This morning started the way a lot of my Mondays do—with my Starbucks carrot and a stop at the gas station. My little car was apparently very thirsty, taking almost the entire 12-gallon tank. Ouch! 😅
Then it was off to Jazzercise #22.
Today was my first class with Darlene, and she was an absolute delight. She’s tiny, incredibly fit, and has the energy of Tigger on espresso. The class was a full Cardio Sculpt workout instead of the low-impact format I was expecting, so it definitely got my heart pumping.
One of the smartest decisions I made today was bringing a separate insulated cup filled with ice-cold Gatorade. Arizona summers and an intense cardio class are a good reminder that hydration matters.
Since I’d never taken Darlene’s sculpt class before, I also decided to skip the dumbbells and learn the choreography first. I’d much rather master the movements before adding weights than accidentally send a five-pound dumbbell flying across the room! There’s plenty of time to add resistance once I know the routine.
What really made the class memorable, though, was Darlene herself.
She had just returned from a Mediterranean cruise through places like Greece, Turkey, Italy, France, and Spain, and she shared little stories between songs. She also knew the background behind the music we were exercising to, so every song came with a fun little history lesson.
Then came my favorite moment.
While we were reaching overhead, instead of saying, “Reach up,” she told us to “tickle the dragon under the chin.”
Well… if I’m a princess, then of course I have a dragon. 🐉👑
Suddenly I wasn’t just exercising—I was giving my imaginary dragon a scratch under the chin. That’s exactly my kind of humor.
My Fitbit certainly noticed the workout.
Between the cardio section and the sculpt work, it spent a good portion of the class buzzing at me as my heart rate climbed through the cardio zones. It was one of my more demanding classes so far, and I walked out sweaty, smiling, and feeling like I’d accomplished something.
Jazzercise Receipts
Sometimes the best workouts aren’t the ones where everything goes exactly as planned.
Sometimes they’re the ones where you meet a new instructor, laugh about dragons, learn a little music history, hear stories from a Mediterranean cruise, and leave feeling stronger than when you walked in.
I also found out Darlene is likely going to be my Monday instructor for a while, and I’m really happy about that. Every instructor has a different style, and hers combines creativity, humor, music trivia, and a whole lot of energy. Mondays are going to be a lot of fun.
Still showed up. Still moved.
Still counts. Always!💜
Wellness Tip #27: If you’re planning on sweating for an hour, maybe don’t have enough garlic and curry the night before that your pores decide to join the potluck. Asking for a friend. 😂💜
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Incidental Exercise Receipts Hub