I celebrated my one year anniversary as a Zumba instructor in January. I have enjoyed each of my classes, meeting new people and of course, staying in shape. I have even gotten a reputation amongst my fellow Zumba Instructors for "Going Hard" with routines that leave people running scared. I take it as a compliment; that means I go to work!! In my year though, I have had some people stop coming to class, some for reasons I'll except but others, I just won't. Let me give you a few examples.
#1 - One of my students, over 50, has only missed class since she started coming over 6 months ago and that was for her birthday. She does not take a break during my entire class, she keeps moving and smiles the entire time. She is always on time and determined to stay healthy. Her doctor has commended her for staying active and being the example for African American women over 50 who stastically have high rates of Diabetes and Heart Disease. Though she won't tell me how much weight she has lost, she does brag about being able to sleep through the night (y'all know a woman's hormones mess with our sleep as we age), she has more energy than her 22 year old daughter and she's no longer embarrassed to go to a gym and work out. She has also decided that she will be in Jamaica with me for my wedding :-)
#2 - I had a new student came to my Saturday morning class. The director of the facility called me before I arrived to say, "Make sure you use a lot of hand signals today. You have a new student and she's hearing impaired." I just said, "Okay" without really considering what he'd just told me. When I got inside, she was all smiles and had never taken a Zumba Fitness class before. As I walked up to her, she and the director were using her phone to write messages back and forth to one another. I introduced myself and she read my lips pretty well - but then I was mad I couldn't remember a lick of sign language (DAMMIT!!) I gave lots of signals and like an idiot, I mouthed everything instead of yelling aloud like I would normally do (like an idiot) forgetting that the rest of the class could hear just fine. With limited hearing though, she kept up the entire class, rhythm and all. She smiled, she shimmied, did the imaginary hoola hoop, moved with the class and had a good time. So good a time that she's bringing her mom back next time. She made me realize that once again, there is no excuse. There is no good reason, if you have the reasonable activity of your limbs, to sit on the sofa and do nothing. I mean, turn on some music and do your favorite ol' skool dances, have a jump rope contest against your daughter, play tackle with your son, bust a couple push ups between commercials AND since you paid for the WII or XBOX, use the damn thing!!
#3 - A new student came to my Tuesday night class; she'd never taken a Zumba Fitness class before and she told me she had already purchased her wedding dress, 3 sizes too small. Her goal is July to get into the dress. I too have a wedding dress in my closet, but it fits perfectly, I just have to avoid gaining weight. My warm up and cool down are the only routines that don't require too much exertion but I knew if she could hang with me, she would have the ability to focus and drop those three sizes. But not just for the wedding, but for her health. During the class, I could see the fight in her face; she was NOT going to give up and she didn't. If it hurt, she would just march in place or walk around in a circle but she was NOT going to sit down. When her arms got heavy, she threw them up with determination and after class she said, "I was determined to keep going; as long as I watched your feet moving, I was good. I can see that dress and I see me in it." We also talked about food choices and portion control; I'm definitely going to stick with her and do what I can to help her get to her goal.
#4 - I hope she doesn't mind me mentioning this but she's on my list of S-heroes. She is a member of the ZIN Street Team MD and is pregnant with TWINS!! Uh . . . yes, she is still teaching her weekly Zumba Fitness Classes. And while she may not be able to workout as hard as she did before housing TWO babies, I hear she is still breaking it down!!
So tell me, what is your excuse?
Time? I teach 5 classes a week, have a fianceé, still work full time and sing with a band, not to mention writing my blogs and working on music.
Money? While being a fitness instructor is a job, if you are committed (and honest) most instructors will work with your budget. How about skipping that extra value meal or the morning chai latte? Those few dollars add up . . . they can either add to your health or add to the pounds (and your empty pockets).
Children? Pack a book bag, homework, snacks and bring 'em along.
Coordination? Can you wave your hands in the air? Wave 'em like you just don't care? Aiight, then you're good.
Look at yourself in the mirror and have a little talk. Decide what you're going to do. And that means, we're not coming back to the same place next year, the same way. You know what you need to do. No more excuses, get moving!
#1 - One of my students, over 50, has only missed class since she started coming over 6 months ago and that was for her birthday. She does not take a break during my entire class, she keeps moving and smiles the entire time. She is always on time and determined to stay healthy. Her doctor has commended her for staying active and being the example for African American women over 50 who stastically have high rates of Diabetes and Heart Disease. Though she won't tell me how much weight she has lost, she does brag about being able to sleep through the night (y'all know a woman's hormones mess with our sleep as we age), she has more energy than her 22 year old daughter and she's no longer embarrassed to go to a gym and work out. She has also decided that she will be in Jamaica with me for my wedding :-)
#2 - I had a new student came to my Saturday morning class. The director of the facility called me before I arrived to say, "Make sure you use a lot of hand signals today. You have a new student and she's hearing impaired." I just said, "Okay" without really considering what he'd just told me. When I got inside, she was all smiles and had never taken a Zumba Fitness class before. As I walked up to her, she and the director were using her phone to write messages back and forth to one another. I introduced myself and she read my lips pretty well - but then I was mad I couldn't remember a lick of sign language (DAMMIT!!) I gave lots of signals and like an idiot, I mouthed everything instead of yelling aloud like I would normally do (like an idiot) forgetting that the rest of the class could hear just fine. With limited hearing though, she kept up the entire class, rhythm and all. She smiled, she shimmied, did the imaginary hoola hoop, moved with the class and had a good time. So good a time that she's bringing her mom back next time. She made me realize that once again, there is no excuse. There is no good reason, if you have the reasonable activity of your limbs, to sit on the sofa and do nothing. I mean, turn on some music and do your favorite ol' skool dances, have a jump rope contest against your daughter, play tackle with your son, bust a couple push ups between commercials AND since you paid for the WII or XBOX, use the damn thing!!
#3 - A new student came to my Tuesday night class; she'd never taken a Zumba Fitness class before and she told me she had already purchased her wedding dress, 3 sizes too small. Her goal is July to get into the dress. I too have a wedding dress in my closet, but it fits perfectly, I just have to avoid gaining weight. My warm up and cool down are the only routines that don't require too much exertion but I knew if she could hang with me, she would have the ability to focus and drop those three sizes. But not just for the wedding, but for her health. During the class, I could see the fight in her face; she was NOT going to give up and she didn't. If it hurt, she would just march in place or walk around in a circle but she was NOT going to sit down. When her arms got heavy, she threw them up with determination and after class she said, "I was determined to keep going; as long as I watched your feet moving, I was good. I can see that dress and I see me in it." We also talked about food choices and portion control; I'm definitely going to stick with her and do what I can to help her get to her goal.
#4 - I hope she doesn't mind me mentioning this but she's on my list of S-heroes. She is a member of the ZIN Street Team MD and is pregnant with TWINS!! Uh . . . yes, she is still teaching her weekly Zumba Fitness Classes. And while she may not be able to workout as hard as she did before housing TWO babies, I hear she is still breaking it down!!
So tell me, what is your excuse?
Time? I teach 5 classes a week, have a fianceé, still work full time and sing with a band, not to mention writing my blogs and working on music.
Money? While being a fitness instructor is a job, if you are committed (and honest) most instructors will work with your budget. How about skipping that extra value meal or the morning chai latte? Those few dollars add up . . . they can either add to your health or add to the pounds (and your empty pockets).
Children? Pack a book bag, homework, snacks and bring 'em along.
Coordination? Can you wave your hands in the air? Wave 'em like you just don't care? Aiight, then you're good.
Look at yourself in the mirror and have a little talk. Decide what you're going to do. And that means, we're not coming back to the same place next year, the same way. You know what you need to do. No more excuses, get moving!
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