Just Dance

Welcome to my new blog :-)
Thank you so much for switching over.

I am debating becoming a ZUMBA instructor. Or really any intructor, but Zumba is fun!
"Ditch the workout! Join the party!"

Sounds pretty awesome. I used Zumba DVDs a couple years ago when they first came out. I fell in love with them. When I lent them out to prove how awesome they were, they got lost or broken by others and I never saw them again. I then dropped more $$$ on a second set, but when I moved out they stayed at home with my mom so that she could get a workout in every once in a while (which she should start doing now that she is officially done working).

Another certification I would like is the a group fitness instructor, but it seems more intense and I tend to get these crazy ideas and not follow through so I need to be sure first. I met a woman that started with her Zumba certification, loved it, and went and got her group fitness one. That sounds like a good plan since the cost of the Zumba certification includes the set of their DVDs!

The problem is that the open training classes for the summer are in Portugal and Japan... worst.
Zumba has grown to this HUGE brand name with clothes, dvds, classes, workshops... ect.

If you havn't tried it, I suggest you do. It is a latin dance workout and it keeps your heart rate up with the theory that you do not need to follow exact steps as long as you are moving to the music!

I am going for my mini shopping trip today. Wish me luck :-)

Closed

There is this website http://www.hunch.com/. You ask it a question, and then it asks you a couple questions, and then gives you a response to your inital question. That sounded a little confusing, but it isn't I promise. I am also not sure how much I trust this site to make decisions for me, but it can be entertaining when even your bills are blocked on your company computers. So knowing that my gym is closing for 9 days I asked what my ideal workout is:
1. Spinning
2. Step Aerobics
3. Bikram Yoga
Wild Card:Pilates
They all sound great to me! So I am still trying to get a step on ebay or some equivalant. I am going to shop and walk home from work tomorrow, so maybeee I can find one for cheap. My gym has them, but I need a DVD to show me how to use it! I might just splurge while my gym is closed and try out some classes at surrounding studios.

My 7 miles went pretty well yesterday. According to http://www.mapmyrun.com/, I ran 7.46 miles (which could be off by some) and according to just glancing at my phone to check my start/end time I ran it in 69 minutes (again accuracy?). Anyway I am not running for speed, just trying something new out.

Finally, I want to do some spring/summer cleaning and get rid of a bunch of stuff I don't use/need. I was thinking of selling some of it on e-bay, but I got burned pretty bad with my e-bay addiction last summer. I ended up buying 3 counterfeit copies of the Sex In The City Series before quitting and going to Best Buy. If anybody have some e-bay tips I would love to hear them! If not, I think I might just go to The Salvation Army and donate to those in need.

P.S. The Victoria's Secret Semi-Annual Sale starts today! H&M is having a sale. Banana Republic is giving 20% off purchases over $175. Gap has added Athleta to their stores which offers yoga clothes, swim attire, and dresses. J. Crew is having a summer sale. You get it right? It's shopping season! :-)

Stalker

NO, I was not invited to this wedding, but a "friend" of mine on Facebook was and posted some awesome pictures of this couple's everlasting vows. I am now going to post a beautiful picture from a beautiful wedding of this couple that I do not know. Please do not judge.

Pretty right? Colors of the wedding here light blue and white.

"Forever" scares me, but I could throw some other type of party and decorate like that. Birthday? Random Thursday night? I will figure it out :-)

"There's MORE to Maine"

MAINE is a pretty cool place. Skiing and beaches all in one state. My weekend was full of shopping, booze, and stupid decisions. What more could you ask from a vacation?

My roommate Rachel and I arrived about 30 min. earlier than the rest of the crew to Maine. We sniffed out some outlets and went into the J.Crew outlet just looking to pass some time. In 30 min. I was $50 dollars down and Rachel was $75 down (she's a very good shopper too its very dangerous to be around each other with our debit cards). I didn't need anything, but I was on vacation! So I found a pair of jeans I LOVED, but were too loose up top and they didn't have the next size down (booo!). To keep my mind off of the jeans I grabbed a loose super soft navy blue top with a tie scrunch collar and bow, a purple fitted T, and a grey beaded necklace with a ribbon tie. My boy (who is now going to be called Mr. Argumentative because thats what he won in his high school yearbook and the only person who wins arguments with him is ME because I just flash a smile and look up at him *he is 6 ft. I am 5'2"* with my big brown eyes and get my way)... anyway so Mr. Argumentative needed a bathing suit so I called and asked if $20 was ok and he said yes. I go back into the J.Crew outlet to grab him a bathing suit and he says he doesn't want anything from "JC Crew"?? Let's just say this boy only does to the Olympia Sports in a mall. The final straw for the bathing suit was that the only one in his size had lobsters (which apparently he is too cool for) so I put down the bathing suit and picked up the purple T and beaded necklace instead and headed to the cash register (he wore black nike gym shorts to the beach instead).

The group of us (3 boys 3 girls) get to the Maine house and begin drinking... didn't stop until 4 something AM. After noise complaint and losing at least 6 beers from spillage we decide to talk a stroll/stumble to the light house down the street. How we survived walking on the rocks with the tide coming in, I am not sure. The only injury was one of the boys falling on the rocks several times and waking up (still drunk at 8 am planning to go for a run) with some scratches on his face and a chipped tooth.

Sat. ended up being a beautiful day. We went to the beach from about 11:30-3:30. I put my feet in the water, but refused to go any further in (despite Mr. Argumentative's best efforts). That was a great food day too. We had cinnamon buns for breakfast, I split a large Italian sub with Mr. A and got some soft served ice cream after with Rachel. After some snacking back at the Maine house, we had a delicious BBQ with pigs in a blanket, cheeseburgers, salad, french fries, and more. Everyone was pretty tired and burnt, so the rest of the night was low key with story telling, re-living memories, card games, and red sox.

Sunday we went out to eat "breakfast" at 12:30 and then Rachel and I got some ice cream for the journey home. The rest of the day was spent in bed eating and sleeping.

My workout issue is that I was supposed to run 7 miles on Sat and do crosstraining on Sun and I did neither. Today should be weights and tomorrow 5 miles, but now it all has to be rearranged because I was lazy and took a vacation! Sue me for wanting FUN!
Anyways I worked out the new schedule and it will look something like this:
Monday- Run 7 miles
Tuesday- Crosstraining and weights
Wednesday- Run 5 miles
Thursday- Run 3 miles and weights
Friday- rest
Sat- Run 8 miles
I am not sure when I will get in my Sat 8 miles because as you can tell my weekends tend to be directed towards fun/no responsibilities so my workout takes a back seat. Only 2 weeks until the race!!! I still missed a crosstraining day with my new schedule, but hey you win some you lose some.

Getting out of this town

Sooo Pilates Dance was pretty great yesterday. The first 30 min was a faster paced Ballet Booty (without weights) and the second 30 min was some pilates strengthening. The only problem was that I forgot that Wednesday I was messing around with this P90X abs thing my friend has. I couldn't really do any of the moves because it was too hard and only 15 minutes so I wrote it off and forgot that it ever happened. All day my abs felt normal yesterday, then all of a sudden i lay on my mat to do pilates and there is the deepest burning in my stomach muscles. OUCH! I go from never ever doing abs to doing then 2 days in a row. ughh ODI (over do it). A nice short cycling session should loosen up my muscles nicely so that I had relax and enjoy my weekend getaway to MAINE.

6 of us will be relaxing and drinking for probably 48 hours straight. This should be entertaining.



I also had my first Trader Joe's experience yesterday. The prices are very reasonable and I got this bag to carry the heavy groceries, but the look is so vintage and cloth and awesome it can double as a beach bag or something!

I would also like to point out that today is June 12th and visibility on the east coast is max 1 mile. The fog and the grossness and the rain and the clouds need to go away.

Besides the weather only one other thing is bothering me, explosions. I have had 3 today. 1 was before I left for work my neatly packaged lunch including black bean soup exploded all over one of my favorite bags, my gym clothes, my sneakers.. etc. Then I repackaged everything grabbed new clothes and a new bag and left for work. BOOM black bean soup explosion #2. Awesome. At least my gym stuff was in a separate bag this time. Finally I went to make oatmeal in the microwave after cleaning up from explosion #2 and BAAAAM! oatmeal everywhere. There you go. I think that's a record. 3 explosions before 10:15 AM. AT least bad things come in threes, so I should be set for the day *crosses fingers*.

O! I also caught a couple minutes of So You Think You Can Dance (long title of a showw) veryy impressive may have to become a regular of mine.

HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND :-)

Notes

OK fine guys. You were not very helpful with my workout video dilemma, so I did more research and found "Step-Boxing". "Blends the intensity of step with the power of kickboxing." Sounds pretty sweet to me. I am currently bidding on an aerobic step on e-bay, but if anybody knows a cheaper way to find one I would love to hear it!

I have non official ADD so every week I have a new interest that I try out. This week I am in a food rut (Note to self: microwaving cans of corn and mizing it with salsa does not count as a meal). I have been looking up recipes that even those who choose the microwave over the oven/stove every time (AKA Me) can manage. Doesn't this one sounds pretty good for ZERO cooking necessary?

Creamy Pasta Salad with Crabmeat

1/2 cup each light sour cream and light mayonnaise (not fat free)1 tablespoon each freshly squeezed lemon juice, honey mustard and minced fresh dill1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper12 oz medium shell pasta, uncooked (about 5 cups dry)1 lb lump crabmeat (real or imitation), chopped1/2 cup each diced red and green bell peppers1/2 cup chopped green onions

"In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, honey mustard, dill, salt and pepper,. Refrigerate dressing until ready to use.
Cook shells according to package directions. Drain well. Rise with cold water and drain again. Transfer pasta to a large bowl. Add crabmeat, bell peppers, onions and dressing. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve."
252 calories and 4.1 grams of fat per serving

(Recipe thanks to Eat, Shrink & Be Merry and Sweetnicks)

Yesterday I did a little bike, arc trainer, and stair climber for my "cross training". Today it's Pilates Dance: "Blending the classic moves of ballet and jazz with Pilates Mat Work, this class is designed to tone and lengthen your muscles, giving you the long, lean, sexy body of a dancer."

I love how they say "long" when I wont get any taller... I should measure myself before and after these classes. Before :5'2" After: Still 5'2" Heels "lengthen" every time Before: 5'2" After: 5'7". I think the winner is clear here.

Now for some trashy TV (because who gets through life without it). Real Housewives of ____ doesn't really matter which brings a very controversial issue to life. Implants. I am pro choice, but I would suggest sitting on the idea for at least a year and definitely get saline not silicone and it has to go under the muscle to have a chance at looking natural and I would not suggest going any more than 2 cup sizes bigger than your natural size. (No I do not have implants I just happen to be very informed on the topic). I bring this up because Teresa on Real Housewives of New Jersey decides to get some new "bubbies" to go from a minus A to a C.

Before:

After: Impossible to get on here. Check out the second pic in her photo gallery. Also, if you wanna laugh check out pic 11 (you really should). (Insider note: Teresa is now expecting her 4th child.)

Movie Note: Go see The Hangover. Now.

Favorite quote from suggested movie: "Sh*t. I keep forgetting about the f*cking tiger."

Twitter Note: Tila Tequila twittered that she is pregnant with Ray J's baby.

The happy couple:

WOW. SO that was alot of random stuff. Tomorrow is Friday! SMILE.

Pickup Lines and Pole Dancing

I did the elliptical for 23 minutes yesterday. During those 23 minutes, I learned 2 very interesting things that I would like to share today.

Did you know that not only are cheesy pick up lines still being used, but they are working?!?! A group of guys at the gym yesterday were standing behind the ellipticals talking and laughing when one breaks away from the crowd and grabs an open elliptical next to a girl. He turns and looks at her and says, "Hey whats your sign?" Really guy? You think that is going to work? I can't wait until she responds "Get a life". Nope. She says , "Sagittarius. What's yours?" UM. Wow. They then proceeded to have a 5 minute conversation about nothing before he returned to his laughing and howling friends. If we keep letting these lines work, when will they stop using them? Never.

Now for the All-American pass time of pole dancing. I am sorry; "Pole Dance Fitness" as the co founder of the Pole Fitness Association prefers it to be called. This "sport" is being petitioned to be a part of the 2012 Olympics in London. The PFA has 110,000 signatures and counting on the petition so far and they meet the international criteria as "Pole Dance Fitness" is practiced in over 50 countries. The judging would be based on flexibility, strength, height and some other categories similar to figure skating and gymnastics according to PFA. If you would like to try this "Olympic Sport" out check out the Vital Juice FREE Wellness Retreat in New York next weekend for free exercise classes such as:
Strip Bar
Welcome to the happy hour of sexy, hot cardio. This class takes Striptease to the next level with the body bar as your prop. Oh yeah, we’ll make you sweat.

Move over Carmen Electra.