Hi everyone!
First off, Zumba was great! I danced for about 11 years (a couple years on point and other years on the school dance team and whatever) and just loooove that kind of workout. It totally brought back memories of high school dance practice—especially because the class itself was in the same room that my high school dance practice was almost 10 years ago! We had practice once a week at my gym because they have a huge room with wood floors, perfect for dance. Weird to be dancing back there so many years later! 🙂
There weren’t many people in the class since it is so new at my gym and I was a little confused at first since I’ve never done that style of dance before, but I caught on quick and it was a great workout—I burned 420 calories in an hour dancing by booty off! A nice change from the elliptical for sure!!
When I got home, Betty had left out some salmon that she had made earlier for dinner…..score! I had a healthy piece of it on top of an entire spaghetti squash (!!) and had some raw carrots on the side with some more of my olive sundried tomato hummus.
This was the perfect meal because when I eat dinner late like this, I like to eat lighter. I HATE going to bed with that awful full and bloated feeling, and eating too heavy of a meal at night actually causes me not to be able to fall asleep! Since I plan to continue doing these fun gym classes and working out at night like this, my dinners probably will continue to be on the light side and I’ll just increase my afternoon snack so I have more fuel to get me through the evening. The salmon piece I took was monster sized and I ate about 80% of it but I finished all my delicious squash, broccoli and hummus.
And then I had a SCM cookie for dessert (along with sugar cookie tea with agave)!
I got everything done that I wanted to this afternoon! Laundry, bible study, packing my lunch for tomorrow, roasting my spaghetti AND butternut squashes for this week, catching up on all my emails and blogging. Nothing like a productive afternoon to ease myself into humpday! 🙂
I’ve gotta hit the showers and get into bed now so I have time to read my new book. I love war epics and romance sagas and this book so far is not disappointing me. It reminds me of The English Patient, one of my favorite movies of all time!
….I’ve got a bigger breakfast cookie waiting for me in the morning (I used 1/2 cup oats this time to make it a bit heartier!).
See you tomorrow!
ps—-I want to encourage others that might feel intimated to do gym classes to get out there and try one! For YEARS I felt intimated by them, and for that reason stayed out. I was worried people would think I didn’t know what I was doing…..I would be lost the whole time….I wouldn’t get a good enough workout….people would stare at me…. Mainly a confidence issue I suppose. However, now that I have finally taken the plunge, I realize that everyone is just concerned about themselves and their workout and no one cares how you look or what you do! It’s a new fun thing and I encourage those that haven’t tried one at their gym to do so…you might actually like it!
Stephanie
November 18, 2008 at 7:28 pmHi Jenna – Greetings from the Windy City! It was snowing here last night so it seems like you just missed the sighting of our first snow just by a week or so, very sad I know. I was so excited to see the new Cliff bars on your site and wanted to know which one you like best? I saw them at my grocery store and will have to pick 1 up from your recommendation. 🙂
Oh She Glows
November 18, 2008 at 7:28 pmGlad your dance class was fun!
If you could describe the Zumba dance, how would you describe it? It sounds interesting 🙂
jenna
November 18, 2008 at 7:31 pmStephanie,
Well, I’ve only tried the Pear Apple Strudel so far and I liked it! I’ll let you know when I get to the gingerbread 🙂
Oh She Glows,
I liken it to salsa dancing with some cardio moves and to really fun music. You follow the instructor to a dance routine to the song…simple moves, nothing fancy. You don’t need prior dance experience to do it and there were some older people (like in their 50’s) doing the class as well!
Evey
November 18, 2008 at 7:41 pmSuperCharge Me cookies = yummy!!
Glad to hear your zumba class went well.. and thanks for your advice on trying gym classes. That is so true, though, people are not there to stare or critique your workout: everyone there is focused on their own thing.
And I second what Stephanie said.. you missed the snow by a week! It looks beautiful here.. so sorry you missed it! But hey, maybe you’ll see snow in CO! You never know… 🙂
Runeatrepeat
November 18, 2008 at 7:44 pmThose cookies look so good! I think it would be so weird to go back to dancing at my old school gym. Now that I’m done with the GRE I am so planning on taking a class at my gym.
ashley (sweet & natural)
November 18, 2008 at 8:02 pmI wish my gym had Zumba! I keep hearing about it everywhere…
Teenage Veg head
November 18, 2008 at 8:18 pmim glad you had fun at your exercise class! it sounds really fun!
dinner looks great, as always.
Katie
November 18, 2008 at 8:20 pmZumba sounds so fun! I just signed up for a step aerobics class for next semester… I’m a little intimidated because it looks pretty intense, but I’m excited!
VeggieGirl
November 18, 2008 at 8:21 pmZUMBA!!!!!!!! I have my Zumba class tomorrow 😀
Shelby
November 18, 2008 at 8:25 pmZumba sounds so fun, I need to sign up for a dance class.
Your meal looks great and the cookie sounds fabulous.
Lynna
November 18, 2008 at 8:29 pmWould you be able to post the recipe for those cookies? They look yummy and seem like a healthy after dinner sweet. Thanks!
Runjen
November 18, 2008 at 8:44 pmSo glad you liked Zumba!!!
Let us know how the breakfast cookie pans out.
Fancy
November 18, 2008 at 8:56 pmI HAVE FINALLY FOUND A WHOLE FOODS IN CHICAGO THAT CARRIES COCONUT CREAM PIE LARABARS. MY WORLD HAS JUST BRIGHTENED A LITTLE BIT.
Jenny
November 18, 2008 at 8:59 pmI am SUCH a fan of dancing! I also did ballet for about 10 years, then school dance team, etc…so I really want to find a Zumba class to try. Glad you had a blast! And good point about the group exercise, so true!
Have a great night Jenna! 🙂
p.s. are you involved in an on-line blogger bible study? I thought I heard about one a while back, and I’d love to get involved but I wasn’t sure if there even was one! thanks!
Ozlem
November 18, 2008 at 8:59 pmHi Jenna,
I just have to say I have been following your blog for a while and it amazes me to see that while we have differences we have so many similarities. I too love Bohjalian and read all his books including the one you are reading now and English Patient is also my favorite movie of all times. You encouraged me to take Zumba, they offer it at my school and I would not have thought of taking it if it werent for you. Thank you! Take care.
Megan
November 18, 2008 at 9:20 pmYay! I am so glad you enjoyed Zumba- I found out today that my YMCA does offer it! My sister and I are going next Monday, and I am SO excited and nervous. I will just stand towards the back since its my first time, haha.
Have a good night!
Jill
November 18, 2008 at 9:23 pmI have actually just been debating taking the Zumba class at my gym, but was feeling REALLY nervous!! Your encouragement has just convinced me to go to it this week! Wish me luck 🙂
p.s. I love your blog! I have been reading it for a while and was just inspired to start my own!
Mel
November 18, 2008 at 9:32 pmYay for having a wonderful time at Zumba. I really wish that my gym offered classes, but I guess you trade some things for others.
Nellie
November 18, 2008 at 10:26 pmProps to you for dominating Zumba today! And thanks for the workout class advice, I’ve always been too scared to try one for the same reasons. I guess I need to take the plunge too! (sounds like I’m prepping to get married, haha)
jess
November 18, 2008 at 11:13 pmwoo hoo, now i can’t wait to try zumba. No classes around here, but one of my roommates has a dvd of it. What’s your opinion on DVD workouts?
Jessica
November 18, 2008 at 11:45 pmWow, you are SUCH an inspiration and so adorable!!! I love checking the blog everyday for your daily eats, they all look so great and I always try to mimic your snacks!! Zumba has definitely always scared me, because I STILL don’t really know what kind of workout it is!! They offer it at my college gym, should I try it?!
Moran
November 18, 2008 at 11:52 pmOh I am glad you liked the class! I think everybody should give gym classes a shot, they can be really good!
Mara
November 19, 2008 at 6:16 amI’m looking into a Zumba class as we speak. Glad you liked it!!
gina (fitnessista)
November 19, 2008 at 7:12 ami knew you would like it 😀
MizFit
November 19, 2008 at 7:19 amwho knew you danced!?
and Im definitely one who is intimidated by the classes. Im so uncoordinated and s-l-o-w to pick things up that, if I go, I hide in the back and dont get a workout because I cant see a thing!
caitlin
November 19, 2008 at 7:53 amhahah im not down with zumba, but i love spin!
i am so excited to see you for the wedding! do you think we’ll be able to get together before? id love to come visit you for a night in vero!
Beadie
November 19, 2008 at 7:53 amI’m glad you enjoyed Zumba! I can’t dance at all so I totally admire you for it!
cbland
November 19, 2008 at 7:59 amI second the request for SCM cookie recipe! They look so tasty! 🙂
Have a good week, Jenna!
Mariposa
November 19, 2008 at 8:33 amI’m waiting (impatiently) for my Zumba DVDs… im hoping someone gets them for me for Christmas!!!!!! i can’t wait!
i dont like going to the gym.. because oddly enough, the most productive time my daughter and i get to chat is when i am working out. she joins me doing turbo jam and yoga.. and does a little hip hop abs as well.. so i think the commute to the gym and sticking her in the day care would take away from the fun!!
Teddy
November 19, 2008 at 9:21 amI’ve been to one gym class and it was just silly but fun.
Teddy
runjess
November 19, 2008 at 9:24 amI also did classical ballet for a few years. Nothing school-related though.
If I’m having a really late dinner, I avoid heavy stuff like red meat. Makes me feel all gross.
Tina
November 19, 2008 at 9:48 amI need to try Zumba. I’ve heard it’s awesome– and I’ve been a dancer all my life (20+ years), so I think I would LOVE it!
Little Black Dress
November 19, 2008 at 9:48 amHey Jenna- glad you loved the class. I also was a dancer growing up- I was in a junior ballet company thorughout high school and took 9 classes a week as well as performances! My toes are still utterly disgusting form several hours a day of pounding my toes into my pointe shoes! In college, I was the captain of my school’s dance team and really enjoyed dance in a new way- it was no longer so stressful and (frankly) upsetting. In ballet, at one point, I wasn’t allowed to be in a performance because they said I needed to loose some weight, and guess how much I weighed? 115 lbs at 5 foot 3, just recovering from a horrible bout of anorexia! I had terrible eating disorders all through my adolesence (including a stay in the hospital at one point) due to this kind of pressure.
Sometimes I want to get back into dance classes (and I have taken a few), but often, the bad memories come back to me. Perhaps if I stay away from classical ballet classes and focus on fun stuff like zumba or jazz, I won’t feel quite so bad. Thanks for inspiring me!
PS- your salmon is GORGEOUS!
yali
November 19, 2008 at 9:52 amI got the certification for zumba this summer and I must tell everyone of your readers that is a great calorie burning work out but is so much fun…I have never been the type of person who enjoys gettin on an eliptical machine for an hour or even the treadmill because it bored me to the death so group exercise was my number one source of excercise and after many many years of step aerobics and kickboxing I found zumba to be easier on the knees and joints…I am latin so the moves come very naturaly to me but for those of you who dont dance often it is very easy to learn and after you walk out of the gym you feel like you just went to a dance party.
isis
November 19, 2008 at 11:03 amhey,
regarding your dinner, hum, those carrots look a lot like broccoli…. ^^
Megan
November 19, 2008 at 11:36 amI love dance related workouts! I wish that they offered that class at my gym!
Allison
November 19, 2008 at 12:12 pmZumba sounds so fun! I wish my gym offered it!
Amanda
November 19, 2008 at 1:36 pmI’m so jealous of the zumba class! My school offers one, but I’m working (at the gym, no less) during it. 🙁 And during tae kwon do, and everything else that rocks haha.
That sugar cookie looks delicious.
Just sayin’!
Sarah (now in FL)
November 19, 2008 at 2:00 pmJenna, that’s awesome that you tried Zumba and that you are trying some new classes. I LOVE ZUMBA! I took it at my company’s gym with the most amazing instructor this summer and it was seriously the highlight of my workweek to take a break from the computer at 11 on Tuesdays and Thursdays and go in and shake my thing!! (What does that say about my job?) On my “bachelorette day” before my wedding, my mom hired a Zumba instructor to teach a private class to my bridesmaids and interested female relatives. Since we moved, I have been spottily attending my Y’s class this fall (the instructor is not very good and one of the two weekly classes is at 8:10 am on Saturday, which is a bit painful.) Anyway, this is way TMI. Bottom line?? Go Zumba! And way to encourage readers to take a class they are too scared to take. I wholeheartedly agree! Did you try BodyPump yet?
Fitness Surfer
November 19, 2008 at 3:02 pmI drove by my high school while visiting grandparents the other day and it just made me smile. I don’t live In the past very often, but that’s one time I will always remember. Lots, and lots of good memories.
“olive sundered tomatoes” Ooo, that sounds good. I’m a sucker for anything tomato. Especially tomato and basil I put that in everything I can, along with a little garlic.
There’s a kick boxing class at my new gym. Thanks for the encouragement, I struggle with group exercise….unless it’s a sport.
jenna
November 19, 2008 at 3:08 pmJenny,
Nope, I’m not. I do a personal Beth Moore bible study on my own 🙂
Jess,
DVDs are better than nothing! When I was in college I did that sometimes…usually yoga dvds though. Its better to do a workout dvd than sit and WATCH tv (while eating popcorn)!
Lynna,
I’m sorry but I can’t post the recipe! I can’t post any recipes I find in cookbooks due to copyright and legal issues. Sorry!!!
Caitlin,
Ahhhh I want to!! I want to come to Orlando so bad but I honestly don’t know WHEN I can get the time….next week is thanksgiving and I’m working 12 hours then driving home for 2 nights and then right after that I have a wedding to go to and then it’s like the last week of my job and I’m moving home! Last week I worked about 50 hours…….I guess life just gets way more crazy when you have a full time job. I want to see you though!!
G
July 31, 2010 at 2:51 amHi Jenna! I recently bought Zumba because I need lose weight for my birthday this December 2010..I’m just wondering I have only about 5 months to lose weight..Do you think I can do it? Can you please give me any advice? Thank you!