By Rachel Pearl, Director of Production
I thought time was invented so everything doesn’t happen all at once. It’s fast times like these that I have to remember to pace myself. I’m still counting calories and didn’t eat my mom’s cheesecake on Easter. I devoured fried matzah at Bubbie’s on Passover instead. I’m choosing my battles! Mom said the cheesecake wasn’t worth the calories anyway. But imagine if I ate both? Instead of an extra 800 calories to dance off in probably two sweaty classes, it’s now closer to 2,000! That would usually make me want to give up. That’s why I was so unhappy and unhealthy, the yo-yo diet. Now, I’m slowly grabbing onto habits that I will eventually never break. You know, the real reason Jen Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow look so damned good? DISCIPLINE. Well, we’re slowly building that up. I’m mastering portion control and planned calorie splurges. This is crucial. I’m also completely dedicated to exercising at least every other day. I almost need it now. That’s an enormous breakthrough.
I also haven’t had a soda or even a carbonated flavored water in over a year and I just been following my favorite food diet. That took a lot of work but I’m finally here and I’m never going back. Diet Coke is the devil. I could drink three in one day and be perfectly content. Stop drinking soda. All your body does is work endlessly to break down chemicals and stores your entire lunch as fat! I still eat chocolate every day but it’s 80% dark and I’m satisfied with one square, maybe two, not the whole bar. These are huge mini breakthroughs that when added up start to equal wellness.
I can still grab a few handfuls of belly though. That’s a huge bummer, but hear me out – it didn’t take six months to put it on, it sure won’t be six to take it off. I can’t remember when I couldn’t grab a chunk. My legs look awesome though – squats, plies and battements have sculpted them back to the old days! Whoo hoo!
To Do List
1. Change it up. Go to a Joy of Motion Dance Center MOVE Program class. I know it’s finally sunny out, but the music alone in a MOVE class like our AfroBeat or ASA! will get you dancing the rest of the week. Also, if you’re not seeing the results you’re looking for you’re not working hard enough in class. You have to sweat more and sweat differently.
2. Make up a mantra for whatever you’re working on. Every time I reach for a box of junk food I just repeat over and over: 70% healthy food, 30% dance and exercise. As important as it is to keep active through dance class, it’s even more important to watch what you eat.
3. Change is slow, but you still have to work every day for it.
4. Be grateful you’re this far, even if you haven’t started a thing. Just do some jumping in place and some light stretching. Do something and do a little more something every single day until your brain understands that we are doing this forever!
5. Keep your eye on the prize: WELLNESS.
See you next month when I’ll be the big 3 OHHHHHH! Wish me luck – this is crunch time. Share your stories in the comments below! How is dance class? How is spring treating you? What are your wellness goals? I have one month left to lose eight more pounds and I need all the community support I can get!
