ZUMBA with Heather

Dance Don’t Diet: The Top 15 Zumba Blogs

2011-03-04T07:34:00.002-05:00

Mary Armstrong has listed the top 15 Zumba blogs and we're included - thanks Mary! You can read her blog here: http://www.medicalassistantcolleges.com/dance-dont-diet-the-top-15-zumba-blogs

Beto Perez - the Creator of Zumba - March 15th Birthday!

2010-03-15T11:13:00.001-04:00

It's Beto's birthday today! Please wish him a happy birthday either on the Zumba messageboard or on Facebook, Beto's personal page, or his Zumba page.

Hope you're having a wonderful birthday today, Beto! Much love, good health, happiness and wealth to you; everything that your heart desires.

Huggs from Heather in Quebec, Canada xoxo

Exercise helps make your skin healthy and attractive

2010-01-22T05:35:00.000-05:00

Exercise helps make your skin healthy and attractive
(thanks to http://www.collagevideo.com)

Everyone knows about the fat-burning and muscle strengthening benefits of exercise. But, regular workouts can also make your skin look better. Why?

* It boosts blood circulation. The improved blood flow not only brings additional nutrients to your skin, it also helps remove damaging toxins.

* It helps eliminate wrinkles. The blood also carries oxygen that stimulates the production of collagen -- the connective tissue that helps "plump up" your skin.

* It reduces stress. From acne to crows feet, many common skin problems are caused by muscle tension and stress. Exercise is a proven way to relieve stress.

* It unclogs pores. A fast-paced aerobic workout causes sweat. And the process of sweating just naturally tends to clean out facial pores.

So, what are you waiting for? Do you want a slim, toned flexible body and clear skin? Heather's note: Come take a Zumba class and let's get started now!

Michelle Lobaton's Fight Against Cancer

2009-11-06T06:08:00.002-05:00

My Zumba friends, I need your help with this!

My step-daughter's best friend was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and needs money for a new treatment. Please read her story below:

Please take the time to read. Please help me make a difference.

"To anyone who has ever had or known another person with cancer it is automatic to know that its horrible, it flat out sucks! I am 25 years old and have joined the war of millions in the fight against cancer.

Last year on my 24th birthday I was diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer, an angiosarcoma. Only 5 cases of literature were found on my type of cancer in Canada alone just to give you an idea on its rarity. After 6 rounds of chemotherapy and 2 invasive surgeries I was announced Cancer free in December 2008. In August 2009 I returned to the hospital and underwent my third and most devastating surgery to date. I loosed all ability to have or bare my own child, and found out my cancer had come back.

Now I must undergo more chemo for a second time. Chemotherapy is a chemical agent that kills cancer cells, however at the same time I loose my hair and ability to hold down food. I am a skeleton.

My body also looses its immunity. How can I fight cancer without my own immune system? I need both my immune system and the chemotherapy to help me fight this disease.

My answer to this: My doctor has discovered a new treatment regime that helps me in this battle. This includes new medicines that help both my immune system as well as the chemo to kill the cancer cells. Due to outside sources of these meds it has proven to become overwhelmingly expensive.

Unfortunately not all medicines are covered by medicare, however I must be proactive in my recovery and use any means necessary which includes this regime of medication.
This is where I ask anyone and everyone for help. From now until May 1st I will be raising $10,000 Dollars. Please help me make a difference in my life. I will NOT back down, I will NOT give up, I AM a fighter, and I AM a survivor!

Thank you for all your support!

”We cannot control all things set our way in life, but we can choose how we respond to it”
Anonymous

Donation Bonus!
Anyone who donates will be automatically entered to win a prize.
examples:
1- Free Tire and oil change
2- Free Car wax and Shampoo
3- Free car washes
4- Jewellery
5- A free tax return
And so much more

Donation details:

1- Cheque: Made out to Michelle Lobaton
Address 124 Wallenberg DDO
QC H9A 3G1
2) Email money transfer: mushy357@hotmail.com
3) Or we can arrange for a pick up

Thanks so much everyone!"

Michelle is also on Facebook; as well as her group page: "My Fight against Cancer!!! Raising $$10,000 Dollars". This is the link: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=170306494695&v=info&ref=search

I made a promise to my step-daughter that I would help raise money. We would SO appreciate ANY help you can give. Here is the PayPal donation button:

Thank you so VERY much for the time you took in reading about Michelle's worthy cause.

Zumba huggs to everyone,

~ Heather ~

Excellent description of Zumba!

2009-11-03T08:54:00.001-05:00

I found this blog post on how to describe Zumba and found that she did an excellent job. This is what Melissa Marcketta of Zumba Fitness New Jersey says:

I found this blog post on how to describe Zumba and found that she did an excellent job. This is what Melissa Marcketta of Zumba Fitness New Jersey says:

Let me try to describe zumba dancing for you. As a certified Zumba instructor, personal trainer and having seven years of dance training as well, I feel that I can describe Zumba dancing for you or at least try.Would you like to learn more about Zumba?Then please visit one of the largest Zumba fitness websites on the Internet today: Zumba

Zumba dancing is best described as a fun, joyful Latin inspired fitness class that combines all the rhythms in Latin music. Zumba applies dance moves from Salsa, Cumbia, Merengue, Rumba, Mambo, Belly Dance, Flamenco, Samba, Tango, Reggatone and of course Hip Hop. I guarantee you — you will have tons of fun.

Here is why:1. Even if you think you cannot dance2. You do not need a partner to participate3. If you are bored with your regular cardio program4. If you want to lest loose and DANCE LIKE THERE IS NO ONE WATCHING, Zumba is for you! I can best describe Zumba dancing as something for everyone — all shapes, sizes, male and female. Just about any age too. Zumba allows you to have fun while safely losing pounds and inches. Zumba Really Is for Everyone!

If you were to peek inside you would describe Zumba dancing as a party atmosphere. Instead of a typical cardio class that focuses strictly on the physical and boring aspects — Zumba is about the music.In addition, it gives you a total body workout unlike any other around. You will quickly find that your stress level is reduced and your energy is increased. Not to mention the weight loss, muscle toning and other results that get people hooked.

With Zumba dancing the fun comes first, the physical benefits follow. The calorie burning is not a chore unlike traditional cardio classes.To describe Zumba dancing body movements — the full body movements engage all the muscle groups and suddenly you will look more toned and shapelier. All because of the cardio interval style of the slow and fast rhythms. The classes are upbeat, the focus is on the energetic instructor and the fun moves! Often when the cool down comes, the reaction in class is — already?Remember this is not just about calorie expenditure; you need to put quality fuel into your body. In other words, what you consume is just as important for your weight loss and maintenance goals.

A good Zumba instructor will guide you and give you a step-by-step program to maximize your weight and fat loss goals. I hope in this article I have been able to describe Zumba dancing for you.I have attempted to describe Zumba dancing for you but if you would like to learn more about Zumba exercise, fat burning, body shaping and having a fun workout that any one any age can do to get results fast.

MOST FUN DANCING!

2009-10-20T06:56:00.001-04:00

Zumba is the most fun you'll have dancing without a partner!!

Zumba Fitness Baby Boomer and lovin' it!

2009-09-17T08:02:00.005-04:00

I'm so excited to state that I was one of the chosen few that participated in the Zumba Fitness 2nd Annual Instructor Convention last Saturday, September 4th, 2009 in Orlando, Florida; and as luck would have it, I was the only Canadian among the dancers to appear on stage in front of over 2,300 Zumba instructors from all over the world. I feel so honored to have been chosen to be part of the group dancing a Flamenco on stage at the Zumbathon and was very proud to represent Canada and Quebec and the 50+ boomers! And not only that, we were dancing on stage with the creator of the Zumba Fitness program, Beto Perez. Among over 15,000 Zumba Fitness instructors worldwide, there are a great many of us who range in the age of between 50 and 75. This years' instructor convention proudly welcomed over 160 Zumba Fitness instructors in that age bracket. I myself am 56 and have found that dancing and fitness, particularly Zumba Fitness, has kept me young, and I'm not the only over-50 fitness instructor who has also admitted to this! I wanted to bring in something new to my small town. No one was holding Zumba Fitness classes here and where they were held they were very popular. You move your body to the music, and the music is so exciting and infectious it creates a party atmosphere. It's dancing, it's aerobics and so much fun that you don't even realize you're actually working out! Right now I teach Zumba Fitness in Saint-Anicet and Huntingdon, Quebec five times a week and welcome everyone from teens to seniors, men and women, to attend my classes. If anyone needs more information about Zumba Fitness, their website is: http://www.zumba.com, and it's one of the largest fitness programs in the world today, with over 16,000 certified instructors and more than five million people taking weekly classes in over 40,000 locations all over the world. It's good for the mind, body and spirit; it helps you maintain your flexibility, balance and strength as well as making you look and feel better about yourself. It's the peppiest I've ever been in my whole life!

What to Eat After you Work Out

2009-08-25T08:18:00.000-04:00

What to Eat After You Work Out
Refuel and Recover with a Post-Workout Meal or Snack
-- By Dean Anderson, Fitness Expert

Here are some sample food combinations for your post exercise meal:

Bread, a bagel, or an English muffin with cheese or peanut butter
Dried fruit and nuts
Cottage cheese with fruit
Fruit juice with cheese
Yogurt with fruit
Veggie omelet with toast or roll
Chocolate milk
Cereal with milk
Eggs and toast
Turkey, ham, chicken, or roast beef sandwich
Vegetable stir-fry with chicken, shrimp, edamame or tofu
Crackers with low fat cheese
Rice or popcorn cakes with nut butter
Smoothie (with milk, yogurt, or added protein powder)
A protein or energy bar
A protein or energy shake
Pancakes and eggs
Any regular meal that contains lean protein, starch, and vegetables

As a moderate exerciser, you have a lot of flexibility when it comes to timing your meals and choosing your foods. The most important thing is getting to know your body and how it responds to exercise, so that you can give it what it needs to perform at its best. Eating the right things at the right times after you work out is essential to keeping your energy up, your workout performance high, and your body in fat-burning mode.

To read the rest of this article, please click on this link

What to Eat Before you Work Out

2009-08-25T08:17:00.000-04:00

What to Eat Before You Work Out
Eating Before Exercise for Maximum Results
-- By Dean Anderson, Fitness Expert

If you are a moderate exerciser who tends to perform better with a pre-exercise snack, there are two ways to handle your needs:

1. Eat a small (100- to 200-calorie) snack about 30 minutes before you work out. This snack should include fast-digesting (high glycemic index) carbohydrates and very little fat (which digests slowly), so that you digest the meal quickly and the fuel is available during your exercise session. Here are some ideas:
Fruit juice
Fruit smoothie
High-glycemic fruits like pineapple, apricots, banana, mango, and watermelon
Sports drinks
Pretzels or bagels (but not whole grain varieties, which digest slowly)
Energy bars (look for 3-5 grams of protein, at least 15 grams of carbs, and very little fat)

2. Eat a nutritionally balanced meal 1-2 hours before your exercise. This is the best option for many people. The larger the meal, and the more fat and protein it contains, the longer you may need to wait before exercising. Ideally, try to eat enough calories to equal about half the calories you expect to burn during your upcoming workout. So if you burn about 600 calories during your workout, aim for at least 300 calories during this meal — or a little more if your exercise is “high intensity” (over 75% of your maximum heart rate). At least 50-60% of these calories should come from carbohydrates, which should keep your blood sugar and energy levels fairly stable during your exercise session. Include some protein to help prevent the breakdown of muscle for fuel and give your muscles a headstart on recovery after exercise. Some good food choices and combinations for this kind of meal include:

Fruit and yogurt
Nuts
Oatmeal
Cereals (with more than 3 grams of fiber) and milk
Trail mix with nuts and dried fruit
Hummus and raw veggies
Hard boiled eggs (or egg whites)
Cottage cheese and fruit
Half a peanut butter or turkey/chicken sandwich on whole grain bread
Whole grain crackers with nut butter or cheese
Whole grain fig (or fruit) Newton cookies
Milk (especially chocolate milk)
Tomato or vegetable juice
Yogurt smoothie (with added protein powder, if desired)
Most protein/energy bars

As a moderate exerciser, you have a lot of flexibility when it comes to timing your meals and choosing your foods. The most important things are getting to know your body and how it responds to exercise, so that you can give it what it needs to perform at its best. Eating the right foods at the right times before you work out is essential to keeping your energy up, your workout performance high, and your body in fat-burning mode.

To read the rest of the article, click on this link!

Trying to Lose Weight with Zumba? Resisting Food Advertising

2009-08-24T06:16:00.002-04:00

NZR (Not Zumba Related) but an interesting read! This is from Duke Diet and Fitness.

Resisting Food Advertising

Have you ever noticed that the foods advertised the most heavily also tend to have the highest calorie counts and lowest nutritional value? Promoting junk food and fast food is big business. Companies spend millions of dollars a year in an attempt to get you to choose their burger or chip over another brand. These highly advertised foods are plentiful, easy to get, inexpensive, and engineered to taste good.

Ironically, there is little advertising promoting the foods we should be eating — like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and beans and legumes. Bombarded with powerful advertising images saying that nutritionally poor foods are best, it's no wonder we're reaching for the wrong foods! Some have compared the effort of trying to eat healthy in modern society with trying to be a recovered alcoholic in a town with a bar on every block.

How can you maintain a healthy weight in spite of the pressure to eat unhealthy foods? Try these tips:

Get the info. After you see an ad that makes junk food look tempting, boot up your computer, check out the manufacturer's Web site, and find the nutrition information for that food. When you see that the food is packed with calories, fat, or sodium, it probably won't seem so appealing.

Empower yourself to make healthier choices. We've all been in a situation where we need to eat and the only options for miles around aren't particularly healthy ones. If you find yourself with nowhere to go but a fast-food restaurant or convenience store, you need to know which choices are better than others. Reach for fresh foods like salads and sandwiches with lean meat and vegetables. Hold the dressing, mayo, and other high-calorie toppings, or have them on the side so you can easily control them.

At the grocery store, stick to the perimeter. Most heavily advertised, processed snack foods live in the inner aisles of the grocery store. To avoid temptation, skip those aisles altogether (or just pop in to retrieve healthy items on your shopping list). The perimeter aisles, which typically house fresh foods, are where you want to be.

Question the ads. Would you be as tempted to eat that cheeseburger if it were promoted by an overweight and out-of-shape model (which would be more realistic) rather than the thin, fit, happy-looking one taking a bite? Is the food really the best choice for you and your waistline? Do you really "need" it? Probably not!

Zumba®: Ditch the Workout, Join the Party! The Zumba Weight Loss Program (Hardcover Book!)

2009-08-13T08:22:00.008-04:00

Zumba®: Ditch the Workout, Join the Party! The Zumba Weight Loss Program (Hardcover Book!), by Beto Perez (Author), Maggie Greenwood-Robinson (Author)

TIRED OF LOGGING HOURS AT THE GYM AND NOT GETTING RESULTS?

WANT TO EAT DELICIOUS FOODS AND STILL LOSE WEIGHT?

SHAKE THINGS UP AND SLIM DOWN WITH THE WEIGHT LOSS PHENOMENON THAT'S TAKING THE COUNTRY BY STORM...ZUMBA!

Created by celebrity fitness trainer Beto Perez, Zumba® combines fun, easy-to-follow dance steps with hot Latin beats to help you shed pounds and inches fast. Now the DVD and classes that have hooked millions are available in book format, with a complete workout program, fat-burning diet, and an exclusive instructional DVD with 60 minutes worth of music to help you Zumba your way to the perfect body.

Using the principles of interval and resistance training, the simple dance and sculpting moves (inspired by the traditional cumbia, salsa, samba, and merengue) tone and shape your body. And because it burns 600 to 1,000 calories per hour, you don't have to restrict your meals to boring or bland-tasting diet foods. The Zumba diet begins with a 5-Day Express Diet to jump start weight loss (lose up to 9 lbs in 5 days) and then offers 14-day meal plans and recipes that target weight loss in the stomach and thighs.

You'll find:

· Hot moves that make you feel like you're on the dance floor-not on the elliptical machine!

· Recipes for mouthwatering meals that boost your metabolism.

· Dozens of workout combinations so you never get bored.

· An exclusive jump-start program to get you ready for that big event next weekend.

· An easy plan to help you keep up your progress and maintain the weight loss.

So start moving, grooving and losing with Zumba today!

About the Author:
Celebrity fitness trainer Alberto "Beto" Perez is orginally from Cali, Colombia. Before creating and launching Zumba in the U.S. in the late '90s, Perez attended the Maria Sanford Brazilian Dance Academy, became an instructor and choreographed dance routines for high profile performers, including platinum album selling artist Shakira. He now resides in Miami, FL.

The Zumba brand sells DVDs, CDs, clothing and workout gear at www.Zumba.com and www.Zumbafitness.com

Zumba®: Ditch the Workout, Join the Party!
The Zumba Weight Loss Program

'ZUMBA®' VIDEO GAME COMING SOON!!!

2009-08-13T08:01:00.001-04:00

HOT OFF THE PRESSES!!!!!

MAJESCO ENTERTAINMENT PARTNERS WITH ZUMBA FITNESS LLC TO BRING UPCOMING 'ZUMBA®' VIDEO GAMES TO MARKET

Revolutionary Dance Fitness-PartyTM Lets Players Party Off the Pounds

EDISON, N.J., August 11, 2009 - Get ready to ditch the workout and join the Zumba® movement! Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of video games for the mass market, and Zumba® Fitness LLC, today announced a partnership to bring the Zumba® fitness experience to video games. This one-of-a-kind exercise program pairs Latin rhythms with red-hot international dance steps so you can have a blast as you party your way into shape. The first Zumba® game will release holiday 2010.

"As the biggest trend in fitness right now, Zumba® has effectively transformed the way people workout," said Jesse Sutton, Chief Executive Officer, Majesco. "This dance-infused fitness party is the perfect complement to motion-based gaming and we're excited to offer players a totally new, and incredibly fun, means to achieve their personal fitness goals."

"Who says working out and having fun are mutually exclusive?" asks Alberto Perlman, Chief Executive Officer, Zumba Fitness. "We don't believe this and neither does Majesco, which is why this union will take exergaming to the next level."

Through invigorating, high calorie-burning fitness classes, Zumba® Fitness has helped melt the pounds and inches off more than five million Zumba-enthusiasts in more than 75 countries. This addictive fitness craze blends Latin and world rhythms with easy-to-follow dance moves to help fans successfully tone and sculpt the body while burning fat.

The first Zumba® game is expected to release next holiday.

Michelle Obama does Zumba?

2009-08-09T06:26:00.002-04:00

Do you think Barack would join his wife at a Zumba class, I wonder??

By-the-way, you can find info on my Zumba classes here:
http://www.whimsies-onlne.com/zumbahome.htm

Zumba Convention 2009 - SOON!!!

2009-08-09T06:03:00.002-04:00

Wow, anyone started packing yet - I DID and I KNOW I'm going to be a basket case in three weeks. Heck, we're leaving for Florida on Monday August 31st for a week's vacation with the last 4 days being the Zumba convention - do I hear a WAAAAAAHHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! (like I said, Basket Case - LOL!!!)

Zumba huggs from Heather

P.S. I am SOOOOO looking forward to meeting all of you (!)

Exercise: Good for the Body, Good for the Mind

2009-07-26T06:28:00.001-04:00

Exercise: Good for the Body, Good for the Mind

Regular exercise leads to better health, more energy, a lower risk of heart disease and diabetes, and a longer life. But it isn't just the physical benefits of exercise that push me to do it - it's what it does for my mental health.

The mental-health benefits start right after you exercise. Have you ever noticed how good you feel when you complete a workout? That you feel relaxed, or even euphoric? That mood lift, often called "runner's high," comes courtesy of natural morphine-like chemicals called endorphins. Exercise floods the brain with endorphins, which help to relieve pain, enhance your mood, and relieve stress.

But the feel-good effects don't stop after the endorphin rush subsides. Over time, exercise provides a major boost to your confidence. As you start working out and getting stronger, your sense of strength in other aspects of your life will naturally flourish as well. To put it another way, if you can survive your workouts, you can do anything - and when you feel that sense of empowerment, nothing will be able to stand between you and the life you want to live.

source: Jillian Michaels

The Importance of Water

2009-05-22T07:09:00.001-04:00

Be sure to read this fantastic article I found on the importance of water and easy ways to get more water into your body!

My Thighs Were Stolen From Me…

2009-04-23T06:04:00.000-04:00

My thighs were stolen from me during the night of August 3rd a few years ago. It was just that quick. I went to sleep in my body and woke up with someone else's thighs. The new ones had the texture of cooked oatmeal. Who would have done such a cruel thing to legs that had been wholly, if imperfectly, mine for years? Whose thighs were these? What happened to mine?

I spent the entire summer looking for them. I searched, in vain, at pools and beaches, anywhere I might find female limbs exposed. I became obsessed. I had nightmares filled with cellulite and flesh that turns to bumps in the night. Finally, hurt and angry, I resigned myself to living out my life in jeans and Sheer Energy pantyhose.

Then, just when my guard was down, the thieves struck again. My buns were next. I knew it was the same gang because they took pains to match my new derriere (although badly attached at least 3 inches lower than the original) to the thighs they had stuck me with earlier. Now my rear complimented my legs lump for lump. Frantic, I prayed that long skirts would stay in fashion.

It was 2 years ago when I realized my arms had been switched. One morning while fixing my hair, I watched horrified but fascinated as the flesh of my upper arms swung to and fro with the motion of the hairbrush. This was really getting scary. My body was being replaced, cleverly and fiendishly, one section at a time.

Age? Age had nothing to do with it. Age was supposed to creep up, unnoticed and intangible, something like maturity. NO, I was being attacked, repeatedly and without warning. During one spring, my attention was riveted to upper arms---female arms. I studied them from every angle, being careful not to raise mine in public nor flatten them too tightly against my body. In private I held them straight out and did endless circles that would have tightened my real arms but did nothing for these silly putty caricatures. In the end, in deepening despair, I gave up my T-shirts.

What could they do to me next? In short order, my eyes began to remind people that they needed a new pair of Hush Puppies. My poor neck disappeared more quickly than the Thanksgiving turkey it now reminded me of. That's why I've decided to tell my story: I can't take on the medical profession by myself. Women of America, wake up and smell the coffee! That isn't really "plastic" those surgeons are using. You know where they're getting those replacement parts, don't you? The next time you suspect someone has had a face "lifted," look again. Was it lifted from you? Check out those tummy tucks and buttocks raising. Look familiar? Are those your eyelids on that movie star?

I think I finally may have found my thighs. I hope Cindy Crawford paid a really good price for them.

Author Unknown

National Dance Week!

2009-04-20T08:05:00.001-04:00

It's National Dance Week! (April 24th-May 3rd 2009)

Get out there and celebrate with ZUMBA!!!!

The Zumba Cheeseburger Puff Transforms Before my Eyes!

2009-04-17T08:00:00.001-04:00

I found this post this morning - what a wonderful outlook she has!!!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Last night I went back to Zumba. I love it. I really enjoy moving and rotating the hips and just finding the beat and dancing. Last night I was dancing away and looking at the HUGE wall mirrors trying to coordinate my feet and my hands without falling over and I see myself...This seemingly ginormous cheeseburger looking fat...top bun my roll of boobage triple bagged...meat my top roll of belly fat and then bottom bun my bottom roll of belly fat...just jiggling and bouncing away as I try to keep up w/ these thin and fit girls in the class. And to top it off my skin has become deathly pale since moving to South Dakota 6 years ago and not being outside like I used to while all these girls are nicely tanned....I didnt stop and cry like I wanted to but laughed....laughed at how ridiculously I must look but how awesome I am for keeping up w/ these girls. I laughed as I kicked higher and worked harder and smiled wider because I felt good in my body. And it changed. My body or the way I saw my body in those mirrors changed...those fat rolls were just covering my abs that I was working hard at and I could see them melting off and my body became something I was proud of. It was what I saw and what became my reality. A beautiful body that I am working towards, a healthy body that I deserve, a fit body that can out zumba out run out machine of death most anyone I know. I am so proud of myself for continuing on this journey even as I feel like all the weight could jump back on my body over a weekend. When I arrive at the gym w/ my stuffy sinus and my hungry tummy and pop a piece of gum and tell myself to just run I am proud of myself. This is why I am here. This is why my journey is not a DIET but changing my life back to what I was when I was active and fit. I am so happy and proud of myself. Thank you all my spark buddies for sharing this journey with me. You all inspire me!

Understanding the Many Benefits of Zumba

2009-04-11T08:33:00.002-04:00

Here's an excellent post I found on a blog this a.m. - the link to it is:

http://newsadvantage.blogspot.com/2009/04/understanding-many-benefits-of-zumba.html

They go on to say...

Some people may think that Zumba is just another overhyped exercise program. However, you may not realize that it actually took years to develop and is truly unique because of the variety of influences and original approach to exercising and dancing. Latin rhythms are a general part of the routine, so you get to enjoy music, stay fit and de-stress at the same time.

Physical Benefits

Zumba can keep you in shape, since you burn so many calories in a given session. Each class lasts approximately 1 hour each. Some say that you can burn at least 470 calories in a single session. You only need to do the workout 2 to 3 times a week to stay fit and lean. Zumba can also enhance your motor control and performance. As you go on practicing the moves, you get to have more control over your muscles and get on the groove easily. Zumba Gold, in particular, enhances the range of motion of exercisers, as well as their overall bone density, strength and flexibility.

Zumba is good for people of all ages. Even the elderly can gain physical advantages so they stay strong and supple even in their later years. If you want to get rid of the extra fat and stay fit for life, you can rely on the program since it helps you continuously expend calories and fat even while you're at rest by boosting your metabolism. Learning the new moves and steps also boosts your cognitive function. You get to increase focus and concentration. You may also find that you become capable of doing pain-free activities for the long term.

Mental Advantages

When you're fit or exercising, the body releases hormones that make you feel good. As an effect, you gain increased self-esteem and confidence. You get an overall feeling of wellness. Your quality of life also improves and becomes empowered. Relaxation becomes enhanced which takes away a lot of anxiety, depression and stress. There are more opportunities for social interaction. The routine is also very fun so you do not get the feeling that everything becomes redundant.

Zumba eases boredom by incorporating different tunes, steps and dances. You can stick to the program for the long term and reap the benefits of feeling good about yourself. It is also good to use Zumba together with other types of exercises like weight training. You stay motivated because of the enhanced self-satisfaction

Social Advantages

Zumba allows you to interact with other professionals and individuals who share the same problems and sentiments with you on a regular basis. You get to communicate, learn new steps and spend time together for added fun. You also get to understand different cultures more because of the international fusion of rhythms. As a whole, you get to be more aware about your surroundings.

Expert Advantages

Zumba also offers classes and workshops for individuals who want to do the exercise program more than usual. Certification and training are given for potential instructors. You may teach people of all ages from all over the world, depending on your abilities and personal preferences. You also receive more items and guides if you become an instructor, so you can become an expert in the activity you truly enjoy.

You will find that your skills enhance faster compared to other types of programs.

That was the end of their blog post. I would add the following:

The fact that you learn many basic latin dance steps that you can actually take with you when you're out dancing at a club, party or wedding. For example, I show basic moves and variations to Salsa, Rumba, Cha Cha, Tango, Cumbia, Bachata, Samba, Mambo, Reggaeton, Hip Hop, Merengue, Bellydancing (well, guess you wouldn't dance THAT at a nightclub - LOL!), Swing, Jive ... think that's about it!

Have a Zumbalicious day!

~ Heather ~

Zumba Workshop Pointe Claire was AWESOME!

2009-04-05T07:05:00.002-04:00

Well another Zumba Basics 1 workshop has come and gone and I loved every minute of it! Tony and Jess were awesome as usual and since I was the first one there I helped out with the setup. Loads of fun; good refresher for things I had forgotten about from my last Basics 1 in Ottawa last May 31st. Good shmoozing with other instructors too. Lots of pictures. I didn't trust my digital camera; it eats batteries and the rechargables don't hold a charge for very long anymore so I bought a film for my 35 mm camera - ack!!! old technology LOL!!! Oh well, I'll put the pics on CD and add them to Facebook!

By-the-way, come find me on Facebook! I'm under Heather Diodati - there are actually two of us - LOL!!! But the other is not a Zumba instructor.

Chat with ya later then!

Zumba huggs from Heather

Zumba Convention 2009

2009-02-15T08:56:00.002-05:00

We received all the info yesterday - WOOOHOOO!!! I'm registered - and going, barring any major problems etc.

This is the link (only for Zumba Instructors, of course!):

http://convention.zumba.com/

Zumba On, Baby!!!!

Step daddy

2009-02-06T09:23:00.000-05:00

Step daddy
When Beto moves, women follow. He's fast. He's sweaty. And he is Zumba.
By DAVID ADAMS
Published May 30, 2003

MIAMI - It's still 20 minutes before the next exercise class is due to begin at Body & Soul, one of Miami's top fitness clubs in Coral Gables.

But a line of dozens of eager-looking women in body-hugging gym gear has already formed outside. Through an open door they watch the end of a "Tae-Bo" class, a martial arts routine that once was all the rage. The look on their faces says it all: "Haven't you heard? Tae-Bo is no longer cool. Beto is coming tonight."

"Beto" is Alberto Perez, a 32-year-old fitness phenomenon from Colombia, whose new Latin-dance aerobics workout, known as "Zumba," is the latest craze at Miami gyms.

The former street performer who grew up in a poor barrio in the Colombian city of Cali is poised to become the next fitness superstar after his exercise video launched last year sold $20-million worth of copies in its first seven months.

"He's a total rags-to-riches American dream story," said Alberto Perlman, a fellow Colombian and president of Zumba Productions, which sells the videos. "I think there's still much of the road he hasn't traveled, but he's well on the way."

Beto's recipe for success is a simple combination of popular Latin pop music with his own original dance steps, with names like the "Beto Shuffle" and the "Machete." For added attraction there's Beto's smooth, olive-brown, sweat-glistening torso, and his cheeky Michael Keatonlike features.

The high-energy result has gymgoers raving about how Zumba is the magic formula that makes exercise fun. Beto puts it down to the mesmerizing mix of music and dance, lifting the body to the physical point where pleasure-giving hormones, known as endorphins, are released.

In Colombian slang, "zumba" means "fast-moving." It also serves as a fusion of the word "samba," the lively Brazilian dance form, with "rumba," meaning party.

The 60-minute dance program features a host of Latin rhythms, from Colombian cumbia and vallenato, to merengue, salsa, samba, calypso and the latest belly-dancing fad.

Virtually unknown when he arrived in Miami three years ago, Beto now presides at 12 fitness clubs, varying from the cavernous Olympia Fitness Center in Aventura, which can pack in 120 bodies, the hip Crunch Fitness gym on South Beach, to small private condo clubs, an elderly Jewish community center and a class of young children.

It took him a while to break into the business. When he first did the rounds he was shown the door at most places, including Body & Soul.

Now his classes are the highlight of the week. Women waiting for the 7:30 p.m. class extol the virtues of Zumba.

"I wasn't a gym bunny but now I am," said Sonia Sheron, 20, an early arrival who takes six to eight Zumba classes a week at several gyms.

Sheron, who is part Dominican, part Scot, said she never used to enjoy Latin music until her mother dragged her to one of Beto's classes. "Now it's all I listen to all the time on the radio. Beto made Latin music cool."

Mortgage company employee Angela Stafford, 30, from Mississippi is trying to lose weight. She lost 65 pounds on a diet but then hit a brick wall. She bought Beto's Zumba tape and another 10 pounds came off exercising at home. Then she found out Beto was holding a class at Body & Soul, right around the corner from her office.

"There's no comparison between the tape and the class," she said. "Beto's so much better live."

When Beto arrives there's a dash for a spot on the gym floor. The $10 class is packed with about 90 people, all women save for one man, and a 6-year-old boy dancing along in his pajamas next to his mother.

Beto is no-nonsense when he arrives, warming up for a few minutes before breaking into a popular hit, A Dios le Pido, by Colombian singer Juanes.

Then Beto begins to demonstrate why he's better in real life than on video. Up comes his gym top over his head, revealing his finely chiseled torso.

"How many of you here are single ladies?" Beto shouts, echoing the words of a seductive song. Everyone shoots up their hands. Beto repeats with a grin, "I said solteras! (single women)." All the hands go up again.

In another song he playfully slaps the buttocks of one woman, and then spins around and invites her to do the same to him, all in rhythm to the music.

Unlike other aerobics instructors who stand in front of the class shouting out instructions, Beto lets his arms and legs do the talking. He also likes to get in amongst the class, dancing one-on-one with those struggling to follow his steps. He often picks out the oldest, most overweight or uncoordinated in the class to encourage them.

"I'm good at managing the masses," he says afterward. "I do the opposite of what people expect. I dance with the most introverted, most timid and least confident."

Although Beto is very clear-sighted about his future, it's been a long road to get this far.

"I was born with my talent to dance, but for a long time no one recognized it," is the way he sums up his early years.

He was raised as the only son of a single woman in a working-class barrio in Cali where his mother was a restaurant worker. He never knew his father.

At age 6 he saw the film Grease, and began to dance. Soon he was dancing on street corners for spare change.

Before long he was doing special events. "There wasn't a fiesta in my barrio that I wasn't invited," he said. But when Beto tried to make a professional living from dance, his street style was met with scorn. The best gyms and dance schools were all uptown, in the well-heeled northern part of the city. He would gaze longingly in the window at the Maria Sanford dance academy where the city's upper class sent their daughters. He was shooed away like some peeping tom, and the curtains drawn.

At 15 his mother left for the United States, crossing the Mexican border as a mojado, or wetback. He told her not to worry, he'd manage on his own.

He took odd jobs as a messenger boy and then at an ice cream parlor.

At age 17 he thought his day had come. After entering a dance competition he was selected to represent Colombia at a Latin dance event in Miami. He spent his savings on costumes. But he never got to compete. His U.S. visa was denied.

"That was very traumatic for me," he said.

But the owner of the gym where Beto had prepared his dance routines took pity on him. He was invited to teach a children's summer dance class. He began with 10 children but it quickly grew to 30.

One evening a local gym owner telephoned him. One of her regular instructors was injured. Could he substitute? Beto said he had never done aerobics. He was a dance teacher. But he needed the money, so he accepted.

The next day he went to a local book store and bought a copy of Jane Fonda's Workout Book - and "Zumba" was born.

It was awkward at first. Beto struggled to imitate the positions in the Jane Fonda exercise photos, adding his own modern Colombian steps.

The class liked it. Beto never let on that he was an amateur.

Soon Beto was so much in demand he was traveling frequently to Bogota to do TV ads. In 1992 he moved permanently to Bogota where he was hired by one of the top gyms.

By now he was fully accepted within the country's fashion elite. He was hired by Sony Music to work with some of its singers on their dance moves, artistic expression and stage presence. He also helped with choreography on the 1996 breakthrough album, Pies Descalzos by top Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira.

But Beto says his dream was always to come to Miami to be with his mother. Ironically, his mother returned to Colombia in 1995 where they were reunited after 10 years apart.

Four years later, Beto was ready to make his move. Colombia's long-running drug-fueled conflict had reached a new peak of violence, prompting an exodus of Colombians headed for Miami. Among them were many of the country's wealthy Jewish elite who were some of Beto's best clients in Bogota.

He struggled at first in Miami. He spent his first two nights sleeping in a park outside the downtown Intercontinental Hotel. Speaking no English he was turned away at several of the gyms where he is now a top attraction.

But then his luck began to change. Friends got him an introduction at the upscale Williams Island gym in north Miami-Dade. Soon he was being signed up at gyms all over Miami.

The lack of English didn't bother Peter Cicale, owner of the Olympia gym in Aventura. "It's all body language," said Cicale. "He speaks through his body." Now Beto does two weekly classes at Olympia with a regular attendance of about 160 people per class.

Perlman hopes Zumba will take off nationwide. Beto spent Memorial Day weekend at a Miami Beach hotel training an army of 150 Zumba instructors from all over the country. He recently signed a deal with Kellogg's to promote its health products to Hispanics.

For now Beto is content driving around Miami from gym to gym on his new Honda motorbike. He doesn't need endorphins to feel good about himself.

"I knew the moment I stepped off the plane I was going to gobble up this country."

High-energy exercise 'Zumba' created by Colombian is an international phenom

2009-02-04T08:54:00.000-05:00

High-energy exercise 'Zumba' created by Colombian is an international phenom
South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

High-energy exercise, rooted in South Florida, is an international phenom

By Nick Sortal

Sun Sentinel

February 3, 2009

At age 7, he mimicked John Travolta and led his playmates in Colombia through Grease routines.

At 18, he taught dance classes for children, and won a national lambada championship.

Now, at 38, Alberto "Beto" Perez -- the face of Zumba -- has the whole world dancing with him.

"You know that scene in Forrest Gump, where he starts running and then everyone joins in?" says Beto, who has a business office in Hollywood. "I feel kind of like Forrest Gump."

Drive a couple of miles in any direction and you'll hit a Zumba class. About 250 South Florida gyms, community centers and others offer classes. Some as many as 10 times a week.

Zumba is an aerobic workout combining salsa, merengue, samba, reggaeton and other Latin dance moves and music. Beto's simple goal: Make it fun. Make it playful. Make people dance.

And they do.

"I'll be standing in line at Publix and hear music and just start dancing," says Eileen Harmon of Tamarac, who takes a Zumba "Gold" class for seniors. "And people just look at me."

A few twists of fate

It all started because of Beto. And good businessmen and good timing.

"I came to the United States with no money," he says. "But I believed in the American dream. Work hard and persevere."

Beto grew up in Cali. He worked at an ice-cream store as a teenager.

"On my way to work, I'd walk past this dance studio, and I'd always stop and stare inside," he says. "Finally, they closed the blinds on me. But I kept practicing and I guess you can say that I had a God-given talent."

It got noticed. Beto competed in a Colombian TV station's contest in 1989 and took top honors in the dance of the era, the lambada. After that, the studio that once closed its blinds hired him, and he began taking classes from other teachers.

In the meantime, he also taught aerobics at another gym. Zumba legend has it that Beto forgot his aerobics music one day, and had only the salsa and merengue tapes in his car. With class ready to start, he decided to bring them in and wing it. There was no going back.

He made four trips to the United States to pitch what he called Rumbacize before moving here in 1999.

"I couldn't speak English very well, but I knew what I wanted to do in a class," he says.

Finally, an Aventura gym gave him one class. For a month. That soon grew to 22 classes a week in gyms across South Florida.

"I was working like crazy, but it was a happy crazy," he says. "I just kept persevering."

Getting to business

Meanwhile, by 2001, 25-year-old Alberto Perlman was riding the end of the dot-com boom.

"My mom says, 'There's this guy at my gym who's amazing; maybe you could do something with him,'ƒ|" Perlman says.

The name Rumbacize had copyright issues, so they ran through the alphabet and came up with "zumba," Colombian slang for buzzing like a bee or moving quickly.

They launched an infomercial in 2002 via a partnership with a video company.

"My idea was to sell Zumba tapes, then go on to the next thing," Perlman says. "But people kept calling asking how to get licensed to teach it. So the model changed."

Now, along with a third partner, Alberto Aghion, they run Zumba Fitness LLC, a 28-employee business near Sheridan Street and Interstate 95 that includes Zumba clothes, instruction manuals and equipment such as weighted toning sticks that rattle like maracas when you work out.

Teacher licensing began in 2003. Instructors can buy a one-year license for about $250, or pay $360 to join a network that helps them with marketing and provides Zumba routines from Beto.

Today, about 4 million people a year in 40 countries take Zumba, Perlman says, and 20,000 instructors are licensed to teach it. An instructor convention in Orlando last October sold out at 1,000.

The partners admit to good timing: As TV viewers have gravitated to Dancing With the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance? and similar shows, Americans' interest in dancing has soared.

Former pro wrestling personality Stacy Keibler, who competed on Dancing With the Stars in 2006, dances with Beto in a Zumba infomercial.

"We've had some luck," Perlman says. "There's, like, a hundred new fitness products a year and maybe one makes it. We're fortunate that we did."

Always a party

But that's the business part.

"I'm what they call 'the talent,'ƒ|" says Beto, who lives in an apartment on Brickell Avenue in Miami. "I have no idea how much money I have. My accountant handles that. I'm not into the materiality."

Adds Perlman: "Beto is totally right-brained."

Beto now teaches one class a week, at Equinox Fitness Clubs in the Aventura Mall.

On a recent Wednesday, he pumps up the music. But Beto doesn't yell out directions. This isn't boot camp.

Instead, he whistles. And the 34 women look up. Then he points to his eyes. Follow me ...

The Latin beat takes over, and Beto is like a child playing in the sun.

When a new student struggles, he grabs her and merengues. When another woman takes an unscheduled water break, he fake-pouts and points to an imaginary wristwatch.

Liz Becker, 36, of Aventura, straps on two knee braces before the music plays, but whirls, twirls and shimmies with the best of them once Beto exhorts her.

"The time goes by so quickly, it's like not even exercising," Becker says.

That's the idea, Beto says. Make exercise a party. Make it fun.

He unconsciously rubs a scar on his forehead, earned while break dancing as a child in his backyard. "I love to make people smile," he says. "That's the best thing."

Nick Sortal can be reached at nsortal at sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4725.

Copyright © 2009, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Jazzercise: How it came to be

2009-01-29T05:42:00.001-05:00

This interesting article is thanks to collagevideo.com's newsletter for February 2009:

A chat with
Judi Sheppard Missett

One of fitness' true pioneers is Judi Sheppard Missett, the inventor of Jazzercise. We asked her how it all started. "I was working professionally with a jazz dance company. I was both performing and teaching in their studio. I was instructing those classes as though the students were all going to be professional dancers. But I soon realized that, for the vast majority, professional dance was not their goal at all. They were actually there to have fun or lose a bit of weight.

"So, I decided to try a different approach. I turned people away from the mirrors on the wall. I simplified the moves. And I tried to make the dances simple and fun, with lots of positive reinforcement. The classes grew from 15 to 60 people -- I realized I was on to something. It was a great joy to teach these people who were dancing for the sheer joy of the experience. It was fun and I looked forward to doing it!"

How did that class turn into the Jazzercise? "I moved west and began teaching in the San Diego area. I was teaching so many classes that I lost my voice and got too thin. I believe that there are signs, messages, and cues that tell you what you need to do. My lost voice and too-thin body were signs for me to either cut back or train others. I chose to train others. And, that's how the Jazzercise program began. Currently there are 35,000 Jazzercise classes in 32 countries!"

Wow, that's a huge business success. Did you expect that to happen? "Funny story. My mom was an accountant. She told me that I shouldn't plan on being a business woman because I didn't have a head for 'figures.' But, she was wrong. I ended up having a head both for the 'body' kind and the 'numbers' kind of figures."

Was your mother a big influence in your life? "Yes. My mother stayed at home while I was growing up and she dedicated her life to me. She enrolled me in dance classes at the age of two, and would support me in my early theater and dance performing endeavors. I clearly loved dance and performing and soon began teaching others. She helped me open a dance studio when I was only eleven!"

You've seen a lot in 40 years, any advice for fitness beginners? "The biggest mistake is to do too much, too soon -- it's easy to get discouraged. The best way to get started is to just do something. It doesn't have to be big. Just find what you like and take 'baby steps;' be tolerant of your abilities; be patient as you improve... and most of all, be good to yourself."