I went ballroom dancing last night. I go every Thursday, if possible. And I love it. Well, last night was, of course, our Halloween Dance, and everyone got dressed up. It's always a lot of fun. I decided to go in last year's costume, because last year, when I went to zip the d&#n thing up, it refused. The zipper wasn't the problem, though. It was the fact that I had just had my daughter two months before. It was also a real first in my life, where I expected something to fit and it didn't.
So I was getting ready last night, I think I nearly had a heart attack when my husband stopped the zipper halfway up -- to adjust thankfully. But he got it all the way up, and it was an amazing feeling.
Off I went to the dance, and I got a lot of nice compliments. I wore a Mardi Gras mask with the dress (which was an old bridesmaid dress from a friend's wedding), and everyone loved it. Well, it's a cool mask. It's red velvet with gold trim and a green, feathered plume. Who wouldn't love it? I ended up going to Target to pick up a slip to go under my ACTUAL Halloween costume, but of course I couldn't change before I went in... so the dilemma was "Which is weirder? Wearing a bridesmaid gown into Target at 9:30pm? Or wearing a bridesmaid gown with a Mardi Gras mask into Target at 9:30pm?" Since I figured the mask would at least make sure I looked like I was ready for Halloween, I chose Option B.
As I was walking through, of course I got some looks, but for the most part, they were pretty complimentary. A few people even stopped to tell me I looked really nice. One girl loved the mask, and said I looked like I was going to prom, and another woman even called out down the isle, "Wow, you look amazing!" How's that for padding your ego a bit?
So not a bad night at all!
I did still go to the gym today, of course. I did some time on the elliptical, did some weightlifting -- and checked out how nice my biceps are looking these days (let's not discuss the tricep situation) -- and walked 2.5 miles around the track. It's good that the hubby is doing the diet with me, though, because it would be so easy to stop now, when I could still do a bit more.
Showing posts with label ballroom dancing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ballroom dancing. Show all posts
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Audible at the Line, v. Tuesday
So last night, I did not make it to the Step'N Sculpt class. My dance instructor called and said he had a last minute cancellation for 8:45pm, so I jumped on it. I haven't had a lesson in WEEKS, and it's been killing me. Not only that, but hopefully I will also have one on Friday!
I need more stamina though. I run out of energy way before I should, and I start thinking about just stepping and not everything that goes into the step. My muscles also aren't strong enough to give me good control when I'm running out of energy, and between the lack of strength and not thinking about my technique, everything gets really sloppy.
I have a Mini-Match coming up, and I'd like to be able to give it my best. Unfortunately, that means I need more practice, somehow, so I can try to remember the smaller details that make the dances look good. And my posture. Practice would definitely help me with my posture, so I wouldn't look like a turtle humped over all the time. Good posture would also make the turns and crossovers much easier to do and handle. Right now, I'm constantly leaning forward which offsets my center of gravity and makes it nearly impossible to do a decent turn, much less a solo turn when I don't have a partner to depend on.
That being said, I am going to try to hit the spin class tonight, and get in some extra cardio, even though I've already been to the "Walk to Run" Class, and the weightlifting class.
The Walk to Run class was nice this morning. Even though I'm not a runner, it was great to get outside. It was lightly drizzling, and the air was fresh and cool. Just perfect for going outside and getting active and hot. That light sprinkle and cool breeze keep you from getting over-heated, and with it being overcast, it wasn't too bright that I was worried about getting too much sun. When you usually blend in with the drywall, that tends to be a real problem.
The run intervals were perfect though -- 45 seconds of running for every three minutes of walking. But they're going to change, unfortunately. The class is to help people get geared up for running without over-doing it. I don't know if I want to run, per say, but it's definitely good for me to have variety in my workouts, and running definitely counts as cardio. So we'll see how that goes.
I also did the weightlifting class this morning. It's a little depressing to think that at one point I could do a pull-up, no problem, and now it's an effort just to lift my shoulders off the floor when I'm laying down under a bar. But the good news is, for some of the sets, I'm ready to go up in weight. They weren't easy, but I had some more to give. Not all of the sets were that way, of course. Some were insanely hard to get through; some sets my muscles even quit on me -- which exactly what I need. I need to find that upper limit and push it. It's the only way I'm going to increase my stamina and my physical abilities.
Calorie posting will happen later in the week. I've got a little notebook I'm toting around everywhere writing down what I'm eating, so fear not. I'm not going to cheat you. Speaking of calories, I NEED LUNCH!
I need more stamina though. I run out of energy way before I should, and I start thinking about just stepping and not everything that goes into the step. My muscles also aren't strong enough to give me good control when I'm running out of energy, and between the lack of strength and not thinking about my technique, everything gets really sloppy.
I have a Mini-Match coming up, and I'd like to be able to give it my best. Unfortunately, that means I need more practice, somehow, so I can try to remember the smaller details that make the dances look good. And my posture. Practice would definitely help me with my posture, so I wouldn't look like a turtle humped over all the time. Good posture would also make the turns and crossovers much easier to do and handle. Right now, I'm constantly leaning forward which offsets my center of gravity and makes it nearly impossible to do a decent turn, much less a solo turn when I don't have a partner to depend on.
That being said, I am going to try to hit the spin class tonight, and get in some extra cardio, even though I've already been to the "Walk to Run" Class, and the weightlifting class.
The Walk to Run class was nice this morning. Even though I'm not a runner, it was great to get outside. It was lightly drizzling, and the air was fresh and cool. Just perfect for going outside and getting active and hot. That light sprinkle and cool breeze keep you from getting over-heated, and with it being overcast, it wasn't too bright that I was worried about getting too much sun. When you usually blend in with the drywall, that tends to be a real problem.
The run intervals were perfect though -- 45 seconds of running for every three minutes of walking. But they're going to change, unfortunately. The class is to help people get geared up for running without over-doing it. I don't know if I want to run, per say, but it's definitely good for me to have variety in my workouts, and running definitely counts as cardio. So we'll see how that goes.
I also did the weightlifting class this morning. It's a little depressing to think that at one point I could do a pull-up, no problem, and now it's an effort just to lift my shoulders off the floor when I'm laying down under a bar. But the good news is, for some of the sets, I'm ready to go up in weight. They weren't easy, but I had some more to give. Not all of the sets were that way, of course. Some were insanely hard to get through; some sets my muscles even quit on me -- which exactly what I need. I need to find that upper limit and push it. It's the only way I'm going to increase my stamina and my physical abilities.
Calorie posting will happen later in the week. I've got a little notebook I'm toting around everywhere writing down what I'm eating, so fear not. I'm not going to cheat you. Speaking of calories, I NEED LUNCH!
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