Throwback Thursday: LifeTime Fitness Visit

Throwback to the time Christine brought me to Lifetime Fitness as her guest.

I met Christine in Yves Maco's kickboxing class at Equinox in the fall of 2010. She was one of the cool kids in the front of the class. I made it my goal to be one of the cool kids in the front of the class. Soon we were bitching about teaching in the locker room, sharing hair-ties, and kicking synchronized ass front and center. Life was good.

Then Yves left Equinox, I moved back to Manhattan, and Tuesday and Thursday afternoons have never been the same.

Last Day of Vacation

Today is my last day of freedom before returning to work. Thankfully I like my job, so I'm not overly upset, but I have tried to jam as much stuff into today as possible.

Welcome to Operation Reunion Weekend

I went to MC Dance & Fitness for Kick Kamp with Yves this morning. It was great to spend some time with him and Coco. I felt a thousand times better today than the last time I went and my knee didn't really bother me at all. We ran laps in between kickboxing segments and dear lord was that hard. Some of the ladies cut the corners on the laps and I always feel like a tool making sure I hit the truck and then the street sign, but then I tell myself that I'm getting the better workout. It reminds me of sleep-away camp when some of the girls in the older bunks would half-ass boxing class and somehow I was made to feel stupid for my energy and their laziness. Anyway, class was amazing as usual and I loved it.

Everyone takes selfies before class.
I'm loving these Champion bermuda shorts FYI.

I skidaddled on home to call my shrink from the backyard. I kind of prefer our phone sessions because they allow me to chain smoke and avoid eye contact. Nothing new to report on that front. I still don't know how to make friends and the entire world revolves around me.

I housed a large Dunkin ice coffee while on the phone and then drove to Beach Bum Tanning. I don't advise that you consume 32 oz of caffeine and then hop in a tanning bed because I had to pee the entire time and it was not fun. I also think the girls that work there think something is wrong with me because I used their bathroom when I arrived and as I was leaving 16 minutes later.

Behold the Kiwi King!

My usual beds, the P90 and the KBL America, were in use so I used the Kiwi King and I am a big fan. The top is much closer to your face than the other beds but who the hell cares - it reminds me of the old fashioned kind we used in Wallingford. You can adjust the face lamps, which is awesome because I turned them down with 5 minutes to go. My face is a little red on my cheeks and nose to mimic a real tan. The tell-tale fake and bake is a uniform tan across your face so I make an effort to redden up a bit.

Skin brown, teeth white, clothing glowing.

I took a quick shower, dropped by Angel Tips for some waxing, and then headed to Morel Hair Design for a haircut with Jorge. My hair looks great as usual.

Now I'm at Westbury Chrysler waiting for Petunia's oil change and for her AC to be fixed. The air coming out of the vents is even hotter than it is outside and now my blowout is all wind strewn from having to drive down here with the windows open. FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS.

I took this lovely photo of myself using Photobooth. Now I am getting funny looks.

Westbury Chrysler service station has free wireless but it blocks Facebook and PicMonkey. Clearly the two things I wanted.

Kickboxing/Boxing Bootcamp Master Class

Otherwise known as the best 90 minutes of the entire weekend.

On Sunday I went to MC Dance & Fitness for a kickboxing/boxing boot camp master class with Theresa Alini. I had never heard of her (not like that means anything), but if Yves says she good enough to teach a kickboxing master class, she is.

Theresa Alini

From the MC Dance & Fitness invitation:

Theresa Alini has been in the fitness industry since 1989. Her group fitness classes range from Pilates, vbarre, boot camp, strength training, and cardio kickboxing. Her favorite class to teach has been and always will be kickboxing with equipment. As a master trainer for ISCA, her experience has brought her through the United States certifying instructors, trainers and fitness professionals. Standing only at 4 feet 10 inches, her strong voice and big personality makes her a giant in the field. 

The class was freaking awesome. We started off with about 20 minutes of a regular kickboxing warm up. Very Yves-like routine, which you know means "the way it is supposed to be" in my book. We jumped, we punched, we kicked, and then my abs woke up from seven months of slumber.

Then we put on boxing gloves and did a similar routine so that we could feel the resistance. I own my a pretty pair of white boxing gloves, but of course I didn't know that we would need them (Yves, please include a packing list in the invite!) so I had to borrow a pair. A fun fact about me is that I don't like to wear things on my hands because I find it really uncomfortable and distracting. I also prefer gloves to mittens, and boxing gloves are a misnomer.

that's me in the front row, closest to the camera

Then we moved on to sprints, agility work, and focus mitt drills. I don't like to wait in line so I kept sprinting around the room until it was my term to work with Theresa and Yves.

the studio

We used the fitness squares pictured in the top photo. These things are really neat because they have a place for your feet and for your hands. I found it really helpful when practicing my sidekicks. It's also more challenging to stand on the square and keep your balance. You can flip it over and also use it as a sliding disc. There's a patent pending and I expect to see more of these squares soon.

source: Yves Maco

For some odd reason, Yves has yet to realize that he should just film me the entire time. You can see snippets of me in the mirror. That's Jackie in the teal tank.

We finished up the class with jumping rope and stretching. I successfully jumped rope for 10 minutes and only hit myself twice.

New Year's Day 2013

Since I stayed in last night, I was up at 6:44 AM. I can't begin to tell you how great it was to watch a sunrise on New Year's Day when I hadn't been up from the night before. Boycotting New Year's Eve two years in a row have been two of the best decisions I ever made.

I was booked for bike 3 at the Woodbury Equinox to take 8:30 AM spin with Tripp. The first class was solid. There was no place I would rather have been that sweating it out in the front row, listening to Tripp share stories about my fellow spinners and learning more about Cycle for Survival. I am now fully on board for the 50 mile Rock the Ridge Endurance Challenge.

One of the things I love the most about Tripp is how he remembers the songs each person likes and plays them for that person. My song is "Starships" by Nicki Minaj, which is kind of weird because I normally do not like her music. This song just gets me so psyched to spin and I push myself past any wall my legs think they're going to slam against. I love that the breakaways build up, i.e. "Let's do this one last time, can't stop" and then bust out with, "We're higher than a motherfucker," and that throughout the song, the breakaways get closer together. I also love that I can scream motherfucker with little judgement (it's in the song!) because I swear all the time while working out.

With 30 minutes left to class, Tripp advised us to hop off our bikes to sign up for the next class if we were interested in a double. I showed off my running skills on my way to the front desk and was back on my bike in the same song.

What I look like after the 1st class. I forgot to take a post 2nd class photo.

After the first class, I switched to bike 10 and wiped it down with disinfectant wipes. If you're going to double and you have to switch bikes, chances are the cleaning crew isn't coming in so you should clean your own bike. For that matter, if classes are close together, chances are the cleaning crew didn't come in so you should clean your own bike. I also switched into a dry tank top.

The second class didn't have the same "We're all obsessed with Tripp" energy as the first, but I think it was a better class. The music was more to my liking and I warmed up and ready to rock. When Tripp played "Starships" for me during the second class, I felt like I actually brought my A game. I was a little self-conscious the first time because I wasn't attacking the song as strongly as I often do. Part of the reason is that I tend to go into my own world when the song is on - I think I look awesome and can do anything - so having Tripp call attention to me is neat but also a little daunting. I also wear these ridiculously short spandex shorts that ride up my ass and it occurred to me that people's attention had just been drawn to my massive wedgie. So that was kind of a blow to the whole "I look awesome" mindset.

I'm rocking out to "Starships" right now and all I want to do is get back on the bike. A lady in the locker room asked me about Tripp's classes this morning and said she heard he's a talker. After I told her that Tripp's talking inspired me to run 50Ks and now a 50 miler, she was all about taking his Friday class. Tripp is living proof that what you put out to the world impacts others. I don't want to equate his classes to religious experiences, but the things he says reminds me of some of the more poignant sermons I've listened to over the years. I genuinely want to be a better person when I'm in there. This Christmas, I let go off some major resentment and mended relationships with the family members I disowned. The main reason I chose to do this was because of the messages I've heard in Tripp's classes.

Sometimes I look like a crazy bag lady when I leave the gym.

I took a shower and got changed into clean workout clothes. I drove back to my parents' house to eat a quick lunch. I had leftover almond-encrusted tilapia and some dried apricots with a glass of milk. I try not to drink milk anymore but I wanted some quick calories.

I love that bumper sticker.

My sister was back from her NYE party in Westchester, so I invited her to join me at Yves and Coco's #$%@# Loco x2 class. Ninety minutes of Zumba, kickboxing, lifting, and dance. These classes are my absolute favorite.

We left a little early so I could spend some Christmas money at lululemon. I bought two Run: Back on Track tanks and wore one to class. How I lived without this top is beyond me. It is so incredibly flattering.

My sister. She told me I had to write about how cold it was in the studio when we arrived.

The workout was great. Unlike the Thanksgiving class, I hit my hinge kicks and felt like the athlete I used to be. And by some miracle, apparently I can now dance. Kind of. I think it was the top to be honest.

We had to show up early to stake out our spots.

My friend Christine called me right after I took that photo to say that she was on her way. I was so happy to see her! Christine, you better call me to play more often! I just bought 10 classes at MC Dance & Fitness, so let's plan some days when I can use them.

(If you're special, maybe I'll write you direct messages within blog posts too.)

The new top.

Even though the top is soaking wet, I think I still look pretty cute. I also went with my girly ponytail today. You can watch the video on how to create this high-intensity hairstyle here. It's basically a high pony with long bangs pulled to the side. In order to get it to stay, you'll need two bobby pins and two contour clips.

I was starving when we got home and quickly volunteered to go to the grocery store with my dad. I hadn't showered but at least I had changed into a sweatshirt and out of that sweaty top. This is me being freezing cold in the supermarket and looking nuts.

I look like a giant stuffed animal. I am okay with this.

Pre-Turkey Thanksgiving Workout

I woke up Thursday morning at 7:37 AM in Oyster Bay only to remember that the Pre-Turkey Thanksgiving Workout at Yves and Coco's studio started at 8 AM. F*** my life. I managed to get dressed in under 4 minutes, fill my water bottle, and jump in the car. As I got into the car, I remembered that it didn't have any gas. No matter. I drove to Great Neck (over ten miles) on an empty tank anyway. Now I should have only been 4 minutes late for class but I kept driving passed the studio. For anyone else looking to go to MC Dance and Fitness, make a right onto Middle Neck Road South across from the Gulf Station and follow it until it says just Middle Neck Road. Number 222 is part of a shopping strip immediately after the Shell Station. There's parking in the lot behind the building.

I rush into class over 10 minutes late, wearing a not cute outfit that didn't really match (why didn't I set out my clothes in advance?!), bloated from my chicken McNugget double dinner, and it took me a moment to remember that none of that mattered. I got to take not one, but two of Yves's classes, even if I missed the beginning of the first one, and for that I was thankful. Then I launched myself into a hinge kick and realized that I need to get my shit together. Kick Kamp was hard.

During this first class, I had a moment of clarity when I accepted that I have gotten too big and I need to fix it. I honestly felt like I had fallen from grace - I used to be the person in the front row showing off and now I was in the back (I had to be because I came in late) and the moves were challenging. All of the ladies I used to work out with were in the front and made it look so easy. I know I've been talking about getting back into fitness and clean eating for like two years now, but I finally saw how bad it has gotten. That being said, I had so much fun.

The second class was Dance Fusion and we all know how much I love Dance Fusion, mostly because I cannot dance. I switched into a dry white tank top (which made my lame outfit look a little cuter than the dull oatmeal colored tank I was wearing earlier) and proceeded to shake around the room because I can't shimmy. I think I had sweated out most of the bloat so I look less like a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade float and more like my former self. All in all, it was a great way to spend my Thanksgiving morning.

Yves and Coco's studio is beautiful. I especially love the floors. A lot of places shellac their floors, which looks nice, but then causes crazy slippery surfaces after a few athletic women start sweating. These floors were beautiful medium-dark colored wood that didn't need a shiny coat to look nice. I sweated a ton and never felt like I was going to slip in my own grossness and injure myself.

 If you're on Long Island, get your butt to MC Dance & Fitness. The address is 222 Middle Neck Road in Great Neck, NY.

Body Crushers!

I came back out to Long Island for the weekend so that I could attend Yves and Dana's Body Crushers class at Fusion Fitness. I'm a big fan of these special classes that Yves offers, and I especially like them when they are hosted by Fusion Fitness in Great Neck. Nice people, clean space. My only complaint is that the super shiny floors that are great for dance classes can be treacherous during sweaty kickboxing classes.

Look at those guns.

Body Crushers was a hybrid class that I like to describe as the Girl Talk of Fitness. It's perfect for those of us who are ADHD and get bored easily. We started off with some Zumba, then moved onto kickboxing. Then we did a little dance, followed by sculpting, and then we did more Zumba, and then we ramped up the dance we had learned earlier, and that's when shit got awesome.

When you get lost, just shake.

There's a moment in dance classes where the choreography and my feet seem to just click. My legs just know where they should be and what they need to do next. Unfortunately this does not apply to my arms and it doesn't last once I try to think about it. The picture above was taken before this clicked.

I would never deprive you of an unflattering photo.

After an hour and a half, I was sweaty, lightheaded, and busting out some mildly inappropriate dance moves. I also remembered how to do a pada beret. I have found that sneakers can make dance moves even more awkward and clunky than normal, but I was very pleased with how my K-Swiss Micro Tube 100 fits held up. If you're looking for a trainer that you can use for a variety of activities, these are sick shoes. I wouldn't run in them, but I use them for everything else.

Because it's completely normal to take pictures of your
reflection in shop windows.

If reading about Yves has made you want to learn more or attend one of his classes, you should check out his website: http://www.yvesmaco.com/

Dancer's Delight

I removed my own splint yesterday morning because I couldn't figure out how to take a shower alone with it on and my hair looked greasy. I took a performance art video of me doing this. If you're interested, I guess you could arrange to have it emailed to you.

The weather was beautiful all day yesterday but I was still in a Percocet fog that didn't lift until 10 PM last night. I woke up after 12 today and assessed my life. If I didn't do something active, I was going to start being destructive. I decided a 4 mile run in the rain was a better decision. I couldn't get a momentum going, mostly because I was afraid of falling and I was keeping my right arm glued to my side.

After binge-eating a bag of Skinny Pop (my popcorn addiction is getting ridiculous), I finally opened my birthday presents. Hooray for Day-Glo and leopard print! I picked everything out, but was still excited to have my new C9 gear for Yves' Dancer's Delight class tonight.

Best 90 minutes of ass-kicking dance ever, even with a bum wrist. I got my groove on, especially when we bent over backwards and did some oh-so-classy hip thrusting. I do have to admit that I was embarrassed by my love handles. How did my once-washboard flat abs turn into this jigglethon? Alcohol, that's how. Oh, and day-after hungover Chinese food binges. GROSS. While I had a blast, and finally ditched the tank top to show off my new sassy hot pink C9 compression bra, this was an eyeopener to say the least. Eating disorder Diet starts tomorrow.

So I Think I Can Dance

It's taken me a few years, but I think I have finally developed some rhythm. Today Yves taught a 90 minute Dance Fusion class at Fusion Fitness in Great Neck. Dance Fusion has minimal choreography so its not overwhelming for us non-dancers, but it's still an intense workout. Yves breaks down the movements of each dance, providing ample time to practice each step. I am always amazed by the playlist - how does the same dance performed at different speeds fit so many different songs? How does Yves manage to do this for three different dances each time class? Is it a secret talent? Is there an app for that?

Somehow all the classes I have taken came together today and I managed to actually dance. I adopted my Dance Persona from the very beginning, and successfully executed moves I normally stumble my way through. Perhaps my dream of being a backup dancer in a rap video is closer to coming true than I thought...

Love Yves Maco. Will Travel.

I woke up on Sunday morning with all intention of going for a run, but then Coco Loco kept appearing on my newsfeed. I needed to get my Yves fix and knew I'd be kicking myself if I didn't get my ass kicked at this 90 minute master class.

The class was held at Life Fitness down in Lawrence. Now I once dated a guy whose parents have a membership at the Lawrence Beach Club. LBC is beautiful and I don't remember driving through any unsavory neighborhoods to get there. Any illusions I had were dashed by my GPS's direct and dirty route - I recognized the area and realized I was uncomfortably close to my place of work!

Life's facility is quite lovely despite the nearby bodegas. The staff is friendly, the floor is equipped with new Cybex machines, and the locker room is clean. The juice bar appeared to be well-stocked and attended. If I lived anywhere near there, I would consider joining.

Our class was held on the racquet courts. It was weird to kickbox without mirrors! I was just so happy to be back, I didn't care where we were. I wish more of my Great Neck Equinox friends had shown up, but the crowd from Fusion, Life, and Lifetime were pretty cool. I felt extra special because Yves gave me a big sweaty hug. I felt like the prodigal son coming home, even though Yves was the one who left this time.

90 minute master classes are a mash-up of Yves' kickboxing, Dance Fusion, and boot camp classes with Coco's Zumba expertise. These classes are fun, intense, and burn tons of calories. Check out www.yvesmaco.com regularly to find upcoming events.

The Girl Talk of Fitness

ADD'ers rejoice! Have you ever been in a group fitness class, only to get a little bored after twenty minutes? You find yourself losing focus in favor of thinking about which cute boy (or girl) you could be texting to arrange a post-workout rendezvous. Or your distracted by someone's flashy new sneakers. Or maybe you suddenly wish you had gone to a different class entirely? Problem solved. Coco and Yves are offering mash-ups of Zumba, Dance Fusion, kickboxing, and boot camp that keep you pumped and working for the entire 90 minute class.

These special event classes go by the name @#$&* Loco with Yves and Coco. To stay in the know, check www.yvesmaco.com regularly, because today's class came out of left field.

You can't not have fun and there's something for everyone. Coco's Zumba was challenging for me (hello two left feet), but I think I owned it during Dance Fusion. The music keeps changing, the moves keep changing, even the instructors keep changing. It's the Girl Talk of fitness if you will.

In Mourning

It's taken me a few days to write this post because I am still trying to process the emotions and sense of loss I feel. I do not write this in jest - I am not handling this change well at all. Yves Maco has decided to leave Equinox for another gym. We will miss him greatly and I wish him success and happiness as he moves on to different things. I also feel like I am going to throw up. And cry. And maybe throw up while crying.

Yves is more than just a great kickboxing, dance, and sculpt instructor. He brings joy and inspiration to everything he does. The women and men who take his classes count on his infectious personality to push them past their perceived fitness boundaries and reach new levels. Yves has made me feel motivated and accountable. There have been nights when I have been tired and cranky, running on five hours of sleep and a half-eaten lunch, but I knew he expected to see me, and once I arrived at class I was able to find energy reserves I didn't know existed. I have learned to jump higher than I ever thought possible, and it's because Yves made me believe that it was possible.

Yves will continue to teach his Early Birds class at Fusion Fitness (45 Cutter Mill Road) at 8am on Saturdays. 

Best Workout for Flat Abs... and No Crunches Required

I once had really flat abs... now I have solid abdominal muscles nestled under a fine layer of cupcake-created blubber. It's okay. I might be fat now, but give me two months and I'll be golden. You should be working on your abs even if you still have fat to lose. The most effective way I have found to train my abs has been... wait for it... dance class. No joke. I love Yves Maco's Dance Fusion classes because 1. I get to embrace my inner hip hop video backup dancer and 2. it's so much fun I forget how hard I am working.

Today I let my tangled mess of sweaty hair down (I had already kickboxed for an hour) and put on my badass dancer face. You really have to see it, because any description wouldn't do it justice. If you ever saw the scowl I used to make while ripping butts out of my Saab window on Vernon Street, (I was the girl wearing Wayfarers and too much pearl jewelry), then you can begin to imagine the badass dancer face. I have been dancing with Yves for almost a year now and I have made significant improvement. I still struggle at the beginning of each class, but after about 10 minutes I have fully transformed into my dancer persona, and then you should see how I shake it. You can actually. It's on the video. I'm way in the back.

My core still feels engaged and I'm just standing around typing. I'm going to find it difficult to get out of bed tomorrow morning. The last time I went to Dance Fusion I had to grasp my sheets and start rocking back and forth until I gathered the momentum to sit up. Sadly, there is no video of that.

The Video is Here

If you want to see what all the hype is about click www.yvesmaco.com and watch the new video.

I'm in the turquoise sports bra and the grey shorts.  Yves has another master class this Sunday in Lawrence.  The details are on the site.


Yves Maco from Will Salomon Orellana on Vimeo.

Extra Special Workout

NOTHING prevents me from attending Yves Maco's master classes, especially not a throat issue that sent me to the Emergency Room. I set my alarm for 6:30am to book Craig's Sunday morning spin class, woke up, groped around my bed for my iPhone and booked bike #23 (my favorite) using the MYEQ app. Then I spent the next hour and twenty-five minutes pretending to sleep while I really planned my future kickboxing-themed wedding (I watched Say Yes to the Dress and Four Weddings with my TLC obsessed mother and sister last night. What can I say?)

Today's extra special workout was 70 minutes of kickboxing followed by 70 minutes of Dance Fusion. This was the same combo found at Sweat the Turkey Out! but today was called Jump Start Your 2011 with Yves Maco! It's the best thing I've done in 2011 so far and if you remember, I've spent the past six days high on painkillers eating dessert and watching tv in bed. My 2011 has been awesome.

Yves arranged for a videographer to come to today's classes to add some footage to Yves' new website www.yvesmaco.com. I felt like I was under a lot of pressure to perform with a camera in the room. To be honest, I needed this kick in the ass. I didn't realize how much I slack off when I'm not afraid of being caught.

This is how my family found me after Yves' classes. In my defense, the marble is nice and cool after a long workout. Funny how the first word in workout is work. Workouts should be hard.

I'd also like you to take a moment and notice my incredible color-coordination. My lululemon outfit was an easy combination but the shoes even match the drawstring on the shorts and my socks match my shoes. Although you can't see them in this shot, my barrettes and hair tie matched too.

Yves extra special classes are held at Fusion Fitness located at 45 Cutter Mill Road in Great Neck.

Feels like Home

I finally got to return to Tuesday night kickboxing last night. I'm not sure that I can truly convey to you how much I love going to that class over the Internet, but I'll try. It is hands down the thing I love doing most in the entire world. I'm addicted to the adrenaline rush and endorphin high from hinge-kicking four feet off the ground only to go right into the next sequence. My heart rate monitor hit 202 bpm before crapping out and going on strike. I chucked it to the side and just kept going. Sometimes I find it liberating to get away from heart rates and caloric intake, but if I stop tracking for too long, I lose motivation and get fat.

I was so happy to be back at my gym and seeing all of my friends. I miss them when I am away. Kickboxing always feels like a party.

Sweat the Turkey Out!

Today I am thankful for Yves Maco and his Post Turkey-Day 2 Super Master Classes. Fusion Fitness hosted today's workout extravaganza at their studio in Great Neck. I cannot even begin to describe the overwhelming feelings of joy I experienced from getting to kickbox for seventy whole minutes. It might be the day after Thanksgiving, but I'm feeling like its Christmas.


The seventy-minute dance class was awesome. Now we know that I dance like a chicken. My Latin roots desert me when it's time to shake it, and no amount of practice has improved my shimmy. This is okay, because I just close my eyes and let my fitness alter-ego take over. In my mind I look like LL Cool J, and I dance like Michael Jackson. Yes, my alter-ego is a large black man. It makes me feel sexy.


One woman brought her daughter to dance class, and this little girl has skills. After getting over my feelings of extreme jealousy, I realized this child was an asset because I could follow her when I inevitably got confused and started tripping over my own feet. One day I will be able to move like a backup dancer in a hip hop video, but until that day, I'll just go to have fun.

I actually am out of my mind.

This evening I went to the Equinox in Great Neck. Yes, I know I ran 4 miles this morning. I started with Yves' 45 minute Total Body Sculpt class. I want to push myself and develop bigger arm muscles, so today I sucked it up and threw a set of 12 lb weights out with my normal 5s, 8s, and 10s. I was able to do most of the heavy weight exercises using the 12s. I knew not to even try to do flys with them though because I ended up hurting myself when I first started using 10 lb weights. There's being insane and then there's being stupid. If I have to miss workouts because I injured myself, I get really pissed.
The hour of Cardio Kickboxing came next. I was really psyched because my friend T was there and we worked out in the front together. She motivates me to work harder. I am really impressed by how good she looks these days. Yves' kickboxing class is an amazing workout because it targets every part of your body. He added resistance bands to our mat work and I'm sure I'm going to feel it in my glutes tomorrow.
Yves' Dance Fusion class in on Tuesday nights. I don't like any of his other dance classes, but I love this one. I don't know if it's the people or the routines, but it always puts me in a good mood. I always end up leaving in the middle of the other dance classes in an awful mood. I blame the people. I am a horrible dancer and it's not like I don't know it. I stay in the back, try to stay out of people's way, and laugh at myself the entire time. Dance Fusion lets me work on improving my rhythm.  It's been slow progress.
I finished up my workout with a few sets on the abductor and adductor machines. This older gentleman was incredibly impressed that I had 185 lbs on the machine. He asked if I were a jock. I had to say no, even though I was very tempted to say yes. I burned 1,600 calories at the gym according to my Polar FT7. I burned a little over 400 calories running, but I don't trust the iPod as much as my HRM so I round down. All in all, 2,000 calories burned from exercise is something to smile about.
I had 16 ounces of coffee and a protein shake made with almond milk before I went to the gym (205 calories) so I figured I should have a substantial dinner. Not eating enough actually screws with your metabolism and you thwart your weight loss efforts. My family had tacos for their dinner so I used the leftover ingredients to create this:

So I ate my dinner out of a mixing bowl.  Shoot me.
Please ignore my cat Coly's behind in the background.

Tuesday Triple

Today I took 3 classes at the Roslyn Equinox.  I was pissed that the rain shut down the road I usually take and caused me to miss the first 10 minutes of my first class.

Cardio Sculpt - Taught by my favorite instructor, Bonne Marcus (formerly Marano), this class mixes intense cardio drills with sculpting intervals.  Bonne always mixes it up and she has awesome moves for ab work.  I HATE doing traditional crunches and Bonne's ab exercises get real results quickly.  One thing we do is squat and rotate with a medicine ball.  Every third rotation, we pick up our leg and stick it.  This is great for creating a flat midsection!  I'm also a big fan of the rocking horse and we tend to do a lot of those.

Athletic Flex - I tried this class for the first time today and I loved it.  A lot of shoulder and back work, which I tend to shy away from if I'm working out on my own.  What can I say?  My legs are much more powerful than my arms and I like to show off.  We used the body bar quite a bit and we used 8 lb weights for the duration of the class.  The thing I liked the most about this class was the instructor's use of dynamic deadlifts.  I am definitely going to feel it later today/tomorrow.

CARDIO Burn! - I am obsessed with Yves Maco's group fitness classes.  He is the reason I was able to lose 20 pounds.  I also lost 6% body fat.  His kickboxing classes are insane, but this class is also awesome.  I love when I have Tuesdays off from work and get to go.  CARDIO Burn! is spent on a bench and incorporates light weights.  I use 3 lb weights.  I have tried 5 lbs and I thought I was going to die.  The choreography was really hard for me at first, but I started taking Yves' dance classes and now I can fake my way through the cha chas and the turns.  The intensity of Yves' classes deliver the almost unbelievable results.  My HRM said I spent most of the class between 175 and 190.

I did 13 minutes of the PRECOR afterwards because I wanted to read the new SELF and cool down a little bit.  Overall, my HRM tells me I burned 1,764 calories while at the gym (including the 15 minutes between Cardio Sculpt and Athletic Flex that I spent socializing and drinking a protein shake.)  Not bad for a Spring Break morning.