I AM NOW AN OFFICIAL ZUMBA INSTRUCTOR!!!!!

I am so excited to share that I am now a Zumba Instructor.

I took the workshop this weekend.

I can't believe that I am finally 'certified'.

I had SOOOOOOOOOOOOO much fun this weekend.

The instructor training was aboout 4 hours away in another state. My dear friend found out I was going down and asked if she could accompany me. We had a fun "Zumba" themed girls trip.

We did an hour and half long master's Zumba class on Saturday night along with other Zumba instructors, instructors to be, and fanatics.

Sunday I spent 8 hours getting certified. I don't think I've worked out that much in my life in one day!

Intersection of Knowledge, Skill, & Desire

"A habit is defined as the intersection of knowledge, skill, and desire. You may know you need change, you may even know how to change, but, without desire, change may elude you." Steven R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

I loved this quote of the week! I truly believe that is why I have succeeded at weight loss this year....because my desire to change finally met the skill and knowledge needed to change.

Meltdown Mondays

My church started an 10 week exercise program for the ladies called "Meltdown Mondays" 3 years ago. I have been helping with it ever since.I am really excited about this years program.



We made some major changes. We really wanted to move from just being an hour of aerobic exercise to being a wellness program. So, this year we are offering an cardio/strength/flexibility session as well as volleyball. We are also offering talks with a doctor, a registered dietitian, and a personal trainer.

The first hour we are doing 30 minutes of cardo, 20 minutes toning/strength, and 10 minutes of flexibility. The next hour we are doing volleyball - both competitive and recreational. The ladies can pick and choose what they want to do...

We had a good turnout and I am excited about how this year will go.

We also gave the ladies a 10 week challenge to encourage being healthy on more than 1 day a week. We are challenging them to walk at least 100 miles...(they can also run, skate, bike or do other convertible exercise). We are also challenging them to eat at least 5 to 9 servings of fruit and veggies servings a day. Each fruit and veggies serving counts as 1 point. They are to strive for at least 275 points.

Even though I work out 5 to 6 days a week. I am going to participate in the challenge and see just how many miles I'll do. I strive to eat 8 servings of fruit and veggies a day - 3 fruit and 5 veggies - as recommended by my dietitian. But I've been kinda slacking on the veggies. So, I gonna strive to meet and exceed 275 points.

Lazy

Do you have a part of your body that you don't have to work as hard on? And consequently, you can be lazidical?

For me, its my stomach. Because of my body build....as I slim down overall, my stomach tends to slim down without as much work as other areas - more than other areas. Not to say that I don't have work to do on my core but I must admit sometimes I feel like skipping the situps....

Another area I can be lazy on....my butt. But, not because I don't have to work as hard, because its an area that sees to be harder to change. I have a big butt. Always have. It's not going anywhere....

Although my trainer worked on these areas during our 1-on-1 sessions and gave me a workout plan that included working on these areas, I must admit I didn't always work on these areas on my own with the fevor as others.

One thing I did learn in physical therapy however was the importance of a strong core and glute muscles. Especially, in many of the things I like to do....running & dancing. So, I've been fighting my natural urge to say ehhhhh, go easy on yourself...

Weight Loss Results: Month 8

A few weeks ago I had a follow-up body composition done by my trainer. We then talked about the results. It was so helpful. If you are not working with a trainer, I recommend doing this. I no longer work with my trainer on a regular basis but I do check in with her every few months or so to check my progress.

Starting Weight 6/11/09: 158 lbs -- Current Weight 2/20/10: 134.2 lbs

Total Loss: 23.8 lbs


Starting Body Fat 6/11/09: 36.4% -- Current Body Fat 2/20/2010: 29%

Total Change: -7.4%


BMI 6/11/2009: 28.9 -- BMI 2/20/2010:24.5

Total Change: -4.4


Starting -- Current -- Loss
Chest 36 -- Chest 32.5 -- 3.5
Bust 30 -- Bust 29.25 -- .75
Waist 33.5 -- Waist 28.25 -- 5.25
Hips 40.5 -- Hips 33.5 -- 7.00
Abs 35.5 -- Abs 32.25 -- 3.25
Thigh 26 -- Thigh 22.5 -- 3.50
Bicep 12 -- Bicep 11 -- 1.00


Total Inches Lost: 24.25

My trainer shared with me that though my weight loss was a good; My body fat change and inches lost were excellent. That's where I think working with a professional can be so helpful....I didn't realize that was true. She said its very hard to move body fat percentages. Measuring my body fat and inches lost have been so helpful during this weight loss journey...especially when I plateaued on weight loss (but saw progress in other areas).

Yes, I still have progress to be made -- I'd like to get to a normal body fat percentage (18-24%), but I am very happy with these results! She told me that I should be very proud/pleased.

Thick? Curvy? Voluptuous? No! Obese!

I came across this discussion months and months ago. Recent events reminded of it....

http://www.topix.com/forum/afam/T0PUJDA6KK282UKLQ/p3

If you weigh 250-300 pounds and ain't 12 feet tall, you are NOT:

Thick
Big
Country
Corn-fed
More Bounce to the Ounce
Voluptuous
Zaftig (whatever the hell THAT means)
Curvy
Healthy
Big Boned
Have a cute face...

or ANY other lame description. You are one of TWO things...FAT or MORBIDLY OBESE!!!!

Solutions? As previously posted:

EXERCISE!!! Walk, run, forget about mussin' up your dadgum hair and SWIM-just DO something other than watch TV and talk on the PHONE!

WATCH YOUR DIET! The four food groups are NOT McDonalds, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and your neighborhood Chinese Buffet.

COOK! This ties into the previous...Fresh vegetables can work WONDERS! Use the microwave to warm up what you cooked the day before, instead of nuking processed junk! If you have to get the veggies canned or frozen, so be it, but get something green in you!

What Real Women Look Like

That's what MyBodyGallery.com showcases. I learned about this site today from Girls on the Run (which is an awesome organization that empowers girls by teaching them life lessons by training them to run a 5k). It was absolutely fascinating to look at all the different pictures...I think I'm gonna submit my picture to this project. You can sort by weight, height, body shape, and pants size.

Here's how they describe the project....In a world full of images of how we "should" look it can get difficult to tell how we DO look. Our hope is to build a site where women can see what real women look like. What we really look like. Most women have spent so many years looking at themselves in mirrors that we can no longer see what's really there. The My Body Gallery project's goal is to help women objectively see what we look like and come to some acceptance that we are all beautiful.

Skinny

Lately, I've been hearing this word a lot. This past week in particular!

You're getting skinny. Look at you - skinny minny. Man! Is everybody getting skinny?

I'm never sure what to say....Is that a compliment? Or an observation? Or dis-approval?

For sure, I am not skinny. I've slimmed down alot. Nearly 30 pounds. BUT, I am still a curvy pear shape.

It's funny...My dietitian mentioned that people wouldn't notice until about 15 pounds lost. For me, that was more like 20 to 25 pounds. But, as I close on 30 lbs, I've been really hearing it.

The positive feedback is nice. I so appreciate peoples kind words.

But, I guess what I didn't expect is for it to be a bit unnerving too. I've been working hard. Do I say that? I'm just getting back - close to where I was. Do I say that? I still have work to do. Do I say that? You didn't know me at my old weight. Do I say that? I was getting too chunky for my own good. Do I say that?

I don't know if it's that big of deal or if I want it to be that big of deal.

Enjoying Life

Months ago I attended a conference in Chicago along with several others.

I'll never forget this trip....for many reasons. But to sum it up, it's that it solidified to me that I will not let my lack of healthy living keep me from enjoying or partaking in what life has to offer.

1) The man who greated us, carried our bags, and drove us to our hotel was very nice. He shared with us that just a year ago he wouldn't have been able to do so. He was overweight and outta shape, but he part-took in a nutrition/workout program at church and made a total turn-around.

2) I attended this conference about 2 weeks into physical therapy. There were long days and nights of training and follow-up homework. But each morning and each night, I did my physical therapy assignments. I kept telling myself "Do What You Have To Do, So You Can Do What You Want To Do". I proved to myself that yes there is always time to be healthy. I had plenty of excuses not to...I was in pain/discomfort...I was TIRED.

3) One day we had free time to do some shopping down the magnificent mile and Chinatown. Yet, many of the ladies couldn't keep up or struggled with "all" the walking that was involved. Even though I was "impaired", I fared better than many of these ladies. Here we were on a trip...in a fabulous city (which some had never been to)...and they weren't able to enjoy it or enjoy it to the fullness. And, I purposed right then, to stay in a healthy condition, that would allow me to enjoy vacations, playing with kids or grandkids, or anything else life had to offer.

4) The next day eating at a restaurant so many of the ladies said this and I quote..."I can eat this (cake, fattenin' dish, not healthy item, etc) because of ALL the walking we did yesterday". What a misconception! But of course, we all do this from time to time. Yet, hearing it out loud...seem to make it so crystal clear. Exercise is not a license to eat whatever or over eat. Why would you want to undo the progress you make?

5) One of the ladies mentioned to me that she really needed to do something about her weight twice. We weren't talking about anything weight related...It came up quite randomly and before she could eloborate more she changed the subject. Yet, the next day, during a shopping spree....she stopped and had a cinnabon & a little later a fudge covered ice cream cone. She said to me my trainer said one of the best snacks you can have is a small vanilla soft serve yogurt. I remember thinking yeah, small vanilla soft serve yogurts can be snack under 200 calories and 5 grams of fat but she is a trainer and not a dietitian. And besides, you put chocolate all over it. But what struck me was that I've done the same thing...you know saying I want to lose the weight...I want to be healthier and then I go and eat things that aren't the best for me or don't work out.

6) You can eat well on the go or on a trip if you really want to. Here I was in Chicago....a faboluous town to eat in! But, I made a point to eat healthily. In the shopping mall, friends chosed to eat cinnabon and I ate apples and yogurt from subway as a snack. Yes, I would have rather had the french toast and the bacon at the breakfast buffet...yes, I would have rather have had the fried chicken instead of the roasted...Yes, I did have to make it a point/work a little harder to pack/bring healthy snacks.

Weighing Yourself

How often do you weigh yourself? Daily? Weekly? Once A Month? At All?

I weigh myself daily. I always do it first thing in the morning - all natural :)

Some experts recommend that. Others recommend weekly or bi-weekly weighing.

Day to day weighing has let me see first hand the natural fluctuations that happen every day. I've seen clearly the changes that can occur due to water retention, eating salty foods, or my menstrual cycle. I can see the results (or lack thereof) that may occur from a workout or a certain meal. I can catch earlier if I am gaining weight.

But, daily weighing is NOT my only measure. I also pay attention to my body inches/measurements, body fat, and energy levels/strength during workouts. I also use certain pieces of clothing and view my body in the mirror.

When I was meeting weekly with my dietitian, she would mark my weight down each week. Some weeks that particular day my numbers would not reflect a loss or maybe a gain but the other days that week showed that I had made progress. Some weeks correspond to what I was seeing daily. That's the strength and weakness of weekly weighing...Not so frequent that you could become obsesive, enough that you can track progress, but harder to determine where you are natural daily fluctuation.

Bollywood Dance Aerobics

Bollywood dance aerobics features the dance and music featured in Bollywood movies. The dance is a mixture of classical indian and pop/hip-hop dance.



I took a Bollywood dance class tonite. It was fun.

I wish my class was more like the one featured in the video. My class wasn't quite the aerobic challenge I was hoping for; it was more focused on learning choreography.

If I can find something more like what was featured...I'd try to squeeze this in more often.