Any other Zumba fans?

[cbergms]

For all of you getting ready to go on the Mariner of the Seas, I'm so jealous. I have 29 more day before my trip. I want to hear all the details of your trip. My message board doesn't have anybody talking about zumba. I will just have to make my own exercise. I love the gym on the ship. I also participate in all of the dance on deck activities and the walk a mile.

 

Please let me know what excursions you do. We only have cave tubing in Belize scheduled through VIV tours. Also let me know what shows and activities are a must to see.

 

Thank you,

Carolyn

[jmcruisers0630]

I am OBSESSED with zumba! I have been doing it for about 5 years now. Even while on any vacation, I look for zumba. I hope there will be some type of zumba class on our upcoming cruise, because it's not exercise to me. It's FUN!

[aoknkentucky]

Anita, Hope you and Pam and family have a wonderful cruise and are able to find lots of time and lots of fun friends to Zumba with during your time onboard. Happy birthday! Godspeed!

[kasi1979]

Ladies,

 

preparing for my cruise I wanted to stop and say hello to all of you.

I´ve had my first zumba toning class on Sunday and by now my muscles are no longer sore ;) It´s a pretty intense training and as I talked to my instructor last night about which regions hurt, she told me I did everything right, as those are the areas supposed to be trained *lol*

 

Well, I´m in the process of getting my stuff together. Today´s my last full day at the office, I´ll hand my documents in tomorrow, and than it´s vacation time. On saturday I´ll take the plane to Italy, and on this time Sunday, I´ll still be asleep as we don´t reach Barcelona til Midday.

 

I changed my workout routine from only Zumba to a Zumba Gym mix. The goal is to drop weight and to further redefine my body with BIL´s wedding loomin on the horizon. So far it´s a slow process but process nonetheless.

This morning my wii finally told my my BMI is below 30 :)

 

I´m going to post my pre-cruise weight tomorrow in order to keep me accountable.

 

have a wonderful day, take care

[kasi1979]

Hi Ladies,

 

my pre-cruise weight is 78,5 kg, which means an BMI of 29.5

 

I have 12 days of cruising ahead of me, let´s see how much it will be after that.

 

Take care everyone and Zumba on.

[MJC]

I had my second Zumba class this week - it was so much fun! I have a question for everyone about shoes. What do you wear, and why do you like it?

 

I dug an old pair of Bloch's hip hop dance sneakers out of the closet and I love them but they are too old now and I need to replace them. They work very well for Zumba but they don't have any support left. What I like about them is they are very lightweight and cool, and they are designed for turning well.

 

Can you give me some advice? I know there are a lot of appropriate shoes out there.

[no-name-at-all]

In July we are scheduled for a 35 day "Voyage of the Vikings" cruise on the Maasdam with Holland America. Being the Zumba fan that I am, I just don't want to be 35 days without it and I know HAL doesn't offer it yet on their ships. I found about 10 people who love Zumba or would like to try it on the Voyage of the Vikings thread. Here's my plan: I've reserved a room with a big screen TV and a DVD player in the mornings on sea days. My plan is to buy one of the Zumba Fitness DVD sets and use it to Zumba together.

 

My question for all you Zumba fans: Has anyone used one of these DVD's? As far as I know Zumba fitness has 2 sets. The original one is called "Total Transformation" and the more recent one is called "Fitness Exhilarate". Would anyone recommend one over the other? Does anyone have any suggestions on how best I can use them on my cruise?

 

Any help would be much appreciated!!:)

[Happy Peach]

I had my second Zumba class this week - it was so much fun! I have a question for everyone about shoes. What do you wear, and why do you like it?

 

I dug an old pair of Bloch's hip hop dance sneakers out of the closet and I love them but they are too old now and I need to replace them. They work very well for Zumba but they don't have any support left. What I like about them is they are very lightweight and cool, and they are designed for turning well.

 

Can you give me some advice? I know there are a lot of appropriate shoes out there.

I wear the nike air musique IV. They are great for all the studio gym classes I take, including zumba. I happen to have good luck with nike shoes and these are my second pair of nike studio shoes.

[Anita Latte]

I had my second Zumba class this week - it was so much fun! I have a question for everyone about shoes. What do you wear, and why do you like it?

 

I dug an old pair of Bloch's hip hop dance sneakers out of the closet and I love them but they are too old now and I need to replace them. They work very well for Zumba but they don't have any support left. What I like about them is they are very lightweight and cool, and they are designed for turning well.

 

Can you give me some advice? I know there are a lot of appropriate shoes out there.

 

Hey Margaret!

 

Isn't Zumba great? It isn't often that you can say that exercise is fun...and sometimes, some of the moves and some of the songs with Zumba are annoying too...but those few can pass quickly...and overall, it's good fun for working up a sweat.

 

If you like Bloch, check out their new offerings of dance sneakers. They don't have the split sole...but they still have the same great surface for turning. I wore Bloch for a while...I liked them when they fit my foot perfectly...however, as I started to lose weight, my foot began to regain a more normal shape (my feet had spread when I was pregnant, regained a more normal shape afterwards, but then had started to spread again with weight gain.), and the Bloch shoes became just lose enough...I lost the lateral support and I almost twisted my ankle a couple times. After the second time, I got new shoes.

 

I have also used the Nike Musique IV, I believe. They were my first Zumba shoes actually. They were great compared to non-dance sneakers. The arch support was lacking for me after a while (I think when my feet started to change shape) and perhaps a new insole would have helped BUT...they were a bit stiff with a non-mesh upper...and HOT...and I decided to try something different...the Bloch.

 

After Bloch, I got Ryka transitions. These were very good. I replaced the cheap insole with a better one and they were fabulous until I wore them out. Good sole for turning, lightweight, breathable...but I blew out the sides where the pinky toe is? on BOTH shoes...and so I wanted to get something that might have a bit more longevity.

 

I researched and settled on Nike Free TR Fit shoes. These are a cross training shoe whose main claim to fame is the style of sole. You can wring the shoe out like a towel, the sole is so flexible. You can see this in the video on the Zappos website. And the tread is such that it doesn't grab too much on a smooth floor. I also put in a different insole though.

 

I do teach on carpet though...and I noticed that I was feeling Zumba more on the carpet with these shoes. So I decided to order the Z-kicks from Zumba which have a sole that is GREAT on carpet. At the time I needed to order these shoes, the new Bloch shoes had not come out. For my next go round with shoes, I will probably give the Bloch shoes a run.

 

I hope all this info helps. Shoes really make a huge difference. I know that shoes get a rap for being a constant size and so women are often stereotyped as loving to buy shoes because generally shoes still fit regardless of your weight...however, I have discovered that changing weight, changing ability, and different floor surfaces have all had an impact on which shoes are better for Zumba for me. I share in case you discover the same thing.

 

Have you continued to go to class? Still liking it?

[Anita Latte]

Kasi! How was your cruise?

 

I am BUMMING because I don't have another cruise planned! Even if it is another 18 months in the future! It's amazing how that planned week served as such a motivator for me.

 

And after seeing the pictures...I am motivated to finish this race. I originally had thought that 18 months would be long enough for me to achieve my goal. Perhaps if I was more militant in my dietary intake, I could have done it. But it has been very important to me to try to adopt a new lifestyle instead of "go on a diet" and so I did not reach my goal.

 

I weighed myself at the beginning of the cruise...when we were exploring the ship and checking out the fitness area. I was rather disappointed to see the number on the scale of the ship. I know that my scale at home is inaccurate in the extreme, but the ship's scale was a good 10+ pounds higher than my home scale. I thought I was riding the 160 pound line, give or take...but it was the 170 pound line on the ship.

 

This still doesn't diminish the 50 pounds, give or take, that I have lost...or the inches...but it does light a fire under me to get down to the 140 pound line, give or take.

 

I gained 5 pounds on the cruise...considering the daily alcohol intake...the multiple appetizers and desserts...eating when I wasn't really very hungry...and the fact that I didn't exercise AT ALL during the cruise...I considered 5 pounds to be about right. Judging from the fit of my clothing...since my scale is so whacked...I know that I have already lost that and more since coming home.

 

I think actually the break during the vacation...and coming home and jumping right back into my 8 classes a week schedule SHOCKED my body into letting go of the cruise weight and then some. Mom gave me some bottoms that she had shrank out of...I tried them on before the cruise and they were tight...I just tried them on yesterday and the waist was lose and the thighs didn't create that "crotch pull line" any longer.

 

I've been thinking about what to do about how to go about achieving my ultimate goal. I've been in pursuit of it since September 12, 2010. It is April 6, 2012. That's 572 days so far...over 81 weeks. In this time, I have only missed taking Zumba classes for 4 weeks. There was one week during my parent's Christmas visit in 2010...one week in the spring 2011 (Spring Break)...one week during Christmas 2011...and my cruise week. Zumba is definitely a part of my life...my routine...and when I don't have at least one class...I miss it. I may not need ALL the classes that I teach to get my fix...and lately, I've been thinking that I'd like to cut back my schedule...but I know that the stress relief that I get from the class is always worth it...even if I am dragging my rear to class and fully don't feel like doing it.

 

It's obvious that my food is the issue.

 

DH has been dealing with back issues. I have concluded recently that IF we were to pursue an anti-inflammation diet...he could probably relieve a lot of the pain that he experiences. There are numerous health benefits associated with a diet that is designed to reduce inflammation and body acidity.

 

I recently watched a movie called "Forks Over Knives." I'm not necessarily recommending this movie...but there was an interesting take away for me from the movie. They reported on the incidence of osteoporosis in countries as compared to their dairy intake. In countries with high dairy intake, osteoporosis was high...in countries with lower dairy intake, osteoporosis was low. Here was their explanation:

 

Dairy creates an acid environment in the body. CALCIUM is the preferred buffer to reduce body acidity. The body gets the calcium from your bones. The calcium supplied by the dairy cannot counter the need for even more calcium because of the resulting increase in body acidity. Thus, those that consume a lot of dairy generally have a more acidic body...resulting in more calcium leeched from their bones...resulting in higher incidence of osteoporosis. This is just one example of a negative effect of an acidic body...with past research, I had learned of this one and more.

 

It seems that many of the foods that create more acidity also contribute to inflammation, so to pursue one is to pursue the other. Anti-inflammatories is something that DH has been prescribed in the past to help reduce his back pain. So it makes sense that a diet that would help reduce inflammation instead of contribute to inflammation would be helpful. My thoughts are that pursuing such a diet would be a part of a lifestyle...and while a side benefit of such a diet would likely be weight loss...since the reason to eat such a diet wouldn't necessarily be SOLELY for the pursuit of weight loss...this begins to take the OPTION out of food choices. It's one thing to want to lose weight...it's another thing to choose to eat one way to reduce, or help someone else reduce, constant PAIN.

 

So these are my current thoughts and goals, in regards to the continued pursuit of my health and fitness goals after the big celebration cruise. I have discovered that I am not motivated by short term goals...these are stressful for me. Long term goals with lifestyle change being the ultimate goal is what has proven to be successful so far. Mom and I were talking during our visit and we agree that it will probably take me another year to really get to where I want to be physically.

 

That would be Spring Break 2013.

 

So that's it. New goal. New focus. I am going to continue my Zumba classes while researching and planning a diet that would be designed to reduce inflammation and body acidity.

 

Now I just need a new celebration for Spring Break 2013!;)

[kasi1979]

Hi Anita,

 

thanks for posting again on this thread.

my post-cruise weight as of today is 80,2 kg, which means I gained 1,7 kg in the last 22 days as my Wii was so nice to point out.

I´m pretty sure most of that is due to some unhealthy food choices during the last couple of days as I caught a cold and am craving comforty foods...

 

Anyways:

My cruise was nice. Knowing all the ports relieves you of the stress to see it all and do it all. We could concentrate on half day excursions and doing stuff more in our personla speed and not always looking where is our group... The weather was really nice on 10 days out of 12 and I got my first sunburn of the season :( Must have missed some spots while putting on sunscreen.

I managed to go swimming on a few days and hit the gym oin 3 days, apart from that we tended to walk the stairs a lot. As our cabin was on the lowest level (deck 1), and the pool and buffet on deck 9, you got quite a lot of stairs to take...

 

I started my new job this week and have not been to any sport due to being bone tired with all the new stuff to take in. I hope to get my cold to get better during the Holidays and hope to be back on track by Tuesday.

 

We have no cruise booked as of yet, but are looking for a transatlantic cruise for this fall, as I cannot take time off work during the first 6 month, and DH has a huge project to finish this summer, so hopefully we´ll get to take a longer vacation in the fall.

Before than there´s still the wedding of my BIL coming up in July and September and my goal is to fit into a nice dress that does not look or feel like a tent...

Edited April 7, 2012 by kasi1979

[Anita Latte]

Happy Easter to everyone!

 

I'm apologize for not saying an individual hello to all the new posters here. I like to think of myself as the "hostess" of this thread, welcoming new comers and being as helpful as I can be with regards to whatever questions and concerns are posted here...but frankly...I've been too involved in my own drama to spend the time that I normally do reading and responding.

 

Here's the deal.

 

I'm moving.

 

And it isn't necessarily by choice. DH's job is changing. Things have been rough for a while. My DH, my SIL, and my BIL by marriage all work for the same company. SIL and BIL moved to Georgia two years ago when the contract their jobs were dependent on was going to be canceled. DH has been concerned over his own contract for a while now. SIL found out about a great job opportunity for DH, he interviewed, and he received a job offer 6 hours before he found out that, yes, indeed, his contract that he was currently working on was being terminated. Immediately.

 

How divine is that?

 

While I am ever so grateful that we will are not having to go through the hardship that so many have regarding employment, or rather, lack thereof, and that provision is being made for our family, and the one income that we have relied on for most of our married life has been assured through divine providence...I admit that I am very sad to have to move.

 

And I'm somewhat worried.

 

I'm going to have to start over in terms of Zumba classes.

 

I currently teach 8 classes a week...and beginning this Saturday, it will be 9 classes again...as I am starting the Saturday morning Curves class again. But this will be lost with the move. I will have to do what is necessary to do to rebuild my life as an instructor.

 

And I am very sad by this. Because my classes have been growing and continue to grow.

 

It breaks down like this though. DH will likely have to start working in GA before the school year is out; we don't have a definite start date yet, but are imagining that it will be the week of April 30. DS and I will finish the school year in TX. And beyond that, our lease isn't over until the end of July. My current Zumba class session with the rec center ends on May 26. Curves will be the same. My corporate class will continue through the end of June. DS and I, and our household, will not go to GA until July. DH will end up staying with family until everything else moves. He will have a chance to scout out the area.

 

So my immediate future will be concentrating on several things, all of which are related to the preparation of an interstate move to a place that I have never been to before. *sigh*

 

Here's my number 1 goal...

 

And it comes from experience...

 

Once upon a time ago, DH and I decided to get serious about our health and fitness. We were successful. Not to the extent that I am now, but still, successful. And then we moved. And all ground that had been gained was lost. So my number one goal is to do what needs to be done so that I don't lose ANYTHING that I have worked so hard to accomplish.

 

And honestly, I haven't quite detailed what will be required for me to accomplish this goal. But figuring this out is my number one priority with regards to myself and this move.

 

In the midst of Zumba and Zumba related...there is the moving. As in the past, I know that the majority of the packing and moving will fall on my shoulders. I'm fine with this. And I recently read a funny little article with regards to this very topic, so I have a great mindset here.

 

The article was talking about a woman having to sell her home after a divorce. The Realtor said that she had to de-clutter to prepare to sell. And because of their personal timeline, the woman had 14 days to deal with the house. So she just packed up everything and put it in storage. After quite some time of living in minimalist simplicity while the house didn't sell...the woman took the house off the market and prepared to deal with everything that she had put into storage. You can imagine that the woman really didn't miss too much that had been put into storage and was actually enjoying the clean living that had resulted from the de-clutter, BUT she was wanting to find a balance between the clean living and the clutter when bringing back personal items into her home.

 

The word used to describe the process that she went through was NOT de-cluttering...it was CURATING. Like a curator in a museum, she was making choices as to what she was keeping, paring down her collections to the treasures. The result was that the remaining treasures were able to be truly treasured, and appreciated in a way that they couldn't before in the midst of "too much."

 

I've moved a lot. One Thanksgiving, in a fit of anger and bitterness over how much I have moved, I recounted all the moves that I had made since college...I averaged moving every 13 months. Each move, I grow a bit wiser in regards to things and stuff and moving in general. This last move has been the best ever and I am prepared to top it with this one coming. As always, I will be going through our stuff and making decisions about whether or not things will be moved, donated, or attempted to be sold. And this time, I have a great word to guide the process...CURATING...I love it.

 

So, this is what I will end up talking about...moving...and how to maintain my progress in health and fitness through the move. And how my career as an instructor and/or related something or other survives and thrives with this move.

 

Kasi, I'm glad you had a great cruise! If you do a transatlantic cruise, and you land within a day's drive of me, I swear, we HAVE to meet! There's plenty of time between now and July for you to be able to wear a great dress that in no way resembles a tent!

 

Again, Happy Easter everyone!

[kasi1979]

Hi Anita,

 

thanks for letting us know about the changes your live is about to encounter. As you have hinted time and again that DH feared difficulties with his current job, I´m so glad that this worked out for you and you are on your way to a new adventure.

That´s how I would want to treat a move like that. An adventure where you are not sure what lies ahead of you but you are so looking forward to discover all the new things.

As the different states in the US are quite big, care to share a general direction where you are headed?

 

On a possitive note, a move to GA brings you closer to most major ports in regards of cruising :)

 

I wish I had taken the time to curate or just de-clutter in time for our last move, however I did not. First my mother-in-law was ill and died and after that we kind of tumbled into a dark hole. Actually I was still packing my stuff on the day my friends showed up to help us move... This results in several boxes still left unpacked two years after moving. Generally speaking you don´t need the stuff packed in there, however, I´ll attend to curate (yeah, I like that word, too) the content over the next few weeks.

 

Weather today in sunny *yeah* and I have a new camera, so after breakfast I´m heading outside to take some pictures.

 

Thanks for your encouraging words reagrding my wardrobe and all the best for the changes your life is about to experience.

 

Happy Easter everyone.

[MJC]

Hi Anita,

 

I also prefer "curating" to de-cluttering. As an English teacher I understand how words influence thought, so I prefer the idea of "choosing with care" rather than "denying oneself." It applies to our food and exercise choices as well as to our stuff.

 

My sympathies with your DH's situation, we are in a similar bind as my husband really needs to leave his job but the security of the paycheck is paramount -- at any time, but especially in our current economy. As I tell him almost daily, transitioning is difficult but a year from now he will look back on this time and wonder why he waited so long to make a change for the better. We are all such creatures of habit. I also sympathize with your business issues - losing something you have worked so hard to build needs to be mourned. Starting over seems difficult but, truly, it's totally achievable, and you're starting again from a place of vastly more experience and skill so it will be easier the second time around. VOE.

 

I think you will love Georgia, and the idea that you can drive to many ports is excellent! We always have to fly to cruise and it's rather expensive.

 

As for Zumba, for scheduling reasons I can only go on Wednesdays. It is getting easier as I become more familiar with the routines, and it isn't bothering my knees too much as long as I keep it low impact. There is another lady in the class who is doing the same thing so we buddy up in the same area. I'm only 5'6" but I'm the giant of the class, and my biggest issue is to avoid wacking someone in the head or running them over. :) It's just me and a gazillion teeny tiny Hispanic women.

 

Luckily we are on a sprung wood floor, and I bought a pair of New Balance Trail Runners, which I love. They are almost like dancing barefoot, with a very neutral foot position and a really small profile. So far so good. I believe they would not be appropriate for a high impact version, though, not enough cushion in the sole. I love doing anything with a cha cha!

 

I admire all of you for setting concrete goals. I have been trying to behave healthier for the last year, but I've avoided setting weight goals for myself, I think mostly because it seems like everytime I do I get derailed by some event. I just had my yearly checkup after a bout with melanoma last year, and learned I have another area that needs a biopsy, and also a basal cell on my leg that I'm getting removed tomorrow. So, my gym time will be interrupted yet again and I'll want a cupcake to feel better (which I'm not going to have, I'm treating myself to a trip to Sephora instead). My goal for this year was to get through it without cancer, and I'm already screwed! Still, my current plan to add a swim day to my schedule will just have to wait until the stitches are out.

 

Now I'm off to the store to buy some fruit for snacking, since DH's cousins ate us out of house and home this weekend.

[Alrana Eris]

I love Zumba BUT my pet peeve, on the belly dance part- (I'm a professional belly dancer for 15 years) the way most Zumba instructors teach it wrong, and in belly dance knees are always slightly bent. But its the teaching curriculum taught when being certified, that is the problem. I didn't know this until my instructor who is also a belly dancer told me. I have been with her for a year now. and I go once a week(Fridays) belly dance class on Sundays. Yoga on Wednesdays.

then again Zumba fitness class not a dance class.

I love my Zumba but please change the belly dance bit of it..

[scrap4girls]

I love zumba! Love going to live classes. Hate how popular it is. They let to many people in the class and I have to arrive 30mins early just to have a spot. Its amazing how much fun it is and how it transforms your body. My girls 3 & 9 love to play it on the Wii. I even have my nephew coming over and sharing to dance with me.

[Anita Latte]

I love Zumba BUT my pet peeve, on the belly dance part- (I'm a professional belly dancer for 15 years) the way most Zumba instructors teach it wrong, and in belly dance knees are always slightly bent. But its the teaching curriculum taught when being certified, that is the problem. I didn't know this until my instructor who is also a belly dancer told me. I have been with her for a year now. and I go once a week(Fridays) belly dance class on Sundays. Yoga on Wednesdays.

then again Zumba fitness class not a dance class.

I love my Zumba but please change the belly dance bit of it..

 

I feel your angst. It can be very frustrating to those that know the proper way to do a particular dance move when they are lead in the "Zumba-fied" dance move. I've read complaints from salsa dancers too.

 

It can be even more frustrating when you hear that bellydancing isn't a rhythm that is taught in the Basic Zumba training. It is taught is the SECOND Basic Zumba training...and many instructors...myself included...have never taken that training course. And ALSO...Zumba instructors are not necessarily CERTIFIED...they are LICENSED through Zumba to teach Zumba...they aren't tested by Zumba at the end of training. You pay...you go to the training...BAM, you are now legally able to teach a ZUMBA class.

 

Some instructors are certified if they have taken a Group X training course through ACE or AFAA. They are a certified Group X instructor but still only a LICENSED Zumba instructor.

 

This is one of the reasons that I have repeated over and over again that Zumba classes are very instructor dependent...and one instructor can be very different from another...not only in musical choice, but also in choreography, ability to lead, and even how safe the class is.

 

I have taken a series of belly dancing classes from someone that learned how to belly dance when they were doing a mission trip to Malasia, I think. Very fun. And very intricate. I haven't yet taught a belly dance routine in my class because there are too many things that I don't think can really be taught given the way that a Zumba class is lead. Maybe for Zumba Gold, since they break down the steps in between songs. To get that flavor in my class, I stick with Bollywood and Bhangra, which is more forgiving with form.

 

I love zumba! Love going to live classes. Hate how popular it is. They let to many people in the class and I have to arrive 30mins early just to have a spot. Its amazing how much fun it is and how it transforms your body. My girls 3 & 9 love to play it on the Wii. I even have my nephew coming over and sharing to dance with me.

 

Ah yes...the popularity of Zumba can be frustrating. It's like there is a certain level where a class is too small, but more fun with more people...but then, the line is crossed, and with too many people...it's just crowded and sometimes frustrating for the veterans when there are the struggling first timers that are trying so hard to figure out what in the world everyone is doing.

 

Margaret, your flooring sounds DIVINE. Thanks for the encouraging words regarding the move. It does make me upset if I focus on starting over. My classes continue to grow...new people are continually visiting my class and they keep coming back...I guess I'm just getting my ego boosted before the move...getting some confidence rather than have my classes bomb before moving and making me question whether or not my class is appealing. Tonight I had my first MALE student at the rec center. It was awesome. He was enthusiastic and had a great attitude doing booty circles in a room full of women ranging from 16 to almost 70!!

[MJC]

I love Zumba BUT my pet peeve, on the belly dance part- (I'm a professional belly dancer for 15 years) the way most Zumba instructors teach it wrong, and in belly dance knees are always slightly bent. But its the teaching curriculum taught when being certified, that is the problem. I didn't know this until my instructor who is also a belly dancer told me. I have been with her for a year now. and I go once a week(Fridays) belly dance class on Sundays. Yoga on Wednesdays.

then again Zumba fitness class not a dance class.

I love my Zumba but please change the belly dance bit of it..

 

I find the belly dance parts of class completely mystifying. My instructor's booty does things that are completely out of my league. She teaches a belly dance class immediately after and I think that's where some of the women are picking up the moves.

 

I used to ballroom dance so I have trouble sometimes with the order of steps, and I want to go forward and back instead of forward and forward or back and back. Muscle memory is a strong force.

[Member123]

Hi, ladies.

 

So, I'm almost back into my routine after leaving for our family celebratory cruise, spending a lot of time with family afterwards (and a LOT of TIME at Zumba classes because I kept up with Anita's schedule... holy sweating, batman...)... coming back home and trying to get everything back in order from a very dusty house and overgrown yard... unpacking... AND...

 

thinking about our anniversary cruise to Bermuda in a little over a month!

 

I think that I'm pretty mellow in most of my Zumba classes... which are all very popular and very, very crowded in a gym setting. There's just ONE THING that I can't stand! I guess that I've decided to let it "get" to me! I love Anita's song selections and she really puts a lot of effort into her playlist for every class that she does. I have one instructor who has decided that she LOVES this awful, nasty song that I canNOT stand! It has something to do with alien love... and probes... and some sort of nonsense. I think it's a popular song, but I just don't want to end my Zumba class stretching or slowing down to all that nasty lyric noise. So I just decided that if she played that song, I was going to protest by LEAVING... which I DID yesterday. So I only had a 50-minute class yesterday!... whatever... can you believe that I'm considering changing my schedule because of ONE SONG! Well, the truth is that I have a lot of choices in my Zumba instructors.. locations, etc... so you betcha... I'm considering it!

 

Anyway, what I really have to share...

 

I stepped on the scale this morning, and I'm within 1 lb of my weight in the 1980's! GASP! This is the weight that I was, consistently, before goiter surgery... before menopause... as an active, young woman juggling a job, college classes, husband, beautiful DD, and a wonderful golden lab! I was so busy and I had a roaring metabolism! Could eat anything! Now, I'm not so busy... being retired and all that brings... have to work not to have a total sedentary life... able to afford the TIME to TRAVEL and eat, eat, eat cruise food a couple of times a year! So, I'm pretty blown away that I'm weighing what I'm weighing lately... I just had the thought that I should take measurements to see how close this body weight is to the distribution that I had back then as well. I'm such an obsessive person that I actually have measurements from that long ago! LOL.

 

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.

[Anita Latte]

Hello Everyone!

 

Hope is well with everyone.

 

I'm watching the Biggest Loser...BUT we missed the most important first 11 minutes of the show. :( I'll have to watch those minutes online tomorrow.

 

Anyway...just posting so that everyone can admire my new ticker!! Woot woot! It's a booked cruise...Mom and Dad booked themselves, DH, DS, and myself...we will figure out in September whether or not we will really be going...so much is up in the air with the big move and new job.

 

BUT I'm so excited to even have the possibility on the horizon.

 

It's my new goal time...it's almost exactly one year away...it is Spring Break again. I'm very hopeful that I will be AT GOAL by this cruise. I believe this will help keep me motivated to keep after it even in the midst of moving and settling into a new place.

 

I'm totally pumped!!

[luvin2cruz09]

Hello y'all!!! I LOVE Zumba, I started doing it in Oct of 2010 and was doing 2 hours a week. Within 6 months I was attending 4 classes a week including a 2 hour one on Tuesday's. I was losing weight and feeling awesome about it, I had lost about 100 pounds when I started Zumba and was down to 120 lost when I was really in to the zumba classes. I loved the instructor and the fact that he would change it up all the time, but his classes got so packed that I wasn't getting as much out of the class anymore.

 

So I slacked after trying to do zumba at home and with some big life changes have gained back weight and am back to where I was when I started zumba. Recently I found a new instructor who is AWESOME and really enjoy her classes. I have gotten back in to it and am already feeling better.

 

What I love about zumba is that you are working out but have fun doing it. I decided yesterday that I am setting a goal of losing 40 more pounds, now that I have put it out there I have to achieve this. I have given myself until Feb 2013 to reach this goal. I can do it as I was only 15 pounds away from it at one point.

 

Wow, I have said a lot (sorry about that) here... Glad I found this thread, good luck and Zumba like no one is looking!!!!

[Anita Latte]

Quick post...

 

Free $2 credit toward purchase of MP3 songs on Amazon:

 

http://www.dealcatcher.com/music/2-amazon-mp3-credit?utm_source=dealalert&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Amazon.com&utm_campaign=Amazon.com

 

Redeem the code today and you have until the 22nd to redeem.

 

I bought "Zumbala" and "Te Voy Amar" by Grupo Extra which are a couple songs I have been liking for a while.

[Anita Latte]

Hello y'all!!! I LOVE Zumba, I started doing it in Oct of 2010 and was doing 2 hours a week. Within 6 months I was attending 4 classes a week including a 2 hour one on Tuesday's. I was losing weight and feeling awesome about it, I had lost about 100 pounds when I started Zumba and was down to 120 lost when I was really in to the zumba classes. I loved the instructor and the fact that he would change it up all the time, but his classes got so packed that I wasn't getting as much out of the class anymore.

 

So I slacked after trying to do zumba at home and with some big life changes have gained back weight and am back to where I was when I started zumba. Recently I found a new instructor who is AWESOME and really enjoy her classes. I have gotten back in to it and am already feeling better.

 

What I love about zumba is that you are working out but have fun doing it. I decided yesterday that I am setting a goal of losing 40 more pounds, now that I have put it out there I have to achieve this. I have given myself until Feb 2013 to reach this goal. I can do it as I was only 15 pounds away from it at one point.

 

Wow, I have said a lot (sorry about that) here... Glad I found this thread, good luck and Zumba like no one is looking!!!!

 

Welcome Luvin!

 

So you and I got started with Zumba at about the same time. I started Sept 2010. I can totally understand about what happened in the class that you were attending. It's unfortunate when a class gets so popular that you can't really move well because you would be smackin' into someone if you really extended your arms and you can't travel because the class is just too crammed. Mom had an instructor like that...I went to his class...it would have frustrated me if that was the only class that I was able to attend and it were always that crowded.

 

Working out at home never works for me...not in the long run anyway...I'm so happy that you found another instructor you enjoy! IMO the instructor is what makes or breaks the class...they are as individual as individuals can be...and it can take time to find one that you really enjoy...especially if you become a seasoned veteran of Zumba...then you can get even more picky about your classes!

 

So our goals are really similar too! You have a 40 pound goal by Feb 2013...and I have about a 30 pound goal by Jan/Feb 2013. I have a new cruise booked for April 2013 and I would like to be at goal in enough time to make sure that I have time to shop and/or alter clothing as needed. I'm not really sure what my current weight is, so I can't say for certain how much I want to lose...and if you have read through this thread...then the following won't be too much of a shock...but I HATE setting a WEIGHT related goal...because the actual body shape is what I am going for...more than the related weight.

 

So...to put my own goals into my words...

 

I want:

 

...my thighs to NOT TOUCH. SERIOUSLY

...bikini-worthy abs even if I never show my abs in a bikini

...a body that SCREAMS "I work out" because my body fat percentage is back to or better than my previously measured best...19% body fat...I weighed 137 pounds at that time. (So I care more about lean muscle mass than weight alone.)

 

You can never say too much on my thread...

 

And I agree with you about what is so lovable about Zumba...it is actually FUN and EFFECTIVE all at the same time.

[Anita Latte]

Here's a question for everyone...

 

Are there any MEN in your Zumba classes.

 

I have a MAN in my class now at the rec center. He tries SO HARD...but he is NOT a dancer...but he is unafraid to try...and he took me so seriously when I said to not worry about the arms, but to just focus on the footwork and then add the arms that he didn't move his arms during the WARM UP...he was FOCUSED on those step tap and step together foot movements! I don't mean to be insulting...because I did say to him after class that he could move during the warm up and the stretch so that he could, you know, get warmed up...and stretch! LOL I'm having a good time with him in class...

 

But I noticed last night that some of my ladies are acting all shy and reserved for some movements...maybe they were shy and reserved before...this IS a new session...BUT...I did just notice it more last night...so here's my question...

 

Do you have men in your classes? Do you find any movements to be particularly embarrassing to do because there is a man in the class?

 

Because this guy has come, I think I have talked DH into attending my class next Monday. I would really like him to experience one of my Zumba classes while I am still teaching and feeling confident. He leaves for GA next Saturday...so only 1+ week.

 

On another note...I had an interesting corporate class today. We had to meet in a different room than normal. We met there once before, but it is SIGNIFICANTLY smaller than our normal location, and so I made a special playlist that involved NO traveling so that everyone could get a great workout without worrying about smacking into each other. One song in particular is a real kick in the butt...and these ladies LIKE their butts kicked for at least one song during class...but the interesting thing about this song is that it involves almost NO foot work...it is all almost entirely arm work above heart level...

 

Some of my ladies don't understand the difference between high intensity and high impact...and they think you have to have high impact to have high intensity...NOT TRUE...

 

Does everyone know this? Does everyone know that you can control your heart rate with your arm movements?

 

IF you move your arms a lot at or above the level of your heart...you will INCREASE your heart rate (EVEN if your feet aren't really moving)...to LOWER your heart rate...relax your arms to below heart level and into a natural kind of movement (not tensed and controlled, but more swinging with your body movement). Now you know if you didn't before.

 

I just got the latest and greatest Zumba CD/DVD release for instructors. And I HAVE to share with you ladies...because a HUGE discussion is happening in the Zumba Instructor forum regarding the lyrics of one of the songs...it is a merengue...and it has a different kind of sound...it is sung in Portuguese, not Spanish...and the name of the song is "Bunda" which apparently refers to your rear end in a kind of "booty" way...the words say "move your booty" or "mueve tu bunda"...Listen for this one to possibly come to a Zumba class near you!

 

This is NOT Zumba...OR even close to the routine Zumba gave me...something called "RIO"...but this is the song:

 

 

I happen to LOVE this song! I HAVE to do this next week with my corporate class...maybe the rec center too...

[Anita Latte]

This just posted on the ZIN forum:

 

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20464867_8,00.html