I'm currently working on increasing my endurance despite low iron levels.  This past week I've attended at least 2 classes a day either 2 Zumba's, or Zumba and power yoga. I was doing well until I hit Thursday.  I was so burned out, that I spent a couple hours working on new choreography for my Zumba gold class and thinking about what I was going to do for the Active older adult (AOA) class I was subbing on Saturday morning. But I wasn't able to handle and actual class outside of home. I did find on average that the Zumba classes I've been attending are about 6000 steps on average for a 50 -60 minute class. My own is usually about this much as well.

In May I will be teaching a Zumba Gold class back to back with an Enhance fitness class (fitness for seniors) and I want to make sure I have the energy for it.  The first part of the Enhance class is 30 minutes of warm up, and cardio, so its quite important to be able to handle those parts together.  That is followed with weightlifting exercises and stretching to end the class. I'm looking forward to teaching this new class at the Y. It will be 3 times a week and I will be sharing with another instructor. 

Subbing this past Saturday went quite well. You never know in that situation whether students will be OK with a sub, so it can be a bit nerve wracking going in.  Instead of trying to duplicate the class of another instructor, I went in with my own format, including my favorite piece of workout gear the stability ball. I love this piece of equipment for all levels of fitness.  When I'm working with clients who are rehabbing I feel they may relate and feel comfortable from experience in physical therapy exercises.

The teens and dance students I work with feel the playfulness of it, and for seniors its a great way to work the core and balance along with offering them a  less traditional equipment which can often seem overwhelming. I actually had a couple students ask if I teach any other classes there on Saturdays. Unfortunately for them I don't. 2 glorious days of sunshine have occurred this weekend. After days and days of grey and rain its so lovely. 

Finding and Keeping Motivation

Finding motivation can be hard sometimes.  If you have health issues it might be enough, but often not for long term motivation.  It's  assumable we all want to be healthy, a proper weight, feel great, keep ahead of  those 20 years or more younger than we are.  So what keeps you motivated or better yet,  gets you motivated?  Is it the promise of weighing less, or having a healthy heart, or getting a new number for pants size?  Or is how you will feel when you walk 18 holes of golf? or get through the Zumba class and feel like you could take another one right away?  Is it the promise of what you will look like when you put a new outfit? Are you inspired by others and their achievements?  There are so many things it can be.

When I was in my 30's the I saw a picture of my self bent over during a party for my 2 yr old daughter and I was  mortified.  So I started weight watchers.  I'm a life time member of weight watchers NOT because I made the lifetime goal weight, BUT because I keep going back, time after time.  At that time i lost a significant amount of weight, and had people make several comments all the time.  It drove me nuts.  I didn't and still don't want my weight to be a topic of discussion.  I got alot of "you're such and inspiration" and I couldn't handle it.  After awhile I quit Weight watchers and quit journaling my eating.  I took my motivation picture down of my then large butt bent over and taking up a large portion of the photo. Over the next 18 years, I've gone back on and off WW's.  Its always a great way to eat.  In my mind I have a safe high weight, and a too high I'm not going there weight.  So it makes me an eternal member. I want those numbers to change. To not accept being overweight. To lose the complacency that I've attained over the years.

        I've always been active but the last 6 1/2 years has been much harder to be.  I had a shoulder injury that was surgically repaired, scar tissue impairs some movement.  I've had two herniated disc, which occasionally flair up.  I don't lift weights like I used to and that was my favorite activity. BUT I did find something new, even for my 2 left feet, I've found Zumba.  The music, the movement it just grabs me.  I've taken courses to be a licensced instructor for the Zumba and the Zumba Gold speciality.  I'm challenged by severe anemia, where I have to get IV injections several times a month, but I keep plugging on at it.  I'm looking forward to taking the Toning licencse for zumba some time in the next 6 months because it uses weights.  And because I want to look good - Athletic and healthy and strong for class, I've finally found a motivation based on ME. When my daughter was younger I didn't want her to have a fat mom.  But she ultimately did, but I was healthy and strong fat mom.  So I let it go.  But she isn't at home now she's in England attending school, and we skype.  Those skype sessions are motivating because I look at  myself the entire time I'm talking to my daughter and I can't stand how chubby my face looks.  I'm uber pale, because of the anemia, which won't change much, but I can change how chubby I look. 

So I'm making new things my motivators. I have new ideas of what will keep me going- I'm looking all the time for items to keep me motivated.  I want to be able to buy a Zumba Instructor shirt and have it look hot, not like i squeezed into it.  I want to be able to look at the skype picture and say I look pretty good for a 53 year old.  I want to portray energy and vibe.  People talk about motivation boards, I don't really have one of those, I do put sayings under the glass on my desk I like to read them when I least expect it.  I accept that I'm a mom with an empty nest and better get busy doing something for myself. I like to journal, and if I'm going to work on losing weight, I have to journal my food,  keeping track of amounts.  Food journaling is the biggest factor in weight loss I believe.  Its important to be aware of what and how much you intake.  Know where your mistakes and successes are.  And if every once in awhile you write feelings and thoughts down, that's OK too.  It can play insight to what's happening in your healthy journey.

browsing and this is what I found

I was actually browsing the web looking for some new ideas for class and stumbled onto this blog"Fitness after Fifty." I liked her comments and research for the short articles she wrote.  Here is and excerpt from her page.  I find that I teach in this Hybrid style, trying to mix in different styles usually strength training with yoga/pilates for my dance students and my older students as well to keep their core strong, back healthy and balance as part of their weekly exercise routine.  So read this tidbit and open your mind and body to something new.  I've been taking some zumba and plan on being certified, so I'm hoping to get my students involved in it, even it its just a couple routines mixed with strength training. 

Hybrid Exercise Classes (From the Blog: Fitness after Fifty)

Combination classes (hybrid exercise classes) are among the latest trends at fitness centers everywhere. These classes give you a chance to spice up your routines and also give you a chance to sample several different disciplines.
People are often resistant to change but a hybrid class can put a new perspective on things. Hybrid classes borrow the better of two complementary workouts and fuse them together, but a good hybrid class is more than just slapping two exercise forms together with up-beat music. Ideally a class offers a cardiovascular workout as well as strength and flexibility training.
Camille Noe Pagan (Arthritis Today: May/June 2011) discusses the pros and cons of adding a hybrid workout to your routine. If you are seeing terms such as AI CHI, Gyrontonics, Piloxing, Yogalaties and Zumba in your fitness brochures, you aren’t seeing double and they aren’t typographical errors. Let’s look at some of the combinations: AI CHI (water aerobics + tai chi), Gyrontonics (multiple disciplines like gymnastics, yoga, ballet and tai chi), Piloxing (Pilates + boxing), Yogalaties (Yoga + Pilates) and Zumba (aerobics + Latin dance). People are loving fusion fitness because it is challenging and novel.
The hybrid workout can introduce you to more than one form of exercise and also introduce an element of fun. Fun is especially important if your current routine is getting boring. Monotony is a killer when it comes to maintaining a “fitness for life” program. In a hybrid program you will use more muscle groups and that should reduce the incidence of repetitive stress and injury while boosting over all fitness.
Before giving it a try, be sure that the instructor has experience working with people of all ages and physical capabilities. Look for a class that includes a gentle, flexibility-enhancing exercise such as Pilates or tai chi. Let the instructor know that you are a newbie and may need to modify some of the moves. A good instructor will ease you gently into the flow. and make helpful suggestions without making you feel like the odd man out. A good instructor will offer modifications for different physical and fitness needs. Go slowly. You don’t need to do all of the moves right from the beginning. Focus on learning your new workout rather than attempting to do it as the highest impact possible, and don’t try to keep up with more experienced exercisers. If you like to know the moves before taking a class, start with a beginner skill level DVD. The idea should be to get movement into your life and have fun.