A Season of Change

For me, September has always been about new beginnings. For 20 years of my life, if we include college and graduate school, it was the start of the school year, complete with a new schedule and new school supplies. It's almost the Jewish New Year, which is a time for reflection on the past year, as well as a time to set intentions for the upcoming year. As the weather changed and the leaves turned colors, it was always the best time of year for me to make changes in my life as well.

In the spirit of new beginnings, I'm back on the wagon in terms of healthy living. Jesse and I had a date at the gym on Sunday (and I am still sore from lifting weights!), we've been taking walks on Shabbat, and I have other workouts marked in my planner. Our fridge is stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables. I'm incorporating a lot more leafy greens into my lunches. I am getting back into a regular yoga practice if it kills me. I'm going back to spinning and Zumba. I'm going to try to get more sleep and journal more often.

This time around--because, let's face it, there have been many times around--I'm focusing on being healthy in a way that is sustainable for a lifetime. Previously, I have wanted to be perfect. One slip up and I was convinced I would be a fat failure for life. I used to refuse invites to hang out with friends if they involved food. This time, I'm focusing on living life but in a better way.

One. day. at. a. time.

30 Before 30 Update: Zumba

One of the items on my 30 Before 30 list was to try out Zumba. It is offered at my gym and I've been wanting to give it a try for years now. Many of you are probably already familiar with it, but for those that aren't, I will just say that it is basically Latin dance aerobics, with high impact and fast-paced moves that are based on salsa, merengue, hip-hop, etc. You can watch a few videos of Zumba here and here .

Last Thursday I finally psyched myself up enough to give it a go. I'd like to thank my 30 Before 30 List (and my boyfriend) for convincing me to let go of the fear and do some of the things that I'd been putting off for ages. Turns out a lot of people LOVE Zumba. There was a line of people waiting to enter that winded halfway around the gym. The room was warm--very, very warm--and very crowded. The teacher entered and immediately began playing some reggaeton-type music. When she started dancing, it looked like the world's best hip-hop dancer fused with a Latin dancer and then put on fast forward. For the first half hour, I was mostly trying to keep up and not get run over by the people around me. Once I got the hang of it, it was a lot of fun!

Upsides of Zumba: It was quick and high impact, so I was definitely sweating and burning some calories. Unlike many other group classes, it was a lot of fun and didn't feel like I was in a workout class. The music really keeps you going. Some of the women in my class said that some songs have defined moves, so if you learn those, it will make future classes easier. If you are one of those people that likes to work out with mostly women, this may be the class for you. There wasn't a single guy in the class of 40-50 students. And lastly, you could probably use some of these moves out on the town.

A few downsides: It can be difficult to see what the teacher is doing. The dances move so fast that by the time I got one down, we were already on to the next one. The fact that it is high impact can be hard on your joints (my ankle, knee and back have been hurting since Thursday).

If you are thinking of trying Zumba: Wear supportive sneakers, take a water bottle and a towel, and stand where you can get a good view of the teacher's feet. Do not try to hang out in the back because you won't see the moves and won't get in a workout. Most importantly, be able to laugh at yourself. A lot.

Have you tried Zumba? What did you think of it?

Sweat and Save 2010

I've been remiss in blogging since mid-December. I immersed myself in an extended vacation, time with the family and enjoying the holidays. As 2010 neared, I also got sick. Nearly two weeks later, I am still battling the end of it but I am finally determined to start my 2010 intentions now (not resolutions--those are made to be broken!). This year I am calling my intention plan "Sweat and Save 2010".

The Sweating Part of the Plan

This is my way of saying that I need to get back into an all-around healthier way of life. My healthy eating habits and workout plan have really gone out the window over the holidays---the holidays being roughly October to now. Oops. I have to get back on track. I am determined to get in all my veggies, water, whole grains, protein and vitamins. I would like to lose some weight. I need the exercise so I can get those endorphins going. I am committing to working out at least 4 times a week. I used to work out 6-7 times a week and there was simply no way to keep that up while working full-time and going to graduate school part-time. I want to try new ways of working out: zumba, running, maybe a new kind of yoga. I feel so much better and happier when I work out on a regular basis so I need a schedule that I can actually do and not feel frustrated. I need meditation, journal writing, yoga and 8 hours of sleep a night in my life in order to stay sane.

The Saving Part of the Plan

I am the worst when it comes to saving money. I like lululemon yoga clothes, shop at Whole Foods and order books from Amazon.com like it is going out of style. Bad. This year I want to pay off my credit cards. I want to open an IRA. I want to make a list of what I spend my money on so I can more clearly see where I can cut back (ahem, lululemon....I'm looking at you!) I want to get ahead because starting in November, I will need to start paying back my (ridiculously enormous amounts of) student loans. I also know that sooner rather than later, I will want things like a car and a house, so I need to start saving NOW.

I can do it. I WILL do it.

Here's to Sweat and Save 2010!

{Photo credit: D Sharon Pruitt}

Is Yoga Enough?

Yesterday I came across an interesting article on the Yoga Journal website: Is Yoga Enough to Keep You Fit?

I try to do some form of cardio and strength training in addition to yoga. I find that I lose more weight, eat better and feel better when I practice yoga more than I do other forms of exercise but I have never given up everything else altogether. It could be the sometimes intense sun salutations. It could be the sense of mindfulness that extends off-the-mat. It could be reduced levels of stress.

I get so many things from my yoga practice but I get different (and important) things from other types of exercise. Would you give up other ways of staying fit and only do yoga?