5-Minute Workout: Brazilian Butt Lift
Lift and tone your butt in five minutes with these exercises.
article from "FITNESS magazine"

Brazilian women are famous for their gorgeous bodies, but you don't have to go to Rio to get a beautiful butt. There are some squats that I've snuck into the Zumba routines so that all of our butts get a little lift!

Try his five-minute routine today to shift your rear into high gear.

1. Plié
Minutes 0:00-1:00
• Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, arms at sides, toes turned out.

• Tuck tailbone under and contract glutes.

• Lower body into a plié squat as low as you can go without allowing knees to creep past toes.

• Simultaneously raise arms to shoulder height in front of body, palms down. Hold for 2 seconds, then return to starting position.

• After 20 reps, pulse at the bottom for 20 seconds.


2. Touchdown
Minutes 1:00-2:00
a.
• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed forward.

• Squat down until knees are bent 90 degrees.

• Bend your elbows and lift your fists near chin.

b.
• Step left leg back into a deep reverse lunge, placing right hand along outside of right thigh or touching the floor.

• Raise left hand in front of face, palm facing out.

• Return to starting position and repeat, alternating sides.


3. Explosive Lunge
Minutes 2:00-3:00
a.
• Lunge forward with left leg until knee is bent 90 degrees, directly over ankle, right knee pointing toward floor.

b.
• Jump up, pushing off the floor with both feet. Switch legs in midair, landing with right foot forward in a lunge. Continue, alternating sides.


4. Single-Leg Squat with Towel
Minutes 3:00-4:00
• Stand with feet together, toes pointed forward, arms at sides with right foot on top of a small folded towel.

• Shifting weight to left leg, bend left knee 45 to 90 degrees while sliding right leg and towel slowly out to the side as far as is comfortable for a count of 4.

• Slowly draw right leg back to start for a count of 4 while straightening left leg.

• Repeat for 30 seconds; switch sides.


5. Squat with Kick-Back
Minutes 4:00-5:00
• Stand with legs shoulder-width apart, arms at sides.

• Sit back into a squat keeping weight on heels, then lift right leg straight behind you, keeping hips pointing forward while extending arms.

• Return to start and switch sides.

NEW ZUMBA CLASS!

My Zumba new class begins September 15h @ the new KC Metropolitan Dance Theatre.

This 1.5 hour class is open to the public.

CLASS TIME:
Saturdays
11a-12:30p

COST:
$5 per class

LOCATION:
KC Metropolitan Dance Theatre
6833 Prospect
Kansas City, MO

FINAL WEEK
week 8: loosing weight in a sensible way

CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS EVERY DAY
Don’t put your life on hold until your hit your weight goal.

• GIVE YOURSELF GIFTS. To keep motivation high, give yourself gifts to mark your progress – a new haircut, a pedicure.

• STAY POSITIVE. Lost two pounds instead of five? Feel good about what you’ve achieved rather than focusing on what you didn’t. “Don’t wait to like yourself until you’re thin,” says Robert Maurer, Ph.D., a psychologist and author of One Small Step Can Change Your Life. “Like who you are now.”

tips from, "fitness" magazine

Yeah Sabra!

Danny and Sabra were the final two as I suspected.

The winner is... Sabra! And she is the first female to win "So You Think You Can Dance".

I know, I didn't like her at first. But in the 3rd or 4th week I saw that she was my top girl. Yeah Sabra!

I enjoyed the variety of dance styles on the show. It has inspired me to expand my Zumba repertoire. So watch out!

The Final Four

Tonight was the final "So You Think You Can Dance" performance.

I must say that I enjoyed Sabra and Lacey's dancing together AND Danny and Neil dancing together. It was refreshing to see the same-sex pairs than the partnering that we've been seeing.

I really don't know who's going to win! It really could be anyone. But I think Sabra and Danny are the female and male that are most deserving.

We'll see tomorrow!

Final week of “So You Think You Can Dance” this week.

Pasha and Lauren went home today. So we're down to the final four for Wednesday's performance. Sabra is still my pick for the WINNER!

Greek pizza


RECIPE
spaghetti sauce
mozzarella cheese
chopped fresh spinach
tomatoes (chopped, mixed w/ garlic + basil)
artichoke
red onion
olives (I don't like olives on mine)
mediterranean feta cheese
more mozzarella cheese on top ^.^
Put everything on pre-made pizza crust like Boboli thin pizza crust

Bake on wire rack until cheese I melted. (350 degrees)

week 7: loosing weight in a sensible way

GET MOVING
Regular activity burns calories, builds muscle, reduces your risk of disease and sharpens your mind.

• MOVE MORE ALL DAY LONG. Go for a walk around the block. At work, instead of sending e-mail, get up and visit your colleagues.

• BUILD UP TO 10,000 STEPS A DAY. To get started, wear a pedometer and figure out how many daily steps you typically take. Then, every couple of days, add 500 extra steps until you reach 10,000.

• TRY MORE CHALLENGING ACTIVITIES, once you’ve boosted your fitness level. Try coming to Zumba class twice a week instead of once a week. ^.^

tips from, "fitness" magazine

week 6: loosing weight in a sensible way

STEP SIX: CUT 100 CALORIES A DAY
Cutting just 100 calories daily is enough to help you loose up to 10 pounds a year.

• WORK ON ONE THING AT A TIME. Your brain looks for consistency. Big changes triggers fear and you’ll avoid making any kind of change.

• PRACTICE THE FOUR-DAY STRATEGY. Focus on one change for about four days, then pick another. Reward yourself after the four days like a few new songs on your iPod.

• HOW TO DO IT. Here are 25 100-calorie saving substitutions. It's so painless!


tips from, "fitness" magazine

Almond-oat energy bites


This raw food dessert is SO YUMMY!

RECIPE
2 1/2 cups rolled oats, divided
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds divided
1/2 cup raisins
2 Tbs. raw sunflower seeds
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup almond butter
1/3 cup + 1 Tbs. honey
2 Tbs. raw agave nectar
1 tps. vanilla extract

1. Grind 1/2 cup oats + 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds in food processor until powders. Transfer to medium bowl; set aside.

2. Combine remaining oats, remaining pumpkin seeds, raisins, sunflower seeds + cinnamon in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients until soft dough forms.

3. Place bowl in freezer for about 20 min. to set. It'll make it easier to roll the balls. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Coat balls in oat-pumpkin seed powder. Place in freezer 20 min. to set, then serve or store in the fridge.

makes 24 balls

per ball: 148 cal; 5g prot; 6g total fat (1g sat. fat); 21g carb; 0mg chol; 2mg sod; 2g fiber; 8 sugars

Tonight was results night of “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Good-bye to the breakers Sara and Dominic. I thought Sara would have developed more. And it's time for Dom to go.

I must say I truly enjoy the show because I love all styles of dance so much. I wonder what next week will bring!