Any other Zumba fans?

[burm]

Lol, it's January in Germany and we don't have frost at all. Quite unusual...but I LOVE it! Sorry you guys have such mean weather. We live in Eberholzen, which is a 500 souls village about an hour south of Hannover.

 

Stef

 

 

I have numerous cousins in the Hamburg area. I see that they are enjoying your same "tropical" weather. Here it is currently minus 20 C with the wind chill making it -27. So glad that we will be heading for a much warmer climate in 4 weeks. :D My car is buried under a lot of snow.

 

Montserrat is a beautiful place that deserves a full day's visit, allowing plenty of time to wander and climb. I would have been upset had a taken a tour and not had time to enjoy the trails.

[fergusonvt]

Having Zumba withdrawals. No classes for the last 2 weeks because of the holidays and I sure hope our next snow storm doesn't screw up Monday nights class. In addition to the Beachbody workouts I'm doing I took my rebounder out again and have been doing it at least once a day for 30 minutes. It's a great low impact workout that is easy on your knees and ankles and is so much fun. Hope everyone had great holidays and kept on track with their weightloss efforts.

Edited January 3, 2014 by fergusonvt

[Anita Latte]

@Kasi...so good to hear from you! I'm glad that you are able to walk normally again. Core exercise and yoga is SO BENEFICIAL. DH and I are in the process of sharing our goals and what we are going to do to achieve them...core work and yoga is something that we both will be incorporating into our routine. Remember to have the expectation that whatever you are doing will have a positive impact on your health and fitness levels...expectations are key...remember the study of the hotel housekeepers!

 

@Stef...welcome to the thread! I admit that I never did the Wii Zumba games but I have watched videos of them on YouTube. They do look like fun...but I would agree...not quite as much fun as a class...but I like the feedback that you get with the game, which makes it a bit more interesting than the videos. I like interaction. :)

 

@burm...I feel cold here. I can't imagine your weather! OMG. I remember a few days that were very cold in Kansas, but never that cold. Wow. It's hard for me to be motivated in cold...I hope you are motivated with the spirit of the new year!

 

@fergusonvt...I was so fortunate to not suffer the Zumba withdrawl. The ladies had to sign up for class at Curves and have enough that the owner would have the class. We DID experience a difference in the class offerings at the Y which was annoying. As a teacher, I understand the idea of time off around the holidays...but at the same time...it's when many people have more time to work out!! And I was frustrated that my own opportunities to work out were limited. Sigh.

 

It's exciting to see so many posts here! I can feel the motivation of everyone with that new year's energy!

 

I have that energy going on. I've been researching and planning. Contemplating what has been successful in the past and what is a realistic expectation for achieving our goals. With the work/school vacation and the limited schedule at the Y...the program doesn't really start until next week.

 

So we'll hit the ground running on Monday. Nothing major. Back to common goals.

 

1. Hydration.

2. Sleep.

3. Home cooked nutritious food.

4. Regular physical activity.

 

So simple. LOL.

 

We cruise at the end of March. I have the wardrobe for cruising. Several things that I've never worn or only worn once or twice. So I'm very motivated to get back into my clothes.

 

I'm debating whether or not I'm going to go to the Zumba class at the Y on Monday. It's the last day of vacation for DS...teacher's have a professional day to get ready for the new grading period and coming back from vacation themselves. I don't know if I want to leave him home alone on the last day...I think I do though. That shouldn't be that big a deal, right? It's for such a short time...even if it is the last vacation day.

[Anita Latte]

I really love biology. I really do. At least the theory of it...I had a hard time with dissection...and when I was in school studying, even though bio was my absolute favorite class...I couldn't see how I would have used the degree to work. What's funny is that I don't use my degree right now...and I would love to have more biology knowledge!!

 

Anyway...

 

I've been researching how to burn fat.

 

I know this seems simple, but anyone who has tried to lose fat knows that it actually isn't that simple. Our bodies aren't that simple. Everyone wants to say calories in and calories out, but the fact of the matter is that this equation has too many variants involved for it to be an absolute equation. Everything from the type of calorie, to the time of day, to the time between calories, to hydration levels, to mineral levels, TOM for women, OMG!!!

 

And the thing is that I want to UNDERSTAND...

 

So I've been doing a lot of reading today about how our bodies store and use fat in general. And in all that studying...I have come across ONE valuable piece of information. Well...it's COMPOUND information...but one general idea. It's so wonderful that I have to share it with all of you...and hopefully, as I share, it will become that much more cemented in my own noggin.

 

Why are your muscles sore?

 

Lactic acid, you say.

 

Why?

 

I've read only one reason over the years. That is, anaerobic activity creates lactic acid. Fair enough.

 

But I've never understood why there wasn't enough oxygen during some activities that I have done that have made me sore.

 

I mean...if I get serious about laundry...and go up and down my stairs over and over again...all day long...(I don't know how my family generates so much laundry...but we DO)...I can have sore legs the next day. But I wasn't breathing heavy. I wasn't REALLY working out, so to speak...so WHY were my muscles sore? There should have been enough oxygen.

 

Know what? There WAS!

 

It turns out that in all actuality...there wasn't enough FAT.

 

:confused::eek:

 

Calories in our muscles are "burned" in the mitochondria of our muscles. One article likened the mitochondria to a fireplace. The fuel burned is a combination of sugar and fat...in the forms that the body can burn...I'm just going to say sugar and fat. Sugar is like the kindling...it fires the true fuel source, which is fat. Fat are the logs on the fire, so to speak. They pack more punch, right?

 

According to study after study...the ratios of sugar and fat may change depending on the energy requirements and the body's perception of the situation...and this is how we get terms like "fat burning zone" etc...but usually, sugar and fat burn together...

 

Until they don't.

 

When sugar burns without fat...lactic acid results.

 

And I am sore.

 

What to do?

 

Everyone says, work out again...you'll feel better.

 

It's true, but WHY?

 

Here's what happens...eventually...

 

EVENTUALLY...your body will respond to your muscles cry for "More fat, PLEASE!"...because your body didn't enjoy the lactic acid build up any more than you do...and if you persist in using your muscles enough that you NEED more fat to burn sugar completely...your body will finally stop being a Scrooge with it's fat stores...and it will FLOOD your body with some fat.

 

And this could be why I seem to lose weight in SUDDEN drops after periods of NOTHING...

 

As you continue to use your muscles...you will continue to be supplied with fat.

 

IN FACT...if you DO continue to use your muscles, your muscles will actually form MORE mitochondria so that it can have the ability to supply energy better...which means that your muscles will demand even MORE fat for energy...because it has more fireplaces for burning fires.

 

And this, I believe, is one way that we FEEL stronger, without actually BUILDING muscle.

 

Building muscle is hard work. It requires overloading muscles combined with specific nutrition so that you can BUILD muscle.

 

But there is A LOT that your muscles can do to become BETTER muscles without becoming BIGGER muscles.

 

And from previous knowledge...we know that some of the effects of how muscles become BETTER adds to lean muscle mass without actually adding muscle fibers. That is, without BUILDING muscle...which is a misnomer to say when you want to tell someone that they are gaining "good" weight because they are exercising.

 

My take away is that I can turn my body into a better fat burning machine by simply increasing my level of activity IN GENERAL. MOVE in any way that is MORE movement than you have done previously. This is an explanation that you can actually count on to help you burn more fat over time.

[Anita Latte]

I hope everyone is staying warm wherever you are!

 

I taught this morning. I was so glad to have the class set up because there is no way that I would have been working out otherwise. My car said it was 9 degrees this morning when I went to class. Weatherbug said that it felt like minus 7 with wind chill. Going to class helped me warm up!!

 

Just a reminder of the undeniably beneficial but often painful foam roller...aka "roller of pain" in our house. I needed to use that tonight to help out my legs. I've been trying to up my general activity so I've been spending more time on my feet than I have recently...and my legs have been so sore. The foam roller really does help to massage out the knots.

 

I know there is a Zumba class tomorrow morning at the Y. I might go. I might see what other classes there are...either way, the kiddo goes back to school tomorrow and so it will be my first day all alone since December 19. It's nice to have company during the day...I just might have to get out just to be around other people. And I might as well go to an exercise class if I want to get out of the house and be around other people. I think I'll check out the schedule.

[neoncandle]

I, too, have been looking for a good zumba video - but then I discovered Zumba games on my dusty hardly used XBox 360. They are a lot of fun. They are not a replacement for a real class, but still it gets me up, moving and sweating. They never have a class in my town when I can go. I have lost 2.5 pounds so far... I'd love to lose another 10 before March 15th (sail date) and hope I can continue my good habits on the cruise. And it has been as cold as -25 here recently, so no excuses for not getting a workout!

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

sigh, don't you hate it when you start to work out after months of slothdom that first of all your weight will go up instead of down?

 

I gained 1,1kg this month, while working out each day...but I feel that my metabolism is slowly demanding more food...so I'm positive on loosing those gained gramms again rapidly as long as I don't eat more than what I do anyway.

 

Muscles are heavy -- I don't mind those gramms ... and to keep them up and well trained I'll just burn the lumps of glibber around my tummy... sounds like a plan:D!

 

I'll have to get out the measurement tape to get a better look at what's happening. The scale alone right now is depressing me.

 

Stef

[burm]

I now ignore the scale and go by how my pants fit.

 

 

 

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[Anita Latte]

I researched the phenomenon of weight gain when you start to exercise. Mom and I both experience this. It can be frustrating. Basically, your muscles have responded to your exercise, they understand that you have increased your activity and demand more from them. They respond to this by storing more water and glycogen to help meet your increased demand. This accounts for that initial weight gain...water weighs a lot. It's good..it shows a positive response to exercise IMO. I think your body is happy and wants to do whatever it is that you are doing and do it well. So keep it up!

 

Burn...me too. I pay more attention to how my clothes fit. I have some that work really well to mark progress...fitted waistband...bras...etc.

 

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[hi2you]

I haven't met anyone who tried Zumba and didnt like it. I enjoy the energy of live classes. I just splurged on the Zumba Exhilirate DVD's. 7 DVD's-20 minutes, 40 minutes, and an awesome 60 minute concert like one. It was filmed at a Zumba conference.

[MJC]

Tomorrow I'm taking my first Zumba class in three weeks, and I can't wait! I miss it! I've been missing my weight routine too and my knees are letting me know it.

 

I got Just Dance 4 for Wii for Christmas so at least I have something fun to do when we get snow-bound.

 

So excited that my March cruise on Princess will have Zumba on sea days .:D

[Anita Latte]

I hope that everyone is doing well!

 

I have spent the better part of this afternoon/evening trying to figure out a new warm up for my Curves class. SO not happening. BUT, things need to changed up! I always feel that changing warm up and stretch/cool down songs can really change the way the whole class feels...BUT...again...I think everyone who reads this thread knows that I have serious problems with warm up songs...and changing them! OMG...I did Moves Like Jagger FOREVER at the rec center class...but I digress...

 

After hours...literally hours...trying to figure out choreo to a song that I thought was a winner...and then deciding that maybe the song was TERRIBLE after all...I decided to just completely mess with the play list.

 

You see...I have 30 minutes of Zumba in the Circuit...and then 30 minutes of Zumba. And so I moved the songs all around...and switched them between the two sections of class. It's going to be different...but not entirely new...and having to do at least one song for the entire song and not just in one minute intervals is really going to challenge some of these ladies! I'm excited to see how it goes. I took out some songs...gasp...some favorite songs...BUT you can overplay certain types of songs...and so...they need a break...and I'm bringing back some songs that I took out before...so everything is all mixed up!

 

It's going to be fabulous.

 

And with any luck...soon enough...I will change the warm up songs for both classes...sigh.

 

Meanwhile...we are embarking on an eating style that I would classify as anti-inflammatory. DH is in pain. You may remember that he has back issues relating to bulging discs and even degenerative discs...nerve pain...which is very difficult to treat. We've started a specific vitamin regimen that is targeted toward helping nerve pain, aka neuropathy and now I am seeking to include more anti-inflammatory foods. The good news is that we already eat a lot of these foods...but it isn't a regimented schedule of rotation and inclusion...and now I will focus on that. FYI, these are some top anti-inflammatory foods:

 

1. Salmon and other fatty fish.

2. Raw Almonds...and other raw nuts.

3. Celery and Celery Seed

4. Spicy Peppers...the spicier, the more anti-inflammatory chemicals within...but beware, as peppers are a member of the nightshade family and some are sensitive to such.

5. Olive Oil...preferably unheated/cooked

6. Onions and Garlic

7. Ginger...one of the best pain killers around, apparently

8. Tart Cherries

9. Turmeric

10. Tomatoes...beware, for some, no, because of sensitivity to the nightshade family.

11. Deep Greens...and also the cruciferous veggies

 

Guess what? Recommended foods are a bunch of colorful vegetables! Healthy fat. Warming spices. Hmmmmmmmmmmm...I think I've read this before!!

 

But seriously...I've read that dietary changes can take 6 weeks and longer for any effect to be noticeable. So off we go! DH is pretty inflamed after holiday and birthday foods (DH is a New Year's Baby/DS' bday was Friday)...and some weekend activity has been hitting him hard and causing pain...so we need a time of cleaning house, so to speak. The New Year is a good time for such things...

 

I hope everyone else is doing well pursuing their health and fitness goals! Margaret, how was class?

[MrnMrsT1231]

I love zumba , i zumba at home on xbox and live at the gym

 

Ready To Go!!!!

[Anita Latte]

I went to a jam today! It's for ZIN members to learn new choreo. 3 HOURS!! I did over 19,500 steps in 3 hours!!! OMG.

 

And I learned some very fun routines. This Zin Jammer was AWESOME!! I learned a new Samba routine to an incredible song...I have to share this song! I LOVE it. Very long...but such a fun vibe!

 

 

Enjoy!

[MJC]

Anita, that's an awesome song. I love the jive dancing in the video, I know I've seen it before but I can't remember what movie it's from.

 

Two of my classes last week had subs, and I really liked the stretch we did to Brave by Sara Bareilles, and Like a Champion by Selena Gomez.

 

My favorite part of the Grammys was Get Lucky by Daft Punk, with guest Stevie Wonder. What a great disco throwback, makes me want to put on a skirt and do the hustle. :)

[MJC]

So sad, :( my favorite crazy latin Zumba teacher on Tuesday nights has left the gym. Now I have to rethink my weekly schedule which was a perfect T-Th-S. His class was so dance-y and fun! The new girl is so terrible I wonder if she is even properly Zumba trained. :eek: There were only 4 people in class, where before there were 15-20. I know I won't be going back.

 

Positive news -- I'm only two pounds away from the interim goal weight I set for my cruise next month! Yay!

[DJSchib]

I have never tried Zumba but have thought about it.

 

We leave one week from today and I had so hoped to make my "first" goal weight but I have stayed the same for the past 4 days. So frustrating especially after having days of good eating and lots of exercise, for me anyways Feeling bummed

 

 

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[Anita Latte]

Aww Margaret...I feel for you. It's hard to have a favorite instructor move on. Sometimes...you are fortunate enough to get another instructor that can appeal as greatly but maybe in a different way...but all too often, it seems that the new instructor falls short. Mom has had to deal with this...

 

And this is the hard part of having something you love be so dependent on people...because people's lives are generally in constant flux...and riding the tides of that change when you are relying on them is very problematic. I think this is one reason why the instructor I went to in Texas was/is so special. She is really grounded...and she is constant. She has been teaching for so long...it is a big family over there in her classes...and the more I learn about other situations, the more I understand the rarity of what is going on in her classes.

 

I hope you are able to figure out something for your schedule!

 

And a big congratulations on achieving your interim goal!

 

I read recently a quote that said the equivalent of, don't save the celebration for when you achieve your goal...instead...celebrate each step toward the goal as an achievement.

 

DJSchib...I've never lost weight bit by bit. For whatever reason...and I have searched for explanations...my weight seems to fall off in random leaps. I will hold steady in the weight department...and then suddenly...I will lose several pounds seemingly overnight. For this reason, I have found that it is especially helpful to keep track of measurements and the way that certain clothing items fit...because it can help to keep the motivation going. I do understand how disheartening it can be to feel like you are doing everything right and not see the results of your actions...been there...don't lose heart though...keep after it. Most journeys have a combination of hills and valleys...and flatland.

[Member123]

Yesterday was a frustrating cruise critic day for me! I posted quite a long diatribe and lost it all to the "maintenance gremlins."

 

Anyway, now I don't feel like repeating myself over all the "stuff" that was so steaming important yesterday!

 

Margaret, it's something else when your favorite instructor moves on! I haven't recovered, yet, sorry to say. Plus, it seemed to me that her class being cancelled (she didn't quit voluntarily and it's a long, sad story)... started the tip of an iceberg that just began this slow, numbing sinking feeling. Yes! Drama Queen surfaces! :D

 

The gym has changed the schedule so much that I'm just all out of sorts. I, too, had such a great schedule... evenly spaced... and at good times, with many instructor choices. Now, they are concentrating on 6:30pm classes rather than morning, and have eliminated a lot of choices. The instructors have changed so much, and are doing more "international" (read: hip/hop) type of songs/movement that I just don't feel the Love. For. The. Music. And, so many of the instructors don't properly warm up and then just send you off from class with a statement that you should "cool down, ladies" before you leave! Where?!? We're exiting the room so that the next class can burst onto the scene, so exactly when/where are we supposed to accomplish this cool down? So disappointing.

 

BUT, I've been reading Anita's postings with the cruise critic member who is asking about the "start/stop/restart/keep motivated" syndrome, and it really made me start evaluating, again! Thanks, Anita! I do need to get back in some sort of regular routine with exercise, because I simply have the most sedentary life imaginable. It's really, really difficult to come up with multiple excuses to even try to significantly move during the day, especially during the winter months. It's not quite as difficult during the times of the year when yard maintenance is quite demanding.

 

Anyway, resolution reset. I've got to get my head wrapped around being more positive about my Zumba opportunities. Margaret, don't fall into my rut! :eek:

[DJSchib]

Thanks Anita for the encouragement Just haven't figured this weight loss thing out. Had such a good eating and exercising day then nothing. I understand totally how all of a sudden you drop 2-3 pounds instead of ounces out of nowhere My clothes definitely is a good indication on how they are fitting. I just so wanted to reach my first goal weight and with a week to go that won't happen

 

Now I have to figure out how you go on a cruise and eat well and get proper exercise. I refuse to gain weight. Too hard to take off!!

 

 

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[Anita Latte]

Thanks Anita for the encouragement Just haven't figured this weight loss thing out. Had such a good eating and exercising day then nothing. I understand totally how all of a sudden you drop 2-3 pounds instead of ounces out of nowhere My clothes definitely is a good indication on how they are fitting. I just so wanted to reach my first goal weight and with a week to go that won't happen

 

Now I have to figure out how you go on a cruise and eat well and get proper exercise. I refuse to gain weight. Too hard to take off!!

 

 

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I went two months once without a single pound down...lost 2" around my hips in that time but the scale wouldn't budge...and then suddenly I lost around 10 pounds.

 

It's not any single day...it's the days we string together that make the difference. It takes a lot of time for our bodies to make adjustments to anything we do. There is a lot going on behind the scenes that you can't possibly know...but your body is continuing to respond to what you are doing...and eventually...that change beneath the surface will manifest itself to you in a known way. For now...continue to feel good about what you are doing...continue to expect the change that is coming...celebrate the fact that you are doing good for yourself...and don't get too caught up in numbers on a scale.

 

As for going on a cruise and not gaining weight...

 

The key to that is to be MINDFUL. Don't get so caught up in the moment that you don't listen to your body's signals. Here's the hardest thing in the world...eat when you are hungry...stop when you are full. Be so mindful that you pay attention to these things. And as horrible as it can feel...don't feel like you have to clean ANY plate. Pace yourself through the meals so that you enjoy each course you decide to eat...

 

And know this. Depending on your body type...it may be very difficult to not gain water weight on the cruise. I have the body type that is easily influenced by sodium...it causes me to retain water in a horrible way. When I last cruised...7 nights...I think I gained almost 10 pounds...but I got back home and hit my routine and in less than a week...I'd lost all that extra weight. It really was just water retention due to the fact that there is a LOT of sodium used in almost ALL restaurant prepared food.

[MJC]

Anyway, resolution reset. I've got to get my head wrapped around being more positive about my Zumba opportunities. Margaret, don't fall into my rut! :eek:

 

One of the main things that has helped me lose weight and gain focus this year and a half or so has been the establishment of a routine. When I retired from dancing and changed careers, routine was the first thing that went out the window, and making a new one for myself has been the key to whatever success I'm having.

 

So, my new schedule is M-Th-S Zumba, T-F weight training. Lately snow shoveling has been my "activity" on my off days :eek:, but I hope to add swimming when the seasons change.

 

I won't deny that it takes a lot of discipline. Sometimes it's really hard to make the choice to go. I work, I have errands and chores, and there are many other important commitments that take up my time. I HAVE to schedule my workouts and food choices or I'm off the rails very quickly. I HAVE to choose to do these things EVERY DAY. It takes a lot of self-love to do that, to make yourself a priority, and I have decided for my health and longevity to love myself enough to care for my body and do these things in a committed, lifelong way. I will not sacrifice myself on the altar of someone else's idea of what the perfect, selfless ideal wife/mother/daughter is, especially if it means I am killing myself slowly in the process with heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, or whatever. I need the reserves of strength and health that this new lifestyle will provide in order to give what I need to give to the others around me who need me.

 

I love Zumba, and I love being more fit, and it turns out I love those things more than cookies -- and I reeeeaaallly love cookes. :)

[kasi1979]

Thanks ladies for pointing out how important routine and continuity is.

 

Since my injury last summer I´m struggling to get back in form, let alone loose weight.

I´ve restarted my effort of using MFP as this keeps me accountable for what I eat, and as I´m not yet fit enough for long exercises, I´m onbe again using my wii and balance board, to at least 30 min of free step a day. I know this is a far cry from the Zumba routine I had going for so long, but right now the ankle denies any kind of dancing moves...

 

Reading of snow shoveling seems like a foreign concept to Germany this year. We´ve had one snow day all winter and temperatures mostly above freezing point, so we are mot sure if we´ll get any real winter at all...

[Anita Latte]

Such great thoughts Margaret! Such an accurate assessment of the need to make ourselves a priority...and do expend the effort needed to exercise...even when we don't want to at all.

 

I recently came across some information...long story short...I believe that I have what they call "the mask of pregnancy"...it's called melasma and it is a hyperpigmentation in your face that is caused by hormones being out of whack. LOVELY. But it explains some things for me...I don't have a lot of pigmentation compared to many...so how easily it is to see varies greatly...I've been trying to figure out what is wrong with my complexion for a while...again...trying to keep it short...

 

For our health benefits...I can get a deposit in the medical account for having an annual exam...several different ones qualify. I'm going to do a well adult visit and hopefully get some blood work done to see if some of the things I suspect can be verified and then formulate a plan to deal.

 

Meanwhile...I'm going to start tracking my body temperature. Thanks again for those links from earlier Margaret. I know that my body temperature is low...and my research suggestions that if I can tackle this issue...I will naturally help my body become a better machine for burning calories and fat and subsequently lose fat easier.

 

For exercise...I'm sticking to Zumba once a week. I hit it hard for that one time, and given my current reaction (it pretty much wipes me out)...once a week is good enough for a hard push in the cardio department. That's Tuesday for me.

 

I'm teaching two 30-minute strength training classes. The exercises have been effective for me. They are simple, multi-muscle exercises that rely on self body weight for resistance and "weight training." I'm going to call that good to start.

 

I think I need to focus on things that are designed for more stress relief...not super stressful exercise that may weaken me too much. I love this one yoga routine that is done is the one class...I've written out the routine...I want to do that 3 times weekly.

 

I have some other outdoor activities planned that I could do, weather permitting.

 

I'm hoping my exercise schedule will help me with some stress issues.

 

DH and I have started to tackle other things that have been causing stress in life...

 

On the food front...I'm going to start the flood of nutritious food. I'm going to be totally focused on nutrition and release myself from worrying about total calories.

 

It's all very exciting.

[Member123]

Anita,

I am reading a trip report on a Summit cruise, which is interesting to me because that's what your Dad and I have planned for this December. AND, the poster had such an eloquent description of Zumba on board that I wanted to post and share with you.

 

I've already commented on the at sea brunch and daily poolside Zumba sessions. More on the latter: My husband had never even heard of Zumba, and though I could never talk him into shaking a leg with the gang, I teased him because each night he always checked the ship’s daily to see when the next day’s Zumba was going to be. He got a kick out of watching it. What we both thought was fun is that a session would usually start out with a dozen or so Zumba veterans -- cruisers who clearly already knew the routines -- up front warming up and eagerly waiting for the music to start. But with each new tune more novices or bashful types (both genders, all ages, lithe dancers with sculpted bodies to out of shape good-sport semi klutzes) would join in till the crowd had usually tripled or quadrupled. It was infectious, at least to many around the pool, and everyone who joined in seemed to be having a ball. It actually inspired me! I’m one of these people who really needs to work out regularly (overweight after years on steroids, needing moderate cardio as ongoing rehab after open heart surgery) but who doesn’t do it enough because I find just using workout equipment boring beyond belief, even with my iPod. But when we got home from the cruise, I looked into local Zumba sessions and found that the Y just blocks from home offers Zumba Gold, modified for seniors and people with mobility challenges. I know some cruisers find the Zumba sessions corny or annoying to their peace by the pool, but if that includes you, just keep in mind that it may help turn fatsos like me into toned goddesses by next year’s cruise. Or healthier chubbos, anyway. If all this marks me as a fogey, so be it!

 

So, this post also adjusted my thinking because I have to admit to being a bit irritated at times at the people I viewed as "lurkers" who just sat around and watched Zumba from the loungers. I even read of one woman who wouldn't move her lounger from the MIDDLE of the area where Zumba was being given; apparently, she was staging a sort of 70's "sit in" protest because of her poolside peace being disturbed. I guess it takes all kinds.

 

Margaret, I had such a severe blow to my Zumba heart on Tuesday. An instructor that I highly value was dismissed by the gym, not leaving of her own accord. It's a stupid story that isn't worth repeating; it's just a testament to small minds having power that they get to use when they want to make themselves feel important. Whatever.

 

It forces me to evaluate a LOT. So, I think that I've decided that I'm going to get my "extra" room together and turn it into a real exercise area. I've been thinking about doing it for years (and I do mean that literally), so now is definitely the time. I'm going to search through online videos and come up with several routines of my own and just have a very small (but well attended) Zumba class of ONE. Take that you stupid gym manager! :mad: :(