Zumba

i have a good friend that goes to zumba and loves it. when she told me about it my first thought was that it would be too hard, too fast, i am too uncoordinated and i would be too uncomfortable. for those of you unfamiliar with zumba - here is what wikipedia says about it:

"Zumba is a dance fitness program created by dancer and choreographer Alberto "Beto" Perez in Colombia during the 1990s. The program combines Latin and international music with dance in an effort to make exercise fun. Zumba classes are offered through licensed instructors in more than 50,000 fitness center locations in over 75 countries.^[1] DVDs are also available for learning at home. Classes and instructional DVDs use music based on salsa, merengue, cumbia, reggaeton and other international music styles and forms."

i decided that losing this last 15 pounds was just too hard for me to do alone, so i bit the proverbial bullet and went to a zumba class by our house. the first class is free so i figured i had nothing to lose. i could go and try it and if i hated it i never had to go back. i pictured it to be crowded and filled with skinny 20somethings in tights and sports bras showing off their 6 pack abs and tight little bottoms. however, when i got there i was pleasantly surprised! the instructor is 53 and in amazing shape and the ladies that go to the class are so friendly and none of them are younger than me :) i don't know why but that really makes it more comfortable for me. the class starts off slow so you can follow along easily and then it picks up as you go. mitsi, the instructor, is so great and really helps you enjoy the class. when the hour long class was up the first thing i did was pay for two more classes! you don't need to be coordinated, a good dancer or in shape to to it so i fit right in. :)

since then i have told my friends (yes, you guys reading this blog) and family about it and am trying to get everyone to try it at least once. the hour flies by and by the time the class is over you are exhausted and hot and sweaty and ready to sit down but - before you do all that, you pay for more classes. its that fun! i found online that zumba burns over 500 calories a session and helps sculpt your body. who doesn't want to burn calories and have a firm, sculpted body?

so if any of you want to hang out on monday or wednesday nights from 7:30 - 8:30, you can find me at zumba!