It's Zumba time again!

Although I haven't gone to bed yet so I'm still considering it Wednesday, technically it is Thursday, which means Zumba with Liz! Once again, Liz has been so encouraging, and has convinced me to pick up more Zumba classes throughout the week to intensify my work-out routine and speed up my weight loss. Encouragement and accountability is really amazing motivation! I was all set to start new classes at the gym closest to where I live, but then I remembered that I am house sitting this week, and there are no gyms near this house. At least none that I can go to, since my membership is limited to "Active" gyms only, when a majority of 24 Hour Fitnesses are Sport of Super Sport clubs. I honestly can't complain though, as I only pay $3.83/month for my membership. There is an exercise bike here at this house, though, which I have yet to ride, but I'll be here for three more days, so I'll make sure to take advantage of it. Monday and Wednesday, I climbed the stairs as usual at school, and it really is getting easier. My thighs and gluts don't burn nearly as much at the top as they did at the beginning of the semester.

All this exercise and mindful eating lately has really been paying off, and I am only five pounds away from my first goal that I set years ago. When I lose five more pounds, my driver's license will no longer be lying about my weight! Once I accomplish that, my next goal is to make that license be a lie again, but in the opposite direction. Goal number two will be to lose forty pounds, and I want to be there by my birthday in March, if not before. But I'm not gonna focus on that just yet... let's just lose that last five and have a major celebration that my sixty-pound first goal is complete! I should throw a party!


Liz and me after Zumba last week.

Zumba, followed by deliciousness

On Thursday I went to Disneyland and did lots of walking, but that was only the precursor to the workout of the day. I left the happiest place on Earth at 4:00 in order to get the the Zumba class at 6:00, but traffic in L.A. is pretty atrocious, so of course I ran a little late. I was pulling into the gym parking lot at about 5 after, when I got a text from Liz telling me to see if I could just walk into the class anyway, even though I was late and wouldn't have a pass. That's not normally something I would even try to do (just call me a rule follower... it's not a bad thing), but I did, and it worked out fine. After changing my clothes, I was only fifteen minutes late to the class, and I was so happy about not only getting to experience zumba, but also about not leaving Liz hanging.

It would be easy to feel stupid going into a class like zumba when you've never been before and you don't know the steps and when you're as fat as I am and feel self conscious in workout clothes (or in any clothes, for that matter). Surprisingly though, I was only excited. Excited to have a workout partner that I really love, excited to finally be doing this form of exercise that I know I'll enjoy and be able to stick to, and excited that sweating was about to get FUN! I catch on pretty quickly with dancey stuff, and I didn't feel too self conscious because I'm pretty sure every woman (and the one guy who was making me laugh pretty hard) was only focused on herself and whether or not SHE looked stupid! Also, I think I may be caring less and less about what people think as I get older. Oh goodness, I sound like an old woman. Whatever, I've already been knitting for 22 years, it's not like I'm opposed to seeming old-womanly.

After 45 minutes of extreme sweating, laughing, and trying not to fall over during the end stretching period (maybe I should look into some yoga classes), Liz invited me to her house to taste a green smoothie that she has discovered and really enjoys. It's very healthful and delicious, which is a favorable combination, and I will be purchasing the ingredients soon and drinking them daily. For the curious and the brave (not really... it just looks a little bit like algae), here is the recipe:

Green Monster

Ingredients:
1 cup almond milk, or milk of choice
1 ripe banana
2 handfuls of spinach
1 tbsp ground flax
1 tbsp almond butter
1-3 Ice cubes
Cinnamon


Directions: Starting with the liquid, add in 1 cup of milk of your choice. Now add in the flax and nut butter. Next, add in the spinach followed by the banana on top. Blend until smooth. Add in your ice cubes and blend some more. Serves 1 (about 2 cups). Top with cinnamon.


I am looking forward to next Thursday, but in the meantime, I expect those ginormostairs to be easier when I face them again on Monday!