Any other Zumba fans?

[kasi1979]

Monday night,

another hour of Zumba is over, I registered for a ZUMBA flatrate today, so that starting tomorrow I can go to every ZUMBA class offered without paying additional fees.

We did some really fast songs today, and my muscles are a little sore, but I did it ;)

Tomorrow I´m planning to go to the gym.

 

There´s nothing exciting to tell you all, so I hope you had a good start and enjoy your week.

[Anita Latte]

Kasi...what is flat rate? Will you be able to go to different instructors and different locations? Where is your Zumba class? I'd be interested in hearing what the set up is like in Germany...

 

Another Monday night for me too...Pilates and Zumba...I felt very strong tonight...except for my index finger on my left hand...which has been aching ALL DAY...and making me a little crazy...I don't know what I did to it...but during Zumba we did the Halle Decale routine and I think that I must have strained it somehow during that song yesterday...because without knowing what I had done to it...and certainly not thinking that I had done something to it during Zumba...I was innocently doing that routine...and BAM...PAIN in the finger...how weird is that?

 

We did a new warm up song tonight...and a new "Muscles" where we focus in on toning the arms and abs...lower heart rate...more strength...I liked it...

 

Anyway...it's not pleasant to type...so I'm headed off to a hot bath for a well deserved soak before bed...one of my small reward rituals on Mondays and Wednesdays...

[Anita Latte]

Tuesday is my rest day...a good day to rest considering the weather! Makes you just want to curl up and read or watch a movie!

 

These are the things on my mind...

 

Have you thought about your exercise personality? With the various different ways to do Zumba...classes, DVD, Wii Fit...one of these ways will be more satisfying for you...more motivating for you than others...

 

There are two links for you to check out to think about this:

 

1. What is your exercise personality? This link details four different personality types...and offers suggestions as to what fitness activities are likely to be motivating for you...

http://www.askfitnesscoach.com/2011/01/your-exercise-personality-type/

 

2. An exercise personality quiz...this one categorizes an exercise personality based on 3 characteristics...1. who you exercise with (if anyone); 2. the type of activity you prefer; 3. your competitive nature.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/17/uttm/main2368637.shtml

 

It would be interesting to know what everyone is...depending on your answers to these things, you could find out that you may actually prefer to workout with other people...but you want to do something that you are good at...and you like some competition...so you might benefit from an at home Zumba practice in the beginning (DVDs or Wii Fit) or simply trying to follow along on any youtube Zumba class video that you find appealing so that you can learn the moves and not feel as embarassed (since you prefer to do what you are good at)...and then long term, you would be motivated to participate in a Zumba class.

 

I am definitely the "Exercise Socialite"...Mom laughed hard when I was reading the description...she, btw, is the Fitness Perfectionist...For the other, I prefer to have a partner or group (equally), do things at which I excel, and am competitive with myself...

 

I thought that thinking about these things could help everyone...Feelin' Nauti' comments about doing the DVD got me to thinking...for those that have not attended a class...there are several benefits to being in the class...for one...you can see how the class attendees are not doing the moves EXACTLY as the instructor is...how everyone has their own "way" about them...how people modify the move...and the group setting can be uplifting in a way that exercising alone may not be if you are not familiar with the dance moves in Zumba.

 

Also...there is something about the group dynamic...it can help you "get" the moves...the changes in the music...there's something impelling about the class all moving in one direction or the other that helps you as you go through the routine...

 

Also...if you are in a class with mirrors...seeing yourself do the moves is a great tool for learning...

 

These were things that I was thinking about encouraging you (Feelin' Nauti') with...but then...I got to thinking that not everyone enjoys exercising in a group...and I don't want to offer encouragement to you to do something that would ultimately be demotivating...

 

So...I will restate...if you could see a Zumba class...you would see that sometimes people don't even TRY to do the moves that the instructor is doing...and they just decide that they are going to move in whichever way they want, enjoy the music, and have a bit of fun...and then join back with the group when the moves change again...or whenever they feel like it...

 

The other thing that I have been thinking about is exercise clothing...

 

What do you wear to class? Do you wear exercise specific clothing...including your shirt? Or do you wear exercise pants and a t-shirt you don't mind sweating in? Do you even care? Or do you think you shouldn't care, because who should...you are just going to go get hot and sweaty? Or do you color coordinate your hip skirt to your outfit?

 

My instructor? Kelly dubs herself the "Queen of Bling" and she dresses in the cutest, matchingest, shiniest outfits...she has a special skirt that she wears over the regular hip skirt that looks like a belt and has more beads and coins hanging on it (no fabric). She wears HOT PINK...she was dressed in head to toe HOT PINK...her pants had sequences red hearts on the back pockets...one heart had a halo, one heart had horns...there were silver sequences words going down her leg...she was wearing a HOT PINK long sleeve very open net sweater thing over a black and hot pink bra shirt. Her hat was hot pink with silver bling...she has Zumba logo earrings and two Zumba logo pendants that hang from a leather cord necklace. She wears 4" worth of those plastic, rubber like bracelets on each arm. She is DECKED out and having fun with her exercise clothing.

 

I wear black, gray or navy pants...and a bright colored sleeveless shirt...for those of you with a local Acedemy store?...they just got shipments in of great Under Armour tanks in tons of colors...they are $19.99...I have several...they are very comfortable to Zumba in. I like to try to coordinate my hip skirt with my shirts...when I bought my hip skirts...I purposefully avoided the black ones because I prefer to have a bit of fun with color...I don't wear black, it isn't my color...

 

And I like having clothes that are made for exercise...I like looking at myself in the mirror wearing them...I used to wear old t-shirts to the gym...but then realized that I always felt dumpy in them...I didn't really want to look at myself...I hated the way I looked in all the mirrors all around the gym...all that extra fabric really wasn't hiding anything...it just made me look like I had a big tent on...so I decided that if I was going to be a regular "exerciser"...if I was going to spend hours of my life exercising...then those hours deserved to be as happy and positive as possible...so that I would continue to exercise...and even if I was going to get all hot and sweaty, I should wear clothes that were more flattering and made me feel better about myself...

 

I had to resist the "I'll wait until I weigh less" urge...because exercise clothing...the technical clothing can get really expensive...which is one reason why I love Academy...the BCG brand is so great too...

 

I got a fortune cookie recently...It said..."Success is about the journey not just the destination." I love that.

 

I was talking to Mom yesterday and in context I said, "It's a work in progress"...she said...That's life. LIFE is a work in progress.

 

So today...as most rest days are for me...it's all about motivation...the keep on keeping on that is necessary to continue to follow through with the exercise plan on the path to health & wellness...

 

Here's hoping that you can figure out the things that motivate you!

Edited February 1, 2011 by Anita Latte

[dmm30]

Hi Ladies *happy dance* *happy dance* just been for my weigh in - another 3lb lost, that's 12lb now so am really happy :D.

 

Only 5 more days until Zumba starts again too so not long to wait now. The gym's ok but I am the 'Exercise Socialite' too Anita and it's hard going in the gym on my own.

 

Our slimming consultant told us tonight to visualise what we'd be like when we're slim to keep us going which is something I have been doing since the start of my journey this time. It really works. She also talked about buying that dream outfit (uh uh, that'll be the bikini then!) so I'm definitely heading in the right direction.

 

Hard going at work just now so having to really focus and be organised otherwise the chocolate could really do me some damage right now - maltesers are calling my name lol! Going to save up my treats and have some on Saturday.

 

How are you all going? Hope it's a good week for you too :)

[kasi1979]

Hi Donna,

congratulations on your loss, that´s really fantastic.

 

I´ve been avoiding my scale and so far I feel really good doing it. Yesterday was a not-planned sport free day as I spent 11 hours at the office and was just drained afterwards.

To make up for that I teally went to the gym today. Doing my routine feels pretty boring compared with Yoga or Zumba, so I guess I need other people to work out with, too.

 

DH told my on Monday that there is less stuff to feel when I´m in his arms, so that seems to be a step in the right direction.

 

Our vacation is a bit on the surprise side right now. Originally our cruise should leave from Egypt, which won´t happen due to the political situation right now. So we are anxiously waiting for news from our cruise line to hear how they are changing the schedule. We are still willing to go, and just waiting, where this cruise will take us. 22 days to go right now...

 

Tomorrow is yoga night and on friday it´s finally time for ZUMBA :)

 

Anita, you asked what a flatrate is, well, I didn´t know that it´s not an english word. Here comes my explanation:

A flatrate means you pay a fixed price for a service for a fixed amount of time (usually a month) and you can use that service without additional charge as often as you want to in that timeframe.

So I can go to Zumba in our dance studio and join every class offered if I want to without paying anything more that my monthly fee. I pay the same, if I attend 4 times a week or none at all.

 

It´s getting late, and my body needs the beauty sleep.

Good night to all of you.

Edited February 2, 2011 by kasi1979

[Anita Latte]

It is SOOO unbelieveably cold...I've lived in Kansas and Colorado where it is MUCH MUCH colder...but the houses there were built for the cold...the houses here in SE Texas are NOT built for the cold! I'm seriously having to put thought into my outfit tonight so that I can peel away layers as I warm up in Pilates...no matter what I know I will warm up in Zumba...it will probably be the only time that I feel warm today!!

 

Donna...Fantastic on the weight loss! 12 pounds is AWESOME! You should really be able to feel a difference in clothing...and Zumba only 5 days away!...doesn't time fly?...I feel like we were just co-miserating on missing 3 whole weeks! Visualization is key...I really believe this...you have to have that expectation raised and visualizing yourself is a part of raising expectations...raising hope...Kelly said that she would visualize putting on this one pair of favorite blue jeans everynight...she would imagine zipping and buttoning them and that they were loose even...and eventually she did have to take them to a taylor to have them taken in...I guess they were that special...all my jeans would be donation city if I undergrew them...

 

Excerise Socialites UNITE!...LOL...gym workouts were agony for me...absolute agony...I could only go off the starting a new thing enthusiasm for so long...then it was watch the clock city and constant looking at the time left on the cardio machine, etc...never could get too into any weight training...

 

Kasi...did you love hearing your DH say that? These are the things that are so much more real than any number on the scale...when someone else makes a comment that confirms that you are making progress...isn't just a total boost?...I understand the concept of the flatrate...I didn't phrase my question so well...I don't know how everyone takes their Zumba classes...so when I hear about people paying for them and not taking them through a gym membership...I wonder what the set up is...It sounds like there are several Zumba classes a week at a dance studio and now you can go to any one you want...I guess there are a few instructors? or is it the same one?

 

There isn't anything like that in this area...the dance studios just have one Zumba instructor and everyone has their own methodology. The new instructor that I am trying to go to on Friday wants the ladies to commit to 5 classes at a time...but you can go whenever...but pay for 5 in advance...Kelly at the rec center is pay for 8 weeks worth of classes at a time...Kelly on Sundays at the dance studio is pay when you go per class.

 

I'm very curious as to what will happen with your cruise...please post about that even though that is slightly OT...I don't mind.

 

I really have to go contemplate what to wear to class tonight...it is in the low 30s outside and dropping with every inch of lost sunlight...and the workout room is notoriously cold...until Zumba starts...:rolleyes:

[Anita Latte]

To quote my Mom's text this morning...Holy popsicle Batman!

 

WOW...it is COLD outside...for those of you that have regularly been heading out to exercise in 30 degree weather...you have my admiration...you have to get your motivation HIGH to venture out into that weather!

 

Showed up for class tonight...Texas has been doing rolling blackouts...meaning that neighborhoods are losing power on purpose for 15 to 30 minutes at a time...unfortunately some neighborhoods ended up losing power for as long as 75 minutes! Can you imagine?...first thing in the morning?...anyway...our workout room at the rec center hadn't been opened all day long...no one wanted to run any excess electricity...so the heat/lights were never turned on today...the room was 49 degrees!

 

We turned the heat on and chatted for a while...eventually we did get our workout in...slowly...gently...carefully...with a LOT of warming up...warming up of every muscle group...no one lost any layers during Pilates though...

 

Our normally small Pilates class...there were 5 of us there...only increased by 2 for Zumba...so many people stayed home...I don't know if everyone had something happen...or if everyone was just turned off by the cold...those of us that showed up were pretty proud of ourselves.

 

Tonight, I wore my typical tank, a long-sleeved technical shirt (Nike) over that, and then my zippered overjacket thing...lost the jacket after the warm up...lost the long sleeves after the second "warm up"...and then...we had to turn the heat down...one lady had to step outside...it was getting too warm and stuffy! It felt awesome to be so warm!! LOL.

 

Put It In a Love Song (warm up)

Zumbalicious

Jai Ho

Hips Don't Lie World Cup 2006

Gasolina

Ven A Cumbia

Loca

Muscles

La Vida Es Un Carnival

La Despidida

Baila Esta Cumbia

***NEW Waiting on the World to Change by John Mayer

 

Dinner tonight was fast and easy...I have been paying attention to the techniques used by restaurants/chefs to prepare food quickly...watching shows like Hell's Kitchen...Secrets of a Restaurant Chef...Worst Cooks...Iron Chef...etc...and one thing that I have seen over and over again is the idea of a pan sauce. Saute pounded out protein...like a boneless, skinless chicken breast...a little salt and pepper...brown the protein on either side...doesn't matter if it isn't cooked through...get good color...make it look like you want to eat it...I use coconut oil for the browning...put browned protein on a plate...

 

Then add something like minced shallots to the skillet (pan)...something with a lot of flavor...something that would be called an aromatic...you need to add a bit of butter at this point...it adds tremendous flavor even with just a little...when the aromatic is starting to smell super yummy...and is wilted looking...add some broth that matches the protein (chicken broth)...bring this liquid to a boil and scrap up anything that has stuck to the bottom of the pan...the chefs call it "deglazing"...then add some wine...add some seasoning...and for chicken, I like to add a bit of thyme and oregano...turn the heat down to a simmer and add the protein back into the skillet and cover...the protein will now finish cooking if it needs to and get thoroughly heated through...you need to cook that wine a bit so it doesn't taste too much like alcohol...

 

Nothin' to it...(ever watch that Clara link?)

 

It's fast and easy...and so long as you are willing to experiment...and taste along the way...you end up with "saucy chicken" that tastes really good. The pan sauce really enhances any steamed veggies that you might have...ALSO...if you make enough pan sauce...you can put a bed of baby spinach down...put some cut chicken on top and put that pan sauce over the whole thing...it'll slightly wilt the spinach (baby for sure)...and you can have a kind of warmer wilted chicken spinach salad thing.

 

I'm sure there are recipes out there for pan sauce...but let me tell you...you don't really need one...here are the key's in my opinion...

 

1. have a high enough heat to brown the protein...I had my pan on "8" over a high output gas burner.

 

2. remove the protein to make the sauce...you might want to turn it down a TAD...add however much butter you are willing to add...I added 2 tablespoons tonight...and saute your shallots...or other aromatic in the butter...

 

3. add enough broth to cover the bottom of the pan and then some...turn up the heat so that the broth will bubble a bit and scrape the bottom...those browned bits are flavorful.

 

4. add some wine...about one third the amount of broth...taste...add more wine or broth depending on taste...if you want more "body" add more butter.

 

5. season sauce with salt, pepper, and prefered herbs...taste...add what tastes good to you...

 

6. reduce heat and add the protein back to the pan and cover...when you add the chicken...this would be a good time to add veggies to a steamer...OR you could add veggies on top of the protein if you don't need to keep them separate to appease YOUR kid...;):rolleyes:

 

If you have pounded out the protein to an even thickness in advance, and you have cut veggies, or prewashed, bagged or boxed baby spinach...then this is very fast and easy...and has that kind of "restaurant" appeal...the sauce makes it feel special...

 

A this is what I like...to have something that seems special at the end of the day...it's just a major bonus that it is so easy to do...

 

For everyone dealing with this weather...safety comes first...my weather is cold...but no ice...no snow...if all you are dealing with is cold...and you could safely venture out...then don't let the cold de-motivate you...you will feel extra proud of yourself for getting the job done...if, HOWEVER, you are like the majority of our country...(I don't know the international weather Donna, Kasi, and any others)...then stay safe, stay in...BUT...don't let this be anything more than a hiccough in the journey...when the weather clears...get back to it!

[kasi1979]

The pan sauce sound good, have to try that during the next few days. Tonight however is pizza night, for me just half a frozen pizza and some additional salad, but dh iscoming home from a few days of work in another city and is looking forward to some yummy unhealthy food ;)

 

My instructor for ZUMBA, Annie, told me, that you need to be certified to be allowed to teach ZUMBA classes, at least in Germany.

She originally was an instructor in a huge fitness studio, however, as her parents own a dance studio she decided to do the classes at her own schedule and for her own budget.

She now teaches 5 ZUMBA classes per week.

She is a tiny person, been sportive being raised in a dance studio, she has been dancing since she was 4 years old, and she lost 5 kg (about 10 lbs) since last May doing ZUMBA. She said that ZUMBA is the only workout where she begins to really sweat...

 

Annie, I googled your temperature as I wasn´t aware what 30 degrees fahrenheit would be in celsius, well, I seems to be around 0 degree, which means around the freezing point.

We´ve had that temp or even a little less than that for the last few weeks, and yeah, we are looking forward to springtime. Unheated rooms are an absolute no-go.

 

So, keep up the good work, I have to find the time to squeeze in at least 1 pilates workout per week, I´ll keep you posted.

[Anita Latte]

I have been trying FOREVER to remember this song! This is one of my favorite cool down songs...

 

Mi Manchi by Andrea Bocelli & Kenny G

 

I think it is so beautiful...

 

We do a slight variation of the same moves for our cool down...it is somewhat dramatic...very graceful...very fluid...it has that feel good feeling about it...Kelly believes it is important to end each class with this feeling...

 

Does everyone have a sort of standardized cool down routine? We had a sub once that didn't do any sort of cool down...the two other instructors that I recently attended have a sort of stretch to music kind of cool down...it doesn't feel like we are still "dancing" in spirit...it isn't quite the same...

 

The way that I feel at the end of Zumba class is one reason why I think that I could do this for as long as Zumba can be found...especially Zumba with Kelly...it's an IMMEDIATE feeling of reward...

 

Somethings do not have an IMMEDIATE reward...the consequences of doing things aren't readily apparent...like physical activity...usually, it takes a while for the cummulative effect of something like Zumba to be noticeable...then one day...your DH hugs you and says...WOW...you feel different...in whatever language they use...the numbers decrease...something else happens that makes you realize how much your body has changed...

 

My family has been a single car family at various times for various lengths of time...one time...our single running car was DH's pick-up truck...NORMAL cab size...a bench seat with three seatbelts...DH would drive...I would be in the middle and have to deal with the stick shift...and DS would be sitting "shot gun" in his booster seat...(he wasn't in the middle because the way his legs would stick out would interfere with the stick shift and the truck would randomly pop out of gear...NOT good on a Texas highway...)...it was QUITE cramped in that truck...

 

We finally fixed the transmission on my car, so we were happily riding in a 4-door 5-seater car again...well, we needed the truck one day...and we decided to just all cram into the truck...they thing was...it was during a time of successful weight loss...DH and I had lost a total of over 75 pounds...it made a huge difference in the space we took up in the truck...what used to be totally cramped was not that bad!...we could easily buckle our seatbelts...and we were AMAZED at the fun experience that was proof positive of how much we had changed with our weight loss...

 

It takes persistence and DILIGENCE to reap these kinds of rewards...

 

On the opposite end...it can take a while for the consequences of poor choices to become apparent...it can take a while for the pants to stop fitting...especially if they are elastic waists...the bra to become TOO tight...and then you see a photo of yourself and it's shocking...WHAT?...the small differences weren't as noticeable to the naked eye...suddenly, the cummulative effect is VERY noticeable...

 

The important thing to note here is the CUMMULATIVE effect...perfection doesn't do anyone any favors...it's rarely sustainable...unless you are a prima ballerina or similar...and your livelihood is determined by your physical condition...then a balanced life is the key...there can be the oh so planned and calculated kind of routine work days...followed by a splurgy weekend day...like this weekend here in the US...

 

I'm talking about Super Bowl Sunday! *enter dramatic music*

 

I don't think our European and any other friends quite understand the impact that the Super Bowl has on the American social calendar. I was watching an Norwegian internet feed of ESPN trying to watch Monday night football in our cable-less house and I saw a COMMERCIAL for the Super Bowl...not a date/time announcement commercial, but a kind of persuasive, this is going to be an amazing sporting event, you should watch it kind of commercial...This event is as partied out as New Year's in the states...but you don't have to stay up as late...it's almost worse because it can be an all day event...with TONS of snick snacky food...ALL DAY...buffet style...on the coffee table...on the kitchen counter...fridges stocked with adult libation...we are talking about a major party weekend...Anyone relate?

 

Anyway...here's my point...because I have one...

 

Whatever happens on Sunday...no one should beat themselves up over it...and no one should let ONE DAY be an excuse to fall off the wagon...remember...individual days usually do not have LASTING impact...those out of the norm days...whether you decide to go to the gym and workout like crazy...or whether you decide to eat yourself into a coma...if both are unusual...then the return to usual will generally overcome...you will not have any lasting weightloss from one gungho gym day...and water and nutritional food WILL eventually flush out the effects of all that party food...;)

 

I am not going to preach...but there was a principle that was brought up in my Wednesday Bible Study...it was faith and patience inheriting rewards...words like diligence...perserverance...keep on keeping on (this IS TX:p)...

 

I started this journey of health & fitness in September...before Halloween...through Thanksgiving...through Christmas...through New Years...through 3 family birthdays...I know that I can have a splurgy kind of day and still make progress that month...remember, I weigh and measure monthly...I wasn't tracking my food intake until recently, so these individual days weren't quite "in my face" like this Sunday will be...and the thought of logging what I will be eating Sunday IS making me feel a little guilty...because I did the shopping for this weekend today...

 

But I know that I am in this for the long haul...and I am not thinking that any ONE day will have a dramatic effect...it's cummulative days that have the DRAMATIC effect...If I can lose 5" around my hips from September to January...then enjoying Super Bowl Sunday and continuing on with my normal routine is no reason to berate myself or call myself "bad"...

 

Nor would it be any reason for anyone else to call themselves "bad"...balance people...balance...

 

Kasi...I like to picture things...now I can picture you in a dance studio doing Zumba! I like dance studios...that is where my Sunday class is...

 

Yes...having a high around freezing is probably nothing new to you! LOL...but around the Houston, Texas area...we are built to withstand HEAT and HUMIDITY...temperatures in high 90s with a heat index pushing WELL into the trip digits...people are putting sheets and protective things over their tropical flowers...people are wrapping their PALM TREES to protect them from the cold...we are leaving our faucets to drip at night so our pipes don't freeze...all our household water supplies are ABOVE GROUND...we are wrapping our pipes...there is no such thing as sand trucks...salt trucks...trucks with plows or scrappers...if we get snow or freezing rain...the city comes to a halt...I mean...they CANCELED school for tomorrow!...and it hasn't even REALLY snowed yet!...DH just told me that his work is on a delayed schedule...he doesn't have to go in until NOON!...I haven't been able to wear sandals for a good couple weeks now...;)...it's been COLD...LOL.

 

It's official...my Kansas/Colorado blood has thinned...I am a cold wimp...:o I can only imagine how much you must be looking forward to spring time...I am so sick of this unusually cold winter...

[Anita Latte]

No snow in my neck of the woods...but light snow and freezing rain all over has brought the Houston metro to a standstill...over 100 accidents in less than 4 hours...and general stupidity as people around here rarely have dealt with black ice and didn't really understand what it was until they hit it...the traffic authority was trying to get the word out...people were trying to drive in on the highways...hit ice...and decided to turn around and drive back the way they came...DO NOT DRIVE THE WRONG WAY ON THE HIGHWAY HOUSTON!!

 

OMG. It's really hard for the rest of the nation that deals with this every winter to understand the chaos that has ensued down here...in some respects, it's totally comical...my news broadcast kept flashing back to a corvette in Dallas...rear wheel drive and snow/ice don't mix people!...the corvette was going NO WHERE on the highway...and the broadcast would randomly flash back to the driver that was providing serious comic relief to some of the seriousness being reported...as over the course of the broadcast, as they would check back in with the live highway cameras to the progress of the corvette driver...stuck on the road, rear wheels spinning and going NO WHERE...

 

DS is home with me and we are being our computer junky selves...which means that I will probably be posting randomness throughout this day...because it's a fun pastime for me...it's what I do...I'll try to spread the love throughout the boards and not bore my Zumba friends with too much rambling...;):cool:

 

I think I've mentioned my birthday in March? I'm all excited for the big milestone in 2012...but even so...I can't let 2011 pass by without some sort of excitement reserved especially for it...

 

I have two goals...

 

Number 1. I'm going to enter the Athleta Yoga Journal model contest...and I don't care if I am close to goal weight...I'm still going to enter...

 

If you are unfamiliar with Athleta...it is a great site...I have never actually ordered any clothing from them...for too long, I have been a plus size girl in their sizing system...and for the money...was totally uninterested in ordering their plus sized clothing...which tend to be more basic and boring...but their other clothing is super fun, functional and made for an active lifestyle...it is a "goal" site for me...where I can browse and admire and think about how much I would like to own this or that throughout the site...I think much of the clothing would be perfect for cruisewear...and plan on scouring the sale section as I get closer to goal...

 

Another Athleta bonus...they take returns for anything at anytime for any reason...including swim suits!...so if you try one out, go swimming in it...find that it doesn't quite lift the girls the way you were hoping after submersion OR the briefs just won't stay over the cheeks...then you can return that suit! How sweet is that?

 

Athleta uses reader models...so the women are pretty cut, strong looking, definitely FIT and HEALTHY looking models...not thin and somewhat anemic...again...great browsing for building motivation...

 

As I was browsing the other evening...my clicking and linking brought me to this page:

 

http://talentsearch.yogajournal.com/

 

It's a contest to be a model for Yoga Journal...submit a photo between now and the end of March...there is a little over two weeks for voting on the submitted pictures...online voting for whoever chooses to vote...the top 5 winners get yoga gear from Athleta!...and number one gets flown to San Francisco to be in the September 2011 issue of Yoga Journal.

 

Here's the deal...I know that I won't be near goal for the photo submission...but I don't care...this is giving me the incentive to get going on a book that I purchased YEARS ago...Moving Toward Balance by Rodney Yee...which is an 8-week yoga program...step by step the book takes you through the 8-week program...I have been wanting to do this program FOREVER...I love yoga...I really do...whenever I do it, I feel limber and strong all at the same time...my posture improves...I just feel so much better about my physical self...and now...if I get started next week...I'll be almost through week 7 of the program by my birthday.

 

So here's the goal...do the program...get DH to help me get a great photo of myself around my birthday...submit photo by deadline...see what happens...

 

This is just the kind of thing that I need...I'm very goal oriented...I find that I have to keep reinventing new goals for myself in order to keep motivating myself...this is a great thrifty reward...encouraging preparation to get ready for my personal photo-shoot to compete with many other athletic women...

 

If I can not look offensive in my not perfectly fit body...then I think I can stand a chance...because I am SUPER flexible already...always have been...Kelly calls me Super Stretch because of one pose that we do in Pilates...not to brag, but I can sit with my legs straight in front of me and ALMOST get my stomach flat on my thighs...I can definitely touch the girls and my nose to the legs...so if I can find a pose that will highlight my best feature...my flexibility...then I think I might be able to wow the viewers...I mean...I'm thinking that you need a hook of some sort to get votes...

 

I'm not worried about competition...it's more about motivating myself to keep on track eating wise and try to make the most progress I can before my birthday...because I am starting to get a little burnt out on all this cooking...and a bit bored with what I have been cooking...I need a boost!...so if any one else decides to join in the fun...please post!

 

And though the odds are slim that I would be chosen to be the model...I would LOVE to go back to San Francisco!...I was born and raised in the Bay Area and I would love to have someone else pay for me to visit there for a weekend...regardless...if I could just get win some new clothes!...that would oh so cool!

 

Number 2. Margarita Pants for my birthday...

 

Depending on progress...I would LOVE to be able to gift myself with a pair of Margarita brand pants...I think they are SO FUN looking! I found them during my search for more interesting exercise clothing...because again, I think that if I am going to get geared up to do some exercise...I should have fun clothing to wear...and I would LOVE to be able to wear Margarita...

 

http://sandiegofit.com/margarita-activewear-pant.htm

 

I THINK my current fav are the pants with the big daisies on the legs...but I also like the tie-dyed ones...the idea of mesh in the legs seems like it would more breathable, more airy for doing Zumba...

 

On a completely different topic...

 

Mom found a great video about maximizing your Zumba workout through hip action...At about minute 6:40 there is a movement that you can do to test the flexibility of one particular muscle that you need to have some flexibility in in order to free those hips...and there is a movement that you can do to try to lengthen that muscle...

 

The video uses a term called "active isolated stretching"...and the lady mentions that the speed with which you do the movement is important so that you trick your muscle and do not activate the "stretch reflex" which she does not define...so I will...

 

The information I am about to share comes from this book:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Key-Poses-Yoga-Scientific-Keys/dp/1607432390/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1296848051&sr=1-2

 

The Key Poses of Yoga: Scientific Keys, Volume 2 by Ray Long

 

This is a really great book if you really want to understand which muscles are being activitated during different yoga postures...but it is also a great book that describes what happens to your muscles as you try to stretch them...

 

The stretch reflex is when your muscles will instinctively tighten when you try to stretch them to prevent overstretching and thus, injury. It is the reason why they say to never force a stretch, but to pause when you feel that tightening of your muscles...then breathe...inhale and on the exhale move further into the stretch...and how again there may be a tightening...but again...through your breath...you can keep stretching that muscle a little further...slow, steady movement is the key.

 

There is another reflex at work when you stretch...it is the opposite of the muscles...it is in the tendons? or ligaments?...I can't recall exactly...but whatever it is that attaches your muscles to your bones...these will actually LOOSEN when you stretch so they don't get injured...so you have to be careful to not OVER stretch these...again, slow, steady movement is the key...

 

The breath is one tool...another tool to try to deepen a stretch...tighten the opposite muscle...this will cause a reflex in the opposing muscle that will loosen it...so if you are trying to stretch your hamstrings...the muscles above your knees on the back of your legs...something that is notoriously tight on almost everyone given all the sitting that is involved in our normal lives from car seats to desk chairs...when you try to stretch your hams...TIGHTEN your quads...the front of your legs above the knee...this combined with using your breath is how you can really deepen that stretch...

 

And I'm not exactly sure why, as I am on the topic of stretching, I feel obligated to share this particular tidbit of information...but I do...so maybe someone out there needs to read this?...if you are pregnant, you need to be especially careful when you are stretching...especially into the third trimester...you may have heard about pregnant women getting the "dropsy"s...I know that I dropped by keys SO MANY times toward the end, it was ridiculous...there is a logical explanation...and this is that there is a hormone released that is loosening up all your tendons or ligaments...again, can't recall...in preparation for birth...so that parts that never before needed to stretch quite like they are going to have to stretch will have the ability to stretch like they NEED to stretch...so if you are stretching...and you are pregnant...then you need to be especially careful to not OVER stretch...because your body will be way more stretchy than it has ever been before...

 

Hope everyone is staying warm! I think I need to work on preparing a place for yoga in this house! Definitely a goal for today and Saturday!

[kasi1979]

Hi everybody,

it´s friday night already and I´ve returned home from my ZUMBA class.

I noticed some things today that I would like to hear your opinion on.

First, I had yoga last night, and when we had to shake our shoulders today, I noticed that I was not as stiff as I was the last few times. That was a nice surprise.

We have one song where we hop on our legs, move leg A to the side, kick to the front, bring the leg down and put your weight on it and repeat the movement with leg B. Well, I´m having a hard time, as my ankles always feel like they want to give way when trying these hopping moves. So I´m not doing a good job at this movement, any idea how I can improve? Maybe get more strength in my ankle area?

I was quite tired tosay and some muscles burnt, so perhaps tomorrow is gonna be a quite day.

 

On the nice side, as I´ve decided to not weigh-in, I tried on a jeans this morning, that does not fit for some month now. It got stuck everytime on my upper legs, no chance to get it all the way up.

Well, this morning that very same jeans slid over my legs and got only to tight when I tried to fasten it. Well, actually I got the zipper up, but that was not comfy, but I was so glad I got that far, as this is a nice way to notice change withing oneself.

 

Today´s dinner were small cooked potatoes, and steemed fish with pepper bells. DH had chicken wings instead of the fish.

[Anita Latte]

Yay! A research project!

 

First...it makes total sense that you would be more limber following your yoga practice. Kelly says (I hope people don't get sick of my admiration for Kelly)...anyway...she says that women tend to carry a LOT of tension in their neck and shoulder area...whether or not you did anything specific to target this area during yoga...if you did postures that are relaxing overall...then you likely released a lot of tension in this area and were able to notice this during your shimmy in Zumba...

 

Advice from Kelly...take something like a towel and roll it up into a sausage...lie on it...with your spine on the towel sausage...your shoulders should be un-supported, gravity will cause your shoulders to naturally fall into a stretch that will open your chest and shoulder area...this could help everyone with their shimmy action...

 

Second...YAY! for getting your jeans up! *handclaps and cheering* I think things like this are way more motivating than numbers on a scale...so much more meaningful and experiential...before you know it...you will be able to button them and have them be LOOSE! Just keep shaking that booty!:D

 

And for ankle strength...

 

From your description, it sounds like you are doing a variation of Samba...kind of like at the beginning of this video?

 

 

Being up on your toes with the impact of weight change is highlighting an imbalance in your ankle strength. DH had this...ended up hurting his ankle a couple years ago playing tennis...ended up in physical therapy...we still have the print out of the exercises that he was prescribed. I'm looking around online to try to find something with these same exercises in it for you.

 

This pdf file has many of the same exercises:

 

http://www.csuchico.edu/~sbarker/injury/ankle/ankle_rehab.pdf

 

One difference...my info doesn't have the towel exercises...but it has "Pick Up Exercises" where you are sitting and you use one foot to pick up various things, coins, marbles, tissue (hankerchief) and place object in opposite hand...left foot lifted and brought over to right hand...drop object...use right foot, lift to left hand, repeat...

 

Item of note...the leg swinging exercises are to strengthen the STANDING ankle...the shifts in balance that occur because you are swinging your leg around cause different muscles to be activated in your standing leg to maintain balance...strengthening these muscles strengthens your ankle...

 

Also...strengthening your calves and shin muscles helps to stablize the ankle joint and why you do standing toe raises and sitting toe taps...for my DH though...the toe raises were also done sitting...

 

The last exercise where you jump in the four quadrants?...not on my instructions for DH.

 

Another one:

 

http://www.performanceorthopedics.com/files/ProcProtocols/AnkleRehab.pdf

 

Again...except for the towel scrunching...all these exercises are in my DH's instructions...don't know if you have resistance bands...they gave DH them as part of his physical therapy.

 

If you combine the info in these two files, you get pretty close to the program my DH was given from the Texas Sports Medicine Center.

 

I know that there are also yoga postures that can help ankle strength. I don't know if you have heard of Yoga Journal? Before today anyway? The site is pretty good...you can select a body part from the Anatomical Focus menu on the left, and it shows you postures that are supposed to be beneficial...I picked ankles and here is the link to that:

 

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/finder/anatomical_focus/ankles

 

Hope that helps!

[dmm30]

Kasi *happy dance* for your jeans, it's such a good feeling isn't it?!

 

I have never tried yoga but do a lot of stretching exercises and notice a big difference when I don't stretch enough. Think I might give it a go soon though. Only 2 days to Zumba now woo hoo!

 

I have a busy weekend here, this afternoon I am going with a friend for fish spa foot therapy (where the fish eat the dead skin of your feet :eek:), then some retail therapy (looking not buying!). Tonight we are going to a gig called Samba Sene where we'll be dancing the night away! Then tomorrow I have to go and look for a new car. Food wise, going to make (for the first time) Slimming World version of Chicken Pie! Sounds lovely.

 

Anita your Mum sounds like a hoot :D I love the batman text! It has been cold here too ladies and we have had gales the last couple of days, along with snow, rain and black ice. Temperature is between 0 and 3 degrees most days - bring on the Spring :)

 

Hope you're all well and having a good weekend

[Anita Latte]

 

Posting this photo is akin to posting an invitation for Mom to call me and say in her "Mama Voice"...MISSY...because this is her pet name for me...Missy gets to hear the loving chides...the come on now and deal with what you need to deal with encouragement...perhaps writing this will take away her thunder?

 

I'm sharing the poor state of my kitchen because this is THE project of the day! You see I went slighty nuts in the grocery store on Thursday with the impending storm...knowing that mobility would be compromised...I decided that I needed to "stock up" for the weekend AND the Super Bowl...in fact, this took two trips to the store...because I did not consider the Super Bowl in my first trip...

 

Thus, the sorry state of all these purchased groceries sitting on my countertop...homeless...messing with my feng shui...totally demotivating me to do anything productive in said kitchen...

 

Not to mention the used pots on the stove...

 

Or the dishes you can't see in the sink...

 

I'm not going to talk about those...:o

 

I'm only sharing to co-miserate with any other unfortunate one that faces such a mess...or will face such a mess tomorrow evening...the pre-party mess...the after-party mess...It needs be taken care of! And sharing is to guarantee that even if Mom doesn't try to call me to get my rear kicked into high gear...she will keep tabs on my progress today...

 

Which is why I vow to post another picture of a sparkling, gleaming kitchen later today.

 

Because there is serious preparation to be undertaken for the week ahead. DS is sick of what he has been taking to school...so we need to change it up...I'm thinking about going back to the meatball sandwiches...which requires meatballs and rolls...we need chili for the week for DH and myself...I'd like to get some veggies precut as well for lunches...and I really need a plan for dinners this week...the week works so much better when there is a plan...It's so lovely to give my brain a break from thinking about food...I tell you what...I am getting SO SICK of having to think about what we are going to eat...I'm thinking that if I can think about it today for the next 5 days, then I won't have to think about it for the next 5 days! And I'm pretty pumped about THAT thought...

 

It may be Saturday...I am tempted to just laze around all day long...but this is not to be today...consequences would be undesirable...I will overcome this lazy feeling...I will press on...I will continue with diligence...because I know the rewards for these actions...

 

You see me pump myself up?

 

I hope it is motivating you too!

 

Donna...fish spa foot therapy?!?! :eek:...Seriously?...:eek: DH and I were in Garner Texas State Park one time when we were in college...the river there is perfect for wading in because it is a hard bottom river...meaning that there is no sand, no pebbles...it's almost pool like in the hard surface...and there were rocks in the rivers path...huge lounging rocks...the trees...it's quite lovely...I laid down in the sun on one of those rock and dangled my feet in the water...and these fish...tiny little fish came up to my dangling feet and started nipping at them...it made me laugh so hard because it was SO TICKLEY to have these tiny mouths nibbling on me...I didn't realize they were eating my dead skin! :eek:

 

Maybe I should go back there and try to relive the experience...spa treatment au naturel...:rolleyes:...Did it make you laugh?

 

My Mom is a hoot...we have a good time...we are good friends...she would have a hoot during fish foot therapy...she can barely stand normal tools used during a pedi...hand over mouth...trying so hard to not disturb the salon or spa setting as her sensitive feet are tended and she is busting at the seams with unreleased laughter...OMG...I can only imagine the torture of the fish therapy...I'm LOL at the thought...

 

Only 2 more days until ZUMBA!! Probably more like 1 by the time you read this! Woot woot! You have been doing great in figuring other things to do in the meantime...I wonder what makes their chicken pie recipe slimming?...I might have to go check that out.

 

Sounds like you have a great weekend planned...it's time for me to get a latte to caffeinate the cleaning machine...

Edited February 5, 2011 by Anita Latte

[Anita Latte]

That's what I have to say about having a stack of things on the kitchen counter from cleaning out the fridge...and having the garbage disposal not work...UGH...

 

The groceries have all finally been put away...in the process, I cleaned out the pantry...reorganizing things that had just been shoved in...refilling my spices...sweeping the shelves...the fridge is cleaned out...and reorganized...the first load has running in the dishwasher...and it is just an unfortunate circumstance that progress is halted by a tempermental garbage disposal...silly rental...if it behaves as it has in the past...it might start working again in a couple hours...

 

Since tennis was canceled due to weather on Thursday...we are getting ready to head out to that...hopefully, I can continue with the kitchen when we get back...meanwhile...I DID take a lovely photo of my pantry...

 

 

It just makes me feel like using the supplies when they are nicely displayed!

 

Off to tennis...hopefully a better after photo this evening...

 

Hope everyone's Saturday is productive in whatever you need it to be...accomplishing small tasks or providing necessary restoration...

[Anita Latte]

The dark window gives it away...BUT...it's finally done...

 

 

Ahhhhh...too bad no cooking occurred in this lovely kitchen...;)...but it is ready for prime time tomorrow...I just need to get everything necessary out of the freezer to hit the ground running tomorrow after Zumba...

 

And FYI...if you flip the switch for your garbage disposal and all you hear is SILENCE?...it's an electrical problem...if the reset button doesn't work...check the circuit breaker...which WAS tripped...the most simple fix...yay!...

 

Kitchen organization tip...Take a tip from my Grandma...empty toilet paper rolls make EXCELLENT cord keepers...very helpful for organizing all your small kitchen appliances...

 

Also...expired debit/credit cards make EXCELLENT countertop and pan scrapers...

 

Just sayin'...:p

 

Back OT...

 

Mom finally received her hip skirts from me...I sent her a fabulous deep purple and the same leopard/cheetah print I got for myself...she wore one to her Saturday morning Zumba class today...now Mom had experience wearing the hip skirt with Kelly because Kelly has hip skirts available to wear...so Mom knew that it was fun...but what she didn't realize...and her hypothesis...is that not only is wearing a hip skirt WAY more fun...but also...wearing a hip skirt makes you move your hips MORE...and makes you look at yourself in the mirror more...all of this is positive...

 

So again...if you aren't doing Zumba with a hip skirt...you could be missing out on some serious fun...Paula (Mama Lapin)...you still around?...did you ever get a hip skirt?...you mentioned waiting til your abs were in better shape before getting one...but I have to advise...having one could speed your progress toward a fitter core...

 

There was a lady in Mom's class this morning...she had NO IDEA what Zumba was all about...Mom said she did her best "Exercise Socialite" imitation and explained all about Zumba...the benefits of the intermittent training...the hip movement to engage your core...etc etc...this lady had had THE talk from her doctor...I don't recall all the details except that high blood pressure and various other ailments were being discussed...along with the possible necessity of a couple different types of medication...all of which could be avoided if this lady could exercise and get herself into better physical health...Mom was very encouraging that Zumba would be a great help toward the goal of renewed health...

 

Now this lady was not so sure that she would sweat too much during Zumba...because she could get on the cycle machines, the treadmills, and go forever without breaking a sweat...Mom warned her...there is something about Zumba that just kicks that heart into high gear...be careful...so at one point in the class...the lady was wiping sweat from her brow and expressed her amazement at the workout she was getting doing Zumba...and at the end of the class, the lady was sold on Zumba...she felt like she had experienced an incredible work out far above any other cardio she had attempted before...she would definitely be back...

 

I don't know the age of the lady...but suffice it to say, she was an older lady...I see there are many lurkers out there...if there is anyone reading because they are curious about Zumba...my MIL used to see the classes and think they looked like so much fun...but she saw a class that had many "young thangs" in attendance...and didn't think she belonged...no matter how much she would like to go and try it out...I don't recall if I have mentioned this before...but the oldest lady in Kelly's Zumba class is 75 years young...there's another lady that attends that had so many health problems, but doing Zumba reversed and improved so many things...lowered cholesterol, lowered blood pressure...many other things...she hugs Kelly and says that "she saved her life"...to which Kelly replies that SHE did it...not Kelly...

 

May I encourage everyone that has a desire to try Zumba to get out and do it? There is a wide range of classes...if you find a class that is a convenient time for you to attend, likely there are others similar to yourself in attendance...it really is a lot of fun to do...if you have had a talk with your doctor...or just know...you need to make a change...do something different...do something new...ever heard?...in order to get a result that you have never gotten before, you have to do something that you have never done before?

 

And let me share...if you could be considered a "senior citizen" or have some issues with mobility...look for a Zumba Gold class...these are Zumba classes specifically designed for an older crowd...Kelly volunteers at two different senior centers in this area to teach Zumba Gold...and she says that she works her seniors out...they get a good workout in...and LOVE it...Kelly often shares stories of her 80-year old "boyfriend" who is an absolute hoot!...and she has shared that the oldest attendee in her class is about 95-years old...

 

Just sayin'...:cool:

[Anita Latte]

Ladies...I am seriously not feeling it this morning! I knew this day would come...even though I always set an alarm for Sunday morning...just incase!...I never sleep long enough to hear it...I'm always awake prior to the annoyance that is the horrible beeping that is our alarm...today being no exception...

 

What is exceptional about today is the absolutely HORRIBLE night's sleep that I got...we watched this very odd movie last night called What Dreams May Come...it's one of the few non-comedy movies with Robin Williams that I have seen...and some of the imagery in the movie must have been very distrubing to DS...he asked to sleep with us last night...and his sleep was beyond fitfull...and he was wimpering...which made me feel like we blew it with the movie choice...

 

I may have doozed but I honestly don't feel like I slept until after I got myself some water at almost 4:00 AM...DS had finally settled into a dreamless sleep...and I woke up at 7:35 AM...UGH...

 

ALSO...had a bit of libation last night...not much mind...two drinks is all...but this on top of two drinks the night before that too...and I have to say...since I have been on an alcohol hiatus since DH's New Year's Day Birthday...the wine and the beer did NOT sit well...head is groggy...stomach sour...I feel super duper dehydrated...UGH...

 

SERIOUS morning blahs people!!:eek:

 

What is very cool to report is this...I STILL going to ZUMBA...I think it's official...I'm totally addicted! Sunday morning especially...I love the contrast of the early morning work out...especially on a day where I want to get things done to prepare for the week...it always make me feel like I have accomplished great things that day, and yet, there is STILL the entire day ahead!

 

I may be dragging my rather exhausted, feeling slightly hung over after only two drink self to Zumba this morning...but I am GOING...

 

And I just had to share...because even Miss Anita...YES, optimistic, bright-side, can be very typical Aries woman ANITA...can feel less enthusiastic about her shaking her tushy at Zumba...

 

Having read that caffeine before a workout can improve your performance...I will definitely be serving up a LATTE this morning to help get a move on...because if ever I felt the weight of my psuedonym, I am definitely felling it TODAY...desperately, I NEED A LATTE...

 

Later...

[kasi1979]

Hi Anita,

good job that your are still doing Zumba today :)

I must admit, I ditched today, as I have a runny nose and feel totally unfit. I hope I will feel better tomorrow as I don´t want to get out of the routine.

It now is offical, our cruise got cancelled by the cruiseline, so I´m spending my day on the computer searching for an alternative travel destination. As nearly all cruises in Europe at our vacation time are booked or airfair is the killer, I´m now looking into city-tours, maybe Barcelona.

 

The only good thing about that cancellation, we sabed a bunch of money and I don´t miss nearly as many classes as I would have. as soon as I know where we are travelling in late Feb., I´m going to browse the net on a search for our planned girls-cruises in June.

 

Now I´m going to do a different kind of workout. We moved into our house last spring, and we still have quite a few unpacked boxes. I´m going to look into them and decide

a) throw it out

a2) can be sold

b) I still need it, just don´t know when

c) must-keep

 

So maybe we will get some money for our cruise fund.

And walking all these stairs is better than no workout at all :)

 

Oh, Anita, since you did such a wonderful job on your kitchen, mine could need the attention, too ;)

 

Cya later.

[dmm30]

Aw Kasi sorry to hear about your cruise - that sucks! Nice that you will still get a holiday but grr!:mad: Hope you find a nice one for June and that will keep you focussed with your classes too.

 

Anita, great job on the kitchen and the Zumba. I too had horrible dreams after watching that movie. Robin Williams creeped me out in it and I haven't watched any of his movies since.

 

We went for our fish spa therapy and it was so good! My feet feel so much softer today. The first minute was really strange, you feel as though you've got pins and needles and it's really tickly but then you get used to it and it does really work - would give you fabby cruise feet ladies :D

 

Last night we went to see a band called Samba Sene, they were so good and we danced the night away - I was doing my Zumba moves most of the night so felt like a good work out too! And, as a single lady, they weren't bad looking either ;)

 

I'm having a very lazy day today but already have my tracksuit ready for Zumba tomorrow night. I cannot wait! The wine won again last night here too Anita so having a water only day to get rid of the dehydration and cure the headache :o

 

Anyway off to find a good movie and lie on the couch feeling sorry for myself. Have a great week folks!

[dmm30]

Anita, as I know you like to learn new things, you might want to look up some research on the fish spa therapy.

 

Apparently it was discovered in Turkey by a man who suffered from psorias. He was bathing in a river one day when the fish latched on to him. His psorias completely cleared up within months!! It's supposed to be good for all skin conditions and people with scarring.

 

It may not be of interest to you but I thought it was fascinating :)

[Anita Latte]

So glad I went...as I knew I would be...

 

Today's playlist:

 

Put It In a Love Song (warm up)

Halle Decale

Que Te Pica

Jai Ho

Ven A Cumbia

***NEW*** Me and You by Cassie

La Vida Es Un Carnival

Loca

Iko Iko

Big and Chunky

Feelin' Good (cool down)

 

The new song, Mom, is the next generation Muscles...OMG...just when you thought you could do Muscles...Kelly whips out this one.

 

I'm not sure what it was about Zumba today...but the place was PACKED...very unusual Sunday morning...it's like everyone knew what they were going to indulge with the Super Bowl and were proactively getting prepared...I've never seen so many people come Sunday...the back row was tight quarters...

 

This is actually what drove me to the front of the class...way more room up there people! Mom noticed the same thing in her neck of the woods...

 

We had a first timer come this morning...her son (my age) brought her to class...there was an instructor from a near-by city and her friend...and then everyone else who has EVER gone to Sunday decided to come today...or at least it seemed that way because I recognized everyone else...

 

It was really fun having a first timer...she busted out laughing during a couple songs...I think during Loca and Big and Chunky...she was very lost at times...but her spirit was great...if you looked at her, you could tell she was having a great time...people add their own energy to the class...it's fun to have new blood so to speak...

 

I gave another go at the Ground Turkey and Black Bean Chili recipe from teh Lighter, Quicker, Better cookbook. I tweaked the recipe enough that it has some really yummy flavor now...very yummy actually. I used ground turkey BREAST which really needed to be marinaded first. I used a Rick Bayless marinade which also ended up coloring the turkey into a very meat-like color...so if you are trying convince a meat lover to expand their horizons...this will not put them on the scent of "different" by appearance alone...I also changed the 3 cups chicken broth with 1 tablespoon tomato paste in the original recipe to 3 cups strained tomatoes (Pomi brand) thinned with one cup of broth...this really helped the chili have that thickness in the sauce that I missed with the first try.

 

I typed out the recipe as I cooked it in a txt file...and I tried to attach it...I hope it worked. So if you are interested in the recipe...give it a try. I think ground turkey breast can be difficult to get tasty...this one is a keeper IMO...you can try and tweak as you like!

 

Mom turned me on to a GREAT cookbook by Thomas Keller. Ad Hoc at Home. Simple techniques. Wonderful encouragement. In this book, Keller writes that you need to make a recipe over and over...with each try to understand it a bit more...refine this and that...this is only my second go round with a subpar recipe...this first tweak of mine came out really good...but feel free to tweak away some more...and if you do, please share what you do!

 

Donna...I did research the whole fish foot treatment...our US government has some issues with it...it has been banned in some states over concerns of hygeine...Florida has a state law banning animals in salons and spas...so sorry Sandy...no fishy soft feet for you...and some places that continue to be able to offer the service go through quite a rigamarole...draining tanks and sanitizing the tanks between clients, etc...I'm not sure that any of this is necessary but there are laws in place regarding sanitizing tools in salons and spas...there is a question about how you sanitize live fish?...unbelieveable...

 

I think I'll just head back to Garner State Park and the river...LOL.

 

I'm so excited for you to go back to Zumba tomorrow!! YAY!!

 

Kasi...don't worry about missing class...don't let me make you feel bad...staying home with a touch of sickness is better than going when you feel bad and spreading the love so to speak...

 

I am so sorry that your cruise was canceled.:( My parents LOVED Barcelona. They were there on their most recent TA cruise in October. In fact, Mom can watch the Loca video and recognize so much of the city in the video...I think it makes her like the song even more...an all-girls cruise in June will be fun and something to look forward to...

 

I totally understand about boxes and moving...I mentioned we moved in July? I have been in what feels like a never ending quest to declutter and simplify...to do exactly as you will be...sort, sort, sort...reduce the load, I call it...I need to get going on that as well...and it IS a bit of a workout to deal with boxes AND stairs...make no mistake...get your expectations on in that area because dealing with boxes and moving stuff around like that is unusual activity...I usually feel it in the arms and shoulders AND hamstrings (from bending over so much)...

 

Happy Super Bowl Sunday everyone!

Turkey_and_Black_Bean_Chili.txt

[jilllofalltrades]

Went to Zumba for the first time yesterday. I joined a Fit Camp last Monday meeting Mon/Tue/Thr and wanted to stay active for Saturday. I had a wonderful instructer but I'm about as coordinated as a rock. At least the lights were turned down. It was a great cardio workout and I plan to do it again next Saturday. I want to lose 20 lbs by cruise time. We'll see.

[Anita Latte]

Hello Jill!...love your username...welcome to Zumba!...It IS a great cardio workout...I don't know if you have read through the entire thread or not...we have been discussing some unique aspects of Zumba that, unlike many other cardio workouts, make Zumba an outstanding FAT burning form of physical movement...we have talked about intermittent training and metabolic confusion...ZUMBA is the master of both...so beware...TAKE YOUR MEASUREMENTS...because you will likely see a change in body composition before you see a change on the scale...your body may start to look more like your imagined 20-pound lighter body without losing 20 pounds...I don't know what your Fit Camp entails, but if it entails strength training, Zumba will be a great complement, and even more so...I urge you to take your measurements so that you can avoid future disappointments and frustrations if your scale doesn't move but your britches are getting loose!

 

Zumba is also a very MINDFUL thing to do...you really do have to concentrate on moving your body this or that way...if you have been unexposed to dance, this can be especially challenging, because you get all new things all at once...I posted some links to some pretty good instructional videos on some basic dance steps a while back...generally though, the challenge makes it much more fun to repeat doing...and may I say?...if you can't figure out what in the world is going on...then just MOVE...shake your hips around...this is what Mom did...this contributed to her losing an inch around her waist when she first got started back into being active...

 

I'm so glad that you posted...

 

I want to express to everyone that does post and talk with me how much I enjoy our "conversations"...I know that I mentioned first thing how much I like to talk...but I have also mentioned how much I love to read...I really enjoy reading what everyone has to say...I LOVE having "Zumba penpals"...and I always look forward to reading what you have to say...

 

Kasi...Mom was wondering if you knew much about Barcelona?...Mom is a researcher too...go figure:rolleyes:...and they loved Barcelona so much when they went...they are going back in May...she told me that she even thought about posting here when you mentioned the city...if you have any desire for some first hand information...please post your interest...Mom would be happy to discuss Barcelona with you!...I totally don't care that the discussion wouldn't be about Zumba...I wouldn't consider vaca conversation between Zumba fans on the Zumba thread to be a hijack...if you had that concern...

 

DS is home today...I wonder if all the forced heat is what is making his nose crazy?...all I know is that it would make me crazy if he were in MY classroom with all his nose noise and coughing...he's making me a little crazy at home with it!...the morning schedule has been totally derailed...I'm running about 1-1/2 hours off normal...so I don't know if I am going to be able to start my new yoga program...we'll see...the main issue is doing yoga relative to food intake...yoga with a full tummy = :eek:...we'll see...definitely doing Pilates and Zumba...

 

Thinking about you Donna and how you are finally getting to get back to Zumba!:)

[kasi1979]

Hi Anita, Hello Anita´s Mom :)

We´ve been to Barcelona before, so we have a general idea of what if where. However if you have some advice, I´d love to hear it. The city is so huge, that I can keep going back for a few years and will still miss some things.

We liked the atmosphere of the city, the flowers in Parc Guell, strolling through the parks, visiting Sagrada Familia. But it was Summer last time, and it´s been a few years since then, so I know for a fact Sagrada Familia changed so much, that I will definitely go there again.

We are looking for restaurants, things to see, any info is appreciated.

 

I love planning tours or whole vacations.

 

I´m thinking about heading out for Zumba class tomorrow night. I usually go on Mondays as you know, nut I had an appointment at the dentist this afternoon and still a runny nose. However it finally dawned on me, why my nose feels like that. it´s hayfever, an allergic reaction to the early blooming flowers and plants. So I´m taking some meds and should be good to go tomorrow. Classes on tuesday are late, it starts at 9 p.m., so lets see if I´ll actually make it there.

 

We had an unusual warm day today, you were good walking around withour a warm jacket, a sweater was sufficient. The sun let you believe that spring can´t be far, but we are well aware that we are more likely to get some more snow before this winter is over.

 

So how was your Zumba workout tonight?

Edited February 7, 2011 by kasi1979

[Anita Latte]

Tonight's Pilates/Zumba was a lot of fun. Mom gave me an early Valentine's Day gift...a Polar heart rate monitor! She heard about my misadventures trying to fix any of the ones we have. So I wore my new heart rate monitor (HRM) for the first time tonight!

 

OK...the deal is that I was not "in the zone" for the entire workout. After knowing the issues that Mom had, I adjusted the high end of the heart rate to 100%, not the default 85%...hoping that this would be enough of a tweak...unfortunately...it was not enough of a tweak.

 

I get my heart rate up really high during Zumba!! Like Mom, I go over my supposed highest 100% target...only by 6 beats/minute according to the data...so I have to adjust my birthday and enter myself as a sweet young thang so I can get an accurate reading...

 

Nevertheless...the reading for tonight was that I burned 710 calories! BUT...I am MISSING 16 minutes worth of data! Now I don't want to get anyone too excited...but the deal is that I definitely burned MORE calories than reported because of the missing minutes...

 

So, I'll do a tweak on my birthday and give it another go on Wednesday...

 

I will definitely report on Wednesday!

 

The only new song tonight was a Phil Collins version of "True Colors" for the cool down. I'm on DH's computer and he needs it...and I need a bath, so I need to go!

 

Have a great night everyone!