ALERT!!! IF YOU WASH YOUR HAIR....

Check your shampoo bottle label. I don't know why I didn't figure this out sooner. When I wash my hair, the shampoo runs down my whole body and (duh) printed very clearly on the shampoo label is this warning: FOR EXTRA VOLUME AND BODY!

 NO wonder I have been gaining weight!

Well I've gotten rid of that shampoo and I'm going to start using Dawn dish soap instead. Their label reads, DISSOLVES FAT THAT IS OTHERWISE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE. Problem Solved!!

While we're celebrating the holidays and begin to attend tons of parties, remember Dawn dish soap is only wishful thinking...lol

I wanted to thank you all for attending Curves' Christmas Party. I love to see everyone come together and enjoy eachothers company. Although I arrived late, I noticed the great dishes on the table and all the yummy desserts. I learned we have many talented women at our gym and I hope you all take the time to sell your crafts this week. My boyfriend's father is also crafty and I have set up some of his wood work at the gym. It is all handmade and he does custom orders. I too sell jewelry and will have that displayed on Wed-Fri. Don't forget Dalila will be raffling off items during the week from different vendors.... So please stop by and get some Christmas shopping done :)

I hope you all enjoyed yourselves at the party. Once again, thank you for being such awesome members. If you read my blog and aren't a member, I thank you for reading along :)

Love,
Marysol :)

Jump back on the bandwagon!

Ladies where have ya'll been since the Thanksgiving break?? (crickets, crickets) I miss seeing my ladies from my 6:15,7:00 and 7:30 class. It seems everyone fell off their routine after Thanksgiving. Did that turkey really get at you?? Come on, it can't be that bad...you can't let the turkey win!

I just wanted to send everyone a little message of encouragement.I know that everyone starts to slack off during the holidays and assume they will get back on track after its all over. But the truth is, its harder to get back on your routine than it is to get off. You can't let the holidays win. You all have come a long way and many of you have lost pounds unheard of. Make time for yourself and don't stop coming to class. Our numbers have dropped a lot lately and I know many of  you have children in school programs, plays, choir...etc, so even if it means going for a walk in your neighborhood...DO IT!!! But please don't stop. You tell yourself you will pick back up in January but it's easier said than done. So come on ladies, come join me again for a class filled of fun and hard work. Not to mention... our songs will be changing for the new year.I know I'm tired of the same songs. I don't even like playing the songs on my ipod if its not for class...lol

Many of you have asked about my trip to China. It was GREAT! I had a blast and not to mention I learned so much about the Chinese culture; beginning with them not having any over weight people there. Believe it or not, I was probably the fattest person..sad but true :( For example, I wanted to bring my sister a pair of jeans but when I asked for a size 10 she said... "I'm sorry but the biggest size we carry is an 8" I guess that explains why there aren't any overweight people in China. They wouldn't find anything to wear..lol Over all the food was great, the country is AWESOME and I can't wait to go back.

I know I've been slacking with my blog but I promise to start updating new recipes, workouts and encouragements. Please be sure to follow along and share your thoughts and ideas. I'm always interested in knowing what you all think. Remember, I'm here because of you!! :)

I wanted to share a few pics with you all, I hope you guys enjoy :)

 These are my long lost cousins, we reunite :) ...jk Everyone says I look Asian so I joke about this picture. I hate to admit it but in an awkward way we could be related..lol

                                 Getting prescription glasses for only $30 bucks!

                Street vendors competing for a sale, I managed to negotiate :)

 I shouldn't promote this (b/c we promote healthy living) but these fried dumplings were crazy good and only $1.50 :)

 I couldn't help but to take a picture of this label. The cost for Huggies is 408RMB which equals to $64.00 US dollars

                       They aren't kidding when they say China is crowded :)

I also slacked on the pictures from the Zumbathon which took place in September. I know I thanked everyone for attending this event but I wanted to say it again...THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!... You guys don't know how much it meant to me, the staff and our center. I also have pictures from this event. Here are a few of my favorite ladies getting down :)

 Thank you all once again for making this event possible. I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for you all attending my classes and giving me the encouragement I need to be an instructor. From the bottom of my heart, thanks for being such awesome students...muuuaaah!

xoxo
Marysol :)

What did you do this weekend?

Weekends are too short and weeks are too long...ugh! But I thank God for a new day each day.(not getting religious on you, just speaking the truth) Although I hate that my weekend has come to an end, I wanted to share with you all what I did....

Congrats to everyone who attended Saturday's class and made it through our first 45 minute class. I will have to say I had a blast teaching and I'm so pumped that you all want more. This means all your hard work is paying off and you are able to handle a lot more now. For that reason, I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT want to see anyone with lazy arms or lazy "one,two,cha-cha-chas" ...can I get a woohoo??? I can't hear you (hand on my hear) ...lol  I'm proud of you ladies, keep up the good work. I love the motivation in wanting to up your workout...GO GIRL!

So what else did I do this weekend?? Well I attended Deejay Francis and Marcie Gill's master class. And so you ask yourself... ok, who are they? Deejay Francis is the personal dj to Beto(the Zumba creator) and Marcie...well there aren't any words for this GREAT instructor. She brings so much flavor, dance moves and creativity to her master class. It was AMAZING, she was AMAZING!!!... It was like a big party! Now I know why Marcie has such an amazing body...she can Zumba till she drops. I felt if she taught anymore I would pass out. The entire routine was intense and FUN! She definitely left me wanting more, can't wait for her return to Houston.

Here are a few pics..

                                  Deejay Francis, Marcie Gill & I

                                      Dance off...what you got?

                                        Bring it...........

                                    Everyone jammin' out

     Courtney, a Zumba Instructor in Beaumont, TX. We kept bumping in to one another at different Zumba events and have been pals since! Awesome gal! If you're in Beaumont or have friends in Beaumont look her up!! :)


What else did I do......
     I ended my Sunday by eating at Petite Cafe Mediterranean Grill  and movie night with my mom. If you guys like Mediterranean food, please try it out. It's AWESOME! And if  you're looking for a good movie to watch, you should really check out "The Help". It was sad,funny and a great over all film. Make it a girls night and go watch it, you'll love it!

One last thing ...if you haven't seen the flyer of the charity event I'm a part of please check it out on my blog or on my fb page. Please spread the word and come support a great cause!

Hope my ladies have a great week and I will see you all Tuesday..woot woot!!

xoxo
Marisol :)

Zumba...woot! woot!

The other day a woman walks in to Curves as my second Zumba class is going to begin. She said she wanted to do the Circuit. I offered to set up the circuit for her and she said she would come back later. I asked if she had tried Zumba before and she said "Yes, but I didn't like it". I asked if she had taken my class before and she said, "No but Zumba is just like Jazzercise.I'd rather take a real dance class or do Turbo." I wasn't sure how to reply but being that I LOVE ZUMBA , I couldn't let her leave without trying my class. Zumba is nothing like Jazzercise, not even near it!! Another member and I convinced her to stay, and guess what ????.... SHE LOVED ZUMBA!! I was so happy to hear that she loved the class and now I've added another Zumba fan to the list. Like I always say... Don't knock it  until you try it!

Speaking of Zumba, I wanted to compliment a lot of you women who started the class with me and have lost a tremendous amount of weight.Perhaps you guys don't notice your weight loss but I can list names of people who I've met from day one and are now so much smaller. I don't want to put anyone on blast but I notice many of you stay for both my classes. A few others stay for all three. No matter if you stay for one,both or all three classes I commend you all for your hard work. It's not easy to find the encouragement to workout each day. Showing up to class says a lot about you as an individual. It shows your motivation to wanting to stay fit and healthy! I'm proud of all you ladies. Keep up the good work and thank you for being such faithful members to my class! It means a lot!!!

Since I notice many of you ladies stay for both classes, that tells me you all must want an hour of Zumba. Am I correct? Would you guys like to see Zumba for an hour instead of 30 minutes?? Are we really ready to go ONE FULL HOUR?? If you guys are really up for the challenge; I will talk to Dalila about having an hour class. Perhaps for "trial purpose" we can start the hour class on Saturdays to see how it goes. Please reply to my post if you're interested in an hour class on Saturday....

Don't forget to continue to spread the word about Curves and tell others the great things happening at our gym. I also wanted to remind everyone to spread the word about the upcoming fundraiser for The Lillian Beard Deaf Connection Center. Your support will be greatly appreciated.


Now lets Zumbbaaaa!!! Wooot....I can't hear you???


xoxo
Marisol

The Lillian Beard Deaf Connection Center

Many know me only as your Zumba instructor but what many don't know is that I am a Sign Language interpreter. I, along with my business partner, own a company called KelMar Services, LLC. We assist people who are deaf and hard of hearing find employment. It is the most rewarding job but also very stressful. People are still not open minded about hiring people with disabilities so for me its an everyday struggle to fight for opportunities within the deaf community. My office is located inside the Lillian Deaf Connection Center. The center offers a variety of classes to the deaf community. We offer ASL classes, Drug and Alcohol counseling, Computer skill classes and much more. However, everyone who teaches at the center is a volunteer and in no way compensated monetarily for their hard work. It takes garage sales, movie nights and fundraisers to raise money to keep the center running.

I'd like to invite all my Zumba lovers out to join us for a Zumbathon benefiting the Lillian Beard Deaf Connection Center. Please spread the word and help us raise money to keep our center running.

Date: September 17,2011
Time: 4-7pm
Cost: $12.00(pre-sale) $15.00 at the door
Location: The Lillian Beard Deaf Connection Center
9920 Long Point
Houston, Tx 77055
www.lillianbearddeafcenter.org

For more information or if you're interested in purchasing a ticket, please contact me at 832-744-7790. Your support will be greatly appreciated. Spread the word and bring your friends and family to support a great cause!

Movie Stars & Technology....

Thank God for younger cousins! I don't know what I would do without my little cousin, Ashly. I say little because I'm the oldest of 16 grandchildren and I see them all as "little" cousins(Even though she's like 22). I want to thank her for all her help. She taught me how to start my "zumba fan page" So for the sake of all the work she put in... be sure to get on and like my page.

The banner you see on my blog was also designed by her. I'm sure you guys have seen her come in and out of the gym to take pictures of us. She is wonderful, I don't know what I would do without all her help.Not to mention, she's also the person editing our "zumba kid party" videos so that I can upload them on my youtube page. So parents, please be patient as she works on making these videos the best.

Since I've learned so much from her, I've learned to do a few things on my own(with her guidance). I finally made a movie clip of the videos we recorded a while back. They are finally ready!!

Please click on the links below to view the members Zumba-ing with Marysol. Thank you guys for being such great sports and appearing on my videos. You guys are AWESOME!!!

Click on the links below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jynib_9FzAA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB1SJIJwk_k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzBTUfnltvk

So with that said.... Enjoy these videos starring Curves Members!
(make sure you ask for their autograph) ... :)

xoxo
Marisol :)

Updates, updates and more updates!

(loud sigh)...FINALLY! Some free time to update on all that went on this past weekend. As I mentioned in class, I attended my first Zin Jam from Dorie Wexler. She lost 70lb on Zumba and boy did she look great. I was impressed not only with her shape but with her sense of style, teaching method and all the good ideas she had to offer. I love a person so willing to help and she definitely made sure you left her class with lots of knowledge. I wish she lived here in Houston, I'd attend more of her Zin Jams but for now I will take in what I learned and will bring it to class soon! I didn't get a picture with her but if you have a chance check out her website.
www.zumbawithdorie.com

The second zumba event I went to was not a Zin Jam, I was confused. It was a zumba session that was open to the public.I wish I would have known so you all could have joined us. This event was opened to the public at the YMCA in Cinco Ranch. They had amazing guest teachers as well and although it wasn't a learning session, I got a great workout. Here is a picture of Dalila and I with the guest instructors.

Upcoming events: Saturday, August 20th we are hosting our back to school Zumba Kids Party. It will begin at 1pm-3pm. Kids must be between the ages of 4-12 years old. If you are a member of Curves, this event is free. If you are a non-member the cost is $5.00(per child). There will be pizza, drinks, games and most importantly ...ZUMBA!!! Please be sure to sign your child up and reserve a spot.

Now let's ZUUMMBBAAAA!


xoxo
Marysol

How hard do I need to work out??

Ever wonder how much you need to work out to burn off that fast food you had earlier in the day? Or that piece of chocolate that called your name all day long? Well with Zumba you should be able to burn a minimum of 500 calories. I know it doesn't sound possible but it does happen. That is why it's very important that we do each step in the routine. It doesn't matter if you do it at low impact or high impact the goal is to keep moving. So remember ladies, each time you attend class the amount of energy you put into the routine will be the amount of calories you burn.

I know we don't always like the songs I pick but I promise that each move I put in serves a purpose. I've attached a link that gives a little info on putting all you got into your workouts. I hope it helps :)

<a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com

/health/exercise-intensity/SM00113">Exercise intensity: Why it matters, how it's measured</a>

** copy and past the link into your web browser**

Updates:I will be attending 2 different Zin Jams this Saturday. What are Zin Jams?? Its a 3 hour workshop with new moves to teach your classes. I'm hoping to get some new moves. 

Next on the agenda is the Zumba Kid Party: We will be hosting our back to school Zumba Kid Party on August 20th from 1-3pm. Kids must be between the ages of 4-12.There will be pizza, drinks and lots of Zumba! Please tell your family and friends about the event. The event is FREE for members and $5.00 for non-members.

Party in Pink: We will be hosting a "Party in Pink" party to help raise money for the Susan G Komen Cure. Many of you don't know but this is really dear to my heart. My mother is a breast cancer survivor. She finished radiation this May and boy did we celebrate. Her hair is finally growing back and slowly but surely, life is getting back to normal for her. So help us make this party a success for those who have a friend or family member who has experienced this SUCKY disease!Let's help continue to find a cure!!

Date: TBA

One last thing... thank you guys for being such great members. Continue to tell your friends about us and and invite them to Curves. Also, please stay connected. Follow me on twitter, like my facebook page or simply read my blog. Let's make a supportive community. Share your experiences. I always say...you never know when someone may going through the same issues as you. What better way to find support???

Now let's ZUMBAAAA!!!... I can't hear you!

xoxo

Marisol

18 Secrets of the Super Motivated Fitness: self.com

 What a day! I don't know how on earth I managed to catch a cold in the middle of summer. I have this odd thing that happens to me when I catch a cold. I've never heard anyone else say they experience the same(unless your my mom or sister)but for some odd reason, my right eye continuously waters. I'm not sure if its the sneeze that triggers it but it happens each time. So now you ladies know why I showed up today with one wicked eye. I will say I had no motivation to work out. I had a pounding headache and I was embarrassed for everyone to see my retarded eye. However, my body didn't ache so I told myself to go for it. There are so many of you all who really look forward to the workout and I couldn't leave you all hanging. You guys are as much motivation to me as I am to ya'll.

Remember when I told ya'll I wanted to lose weight by the time the convention was here? Ok so I managed to lose some but I didn't really reach my goal. So now I've decided to set a new one. In 3 months I will be 30. I know it's young but I want to start my 30's healthy. I'm not looking to be skinny, I'm simply looking to be in shape. If I lose some pounds along the way, GREAT! But my goal is to be in shape, toned and fit!

Now I'm not one to ask for gifts on my birthday. However,this year I'm going to ask that all my members give me their full commitment to getting in shape(that will be my gift). I want you all to really focus, eat right and work out at least 3x a week. I don't care if you walk,run or join me for Zumba but you need a minimum of 3 days of exercise. Now with exercising comes eating right and staying away from the foods we love most. So on October 8th, I want everyone to weigh in. We'll add up the total number of pounds lost within all the members and I will think of some sort of reward. I'm not sure what I will come up with but I will come up with something creative as a reward. So what do you say....are you in??

Today I realized that no matter how much I enjoy working out, I still get unmotivated. For that reason, I couldn't miss class because you all are my motivation. However, I can't do it alone so I found this great article to help us all stay focus. Click on the link above to find ways to stay motivated.

Great job today guys. There were 2 new dances and you all did great. Don't get frustrated, you will get it. It's just like all our other dances when we first learned them. Now let's zumbaaaa!

xoxo
Marisol :)



18 Secrets of the Super Motivated Fitness: self.com

Zumba with Marysol's photostream

zumbawithMarysol's photostream on Flickr.

It was a great event, the Kids Zumba party was a success. Originally we had 5 kids sign up and by 8:15pm we had 19 kids arrive. We have no idea where they came from but we were happy to have them. It was the most adorable thing to watch these kids follow the Zumba steps. I had children ranging from 4-13 years old. It was great watching all the children willing to dance. Even the boys got into it. Videos to be posted soon :)

This was definitely a success. We look forward to the next one. More information coming soon...Now let's Zumbaa!


xoxo
Marisol :)

The Article...

Food for Thought

Mark Bittman offers eight new rules for healthy eating. By Mark Bittman Image by Rita Maas From the October 2009 issue of Runner's World

Eat what you like, but think about proportion

Americans eat more doughnuts, soda, and chips than real food. While you should continue to eat the foods you like, eat them moderately and concentrate the majority of your diet on foods that are naturally low in calories (low-fat junk foods can be pretty high in calories, and even low-calorie junk foods add up quickly, too). Don't fall into the trap of thinking about foods as "good" or "bad"—nothing is evil, or is going to hurt you in moderate proportions; similarly, no one food is going to save you.

Make it Happen So how do you find the right proportion? For me, it means eating loads of fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts during the day, and saving meat, processed foods, and desserts for dinnertime. Maybe this method will work for you, too, or maybe you'll find you need a tiny bit of dessert after another meal, or you get less hungry if you have high-protein eggs or other meat with breakfast and not dinner. The key is to experiment until you find what works best for you.

Think plants first

You cannot go wrong relying on vegetables, fruits, nuts, and beans. In general, they contain far fewer calories per ounce than anything else, along with nutrients that runners need. Iron, for example, which helps runners sustain energy and fights fatigue, is found in spinach, green peas, broccoli, kidney beans, and chickpeas—all of which also provide more protein per calorie than animal products (per calorie, cooked spinach has more than twice as much protein as a cheeseburger). Even those plant foods that are relatively high in fat and calories, like avocados and nuts, contain the sort of fat that should be in our diets (namely, mono- and polyunsaturated, which are actually good for your joints—good news for runners) and minimal saturated fat, the unhealthy kind that's been linked to increases in the risk of heart disease.

Make it Happen Set goals that are going to help you cut back on animal products, processed foods, and junk foods—as well as help you load up on vegetables, fruits, nuts, and beans. Here are a few easy changes to incorporate into your routine: Try adding a salad to dinner every night, or going completely vegetarian once a week. I keep a bag of superportable nuts and dried fruit in my desk drawer at work all the time so I don't reach for a bag of chips or an energy bar out of laziness.

Start shopping and start cooking

It's impossible to eat well if you don't shop; it's nearly impossible to eat well if you don't cook. I'm not talking about shopping in farmer's markets (though they're great), and I'm not talking about cooking four-star meals. You should be shopping like your grandmother, which means buying ingredients that are fresh (vegetables) or naturally long-keeping (grains and beans), and cooking like, well, me, which means simply. The recipes in this story are good examples.

Make it Happen Start shopping regularly—twice a week is great (I often wear a close-fitting backpack on runs so I can pick up a few things while I'm out), but once a week will do to keep your kitchen stocked. Few runners have time to cook seven nights a week; but if you cook none now, one would be a good start, and if you cook three now, try to make it five.

Buy and make extra

Once you're shopping regularly, start buying and cooking in bulk. It takes just a little more time to roast or grill three pounds of vegetables than one pound.

Make it Happen Wash, prepare, and cook vegetables, beans, and grains in large quantities that will last all week. It also helps to plan for leftovers; if a recipe is for four and you're only two, that's perfect; or you can easily double recipes and freeze the remainder for a future meal—it's just a matter of thinking ahead.

Don't set goals you can't reach

It's just like running: If you've run a 50-minute 10-K, you wouldn't shoot for 35 minutes the next time around. If you set realistic targets and reach them easily (or at least without too much of a struggle), you're likely to move closer to your ultimate goal than if you set an unrealistic one, try to reach it all at once, and fail.

Make it Happen If you're incredibly motivated—as I was—you might cut your consumption of animal products and processed and junk foods by two-thirds. For many, that's a huge adjustment. If you are intrigued about gradually changing your diet, you might try this: Each day, eat one more piece of fruit and one more vegetable than you do now, and one less serving of processed foods than you do now; each day, eat one more serving of whole grains than you do now; and each week, eat one less serving of animal products than you do now. Take it from there.

Ultimately, animal products are treats

USDA data shows we eat 225 pounds of meat and cheese per person every year—that's up 79 pounds per person just since the 1950s. That's way more than is good for our health. If we reduce our intake by 10 percent, that'd be a terrific first step.

Make it Happen Meat is flavorful, so think of it as a seasoning rather than the anchor of your meal. Use bacon to flavor beans and rice instead of eating a quarter pound of it at breakfast; make vegetable sauce for pasta with some meat, rather than a meat sauce; have that huge steak four times a year—not 20.

Don't worry (too much) about "nutrients"

Many runners are hypervigilant about getting a certain amount of carbs and protein in every meal. They forget that carbs are in everything; if you eat plenty of whole grains, beans, and greens, you're getting enough. Same goes for protein. The only exception is when you're in heavy training, like for a marathon. If you're seriously training, you'll want to eat some extra complex carbohydrates before most runs to make sure your energy levels are high. And throughout the day, get an extra serving or two of protein to repair your muscles from workouts.

Make it Happen Oatmeal is one of my favorite sources of complex carbohydrates, and I usually have a bowl before most runs—but any whole grain will do the trick. If you eat two servings of concentrated protein a day, you'll be fine even if you're training hard: That could be in the form of eight ounces of animal products or one serving of lean meat, fish, or poultry and one of tofu, or for that matter, peanut butter or beans. Remember, "protein" is not synonymous with "meat" or even with "animal products." Per calorie, lentils have nearly the same amount of protein as ground beef.

Don't confuse energy bars with real food

A heavy dose of simple carbohydrates has its place in a runner's diet: namely, during a run. But for recovery, eat real food consisting of protein (preferably plant-based) and complex carbohydrates. While energy bars can be useful in a pinch, most runners mistakenly eat them in addition to—not in place of—an actual meal.

Make it Happen On runs over an hour or so, make sure you have a sports drink like Gatorade or a gel out on the route to keep your energy up. Postrun, skip the 350-calorie protein bar in favor of real food—a slice of whole-grain bread smeared with your favorite nut butter and topped with sliced banana is nearly as simple and much better tasting.

Mark Bittman offers eight new rules for healthy eating. By Mark Bittman Image by Rita Maas From the October 2009 issue of Runner's World

Mark Bittman, avid home cook and author of "How to Cook Everything" and "Food Matters" shares his cooking philosophy—and explains how to create healthy, tasty, and simple meals that will help you run your best.