks.

It was a great feeling knowing that women of every age, size and race were taking this class. Some of the women I talked to were regular participants of ZUMBA. Mothers and daughters, friends, and people going solo like me were excited to get started.

The Dance

Nancy G. was our instructor and started by explaining the dance moves before each sequence. After we learned a couple of simple steps she started the music. WOW! The music was heart pumping, fun, exhilarating and got me going. I felt an excitement building inside of me that I hadn’t felt in a very long time and I felt the energy of everyone else involved. We were dancing! I felt every muscle in my body and did things I didn’t even think I could do. I was smiling and laughing at my mistakes and finding enjoyment in exercise once again. I was admiring Nancy and how well she could shake her body on the dance floor. Nancy kept us motivated and moving. After each sequence we got a few seconds to drink some water then it was back to new steps and music.

By the time the class had finished I was drenched in sweat and the hour had passed. I believe Nancy had mentioned if we had put into the routine what we were supposed to we would have burned 638 calories. Oh, Yes!

After The Workout

The funny thing about this whole process is that now I’m practicing shaking my booty in the mirror (just like Nancy said I would do) and feeling my own flexibility. I didn’t feel these things the day before. My husband appreciates it. I am excited about it. Life is good.

I now have a new appreciation for dance. I know that it’s all about my interpretation to the music and how fun I want it to be. I’m grateful for having decided to take the plunge and try something different. Incorporating something fresh into my daily routine has also helped me get over a fear. Like so many countless others who have started a Bucket List this was one thing I wanted to cross off of mine, to feel the dance. It was worth every move I made.

Find a ZUMBA class near you. If you’re ever in Macomb Township, Michigan you should try and look up Nancy G.

Please feel free to e-mail me at mtrombley1@comcast.net for any information or questions you might have. I can pass your ZUMBA questions onto Nancy or tell you more about my experience. You can also post your comments on my blog. I’d love to hear from you.

Panera Leads The Way!

I'm so excited! By the end of 2010 Panera Bread will be one of the first restaurant chains to post calories on their menus. I'm not sure how all of the nutrition information will be monitored but this is great for those of us who like to see what we're eating from a healthy standpoint.

I for one believe in making choices based on fat content, calories etc. I also like to plan before I go anywhere so that I don't lose control. To maintain I know how much I can consume based on calories and how much exercise I choose to put into my day.

The best part about all of this is that you can now take a peek at the nutritional information via their Nutritional calculator. Type in the item and other pertinent information that the calculator asks for and a chart will pop up. I love Panera’s You Pick Two menu where I order 1/2 an Asian Sesame Salad and a Fat Free Vegetable Soup.

Being able to make wise choices wherever I go is a great feeling and helps me maintain what I’ve been trying to do for the past 7 years. I want to be able to go out to dinner and enjoy myself and stay healthy. I feel so much better when I know I'm staying within my calorie intake for the day. I can enjoy my favorites when I'm out with friends or family.

Even before Panera decided to make their choice to help America get on track I was searching for ways to do this myself. Calorie King.com is an excellent resource to look up other restaurants and food information. I use it regularly. Before I head out to eat I use Calorie King to make my choices and I get to the restaurant knowing I have a plan.

This site is useful when whipping up my own meals at home. I now have a calorie reference for recipes. I can make family favorites and maintain my weight. The organization also has a pocket-size reference book to carry in your purse if you can’t get to a computer.

If Calorie King doesn't have the information you're seeking then try the restaurant's website. Many of my favorite sites have nutritional information listed. I also research via the web if the restaurant doesn't have information. Many people, organizations, blogs etc. have taken it upon themselves to get the calorie counts and are nice enough to share them with readers. Just by doing a little research, typing in your restaurant name, and adding the words nutritional information or calorie counts you will most likely discover what you’re looking for. However, it will be a relief once other restaurants follow suit and calories are listed on their menus.

Having these tools helped keep me on track and are useful in losing weight as well. Kudos to Panera Bread for helping me watch my weight.

Taking Action

The Commercial

Do you remember the commercial? The one where a group of high school senior girls are primping their hair in the mirror and at the opposite end a sink is filling up with running water? Everyone keeps looking at the sink, the running water, at each other and this goes on for a few seconds. All of a sudden another girl emerges from the bathroom stall and without hesitation walks to the sink and turns off the running water. I don’t even remember what the commercial was for but her actions left an indelible mark. It only took one person to make a change, to take action. By taking action she would affect her life and countless others.

Where Do You Start?

I’ll bet there was a moment before you decided to lose weight or keep it off for good that you spoke to yourself about how you were going to begin. How you were going to take action. Yes, even after the weight is gone you need a plan. You have to start somewhere. Your life will continue to evolve and everything you do will affect something you were doing and things will have to change to keep you on course. You may have to start over.

A True Story

I remember when I first took action. I was standing in my kitchen looking at vacation photos reveling over the fun we had just experienced. Rather than being happy I was overcome by sadness. I looked at a close-up of my kids and me waiting undercover for the rain to pass over at Universal Studios. I didn’t recognize that person standing next to them. It was me of course. I was disgusted with myself for losing control of my health and weight.

At that moment by some divine intervention the person who would change my life was on Good Morning America. His name was Jorge Cruise and his plan was exactly what I was looking for. That day I never looked back and started a lifelong journey to get fit and feel healthy again. I took action that very moment. I purchased his book and that afternoon started reading what would become my new lifestyle. My friends Alyce and Grace cheered me on and gave me encouragement to keep going. I’ll never forget how important that was to the whole process. Suddenly, things began to take shape and I could see myself enjoying life again.

Never Looking Back

There are so many times I look back and realize how important it was. I made a quick decision to look forward instead of looking at the past or remaining where I was. Something was pushing me. I realized that by taking action I was progressing. Whether or not I would fail didn’t cross my mind. Like the countless other attempts I had made to lose weight this time I gave myself permission to try my best and not stress over any failures.

What's Stopping You?

Think of all the times you took action. Why were you afraid? Were you afraid of the outcome? It may be extending the proverbial olive branch to a friend or family member, deciding to finish school, to start a family, to change jobs, to introduce yourself to new people, to lend a helping hand even when you know your time has already been overextended. Something changed inside of you or someone helped give you that extra shove you needed to do what was necessary. A light bulb went off in your head. Call it what you like. You knew deep down inside a change was forthcoming and necessary. Only you could make it work. Only you could take action. We have no idea what lies ahead. It’s quick and full of surprises.

Wise Words

I think Paula Deen summed it up well on a recent Oprah episode when she talked about her hardships and how she had gotten to where she is today. “There’s no sin in failing, there’s only sin in never trying.” Taking Action is trying and knowing that you made that effort. So, which person are you? Will you watch the running water? Or will you emerge and turn the faucet off? How will you take action today?

A quick note to my readers:
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