Category: Workout

Why Zumba Fitness?

7/25/2013

If you are are looking to lose weight, reduce stress, strengthen your heart, improve your endurance and energy, and even sleep better...exercise is your answer! And, the good news is we are enjoying such a growth in the fitness industry now-so many different kinds of classes to try!

Fusion fitness...paddleboard Yoga (yes...yoga using a paddleboard!)...circuit training...Plenty of things to catch your interest.

Dance fitness continues to be rated among top fitness trends, too. And the Zumba® Fitness program is stronger than ever. Why? Simply put, it's fun, and it gets results! I read an article that offered thoughts on the top ten reasons people love Zumba® classes. Take a look:

1. Zumba® combines resistance training with fast and slow intervals to keep your body confused, increase fat burning, and sculpt muscles. The varying rhythms keep your body from learning the routine. If you keep your body confused, you won't hit a fitness or weight-loss plateau.

2. Zumba® is easy to follow. You repeat a lot of the same moves, so Zumba® is easy to learn. You can head to your first Zumba® class and still get a great workout because you won't be completely lost.

3. Zumba® is credited with improving coordination. Zumba® will get your body moving all together and definitely improves your muscle tone.

4. Zumba® improves mental clarity. Learning new Zumba® routines gives your brain a good workout as well as your body. Zumba® releases your inhibitions and lets you let your mind go. Zumba® provides a little mental vacation while working your body, mind, and spirit.

5. Most exercise routines focus on a specific area. Not Zumba®! Zumba® gives your core an intense workout creating killer abs, while increasing long, lean muscle growth in your arms and legs, and firms up the glutes.

6. Zumba® is fast! You'll burn tons of calories. Depending on your fitness level, you can burn hundreds of calories in one Zumba® session! That is powerful fuel for weight loss.

7. The fun, fast-paced Latin beat puts you in a good mood. Zumba® rhythms make you feel free and happy.

8. The Zumba® format allows you to customize your workout, move at your own pace, and exercise at the best level for you!

9. Zumba® is fun! A lot of workouts feel like a punishment. You almost forget you're working out when you take a Zumba® class! When you have fun with a workout, it makes it easier to stick with it!

10. Because Zumba® is an easy program to stick with, you will actually start seeing results and experiencing the long-term benefits of a regular cardiovascular workout faster than you might with other programs. Zumba® allows the people who have never been able to stick with a diet and exercise plan to sleep better, have more energy, increased stamina, increased bone density, lower blood pressure, and all of the other benefits of a regular cardio program.

Do you connect with any of those reasons? What do you love about your Zumba® classes?

j.

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Summer Cookout Calories!

5/26/2013

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Memorial Day weekend...the official, unofficial start to the summer season...

Many of us like to mark the day by honoring our military and their families for the sacrifices they've made for our freedom and safety.

The weekend's also a time for family gatherings and backyard barbeques! As we continue to want to slim down and tone up so that we can feel confident, happy, and healthy this summer, it's important to keep calorie counts in mind, to be aware of what we're putting in our mouths, and how it will work for---or against---our fitness goals.

There are lots of healthy options to reduce the calories in cookout food...and that's a good thing...because some of the most popular basics can pack quite a punch!

Take a look:

Fried chicken:
1 breast = 423
1 wing = 102
1 drumstick = 280

Deviled eggs: - 1/2 large = 62

Baked Beans:
1 cup regular= 382
vegetarian = 239

Barbecued ribs:
4 oz. beef = 288
4 oz. pork = 273

Hamburger:
with condiments = 272
cheeseburger = 295
veggie burger = 124

Hot dog:
1 plain = 250
1 with ketchup and mustard = 284
1 with chili and cheese = 390

Pasta salad: 1 cup = 358

Potato salad:
1 cup = 358
with egg = 262
German style = 154

Brownies:
1 plain = 129
1 with frosting = 170

Lemonade: 1 cup = 99

Life's too short to deprive yourself of the things you really want---enjoy your family...AND your cookouts! Staying informed allows you to make smart choices, so that you can stay happy, healthy, and strong...and enjoy even more! :)

And remember...come and work out with me...at our special Memorial Day Morning Zumba Class! Looking forward to a fun---calorie burning---stress relieving hour with you!

j,

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Remember to Breathe!

11/30/2011

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“Remember to Breathe!”

I say that more than a couple times in our Zumba classes…and I do so, because proper breathing makes your workout safe and more effective. Breathing deeply during your workout also prevents dizziness, and increases fat burning.

Getting nice deep breaths—full inhales and exhales---allows you to clear your body of carbon dioxide, and get oxygen to your muscles. When you breathe this way during exercise, you may notice a slower breathing rate, and heart rate. You will definitely feel more energy.

It seems a little funny to talk about the right way to breathe…if you’re reading this; you’re probably somewhat familiar with breathing J . But, when you want to use breathing to maximize your workout, try to get into the habit of blowing out with exertion. So, when we do squats, for example, exhale on the move into, and holding the squat, inhale as you release and move into another.

Breathing that way can prevent hernia, strain to blood vessels, and high blood pressure.

There’s also an interesting connection between proper breathing and increased fat burn. Researchers say that to burn fat as energy, the body needs water and extra oxygen. We drink water before, during, and after our workouts. Adding more oxygen allows your body to use that water, which almost immediately works to flush out any retained water and toxins.

Focus on taking deeper breaths during your next Zumba class, and see if you notice increased energy and endurance.

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Joint Pain Got You Down? Move It!

11/16/2011

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If you have stiff joints because you have arthritis, are recovering from an injury, or just haven’t moved much in a while, exercise is a wonderful way to build up your physical and mental strength. If you have pain with movement, it might seem crazy to think about starting a fitness program…but don’t count yourself out!

Of course, always check with your doctor to discuss the activity you want to do, and go over any questions or concerns, specific to the join issues you are dealing with; but many people are finding out exercise is key to keeping them moving!

Exercise helps your joints by:

·         Strengthening muscles around the joints

·         Helping to maintain bone strength

·         Helping to control weight

ZUMBA fitness is a great to include in your exercise plan because it includes moves that help to improve range of motion (raising your arms, rolling your shoulders, rotating your hips). Zumba fitness is also aerobic exercise, which helps build endurance, heart health, and overall fitness. It also helps to control weight—extra weight can be very hard on joints. Remember, adjust each Zumba routine to how strong you’re feeling that particular class. Even low-impact routines have wonderful healthy benefits for the body and brain!

To Protect Your Joints In Class

·         Start slowly---participate in the warm-up, and ease your joints into the movements; especially if you haven’t been very active in a while. Pushing yourself too hard can overwork muscles and aggravate joint pain. Zumba instructors encourage you to always, “go at your own pace.”

·         Apply heat (a warm towel, a hot shower, a heating pad, a hot water bottle) and/or a sports rub (Tiger Balm, Ben Gay, Icy Hot) to the joints you'll be working before you exercise. Heat will help to relax your joints and muscles, and relieve any pain.

·         Continue your workout at a pace that feels comfortable for you. If you notice any pain, take a break, keep moving to avoid a sudden drop in blood pressure and heart rate, but slow way down. Sharp pain could mean an injury. Take a break, too, if you notice any swelling or redness in your joints.

Little by little, you’ll be able to increase intensity as you notice improvement in your joints, strength, and stamina. Know that by choosing to exercise, you are working to free yourself from joint and muscle aches and pains!

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Exercise for Better Sleep? YES! Zzzzumba fitness can help!

11/16/2011

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Have you ever caught yourself saying, “I’m just too tired to exercise?" Maybe you’re too tired because you don’t exercise! Researchers say there’s an interesting relationship between exercise and sleep.

We know exercise is good for us. It improves heat health, blood pressure, builds bone and muscle, minimizes stress, and improves mood. But did you know exercise also helps to improve sleep? It does…while at the same time helping you to feel more energized, and awake during the day!

Timing is Everything

Generally, anytime you feel like exercising, you should go for it! When you want to make your workout help you to improve quality of sleep though, experts say it’s best to give yourself several hours between your workout and bedtime. Intense exercise right before bed raises body temperature, which makes it harder to fall asleep right away.

Studies show that to have the most direct effect on getting a good night’s sleep, you should get vigorous exercise late in the afternoon or early in the evening. Working out then increases your body temperature, and then allows it to gradually, over the next 4-5 hours, fall back down to normal; which sends a signal to your body and brain that it’s time to relax. Timing it in this way, means your body temperature will regulate just at the time you’re ready to head to bed anyway, and will help you to fall asleep faster, and get a deeper, more restorative sleep.

What kind of workout is best to help with sleep? A cardiovascular workout (like Zumba fitness!) that boosts your heart rate, and gets your muscles pumping for at least 20 minutes, has been shown to have the best effect on improving quality of sleep. Experts recommend aiming for a cardio workout three or four times a week.

Try to schedule at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise three or four times a week, and make it something you like to do, so it doesn’t feel like a chore! You can also mix it up so you don’t get bored: brisk walking, swimming, jumping rope, dancing, and skiing are all good choices.

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Why Warm Up?

11/9/2011

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You probably like moving along with the music to your Zumba warm-up. It sends the signal to the body and brain that it's time for something new, and it just feels good, right?

But, did you know that the warm up is actually a critical part of your workout? Zumba fitness makes warming up an important part of class. In our instructor training we are taught that the right kind of warm up should:

1. Loosen up the muscles and tendons to prepare for a greater range of motion, and;

2. Rev up blood flow and body heat - warm muscles use fuel that is stored within them much more efficiently, and allow for better overall movement--which means you get a better workout.

Pay attention to the warm up in your next Zumba fitness class. It is probably done to a popular, upbeat song. You will notice that the basic movement of the warm up revolves around a "step, touch; step, touch" pattern---nothing too difficult...but definitely enough to get the heart pumping, and increase your body temperature.

The warm-up phase continues from there, and ideally should last 5-10 minutes, building in intensity, and gradually increasing the circulation throughout your body.

Warming up is key to moving through the rest of your workout safely, and helps to reduce your risk of injury, because warm muscles are better able to absorb impact. Increased oxygen to the brain also helps to improve coordination, which can help to prevent injuries, as well.

And, warming up the right way also helps with better delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, which helps you to regulate and control breathing.

Warm up! Then, JOIN THE PARTY!

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Commit To Fitness, Especially During the Holidays!

11/9/2011

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Holiday ads are already hitting us---it's an even busier time of year. And, although this is a happy time, it can also be a stressful period, where we end up feeling overworked and burdened. There just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to fit everything in...but... now is not the time to abandon exercise!

Remember that exercise is an excellent, efficient trigger for stress relief! Moving more helps you feel better fast. That in and of itself can be a great motivator for sticking with a fitness plan!

Here are some other tips to keep you moving through the holidays:

Exercise with a Friend: You've heard it before, but research continues to support the idea that the buddy system works when it comes to working out! Research shows people are more likely to exercise regularly if they do it with a friend, or as part of a group. This is a great time of year to treat a friend to a fun Zumba class with you!

Make it Routine: Consistency counts when it comes to making fitness part of your lifestyle. Block out your exercise time as fiercly as you would any other important event. Treat it as an appointment that simply can't be moved. If you start to allow yourself to think that your workout is optional, it becomes optional!

Break it Up: If the thought of committing to going to an exercise class twice a week for the next two months is too much to handle, Focus on a one month, or one week goal instead. Create a program that is achievable for you, for your best chances of sticking with it!

Schedule Smart: When's the best time for you to workout? When it best fits into your day. Many people find that time to be first thing in the morning, or right after work---before the day sucks you up. Trying to make it to a class at a time that forces you to choose between that and other responsiblities will be hard to stick with long-term.

Celebrate Milestones: Success isn't measured only on the scale! Are you following the routines better? Did you get yourself to class this week? Are you making healther choices outside of class? Slow down and take a few minutes to think about how you feel during and after a workout. Registering those good feelings goes a long way in keeping you going back for more.

As a guide, make it a priority to exercise at least once or twice a week from now through the new year...and when you're short on time, tap into the power of research that shows even ten minute bursts of activity can bring positive, healthy benefits. Ten minutes are better than zero!

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What to Expect From A Zumba Workout

11/2/2011

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People of all ages that have been enjoying Zumba fitness know all about the metabolism-boosting, body-building, brain-strengthening benefits of this Latin-dance aerobic program, but if you're new to Zumba workouts, get excited about the serious benefits from these fun classes!

Big Calorie Burn: People burn anywhere from 400-1000 calories per class. A California study showed an average of 817 calories burned!
Total Body Toning: Even though it feels like you're just dancing, those lunges, squats, arm movements, and crunches that sneak their way into the routine are working your whole body.
Attitude Adjustment: With Zumba fitness, no longer does a work out seem like work! The moves can be easily adapted to any level, being at class is a fun, social experience, and you're having such a good time, that the workout flies by! Crazy, but the endorphin (feel-good chemical) boost you get from this program gives you a whole new outlook on fitness...you'll find yourself looking forward to your next class!
Stress Relief: Dancing along in a Zumba class gives you a mental vacation. Worries melt away as you focus on the fun of the music and the movement. As you're working your body, you're re-charging your brain, and will be better able to go back and deal with the pressures of "real life."

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Jennifer Antkowiak

Jennifer Antkowiak is a nationally certified Group Fitness Instructor, and is licensed to teach a variety of Zumba fitness classes, as well as Bokwa fitness. Jen is also a Walk Live leader, and CPR certified. Caregivers, visit jenniferCares.com. To learn about how to take care of yourself naturally with Essential Oils, visit jenniferCaresESSENTIALS.com

Why Zumba Fitness?

Summer Cookout Calories!

Remember to Breathe!

Joint Pain Got You Down? Move It!

Exercise for Better Sleep? YES! Zzzzumba fitness can help!

Why Warm Up?

Commit To Fitness, Especially During the Holidays!

What to Expect From A Zumba Workout

Jennifer Antkowiak

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