Its late Wednesday night, February 29, 2012.  All that means to me is that there are 31 days until Zumba instructor training.  I'm getting a little nervous.  What if I don't like it? What if I get a gig and I'm up in front of people and I forget my dance, or worse what if they just don't listen to me? 

The fact is that I love to be in front of people.   I always wanted to be THE ONE. Somehow, now that it looks like I might actually do this thing, I have so  many mixed emotions.

 Me? fitness? I was  never athletic or anything even remotely close to being fit.  The two times I was thin in my adult life had nothing to do with fitness. Now I can say that I'm eating healthy, working out every day, and doing everything I can to reach my goal weight.

I could have waited to register for the Zumba training. But I didn't.  The stars must have been in perfect alignment. I had the money. The class with the instructor I wanted became available.  I did it. I registered for the class. I really can't wait.

I'm going to do it.  I'm not going to chicken out.  I think I will be able to keep up with everybody else
at the class.  I will get my license.  The teachers at my school  already want me to schedule a weekly
Zumba class for them. 

I'm meeting a new me.  I really don't know her.  She's working harder than ever before.  I think we're going to get along well.

A New Day

I had every intention of posting here on Saturday after Weight Watchers.  Writing about my success was the last thing on my mind.  You would think that I gained ten pounds, but I went up .4.  I realize that's not much, but I really thought that I had broken through the last several months pattern of losing.  I honestly thought I was spot on for the week.  Apparently not.  Its time to do something new.  A little. Maybe. I have a plan.
Fast forward.  I know I've been around the diet "thing" long enough to hear all the phrases in my head, but this one got me going: "If you do what you always done, you'll get what you've always gotten". So, I'm so clever, what do I do now?
Well, I'm not one to sit by, well not now anyway. A friend of mine from my Zumba class had some amazing results by following the 17 Day Diet by Dr. Mark Moreno.  She said it was just like the way I have been eating with a few little tweaks.  Well, tweak away I always say. Sorry. I'm feeling better.
So I went food shopping so I'd be prepared. Egg whites, spinach, fat-free feta, tomatoes, fish and chicken.  All the usual suspects.  I added in some new friends: probiotic kefir, frozen fruit, and green tea. Food: check.  Workouts: new plan.  I still have Zumba Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights. I made an appointment at the gym with a trainer, and voila! I did a boot camp style workout with Nick this morning.  We'll be meeting once a week for the next six weeks.  Oh well, so much for my raise at work.

A New Week Begins

I think this week was a good one.  I say think because it went by so quickly.  I tried to write down everything I ate.  I worked out every day except Wednesday night.  I measured and counted.  But its early Saturday morning and I'm wondering what my weigh in will bring.  I don't really know. I have Weight Watchers at 7 in the morning.  I hope I've lost some more. I do need to focus on the positive though.  Here I go with some tips I think will help me :
           1. Don't take the weekends off.  It is counterproductive.  Just be careful.
           2. Drink a lot of water. It really does work to fill you up.
           3. Eat more protein early in the day. 
           4. Be happy.  I'm still working on it.
I'll check back later.
Wish me luck.

47 Days

47 days.
Thats how many days there are until I come face to face with Zumba superstar Tanya Beardsley. What have I done! Me? A suddenly one year older me? Believe me the spirit is willing, but I'm a little nervous. I just celebrated breaking through a plateau, a birthday, and a supremely stressful Monday with a great, as usual, Zumba class.  I'm trying to get the hang of pumping it hard, smiling, looking around the room, and keeping myself completely upright.  At the same time I'm reminding myself that I have to get home and be informative and inspirational if I want people to start listening to what I have to say.
47 days.
Only two days short of seven weeks.  I'm thinking that I can completely transform my body before I meet someone who is actually an avatar on a video game.  And dance around for hours with people years younger than me. And jump around for hours with people who weigh many pounds less than me.
I'm thinking I'm out of my mind.  Then I realize complete transformation only has little to do with my body.  Just like my age. Well, that might have an effect on my body. But its mostly my mind that will help me get through the next 47 days.  How I choose to eat, how I choose to workout.  Its all about  the choices I'm making day to day.
47 days.
Zumba: Monday, Wednesday, Friday.  Elliptical for cardio: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday after Weight Watchers, and Sunday afternoon.  Sounds like a plan.

I'll keep you posted.

A Tweet-Out

We all know what a shout out is, but what is it called when you want to mention your buddies on Twitter? I guess its a tweet out! I've really been trying to get my head and my body ready for the Zumba instructor training I'm going to in March.  I'm following my points, Zumba three times a week, gym four times a week, but somehow I needed more.   VOILA! Twitter to the rescue.  I've been a loyal follower of  Rebecca Regnier's blog" Does This Blog Make Us Look Fat" for a few years.  Rebecca started hosting #twitterdiet parties on Thursday and Sunday evenings at 8:00 p.m. on Twitter.  At first I was the epitome of the term "epic fail".  Now I think I've got the hang of it.  We tweet about our weight loss successes and failures, fitness and food, or whatever else is on our minds.  We're also all about the hashtag so at anytime anywhere a #twitterdiet pops up, a friendly tweet is there. Come join us at 8.