February's Monday Project - Project Fail

I've been thinking about this project all week since Christie "assigned" it. The point of the project was to find something to do that you would do "beyond what you thought possible". Do one more rep, do something faster than ever before, do something that you NEVER thought you could or would do. In other words go beyond "failure" and succeed.I didn't know what I should try or even if I would try anything...you know, play dumb. Ignore the project...kind of like back in high school or college when I didn't want to do something "hard".

But....I'm really trying to "step out of my comfort zone", so I decided to find something to do so I could do this project. I was out of town Monday and Tuesday helping my mom and dad, so I sat down Wednesday and thought about what I could do(since I was snowed in and tired so I couldn't really do anything else). That gave me a lot of time. I have been weighing in within the same couple of pounds now for the past 2 months so I need to workout HARDER and change some things up in the eating, so I started looking for something different. I got online and looked up the classes that are offered at the gym since I figured those would be more challenging that the dvd's and Wii games that I have here. Not to mention the fact that if I have the membership to the gym I probably should use it, ya know??!!

So I looked and found out they offer a Zumba class on Saturday's at 12 noon. Most of the classes offered are early evening or well before noon...and it has been well documented that I don't do much of anything before noon! Zumba has been one of those classes that "everyone" has been talking about, but has always intimidated me. I am not a "dancer" nor am I very coordinated. So...there you have it. WAY outside of my comfort zone. I sent out a facebook status update Thursday basically asking my friends why I should give Zumba a try. I needed some concrete reasons besides the obvious of "going outside of my comfort zone". I got MANY!! Thank you my friends!

Today about 11:15 I got dressed in my workout clothes, drove down to the gym and did a 5 minute treadmill warmup and walked over to the studio where Zumba was going to be held in just a few minutes. I found a lady standing by herself and asked if she had ever done the class. She said yes it was fun and a great workout. I started looking around at all the young, "in shape" women standing there, feeling WAY OUT OF MY ELEMENT, but I had already told the child center this is where I was gonna be so I needed to go through with it! (Not to mention I had told all my facebook friends I was doing the class -- basically so I couldn't back out, ya know?!) I went into class and "tried" to follow along! I discovered just how uncoordinated I am but did the best I could considering I couldn't really see the instructor real well since this man was pretty much blocking my view...but whatever. Next time I will stand to the side so I can see her better. Ooops, did I just I was gonna do this again?? Um...yes, I guess I did.

So anyway, I enjoyed myself but didn't really think it was that big of a workout. My heartrate was slightly elevated but not in the 140's or 150's like running or doing an elliptical workout, more like doing the Wii Fit Plus, Step Aerobics...I felt like it was kind of a letdown. Maybe because I was just doing the best I could and not really doing all the moves right...I'm not sure. Anywhoo, so I go about my day thinking about how Zumba was a challenge mentally but not really physically and trying to compose my post in my head (you guys do that, don't you??). I came home and hubby told me he had planned a surprise date for us and That Kid was coming over to watch That Other Kid, so be ready to go at 5p.m.!! Yay!! A real bonafide date!! So I showered and started blow drying my hair and realized my ARMS HURT! Ouch...I continued getting ready and when it came time to put my shoes on I could barely move my legs enough to put them on and tie them! OUCH again!!

We went to dinner and then to a movie...and right before the movie started I went to the bathroom. As I was walking down the stairs I realized my hamstrings were soooo sore I could barely walk! Ouch again!! I sat through the movie (yes, I made it all the way through the movie without needing the bathroom! Yay me!!) and when I stood up to walk down the stairs again to leave I could barely WALK! All the muscles in my legs hurt! My abs hurt, my arms hurt, my back muscles hurt!! I am a MESS!! I could really use a good soak in the hot tub...but I guess I will have to settle for a hot shower till tomorrow!

So...bottom line is although I didn't think Zumba was much of a workout and would bring my body (just my mind) to failure it was much more than I ever thought possible and it definitely worked my muscles!! Soooo...I believe I will have to attend more Zumba classes and try to work on my coordination and get my muscles to be sore like this more often!!

Thanks, Christie O for pushing me once again to do something I didn't want to do!! I'm hoping that it will pay off with some weight loss this week but even if it doesn't I know that my body will be better for it!!