ZUMBA - OLE!

The only thing I ever burned with aerobic exercise videos was money.  Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons tried convincing me it was easy.  I suppose it is for people with coordination.  I may never know.


As each day stretches further from my birth year, I get a little closer to the ground.  I've been fighting gravity all of my life.  I realized early on that it would be a losing battle for me and surrendered at five feet.  Being short - excuse me - vertically challenged means that I must watch my figure.  Each extra pound on me has the effect of five on a tall person.   I've been there and done that, it's wicked easy.  Not so to take it off.  To maintain is key.


The good news is I found a Yoga video which has challenging moves but at a slower pace.  It also has a lower body workout that I can manage.  So, with that new confidence I figured I'd burn more money, I mean calories and try Jillian Michael's video.  She is the workout guru on "Biggest Loser."  I am always amazed and proud of the contestants on that show.  Proof that people are capable of anything they put their minds to.  As for me, I thought I was going to die halfway through the first set of thirty jumping jacks.  Away that DVD went, back in its case on the shelf.  


With our annual vacation coming up soon I allowed Jillian to push me a bit further.  Little by little, day by every other day or so, I finished the video.  I worked through the pain and sweat, feeling more athletic and brave to try something new again.  


Zumba!  "It's an exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness-party(TM) that's moving millions of people toward joy and health."  Sounds good to me. Three lovely ladies on YouTube showed me step by easy step each, well, step.  They too made it look so easy.  Keep upper body forward, turn your hips to the right and take a step.  Bring the left foot together with your right and wiggle that booty.  Pause.  Rewind.  Play.  My movements resembled Frankenstein's and I proved once again that I lack coordination.  But this time I decided to add some persistence and, "voila!"  I wouldn't do this in public but I will do it again.  And I will get better at it.  And I may give Richard and Jane another chance.  


Maybe next I'll try belly dancing.