"Dixie" Zumba Girls

Week #48

2010-12-29T09:25:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year to all!

I hope that your Christmas was everything it was planned to be and more! Well we have one more holiday to celebrate and then 2010 is officially over. Crazy!! I am finally coming back to Zumba with you! I have missed all my classes for to long! I will see you staring on Friday the 31st. YEAH!! That being said onto business.

Items of business -

The City of St. George wants Zumba again for First Night. They have asked April and I to do 2 routines at 9:50pm at the main stage at Town Square. These will be easy routines so you all can come and do Zumba with us right before the 10 o'clock firework show! We would love to have you all there so please put Twilight to Midnight on your New Year's Eve schedule. We always have a great turn out and the City loved us last year so lets show them what Zumba can really do!!! We need you all there!!

There is a new Club in town - GoGo37 and of course why would they not want Zumba to be a part of there evening events. They will be holding their first Zumba class on January 5th at 8pm. I will be their instructor for the evening and the cost is only $5. Come and check out the new hottest place to be in St. George. I have attached the flier to the email so you can have all the details! Here is a bio about GoGo37 -

The term “artspace” was chosen to describe the overall concept of GoGo37. The idea is to have a place in the downtown area where creatives of all sorts can meet and collaborate with each other as well as with regional and national artists. Groskreutz and Reber want to remain open to all media, including music concerts and art exhibits, to poetry readings and swap meets, and everything in between.

The gallery has also made a conscious effort to keep ticket prices low so people might take a chance on local and national bands with whom they are unfamiliar. The plan is to keep ticket prices between five and eight dollars so the public will continue to come out and enjoy something unavailable anywhere else in town.

We are getting low on DVDs so if by chance you have not taken the opportunity to get it you better before we shut down and work on Vol. 4. We always have people ask for past vol.s but once they are gone we don't make anymore. Get one in the next 2 weeks! They are $10

Week #48 Challenge - Goal setting!

I believe big time in goal setting when it comes to exercise!! You need to set yourself some reachable goals for the New Year. Make sure they are goals that you want to do because 80% of all goals made for the New Year are broken or forgotten by the end of March. Let's don't be put in that category of failure. Once you decide not to finish a goal or choose not to obtain it then the negative floods right back into your life and the self esteem that you were building for yourself gets shoot. Exercise goals are all achieved with positive attitudes and as soon as you let the negative in you are only making it harder on yourself to rise above it! So be positive and again make reachable goals for yourself so that you can feel that positive influence in your life take over!

This year has been awesome! I look back and see how blessed I have been and you all have been a part of that so thank you so much!! I love my Zumba family and I will continue to do what is takes to make you feel like the way I see you! Amazing.

Much Zumba Love, Marti and Kerry

Week #47

2010-12-22T10:44:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Short and sweet this week! Marti and I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with your family and friends. I have attached our Christmas cards wishing you all a Merry Christmas. At this time of year we always reflect on what we love the most and my Zumba family is in the top 5!!

Items of business -

The City of St. George wants Zumba again for First Night. They have asked April and I to do 2 routines at 9:50pm at the main stage at Town Square. These will be easy routines so you all can come and do Zumba with us right before the 10 o'clock firework show! We would love to have you all there so please put Twilight to Midnight on your New Year's Eve schedule. We always have a great turn out and the City loved us last year so lets show them what Zumba can really do!!! See you there

There is a new Club in town - GoGo37 and of course why would they not want Zumba to be a part of there evening events. They will be holding their first Zumba class on January 5th at 8pm. I will be their instructor for the evening and the cost is only $5. Come and check out the new hottest place to be in St. George. I have attached the flier to the email so you can have all the details! Here is a bio about GoGo37 -

Not to late -

We still have some DVD's left so get them quick before Christmas and send them off to family and friends and share your love of Zumba with them! They are $10 - that is a cheap gift!

I am still have some gift certificates left for Personal Training. Please contact me if you are interested in giving the best gift you can give - health!! 4356688324

Week #47 Challenge - A gift to me! :)

I would like feed back on what you would like to see in my emails this coming year! Please reply with what you liked and didn't like and ideas to make it better!!

I wish you all the best and again Merry Christmas to all and remember what is most important this season!

Week #46

2010-12-15T08:22:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone!

I am alive! I have to apologize for skipping last week but I was under the influence of some drugs (don't worry, good ones) that took me out that day. Needless to say I am totally good now but because of doctors orders I still can not teach Zumba for a couple more weeks. :( I don't think the doctor really understands that I need Zumba but I can't really argue with him. Keep up the Zumba love and I will return before you know it!!

Items of business -

The City of St. George wants Zumba again for First Night. They have asked April and I to do 2 routines at 9:50pm at the main stage at Town Square. These will be easy routines so you all can come and do Zumba with us right before the 10 o'clock firework show! We would love to have you all there so please put Twilight to Midnight on your New Year's Eve schedule. We always have a great turn out and the City loved us last year so lets show them what Zumba can really do!!! See you there

There is a new Club in town - GoGo37 and of course why would they not want Zumba to be a part of there evening events. They will be holding their first Zumba class on January 5th at 8pm. I will be their instructor for the evening and the cost is only $5. Come and check out the new hottest place to be in St. George. I have attached the flier to the email so you can have all the details!

We still have some DVD's left so get them quick before Christmas and send them off to family and friends and share your love of Zumba with them! They are $10 - that is a cheap gift!

I am still have some gift certificates left for Personal Training. Please contact me if you are interested in giving the best gift you can give - health!! 4356688324

Week #46 Challenge - Get focused cause here it comes!

Christmas is next weekend and there is no getting around all the goodies so now is the time to get focused! I know all of you can do it. Make a game plan and set some goals. I want your goal to be reachable and short lived. By that I mean set something you can achieve the day after Christmas. I want small but big results. Set limits for yourself and stick with them. Stay positive over the Holiday and don't let the guilt seep in. I know you can do this. I have seen how strong you all are! Your minds are so powerful and you can do anything you set out to do! Make yourselves happy and remember it is how you feel and not what anyone else thinks about you!! You are all amazing and I love being a small part of your lives!

I love you all!

Much Zumba Love,
Kerry and Marti

Week #45

2010-12-01T06:59:00.001-08:00

Happy December to you!

So I am feeling like it really isn't Christmas yet. I have lights on my house and one Christmas tree up but other then that it came to fast. I am not ready for 2010 to be over. I have enjoyed this year way to much! I have had so much fun learning all the new things about fitness and I just want to learn more and help more. I guess I will have to make the best of it while it lasts and then onto 2011. I will have to make new goals and dream bigger so that 2011 will be even better! I hope that all of you are on board with me and we can all make 2011 the year that we made great changes in our life!

Items -

We are getting low on DVD's so pick one up they are only $10. They make great stocking stuffers for family, friends and your kids that need to get active!!

New Year's is approaching and nothing is set in stone yet, the City has contacted me :) so Zumba may be apart of the Twilight to Midnight Celebration. I will keep you posted so you don't miss out!!

We have stopped our Zumba rotations so here are the instructors that will be taking over these classes!
*Desert Palms -
Thursday night 8:30pm - Tricia, she is one of the originals so she definitely has her groove thing going so make sure you join her!
Saturday morning 9:15am - Cami, she will start you out on Monday night and finish the week strong so join her for your Saturday fix of Zumba!
*St. George Rec Center -
Thursday night 8:30pm - Melesa, help her keep this class going and shake it in the evenings with energetic Melesa!
Saturday morning 8am - Danita and Christy, this duo will get your heart pumpin on those cold mornings so set your alarms set for every Saturday!

Personal Training gift certificates for Christmas! No better gift then the gift of health! Contact me for prices - 4356688324

Week #45 Challenge - Back to Core!

Your core muscles (abdominals) are they key to everything in fitness. They create your balance and stabilize everything you do! You need to make sure that you are working on these muscles daily. They are essential to prevent any injury while exercising. You need to develop a good core routine that you can do each day. My 2 cents, if you have to do more then 40-50 core exercises (ex: sit-ups) then you are doing them completely wrong. If you engaged the right muscles and have the right form they will burn out quickly before you get to 50! Work on your core this week and see how fun it is to cough after you have done a good correct core workout!!

Have a wonderful week with all your Holiday bussel but don't forget to take time for yourselves!!

Week #44 oops I skipped last week :)

2010-11-17T15:37:00.001-08:00

Crazy Life!

How many of you feel this way? The second I have a chance to come up for air I get slammed with something else. The only good thing about it is, I get slammed with family (love it) and with teaching/training (love it)!! I guess that is the beauty of my choice of career, I love it all around!! So I hope that you have all made plans to get back to the basics and make sure you set yourselves some Holiday goals. It is so easy to get caught up in all the cheer and food that comes around but remember how strong you are and how much will power you have! Stay strong and the positive attitude will shine through the scale during the holidays if you keep it in check!

Items of business-

The Rec Center has brought back the 5:30pm Zumba class on Thursday so make sure you come and shake it with Cherie!

All of your favorite Zumba instructors are teaming up again and donating our time to the Jubilee of Trees Fashion Show Luncheon. We will be doing 2 routines all dressed up in our pink tanks and black pants again. Please come and join us! You can purchase a luncheon ticket for just $25.00 and all the proceeds go to help purchase a much needed piece of equipment that will help detect breast cancer at a much faster pace! Once again it is all for a great cause so come have a yummy lunch and enjoy the show!

DVD's are $10 - get them soon!

Gift Certificates for personal training is a great gift for the holidays! I do package pricing so get a hold of me and we will make whatever work for you or the person you are giving the gift of health too!

Starting soon, we the instructors at both places will not be rotating anymore on the designated days. We have decided to give you a chance to experience all the instructors in there own classes. I will let you know who and when next Wednesday!

Week #44 Challenge - Figure it Out!

I want you to channel your inner self this next week and figure out what makes you cave. Why do we always give in to certain foods. What makes us weak? I want you to focus on what it is that brings you down. Once you have figured that out then it is time to dig ourselves out. We do not need to have will power for everything but if we can figure out what little things take us over then you will be more a where of them and then hopefully channel your positive energy elsewhere. For example: I love cake! I don't care what kind it is, I will eat it. So I have figured out other ways to avoid it so that I can feel my will power taking over and when I realize that I have not succumbed to it then my positive thinking takes over and I feel like I won the game and therefore push myself to do better. This concept can be used for anything but this week it needs to be focused on food. It will tie into next weeks challenge!

Good Luck - I love you all and I hope you have a fun busy week preparing for the Holidays!!

Much Zumba Love,
Marti and Kerry

Week #42

2010-11-04T09:56:00.001-07:00

Wow,

I am a day late! I was cleaning all day long yesterday and I thought to myself several times that I needed to stop and write my email but apparently that didn't happen. So when I woke up this morning I remembered that I had never sent it out. So here I am getting ready to challenge you for another week! :)

Items -

The Rec Center is adding a 5:30pm Zumba class on Thursdays. So that means you can Zumba Mon-Thurs at 5:30pm at the Rec. Yea! Pass the word on and up your numbers in those classes!

Desert Palms is having their Birthday Celebration coming up on the 13th of Nov. They will be have some fun stuff going on. I will let you know next Wednesday the details of the event. Those of you that are members put it on your calendars and those of you that maybe interested in joining you may want to stop by!

Ok, our DVD's have got to go so they are the cheapest they can go and that is $10. Buy them and send them off to family and friends!!

I have personal training coupons for $10 off or $30 off a package. If you are interested let me know and I also do gift certificates. Those are the best gifts you can give during the holidays! Give the gift of health this season!!

Week #42 Challenge - Pay it Forward!

How good do we feel when we loose ourselves in the service of others. This week I want you to pay it forward through fitness. I want you to share what you have learned or your new good habits with someone else. Let them know how your feel about your choices. Let them know you are there for them when they hit the rocking times. Make them be accountable to you for some of their goals. Everyone needs to have someone they can call, email, text or face to face when they are struggling with their weight loss goals. It is so hard to do it on your own so go pay it forward with everything you have learned and done for yourself. You will be amazed that it will actually help you with your goals. It will make you want to do better and strive to reach higher!

I love my Zumba family and I thoroughly enjoy what I do. You make my job not be a job and I truly love coming to teach and train you! Always think positive and make it a great week, it is up to you!

Week# 41 Pink Panther Salsa Style

2010-10-27T07:28:00.000-07:00

"La Pantera Mambo" (pink panther salsa style)

Happy Halloween Weekend!

I love this time of year! The fall weather is the best! The cool air should bring you out of hiding and get you moving during the afternoon hours. The more you are active all day (that includes everything you do) the more calories burned which in turn takes off the amount of your BMR that you should have calculated last week. Everything goes hand in hand. Remember it is so important to know what you are putting in your mouths everyday all!

Items -

Not much!

I think we are going to be having some changes to the Rec Center schedule so I will keep you posted on whats going to be happening!

Desert Palms is gearing up for their one year birthday celebration on Nov. 13th so plan on shakin it with us that day! More info to come..

DVD's are running out so pick one up quick before they are gone! The new price is $12.50

Week #41 Challenge - Will Power!

You are either born with it or you have to work on it! I was not born with it and so I have to work on it every day! Will power is so important when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. You have got to be abe to quit or not even start eating that favorite food or treat or you will be sunk! Have many times have you given into temptation and then have felt guilty when finished. It all has a negative turn which makes our brain think we can't do anything. Our minds are so powerful and our body's will respond if we tell it what to do! So because in light of Halloween, don't eat all your kids candy. Don't eat the candy you have to give out. I have given out full size candy bars for the last 4 years because I will not eat a full candy bar. I have programed my brain to think that it is way to much but I will eat 10 snack size candy bars and together that equals more then a candy bar. I know, my brain is lame but me figuring this out has saved me tons of calories. It might cost me a few extra dollars to buy treats but it saves me hundreds of calories that I don't want to take the time to work off. Think about it and decide what you need to do so that you don't feel guilty about celebrating this fun holiday!

I will see you in classes on Monday because we only have 3 weeks till Thanksgiving and that means more will power!

Stay positive and be strong, just say no!

Week #40

2010-10-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

Hello all of you!

I hope you had a nice fall break! I had a fall break loaded with fun and hard work all in one. So it wasn't at all relaxing but then again when do we get to relax these days. I hope you all didn't mind me being on your shoulder while you ate this last week either. I know I can get kind of annoying in fact come Monday I had enough of myself too and had some ice cream with homemade hot fudge on it. It was yummy at the time but then come Tuesday I had to work out extra hard but every once in awhile we just have to treat ourselves. Like everything else in life we have to work hard to achieve what we want or need.

Items-

DVD's are still for sale so pick one up. We want them to go away so we can make a new one for you at the first of the new year so buy them up and give them away as presents. They are $15 each or 2 for $25.

They have new cute tanks that we can get through our program but we would like to know if any of you are interested. They would be $18 each. We usually order 10 of each color but if we don't have any interest then we will skip this shipment. Please let us know!

My boss at Desert Palms and the St. George Rec Center wanted me to pass this along - Are you or do you know anyone that teaches yoga / pilates that would like to get on at either one of these facilities? She is looking for a well qualified teacher. If you are interested or know of someone please pass this on and then contact Margaret Gibson at 435-467-5247. She is great to work for and there is always a few perks to working at the gym. Let us know soon, she needs to fill spots in 2 weeks.

Week #40 Challenge - Finding your BMR

What is a BMR? Your Basal Metabolic Rate is the energy requirements necessary for maintenance of life processes such as heart beat, breathing and cell metabolic activities. Every one's BMR is different depending on activity level, weight, height, and age. When you find your BMR it will give you a calorie number that you should keep in mind at all times. My BMR is 1413 so what that means to me is that my body at a resting state will burn 1413 calories and I need that many so that my body will function properly. So I consume about 1400 calories a day but I work out for 2 hours and burn 1000 of those calories. I ask, will I lose weight if I do this on a regular basis? why yes I will because I didn't take in over the amount that my body needed. So it is crucial for you to know your BMR so that you can see and know if you are over eating what your body needs. Now that being said your BMR will change do to the above factors so the leaner you get, older, heavier or your activity level it can change. Stick with your number for awhile until you see a change in your lifestyle and then you can get a new BMR. Now you ask, how do I get my BMR, well you can either do the hard math which I do not prefer or you can go to this link and use the online calculator that will figure it out for you http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/. This is a great sight because you can find your BMR and then you can find your calorie intake for the amount of activity you do then you can know how much or how little to intake on a daily basis. If you need help please reply and I will help you figure it all out! This really is one of the best numbers to know so that you can jump start your weight loss goals or even just maintain them!

Alright, that is all from me and I hope you have a great positive filled week!

Week #39

2010-10-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

Well, our charity event was a success! Thank you to all of you that came and supported the cause. We had such a fabulous time and all the instructors had a great time being with you! I don't have a total amount but I do know it was over $1800 that we raised that night for Carol's Post Mastectomy. That money will go directly into the hands of some right here in St. George that needs help after enduring through breast cancer. You should all give yourself a pat on the back. To those of you that were not able to make it but still want to donate in a small way, we still have some of our Zumba Gives Back t-shirts that we will sale for $5. They are fun to have so pick one up from Marti or me, plus we don't need 50 extra pink tees laying around so buy them up and raise so more money! The fun thing about this is I get to update you on what our Zumba money went to. I will email you as soon as I get word from Jen Flowers!

Items of business- not much now

We still have DVD's and we would like to get them out of our hands so we can make the next one! :) They are $15

Week #39 Challenge - Food Logs

How many of you write down what you eat every day? It is hard to do but it needs to happen so you can see how many extra calories you are putting into your mouth. You would be surprised at how fast it can add up. Remember that 1 pound = 3500 calories. So if you want to lose weight each week then you need to cut out 3500 calories. It can be done but you need to watch what you eat! You need to think nutritionally dense food that will keep you full. Also if you are exercising on a regular basis (everyday) then you will not get as hungry. So keep track this week and if you want me to come along just imagine me on your shoulder and when you start eating something, either I will have a smile on my face or I will be shaking my finger at you. Think smart before you eat!

Have a great Fall Break and Zumba the week away!

Week #38

2010-10-06T07:06:00.001-07:00

I hope everyone had a nice week! Although the email did come out last week I was gone on a much needed vacation with my hubby! I had a fantastic time but now it's reality time. I hope you all enjoyed some part of the Marathon last Saturday. I heard it was hot and so a lot of the runners had a hard time getting the times they wanted. Honestly, I am glad I was where I was instead of running for 4 hours. I hope you were all inspired by these runners who dedicate 5 months prior to running and have set goals for themselves and in one day they achieve it. It is awesome, I think!!

Items - the most important

Southern Utah "Zumba Gives Back" Party in Pink-2010
Is this Saturday October 9th at Town Square from 7-9pm. I hope you are all planning on being there because we have 18 different instructors helping us out and we have all come together from Hurricane to Ivins to give you a great party! We have so many great prizes like: Wingate Hotel Stay for 2, 5 - 50 minute massages, Dinner for 2 certificates, Free 3 month Gym memberships, Zumba stuff and so much more!! I really hope you are planning on coming because it really is going to be the best Party yet. The 1st 100 raffles tickets bought will get a free Party in Pink t-shirt and then we only have 50 more to sale so make sure you get there so you can get one and wear it proudly. Please arrive early so we can start right on time so we can give you the full 2 hours that we have planned! I have attached the MP3 of the Dixie Digest that Marti did on the radio. It has great information about breast cancer awareness and Jen Flowers the owner of Carol's is talking with Marti and Karman. Listen and enjoy!

DVD's are $15 so get one while they last - contact Marti or Me to get one!

Week #38 Challenge - Party in Pink

You had to see this coming, right! I want you to grab some friends and come spend the evening with your favorite Zumba instructors. Make it a girls night out! The cost is the same as a movie and yogurt so you might as well come spend it on a great cause and get some exercise. Please come support the instructors who love Zumba and want to pay it forward to the Southern Utah community!

Week #36

2010-09-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

Hello Again!

Have you all checked out the new schedules at the St. George Rec and Desert Palms? If not you need to do so because we have added more Zumba! All of our teachers have a class so make sure you join all of us sometime during the week. We have 6am classes at both places so if you are an early riser and want to start your day off with some fun then go for it! We have night classes Mon - Thurs at both both places so if you are the type to shake it before bed then make sure you join the night crew! Ok we have lots of business so read on, lots of good stuff happening around town!

Items:

Friday Sept 24th, 8-midnight you have a 4 hour 80's Zumbathon at Hansen Stadium. The cost is $2 with student ID (that includes any age 6th grade & up) or $5. Your instructors will be Camilla, Josie, Kerry and April! I just signed on for the 10-11pm hour. This will be lots of fun so pull out those old 80's clothes and join me and the others for tons of fun!

Biggest Loser is starting at Desert Palms on October 4th. This is a 6 week program with 18 training sessions (fabulous deal). The cost is $199 for members and $225 for non members. If you are a nonmember you will have full access to the gym for that 6 weeks as well including daycare. I am one of the trainers and I must say my team last time had the so much fun! We also were the top team of total % of fat loss, so they worked hard and I pushed them hard! So come and join me, it will be hard, fun, rewarding and the best deal in training you can get! Call the gym 628-4617 and sign up under me and let me help you achieve some of your goals! Remember this is for people who want weight loss or just for toning up, nobody is excluded!

Southern Utah "Zumba Gives Back" Party in Pink-2010 October 9th from 7-9pm at Town Square Park. It is for the whole family so please mark your calendars!! The cost is $10 for 12 & older and $5 for 12 & under. We will also be selling raffle tickets for $5 each. You will want to buy some of these because we have a lot of great prizes lined up! Remember all proceeds are going to a local company "Carol's Post Mastectomy Specialist Inc.". This company provides women that need prosthesis post mastectomy, and most insurance companies do not cover them. So open up your hearts and lets help some of our local breast cancer survivors feel good about themselves and help build there self esteem! The best part is I get to update you periodically on where your donations are going and how it has helped them. We can only take cash or check at the event and you will want to get there early so that you can have the full 2 hours of fun. We are also giving away 100 free t-shirts for the 1st 100 raffle tickets bought. So get there early. If you plan on coming and spending $30 to $40 then you will have a fabulous evening! I think that is pretty cheap since most charity events cost $100 for a plate of food, at least you are getting a chance to win prizes and you get calories burned instead of added calories put on! I have 500 pink wristbands that I can't use after this so please tell everyone you know and make it a night you can talk about for a long time. Can't wait to see you there!

DVD's are $15 so get one while they last - contact Marti or Me to get one!

Done with business on with challenge!

Week #36 Challenge - Pick a new class!

I want you to pick up a new schedule at either place a pick a new class on it and try it out! If it is Zumba great - pick a new time to attend or a different teacher. You can pick a new class all together, I am teaching a new Endurance Strength class at 6am at the Rec and would love to kick your butt! It is the perfect balance between strength and cardio. They have new spin classes, strength, kickboxing, yoga, pilates...... you name it we should have it! Try something new! Step out of the box and mix it up!

Good Luck and remember to stay positive and love yourself for who you are, because you are all amazing!!

Week #35

2010-09-15T06:44:00.001-07:00

The weeks are flying by and the best part is Zumba is still going strong all over Southern Utah. Every where you turn there is a Zumba class so there are no excuses of saying "I couldn't make it", if Zumba is what you love you can find a class and never have to miss a day of shakin' it! I hope you all tried out a Kickbox class. I am on my way to mine this morning so I am excited to get my butt kicked. Just always remember how important it is to change it up and venture outside the box sometimes!

Items:
Southern Utah "Zumba Gives Back" Party in Pink-2010 October 9th from 7-9pm at Town Square Park. It is for the whole family so please mark your calendars!! The cost is $10 for 12 & older and $5 for 12 & under. We will also be selling raffle tickets for $5 each. You will want to buy some of these because we have a lot of great prizes lined up! Remember all proceeds are going to a local company "Carol's Post Mastectomy Specialist Inc.". This company provides women that need prosthesis post mastectomy, and most insurance companies do not cover them. So open up your hearts and lets help some of our local breast cancer survivors feel good about themselves and help build there self esteem! The best part is I get to update you periodically on where your donations are going and how it has helped them. We can only take cash or check at the event and you will want to get there early so that you can have the full 2 hours of fun. We are also giving away 100 free t-shirts for the 1st 100 raffle tickets bought. So get there early. Once you have paid you will be getting a wrist band (hopefully pink) and then you can buy as many raffle tickets as you want. The more the better so you can win more prizes. We will also have the tees for sale and some Zumba stuff (t-shirts, key chains, bracelets) that will be for sale and all proceeds will be donated. If you plan on coming and spending $30 to $40 then you will have a fabulous evening! I think that is pretty cheap since most charity events cost $100 for a plate of food, at least you are getting a chance to win prizes and you get calories burned instead of added calories put on! Can't wait to see you there!

Zumba at Dixie College Sept. 24th - Hansen Stadium from 8-Midnight! The cost is $5 and Josie, Camilla, Andrea and April are your rockin' instructors so join them for tons of fun!

We still have our DVD's but are getting fewer each week so get them before they are gone because once they are gone we don't reproduce them. They are $15 and we have them at our classes.

We have a new instructor that has joined us and I do not have her bio yet but I will get it for next week but her name is Danita Williams. She has been a Zumba lover for sometime and has joined us at the evening classes at the Rec Center until she got certified and now she gets to instruct you!

Week #35 challenge - No dairy!

I know we have done this one but the more I read and learn it isn't that great for you. If you eat it for proteins sake you can get protein other ways and also you can get calcium as well. Try taking it out or if you can't eliminate it then take out most of it and see again how you feel. I only eat cottage cheese and the rest I stay away from because I get don't feel good when I have a lot of it. I have noticed a difference so take the time to really see if you feel different when you don't have tons of processed dairy in you!

I love you all and I know that life get tough but remember to always think of what you have been blessed with and then put a smile so you can bless someone else!

Week #34

2010-09-08T14:58:00.001-07:00

So sorry I have been a little late getting my emails out these past few weeks but I am working on important things for our up coming event! All of the Zumba instructors that are going to be apart of our fabulous evening are working hard to bring you a great family event! So bare with me because over the course of the nest few weeks my emails might get a bit short but not because I don't love you all but my brain can only hold so much info! It's all those kids I had, they fried my brain cells so I work at a slower pace!! :)

Items:
Southern Utah "Zumba Gives Back" Party in Pink-2010 October 9th from 7-9pm at Town Square Park. It is for the whole family so please mark your calendars!! The cost is $10 for 12 & older and $5 for 12 & under. We will also be selling raffle tickets for $5 each. You will want to buy some of these because we have a lot of great prizes lined up! Remember all proceeds are going to a local company "Carol's Post Mastectomy Specialist Inc.". This company provides women that need prosthesis post mastectomy, and most insurance companies do not cover them. So open up your hearts and lets help some of our local breast cancer survivors feel good about themselves and help build there self esteem! The best part is I get to update you periodically on where your donations are going and how it has helped them. This whole thing brings tears to my eyes because I can't imagine what these ladies have had to deal with. I hope to see you all there and I hope you bring everyone you know!!

Zumba at Dixie College Sept. 24th - Hansen Stadium from 8-Midnight! I have heard that this is going to be lots of fun and there are 4 instructors that will each be taking an hour time slot! The only thing I don't know is if it costs anything so if any of you out there know please reply and let me know so I can post it. Thanks

We still have our DVD's but are getting fewer each week so get them before they are gone because once they are gone we don't reproduce them. They are $15 and we have them at our classes.

A lot of you have asked about tank tops - well we have sold out of them and we will not make another order until they come out with a new design. We will keep you posted on that!

Our next Zumba Instructor Highlight - Cami Opunui (she is hilarious, she had a hard time writing a bio so I couldn't delete any of it)

I like puppies and toast. My favorite color is light tan.

Just kidding here is a bio

I am a mother of a 4 year old girl and 18 month old boy/girl twin combo. Some say that might be enough of a workout. Nope! I am always eager to Zumba. I have been zumba certified for 1 year and I love it. Since moving to Saint George from Hawaii I have been desperate to replace surfing. Zumba was the key. I have been asked many times why I left Hawaii for Saint George. To that I reply, "I moved because Saint George rocks!" I am generally a sub for the regular teachers so catching me is always a surprise. Saturdays and Wednesdays are the exception because we alternate teachers. Zumba is way to much fun and I feel so grateful to be apart of it.

We are so glad to have Cami with us and when the new schedule comes out make sure you find Cami's name and join her for her classes!

Week #34 Challenge- Kickboxing!

So do you see a pattern here? I want you to try some new classes because as much as I love Zumba, your body will love you more if you cross train. Your body will adapt to whatever you are doing so cross training is key to giving your body a surprise every once in awhile. The kick part of boxing is true - it will kick your butt and may even shape it too! :) Shake it up a bit and with the new schedules being posted on Monday (they don't start until the 20th) you will have a chance to try some new stuff!

I love you all and enjoy your week and make sure you fill it with positive things!!

Week #33

2010-09-01T14:08:00.001-07:00

How was your week? I hope you all got in enough exercise to make yourselves feel good about what you are doing! I hope that all of you are keeping up on your push-ups, squats and weights. Remember they are crucial!!

This week has been crazy so to get right to items of business -

The Rec Center is still closed until Sept. 7th so make sure you take Desert Palms up on their offer to let you come use their facilities for just $10. We do have classes on labor day Monday so if you have any one visiting and you want to show them what Zumba is all about bring them over. If you only come one day then it is $5 for drop in. Hope to see you over there!!

The new schedules for both places has been bumped a week so the new ones will not be coming out until the 20th of Sept. They are getting an over haul for the better so I am sure you will all be excited for the new schedules to come out!!

I have heard there is a big Zumba to-do at Hansen Stadium coming up on Sept. 24th. More info to come as I get it!!

Most important -

"Zumba Gives Back" It is time for all Zumba lovers out there across Southern Utah to give back to our community. We have been so blessed with he opportunity that all of our gyms and rec center facilities have offered us so much Zumba that we need to give back! Mark your calendars for October 9th from 7-9pm at Town Square park! All proceeds will be going back into a local business that needs the money to help provide women with post mastectomy's with prosthesis. October is breast cancer awareness month so we would like to honor anyone and everyone that has experienced this through themselves, though a family member or friend! This is all for charity so please open your hearts and spread the word! The event will cost but it will be the best dollars you have spent knowing where it is going and who it is helping out! More info to come!! (I do know that there is going to be great prizes)

Our next instructor highlight - Josie Jones

Hi ladies. Here's a brief introduction to my life and how Zumba came to be a part of it. I taught Jazzercise for five years up in Salt Lake City and was so sad, when I moved to St. George in the fall of 2007, to find that there were no similar dance aerobic classes. That sadness was short-lived, however, as I discovered Desert Palms the month I moved here and, within two weeks of my joining the gym, Kerry became certified to teach Zumba, the first introduction of Zumba to St. George and the first I had ever heard of it. I loved it immediately. However, as a newly single mom of an adorable and very demanding toddler, I was not ready to get back into the teaching thing again, so I just enjoyed being a student for a couple of years before making the leap to go through workshop and begin teaching Zumba myself. It has been such a joy to me and a major stress reliever in my life. It is my "ME" time. I currently teach classes at Desert Palms, Gold's, Rezults, and occasionally sub at St. George Rec Center. My main job is being a mom to my little diva, and then I do medical transcription work from home at night while she sleeps, which means that I rarely get more than 4 hours of sleep M-F. This is all the more reason why Zumba is sooo important to me - I crave those endorphins to give me energy to get through my weekdays. I have also VERY SLOWLY started going back to school during my daughter's preschool hours to try to finish my Bachelor's degree in elementary ed. As for spare time, I love anything that lets me spend time with family and friends, I read anything and everything, I love to bake, and I especially enjoy anything crafty or that lets me unleash a bit of creativity. More than anything, I just love to laugh and to surround myself with happy people so that I can do that often. I love Zumba and I have thoroughly loved getting to know all of you. That's basically me in a nutshell.

Josie :)

Josie is awesome! She has quite the following and rightly so, she is great! You will never know if you get Josie at Desert Palms or the Rec Center, she is a faithful reliable sub for us and we love her because of that! You just may get her one of these days!!

Week #33 Challenge - Power Strength

Have any of you taken the advantage of Power Strength class at either facility? If not you are missing out on a great opportunity to get a full body workout in just an hour. It does not cover cardio but like in the past I have said it is not all about how much cardio you do, you need to add in some weight training. This class will give you an overall full body kick your butt workout!! It will push you to the next level of working out. If you have been going then up your weights and push yourself to the next level. It truly is a great class so check one out over the next week and see what it does for you!

We love you all and thank you again for being who you are!

Week #32

2010-08-25T14:15:00.000-07:00

Another week has gone by and before we know it, it will be the end of 2010. Life goes by so quickly so you might as well enjoy the ride while it flies by, right? I hope that all of you are falling nicely into your routine schedules now that school has been in session for a couple of weeks. It is so important to find the time in your day to call your own so make sure that is top priority when it comes to scheduling! Your kids will be fine if you have leave so don't feel guilty, in fact they will notice that you are even a nicer parent when you return home due to those fantastic endorphins that we have all been blessed with! Our bodies our amazing and if you take care of your body, your body will take care of you!

Items of business - The Rec Center will be closed August 30th thru Sept. 6th. Classes start back up on the 7th. There will be a new schedule coming out but not until Sept. 13th. There will be some new changes and new additions so it will be great! Also - Rec Center attendees, Desert Palms is letting anyone that goes to the Rec Center come and enjoy the their gym facilities and all classes for just $10 for the week that it is closed! This is a great deal so take them up on it so you can still get your exercise in for the week. All you have to do is tell the front desk at Desert Palms that you are from the Rec Center and they will take care of you! We would love to see you all at the Zumba classes at Desert Palms next week!

Desert Palms members - there will be a new schedule coming out as well on the 13th of Sept. so get ready for some changes and new additions as well!

Zumba Gives Back - Our charity event is in the planning mode and I hope to have a date, time and place for you by next Wednesday. It is going to be fabulous! You will not want to miss out! We have instructors from all over Washington county that will be helping us out that evening! More info to come........

Our DVD's are on sale this week! We want to push them so that we can make a new one. We need to sale out before Vol. 4 can be made so they are buy 1 get one 1/2 off. So team up with a friend or sister and get 2 for $22.50. Marti and I have them on us at all times and we can always ship them out as well!!

Next Zumba teacher Highlight - Christy Ellis

My Husband Dave, and I moved to St.George about 8 years ago, so he could be a real estate agent, (which I might add he is the best in St.George) ( okay , tied for best with Kerry’s husband , Joe Langston.) I worked in a salon as a hair stylist for 7 years, I also graduated from massage therapy school, I spent three years with Comedy Sportz doing improve comedy every weekend, I also spent time traveling around the world and the United States. But all of that life got put on hold when I had my three kids and decide to be a stay-at-home mom. It was a hard transition for me, to be “just a mom”, so when Zumba came into my life, I had something to call my own again. I have become very interested in the fitness world. Our bodies are so incredible, no matter what they look like. It is amazing what they will do for us, if we love them and take care of them. And we all know our bodies love zumba! Thank you all for letting me be a part of your Zumba lives! I absolutely love teaching. Be healthy – be happy - be kind – and Zumba!

You can catch her high energetic personality on Tuesdays at the Rec Center at 5:30pm!!

Week #32 Challenge - weights!

Who is afraid of weights? You see those dumb bells and you just walk on buy because you are scared of them. You need to change your mind set! You need to fall in love with weights! They are so good for you! You need to build muscle to lose the fat. That's it, lift some weights on a regular basis and you will see changes! I promise. So along with your push-ups, squats and now weights you will have a great workout that will help you speed up your metabolism and lose weight.

Speaking of weights - I am now in the Saturday rotation at Desert Palms for Strength training and Spin. I will be teaching the 8:15am strength class follow right after a hour spin class this Saturday. If you would like to try it out please come. If you want to do strength and then catch Zumba right after, that will be just as good!

Have a wonderful week everyone and remember how great you are each day!

Week #31

2010-08-18T07:22:00.001-07:00

I hope you all had a great week getting used to school being back in and hopefully getting in a little me time! I hope that you are feeling the need to get back into a routine and more importantly get exercise back into your routine on a regular basis. It is so important to exercise each day in some form. It really does release endorphins that will help you through your day. It releases the stress and anxiety that we feel sometimes with our kids busy schedules! Come the 1st of September you should all be feeling good about your routines!

Items of business-
The Rec Center will be closed starting on Aug 30th to Sept 6. They clean and remodel and they also switch up the aerobics schedule so make sure you pick up a schedule when they have them available.

Marti and I are putting together a huge Zumba Event along with our fellow instructors and it will be coming up in October. The date should be set by next week so I will let you know so you can mark your calendars because you will not want to miss out on this, I promise!

I have gotten word that Desert Palms will be doing another Loser Club that will maybe start in October. If any of you are interested then get your teams together because I will be taking on 2 teams this time. I am ready to get you in shape and push beyond your limits! I can have 6 per team and remember that you do not need to be a member of Desert Palms to be a part of the Loser Club. I had so much fun with my group last time and they all did amazing things so I am excited to take on another challenge!! More info soon!

Check our blog / www.zumbagirls.blogspot.com / I updated the music finally, so those of you that listen to it at work you can shake at your desk with some of our new songs!

We have one black tank left and DVD's! Get them before they are gone because we don't reproduce the volume once we have sold out!

Our next highlight - Melesa Kohler

I fell in love with Zumba in Dallas years ago. Then in 2007 she moved to St. George and fell in love with Zumba all over again...when she started doing Zumba at Desert Palms with Kerry & Marti. She was certified last year and LOVES it. She teaches Zumba Kids and Zumba Mommie and Me and rotates in on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings at Desert Palms. She also teachers a "Grown-up" class =) on Mondays at the Rec center.

Melesa has been married for 17 years, has twin girls that are 8 and her caboose is a 4 yr old little girl. She is an ASL interpreter, Choir Director at Little Valley Elementary and loves serving in the church she is a part of. She loves tennis, swimming and riding her bike. But her true love and passion for exercise has come with Zumba. She loves baking and laundry! She is so thankful and happy to be part of the Zumba team at Desert Palms and Rec Center.

Melesa is great and all her kid Zumba goers love her!! Take your kids to her classes at Desert Palms or join her for hers on Monday mornings at the Rec Center!

Week #31 - Squats!!

Tight butts is every one's dream but we don't like to put in the time and honestly we don't like the hurt when we are done but you need to do it or after time our cute butts will start to sag, that is what we don't want!! So along with your push-ups which you should have increased on over the past week I want you to add in your squats or lunges. I want your butt to burn and so push yourself. If you are finished at 20 squats then go for 30! You need to feel the burn and I want you to feel it every day this week. Embrace the squat and love your butt!

Week #30

2010-08-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

School is in session :) I truly do love my children and I love hanging out with them but I don't like the fighting and how dirty the house gets when they are home all day so this is a good change!! So one might ask themselves, what are you going to do with your free time? I respond, take sometime for me first so that when they do come home I have already had me time! I love to work out with me so now you might catch me doing extra stuff after I teach classes and hopefully fill up my schedule with training! I hope I can be of service to you!

Soon there will be some schedule changes because of fall coming so I will keep you all posted with what is going on at the Rec Center and Desert Palms. The only change that starts next Tuesday at Desert Palms is the Zumba kids class will be moved back to 4:30pm due to school. Melesa and Cherie teach that class and they do a great job so get your kids involved and teach them a good habit of exercise!

For our next instructor highlight is Cherie Hoopii - (the greatest massage therapist ever!)

Ok stuff about me... Hawaiian/Chinese, Caucasian. Age: Older than everyone else teaching zumba! 2 children-Tei (12yr) & Lahela (6yr). Grad from BYU, Provo where I played volleyball for 4 yrs. Served an LDS mission in Okinawa, Japan. (So did 2 of my brothers so we still speak Japanese.) Masters in accounting from SUU. CPA for almost 20 yrs. Still do personal consulting and tax work. Real Estate licence (why? who knows? ha ha). Run the SDI Massage School (for 5 years) and own Bodyssage for 2 1/2 yrs. Love my Hawaiian culture and have done many, many luaus- cook, sing and dance. Love family, sports, music, travelling, drawing, learning, teaching, trying to stay fit, and pretty much anything that has to do with the body fascinates me. Oooh, and I LOVE Zumba and our Zumba gang!

Cherie is a woman of many talents so make sure you check out one of her classes!

Week #30 Challenge - Chest (who doesn't love a bigger chest)

Ok, I want you to focus on your chest this week. No, we don't want huge pecs like guys do but we need to have a strong foundation so that other muscles can work properly when being worked. So I want you to throw out the idea of girl push-ups, there is no such thing!! I want you to start slow and then gain each day. If you can only do 3 regular push-ups the first day then the next you add 2 more. I want you to build big and achieve big. Please report to me how many you ended up with at the end of the week. If you are sore one day then do a few less but you need to do push-ups every day! Each week we are going to build-up so I want you to start making some good habits. Now is the time to take an hour for yourself to workout. Summer is over and there are no more excuses so lets get our butts in gear and work on our goals!!!

Week #29

2010-08-04T09:49:00.000-07:00

So our summer is almost over, crazy! That went by really fast. I love summer but I love school too!! This is the year for me that all my kids are in school all day :)! I am excited to focus on Zumba and Personal training once school starts. I have some fun things that are turning in my brain that I am excited to share with you in the near future!

Ok, who went to National Dance Day at the Washington Walmart? I was there and about 15 others from the Rec and Desert Palms that I know of. I didn't get to see everyone but it was so much fun! It was so awesome to see all the crazy Zumba lovers in Southern Utah. We (instructors) had so much fun that we are going to do it again soon. I was put in charge so I will have my cohort Marti help me out and we are going to bring a fabulous event to Southern Utah for all Zumba lovers that love to give of the heart!! I will keep you posted when the action will start happening.

Items for sale -
DVD's are $15 so pick one up before they are gone
We only have 3 tanks left / small black - medium black - medium gray/ they are $18 and I have them with me so if you go to Marti's class let us now so we can have it there for you!

Instructor Bio -
Tricia Longmore joined us at Desert Palms and the Rec Center over a year ago! We love her and are so happy she is back!!

When I was a kid I loved to dance. I was in many performing groups including: drill team, cheer leading and musical theater. As an adult I found it more difficult to get out and dance. I have always exercised but it was drudgery until I fell in love with Zumba. I joined Kerry's and Marti's Zumba classes over two years ago. I was totally hooked on Zumba from the first day. Kerry encouraged me to get certified and I started teaching in January of 2009 and have been smiling ever since.

One of the things I love most about Zumba is it's always changing. No two classes needs to be the same, each new song adds more fun to the mix with an endless possiblities of songs and zumba moves. I enjoy choreographing my own songs plus learning the songs that other teachers have done. Zumba helps me not only to be more healthy, but also de-stress and escape from reality. I can stop being "mommy" for one whole hour and be Tricia instead. Zumba helped me find myself; I didn't realize I was lost until I found me again.

Zumba has changed my life and I hope it gives others as much joy as it brings to me. Tricia

You can catch Tricia alternating Saturday's and Wednesday's at Desert Palms and the STG Rec Center. She is always willing to sub so you might show up to a class and get a treat with Tricia filling in!

Week #29 Challenge - enjoy your last week off!

This doesn't mean take exercise off but it means if you have kids or Grand kids do something crazy with them! Make your last week of summer memorable. Get out and do fun stuff. Have a fun week filled with exercise, laughter, sunshine, friends and family! Enjoy this week because starting next week our challenges are going to get a little bit harder. I am going to test your physical strength so have a happy week and I love you all!!

Week #28 / NAtional Dance Day

2010-07-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

Thank you Marti for emailing out last week and yes she is right, we need to take at lest 10 minutes a day for ourselves so that we can focus on whats important! Thank you for reminding us!

Back in the early months of 2010 I was hand selecting some great girls to teach Zumba along side with Marti and I and I don't think I have paid enough tribute to them for all the hard work they have done at both the Rec Center and Desert Palms. So for the next little while I will be highlighting them so that you can get to now your teachers a little better. Their names are:
Cami
Cherie
Christy
Josie
Melesa
Tricia

I hope you have enjoyed taking their classes!

Week #28 - National Dance Day

Coming up on Saturday the 31sy of July is National Dance day. Zumba is based around dance so one of the great instructors (April and daughters) have put together something really fun for our Southern Utah Zumba family this Saturday night. She has asked a handful of instructors to help her and I have happily accepted (sadly Marti will be out of town) to bring the east and the west together at the Washington Walmart parking lot to have a full on Zumba dance party! Here are the details, there is a dance that you need to learn that is choreographed by Nap and Tabs from So you think you can Dance so we can do it all together. It will be filmed and sent into the TV show. Here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKUyp1GMQVg it has step by step instructions! April will be picking the song so just learn the moves and get the feel for it. The Dance off is free to the public!! The time is 9pm -10pm. We are going to have cars parked in a huge circle with all the lights facing in. The radio station will be there and those of us instructors that have merchandise will have it there for your convenience to buy. It is going to be awesome so this is your challenge this week to learn the steps and even if you don't learn the steps come to the Dance off on Saturday! I would really like to have the westside be represented well so come one, come all and join us for one hour full of Zumba craziness!!

Invite for all!!
For: National Dance Day
When: Saturday the 31st
Time: 9pm-10pm
Where: Washington Walmart parking lot

See you there!

Week #26

2010-07-14T10:04:00.001-07:00

Did you get your game on? Our numbers were up at the Rec Center and Desert Palms in all the Zumba classes so I am thinkin' you got your game on. Good Job!

So now that our summer is half way over :( we need to start thinking about our schedules and how we are going to get in our Zumba for the week or every day. It is so crucial to stay active during the summer. The afternoons are getting so hot that most people tend to stay inside. You need to make sure you get in your workout in the morning time or evening. We get so caught up in our daily stuff and the hours fly by and we think to ourselves, "Dang it, I missed my exercise today. I will do it tomorrow!" What are the chances that the next day is going to be less busy, not so much! You need to make it top priority so that you can have the positive serge that comes from exercise!

Our DVD's are finally here! Marti and I opened one and watched some and the picture is a little blurry so whether it is the widescreen or the production company, we don't know but because of this we are going to sell them for $15 instead of $20. We don't want to return them again and all that hoopla, but the important thing is you can still watch it and get a great workout. The blurry part is our faces so that is good for us. You can still see all the routines and moves clearly! It was our favorite DVD to make so purchase one and make it a part of your daily routine if you can't make it to a Zumba class! We have them with us at our classes and we take checks or cash. If you are from out of town please reply and we will get one shipped to you.

Week #26 Challenge - Find a Friend!

I want you to find a friend that may be struggling a little with exercise or weight! So many people feel so alone in the workout world and some have no idea where to start. I would like you to bring her or him along to a class and show them that exercise can be really fun and then also tell them your thoughts and feelings about how you have achieved some of your weight loss goals. You have no idea how many people out there need some one to talk to about this. It is a major factor in depression and if we, all together, can help someone see that exercise is a natural way to release endorphins and can help pull you out of depression, then it is worth stepping outside of our comfort zone!

Again, I can't say it enough on how much I love our Zumba family! We have such a widespread group in Southern Utah and it is wonderful to be a part of your lives!

Week #25 / Waka Waka

2010-07-07T06:38:00.000-07:00

Yea, me and Marti are back! I love coming back from vacation and going to Zumba. The energy is always so much fun and as much as I want to say I need breaks sometimes I always love coming back and realize how much I love what I do. I heard that the Twilight Zumba Party was so much fun and I am sad that I could not be there but I needed to send off my sister and that was sad enough so it is a good thing I got to Zumba that next day!

Ok, now that June is gone and that was fast, it is time to get back into gear! I was so busy in June that I could barely think but now my brain has slowed down so prepare for new routines. I hope to come up with a couple new ones each week because August is around the corner and that means school time and back to busy schedules. I love coming up with my own routines and I love taking them from YouTube so if any of you have any suggestions on music, moves, or ones that you have seen on YouTube please let me know!!

Sadly our DVD's came in and I was hoping to have them in mine and Marti's hands last Monday but the order was wrong so I had to send them back and we are now waiting again for them to come in again. I really hope this time they will be here by the first of next week. Plan on bringing your checks or cash starting next week and we will have them at one of our classes. The DVD will be great for any of you that travel during the summer. It has all our fun new routines on it and a couple of our fun old ones. The price for the DVD is $20.

We still have tank tops left so if you want one please pick it up before they are gone! The tanks are $18.

Week #25 Challenge - get your game on!

I know how much you all love Zumba so let's get our game on! You can burn up to 800 calories a class if you do it with all your heart and soul. I know at times that you are trying to get the new moves down but we need to step it up so that you can see results! I want you to get in as much Zumba as you can this next week. That being said, I will be teaching tonight's 8:30pm class at Desert Palms and Marti will be teaching both classes on Saturday. Remember you do not need to be a member to join at Desert Palms so come one come all and tare up the floor with us this week at both places!

Week #24

2010-06-23T22:35:00.001-07:00

Hello,

It is still Wednesday but I only have 1 1/2 hours left to get this to you before Thursday comes. I didn't forget about you but time flies when you are having tons of fun with family. My sis has been here for 3 weeks from Mississippi and I have been loving every minute of it. I have filled her with lots of Zumba and have re lit the fire under her to start instructing again back home. Zumba does wonders for your soul and I love it. It is cheap therapy so make sure when you are feeling down or having a crappy day then please come join me or Marti at one of our Zumba classes and let us uplift you through music. There is no better way in my book then to embrace the Zumba love and bring out the inner self confidence that is in all of us!

Zumba around town - there is a Club Zumba Night at the Washington Rec Center on Friday at 6:30-8:30pm. The cost is $2 for members and $5 for non-members. It is a Twilight themed dance party and there will be door prizes so get your Vampire on and go Zumba with April!!

Our vol. 3 DVD is in the making!! I hope to have them back next week sometime. We will keep you posted on the exact day that we will have them in our bags to sale at our classes. The DVD is great to have. It gives you a full work out if you can't make it to a live class or it helps you gain the confidence that so many think they need to have to come to a Zumba class. Remember you are loved o matter what but if you need that extra boost you will want to purchase one and it will help you learn some of the routines that we do in our classes.

I love fruit so I hope you loved it too this last week. Keep up the good habit of eating some fruit everyday because it is very good for you and a very good way to get natural sugar in your body instead of the processed sugar that is not good for you. So for the next two weeks (I will be at girls camp next week so I can't email out) here is your challenge.

Week #24 Challenge - Reading, a 2 week challenge!

One other thing I love to do is read. I find so much joy in reading good books. I want you to go find yourself a good self help book or article that will help uplift you on the inside. We all need help and sometimes we don't even know why we have inner struggles but we need to find out ways to release them so that our inner beauty shows more. We all have so much to give in the world and if we are struggling from the inside out then we need to find out why and then start to fix them. Self help books and articles are awesome ways to help you out. The book stores have so many or ask a friend because everyone you would be surprised that a lot of people have already read some good books so ask around! Like I said, I won't be here next week so you have 2 weeks before you will hear from me so challenge yourself to do this, it will help!!

I love my Zumba girls so I hope you have a wonderful 2 weeks and I will see you soon!

Week #23

2010-06-16T10:40:00.001-07:00

Welcome back to myself and did you girls have a nice break from me? I soaked up some good sun last week and now I am back into the swing of things. Please forgive me but after taking time off it takes my brain a few times to get all the routines back into my head so apologies to the last couple classes I have taught for I messed up more then I would have normally! I hope you are all taking advantage of the Wednesday night class at Desert Palms. We are excited that we can give you three nights a week of party Zumba action! The lights are finally all up and going so you can now see the instructor after the hour of 9pm although that spot light is a killer! It throws off a lot of heat so apologies to the front row ladies who may on a occasion get some sweat flying from the stage, but hey that is why we love Zumba right, sweat-fun-dancing!!

Our volume 3 DVD has been finished in the editing department! I will be sending it to production early next week and so by the 1st of July sometime they will be here and ready to sale. Again, like last time we had tons of fun filming this for you. We laugh and have a great time! Marti and I watched the outtakes and laughed until our stomachs hurt but my daughter watched them and didn't laugh at all. So I guess Marti and I think we are more hilarious then my 12 year old but hey what do they know at this age and I guess we understand the circumstances more. Anyway, I will keep you posted on the exact date that we will have them in hand to sale.

So I hope you picked your favorite challenge to do last week and if not then you had a break like me and that is always ok in my book, sometimes! It's time to get back on track so here is your next challenge.

Week #23 - Fruit, yummy fruit!

In the summertime we tend not to eat as much due to the temperature outside which can a be a good thing sometimes. I want you to pick up your fruit intake for a week. Now there is fruit that is better for you and some that you want to limit yourself on. Here is a list of lots of and not so much -

Lots of
any kind of berry
watermelon (squeeze a little lime juice on it and it makes it delicious)
citrus
peaches
nectarines
mango

Not so much
bananas
apples
grapes
pineapple

Have at least 2-3 servings a day! Summertime is the best time to enjoy the sweet taste of fruit and it always feels light in your stomach!

Alright, ladies that is it for this week so enjoy yourselves, feel good about yourselves and love yourselves for who you are!! Peace, Love, Zumba!!

Week #21

2010-06-02T15:37:00.001-07:00

Hello girls,

How is your summer going so far? My kids have been completely occupied with cousins so I have not heard the "I'm bored", yet but I am sure it is coming soon! I hope you are all gearing up for some really warm weather coming up because it is only getting hotter! I can't wait! I love to get my exercise in during the morning time then when the sun comes out we lounge by the pool for the afternoon!

Besides your challenge this week the only news is:

Desert Palms - they have added a Wednesday night 8:30pm class. You can get 3 nights a week now so soak it up it may only last through the summer!

Rec Center - they have added more daycare hours for you Zumba ladies. They now have daycare from 5:30-7:30pm on weekdays and from 8-9am on Saturdays. It is just for you so make sure you pass the word just in case you or any friends need the daycare. All fees are the same.

Week #21 Challenge - Sleep / Rest!!

Sleep is so important for an active person to get. Your body does a lot of repairing while you sleep and if you deprive your body of precious sleep hours then you can not function to your best. You need a good night sleep. This is funny coming from me because those of you that know me on a personal level know that I don't sleep but I try really hard. I know how important it is and when I do get a good night sleep my energy level is twice as high. I do my best and get to bed at a decent hour and then awake early and get my exercise in. If you wait to long then the chances are you won't do it in the heat of the day. I want you to try your best to get in 7-8 hours of sleep and awake early and get in your exercise before 8am. I promise you will feel better about the day and your energy level stays high.

I will not be here next Wednesday to email you out another challenge so please look back at all the challenges you have had and pick one that you know worked for you and do it. I will be soaking up some sun and having a much needed rest. Good luck to all of you and thank you for loving Zumba. Spread the word because we want to fill all our classes this summer! I love you all!!

Week #20

2010-05-26T11:40:00.001-07:00

Wow! Summer is here!

The craziness begins! I tend to love summer for the first month and then come July I am ready for school to start. The summer brings so much fun and family time. I hope that all of you have fun things planned for you and your families over the next 2 months. The possibilities for exercise are endless!

Alright you asked for it and I begged so starting June 9th there will be a Wednesday night Zumba at 8:30pm at Desert Palms. That's right you can get your Zumba fix all three nights now! We instructors are excited to bring you tons of fun 3 hot nights every week in the summer! Bring your friends and family! They don't need to have a membership. We have options for out of town-ers and those of you that just love to Zumba only.
Each class is $5 (if you are not a member) or 10 time punch pass is $42.50 (that makes it $4.25 per class) the cheapest by far in town!

Tank tops are going quick so get yours soon! $18 each

DVD Volume 3 is in the making starting tomorrow. It will take us about a month to get the final copies so we will keep you posted when they will be finished and ready to sell!

Week #20 Challenge - Yummy Summer Recipes!

One of our biggest challenges is finding good healthy recipes to make for our family that taste good and are low in calories. I have come across a lot of them and have tried them all so I will send out a new recipe every once in awhile for you to try in your homes. I am sending out a yummy Salad recipe that is really good, Spinach Salad with Shrimp. Now if you don't like shrimp then you can always add chicken. You may have been to Applebee's and purchased this Salad to eat but let me tell you how many calories are in this salad from Applebee's, 1,071 calories! What, a salad! Yes, you need to be really careful when you order salads. Most everyone orders a salad thinking that they are being really healthy but most likely you are not. There are so many hidden calories everywhere that you have no idea about. Caesar Salad can have up to 1700 calories in it. Not so good when your calorie intake is around 1500 for the whole day! Beware of what you are eating and try not to eat out very often, it may be scary!! Now, this salad I think tastes better and the calories are really low, because you know what is going into the salad. Try it out over the next week and also take sometime to look through cookbooks for some new recipes. If it does not list the calories then stay far away from it. A good cookbook will always tell you the calories per serving!

Shrimp Spinach Salad Serves 4 - calories per serving 220

6 strips of bacon, cut into small pieces or I used fresh bacon bits

1/2 red onion, sliced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

8 oz shrimp or use chicken if you don't like seafood

2 tbsp pine nuts

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

Olive oil

1 6oz bag of fresh spinach

2 hard boiled eggs, sliced

1. heat a large skillet pan over medium heat. Cook bacon until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel on plate and reserve

2. Add onion and mushrooms to the pan and cook until the onions begin to brown. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and add to pan, along with the pine nuts. Cook until shrimp are pink and firm, no more than 4 mins. Stir the mustard and vinegar into the pan; season with salt and pepper. If the pan looks dry, add a splash of olive oil.

3. Divide the spinach and eggs up on four plates and top with the hot shrimp mixture and some of the liquid in the pan. Sprinkle with bacon bits.

Enjoy!

Week #19

2010-05-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

Hey girls,

Wow, it is getting hotter and I love it! Summer is around the corner (literally next week) and I can't wait for all the fun and chaos that it brings. I hope you have all filled up your summer months with family vacations, reunions, EXERCISE, and just being plain lazy! Summer brings on a whole new meaning to exercise for me. It is a time that you can try so many new things. Remember exercise does not have to be in the form of boring. It just means getting your body active. I love to take my kids to the river and play around, we go to Veyo and catch crawdads, bike rides, swimming, Sandhollow Reservoir, etc... We are so blessed to live close to so many great locations that we can keep our bodies active! Be creative this summer!

I am trying my best to get another Zumba class on Wednesday Nights at Desert Palms but I need your help! You need to put in the suggestion box that you want one. They usually cut classes for summer so if we want to add then we have got to have our voice heard! I have also heard that the Rec Center would also like an Wednesday evening class? If this is true please I will beg and plead for you but I need you to make your voices heard as well. Get those suggestions asap before the summer schedules are set in stone.

Week #19 Challenge - Swim (you knew it was coming)

This is my last week that I will be stuck on the events of a Triathlon. Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise you can do for yourself and I don't mean dog paddle. I mean get out there and freestyle, breast stroke, back stroke and if you can do the butterfly more power to ya because I can not! When I started my first training for a triathlon back in 2005 with in a month of swimming twice a week I lost 2 inches off my chest circumference (no my bust stayed the same). I had to buy a new bra which was awesome. Since then I have been the same. Well now that I am in training again my measurements are going down and I have only swam 4 times. Sorry, I am going by my bra size but since I do not use a scale I go off of how my clothes fit and I have to use the tightest clasp on my bra now, that is a good thing! Besides the smaller bra, hehe, swimming is great for your heart and endurance (more important obviously)! I love that when I get out of the pool I am not a sweaty mess. Your core temp rises while swimming but you don't get the after math of exercising! Anyway, I want you to get in a pool and swim some laps. Sand Hollow, Washington Rec, have great lap pools. Try something new this week and go swimming. All you need is some goggles and a hair tie. Swim caps are best but I don't want you to have to go buy anything. Everyone has goggles lying around. So besides Zumba this week go to the swim pool just once to try it out! If anyone ever decides that they love it then let me know because I can train you how to swim properly and effectively so that you get the most out of your workout!

We still have tank tops left. They are $18 so pick them up quick before your size gets picked through!

We have a fellow Zumba girl that is doing great things for herself and I wanted to pass it along. Feel free to let me know of any of your achievements outside of Zumba and I will always put a plug into my weekly emails for you. I love that we are all so talented and I love sharing it with all of you!

Her name is Alicia Buck and she is an author. She lives her in St. George and has written a young adult book. It has been published and she will be doing a book signing on June 5th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at Barnes and Noble. This is an amazing accomplishment. Something that my brain could never do!! Her book is call "Flecks of Gold" and it is a young adult fantasy, so if anyone likes magic, adventure, and a bit of romance I hope you will go and support one of your fellow Zumba girls! I will be there. I love reading books along side of my 12 year old and it sounds like she would love it and me too!

Have a wonderful week girls!

Week #18 / 2-step

2010-05-12T14:12:00.000-07:00

We had a few people request the 2-step on video so scroll down to see 3 of your Zumba instructors 2-step it up!

Ok so our Zumba classes are going great! We love all of you that join us on a weekly basis and share your love of Zumba with us! Summer is coming fast although the weather is not cooperating but school will be out in 2 1/2 weeks and then it is go time. It seems to me that each summer gets so booked up with all the extra activities and vacations and whatever else we decide to book ourselves with. Let's just not forget how important it is to take time each week for ourselves so that we can be better people. Make sure you join us during the summer time so that you can release the stress of all the chaos the goes on around us.

We are thinking of adding a Wednesday night class at Desert Palms at 8:30pm. That would give you 3 nights of Zumba party action! If you would like to see that happen then please put it in the suggestion box at the front desk. The more we get the better chance we have to get it going for you!!

Here is a great Zumba story -

Thanks for the great class; I just started in Jan. and I'm hooked :) I have a master's degree in health education and have run wellness programs for hospitals for many years. We moved here from Jackson Hole where I was director of wellness for hospital employees & the community, and managed a small gym for employees. Even though I've worked out every day most of my life, I've saw a big change in my weight after a hysterectomy 10 years ago. Aging and hormones; a tough combo! I've lost 15 pounds since starting Zumba; I consider it a big (but fun) shock to my system :) I still swim and hike every week to mix it up, but I plan to keep Zumba-ing forever!
Heather

Thank you Heather for sharing and I am pretty sure I will be zumba-ing with ya forever as well!

Did any of you get out and run? To be honest with ya I didn't get out until this morning. So I ran my 5 miles in one shot but I enjoyed myself, which is surprising since I don't love to run. The open air and the road with good tunes seemed to work for me this morning. I hope you enjoyed yourself as well!

Week #18 Challenge - Biking!

I think you can see where I am going with this, but since the Ironman it has sparked my love for triathlons again. I have done 9 in the past and I loved doing them but since Zumba and marathon training I sort of just dropped out. They are so much fun to do and they are truly the best thing you can do fitness wise. The reason is, you are in constant cross training and your body never gets burned out. So most of you may never do a triathlon but you might as well try the activities that go along with one. Anyone can do a triathlon and I promise you that! So if anyone can do one then for sure you can do each activity by itself. I want you to get out on your bike this next week. It doesn't matter what kind of bike you have, I don't even care if it's your kids bmx bike, I just want you to get out and ride. Find that inner kid in yourself and remember how much fun it is to ride a bike. Make sure you wear a helmet and be safe as always! If you don't have a bike then borrow a neighbors, they are not going to care so get out there and just do it!

Marti and I have tank tops! We have split them up so we each have all the colors and we will be taking them to all of our classes. They are $18 each. Get one soon before the size and color disappears.

My loser club is almost coming to a close and I can not tell you how much fun we have had! I am so proud of these ladies and all the hard work they have done. I will let you know how much the group lost when we do our final weigh-in. If you happen to see any of my girls please tell them how awesome they are!! I will be doing this again in the fall so if anyone is interested keep that in mind.

Tik Tok Routine

2010-05-05T08:20:00.000-07:00

We finally recorded a few songs so check back every few days to learn some of our newer routines!

2010-05-05T08:07:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone!

I hope you all had a great weekend! I for sure did! I volunteered for 7 hours on the marathon portion of the Ironman and then for 3 hours at the finish line. That whole day was so inspirational to me and I was in complete amazement at all the athletes and their determination to finish. It was the coolest thing I have been apart of in a long time. I hope that each of you got to see some part of the race so you know what I am talking about. If you did not then you have four more years every May to see it. I will definitely be a volunteer every year!

Marti and I will have tank tops next week for you to buy. They will be $18 each and the colors are: black, pink, gray and aqua blue. We only have 10 of each color so make sure you get your tank before the color and size is gone that you want. We will each have some at all our classes.

For those of you that ordered zumbawear from me then your order should be in next week as well. Zumba is great in all aspects but their shipping takes forever so we have to patiently wait for our fun clothes to show up!

Week #17 Challenge - Run!

I don't know about you but running is not my favorite thing to do but I know how good it can be for your heart and the weight loss process so I do it. I want you to get out and run this weekend. Turn on your ipod, or find a good friend to talk to and hit the open road. I want you to get in 5 miles over the next week. Try not to have be on the treadmill the whole time. Running outside is way better but stay on the asphalt. Cement is to hard on your knees so be careful out there but enjoy it! You might find that you like it and at times I love it. It really depends on your attitude! So step out of your comfort zone and do something you usually wouldn't do! I will hit the open road myself!

Personal Training- as most of you know I am now a personal trainer and I have been loving every minute of it. I am pleased to say my Loser Group has lost a combined total of 30 inches. They are so amazing to work with and to see their determination pushes me to be a better person! I have determined my prices so I will let you know and if you are interested please contact me by phone: 668-8324

per 1 hour session - $40
(If you and one friend want to split this and train together that is a great way to go)

I will do packages but each package could be different so at time of consultation we can determine a package price.

6 week training with 12 sessions with four or more - $200 each (4 person minimum)

Times for training will vary due to the fact that I have 4 children and a crazy life (like most people these days) but I will do my best to accommodate you and your needs as well so call soon so that you can get your pick of training times.

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Zumba training - Have you ever thought to yourself, man I just can't quite get the routine down or I want to learn the salsa better well, I am going to start personal zumba classes for those of you that would like to have some time with just me. All you need to do is find 5 people and call me and schedule a personal zumba class totally catered to your group and what you need for 1 hour. I will break down songs, teach them over and over..... I will do whatever you tell me you want or need to learn. I will be your personal zumba instructor. For a 1 hour session is will be $10 per person, minimum of 5 people. So grab your friends and call me to schedule your next hour of pure fun and learning. (It will not be the same as a Zumba class because I want you to learn the things you need to or want too).

Week #17

2010-04-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this week is all about the Ironman. The Ironman is the hardest triathlon. We are so lucky to to be able to host one here in our small town St. George. On top of that it is the hardest Ironman in the country. If you are not familiar with what an Ironman consists of let me feel you in. The athletes will swim 2.2 miles (with no floaties :), then as soon as they are down they jump on their bikes as fast as they can and ride like the wind for 114 miles (yikes), then when they have exhausted themselves completely they ditch their bikes and get to run for 26.2 miles (absolutely crazy) across the finish line. This is something that I will never do!! But most of the athletes that compete in an ironman have a story to tell and so it becomes the most inspirational event ever to watch. So this leads me to our week challenge..

Week #17 Challenge - Go watch some portion of the Ironman

You will find that a lot of roads will be closed on Saturday because of the event so at any given time during the day stop and watch these amazing athletes accomplish their goal and finish in the hardest Ironman ever. The finish line is at Town Square and the elite athletes will be crossing the finish line between 3-5pm and then the bulk of the athletes will be finishing between 7-10p. I am a volunteer for mile 9 and 22 on the Run portion and I am jumping out of my seat I am so excited. I barely know 3 out of the 2500 entries and I can't wait to cheer ever single person on. This will be an experience that you should not pass up. It will be so inspirational and motivational to all of us to watch. I hope I hear a lot of reports from you on what you saw on Saturday.

With the Ironman being held on Saturday there will be NO classes at the Rec Center or Desert Palms. If you are a member to another gym please check with them to make sure.
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Personal Training- as most of you know I am now a personal trainer and I have been loving every minute of it. I am pleased to say my Loser Group has lost a combined total of 30 inches. They are so amazing to work with and to see their determination pushes me to be a better person! I have determined my prices so I will let you know and if ou are interested please contact me by phone: 668-8324

per 1 hour session - $40
(If you and one friend want to split this and train together that is a great way to go)

I will do packages but each package could be different so at time of consultation we can determine a package price.

6 week training with 12 sessions with four or more - $200 each (4 person minimum)

Times for training will vary due to the fact that I have 4 children and a crazy life (like most people these days) but I will do my best to accommodate you and your needs as well so call soon so that you can get your pick of training times.
____________________________________________________________

I hope you all felt good about your daily vitamins! They really do help your body perform all its daily functions correctly. If you are still looking for a great set of vitamins call Marti and she will set you up with the best that I know of. 862-6432
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Zumba training - Have you ever thought to yourself, man I just can't quite get the routine down or I want to learn the salsa better well, I am going to start personal zumba classes for those of you that would like to have some time with just me. All you need to do is find 5 people and call me and schedule a personal zumba class totally catered to your group and what you need for 1 hour. I will break down songs, teach them over and over..... I will do whatever you tell me you want or need to learn. I will be your personal zumba instructor. For a 1 hour session is will be $10 per person, minimum of 5 people. So grab your friends and call me to schedule your next hour of pure fun and learning. (It will not be the same as a Zumba class because I want you to learn the things you need to or want too.)
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And were done!!

Much Zumba Love,
Marti and Kerry

Week #16

2010-04-21T10:51:00.000-07:00

I know, I know - I need to post videos again. It is hard for me to get them recorded without Marti so I will try next week to get one on here!

So, I am kind of sick of this weather. Don't get me wrong I am thankful for the rain but the cold needs to leave us! Cold weather tends to make people stay home and not exercise so don't be one of those and me being an aerobics teacher, I want people in my class. So, the cold please go away!

I hope you found something this week to do that you don't like and did it with a friend. I also hope that you saw a different side to it and that you may start enjoying it. All forms of exercise can be fun, you just need the right attitude and friends to do it with!

Marti and I are starting the process that we go through to make vol. 3 of our DVD's but we would like your feed back over the next week so when we film in May we can make a DVD that you would want to have. So please reply this week and let us know what we can do to make it the best for you. Let us know if there is any past routines that you want in it or new songs that we can choreograph to or just good suggestions. Your replies will help us a lot!

Saturday April 24th - Christy will be teaching both Zumba classes (Rec Center and Desert Palms)

Week #16 Challenge - Daily Vitamins

This weeks challenge will only take you 2 minutes a day, sweet! I want you to make sure that you are taking your daily vitamins. Americans do not get enough vitamins throughout the day anymore due to bad food choices and all the crap that they put into food these days. We as women especially need our vitmins. They are crucial for our bodies to function properly. Make sure you pick a good vitamin. It should have all the essentials that you need. Make sure your omega's are in them. Omega's are crucial for a healthier you. They help with so many things. Here is a good read and it tells you everything you need to know about omega-3. www.aboutomega3.com

Week #15

2010-04-14T20:01:00.000-07:00

I hope your week was wonderful and you accomplished what you set out to achieve. Goals are a huge part of our lives and we need to make sure that we are constantly challenging ourselves with new goals each week. We all need something to look forward to and something to feel good about. We are women and if we are not doing 100 things at once then we feel like we haven't checked off our lists of to do's. Make sure your goals are on your to do list and put them first. Right them down each day so you can remember that they are important because you are important!! Don't forget about yourself!

Life is crazy and it is only going to get crazier over the next few months. School is coming to a close (yikes) and summer is knocking at your door! The only way to release some good stress is to come and Zumba with us at the Rec Center or Desert Palms. We always have a great time so come out and join us as much as you can before summer over takes your life!

Did you all look into your inner beauty this week? I hope so because it really does make a difference. You are all beautiful and you need to see that and be proud of who you are! We love all of our Zumba girls and want you to know how happy we are to be your instructors. You truly do make a difference in our lives!

Week #15 Challenge - Pick your least favorite thing to do and do it!

I want you to pick your worst form of exercise that you don't like and do it with a friend. Find a friend that likes what you don't. You might find out that any form of exercise can be fun if you have the right attitude and a good friend to do it with. It may be running, treadmill, cycling, kickboxing, strength, weight lifting and so on... You can always find someone that likes what you don't. Try it at least twice and see what happens.

Stay tuned in because I will post some new videos soon, I promise!

Week #14

2010-04-07T13:54:00.000-07:00

Hello! I totally skipped last week, so sorry!

Spring is here, let's hope so! I am kinda of sick of the cold weather and need some warmth around here! I hope all of you had a great Easter break. I also hope that you got out and enjoyed so other activities as well. If you did I would love to here about them. Sometimes we don't know of all the fun things we have to do around town so by word of mouth makes it a lot easier to think of things to do. Please share! I went camping with my family and we had a great time. I did get out and run 6 miles and that was fun. We also spent some time hiking up hills and climbing trees!

To those of you that joined me last night at Desert Palms, thank you! I had so much fun last night and you guys were on fire. It makes the class so much more fun when you are all feelin the love of Zumba! Let's make Marti's class just as great on Thursday night!

Zumba Stories -

Hey Kerry and Marti:

Zumba has been such a positive aspect of my life. I started over two years ago when it was just getting going at desert palms. My life at that point was absolutely out of control. I felt completely helpless. Zumba I do for me, for me alone. Zumba is mega stress reducing for me. When I don't get to enough classes my husband will actually say " hey maybe you should hit a zumba class to destress". In alot of ways it has saved me. My sanity (which some days is questionable) anyway. Even though I don't really know all of the ladies in class, I feel a bond with them. I love Zumba and Kerry makes it so energetic and fun. Love Marti's happy smile, it keeps us going.

Thanks so much,

Sherri Aldred

Please keep the stories coming our way! They can be anything about Zumba and what it does for you.

Week #14 Challenge - Working on our inner beauty!

Exercise is of course good for you and will do wonders for your health but your inner beauty and confidence level will change that if you don't love yourself for who you are! It took me awhile to realize this concept. If I don't love my self no matter what I look like and love what I do and continue to help others then my outer appearance changes. So this week I want you to reflect on you, and only you! Take some time to yourself and really think about you and what you are doing in the present and what you will be doing in the future (the past doesn't count, you can't change that). Really reflect on how amazing you are! You would be so surprised at how people actually see you. You are so much harder on yourself then anyone else around you. Be strong, be confident, and truly love yourself!

Sorry for the change on teachers this last weekend, Cherie stepped in so nicely while Marti attended a funeral. Marti will be teaching both classes on Saturday!

Spring into Action!

2010-03-24T06:59:00.000-07:00

Yea, it is spring, and I love spring! It is my favorite time of year to exercise. You have so many options from outside to indoors and the fresh air breaths new energy. Make sure you take advantage of the good cool weather before it gets blistering hot and then it is back to indoors for exercise. I hope you are all doing well on your exercise goals. If you have slipped a little it is time to regain your confidence and start up again. Summer will be here before we can blink so we all know what that means, the dreaded swim suit! We all hate it but you need to remember that we will all not be the bikini babes in the magazine but we can definitely have positive attitudes towards the whole swim suit issue. It all depends on how you feel has a person. You need to let go of always trying to be the perfect hot body that is not achievable in 3 months or ever (in my case). If you feel good about yourself then the outer appearance comes along with it, swim suit or not! Keep truckin forward and stay with the baby steps so you can see results quicker!

Here is our next Zumba Story: they are all good and please keep them coming!!!

Ok ok, I will write how Zumba has changed me. I was not one to go to the gym and work out or any other type of physical work unless it was doing things around the house and in the yard. It will be 5 yrs since I lost my 2 yr old and 2 yrs since I lost my brother, so here's to say I gained and gained after my brother died and was in denial about my weight gain until about one year ago, I saw a picture of myself and wanted to die. I started this HCG diet that worked until I was done doing it and gained all the weight back :( Then in Jan of this yr my cousin came down to visit and she is major gym freak, and I thought "ok I will go with you and try it out" so I went, felt great and signed up for the membership. I went religiously every day, felt great and then I thought "hmmm, I think I will try some classes" I went to one and decided to stay and see what zumba was all about. I went, it was crazy the first time but once I got the hang of some of it I fell in love with it and started to go to the classes as much as I could. It really makes me feel wonderful and everyone is awesome and the teachers kick butt. They really make u feel good about your self and help you in anyway they can. I have lost a total of 13 lbs since I started and I have never felt better. I have not only learned how to eat better and make working out fun and enjoying. I feel that I am a part of something great. I'm not really losing anymore wait, but I am really starting to tone up my problem areas and with no crazy addictive diet pills. Oh yes and my ten yr old son comes with me and loves the class as much as I do and really likes Marti and Kerry. Plus it's time that we get to be crazy together. Thank you Zumba for changing my bad habits to good ones and letting me be apart of it all. I have done Yoga and some other classes also, I really want to do the cycling class, so that is my next goal.. THANK YOU ZUMBA!!!! :)

I love reading these as a teacher because, yes at times I don't want to come and teach, but knowing that we as teachers are helping you out in your life brings a new meaning to being a teacher! Thank you so much. I love what I do because of you!!

So how much money did you save this week on not buying any fast food? I know I saved about $40 and a whole lot of calories! I feel good that I don't have any processed foods in my body. It really does make a difference! Here is a great video to watch that might help you considered healthier choices! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCv6AqcH1bc&feature=player_embedded

Week #12 challenge - Eat 5 meals a Day!

What, yes 5 meals. You need to share the love of food all day not just 3 times plus all your snacks and treats. You pack in the calories if you do this. Try eating 5 small meals a day with protein in everyone. Your portion size will need to decrease to kids size but if you are eating 5 then you won't go hungry! Make sure one of your meals is around 3-4 o'clock. This is the worst part of the day for snacking! So eat a small healthy meal then when dinner comes 3-4 hrs later you will not be as hungry either. Try it! See how it works for you and write it down!

Last thing- Water is the best thing for you and I have found the best water to drink! It is called Real Water. I have put a water cooler in my house because i love it so much! You need to read all about it so here is the link www.RealWaterUtah.com and if you want to try it then contact Barry Brooksby and let him know you heard about it on your Zumba email and want to try it. It really has made a difference for me!
Barry Brooksby
Real Water Southern Utah
(435) 275-8500 Order Line
(702) 327-8114 Cell
barry@realwaterutah.com

Week #11 Inspirational!

2010-03-16T17:32:00.001-07:00

Happy St. Patty's Day to you all!

I have a bit of Irish in me but no one would know that unless you knew my mother's maiden name. I love the green day, it's one of my favorites. Make sure you smile and tell every one "Top of the mornin to ya"!

Ok here is our first Zumba Inspiration: I still have not received as many as you are out there so stop and write for just a moment today!

I will tell you how zumba has changed my life. I started my weight loss journey 18 months ago. I am more than 1/2 way but I still have along way to go. I remember when my PT told me to do just 15 minutes of cardio a day and I thought it was hard and I was sooooo bored. He/she kept increasing it (of course) but I wasn't disciplined enough to stay on a treadmill or elliptical very long.

I hated cardio. Then my friend suggested I come to zumba. It was soooo fun. I am still terrible at it but I love it. I love the music. I love the movement. I love the freedom. I love the instructors. I zumba everywhere (my teenager hates that). I can't help myself. I dance around my kitchen like I used to before I gained all of the weight.

I love how fast zumba has improved my fitness level. I hated to walk around the mall 18 months ago and yesterday I did 2 zumba classes, cleaned my house and ice skated with my kids for 2 and 1/2 hours. What a change!!

Some days it is so frustrating to have made such progress and still have more to go to reach my goal. Some days it feels pointless like I will never get there and I want to give up. But after a few minutes in class I am happy and believe that I can reach my goals. That hope carries me through the day and helps me make good food choices and helps me face my workouts with my PT when I don't want to because I am tired and sore or feeling lazy.

It isn't just me who has been affected by my zumba addition. My husband and kids now workout. My twin brother now works out (I did more push-ups than him last time I saw him...boy ones too and won a race around the lake).

I will reach my goal someday and I will be fit, healthy and cute again. And although it is a personal journey, I will not reach it alone. I have my husband and my friends who believe in me, my PT and ZUMBA.

Thanks for all you do and the weekly challenge.

WOW! Thank you for sharing that. Isn't this person amazing. Don't we all feel like that at some point in our life. Make sure you help out the ladies around you because you never know who will inspire next!

So, do you love wheat! If not, keep trying! Just think to yourself how much better it is for you and your kids to have wheat. Try your recipes that call for white flour and add wheat instead. See if it tastes good. Some will be better and some will not. It doesn't hurt to try!

Week #11 Challenge - No Fast Food or Restaurant Food!

We have all just come back from Spring Break and I am sure that we all ate out at least once but this week save some money and eat in for a week straight. Notice how your body feels with good home cooked meals. There is a huge difference! If you need to go on a date with your spouse or friends this weekend then plan a head and do something different then eat out. Take a picnic and go do something active. Be creative because we all love the social aspect of eating out! Save the money and mostly the calories!!

Happy Eating!

Sorry, it's late! Week #10

2010-03-13T14:21:00.000-08:00

I hope all of you are enjoying your spring break! I am here in California and Marti will be coming back from a great weekend in Phoenix. I have missed teaching Zumba. You don't realize you would miss something until you can't do it anymore. I am glad that I can come back and kick my own butt in Zumba. I have been trying to get in some exercise in each day. My kids have been not so happy because I made then climb the stairs at Universal, twice. If any of you have been there, the stairs from the lower lot to the upper lot seem to go on forever! Good times! Anyway I will see you back Monday and Marti will be there on Friday at both locations.

I have only received one email back about how zumba has helped change your life. So come on girls, don't be shy! I have 252 people on my email list so just think how many ladies you can inspire. We need it. During these times is when we need inspiration the most!

So did you all try something new? How many of you are loving cycling? That is my next passion to Zumba! Remember to keep it going. You will overcome your hard points if you add in new things!

Week #10 Challenge - Wheat, Wheat, Wheat!

No more white, white, white! I want you to take out anything you eat that is made with white flour and replace it with wheat. So many good things come from eating wheat. We have been told to eat a lot more wheat for health reasons so why are we still buying white bread. Because it tastes so good! Well, I personally do not eat white bread. My kids don't eat white bread. I give them no choice. I do need to change over to wheat pasta though. Eating wheat is going to do a lot of good things for you. you can research all you want but the 2 main reasons I eat it is because it is roughage for the digestive system that helps clean you out and it keeps you full longer! So try all wheat this week for you and your kids and see what happens. Remember, you are the mom so you get to choose what your kids eat and how much they eat!

Have a great week and see you soon!

2010-03-03T07:33:00.000-08:00

Zumba!!!!!

We all love Zumba, right? If you didn't then I would suspect you wouldn't want to hear from me each week. I want to share the Zumba love amongst ourselves. I did this about a year and half ago and we had a few responses but since we have so many new people on board I want to do it again. I know, your thinking what is it. Well, we all have motivating, inspirational stories and usually Zumba has had something to do with it so I am sure all of you would like to hear about it. There is no better way then to get motivated by others and be uplifted by the ones that you exercise with. I know that most of you don't even know what the lady next to you has experienced in life but the one thing you both know is that Zumba has made a difference. We are a huge family and you have so many people that support you in what you are doing and you might not even know it. Let's share the love - I would like you to reply back to me a short story about yourself and what Zumba has done for you. If you are a blog reader then click on the email link on the right hand side and said it our way. You don't have to put your name on it, it can be totally anonymous. I on the other hand will see your name but when I post it on email and the blog I will take it off, if that is what you prefer. Now I would love to know you all by name but my brain does not work that way so the chances are when you email me back I probably couldn't put the name to the face anyway. So please share the love and I will post a new one each week until we run out. Let's make this big and get motivated and inspired by the ones you see all the time that have the sames goals as you do!!

Nothing new in the Zumba world so onto the challenge -

How did you feel about taking dairy out of your diet for a week? It is interesting to me that foods and drinks that we consume on a daily basis may not be the best thing for our body. That is why we experiment. Try new things and document them. If taking dairy out of your diet made you notice good things then keep doing it. I have taken a lot of dairy products out of my eating habits because I noticed a big difference in the way my body felt overall. I felt lighter, maybe not on the scale but I noticed so I continue to pass up dairy if I don't need it.

Week #9 Challenge - Try something new!

I know that we are all addicted to Zumba because of the enjoyment we get out of exercising but we can't forget that we need to change it up a bit sometimes. Your challenge is to get to at least 2 different classes this week on top of your Zumba, of course! We want to see you in our Zumba classes but I also want you to feel what it is like to experience something different for your body. You need to understand that no matter how many Zumba classes you do your body will adapt and it will stop giving you the results at one time or another. You might find that other classes are really hard and that is because you need them. It is better for you to be able to go to any cardio class and feel good when you are done. If you continue to make your goals this way then your overall strength and endurance will increase, I promise you that!!

I will be out of town next week for Spring break but if the hotel has free wi-fi then no worries you will get something from me and our challenges will continue. Remember to ask yourself before you eat anything over this Spring break if you really need it. Chances are you don't!!

Week #8

2010-02-24T11:09:00.000-08:00

Alright everyone how has your week been? We are 2 months into the new year. How are you doing on your goals? This the the exact week that most people say, "forget it!" Make sure you don't give up. This is your reminder that you are all do great and to continue forward. Remember a few emails ago, I said, if you can make it through spring break then your chances go up dramatically of sticking to your goals and following through until you reach them. Keep going, I know it gets hard at times and frustrating but we are your support group! We will do our best to keep you motivated and continue to help you through Zumba and making exercise fun for you!

New Classes at Desert Palms

Tuesday 4:30pm Zumba kidz age 5-8
Thursday 10:30am Mommie & me Zumba age 2-5
Thursday 4:30pm Zumba kidz age 9-12
Saturday 9:15am Zumba teenz age 12-up (relaxation room 2nd floor)

Bring your kids and watch them fall in love with Zumba and we don't even have to tell them they are working out, it will be our secret!

Ok, so do your legs feel good? They should be a little sore from your weeks focus on them. Make sure you get don't forget about them. A lot of people will not do anything to strengthen their legs because they think that cardio works them good enough. Yes, cardio does do that but not enough to stimulate weight loss and lean body mass that we are all wanting. Make sure you add in some leg exercises each week so you can start to see the changes in your legs.

Week #8 Challenge - Take out as much dairy products as possible!

Why not??? Milk protein allergies and lactose intolerance have been linked to a wide array of physical symptoms. For some, it is as simple as lethargy or weight gain, for others crippling migraines and "autoimmune" type symptoms are a lifestyle complication. There is a great deal of research linking dairy to prostate cancer, breast cancer, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, heart disease. Check it out; see if a dairy-free or dairy-limited diet improves your quality of life. What is the worst that could happen? Absolutely nothing…you have no reaction, no change, you go back to your cheesy habits. What is the best that could happen? Your migraines subside, your cholesterol plummets, your energy increases, your body seems lighter, your stomach calms down, you just feel better. I have taken out most of my dairy habits and I feel much better. Those of you that are cheese lovers you need to stop or you need to go for the more expensive cheeses. Give it a try and make sure you right it down in your Challenge notebook so you can see what it does or doesn't do for you. We are all different and it will effect us at totally different. Good Luck!

Already week #7

2010-02-17T06:28:00.000-08:00

Can you believe we are going into week 7 already. Time is going by so fast!! I hope you all had a great week and it was filled with fitness and healthy eating. I hope your goals are still on track so make sure you look at them and re-evaluate so you can stay on top of them. Life can get overwhelming sometimes and we let the most important things slip by. Remember that you are your top priority. You need to keep yourself healthy for the sake of your kids, husband, wife and busy lifestyle. If you are positive about yourself and feel good about what you are doing then that makes a world of difference on your attitude towards the life trials that are thrown at us everyday. Oh and I have a full blown trial everyday (my preteen girl and soon 2 preteens and it won't get any better I'm afraid) and I want to pull my hair out everyday but taking deep breaths and making sure I get my exercise in for the day helps me a lot!

Rec Center ladies, where are you? The Tuesday and Friday class are getting smaller and smaller. We are used to having in the high twenties but have been down by ten each week. I hope you are doing ok and we hope to see you back soon. Please let us know if we, as your instructors, can do anything to bring you back to Zumba. We love teaching there and you have been a great crowd to get to know!

Desert Palms is having there Grand Opening Event on Saturday the 20th. They are having a fitness fair and will have a lot of companies there representing their product and services. It is free to the public from 10am -3pm. They will have free food there from 11-1pm. They are also giving out a lot of cool prizes. The rates for the Grand Opening week are $19.95 a month and if you sign up this week you get a gift and entered into the grand prize drawing. There are four Grand Prizes and they are sweet! The best part of the whole day is that there is an outdoor Zumba class at 11am in the parking lot and it is free to the public. SWEET! I will be teaching it so bring all your friends and family and join me for a great class in the open air! If you have any other questions let me know! I know that all the prizes are really cool because I was the Event Coordinator on this one so come join me at Desert Palms on Saturday and bring any one and every one you want!

Thank you to all of you that joined us last week at Zumba Love on Wednesday. We had 65 people and it was so much fun. Two straight hours of Zumba (31 songs) was crazy! We had such a great turn out that we will be doing more of those in the future, so thank you so much for loving Zumba!

How are your abs feeling? Mine are a little sore but a good sore! I hope by implementing more abs into your routine made you realize how often you use your abdominal muscles for everything. I couldn't cough yesterday without my abs hurting. Just remember that you have 29 muscles that are in your abdominal cavity and you use them all everyday! They are crucial for any fitness goal and if you continue to build your strength in your abs then your fitness routines overall will become more efficient.

Challenge for week #7- Working on your lower half / legs!

We are going to focus on your legs this week. What you don't realize (if you have them) is that you have one of the best exercise machines in your house, your stairs! You walk up and down them all day and if you don't you should. You can give yourself a great 15 minute leg workout by using your own stairs. Here is a great stair workout - start out by walking up and down your stairs 5 times. When you get to the bottom of 5 then do standing squats. Do 2 sets of 20. Then do a wall sit for 1 minute. After you are done then start over by running up and down the stairs as fast as you can 5 times. Repeat this whole routine 3 times. When you are finished then do 50 lunges and you are done! That easy, now try it! If you do not have stairs you can always do legs at home. Walking lunges are a great exercise to firm up the jiggle jiggle that some of us have on the backside. You can also use the curb outside as a stair stepper. Get creative with things you have at home but make sure they are stable so you do not injure yourself. I don't recommend doing legs everyday but make sure you get at least 4 days of legs in the next week. Have fun with it and feel the burn in your legs!

Week #6 / Lights!!!

2010-02-10T06:48:00.000-08:00

Ok, I don't have anything new for the Rec Center gals except for you are awesome! You have kept up your numbers and that is great. Oh, remember that the instructor feeds off of your energy and so you have got to give it your all. If you have energy to give then the instructor will have twice as much to share with you. That really goes for all of you Zumba shakers out there! Bring on the energy!

It is Zumba Love Week at Desert Palms right now. What that means to you is: if you bring anyone to a Zumba class for $5 and show them the love you have for Zumba and they like it and want to sign up for a membership then the fees will be waived. Sweet! If you have no one to come with and you want to try it then come on over! We are also having a special Wednesday Night class tonight from 7-9 pm. Anyone can come, non-members are $5 and we will be doing giveaways. It should be a really fun night and if you were not there last night at class then you need to come check out the lights!! The space will be tight but I personally think it is more fun to Zumba that way!

Desert Palms new Zumba classes: All the ones we have right now will stay the same. These are additions or age changes.

Tues: Zumba Kids 4:30 pm ages 5-8
Thurs: Mommy & me Zumba 10:30 am ages 2-4
Thurs: Zumba kids 4:30 pm ages 9-11
Sat: Teen Zumba 9:15 am in the yoga room ages 12 and up

If any of you are looking for some good workout wear then look no further. A Zumba fan has passed on this great website and they are Utah based. She loves the sports bra she has purchased from them and would recommend it to anyone! Check it out. www.ayayay.com

Protein, protein, protein! Isn't it yummy? Did you find yourself having a hard time getting enough every day? The best way I get it is by having a protein supplement shake once a day. The shake alone gives me 20 grams and the calories are in the snack range so it ends up being a good way to get it all in. I make my own shakes because a lot of the store bought ones have to many calories, sodium, sugars and what not so if you want my yummy recipe I will give it to you! Keep trying to get the protein your muscles need everyday!

Week #6 Challenge - It is ab week!

Focus on your abs everyday. You do not need to do much but get those abs working. You have 29 muscles that are in your abdominal core and half of them you can not see. The stabilizer muscles are the inner muscles that need to be strengthened so that your overall balance and strength will be at a higher level. Every movement that you do stems from your core so you need to build a good strong center so that all your other activities can go more smoothly and it will help prevent any injury. One of the best exercises to help with the inner muscles is the plank. Try to do it everyday for a minute. If that gets to easy then do it for 2 minutes with a 30 second rest in between and so on. I have a attached a picture of the abdominal plank and how your form should look. I am teaching the abs class at Desert Palms on Friday at 8:30 am. It is a good way to get them in before your Zumba class! Good Luck to you all!

Zumba Love Week #5

2010-02-03T06:40:00.000-08:00

Desert Palms starting next week is having Zumba Love Week. What them means is...if you bring anyone with you that is not a member they pay $5 for the class and then if they like it and sign up for a membership they will waive all the fees. Cool Hu! Also we are having a 2 hour class on Wednesday from 7-9pm the Marti and I are teaching. We will have prizes to give out and 2 hours worth of tons of fun! Same deal goes for your friends or family. Bring them along for $5 and then have them sign up and they get all the fees waived! You don't want to miss this, I promise! Marti and I have not taught together since October and we miss it and we have so much fun teaching together. Member or not, come and join us.

Zumba around town - Don't forget that WCCC is having there Club Zumba on Thursday night Feb. 4th from 7-9pm. The cost is $5. It has been themed as a rockin 80's party so come dressed up in your best workout gear from the 80's. I personally have found the sweetest outfit to wear! It is worth coming just to see it. April will be the head lady and I will be her side kick helper person. I am doing two routines that should bring back lots of fun memories from that decade.

On to our next challenge-

Did you skip any of your breakfasts this last week? I hope by eating a good breakfast you felt the benefits throughout the day. Make sure you continue to do so every morning. Make sure you always get a good amount of protien first thing in the morning. Which leads me to my next challenge...

Challenge for week #5 - You need to get 50-60 grams of protein a day.

The more protein you eat the less hungry you will feel throughout the day. Protein feeds your muscles and when you are working out your muscles need a lot of protien. Some ideas of ways to get your protein.. eggs, nuts, peanut butter (small amount), lean meats, low fat cottage cheese, yogurt, protein shakes and protein bars. Pack yourself a protein snack so when you have the erge to eat then grab for some protien first before carbs! Good Luck!

Week #4 with updates

2010-01-26T11:32:00.001-08:00

Alright, for all you night Zumba shakers I personally sat down with the manager at Desert Palms and ordered the lights! YEA! We hope to have them installed within the next 2 weeks. I think this is going to be great for us and the gym. Desert Palms will be the only gym in town that will offer the party atmosphere at night. If we can get a lot more people coming then we can add more classes. That is up to all of you to make that happen.

Rec Center ladies - don't forget that we have added a Monday 10:30 am and a Tuesday 5:30 pm. They are both going good so keep up the numbers!

Zumba around town - Next week on February 4th at the Washington Community Center they are having Club Zumba. It will cost $5 and it is from 7-9 pm. Yes, that is 2 hours of straight Zumba. The best part - it is an 80's Zumba party! You need to come dressed up in your best 80's workout gear and shake it to the best 80's songs. You won't want to miss it. April will be doing most of it and I will be helping on the side with a couple of routines. It will be great!

Challenge - so I hope you did good by taking out one favorite food and drink for the week. Did you realize how much you were actually consuming of these products? I did, I have to be honest I did eat some chips and salsa one evening but not near as many as I would have. My craving for corn chips have greatly decreased from doing this so that makes me happy! So make sure you write it down in your book!

Challenge for week #4 - Do not skip breakfast!

For those of you that were told by your mother when you were young that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day", well she was right ladies! When you wake up and start your day and get to busy to eat your body tells it self that it is going to go in starvation mode even if you don't feel hungry. Your body needs good food to fuel it for the day. You need to be aware of what you are eating though, cereal goes right through unless it is a hearty oatmeal or granola. Add some fruit or best of all eggs and you have your self a well rounded meal. Healthy carbs, fruit (natural sugar) and protein will make and produce more energy for you throughout your day. When you make your meal try to stay in the 400 or below in calories. It is a meal not a snack so think hearty but lean! Good Luck!

Hello Again!

2010-01-20T10:33:00.000-08:00

So I have really neglected our blog and I promise to do better. I will be posting our weekly challenge and also some video routines when I can get them recorded. The video that is posted is one of our newer instructors and her name is Josie. You can also say hello to Melesa in the back ground. I didn't tell her to move so she just gets to be in it! The name of the song is, "Hokey Pokey" by The Puppies and you can get this on itunes. Enjoy and stay up on your challenges!

Week 3 Challenge - Eliminate your favorite item of food and drink!

My favorite item to eat right now is corn chips so good bye for now! When you take out something that you really like you realize how much of that item you really were eating everyday. If you are a soda or fruit juice or whatever makes you go yum yum besides water then eliminate that drink (diet coke drinkers, I am talking to you). I have a big spill on carbonation that I could give you but that will be at a later challenge so for this week it is just taking out items that are your favorite. That doesn't mean supplement with something else but just passing it up for the week. Make sure you write it down in your notebook of challenges how much you realize you are addicted to some items. Write your feelings about it. A lot of times you will achieve goals if you dig down a little deeper and really start to understand why we do things!! Good luck to all of you and remember that loving yourself starts on the inside!

Flashmob!

2009-11-21T15:30:00.000-08:00

Ok ladies and gents-
Here is the flashmob routine. I filmed this on the first day of the New Gym being opened so please excuse Margaret and Cameron as they move across the front and there is some talking going on in the back ground. I wanted to re-film but never got a chance so this is as good as it gets! If you don't know about the flashmob please email us and we can update you the info. This will all take place on Dec. 31st. The next practice will be on Dec. 5th at town square park!

New Desert Palms!

2009-11-11T14:13:00.000-08:00

3 days left! The new Gym opens on Saturday the 14th. Marti and I personally have toured the building and I was in awe! It is state of the art everything. I can't say enough about the building so the best thing to do is go the new Desert Palms and check it out for your selves. You will not be disappointed. I hope all of you have taken advantage of their special and if not you have until Friday at 1:00 pm to do so! Love you all and we will see you Monday morning ready to shake it!

It's Coming Soon

2009-11-04T20:21:00.001-08:00

I know we haven't posted for awhile but we are busy trying to get all the new instructors and our new gym open! That will take place in 10 days! Marti and I are really excited to teach there and we hope that all of you will join us there. Desert Palms will be the hip new place to work out! Once we get established there we will be back to posting our new routines and any other info that we can give you! Thanks again for loving Zumba!

Fantastic Rates!

2009-10-15T14:06:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone!

As you know Marti and I have stopped our Wednesday teaching. We feel like we are creating something at Desert Palms that you will not want to pass up. Here is the deal, you will not find it any cheaper so don't even try to go look, so if you go into Desert Palms and speak with Chelsie you can become a member for $18 a month. Everyone always says there is a catch and yes there is one, you will need to sign a 2 year contract but that is it! If you think about it $18 a month gets you all the benefits of the gym, including daycare. Desert Palms will be moving into there new facility in November and I promise you it will be fabulous. They will have new everything!! The aerobics room will be fantastic! I can't wait to start teaching over there. We will be adding 2 night classes on Tues. and Thurs. and also a Sat. class, including the classes we already have. I am also trying to get Zumba kids. You can bring your kids and while you are working out, lifting weights or relaxing in the spa your kids can take the Zumba kids class and start the good habit of exercise in a really fun way! Think about it but not for to long because this deal expires Oct. 31st so hurry into Desert Palms and take advantage of this great deal!

We love you all and still want you to join us for Zumba so please stop in and check it out!

Kerry and Marti

New Routine!

2009-09-24T19:57:00.000-07:00

So here is another new one, the song is "Pose" by Pitbull. This one is more geared towards fitness so make sure to focus on your side lunges. Have fun with it and see you soon!! After watching this you are more then welcome to laugh because I was totally cracking up at myself!!

Shake it Baby!

2009-09-17T11:26:00.000-07:00

This is a hot shakin' Samba! Please remember that samba is one of the hardest to learn so take your time and don't get frustrated. Learning to shake it latin style is very hard and I still have a lot of work to do so practice, practice! Love you all

"Say Hey"

2009-09-03T11:06:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! Thanks to Andrea Riggs for this great new routine. My daughter loved this song and wanted me to come up with some choreography for Zumba but I knew Andrea already had a great routine. So here you go and I will be doing this routine in class soon. It is a lot of fun so push play and learn away!! We love all our Zumba Girls

Yea, it's Marti!

2009-08-14T14:59:00.001-07:00

Well, here is the newest routine. We all love a little Latin Hip Hop! Practice this one at home because when you come to class there will be directional changes. This one is a lot of fun and I know you are all excited to see Marti back on video! The music is "Coma Si Na".

Mercy Baby

2009-07-30T08:13:00.001-07:00

Ok, here is "Mercy" by Duffy. Enjoy it and learn it so you can show your stuff at Zumba whenever you come. Thanks to all of you that are joining us at the Warehouse. We are having a great turn out each week. We hope all of you have a great week and remember to Zumba each day to keep your spirits alive!

Boom Boom Pow

2009-07-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Ok everybody, here is Boom Boom Pow. Sorry it took so long to get it online but I finally found the edited version, yea! Have fun learning it. Teach yourself the exact way I am doing it so you can be on the right foot. We are also having a good time at the Warehouse but we need more feedback. Please let us know how you like it!! Have a great week and remember to always think positive about yourself.

WOW!!

2009-07-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

Everyone Rocks!! Last Wednesday was so awesome. We had at least 75 Zumba lovers there. Marti and I had so much fun sharing our love of Zumba with you. Just remember to bring all your friends every time because if you were there then you know that Zumba is so much more fun when there is tons of people and you are surrounded by friends. Keep up the love for Zumba and we will see you on Wednesday night, 8:15 pm at the Warehouse. I will post one of our new routines this week so keep checking back.

FREE ZUMBA!!

2009-07-07T11:24:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!!

Marti and I are giving everyone a FREE Zumba class tomorrow night. This is our first one ever and we are excited that it will bring in more people to see what Zumba is all about. So, shout it out to all your friends and family and bring as many as you want. Now remember we are doing it at the Warehouse which is located at 415 S. Dixie Dr. (indoor soccer and storage) it also used to be the Moore's paper company awhile back. When you come please park and come in on the west side of the building. Mom's bring your daughters and all their friends and they will think you are the coolest ever for doing Zumba!! You will all love it so get your buns ready to shake it up!! See you at 8:15 pm Wednesday Night!!

"BETO"

2009-07-03T06:26:00.001-07:00

Ok, so if you do not know who Beto is then you will now. He is the founder of Zumba and is so popular in the fitness world and throughout the world. He is an amazing instructor and you can't help but smile and enjoy his entire class. The energy he brings is unmatchable!! Marti, I and 3 other Zumba instrutors from St. George traveled to Salt Lake 2 weeks ago to take a master class from Beto himself. It was his first time in Utah and it was awesome! There was about 200 people in the class so if you can only imagine the energy level. One of my favorite parts was watching Beto mess up. Yea! Marti and I are not the only ones who mess up everytime we teach. It made me realize that we are all just trying to do our best and mess ups will happen and thats what makes us human. Anyway, is was great fun and I wish all of you could experience a Beto class so hopefully one day he will come to little St. George. If not here maybe we can all travel to Las Vegas if he shows up there. I will keep an eye out for a Beto sighting! Enjoy the pics

New Location

2009-07-01T14:46:00.000-07:00

We are trying out a new location for our Wednesday night class. Come and join us and give us your feedback positive or negative. It is in the Warehouse in Green Valley at 415 S. Dixie Dr. (indoor soccer and storage). We hope to see all the Zumba lovers there!! 8:15pm is the magic time so come and and have tons of fun working out! Pictures of Marti and I with the founder of Zumba "Beto" are coming soon, so keep checking back!!

From the Caribbean!

2009-05-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

Hey girls, here is our recent new routine thanks to our guest instructor Kim Sanderson. It is called a "Calypso" from the islands of the Caribbean.

Haven Hurt won our May drawing so congrats to you for always coming to Zumba and having fun with us!! We will keep you updated by email on our summer Wednesday nights. Due to the busy months there may be a time or two that we will have to cancel but we will give you plenty of notice. Keep shakin' it girls and always have a good attitude towards life!!

Cowboy Up!

2009-05-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

Here you go girls! This is the choreography to "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy". I think if you went and put on some boots and a Cowgirl hat then you just might get into the song a bit more. We all have some country in our blood so let is shine! HeeHaw

Wednesday is Coming!

2009-05-12T19:50:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Wednesday!! I wanted to give an early shout out so you can tell your family and friends about our Anniversary month promos. Tomorrow is buy a punch pass for $25 for 10 times. That is a $5 dollar savings so if you want one get it now! We are also having a guest instructor with us that will be doing 2 new songs for us. So bring who you can and lets show them how we can get our groove on!!

DVD's are $20
Pants are $60 (large and medium left)
Tank tops are $16 (black, red, blue and white) they will be $20 at Zumba in the Park on Sat. so pick one up before they are gone!
Vinyl Sticker $5 Dixie Zumba Girl - buy one and be proud of what you do because you are all awesome!

Save a Horse!!

2009-05-07T11:32:00.000-07:00

Yea to Brandee Williams for winning our first song selection contest!! Brandee submitted the song "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" and I picked it for choreography. Since Zumba is based around international dance we needed a little country on our playlist. It was a lot of fun to choreograph and I hope all of you liked it! It will be posted next week on video for all of you to learn at home. Brandee went home with a drawsting Zumba bag to use for all her workout gear!

Also, Our DVD is finally for sale! If you would like one you need to email us and we can tell you how and where to get it!! It was a lot of fun to film and we hope that it will help you at home reach your goals and have fun while doing it.

Yea it is Coming!

2009-04-28T16:18:00.000-07:00

Did You Say Belly Dance?

2009-04-16T12:59:00.001-07:00

Ok girls, here is the new belly dance song. Enjoy watching and laughing as I do mess up a little bit but who cares right? Stay tuned in for next months anniversary month and also Zumba in the park on May 16th at 9:00am, Vernon Worthern Park. It is free to the public so get the word out! Have a good week and remember that a positive attitude makes all the difference in the world!

Jai Ho!

2009-04-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

Ok Marti, the name of the song is not Chow Mein! Thanks again to Tricia Longmore we have a great new routine that we all love. I slaughtered it during the video take but you will still get all the moves you will need to learn the routine. Have fun learning it and we will see you next week!

April 1st

2009-04-01T06:38:00.000-07:00

Well, it is the start of a new month and we have some new stuff to share with you so please come each Wednesday to learn new and exciting hip shaking moves. We are energized from our Zumba 2 workshop this last weekend and are excited to share it. We are getting closer to our one year mark, yea!! So this is your next challenge: I want you to find me our next song to choreograph to. It needs to be downloadable from itunes and it has to be a clean version. Please submit your songs by email or posting on the blog by April 15th, that's two weeks so start listening for the next new song. If I choose your song then you will be given a fabulous prize (it won't be what we give out each month) the night I teach it. It will be worth it, so get to work!! We will see you tonight at 8:15pm.

Let's get Down!

2009-03-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to our Zumba girls for joining us on Spring Break. We had two winners for bringing friends. You girls are awesome! Here is the latest routine. Easy to learn so practice up! May is coming up and that is our Anniversary month of our one year mark so keep checking back for contests and promotions. Have a great week and we will see you back next Wednesday.

Stayin' Alive!

2009-03-05T20:19:00.000-08:00

Here is the latest new routine. Thanks to the girls behind me who so willingly joined me so I didn't have to be alone again. We always have a good time recording these for you so we hope you like having them on the blog to help you get the steps down. Thanks again to all of you that come and join us on Wednesday nights and shake it until we are to tired to shake it!! Zumba Rocks!

Wednesday Excitement

2009-02-26T07:30:00.000-08:00

Kasey Bale won our February drawing this month. We hope you like your new Zumba t-shirt and thank you for coming to Zumba and sharing your energy and love for Zumba with us.

Everyone tends to ask us if we are married and how many kids so here we are with our families.

Marti was married in May 1997. As you can tell she has three beautiful girls. Besides Zumba she is a loan officer and a doTerra consultant. She loves what she does. She wears many hats and is always organized. She loves to read, play games, play with her kids and she is a sucker for a good love story movie.

Kerry was married in June of 1996. She has four lovely kids. Kerry loves to teach Zumba and cycling classes. Besides teaching she likes to do triathlons. She has nine under her belt and plans to add a couple more this year including a marathon. Her friends say she is addicted to exercise but what better thing to be addicted too! She loves to plan things, play on weekends with her family and sharing her talents with friends and family.

Another Salsa!

2009-02-19T06:57:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Tricia Longmore we have a new fun Salsa. We hope you enjoy it and thank you to all the Dixie Zumba Girls that come to our Wednesday Night class and love it!

Relax time!

2009-02-05T08:33:00.000-08:00

In the past we have shown what Marti and I do when we are not teaching Zumba every day, so here is some recent pictures of your instructors enjoying some time outside of the gym. I think Marti wins though. I tried to get to New York with her but there was no room at the inn. She said she gained ten pounds there but it must have fallen off her when she showered after coming home. I think she is confused! I rekindled my love for snow skiing but had to take it easy because I did not want to hurt my knees and not be able to come home and teach Zumba (I'm not so young any more). That would be sad. I did try to shake it on the hill but it doesn't work very well in ski boots.

If any of you have pictures of yourself doing fun things please email them to me so I can post them here so we can see what all the Zumba Girls do on their free time!! Love you guys and Love Zumba!!

NUBODY CONTEST!!

2009-01-31T13:25:00.000-08:00

Zumba Girls is supporting a Feb. thru March weight loss contest. Here are the details and how it works. The blog that you will be responding to is, www.nubody.blogspot.com. Sounds like a good way to help you loose weight with a support system. Check it out and get started. Don't forget to add in your Zumba for your exercise. Good Luck!!

February 1st 2009 - March 31st 2009
It will be on a point system:

1 pt drinking at least 64 oz. water
1 pt exercising
1 pt sticking to your food plan (which you must submit and let the other people approve)
1 pt NO refined sugar, candy, pop, sweets

4 points per day total. You keep track of your points.

Post daily, weekly, or whenever you can. Let us know how many points you have so far, struggles, goals, accomplishments, helpful hints, etc.

Winners are the person(s) with the most points at the end of the competition!!!

January Drawing

2009-01-29T07:41:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Lindsey McLaws who won our January drawing. Now she can wear her Zumba t-shirt everywhere she goes. Ok, maybe not everywhere but at least to Zumba sometimes. Make sure you come every week with a punch pass to put your name in the drawing so you can be our lucky February winner! We had a awesome class last night. I could see the smiles and that is why I do what I do!! Have a fabulous week and tell everyone you know how much you love Zumba!

Who doesn't LOVE a Merengue?

2009-01-22T11:03:00.000-08:00

Thanks Zumba girls for being in our recording this week. We get tired of it just being us and it is way better when you join us!! Our Zumba girls can shake it good!

We love a good Salsa!!

2009-01-15T11:53:00.000-08:00

January Goals

2009-01-08T10:33:00.000-08:00

Tradition dictates that every 365 days, you should try to kick bad habits and start your life anew. So sit down with a cup of hot chocolate, a paper and a pen, and reflect: What kinds of New Years Resolutions will you make for yourself this January?

Step 1 Be realistic by setting achievable goals. Running a 3 minute mile, for example, is out of your grasp.

Step2 Describe your resolutions in specific terms. Instead of "I don't want to be lazy," opt for "I want to exercise regularly" or "I will cut down on my television watching."

Step3 Break down large goals into smaller ones. For instance, commit to losing weight by resolving to join a gym and improve your eating habits.

Step4 Find alternatives to a behavior that you want to change, and make this part of your resolution plan. If caffeine speeds you up for a while, find something else that will take that place and is more healthy for you.

Step5 Above all, aim for things that are truly important to you, not what you think you ought to do or what others expect of you. Think about yourself and what you truly need to make a difference in your life. Be positive and make sure your goals are reachable so you don't set yourself up for disappointment.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-06T09:59:00.000-08:00

January 7th is our first class of the new year. Bring a new friend and you get in free. If you are coming to Zumba for the first time and have no friends with you, you pay half price for a one time pass. Please come and join us and bring all the people you can find. We are at Southwest Dance Theater in Rio Plaza (by Krumpets) on Riverside Drive. Please be there at 8:15 pm. Let's make good exercise habits together for 2009!!

One time pass - $4
10 time punch pass - $30

See you next year!

2008-12-18T16:01:00.001-08:00

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

2008-12-16T19:23:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-04T11:31:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-27T07:39:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-24T15:30:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-20T10:42:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-13T07:49:00.001-08:00

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!

2008-11-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

Promotion

2008-11-05T10:21:00.000-08:00

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

2008-10-30T06:05:00.001-07:00

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?

2008-10-23T07:54:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-21T12:01:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-16T15:32:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-09T07:20:00.001-07:00

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

2008-10-07T07:33:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-10-07T07:32:00.001-07:00

Personal Story 4

2008-10-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-09-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-25T07:23:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-24T07:21:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-09-20T19:46:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-15T16:47:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-09-11T07:35:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-07T12:25:00.000-07:00

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.