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4/18/08
Shake Your Bon-bon!

Have you guys noticed how warm it's getting outside? Mr. Weatherman said that we might reach 80 degrees today! (Of course, tomorrow will only be mid-sixties, but that's Tennessee for you). All this warm weather reminds me of vacation, and vacation reminds me of the beach, and the beach reminds me of swimsuits, and swimsuits remind me of the past 8 months where I sat on my keister and ate potato chips while watching tv. Not good.

I'm not overweight, but I have noticed some extra "fluff" around the old thigh area lately. We'll call it "winter padding". Except it's not winter anymore, so time to do something about it.

Enter: the samba! And the cha-cha! And the rumba! Oh yes Quirky fans, I have joined a dance class...and not just any dance class either...a Latin Dance class! This class has a lot of hip and rear shaking involved, and I just so happen to have plenty of both, so I figure that I'll be a natural. And if it works for Dancing with the Stars, it can work for me too!

Okay, so it turns out that Latin dancing is a whole lot harder than the stars make it look. First you have feet movement, then the hips start doing their own thing, then the arms jump in with yet more movement! And ya'll, I am just not that coordinated. I can get the feet part down if I really concentrate, but when I try to incorporate the hips, it all just falls apart. And the arms? The words "drunken flailing" would be generous. As bad as I am however, I'm having an absolute blast doing it. I find the key is to be able to laugh at yourself (because Heaven knows other people are). And really let yourself get into it. (I like to make up my own arm and hip movements as the music moves me. I call it Latin freestyle. It really confuses the instructor whenever I start improvising, but sometimes you just have to just let go and toss your imaginary bull fighting cape in the air, no matter what people think).

And woo buddy! What a workout! I couldn't move my arms after the first class. But that's okay, because arm movement is overrated anyway. The important thing is that it's good for me, and I enjoy doing it. That's really the key to sticking with something for the long haul. Now suddenly I'm finding myself salsa dancing on my way to the copier. And doing the rumba to the parking garage. And incorporating hip shakes and arm waves into board meetings. (Okay, this last one may be a sign that I should be committed, but the first two? That just means that I can't wait until my next dance class!)

So who cares if I have the soul of a dancer in the body of someone having what resembles an epileptic fit? I like it anyway. And it's important to like your body. Take pride in what it can do! Show it off!


I'll be showing mine off as soon as the Dancing with the Stars people return my many calls.

9 comments:

Amy Beth @ Ministry So Fabulous! said...

Just wanted to say hi! I saw your blog from AM... I'm from Knoxville, too! :)

Rebecca (Ramblings by Reba) said...

I'm not overweight, either, but I have a little "fluff" around my tummy... sigh...

tootie said...

I realized it was almost swimsuit season, too.

The dance class sounds fun! And who cares about how you look when you're dancing, as long as you're having fun!

Anonymous said...

what fun! I'm just not coordinated for the hands, the hips and the feet to all be going off in totally different directions. But I do love me some DWTS!!

Anonymous said...

Isnt it amazing how we start spazzing over a swimsuit? I myself haven't worn a swimsuit in two years. But this year I have a new suit and I have been faithfully going to the gym for two years. I'm ready- I think.

But seriously lift weights. Building muscle increases your basal metabolism which in turn makes it easier to burn excess fat!

Unknown said...

You are hoot...what a treat to read.

Pam B said...

Let me know if Dancing with the Stars returns your calls; they won't return mine either! *sigh*

Love your blog; it's so very orange. You're now on my "list"! LOL

Stacey Moore said...

dance class sounds like fun exercise to me!!

Unknown said...

Shake it girl! That's awesome that you joined a dance class!