this week in ZUMBA

• Monday and Wednesday ZUMBA will be another mix of Latin/Indian.
• Tuesday ZUMBA will be another mix of hip-hop/R&B.

On Saturday May 16th I'll be getting ZUMBA certified again for a ZUMBA Basic Level 2 certificate!

On December 10th, 2006 I was trained in the four basic rhythms: merengue, salsa, cumbia and reggaeton. In the Basic Level 2 course I'll learn belly dance, flamenco, tango and samba. Well, we already do belly dance and some flamenco and samba. But we haven't done any tango. So it'll be good to learn some new things and be refreshed on others.

And did you know there is ZUMBA Gold, which focus on senior citizens and features the ZUMBA Chair workout. There is ZUMBA Toning that incorporates the unique rhythmic ZUMBA Toning Sticks. And ZUMBA Kids and Aqua ZUMBA is being developed now! WOW!

One more thing... I think the "only in a Woman's World" series by Frito Lay Snacks is so funny! I love that the four characters are different ethnicities.


The situations they put the characters in are super silly! (Sorry the video is a little chopped off, I tried resizing it).

The site is SO CUTE! You can watch the 7 webisodes, send e-cards and you can even make yourself one of the girls! Here is me:

It was so fun making her!

She so looks like me and she even has my fav Flat Earth chips. HA!

switch-a-roo!

Ok... some folks missed out on hip-hop /R&B last Tuesday so I'm going to do it again!

• Monday and Wednesday ZUMBA will be hip-hop/R&B.
• Tuesday ZUMBA will be Latin/Indian.

I figure I'd do the classes on a two-week rotation so no one will miss out.

Hope to see you there!

P.S. I just HAVE to include a video that I saw on one of my friend's blog. Just watch the little boy. HA!


Oh... one more! This is my FAV...

what's the theme?

Monday and Wednesday ZUMBA will be Latin/Indian.

Tuesday ZUMBA will be hip-hop/R&B.

Hope to see you there!

ZUMBA 3 times a week!

I'm so excited to teach ZUMBA 3 times at week at Scott's Fitness 3.0 location. The Tuesday and Wednesday classes have been packed, so I'm glad to offer another day.

Remember... starting next week (4/27). There will be class Monday, Tuesday AND Wednesday @ 5:30p. My plan is to do my regular class of mixed genres on Monday and Wednesday. But on Tuesday do a theme day like all hip-hop and R&B, or all 80s. That would be fun!

See you there!

new playlist

Hey! I've added a new playlist! And my Zumba mix CD is in the works (for real). So stay tuned!

And... don't forget. Monday classes start at Scott's Fitness on April 27th!!!

online recipe community

Today I ran across this cool online recipe community called the Mixing Bowl. (Logo is too cute!!!)

Not only can you find recipes you can join recipe groups, put up your food photos and recipes, look at blogs AND there are contests! Man I missed the cupcake contest :(

Mixing Bowl is like a food-Flickr! I refuse to get on Facebook, so my blogs, Flickr and now Mixing Bowl are my places to get my Internet connections on.

I can't wait to put up my photos and recipes from Flickr EATS section, find some new vegetarian recipes and get into some contests to win some cash prizes!

Leg Magic on sale

I was in CVS today and the Leg Magic was on sale for $49.99!

I think I paid at least $100 for mine :(

CLASS UPDATE

At the end of April I will be teaching ZUMBA exclusively at Scott's Fitness.

Beginning April 27th, there will be class Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays @ 5:30-6:30p.

Capiora

I've introduced Capiora in one of our Zumba routines. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form that makes a ritual of movements from martial arts, games, and dance. Participants form a circle, and take turns either playing musical instruments, singing, or ritually sparring in pairs in the center of the circle.

The basic Capiora step we're doing is called Ginga.

Here is the proper way to do Ginga.

from the Zumba Instructors Network

I want to share part of my Zumba Instructors Network (ZIN) March 2009 newsletter...

"Dear ZIN Member,

With the world in midst of chaos, people are turning to Zumba for an escape. For one hour, they choose to forget, dissolve their worries, get rid of their frown lines and replace them with smiles. They choose us to reenergize, revamp, and restore faith in their lives. They choose to feel the music as opposed to feeling their daily struggles. They choose Zumba.

The title Zumba Fitness Instructor now goes beyond teaching. We have been charged with the responsibility of not only educating, but giving our students something to look forward to amidst all their struggles. We must be present. This is the time to step up our role and become indispensable in our student’s lives. It is not enough to merely show up and teach a Zumba Fitness class; it is our duty to take them to that OTHER place; that magical land of Zumba where nothing else exists but music and movement, where the only thing that matters is the moment, where an uncontrollable surge of life revitalizes your mind, body and soul. This is our obligation. Our students come to us to feel alive.



Yours in Zumba,

The Zumba Staff"

WOW!

I truly hope my Zumba class gives you a place where you can let loose and have fun. Sometimes while I'm teaching I catch a glance at yall laughing, smiling and having a good time. That means so much to me and makes me have more fun too!

Once again I just like to say thanks for coming to class and doing you.

OMG!

OMG... my iPod died at Wednesday night's class! So I thought...

We were at the end of our last set before "Jai Ho" and the cool down and boomp... my iPod stopped! I thought it was dead. But when I got home I realized that it just needed charging. (Damn... I thought I was gonna get a new iPod out of the ordeal). Out of the 2 years and nearly 3 months that I've been teaching my iPod never cut off on me.

From now on I'll make EXTRA sure my iPod is charged. I apologize Wednesday class for shorting you on your workout, and thanks for being so understanding.

But wait there is a new iPod that speaks! Will it tell me, "hey I'm about to run out - charge me!"


See you next week!

SPRING AHEAD

Saturday we had to turn our clocks ahead. Loosing an hour is sad, but I'm SO HAPPY for more daylight. Before we know it darkness won't come until 9:30pm. But for now spring is coming and time for some spring cleaning!

You can burn serious calories during a marathon cleaning session. Here are a few jobs that work major muscle groups, and how many calories you're burning by completing each task. And because we think a sound mind should go with a strong body, we've included a few easy ways you can make that cardio-cleaning more eco-friendly.

Activity	Works	Burns	Make It Green
Mopping floors	Shoulders, biceps	112 calories/ 30 minutes	Try Method’s new OMop All Floor Starter Kit, which includes a mop, a washable cleaning pad and a nontoxic floor cleaner. $30; methodhome.com.
Painting	Arms, core	288 calories/ 60 minutes	Several brands now offer zero-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints, which are better for the planet. For a wide range of colors, go to yolocolorhouse.com.
Gardening	Arms, back legs	256 calories/ 60 minutes	Reuse waste, garden organically, and reduce water consumption with the products available at naturemill.com, terracycle.net and cyber-rain.com.
Cleaning gutters	Shoulders, upper back, arms, legs	320 calories/ 60 minutes	Bag the leaves in BioBag’s 100 percent biodegradable and compostable 33 Gallon Lawn & Leaf Bags, made from corn. $5.19; biobagusa.com.

from fitness magazine

Hungry Girl

Hey.. I found this blog/site today called Hungry Girl.

A woman named Lisa is Hungry Girl. She considers herself a foodologist because she's obsessed with food and tried every diet. She shares her food tips on how to make things more low cal. She's a nutritionist or a doctor. Just a woman providing food informations from her own personal experiences.

I found some pretty useful things on her site. I like that she has many vegetarian options. You can even ask her questions!

new routines!

Hey Zumba folks! Be looking out for some new Zumba routines over the next couple of weeks! Especially my salute to Oscar winning Slumdog Millionare, Jai Ho. I love the ending credits dance! So fun...



We've already been doing some Bollywood / belly dancing routines. So I figured why not add another one!

Valentine chocolate

I was trying to find some low-cal chocolate Valentine treats to feature. But no luck. Forget it! Who can resist a chocolate heart?!?

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's day and ate all of the chocolate your heart desired! (I did!) We'll work it off in class... I promise.

music

I've been getting requests to post my class playlist. Well here it is!

This isn't EVERY song. I figure I'd just list the songs I'm using for the month. Also many of the iTunes songs are not the versions that I use in class. My husband is a DJ so I get a lot of my remixes from him.

I've been thinking of making a CD to sell for like $5. But I'm not sure how to compose the CD. I'd hate for someone to buy it and there aren't that many songs on there that they like. I have several song categories:
• Latin
• Indian
• hip-hop
• pop
• other (country, African, etc).

I'm not sure if I should make CDs by genre or mix it up like my classes. Please comment on this post and let me know!

The T-Mobile Dance

This put a big smile on my face...

Just imagine you're waiting for the train and the person next to starts joining in the dance routine! Maybe we should do a spontaneous "Fame" inspired Zumba in the Crossroads during a 1st Friday. HA!!!

*** record number ***

We had a record of 40 people in Scott's Fitness Zumba today!!!

Thanks for your love and support!

what I eat for breakfast

Awhile ago my husband started to purchase MIX 1 drinks from Whole Foods. He buys 12-15 (however many is in a case) at a time! I LOVE to have one for breakfast with a handful of nuts and dried berries.

I'm not a big breakfast person, so a MIX 1 drink is just enough for me. It has 15 grams of protein and 200 calories.

Flavors include blueberry, lime, mango, tangerine (not pictured), and mix berry. All are equally yummy!

a healthy snack

I LOVE popcorn! I saw this recipe in Fitness magazine as a healthy snack.

If you eat more than one serving is it still healthy?




INGREDIENTS
2 tsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tbs. very finely grated pecorino Romano cheese
1 100-calorie bag microwave popcorn
Black pepper

DIRECTIONS
In a small skillet, saute garlic in olive oil over medium heat until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Make popcorn according to package directions. In a large bowl, combine popcorn and cheese. Drizzle in the garlic and oil, sprinkle with black pepper, and toss well.

eight years ago...

Two gals from one on my Zumba classes asked me if I used to be a dancer.

Well... sort of.

When I was a toddler my mom sent me to dance class. Ballet, tap, gymnastics, baton. I hated baton 'cause I kept hitting myself with it. And I could always do the routine alone in my bedroom, but not in class. Timing with the baton never worked itself out.

I was too much of a scaredy-cat for gymnastics. And my upper body wasn't strong enough to hold myself up on the double bars. I could never get across the monkey bars on the playground either.

So I stuck with ballet and tap for a very short time. Plus I was a little black girl at this white dance school and they weren't bringing it. Let's just say they were a little stiff. I thought the lessons were a waste of my parent's hard earned money so I told my mom I didn't want to go back.

I did choreograph my own contemporary ballet number for my 3rd grade talent show to Strawberry Shortcake's version of "Over the Rainbow." That is when I developed my trademark one-handed round-off cartwheel into the splits. Ah, the crown loved it!

In junior high and high school I was a cheerleader. But it wasn't until my junior and senior year I was on the dance squad.

I always had an appreciation for dance, but I never formally trained. In my mid 20s I was living in Detroit and I joined this black dance school called City in Motion (they are no longer open). They had an adult class and the children there were super talented.

Many of the ladies in the class were parents of the students there. Our teacher was a Rockett and she decided to make us into a competition group. I was 26 at the time and my other friend was a couple of years younger than me. The other women were in their 30s and early 40s. But we rocked it! We even beat out some young 18-year-olds.

Our song was a remix of Whitney Houston's, "It's Not Right But It's Okay." So we had attitude! At the finale of our routine I did my trademark one-handed round-off cartwheel into the splits while everyone posed behind me.

I can't believe that was 8 years ago!



And yes... I can still do my trick :)

Happy MLK day and Inauguration day!

my new year's resolution

I hate my thighs. So last winter I bought a Leg Magic machine. This thing works your inner thighs better than the machine in the gym! But I never used my Leg Magic consistently.



So my new year's resolution is: after every Zumba class I teach I go home, put on my headphones, and get on the Leg Magic for one song.

This is my 3rd week and I can already tell the difference!

new warm up

I've been working on some new routines for 2009. Britney Spears, "Circus" is part of the new warm up.

Watch the official video.

THANK YOU!

I'd like to take time out and thank everyone that has attended ZUMBA this year. It means so much to me when I look out into the class and see all of your smiling faces. Sometimes I can't believe you're all excited to take class from little 'ole me! I just do what I do and I'm glad yall have fun!

THANKS!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

peppermint patty “hot toddy”


ingredients
1 oz. peppermint schnapps
½ oz. créme de cacao
1 tsp. créme de menthe
5 to 8 oz. hot chocolate
About 1 oz. whipped cream
Shaved chocolate

directions
Pour liqueurs into a glass mug, fill with hot chocolate and top with whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate shavings.

from the Winter 2008 issue of The Nest

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Riesling Baked Pears

A unique low-calorie holiday treat (241 calories per serving). Here are the pears I made:

Here is the recipe. I followed it exactly. ENJOY!

Dance Flick

A Wayans Brothers movie spoof on all of the dance movies. Looks silly!


In theaters February 2009.

inspiration

Now that we've pigged out on Thanksgiving dinner holiday parties are around the corner. Christmas dinner and New Year sweets and champagne are near.

Well here is some inspiration to stay on the workout train...

Ernestine Shepherd, 71, trains women five times a week. With 10 percent body fat, Shepherd is 5-foot-5 and about 130 pounds of inspiration to her clients, many of whom she includes in her routine of walking or running, which begins at 4 a.m.



Geez! She is amazing!!!

Her full story here.

CLASS UPDATE!

Starting December 2 there will be Scott Fitness Zumba on Tuesdays AND Wednesdays. Two days in a row! Can you hang?



NOTE: I'm not going out of town for the holidays so there WILL be class Thanksgiving eve 11/26 AND Christmas eve 12/24. So I'll see you there if you're in KC!

The 10 Healthiest Foods on the Planet: #10

Ok. This is the last superfood. Hopefully you've tried some and just maybe you'll add them to your Thanksgiving dinner! Hmmm... was sweet potato pie on the list?

Beans


Why They're Healthy:
• Eating a serving of legumes (beans, peas, and lentils) four times a week can lower your risk of heart disease by 22 percent.
• That same habit may also reduce your risk of breast cancer.

Quick Tip:
The darker the bean, the more antioxidants it contains. One study found that black bean hulls contain 40 times the amount of antioxidants found in white bean hulls.

from fitness magazine

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

OMG - Beyonce & Justin Timberlake on SNL

CLASS UPDATE!

November, 18th was my last day teaching Zumba @ KCMDT. The studio will have a replacement class. Please check with the studio for details.

November 22nd was supposed to be my last day but I'm participating in a craft show that day.

Paws & Claus

Thanks to all that attended my Saturday class!

The 10 Healthiest Foods on the Planet: #9

We're almost done with the countdown!


Spinach
Why It's Healthy:
• Spinach contains lutein and zeaxanthin, two immune-boosting antioxidants important for eye health.
• Recent research found that among cancer-fighting fruits and veggies, spinach is one of the most effective.

Quick Tip:
Spinach is a healthy -- and flavorless -- addition to any smoothie. You won't taste it! Try blending 1 cup spinach, 1 cup grated carrots, 1 banana, 1 cup apple juice, and ice.

from fitness magazine

Beyonce Stole It

I totally forgot about to blog about this last week.

Ok.. one of my favorite YouTube videos is "Walk It Out" over these old chicks dancing in the 1960s.

It TOTALLY looks like they are dancing to "Walk It Out!

Now. Beyonce has come out with her video to "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)." But HA! She's totally stole moves from the old 60s chicks! Check it out!

The 10 Healthiest Foods on the Planet: #8

Garlic

Why It's Healthy:
• Garlic is a powerful disease fighter that can inhibit the growth of bacteria, including E. coli.
• Allicin, a compound found in garlic, works as a potent anti-inflammatory and has been shown to help lower cholesterol and blood-pressure levels.

Quick Tip:
Crushed fresh garlic releases the most allicin. Just don't overcook; garlic exposed to high heat for more than 10 minutes loses important nutrients.

from fitness magazine

The 10 Healthiest Foods on the Planet: #7

Avocados


Why They're Healthy:
• Rich in healthy, satisfying fats proven in one study to lower cholesterol by about 22 percent.
• One has more than half the fiber and 40 percent of the folate you need daily, which may reduce your risk of heart disease.

Quick Tip:
Adding it to your salad can increase the absorption of key nutrients like beta-carotene by three to five times compared with salads without this superfood.

Try my Guaca-mocka-mole recipe.

from fitness magazine

CLASS UPDATE!

CLASS DATES
• no class 11/1 - I'll be participating again this year in the Crafty Chicks craft show.

• 11/8
• 11/15
• 11/22
• no class 11/29 - Thanksgiving break

November, 22 will be my last day teaching Zumba @ KCMDT. The studio will have a replacement class. Please check with the studio for details.

The 10 Healthiest Foods on the Planet: #6

Walnuts

Why They're Healthy:
• Contain the most omega-3 fatty acids, which may help reduce cholesterol, of all nuts.
• Omega-3s have been shown to improve mood and fight cancer; they may protect against sun damage, too (but don't skip the SPF!).

Quick Tip:
Eat a few for dessert: The antioxidant melatonin, found in walnuts, helps to regulate sleep.

from fitness magazine

What have I been eating lately? Veggie sandwich...



I've been making this sandwich at least twice a week for the past two weeks. I could eat it every day!

Some people can't comprehend only veggies on a sandwich. Well as you see my sandwich ain't skimpy!!!

I vary the veggies and from time to time I may put Morning Star Farms veggie bacon or Smart Deli veggie ham. But I tend to like it all veggie.

I make a grilled cheese with Farm to Market grain bread and provolone cheese (yes, I put butter in the skillet). Once it's nice and toasty I put guacamole on as a spread. Then sliced cucumbers, shredded carrots, sliced tomato, a little red onion, sprout and green leaf lettuce.

Today I added some roasted peppers. I had my favorite spicy thai Kettle chips and a rescue / green tea Vitiman Water.

It's quick, easy and fulfilling. Try it!

The 10 Healthiest Foods on the Planet: #5

Salmon

As a vegetarian I eat fish from time to time. Vegetarians who eat fish are called pesce-vegetarians.

Why It's Healthy:
• A great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to a reduced risk of depression, heart disease, and cancer.
• A 3-ounce serving contains almost 50 percent of your daily dose of niacin, which may protect against Alzheimer's disease and memory loss.

Quick Tip:
Opt for wild over farm-raised, which contains 16 times as much toxic polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) as wild salmon.

from fitness magazine

CLASS UPDATE!

I'll be back at the Hallmark Fitness Center starting Thursday 10/23 at my usual 5:30p time.

Also John Scott put up some cool disco lights for my Wednesday ZUMBA class. It's SO COOL!

The 10 Healthiest Foods on the Planet: #4

Potatoes

Why They're Healthy:
• One red potato contains 66 micrograms of cell-building folate -- about the same amount found in one cup of spinach or broccoli.
• One sweet potato has almost eight times the amount of cancer-fighting and immune-boosting vitamin A you need daily.

Quick Tip:
Let your potato cool before eating. Research shows that doing so can help you burn close to 25 percent more fat after a meal, thanks to a fat-resistant starch.

from fitness magazine

The 10 Healthiest Foods on the Planet: #3

Dark Chocolate

Why It's Healthy:
• Just one-fourth of an ounce daily can reduce blood pressure in otherwise healthy individuals.
• Cocoa powder is rich in flavonoids, antioxidants shown to reduce "bad" LDL cholesterol and increase "good" HDL levels.

Quick Tip:
A dark chocolate bar contains about 53.5 milligrams of flavonoids; a milk chocolate bar has fewer than 14.

from fitness magazine

The 10 Healthiest Foods on the Planet: #2

Broccoli

Why It's Healthy:
• One medium stalk of broccoli contains more than 100 percent of your daily vitamin K requirement and almost 200 percent of your recommended daily dose of vitamin C
• Broccoli has two essential bone-building nutrients.
• The same serving also helps stave off numerous cancers.

Quick Tip:
Zap it! Preserve up to 90 percent of broccoli's vitamin C by microwaving. (Steaming or boiling holds on to just 66 percent of the nutrient.)

from fitness magazine

The 10 Healthiest Foods on the Planet: #1

These 10 superfoods are proven, expert-beloved disease fighters and energy boosters. Add them to your meals and get on the fast track to a super-healthy body. Every week I'll feature a new food.

Lemons

Why They're Healthy:
• Just one lemon has more than 100 percent of your daily intake of vitamin C, which may help increase "good" HDL cholesterol levels and strengthen bones.
• Citrus flavonoids found in lemons may help inhibit the growth of cancer cells and act as an anti-inflammatory.

Quick Tip:
Add a slice of lemon to your green tea. One study found that citrus increases your body's ability to absorb the antioxidants in the tea by about 80 percent.

from fitness magazine

WHERE DOES THE TME GO?

I'm back from my wedding break, but half of September is gone! Where does the time go?

Well I'm going to be working on adding some new ZUMBA routines and making some CDs of the remixes I use.

There was a GREAT turnout at Wednesday's and Saturday's class! I appreciate all of the continued support and excitement.

See you this week!

P.S. I'm Mrs. Jeanee Duval now!

Wednesday's ZUMBA @ SF 3.0

HEY! We're finally moving to the new bigger and better Scott's Fitness 3.0 location starting TODAY 9/10!

It's just off of the Southwest Blvd and Broadway area. Kinda around the corner from Lu Lu's.


This is where we'll be having ZUMBA. Looks cool huh?!?

SF 3.0
2020 Washington
Kansas City, MO

See you @ 5:30p!

CLASS UPDATE!

KC Metropolitan Dance Theatre
• No class 8/30
• Fall session begins 9/5 - owner, Kim Jones will sub that day. I'll be in Vegas getting married.

Scott Fitness
• All classes will continue on. No holiday or wedding break (I'll be here on Wednesdays).

I'm taking a blog break as I go off and get married. I'll be back posting on 9/15.

Black Forest Banana Split Recipe

This banana split recipe proves that you can eat healthy and still enjoy it. Top banana halves with ricotta cheese, cocoa powder, and a cherry for a delicious dessert. Tip: Get fresh ricotta cheese from your local Italian deli for a special occasion.

Nutrition facts per serving:
377 calories
23g protein
40g carbohydrate
11g fat (1.5g saturated)
3.5g fiber

RECPIE:
makes 2 servings

INGREDIENTS
2 cups nonfat ricotta cheese
2 bananas, split lengthwise
16 halves walnut halves
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons cherry concentrate

DIRECTIONS
Spoon ricotta into a dessert dish and place a banana half on each side of the cheese. Put the walnut halves on top and dust with the cocoa powder. Drizzle the cherry concentrate on top.

from fitness magazine

MUSIC

Since last summer I've been using Calabria 2007 - Enur feat. Natasja, and remixes, as the "party song" before the cool down in my Zumba classes. So it was cool to see the song used in a Target commercial.


This is the original video. Natasja died June 2007 in a car crash in Jamaica.