See you next year!

We had a blast at our last Wednesday night zumba of 2008. Kerry was missed again, but thanks to all who dressed up and made it fun. It was hard to choose the best, especially with Veronica's beautiful sweater, but alas Melanie Mickelson won the prize. She is in the center holding the plate. Mel-sorry it wasn't filled with cookies but we are after all trying to keep you in shape. Also, congrats to Jennifer Welker who won our December drawing for a zumba t-shirt. (sorry Jenn I forgot the picture) See you next year fellow hip shakers and we will work off all those treats I can't stop eating! Merry Christmas!

Festive Wear Prize

Come to Zumba dressed to shake and shimee in your fun festive wear and the best looking or most creative will get a prize from Krumpets. We will see you all there at 8:30 pm Wednesday night.

CANDYMAN

Ok girls, here is Candyman. This one is pretty easy to learn so I want you lookin' good next week. Ok you already look good but let's look fabulous. Thanks for coming out last night and sharing your Zumba love with us. Congrats goes out to Amber Wallis for winning our November Drawing. We only have two more weeks of Zumba this month so don't miss out. Although Marti and I love teaching you we are taking Christmas Eve and New Years Eve off. Consider this our vacation and we will be back and ready on Jan. 7th 2009. Love you girls!!!

Thanksgiving

Hey Girls,

Thank you for coming out last night to class. We had a good time as always! Congrats goes out to our prize winners. I will have the new dance by Stacy Nogueira up on the blog soon so keep checking back. Thank you again and I hope everyone enjoys this special Thanksgiving Holiday with family and friends. Lets all remember how grateful we are for all that we have been given and remember to give gratitude to everyone one around us. We love our Zumba girls!

Wednesday

Thanksgiving Eve Zumba is on!! I will be teaching without Marti but I will have a guest instructor from Mississippi. She will be teaching a new dance. Everyone that comes puts there name in the box for a prize drawing. This does not mean this is our November drawing. We will have that next week when Marti comes back. Please make sure you come and bring anyone that is visiting you for the Holiday. We will shake it and sweat all at the same time!! See you at 8:30pm on Wednesday.

Self Image and Self Esteem

In the new millennium, the adage that beauty is only skin deep is outdated. In fact, we are a nation that is obessed with how we look. Whether we're seven or seventy, the results of a body fat assessment, the number on a bathroom scale or a reflection in a mirror slips too many of us into shame and guilt about the way we look.
There are clues to warn us when our body image may be compromising our self-esteem. These include:
* A perception that being overweight is a character flaw and if we "fix it" we will be a better person. This magical thinking includes the belief that happiness, love, satisfaction and life fulfillment will be attained only when pounds are lost, body fat is lowered, thighs are firmed or lean muscular appearance is achieved.
* "Black or White" thinking, often expressed as a belief that food is good or bad or that a person is a good or bad depending on the foods she or he eats. This judgemental behavior allows a person with low self-esteem to feel superior to someone else.
* All or nothing attitudes about appearance should also set off alarms. Exercises designed to restore a good body image include paying attention, first, to the parts of ourselves that we like, then gradually learning to like the inevitable flaws that are part of being human.
* Comparing ourselves to others, especially male or female models who represent only 5% of our population, is another red flag signaling that our self-worth is challenged. We fail to grasp the other half of the coin - that many models struggle with disorder eating patterns and behaviors or that movie and TV stars have well-paid professionals to help them carve the body shapes quickly lost when the show is over.
* Spending an increasing amount of time in an attempt to perfect our bodies by working out harder or longer to feel different about ourselves. Healthy fitness levels don't require spending more than an hour a day to achieve optimum strength, flexibility and endurance. Although it is important to challenge our fitness capacity to reach higher levels of performance, most of us, as we mature, realize that exercise has its place in our lives, but what is most important is how we live, not how we look.
Bottom line, remember who you are and like yourself no matter what. Throw out the scale and don't worry about the weight, its all about how you feel inside and what you are doing that makes you feel better and making those around you feel good as well.

Kerry was missed

Class was great last night, we opened both doors and felt the cool air - finally! Thanks to those of you who stuck around for the band work. It turned into a flashback to the 80's party. Who doesn't love that? Kerry will be back next week and will thankfully take over the bands again. We definitely appreciate her fitness knowledge and choice of music. We love you all for bringing your energy to our class and making Zumba rock! (and shake)

The Cha-Cha!

Promotion

Bring a New Friend to Zumba and you get in Free!
See you at 8:30pm at Southwest dance on Riverside Dr.

Personal Story 5

Ok, so I forgot to bring my flip camera to class last night so there is no new video today but for sure next week. We also had our drawing for our October classes and Veronica Ernest won. Yeah! Make sure you come to class in November with your punch pass and put your name in the drawing for something cool. We are also going to have our Bring a New Friend to Zumba and you get in Free next week, so start thinking of someone to bring. In the meantime here is a great personal story for you to read.

Here is a portion of an e-mail Marti received, we thought it might inspire you guys to take those chances and achieve those dreams that seem unreachable.

Okay Marti - You are really going to think I'm crazy and laugh in my face when I tell you this (and I know you get told this all the time), but... I would love to see if there is any possibility of becoming a Zumba instructor. Not because I want to instruct, honestly it would be because I never in a million years thought I would ever consider even doing something like this. Because I was always the tall, big, lurpy girl with no coordination. Yet, I always wanted and wished I could do something like this. And now I am at a stage in my life that I'm not letting anything be out of the question for me. It's like when you know someone who starts working out and so they begin with walking, then jogging and before too long they want to run. Then their big goal is to run a marathon. So, I guess you could say that, becoming a Zumba instructor would be like my marathon, get it? I just feel like it's a great goal for me. I know I have a ways to go before I could EVER step foot into a training class. But, I know once I accomplished it, I would feel an empowerment about myself that I NEVER thought possible. Plus, it would get and keep me more fit. Anyway Marti, thanks for humoring me and you can honestly tell me what you think. And if there's ANY sort of hope for me, maybe you could advise me as to what I need to do to get going in this direction. All I know is that it would be SO much fun, I would learn so much and I would feel even better about myself. All great reasons to go for it.

Love your guts,
Gina

She is getting certified this weekend to be a Zumba Instructor. Way to go Gina!

Do any of you know the history of Zumba?

Here you go!

History
Celebrity fitness trainer, "Beto" Perez, stumbled upon the concept of Latin inspired fitness in his native country of Colombia (South America) in the mid 1990's. One day, he walked into his class and realized that he had forgotten his aerobics music, and his only option was to grab whatever tapes he had in his car. Beto's tapes were comprised of the songs that he loved, the traditional Latin salsa and merengue music with which he had been raised. But it was a challenge to improvise a whole class on the spot using non-traditional aerobics music. Beto rose to the challenge and from this last-minute improvisation was born a revolutionary fitness program – Zumba®! The class soon became the most popular class at his fitness facility.
In 1999, after his success in Colombia, Beto brought the class to the United States, where he was approached by entrepreneurs Alberto Perlman and Alberto Aghion to create a global company based on the Zumba® fitness philosophy. The three young entrepreneurs then set a goal to offer Zumba® classes all over the world.
In 2002, Perlman and Aghion secured a deal with a large infomercial company to launch the concept nationwide resulting in the sale of hundreds of thousands of videos to the US market. The overwhelming res ponse created a demand for more Zumba® instructors, and Zumba® created an instructor training program. The program was an instant success. By September 2006, there were over 2000 Zumba® instructors worldwide.
In 2003, Zumba® teamed with Kellogg's to develop a fitness campaign for the Hispanic market. Kellogg's has since expanded the campaign to five additional countries and has consistently renewed the relationship with Zumba® every year. Zumba® has been featured in over millions of boxes of Special K cereal around the world.
The following year, in 2004, Zumba® launched a successful infomercial campaign in Spanish for the US Hispanic market and Latin America, increasing sales to millions of DVD's in over 30 countries.
In 2005, the demand for Zumba® instructors across the nation and abroad spurred the creation of the Zumba®'s Educational Division. To ensure integrity and quality above and beyond the industry standards, the Educational Division has over 50 years of combined industry experience in their Vice President, Petra Robinson and Educational Director, Koh Herlong. Our two industry leaders have aided in the development of fitness industry standards over the past 25 years and now bring to Zumba® their expertise and experience.

doTERRA by Marti

Anyone who follows this blog knows that Kerry does all the work. Except for the occasional picture that she makes me smile for, I haven't been a huge part. Well my friends times are a changing. Kerry of course will still be in charge, but once a week or so I (Marti) am going to chime in with my two cents worth about something I have found and love. Since anyone reading this comes to our Zumba class (I would hope) I know you are all health conscious and want to live best life possible. This is why I thought I would share this with you. I spent last weekend in Salt Lake at a doTERRA convention. What is doTERRA? Funny you should ask, they are fabulous essential oils that quite frankly may change the world. (You would never guess I am fresh out of the convention room right?) But seriously , I really do love these things. Wait, wait don't stop reading yet, here are my three reasons why - in three minutes or less.

1-SAFE - They are completely natural and the only oils available that are 100% Pure. I can put them on myself and my kids and never worry about side effects. (Example: while using Peppermint to relieve a head ache, I am not only saving my liver and who knows what else from regular over the counter stuff, but I am actually improving my respiratory system and soothing digestion. I can then use that same Peppermint the next day to eliminate a fever in minutes. )

2-EASY - One or two drops on the feet, directly on affected area, diffused or in the mouth (directly or in gelcap). Less is more and no right or wrong way.

3-AFFORDABLE - I am of the belief that financially this country will get worse before it gets better and who knows where health care is headed. Currently I am paying $20.00 for a regular office visit. (This does not include any prescriptions like overused antibiotics or something with side effects.) The average bottle of oil is around that same price, but can be used over and over for many different reasons and for the entire family. For me this means a feeling of empowerment that I can take my families basic health into my own hands.

So the good news is Wednesday I am going to bring some oils to class and have you experience them with me. Don't worry this isn't a meeting, or anything like it. I will have some energy boosting oils there for you to try if you wish. I will also be highlighting a different oil every week or so for those of you interested. I'll see you tomorrow, come ready to shake it! (www.mydoterra.com/martichristensen)

Shoulder - Lats - Legs

Shoulders - 1
Wrap your power band around your back and hold on to both ends. Place one hand on your hip and the other comes out to one side,


Shoulders - 2
This is your starting position. Make sure your legs are shoulder width apart and your knees are soft. Don't forget to hold in your abdominal area.


Shoulders - 3
Bring your arm up to the side but do not go above the shoulder line. Do at least 2 sets of 8-15 reps. Remember to be creative with your up and downs and don't forget to do the other side.


Lats - 1
Take one side of power band and place it under one foot. Grab the other ring with the opposite hand. When you are bending over make sure to pull in those abdominals and keep your back straight.


Lats - 2
Pull back on the power band while keeping your arm close to your side and then release back down to staring position. Do not over pull or twist your torso. Repeat 2 sets of 8-15 on each side.


Legs - 1
Take one ring and step into it with both feet. Position the band right above your knees. Make sure you pull in your abdominal area.


Legs - 2
Go into a squatting position. Make sure you sit back and not down. Keep your knees back behind your toes. Look down and if you can't see your toes correct your position. You can do this going to one side for eight and then switch and come back to the left. This will work your outer thighs, quadriceps and gluteus. Do this exercise until your legs are fatigued.

Triceps - Chest - Biceps

Here are some of the exercises that you can do with your power 8 band at home. You need to do these at least 3 days a week. Please excuse the model, she was free!

Triceps - 1

Grab one of the rings with both hands.

Make sure that one palm faces downwards

and the other faces upwards.

When you switch to the other tricep just

make sure you have changed positions.

The bottom hand will now be the upper

hand facing upwards.

Triceps - 2

Bring your upper hand and put it on

your opposite shoulder. Tuck your elbow

into your side and keep it there.

You can do this with your legs shoulder

width apart or together but make

sure you do not lock your knees.

Triceps -3

Keeping your elbow to the side pull

down until your arm is in full extension.

Repeat this on both sides for 8-15 reps x 2.

Be creative and add pulses, half way down

and up, down 1 2 up on 3, etc..

Chest - 1

Bring your power 8 band around the

back of your body holding onto both ends.

Chest - 2

Extend arms forward and bring back

to staring position. You are replicating

a push-up but in a standing position.

Make sure you legs are shoulder width

apart and your knees are soft and tighten

your core (abdominal).

Bicep - 1

Put one ring under your foot and grab

the ring with the opposite hand

(right foot / left hand). For a less

challenging bicep work you can grab

the ring with the same hand on the same

side the ring is under your foot

(right foot / right hand).

Remember to always keep your knees

soft and keep your core tight

Bicep - 2

Pull the ring upwards into flexion mode

all the way to the top. Keep your arm

tight to your side. Repeat 8-15 times x2.

Remember to be creative and add half way

up and down, all the way up and half way

down, pulses, up 1 2 3 and down 4, etc.

Remember to switch arms every other time

and keep count so you don't over work one

bicep more then the other.

Last Monday Night

A shout out to all the of Monday Night Girls that came to Zumba, Thank you so much! We had a great time and we will be back on Monday's in the Spring time. Don't forget that Wednesday's are always Zumba Night at Southwest Dance. Make sure you tell your friends and family so we can all shake it together! Thanks again and we will see you Wednesday!

Personal Story 4

Hi my name is Annie and I am addicted to Zumba. I tend to start working out with hopes to get in better shape, and then quickly lose interest. Zumba has been so fun and entertaining that I haven't lost interest! I've been going for 7 months now. That is the longest I have ever consistently worked out. I think it helps that it doesn't feel like a work out to me, and I definitely don't get bored with it. I have always loved to dance though I'm not that great and can't move like Kerry and Marti. I love going and feeling the energy that they both give off. When I first started going I felt stupid and uncoordinated, but after a few times I realized nobody is judging we are all just having fun and most likely enjoying a little break from our kids. I haven't lost a ton of weight unfortunately but I'm certain I would if I didn't have the eating habits of a young kid. I think everybody needs to try Zumba at least once. It is unlike any aerobic class I have ever been to, and I think you need to try it for yourself to really understand how awesome it is. I am so glad these girls have started up Zumba in St. George!
*Warning* If you can't do the jazz square without tripping, then Zumba is not for you.

September is Over!

Can you believe that September is already over and we have to go costume shopping now! Well since September ended, that means Drawing Time and our winner this month was Brandee Williams, yeah! Thank you to all of you that have come out to Zumba this last month and we would love to see all in October. We love that you love Zumba as much as we do!! We will be doing power band work on Wednesday night so to those of you that have one please bring it and to those of you that are still in need of one we still have some medium and easy left for $8 dollars. See you Wednesday!

What you just got done working out and you look this cute, whatever!!

Personal Story 3

I have 4 children. After each of the first three, I always lost my baby weight quickly without having to exercise or watch what I ate. I would even get skinnier after each kid. I had my 4th child 4 years ago. I had just turned 30 and I couldn't shake the baby weight. I have been trying to loose the last 20 pounds for 4 years now. I have tried diet pills, infomercial DVDs, jogging, etc. I started going to Zumba in Feb. I have been addicted. It is so fun. I have always loved dancing, and I feel more like I am going to a dance class than to work out. I go 3 days a week now. I love doing the familiar dances, and of course learning the new ones. I decided to cut back on the soda a little over a month ago. Between that and Zumba I have lost 6 pounds now, I have more energy, my clothes fit better, and I feel like I am in the best shape of my life. I plan on loosing more and toning my muscles with weights. I am so glad Kerry and Marti are teaching Zumba, and are so much fun. Going to class and seeing familiar faces makes it easier. Also, when you miss a class, they ask you where you were. That's another reason to keep you coming!Amber

Power 8 Bands

We would like to start using these power 8 bands in our Zumba class for some resistance training. We will have some for sell starting tonight (hopefully, depending on UPS) for $8. You can purchase them from different gyms but they run at $10 to $12 dollars. There are three different types of resistance and we have all three but mostly the medium. If you have never done strength training then you will need the easy band. If you have done some strength training and want to improve a little then the medium works best. The hard resistance is for those who train all the time. You can test out which one works best for you tonight. We will be doing resistance training at least one night a week as long as we keep Mondays going. We will let you know by email which night to bring your band.

Mississippi Zumba!

Hey girls,
I have been having a great time with my sister in Mississippi and Tennesse and of course, I go on vacation and what do I do, I teach Zumba. Why not do Zumba where ever you go! I got to share my love and passion for it and open up my sisters new class for her as a guest. They were great! Those of you that know this song, I mess up but hey nobody noticed so who cares! I miss St. George and can't wait to be back teaching for my favorite Zumba girls!! Make sure you go to Monday Night Zumba with Marti and I'll see you Wednesday Night.

Instructor Fun

Hello-
I thought you guys might want to know what Marti and I due besides Zumba all week. During the summer we spend a lot of time on the lake with our families. We have taken up the art form of wakeboarding and as you can see we still have not mastered it yet. This is just one thing that we like to do. Just to let you know Marti is the second one in the video and she still has a fear of water (besides swimming pools) and so this summer we helped her overcome it a little bit and she was totally awesome. So, if you have a fear you need to face it so you can overcome it little by little. Yea Marti!!!

The Soca!

Ok, here is the newest routine. We hope by posting these you can learn them at home and then come to Zumba with confidence that you will get a great workout. Thank you for coming last night and we appreciate all of you for loving Zumba as much as Marti and I do!

PERSONAL STORY 2

Hello all you Zumba girls,

For starters, I want to let you know how much I love being at Zumba and being surrounded by such fun people. It helps me in my life so much. My personal story is not really about exercise but about life challenges that we have to overcome. I was abused as a little girl by someone that I truly love and still do. Since the time I have come to realize what happened to me I have had daily challenges to overcome. Life is not easy when you are constantly having to think about forgiving and forgetting someone that is so dear to you. I have only done it through prayer and the understanding of the Atonement of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I try to live each day as a new day. Some days are good and some not so much. I think by being involved in our lives and surrounding yourself by family and good friends is the key to happiness. It has been a struggle for me to be open about this and I am still pretty closed up about it but life is good. Life brings so many trials and good trials that help us become better people. I want to thank you girls for having the energy and excitement when you come to Zumba. It truly helps with the recovery process. I love Zumba and it does give me motivation to be a better person, mom and spouse and it definitely gives me the energy that I need to keep up with those everyday trails. Remember that life is good no matter what trials we are faced with in or lives. This personal story is by someone that truly loves Zumba but will remain anonymous.

White girls Samba!

Wednesday was great! We had a lot of new comers and we love it. We hope they get addicted to Zumba just like we have. For all of you that was there, you need to bring a skirt next time. I think having props makes you work harder and it is a lot more fun to see a skirt swishing then my back end swishing. We hope you enjoyed last night and we will see you on Monday! Check back in a few days because we will have our next personal story posted.

PROMOTION

We have a Sept. 1st and 3rd promotion. To kick off our new Monday night Zumba at Southwest Dance we want you to bring someone new to Zumba on Monday or Wednesday or both and you get in free. Your new comer will need to pay but you get a free night of Zumba. So talk to your friends and family and bring someone new to Zumba and show them what we have all become addicted to for exercise. Let them understand it is not about how good you move or what foot you are on but its about the good attitude and atmosphere that we create that makes it a fun and exciting new way to exercise! We love all our Zumba girls and we love teaching all of you how to enjoy your weight loss goals! SEE YOU ON MONDAY

Juliana

Veronica Ernest was our August winner! Thank you Veronica for coming to Zumba so faithfully and we love to see you there each week and achieving your weight loss goals. You look fabulous! Alright, here is Juliana. This goes to show you that all you need to do is have fun during Zumba!

Free Weights vs. Machines

Have you wondered which method of strength training is better, free weights or strength-training equipment? The truth is, each has its advantages and disadvantages.
The choice depends on your level of experience and your exercise goals, and to some extent, your personal preference. An understanding of these factors will help you decide if free weights or machines — or a combination of both — will help you reach your goals.

The free-weight advantage
Free weights incorporate the stabilizing muscles that enable you to perform the movements you choose to make and may be more effective in producing overall muscular strength and power gains.
Free-weight exercises tend to more closely match the movement patterns you're likely to need for specific sports.
Free weights are more versatile — you can do a wide variety of exercises with a simple set of dumbbells. You can, for example, hold the weights with palms facing forward, facing your body, or facing the wall behind you. In doing so, you can do three different exercises that will work your muscles in different ways.
Free weights tend to be inexpensive, are portable and take up little space.

The free-weight disadvantage
You must learn to balance the weight while exerting force. This can be difficult — and potentially dangerous — if you are lifting weights overhead.
The isolation of specific muscles can be difficult. To target the muscle you want, you must use very precise technique.
Free weights can be swung for momentum rather than lifted slowly and steadily, which works the muscles better.
Training alone can lead to injury if you don't use proper technique.

The machine advantage
Machines are generally safer and easier to use, an advantage for beginners learning a specific movement.
Some machines are more efficient than free weights at isolating a specific muscle or muscle group. This is important when you're strengthening a specific body part or rehabilitating an injury.
Machines ensure correct movements for a lift, which helps prevent cheating when muscle fatigue sets in.
Machine workouts can take less time because you can move easily from machine to machine. Changing the resistance is easy; you just insert a pin or enter a code.

The machine disadvantage
Most machines involve moving a weight along a predetermined path, making it difficult to strengthen the stabilizer muscles.
Machines are much more limited, with most devices allowing only one exercise.
Most machines are geared to the average-sized person, so if you're shorter or taller than average, you may find it difficult to use some machines. However, some companies have developed equipment that is scaled down to suit many smaller men and women.


Generally speaking, if you are beginning a strength-training program for the first time, or have been away from your program for months or even years, then it's a good idea to try the resistance-training machines for the first 10 to 12 weeks of your program.

Doing so will give your body the time it requires to adjust without putting undue stress on your muscles and joints. Using machines may also be easier and less discouraging if you’re a novice, because free weights require some coordination to use.

Experienced exercisers may want to use free weights because of the additional training benefits they offer. That said, the combination of both free weights and machines can add variety to your workout.

If you are a health club member, be sure to ask the fitness instructor to show you how to use the free weights and machines properly. If you forget how, ask until you feel confident that you are using the proper technique to complete each exercise.

If you are exercising at home, be sure to purchase an exercise tape that outlines the proper technique to follow. Good technique is essential if you want to reach your strength training goals, while avoiding injury.

In saying this, please feel free to email me and I would be willing to come early or stay late at either place (Desert Palms or The Rec Center) and show you what you can do for your upper and lower body with free weights and the machines. I am here to help you get what you need out of your exercise routines.

Energy Night!

Thank you girls for all your energy! I needed it last night and you girls delivered! I do not have a video this week due to the fact I was a one woman show but next week there will be one. Thanks to those that have shared their personal stories. I would still like to get more emailed to me (zumbahappens@gmail.com). Remember that it doesn't have to be about exercise and you don't have to have your name on it. Just give me the guidelines of what you want and I will do it. We all have inspiring stories so let us here about them!

Personal Story

This is Veronica Ernest. From the time I met my husband to the day my first child was born I had gained about 100 pounds. I couldn't move or breath and I didn't like the way I looked. I wanted to be able to play with my son so I decided to lose weight. I lost about 35 pounds in a year and a half on my own then, I joined weight watchers. I learned to eat healthy and exercise and I lost 18 pounds in ten weeks. I got pregnant with my second child and gained 40 pounds. Six weeks after she was born I joined weight watchers again. I've lost my baby weight plus 20 pounds, and I've kept it off. I'm not writting this because I I'm trying to get people to join weight watchers, I'm just saying it helped me.My friend, Rachel Page, told me about Zumba and after the first class I was hooked. I've been going to the classes about three times and week and doing other cycling and strengthening classes and my body has toned up and changed like I never thought possible. I feel so strong and I love my new muscles. I love the energy I have. I especially love the looks I get from people I haven't seen in awhile.I know people look at me and think that I've always looked this way and that I've always had this much energy but its not true. I've attached a before picture and you can see my after at Zumba!

Zumbalicious!

Here is our new routine! I mess up twice but I think you can get the hang of it. Have fun learning this in the comforts of your own home and next week you can show off your stuff!

Calories needed to lose weight

There are approximately 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat. So, if you create a 3500-calorie deficit through diet, exercise or a combination of both, you will lose one pound of body weight. (On average 75% of this is fat, 25% lean tissue) If you create a 7000 calorie deficit you will lose two pounds and so on. The calorie deficit can be achieved either by calorie-restriction alone, or by a combination of fewer calories in (diet) and more calories out (exercise). This combination of diet and exercise is best for lasting weight loss. Indeed, sustained weight loss is difficult or impossible without increased regular exercise.
If you want to lose fat, a useful guideline for lowering your calorie intake is to reduce your calories by at least 500, but not more than 1000 below your maintenance level. For people with only a small amount of weight to lose, 1000 calories will be too much of a deficit. As a guide to minimum calorie intake, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that calorie levels never drop below 1200 calories per day for women or 1800 calories per day for men. Even these calorie levels are quite low.
An alternative way of calculating a safe minimum calorie-intake level is by reference to your body weight or current body weight. Reducing calories by 15-20% below your daily calorie maintenance needs is a useful start. You may increase this depending on your weight loss goals.
The best thing to do for your body is to watch what you eat. You need to write down everything you eat in a day so you can look back on it and evaluate your food intake. Make your self a food log and keep track everyday. Make sure you are eating 6 times a day rather than 2 or 3 times. The more you eat healthy foods all day long the faster your metabolism becomes. Don't starve yourself from treats. Eat one small one a day or wait till the weekend and reward yourself for how good you did during the week. Make sure you cut back on the carbs and sugars. A good rule of thumb is don't eat them after 4:00 pm. Eat your bread for lunch but stay away from it at dinner. Same goes for your treats during the week. Have one after lunch but hold off on the sugar after dinner. The last important thing is drinking tons of water. You will not lose weight if you are not drinking enough water everyday. It is essential to weight loss. Get a larger water bottle and commit to drinking it and filling it up 3 times a day. These guidelines are not to difficult and if you drink your water and keep a food log you will see results.

July Drawing

Congratulations to Melanie Mickelson she won our July drawing. She won a free smoothie from Emerald City and a Zumba sweat towel. Thank you Melanie for coming to Zumba and having such great energy throughout our classes! We have been having some issues with aerobic shoes leaving marks on the floor and the owner is getting worried that her floor (that is made for bare feet) may be getting ruined. So in saying this, please check your souls and if you have black souls please try to wear something else unless they are dance shoe type souls. Thank you for your understanding. We want to stay at the dance studio but if we are doing damage to there floor they will ask us to leave so please just be aware of this problem. Thanks again!

We Love the Cha-Cha!

Marti said that lasts night class was great. Sorry there was no prize, that is my fault for not getting that to her. So next week we will do the drawing before class starts for the month of July. We recorded after class was over last night and thank you to the ones that stayed for the recording. This song is "Oye Como Va" by Santana. You can download this song from itunes and learn it from the video. Enjoy and see you next week! Don't forget to look often for new posts and you can even sign up to have an email sent to you when we make new posts to our blog. If you have questions please ask and I am always looking for new ideas for posts. Let me know!

The Importance of Warm up and Cool down

WARM UP

The general warm up should consist of a light physical activity. Both the intensity and duration of the general warm up (or how hard and how long), should be governed by the fitness level of the participating athlete. Although a correct general warm up for the average person should take about five to ten minutes and result in a light sweat.
The aim of the general warm up is simply to elevate the heart rate and respiratory rate. This in turn increases the blood flow and helps with the transportation of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles. This also helps to increase the muscle temperature, allowing for a more effective static stretch.
Static stretching is a very safe and effective form of basic stretching. There is a limited threat of injury and it is extremely beneficial for overall flexibility. During this part of the warm up, static stretching should include all the major muscle groups, and this entire part should last for about five to ten minutes.
Static stretching is performed by placing the body into a position whereby the muscle, or group of muscles to be stretched is under tension. Both the opposing muscle group (the muscles behind or in front of the stretched muscle), and the muscles to be stretched are relaxed. Then slowly and cautiously the body is moved to increase the tension of the muscle, or group of muscles to be stretched. At this point the position is held or maintained to allow the muscles and tendons to lengthen.
This part of an effective warm up is extremely important, as it helps to lengthen both the muscles and tendons which in turn allows your limbs a greater range of movement. This is very important in the prevention of muscle and tendon injuries.

COOL DOWN

Cooling down after exercise is just as important in reducing the risk of injury as the warming up process before exercise. Cooling down means gradually slowing down the level of activity. The major purpose of warming up is to prepare the body and mind for rigorous activity, whereas that of cooling down is to assist in recovery and to bring the body back to a pre-exercise or pre-workout state.
Cooling down also helps the heart rate and breathing to return back to normal. Cooling down after exercise helps prevent dizziness and needless pain. During a rigorous workout, the body experiences a number of stressful processes.
Muscle fibers, tendons and ligaments tend to undergo a lot of strain, and waste products build up inside the body. Cooling down after exercise, if performed correctly, will help the body flush the toxins and release the strains. Post Exercise Muscle Soreness, also referred to as Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), is one of the areas where cooling down after exercise is most useful. This is the soreness that is generally faced the day after a strenuous workout. When exercise is suddenly stopped blood, and waste products like lactic acid (a chemical effect of muscular fatigue), stay in the muscles, which can cause swelling and pain. This process is frequently referred to as 'blood pooling'.
Cooling down after exercise helps in returning the blood to the heart in adequate quantities to relieve the muscles off lactic acid. The circulating blood also carries with it the oxygen and nutrients required by the muscles, tendons and ligaments for repair and growth. An effective process for cooling down needs to include three major parts to guarantee a complete restoration of the circulation system. These are gentle exercise, stretching and re-fuel. All of these three elements are equally important and none of them should be ignored or treated as unnecessary. They work jointly to repair and replenish the body after exercise. Dizziness, nausea and a 'worn out' feeling are usual symptoms of an inappropriate cool down process. For an effective cool-down, carry out a low intensity exercise for a minimum of 5 to 10 minutes and follow this with a stretching routine.
Also you can either carry on with the current exercise while gradually slowing its intensity, or jog or walk briskly for a few minutes, making sure that these activities are lesser in intensity as compared to the exercise previously performed.
During the cooling down process, after the heart rate has been lowered, stretch all major muscles, particularly the ones that have just been worked on. Every stretch ought to last for at least eight seconds, with longer stretches and repeats for those muscles that feel particularly sore.
The last part of the cooling down after exercise process involves the re-fuel, just as proper nutrition is needed before exercise to provide the fuel needed for activity, the body requires nourishment for the after exercise process of building muscles so water, minerals and carbohydrates are all needed.

As you have read, warm up and cool down are just as important as your aerobic workout. So the next time you think about arriving late or leaving a class early make sure you know of the side effects your body might have if neither of these or one of these is not done or incorporated into your daily exercise routine.

Zumba Class

You guys were great on Wednesday night! We had a lot of people and we think it is great. It brings in alot more energy and sweat when we have more girls. Keep up the good work and don't forget to use your one week pass to Desert Palms Health Club. There is no strings attached just come and enjoy Zumba on monday and friday. Thanks for coming!!

What should I wear while exercising?

Whether you’re shopping for maternity, plus size, petite or normal-sized workout clothes, you should take a couple of things into consideration. First, exercise, like outdoor activities, can vary drastically as to temperature.
You may start out feeling chilly in an air-conditioned exercise room, then get hot and sweaty as you exercise, then get chilled again when you cool down. When you leave the A/C and walk to the car, you’ll either be freezing or too hot, and if you just had a shower as well, your hair may be wet. For all these reasons, layering is the answer to your workout wardrobe needs. You can probably stay comfortable with a pair of lightweight workout pants or shorts, a T-shirt, thick, absorbent socks and a sweatshirt to prevent chills.
Cotton is an excellent fabric for exercise clothes because it is absorbent, comes in a huge variety of thicknesses and is easy to care for. Some of the new fabrics include “wicking” action, sending perspiration away from the body and into the outer layer of the clothing. Cotton has some natural wicking action, but it doesn’t have the feel of Tencil or some of the other synthetic blends.
The new blends are smooth, and that can work for you or against you: some people prefer cotton underclothes because of their breathability, but like blends for outerwear. Cotton socks can be perfect, but some knits tend to chafe the feet as you slide around in your aerobics shoes. When you find a pair of cotton socks that feel good on your feet (especially during and after class), buy six pairs: fashions change so fast that you may have a hard time finding them if you wait three months.
Some people like to wear shorts when they work out: others are uncomfortable in them either because of where the shorts hit them on the leg, or the way they feel they look in them. If you have sensitive skin, shorts can be a bad choice, since they rub the insides of the leg: Bermuda or skateboarding shorts minimize chafing.
If you’re a fashionista, or belong to a health club where people are expected to dress like celebrities, you may opt for cropped tops, sports bras or tight pants. Ideally, whatever you choose to wear will not only make you look wonderful, but will keep you comfortable during your workout!
Brassieres are important items in your workout wardrobe. You want a bra that offers the correct level of support, without tight straps to cut into your skin and make you miserable. Lace can be itchy, satin and nylon get slick with perspiration, and silk often bleeds color onto other clothes when it’s damp. Breathable fabrics, mixtures of cotton and Lycra, are ideal for bras. Bras should be snug but not too tight: cleavage is unnecessary at the gym unless you’re looking for love, and it can be darned inconvenient when your snack of trail mix slips down your front.
Just make sure you feel good in what you workout in. If your clothes are a little worn, tight, or brand new, you will still get a good workout in as long as you feel good. Happy hunting for the perfect exercise clothes that fit you and feel the best against your skin.

Wednesday Night

Hey girls, great class last night! We love it when you are full of energy! This video is from last week. Don't forget to vote for which night you want for a 2nd night class and we will let you know when it will be. We won't start until after Labor Day but we will let we know when it will happen. Don't forget to check the blog often for new posts. I hope to give you good information that will help you. If you have any questions please feel free to ask. Thanks for loving Zumba and coming out to exercise with us. We love it!

Chiquilla

Liquids and Exercise

I have been doing a lot of reading on this matter to find out what is good for our body's to dink and what is not. I of course have my own opinion from my own experience and from what I learned in my certifications. I am going to give you a list from good to bad and most of it will be from reading material but mixed with a little of my own opinion.


1. Water is essential to keeping us fit and healthy. The health benefits for regular water drinkers can't be overstated. There are numerous rewards with two of the main ones being for hydration purposes and health reasons. Our body's are made up of 70% water. It's no wonder that drinking plenty of water is so vital to our well being. Water also improves the way our body functions, the way we feel and the way we look. The natural perks water has to offer include:

*Hydration of internal organs, enabling them to function

*Hydration of skin, keeping it looking fresh and healthy

*Weight control

*Increased energy

*Preventing a variety of ailments and keeping the immune system healthy

*Regulating body temperature

*Flushing out waste and toxins

*Maintaining overall health



You should always drink water during your exercise routine and then always remember to drink at least 16 fl oz. within an hour after your workout. This helps with flushing the lactic acid out of your muscles so in turn you won't hurt as much the next day from your workout.



Best of all, water has no calories!! You can eat more healthy foods if you don't fill up on liquid calories. That's a good bonus.



2. Low fat milk is next best. It is a good source of vitamins, calcium and protein. A high milk intake is associated with strong bones and is recommended for kids and older women. If you don't like milk make sure you take a calcium supplement each day to reach the amount of intake you need. Stay away from high fat milks. They have a lot of calories and saturated fats that can be linked to heart disease.



3. Fruit Juices are very high in sugars and calories. They do have some nutritional value but you are better off eating the fruit itself. Vegetable juices are better for you and lower in calories but once again your better of eating the veggies and drinking water with them.



4. Then there is alcohol; and whether it is bad for you depends upon what you are drinking and how much. Small to moderate amounts seems to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. But in large amounts it can cause serious diseases such as cancer and cirrhosis. Watch out for the high calories and sugars that can be in alcohol as well.



5. Last is soft drinks. They are sweetened by high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners that can cause many problems; dental caries, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Sports drinks are also on this list. They all have high calories, fizz (carbonation) or both. Carbonation is absorbed into your blood stream and it takes your body 24 hours to produce the waste of a 16 oz drink. Your body cannot function properly if CO2 is in your system. You will have less energy to get you through your day and especially your workout.



So our best option is Water. I am not saying to drop all the rest but from a fitness stand point nothing else really helps you lose weight. So why counteract your workout by drinking a lot of calories, carbonation and not having the energy you need throughout the day?

Zumba Shoes

The Nike Shox Electro training shoe is made for fitness dance professionals looking for stability, fit and comfort during their fitness dance activities. Low-profile synthetic leather and mesh upper provides support, breathability and durability in key dance wear areas. Five-column Shox™ unit in the heel adds responsive cushioning. Phylon™ midsole, internal flex grooves. Die-cut Ortho-Lite heel cradle sockliner. Non-marking, spinnable rubber outsole with medial pivot point for turning on gym/studio surfaces. Wt. 10.6 oz.

I have personally tried a few different brands of shoes and these are definately the best. They have a sole made for the gym floor. They have no tread and a dance pivot point. You can purchase these at rebel sports. They have black in stock but you can order the different colors if you want to. Marti purchased hers at the Nike outlet in Park City so if any of you are heading there or to Vegas you can pick some up there.

If you don't want to purchase this kind of shoes then make sure you wear a cross trainer. If you wear a running shoe then your chances of sticking to the floor and injurying yourself is much greater because of the tread on the bottom of the shoe.

New Blog Stuff

Hey girls, please check out our blog each day because I will have good info for you to help you in your fitness world. Please feel free to ask questions and make sure you check out our polls often. Thanks girls for loving Zumba! If you are interested in zumba pants or capris please let us know. You can check them out on www.zumba.com under the shop. If we get ten or more we can get them for cheaper. Come on, I know you want those tasils!

We love Zumba!

July 8th

Zumba tomorrow! Yea

July 1st

Just another friendly reminder that class is tomorrow! Come and work out so you can eat some snow cones on Friday. We hope everyone has a Happy 4th of July! I forgot to post our winner of our drawing last week, Brandee Williams won a one week pass to Desert Palms Health Club, a zumba bumper sticker and one free sandwich at Jimmy John's. Thanks for coming to our class Brandee! See you at 8:30 pm

June 25th

Tonights the night! Get ready for some excercise and fun!

June 24th

Hey girls, were back! Girl's camp was a success but over the course of three days me and Marti ate way to much food and treats so we are ready to work really hard tomorrow! Remind everyone you know to come and tomorrow is the night we have are monthly drawing for those of you that have punch passes. See you there and be ready to work extra hard, for mine and Marti's bad eating habits, ha ha!

June 17th

Just a friendly reminder that we will not be having class tomorrow, the 18th. Please pass on the word to everyone you know that as come to the class. Thanks again and we will see you on the 25th of June!!

June 12th

Never a dull class! You girls are great! Thanks for coming and we will see you in two weeks.

This is our warm up. The song is Survivor by Destiny Child.

June 10th

Hey Zumba girls,

Class #6 is tomorrow night. Make sure you bring a friend and your water bottle. For your information we will not be holding class on the 18th of June. Marti and I are both involved in our stake girls camp which is that week. We will miss it but I am making my girls zumba at camp. Please come tomorrow so you don't miss two weeks in a row. Thanks for coming and supporting zumba. We love doing to for you!!

May 29th

Sorry again for taking so long to post. Today has been one of those great days! Our monthly drawing winner is Kathryn Andrus, yea! She won a Zumba water bottle holder and a free smoothie from Emerald City Smoothies. Thanks again girls for coming to our class and we hope you all are having a great time! The song we used in our viedo is Rompe by Daddy Yankee.

May 28th

Class #4 is tonight. We are having are monthly drawing and you need to be there to receive your prize if you are picked. Tell your friends about our class and we will see you later!

May 22nd

Thanks again girls for coming to our Zumba class. We hope to see you more through the summer months. Thanks to our friend who showed us how to really samba, because me and Marti can't. I forgot my camera, so this time I do not have pics or video so if any one asks refer them to class #2 so they can see how good you girls Zumba!! If you come to the class and work really hard the whole time you can lose up to 1000 calories per class. So make sure you come to sweat and have fun. If you are on a quest to lose some weight make sure you do other forms of cardio as well as Zumba. Try kickboxing, cycling, or treadmill work. You will see results if you change it up a bit in your routine. Add some weights about 2-3 days a week to build some muscle. Muscle burns fat so make sure you are building muscle while trying to lose the fat. If you have any weight loss questions or concerns please fell free to ask and I will give you all the knowledge I have has an instructor and if I don't have the answer I will find out for you. We are hear to help you achieve your goals. See you next week!

May 21st

Class is tonight girls. Bring your energy, friends, water and lets Zumba!! See you at 8:30 pm

May 15th

Sorry it took so long it get this on the blog. I was washing my windows this morning and fell off my ladder flat on the grate above my window wells. So after 4 advil and some deep breathing I think I will be able to walk again. Anyway, class was great last night! Thank you for your patience on the music. Me and my 3 year old are trying to fix the problem. Thank you for telling your friends about our class and if you talk to any one about Zumba please refer them to our blog so they can see what we do. If any of you have any suggestions please feel free to comment on the blog or email us at zumbahappens@gmail.com. Thanks again, you girls make the class awesome!

May 13th

Zumba class #2 is tomorrow night so don't forget! Bring your friends and a water bottle. It gets pretty hot in the room so prepare yourself to sweat!! We love to sweat and dance!! If you have not already bought a punch pass please show up a little early so we can take care of that before class begins. Thank you and we will see you tomorrow at 8:30 pm!

May 8th

We need to take a poll on what you girls want to see on our blog. Please scroll down and vote!!

May 8th

You girls are awesome!! We had so much fun last night. We hope you had fun as well! Please come back and Zumba with us often and bring your friends with you!! We gave away 7 prizes and we hope the winners liked them. From now on, if you have purchased a punch pass you get to put your name in the drawing every time you come and we will draw out a winner at the end of each month! Thanks again for coming, you girls make the class fun!

May 6th

Don't for get to come our Zumba party and remember you can come try it first without buying a punch pass but I guarantee you'll love it! See you at 8:30 pm at Southwest Dance Studio! We have less than 24 hours so gear up for a lot of fun and exercise!

May 4th 2208

Hey girls, it almost time to Zumba so get ready to have fun! You can enter into our drawings if you buy a punch pass and we are giving away a prize between each song we dance to on Wednesday, so don't miss out!! See you there. This blog will be updated after each Wednesday night class with updates and highlights from the night before so stay tuned into our blog. This is where you will get most of our information so don't forget to read it each week!! Can't wait to see you all there!!

Our Zumba Party is here!! We are starting on Wednesday, May7th.

We are excited about doing this class for all those zumba lovers out there. It will be a one hour class full of fun, latin music, dancing and you'll get a great workout!

Where: Southwest Dance Center 558 E. Riverside Dr. (Rio Plaza)#111

Time: 8:30 - 9:30 pm

Cost: $25 for a 10 time punch pass or $3 per class per person

Age: 12 and older are welcome to come Zumba with us

Payment Method: Paypal (for punch passes only), Check or Cash

If you are going to use paypal here is how you do it: go to paypal.com and sign in or set up a new account. Once you log in find the send money tab and click. It will ask you for an email to send it to and you will be sending it to martichristensen@hotmail.com. The amount is $25.00 and then hit send. It will ask you to verify your payment method and then you are done. Come to class and we will have a punch pass waiting for you!

Our first night will be fun and exciting so you don't want to miss out!!

Please come a little early so we can get everyone signed in before class starts.

Don't forget your water and see you there!

Coming soon!