Thank you Utah!!! (From Tennessee...)

It seems that every time I start a blog post here on my beloved FitMePink, I start with an excuse as to why it's been so long since I last posted. This post will be no different. Last time we "spoke," I still lived in the-happy-little-bubble of West Jordan, Utah. A few months, a job offer, and a lot of prayers later, my family now resides in the far-away-somewhat-foreign-to-us land of Tennessee. I'm mentally and emotionally trying to accept the fact that we are here. It is beautiful. And my parents live here...yay! But I REALLY loved where we were. My life was busy and happy...just the way I like it! Life for me has come to a sort of screeching halt. I know it's time for me to find myself in this new place, but first things first...a thank-you note.

Dearest Utah,

I was taught at a young age the importance of sending a "thank you" note when someone gives me a gift. In keeping with this important

lesson in etiquette, I just want to thank you for the lovely life you

provided for me and my family over the course of the last five years.

In fact, I actually owe my life to you. You were the place of my

birth. My growing-up years were spent elsewhere, but to you I

returned for a college degree, and even found myself a husband in your

lovely, happy valley.

In fact, apart from a short time in another (warmer, sunnier) state,

to this point in our married lives, we've pretty much called Utah

"home." Thank you for feeling like home. Thank you for all

the "firsts" you provided us with. Our first date, our first kiss,

our engagement, our first married apartment, and even our first home.

Thank you for allowing our family to grow from a family of 3 in this

Utah-home to a family of 5. The walls were busting at the

seams with the pitter patter of tiny feet. These were years of

"musical beds" when little ones were to scared to stay in their own.

These were the years I got to spend every waking hour with my

beautiful children before sending the first off to school. These were

years of family walks, family bike rides, family dinners, family story

time, and family prayer. Thank you for blessing my oldest son, born

while we lived away, with two little sisters. Thank you for helping

them be best friends.

And speaking of friends, thank you for putting some of the best

friends I could ever hope for directly in my path. Thank you for

taking them from different parts of the state, country and world, and

landing them right where I needed them right when I

needed them...in Utah. Thank you for play dates, friends who loved my

kids as their own, dinner swaps, singing groups, running buddies,

trusted babysitters, and so much more.

Thank you for your beautiful roads, trails, mountains, and scenery.

In your beautiful landscape, I not only developed a greater

appreciation for God's creations, but also developed a love and

passion for fitness. Many miles were logged onto my personal odometer

as I watched the sun peak over the mountains to the east in the quiet

hours of the morning.

Thank you for also placing in my path group fitness instructors who

taught me that there's more to fitness than running! Because of these

inspiring women, I developed a new attitude, outlook, and lifelong

fitness addiction! As I attended classes week after week, exercise

became something I couldn't live without. It was no longer an option,

but a scheduled part of my EVERY day. These women showed me by their

example that the human body is capable of amazing things. As a

result, I've raced, I've pushed my limits, I've fulfilled

a dream, and I've never looked back.

Thank you for inspiring me to start a fitness blog which has blessed

my life more than it's blessed anyone else's. How could I not

be dedicated to fitness when I was busy writing about it? Thank

you for giving me inspiring friends through this blog...most of whom

I've never met, and a few that

I have.

Thank you also, dear Utah, for the gift of in-laws. In a place where

my immediate family did NOT reside, you forced me to see my husband's

family for the amazing people they are. If I'd chosen a husband based

on HIS family alone, I'd still be married to the same person. I now

have relationships with his family I never would have hoped for had I

not experienced life with them in the same place...in Utah. Besides

just being my mother-father-sisters-brothers-in-law, I have

friends. I have another set of "parents" I can comfortably

call "mom" and "dad," and the closest thing to

having another sister.

And speaking of sisters, thank you for mine. Almost a year ago, I

finally got to live close to her again...after nearly 10 years of

living apart. Thank you for reminding me of how nice it is to have

someone around who has loved me since the day I was born...who knows

every detail about me and my life, and loves me anyway. Someone who

can walk into my house piled high with toys, laundry, dirty dishes,

and clutter, and truly not even notice. Someone who can knock on the

door when my house is in shambles without sending me into a

picking-up, panicked frenzy.

Thank you for cousins my kids love as their own siblings. Thank you for Baby Jack who's birth-in-Utah changed my life.

Thank you for Zumba. Thank you for making my current friendships

stronger as we-as-friends danced and laughed together. Thank

you for helping me go out of my own comfort zone to learn dances, let

go of all inhibitions, and teach them to an audience of participants.

Thank you for giving me one more thing I can share with my

sister...Zumba. And thank you for giving me new friends through Zumba

I wouldn't have made any other way.

Thank you for making my home a gathering place for out-of-town

visitors, and a home-away-from home for my baby brother while

he was living life as a single college student in happy valley. Thank

you, also, for giving me a front row seat to watch his courtship with

the only girl good enough to marry our baby brother...Anne.

I can't say life was perfect while I was in your borders, Utah. There

were cold, long winters. There was heart-ache. There were lonely

days. There were "Monster-Mom" days. There was yelling.

There was crying. There was impatience and misunderstandings. But I

guess I can't thank you for the good without also thanking you for the

bad. Because the "bad" is what is sculpting me into the person I want

to become. At times I felt like I was thrown kicking and screaming

into the "refiner's fire." But through the tears, I got a little bit

stronger. Apparently, however, it wasn't enough. We've moved out of

your comforting borders into the unknown. Please tell your friend,

Tennessee to be nice to me and my family, because at the moment, I'm

sure missing you, Utah. Cold winters and all.

Saying good-bye felt like one of the hardest things I've ever done.

But saying good-bye also made me realize how blessed and loved we are!

Thank you for the good-bye parties. Thank you for the tears. Thank

you for showing me how it feels to have true friends who feel like

family. Thank you for reminding me of the importance and blessing of

real family. Thank you for good neighbors, and cherished memories

that will last a lifetime.

As I look back to my time in Utah, I feel blessed to have lived in a

place so rich in the culture of what makes me

ME. Really, there aren’t enough words of gratitude

that will do justice to how I feel.

As I move forward with the ones in my life that matter most, I'll try

to live by the words of Dr. Seuss, "Don't cry because it's over. Smile

because it happened."

All I can say is, thank you.

Sincerely,

Robyn, wife, mother, southerner-in-training,

westerner-at-heart.

Black Light Zumba Party THIS FRIDAY!

Looking for something to do this Friday night? Come to a Black Light Zumba Party!!!

Friday, April 8, 2011

7:30-8:30 pm

Cost is $4

C & C Ballet

10128 S. Redwood Rd. #G

South Jordan, UT

Wear white or anything else that will help you glow! We're going to bring out the BLACK LIGHTS, a NEW awesome DANCE LIGHT, lots of fun dances, energy, sweat, and fun! Come kick off the weekend ZUMBA style!

C & C Ballet is located in the parking lot south of the South Jordan Post Office, behind Maxwell Carpet and Cleaning.

Let me know if you have any questions! EVERYONE is welcome!

How the St. George marathon became the weekend that changed our lives forever

I'm pretty sure it's been at least 6 months since I last posted. There's NO WAY October 1st was only a month and a half ago. Remember me? Yes...I am alive. Yes...my husband survived his 10th marathon. And no, I had no idea that the St. George marathon this year would be the beginning of my family's life changing forever. NO IDEA. Get ready, because I'm going to get a lot more personal here on FitMePink than I ever thought I would. Ready? Here goes.

My big sister is my hero. She always has been. And now I know FOR SURE that she always will be. I spent my years growing up copying her every move. Everything she did was cool. Everything she wore was cool. She wasn't ever thrilled to share her clothes with me, but I had to practically beg her to wear something of mine, because if she ever wanted to wear my clothes? Then I had truly entered the world of coolness that every little sister dreams of achieving. Recently, my sister inspired me to become a certified Zumba instructor. Since she was so passionate about Zumba, I knew I had to do it. I left my baby home all day for the first time to attend the certification class. Totally worth it! My sister is a leader, my sister knows who she is, and is true to herself in all she does. She's definitely not the type to run a marathon just because everyone else is doing it (I'm totally that type!) She's an amazing mom, an amazing wife, an amazing sister, daughter, and friend.

I know we all have trials, but I don't think many of us will experience a trial quite like the one she's going through right now.

It all started last April. She was pregnant, expecting her fourth baby in October. Her husband, who'd lost his job a few years back, was finishing school. He graduated, and had seemingly plenty of time to secure a job before the birth of their baby boy. Several times, he was sure he had something promising, only to have it fall through yet again. Finally in July, he was offered a new position. The downside? It would require 8 weeks of training in Chicago. The date he would begin training was pushed back again and again, until he was told he wouldn't be starting until the end of September. A little disappointed, they figured that at least he could be home for the baby's induction on October 7th for one of his weekend trips home (promised every two weeks during training). And at least she had Zumba to look forward to...teaching 8 classes a week does wonders for a missing-your-husband state of mind.

With no husband, she was relieved that we would be visiting for the St. George marathon. Early Saturday morning, we left her with two of our kids, and her three, and headed down for the race. My husband hadn't trained, and we really should have just stayed home to spare him the pains that result from lack of training. But having spent the entry fee, he couldn't stand the thought of not actually running the 26.2 miles, so in Southern Utah we were. We got back to my sister's house late Saturday afternoon, and decided to spend the night, and hang out with her on Sunday before driving home.

Sunday morning, the contractions began with some spotting. She came out of the bathroom in tears, not wanting to be in labor with her husband so far away. We hung around all day, not sure we could leave her even though she assured me it was nothing. She figured she was just having contractions, and that they would just go away. Sending us home was a sign to the universe that this baby could not come two weeks early. At 6 pm we left, and I texted her to make sure she was okay. She wasn't. She'd just had two big contractions, so we turned around, I nursed my baby, and left my husband in charge of 6 kids as we headed to the hospital. Her baby was born two hours after we got there. It was a miracle to witness. I will never forget watching my strong sister give birth to this beautiful, precious, purple bundle. I will never forget cutting his umbilical chord. I loved all 5 lbs. 13 oz. of that little Jack as if he were my own. And I will never forget the hours, days, and weeks that followed.

Soon after birth, exhausted, and husband-less, the doctor came in to tell my sister that there was a slight chance the baby could have Down Syndrome. "Don't worry about it, it's probably nothing," he said. I watched her face, watched the doctor, wanted to kick him out of the room in a not-so-loving manner for tearing my sister's already upside down world into more broken pieces. We cried all night long. A few days later, her husband caught an early flight home, and relieved that the worst was over, we drove home with our three kids, including my amazing little baby who survived once again without her mama.

Before the hubby flew back to Chicago, my mom arrived to take over from Tennessee. Phew...the worst part is over, we thought. The baby's here. He has Down Syndrome. He was born into an amazing, loving family. They'll be okay. And then the throwing up began. "It's totally normal," the doctor said. "Just feed him some formula to help weigh it down." "Hmmmm... 4 lbs. 10 oz. I'm not too concerned yet. Let's re-weigh him in a few days." Finally, the waiting for answers had to stop. They were going to the emergency room whether the doctor liked it or not.

Two weeks after his birth, I was at the hospital again. This time, I was waiting at Primary Children's hospital for my sister's ambulance to arrive with her sweet baby. Severely dehydrated, he'd had zero nutrition in his tiny body for two weeks. I have no doubt that faith, prayers, fasting and blessings kept him alive when a doctor didn't. Diagnosed with duodenal atresia (apparently very common in babies with Down Syndrome...should've been one of the first things they tested for), he had to undergo surgery for the blockage in his intestines, but not until he was well enough. So three weeks ago, he had his first surgery. And this morning, they found another blockage and performed another.

My sister is my hero. Her family has been spread throughout the country. Her husband in Chicago, her kids with her in-laws in Southern Utah, and her at Primary Children's hospital because the only thing she can offer her sick (but recovering!) baby is her love, her swaddling arms, and her prayers.

Last night I sat in the hospital cafeteria with her as she talked to her kids on the phone, sang the "Transformers, more than meets the eye..." song to her 4-year old, listened as her 6-year old sang his made-up song to her, and as her 8-year old said their "family prayer." Today I watched her sit, exhausted in the waiting room while her now 6 lb. baby underwent another surgery. I saw her talk to her husband, and tell him the good news that the surgery went well, and saw her breathe a sigh of relief as she realized that his 8 weeks of training will be over in two days!

As I've watched my sister over these past weeks, I've realized how shallow my life has been. Every day I've woken up, worried about whether or not I can fit in an hour of exercise. I've been nearly devastated as I've driven to the gym without the chest strap of my heart rate monitor, for crying out loud. I've felt sorry for myself when my husband has had to stay late at work until, oh, 8:00 at night. So tonight, I sit here grateful beyond words for the birth of my sweet nephew. He has taught me more in the short 6 weeks of his life than I ever could have learned in a lifetime without him. I've learned that prayers really are answered. I've learned that my family is the most important and treasured of all my posessions. I've learned that the most important thing I can do is to nurture and cultivate my relationships with my loved ones, because tragic things happen every day. They need to know I love them. I've learned that a lot of people love me and would do anything for me. I've learned (again) that my husband is amazing...he's totally stepped up in the childcare department when I've completely dropped the ball to help my sister. I've learned that there really is a God in Heaven who is keenly aware of even the tiniest of babies. Through his tender mercies, we were in St. George at the right time so my sister wouldn't have to deliver her baby alone. I've learned that good things don't happen by coincidence. And I've learned that my sister is still my hero.

I think one day I'll look back and wonder when my life changed forever. I'd say it was the day Baby Jack was born. Welcome to our family, sweet baby. Hopefully soon we'll get to welcome him home where his family can all be together again. When that day comes, maybe I'll start thinking about training for the marathon I signed up for in May, or actually teaching the Zumba I was certified to teach. But until then, as I've said before, exercise IS important...but some things are more important!

Thoughts on motherhood and exercise

Soooo...I thought I was back...until I wasn't! Life is happening so fast these days, and adjusting to life with a third child has been both easier and harder than life with two! Easier because the older two can play together, easier because I've done this before, easier because my little jelly bean is such a good baby, but harder because life must go on! I've heard that it only gets busier, but I'm feeling pretty busy these days driving to and from preschool 3 times a week, going on field trips, grocery shopping with 3, feeding 3, getting 3 kids in bed at the end of the day, trying to spend time with my cute hard-working husband, and occasionally finding time for myself.

When my 2nd was born, getting back into the work-out routine was SO MUCH EASIER! Or I was more motivated. Or perhaps I was a little bit scared that if I DIDN'T start working out, it would NEVER happen.

I've had a few awesome work-out weeks since my (almost 3-month old) baby was born, but I have to admit that my work-outs have been sporadic at best! I've always thought that working out was essential for my emotional well-being. I still think it is. BUT I actually feel better emotionally this time around because I haven't been so worried about working out! I remember running on the treadmill after baby #2, while telling my 21-month old toddler to talk to his screaming newborn baby sister so I could finish the last 2 minutes of my run. Why didn't I figure out that those 2 minutes of running to the sound of a newborn screaming were much harder on me than just stopping the treadmill to soothe my baby? I would probably bet money that a mother's blood pressure goes up when she listens to her newborn baby cry. Running at the same time is probably counterproductive, don't you think?

I feel like I've enjoyed the infancy of my 3rd baby so much more, because I haven't worried about ME so much! There really is a time and season for everything. It just hasn't been the season for consistent workouts this time around...and I feel much more sane! I have NOTHING to prove...my stomach is still flabby, I've only lost a single pound in the last month, and I eat lots of chocolate when the kids are in bed! But I've also spent more time enjoying my kids, without stressing about finishing a workout if the baby is screaming! The time that I get to hold my sweet little one on my chest while she sleeps is so short...I'm holding on to it for dear life!

However, when my husband is actually around (he's working long hours these days), I still love my ME time! (And ME-time for me usually means working out!) Soon after my baby was born, my sister encouraged me to sign up for a Zumba instructor certification class. So Me, being the perfect little sister, signed up. I stressed for two months about this ONE day that I would have to leave my new baby. A few hours away are great, but a whole day?!?!? I tried every day for a month to give her a bottle with no success. I pictured my husband spending the entire day with 3 kids in the parking lot so I could run out at every break to nurse my screaming baby. So on our first break, I frantically called my husband. She was asleep. At lunch, I raced out of the room to meet him in the parking lot. I called my husband. She had taken a bottle! She was asleep! He'd done the dishes! He'd even cleaned the carpets! My 2-year old was napping! So I stopped worrying, and got to enjoy an entire stress-free day to MYSELF. It was fabulous! But I'm not ready to leave my baby for 9 hours again anytime soon!

So now my mornings are spent practicing Zumba with my 4- and 2-year olds while my baby naps. They love it, I love it, and for now it works. But the "4th trimester" is almost over, and perhaps the season of consistent away-from-home-early-morning-workouts will begin, but for now I'll take what I can get!

And to finish up this rambling post, here are a few things I've learned:

• Zumba really is an awesome workout! I probably don't burn as many calories as I do in a Spin class, but I have a smile on my face the whole time, and don't look at the clock once! Plus, intermittent training is amazing for the body (more on that later). These days, I'm all about feeling rejuvenated after a workout instead of drained. Zumba works wonders for an emotional mom!
• You can push yourself harder than you think you can! I met up with my visiting-from-out-of-town sister-in-law for an early morning run a few weeks ago. We planned on running about 5 miles around a lake, took a wrong turn on the way back to the car, freaked out when we heard thunder and lightning as it started pouring rain, considered swimming across the lake to get to the car then decided that being in a lake while it's raining probably wasn't the best idea, so we ran as fast as our bodies would take us to get back to the car. We ended up running 8 miles instead of 5, and the most I'd done before that morning (post-baby) was 3! Our bodies are amazing...and an occasional adrenaline rush doesn't hurt!
• There really is a God up in heaven watching over us! My 2-year old almost got hit by a car in a parking lot recently, but another car turned into the parking lot at just the right moment, honked as they saw what was about to happen, and stopped the car from driving those last few feet towards my daughter. Miracle! Before the Zumba training, I honestly prayed for a month that my baby would be okay that day so I could go. She took a bottle for the first time that day. In my little mommy world, that was another miracle! It's so comforting to know that someone really is watching over me and my seemingly insignificant little family!
• Working out is important, but it's not the MOST important thing. I want my kids to know that taking care of our bodies is important. I want them to know that their mama tries really hard to be healthy. But I also want them to know that I love them more than I love my running shoes! I look forward to the day that my little buddies are also my workout partners! Well...they think they already are...but someday, we'll all PUT ON OUR OWN running shoes, and head out the door together as friends!
• As much as I love blogging, it's on the backburner these days. Like I said, (as did someone else...) "to everything there is a season; and a time to every purpose under heaven." When I'm back on some sort of a regular routine (hopefully sooner than later), I'll post more than once every two months! But for now, I hope you don't mind my sporadic ramblings!
• If you want to lose weight, eating the right stuff may just be more important than exercise! There, I said it. And I truly believe it! Lose weight by eating right. Change how your body looks by exercise. Eat right AND exercise for optimal health AND fitness! Duh?!?!?

I'll be back...

Happy Mother's Day with some pregnancy woes

What is it about being pregnant that makes a woman super approachable? I don't know if it's just me, but seriously EVERY stranger I meet feels completely free to comment on my ever-expanding belly. I'm always asked when I'm due, and when I say "not until June 22nd," eyes start bulging. Yes...I realize that my tummy doesn't look like it could possibly get any bigger, but trust me...it will.

Last week while visiting my sister and family, I went to a few of her Zumba classes. (Best Zumba instructor, ever!) Before going, I made the comment that I was going to look a bit ridiculous shaking my booty with my ginormous front side. My dad said, "You just think everyone's watching you, but they're not." I said, "Normally, I'd agree with you. But when you're 8-months pregnant in a Zumba class, everyone really is watching you." I was right. I went to two back-to-back classes with my cute (also pregnant...just not showing yet) sister, and after each one, several people came up to me to offer their thoughts and advice. "Are you trying to go into labor?" "You really should probably slow down a bit." "When are you due?" "I was watching you during class thinking...that girl's baby is going to pop right out!"

Is it really so odd to see a pregnant girl working out? Dancing and hip shaking...maybe so. But it's not just Zumba. While lifting weights last week, a man stopped and asked me all sorts of questions about whether I felt the baby moving while I worked out, whether my exercise was "doctor prescribed," and whether I thought it was "safe." After a Spin class, a funny lady asked when I was due, then exclaimed "Are you sure there's only one in there? Because I just kept thinking 'That girl's about to have her baby!'" Today in church, a teenage girl saw me and a friend (who's scheduled to have a C-Section in two weeks), and yelled, "When are you guys due, because you both look like you're about to pop!" Watch out, everybody, my belly's about to explode!

Yes, my friends. I have been blessed with a short torso, so there's really nowhere for the baby to go but OUT. I'm just praying that all of the you're about to pop comments aren't predictions of anything soon to come. I've never actually gone into labor before (I even drank castor oil with my first), and this pregnancy is the first time that I really don't want to...until my actual due date! Here's why:

1. I'm terrified of having THREE kids.
2. I handle pregnancy a lot better than I handle the newborn-sleep-deprived-engorged-with-milk-out-to-my-elbows stage.
3. My husband is running the Wasatch Back (a 2-day, 180-mile relay race) two days before my due date.
4. My mother-in-law (AKA babysitter) along with several other family members are also running the race. If I go into labor, the kids are coming with me...crap!
5. We don't have a name.
6. Every other reason in the book that having a baby in June just isn't convenient for selfish-me!

So maybe I should stop Zumba-ing, Spinning, and Lifting. But before I have a baby, my workouts always seem to get more intense. Not because I'm trying to make any body changes, but because I know post-baby workouts are much harder to come by. I'm taking advantage!

And as anti-baby as I sound, I really am actually looking forward to holding my sweet little girl next month. As hard as newborns are, there's nothing like having a piece of heaven in your arms. A piece of heaven that grows all too quickly! One of my favorite quotes on motherhood (thanks to my friend, Evelyn) is this:

Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body. -Elizabeth Stone

My belly is ever-expanding, and my heart is about to split into three. Being a mom is the hardest thing I've ever done. Carrying a child is the rudest thing I've ever done to my body. But I thank my Heavenly Father EVERY DAY that he's loaned me these precious children. I can't imagine my life any other way.

So am I offended by those who take it upon themselves to analyze the shape and size of my body? Not at all (or at least not much)! A miracle is occurring inside of me, and as much as I want to have my old body back, I'm trying to enjoy every last minute of this pregnancy. I get to bring a real person into this world. I am blessed, and I can't wait to meet her!

The Eleventh Day of Fitness...ZUMBA!

On the ELEVENTH Day of Fitness, FitMePink Blog gave to me...a ZUMBA dance PARTY!


For you FitMePeeps who have been around for a while, you remember that I (Robyn) am not the only contributor to this blog. I know...I've missed her, too. My sister, Kimberly has had a busier year, and has accomplished more than I've done in the last three years. So I guess I'll forgive her for not writing a post for...well...at least a year! Her husband has a little break from school, and for the first time in months, she actually had some free time on her hands, so she wrote about the benefits of ZUMBA...or as she put it...ZzzUUuumMMmBAa! For those of you who haven't met her yet, she's a certified Zumba, Pilates, Step, Dance, and Power Pump instructor. Yes...she's amazing!

A few months ago, I went to my first Zumba class. I LOVED it! My hips don't quite shake the way they're supposed to, but everyone else was worried about what THEY looked like, so it didn't matter what I looked like. I only wished I had a friend with me so I didn't feel so silly laughing the whole time! Here's what Kimberly had to say to about Zumba...

Zumba is a Latin-inspired, dance fitness class that incorporates Latin and international music and dance movements. The combination creates a dynamic, exciting, and EFFECTIVE fitness system! ZUMBA combines fast and slow dance rhythms that sculpt and tone the body. The cardio-based dance movements are easy to follow steps that also include body sculpting. These moves target areas such as the gluteals, legs, arms, core, abdominals, and the most important muscle in the body: the heart!

If you have never attended a ZUMBA class, the atmosphere feels like a PARTY! This healthy, fun, party-like environment makes the time pass quickly so it doesn't actually feel like exercise! The Latin music is exhilarating and exciting, so each participant naturally wants to move, and return to class again and again!

If you've never tried ZUMBA, here are some reasons to try:

1. It's Fun! Zumba is exercise in disguise! Each participant has so much fun they don't even realize they are exercising.
2. It's Different! The music, the steps, the moves, the class, the feel... are like no other!
3. It's Easy! Zumba is designed for everyone. Participants of any fitness level or any background, or any age can start Zumba right away.
4. It's Easy To Follow! Zumba is a cardio-based workout with components of resistance/ sculpting training to tone the entire body and achieve desired fitness goals.
   

When you attend your first Zumba class you will experience Merengue, Cumbia, Salsa, Reggaetone, Calypso, Samba, Hip Hop, and much more. Each of these dance styles will have you wanting to go back for more. The steps are easy to follow, fun to learn, and help you achieve great results! Zumba is also great for the mind, body, and soul!

A few of my favorite parts of class you should look forward to are:

• The Booty Circle--Fantastic moves that work the quads, butt, and core! (Not to mention, super fun shaking that BOOTY!)
• The Reggaetone Bounce--great for the arms, legs, butt, and core too!

If you're looking for some great Latin music to inspire you
and help you shake that BOOTY...here are a few of my favorites:

1. Quete Mueve
2. Santa Que
3. Rompe
4. Ketchup Song
5. Belly Danza

Long live ZUMBA!!!

Have any of you tried Zumba? What did you think? One of my New Year's Resolutions is to attend more "fun" and less "serious" classes. Zumba's at the top of my list. Thanks Kimberly!!!