FitBloggin '12: The Workouts

Ok, this really should be titled "THE ZUMBA" but first let's talk a little bit about the walking and the running and the CrossFit.

Firstly - CrossFit is now my frenemy. I want to hate it. But I secretly love it.  The pain I was in until MONDAY just shows me how good it is for me.  I LOVE to feel like I've had the crap kicked out of me by a workout.  I'm totally a masochist in that respect.  I love my cardio and how it hurts so good but this was that ache times 50 and I like it.  So much that Matt and I are checking out the CrossFit gym that just opened here this weekend.

Then there was all the walking and the running.  Matt and I toured the harbor like three times around.  It was great to just walk and talk and not feel winded by the exertion.  Then came Sunday and we went out to do the 1 mile run that turned in nearly 2.5 miles with our new friend Sana.  I probably could have done the whole 5k but my butt muscles were not happy with me and were seizing about 2 miles in. It felt nice.  I couldn't have done that a year ago.  Not and run as much as I did.  We probably did 3 4-5 minute sprints.  I think.

That's right. I worked out so hard that my ass was shaking of it's own accord.  Right the frak on!.

Then of course, there was watching Matt rock out in the JumpSport class.

And even more of course - THE ZUMBA.

Let me first say that it was a total fraking honor to dance with everyone on Saturday morning.

And then let me say how touched I was to watch a room of 100+ people sing Happy Birthday to my beloved Mrs. Fatass.  That's family. That's love.

It was freaking exhilarating to be on that stage - like I felt like a rockstar.   I just about died when Tara yelled out "Sam, you are SO SEXY" when I started teaching my cha-cha.

In that moment, in that HOUR, I actually felt sexy.. I can "play" sexy but at that moment, I really felt sexy.  I felt sexy like I feel when I'm dancing around my house, in my underwear, pretending to be a PussyCat Doll while I clean the house. When it's just me. I felt that at home.

Then there was YOU.  YOU was a brain child of Mrs. Fatass and I.  She heard the song at a masterclass and wanted it to close out the FitBloggin session. She wanted it to feel like a party.

I listened to the song and I loved the vibe, the lyrics, the way it made me smile and all I could think was SOUL TRAIN LINE.  It was amazing  Seeing everyone laughing and dancing and playing with each other while the song just blared in the background.  I teared up.  It was so moving.  That was exactly what we wanted - joy.

I LOVED watching people in the crowd "get" a move and start to add their own flair.  The smiles, the joking, the wiggling and laughter when they were trying to figure out what they were doing.

And after? When people were begging to take pictures with me? SHUT THE FRONT DOOR.  People wanted to touch me, talk to me, take my picture and I made eye contact and I posed.

I normally hate having my picture taken but this was just about the most natural thing in the world. I wanted to stand at the door and hug everyone as they left.  Everyone was my family right then.  Hell, I didn't even need a Xanax to do it either.  I wasn't anxious for even half a second.

I loved talking to folks who said they were shocked they did it, that they had a great time, that they were skeptical about Zumba but wanted to do it again.  I loved that people shared their stories with me.  I really loved that several people expressed interest in getting licensed to teach.  I felt like the Zumba Instructor I want to be all the time.

That's what Zumba is to me. It's sharing, and family, and love, and togetherness.  It's dancing your cares away *clap, clap* and just being with each other.

Anyway... all that said THANK YOU FITBLOGGERS for making my first experience with you one to remember, one to hold on to.  I went in to this thinking I'd just be the lovely assistant to Mrs. Fatass - I never thought you'd embrace me that way you did literally and figuratively

And I haven't even finished the post on the weep-fest sessions that, in a real way, have changed my life.  More to come

NOW - someone asked for the playlist.  So here are the songs and the artists. All but #4 and #5 are easily found on iTunes. Enjoy!

1. Ice, Ice, Baby - Reanimator featuring Big Daddy and Vanilla Ice
2. Danzo Kuduro - Don Omar
3. Party Jumpin - R. Kelly
4. Do You Dig It - Zumba cover but original version is by Ray Baretto
5. Loco - Zumba original
6. Fuego - Pitbull
7. Bolo Ta Ra Ra - Daler Mehndi
8. Esta Cache - Oro Solido
9. Fever - Winsin & Yandel
10. This Boy's Fire - Santana
11. De Lao a Lao - Reggaetones
12. Por Arriba, por Abajo - Ricky Martin
13. Los Campeons de la Salsa - Willy Chirino
14. You - Machel Montano
15. Love on Top - Beyonce

FitBloggin '12 - Recap Part I: The People

I have so much to say about the amazing weekend I spent in Baltimore with my fellow bloggers, my tribe.

First thing that's amazing about FitBloggin?  I didn't need a Xanax, not once, the whole weekend.  Everyone at the conference was kind, generous, welcoming and embraced me as one of their own.  When Matt and I wandered in to the opening mixer I was shaking in my New Balance running shoes.

Then I started meeting folks and they started giving out free hugs and I relaxed quite a bit.  On the first night I met the amazing Kim.  I loved jut chatting with her.  We talked about all things fitness, health and boob related.  It was  great chat and I loved getting to hang out with her over the course of the weekend.

Then I got to meet and hug the amazingly awesome duo of Tara and Meegan. The warm welcoming hugs from both of them helped any last, lingering fear kind of just melt away.

I chatted with another dozen people at that mixer and I can't remember all the amazing conversations I had, but I really felt like I was at home.

By the end of the weekend I had also met and had the honor of chatting with my two biggest blog crushes.  Julie and Carla.

Other amazing folks I met?  Too many to link to, because I'm sleepy, but Christine, Cynthia, Elise, Steve, Jess, Kelly, Sana, and on and on and on and on.  I am so bad at names I'm still sitting here trying to put names to blogs and handles.  It's a mental exercise of owie!

The social side of things made my heart just flutter.  It was weird to be in a place where I truly knew that no one was judging me.  We were all brought together through the love of fitness and the journey to get fit.

I am slowly updating my blog roll to incorporate all of the new amazing blogs I am now following and catching up on.

Tomorrow - FitBloggin: The Workouts.
After that - FitBloggin: The Discussions
And then - FitBloggin: The Parties
And even more then - FitBloggin: The Lessons

The order may change as I feel moved to talk about certain things more.  We shall see.  But there is way more to come!

Thank you FitBloggin - see you June! In Portland!

FitBloggin '12

It's here! It's here!  This morning I picked up the lovely Mrs. Fatass and my best buddy Matt and we headed off to the great far away land of ... Baltimore?

It's a weirdly emotional homecoming for me.  I lived here when I was younger, till I was about 13, and now all these emotions and memories are coming to the surface.  I used to be able to walk here to the harbor.  I can remember taking the ferry over to Fells Point.  I remember various family outings to watch fireworks or other fun outdoor events.  I remember feeling "happy" but utterly lost and lonely and pretty much hating life.

It's also a bit of a freeing trip for me though.  I'm not the girl I was when I lived here.  I am stronger, wiser, smarter and I actually know who I am now.

I'm so excited for the conference.  I'm excited to meet all of these bloggers who I've stalked read as I've gone through my journey.  It's going to be awesome.

Mostly, I'm so totally stoked about helping Mrs. Fatass with her Zumba class Saturday morning.  We're going to rock this place like no other.

Watch out, Baltimore.