Steppin’ back in time to lose weight
Confident, yet unprepared, I stumbled into my first step aerobics class in 14 years.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dad Vents
In four years of working out at our gym, I have rarely made it there early enough to attend classes. But a few weeks ago, in an effort to avoid germy children in the childcare area, I got there super early. (I figured fewer children, fewer chances of my baby getting sick.)
The woman dropping off her child in front of me said she was headed to a class. I was surprised that I might actually be on time for one and asked what class it was. They said, “Step.” I said with confidence, “I used to do step in college. I can do that.”
For any woman that grew up in the ’70s and ’80s, headbands, leotards and Olivia Newton John were all de rigueur. We were the aerobics generation.
In elementary school I would listen to my mother’s workout record (long before Jane Fonda’s aerobic video tapes), and prance around the room to Billy Joel’s “Just the Way You Are,” the cool-down song. In middle school, I actually took a PE class where we designed an aerobics routine to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”!
In college, the new aerobics trend was step. If you went to the University of Georgia in the early ’90s then you probably saw me in the step class at the O’Malley’s fitness club/bar. (They played the same music for the bar as the gym.) I was the one hiding in the back half-assing my way through the routine.
So with all this experience under my belt I sauntered on into that aerobics class.
I picked a spot in the back, per my normal pattern. I felt like I could keep up stamina-wise and thought I would be sort of familiar with the basic steps. However, I tend to be one kicking the left leg out while everyone else is kicking the right. It doesn’t really affect the workout, but you do look stupid.
Step aerobics started out how I remembered.
Step up, step down. Grapevine left. Grapevine right.
I got it. I’m doing it.
To reinforce my aerobics flashback, the instructor was playing all songs from the ’80s and ’90s. It made me wonder: Can you ONLY do step aerobics to songs from that time period?
We had Salt-n-Pepa “Push it,” and a little “Rock the Casbah.” I think there was some Human League and New Order in there too.
I kept up fine through her warm up but then she started doing stuff I had never seen before. Apparently, there have been some developments in the 14 years I’ve been out of the game!
L step — no clue.
Around the world — also no clue.
Something, something straddle. What? Huh?
Luckily the instructor forgot a big chunk of the routine part way through so she just kept repeating the middle section. It was my only hope Obi-Wan.
So the new — well new to me — innovation in step aerobics is that you work your way around the ENTIRE step. So half the time the class is facing backwards — which doesn’t really work for me for two reasons. A. They’re looking at me doing the routine wrong. B. I can’t watch what the teacher is doing if I’m turned around.
So I just decided to face forward no matter what the rest of the class was doing. I was literally looking front while all 24 other people were turned around facing me.
When I got especially clueless I just sort of danced in the back and sung along picturing myself at O’Malley’s at night.
The good news is I don’t embarrass easily, and I figured as long as I kept moving I was still getting a workout
Two ladies came over to me during the class to let me know this was the advanced class and there was an easier class on Monday.
I told them I didn’t care if I was off. I had enough stamina just not the coordination.
The teacher came up to me afterward and said I did a good job keeping up and to come back. She apologized for forgetting sections of the routine. I told her that was my favorite part!
How do you stay in shape during the winter? Do you do aerobics? How do you normally fare in the class? Can you keep up with all the new moves? Is it like you remember from ’80s? What is your favorite class to take at the gym?
You can email Theresa at tgiarrusso@yahoo.com. Ideas are welcome!
Permalink | Comments (12) | Post your comment | Categories: Health
The race is on … to finish all your Christmas tasks!
Did you get ahead before Thanksgiving or are you in with the pack?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So we are now officially in the Christmas season — although I’ve been working on it for the last month.
I have a lot of early-bird friends who started making me nervous back at Halloween when they declared their Christmas cards had already come in. And when my mother told me that my sister-in-law was completely done with all her shopping by EARLY November, I decided I needed to get into gear!
As of Thanksgiving, I have my cards in hand ready to address. (Although my printer is on the fritz so I’m trying to decide whether to hand address or buy a new printer — neither sounds fun!) I have all the presents for the big kids (minus one or two stocking stuffers). I have all my husband’s presents and presents for my godson already sent. I am working online on photo presents for the grandparents.
So I need to work on the baby (Does anyone have a gently used Little Tikes outdoor playhouse they want to sell me for cheap?), presents for my niece and nephew, presents for the teachers and bus driver and finish the present for the grandparents. Still a lot of work to do!
My goal is to have most of the work done so I can enjoy the season — baking, making ornaments, watching movies and playing games with the kids.
How do you stand? What is your goal to finish? Do you feel pressure when your friends are finishing up?
Permalink | Comments (25) | Post your comment | Categories: Family Life
Is traveling for Thanksgiving too hard for a family?
Is such a short trip worth the effort?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m hearing from several families that traveling on Thanksgiving seems like a lot of effort for very little time spent with the family they are visiting.
One friend’s husband has to work all Wednesday so they couldn’t leave until late Wednesday night or Thursday morning and then he needed to be back at work by Friday.
Another husband described how his kids had swim practice late Wednesday night and they were leaving at 3 a.m. to make lunch with their family in Florida.
Is the amount of time on a Thanksgiving break enough to allow a family to travel? Is it too much effort for such a short time?
Generally the Christmas break for kids is longer, but do families not want to travel at Christmas because they like to be at their own house Christmas morning?
Permalink | Comments (60) | Post your comment | Categories: Family Life
Teaching kids to be thankful
It’s tough lesson to teach, but this is a year for families to be truly grateful for what they have.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s a tough trick for parents to teach their kids to be thankful for all that they have — especially when they’ve always had everything they’ve needed.
My kids have never missed a meal. They’ve never gone to school on a cold day without a coat and never had to shove their feet into shoes that were too small.
While we don’t buy them everything they want, they have certainly never lacked the essentials. It’s important to us that they know how lucky and blessed they are and how fluid that situation is.
We talk about it often with them at home. We tell them each and every day that they are lucky to have warm food, warm clothes and a warm house. We tell them we are grateful to have jobs, and we want to make wise financial decisions to protect our family. When they go to bed, we thank God for their warm PJs, warm beds and our healthy family.
We want them to understand, without trying to scare them, that especially in this economy, things can change quickly. We want them to appreciate all that we have and also learn to be frugal in such uncertain times.
Sometimes it seems like we’re getting through to them.
Our 5-year-old son recently raised his hand in children’s church to pray for a close relative who is ill. He also wanted to call the relative because he said his heart was sad for him.
However, in that same week, we found the after-effects of an artistic explosion on his walls and door — doodling and writing everywhere.
So he apparently understands to be thankful for his health and to be sympathetic to others, but doesn’t understand to respect his belongings.
Our 7-year-old daughter is very empathetic. Her teacher even noticed that she is easily brought to tears when the class talks about animals or people that are hurt in some way.
However on the other hand, she routinely turns her nose up at meals and wastes food that other children, hungry children, would love to have.
I’m not completely sure how to decide when their behavior is appropriate for their age or when they are being unappreciative of what they have.
I think living in the suburbs makes it harder for children to comprehend those without because they don’t physically see them. When we lived in New York City, you couldn’t leave your apartment without seeing homeless people. You knew they had slept out in the cold that night. You knew they hadn’t eaten a square dinner or breakfast. You also knew they had no place to go to the bathroom. It absolutely made you appreciate all you had and also made you want to help. It heightened your awareness of the needs of others.
I was telling my girlfriend last week that I am searching for good service projects for our family to do together. She reminded me that even small things can make a big impression on the children. She said her Girl Scout troop write “notes of gratitude” throughout the year. The notes are to thank people, other than their parents and grandparents, for helping the children. The troop wrote notes to the maintenance workers, lunchroom ladies and office workers at their schools — people whose services are often overlooked.
Whether through big projects or small, my hope for this holiday season (and beyond) is to further my children’s appreciation and understanding of how blessed our family is and to help them understand it is their responsibility to share their blessings with others.
Are your kids grateful for what your family has? Do they comprehend that others have less? What age do you think they begin to understand these concepts? How do you reinforce those concepts?
You can email Theresa at ajcmomania@gmail.com. Ideas are always welcome.
Permalink | Comments (39) | Post your comment | Categories: Ethics of rearing kids today
Who REALLY is the sexiest man alive?
Who are your latest married crushes? Who are the sexiest celebrity dads?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hey ladies, I have given you some very serious, weighty health stories to read about in my favorite little box, but since it’s Fun Friday I thought we could talk about the sexiest man alive!
People magazine released its list this week of the sexiest men alive and Hugh Jackman was No. 1.
Now Entertainment Weekly argues it should have been Jon Hamm of “Mad Men.”
What do you think? Who are your married crushes these days? Who are the sexiest celebrity dads?
Permalink | Comments (146) | Post your comment | Categories: General Frustrations of Motherhood
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I think the long drawn out election, bad news about the economy and other things have me really dreading the Christmas season this year. I don’t think I am sharp and rested enough this year to care. I dread my sister-in-laws beating their cchest and... read the full comment by SAR | Comment on The race is on ... to finish all your Christmas tasks! Read The race is on ... to finish all your Christmas tasks!
love Jazzercise! i know it sounds cheesy and 80’s but it’s actually a lot of fun. i tried the step class once too, totally not happening!... read the full comment by Razz | Comment on Steppin' back in time to lose weight Read Steppin' back in time to lose weight
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