Dancing the Night Away…

People will always tell you that dancing is a great way to get exercise. I  agree it’s a whole body workout and it’s an excellent way to have a great time.  Recently I’ve been taking dance classes as my form of personal fitness. I’ve always loved dancing and when I take my dance classes I’m “hitting two birds with one stone,” I get to have fun and exercise. It doesn’t even feel like exercise while I’m dancing…but let me tell you afterward I definitely feel that I’ve been “working it.”

I’ve been going to the Dancing Around Studio to learn “couples dancing.” Here I can learn those great ballroom dances I’ve always seen on So You Think You Can Dance!  Also it doesn’t matter what level you are, they are always willing to work with you and if you don’t get a step the first time all you have to do is ask.

You can check out Dancing Around Studio, it’s located off of 3960 South Pine Ave., call 352-690-6637 for more information on pricing and classes.

Photo by _Pixelmaniac_

The Best Excuses for Skipping Your Exercise Routine!

We all know that exercising does your body well, but there are times when you don’t want to exercise. You’d rather take a relaxing night and rest after work rather than exercising for an hour and a half. Excuses go through your mind on the way to the gym and you’re looking to find the best one. “If I exercise twice as hard tomorrow I can rest today, or I’ll get up early tomorrow morning and make up.” Yet sometimes there are times when we really shouldn’t be exercising. We need to recognize some signs that indicate we really should “take a knee” that day.

These are great excuses for you to not exercise one day:

• Recent Asthma Flare Up
• Recent Concussion
• Old Sports Injury is Acting Up
• No Sleep the Night Before
• Your back hurts
• Your Muscles are Sore
• Don’t Rush a Comeback

Remember that The Estates at Heathbrook has a Club-class fitness center featuring indoor racquetball court. We also have tennis courts and lush landscaping featuring walking paths and fountains. Make sure to get your exercise in but don’t push it!

9 Topics that Happy Couples Discuss

We all see it, happy couples in films holding hands, getting through hard times together and we wonder will we ever get that? We all ask the question, “What makes a happy couple?” A recent study in Psychological Science says that happier people discuss more meaningful topics rather than chit-chat. Have you discussed these nine topics with your significant other?

1. Embarassing Moments
2. Political Viewpoints
3. Fears and Insecurities
4. Childhood
5. Past Relationships
6. Family Life
7. Current Events
8. TV and Movies
9. The Future

Photo by annstheclaf

Biking in Ocala!

You’ve asked for it on the Facebook Page!  Here it is!  There’s some great trails in Ocala that you can mountain bike on, the one presented here is theSantos Mountain Biking trail. Wow it looks like a lot of fun, but I think you’re going to have to take it slow if you’re new at it (I’m the newbie).

Get Your Groove on

Getting in shape should be fun and I have to say that Zumba is one of the most amazingly fun workouts I have ever done. This heart pounding workout blends together Latin dance moves with body toning and cardio training. Not to mention it’s a lot of fun. If you don’t break a sweat I don’t know what’s wrong with you. The music is fun and lively and just makes you want to move. It’s like going out dancing with a bunch of friends. Of course the workout is especially designed to target your muscles for a full body workout.

Tonight is ‘Back2Back’ ZUMBA from 5:30 & 6:45pm. It’s Only $5 per class at Ocala Zumba: 1601 NE 25th Ave (MPAAC) Marion Performing Arts & Athletics Complex. Checkout ocalazumba.com for all days and times… It is soooooooooooo much fun!!!!!! See you there

My Favorite Tasty Herb

I recently purchased a rosemary plant for my apartment. I love cooking with rosemary and saw no reason why I couldn’t get it fresh from my own plant. I’ve had this little guy for about 3 weeks and it has already doubled in size. I was letting it get established in it’s new home but I think it’s time to start using it and trim it back. Here are some cool facts about this tasty herb.

Rosemary is one of the oldest cultivated herbs in the world. It is particularly associated with the Mediterranean area of Europe. Through the centuries rosemary has been used for a variety of culinary and medicinal uses – this essential oil has been used in all manner of ways.
Source http://www.rosemary.com/

Improve Your Mood!

Do you ever just feel like you need a positive change or a pick-me-up? Here are some helpful tips on proven ways to be Happy.

1. Learn to quickly rejuvenate
In the rush of everyday life, you’ll often find yourself racing from one event to the other, with almost no time in between. What can you do to refresh and rejuvenate in just 20 minutes? This quick routine can help you hit the reset button on body, mind, and spirit. Lay on the ground and prop you feet up on a wall. Close your eyes and RELAX. The blood return to your core and give you an extra boost! Yes this is a picture of my firends and I practicing this at a wedding
2. Practice mindfulness
The practice of mindfulness (referred to as smrti in Buddhism) leads to concentration (samadhi), which in turn leads to insight (prajna). The insight you gain from meditation can liberate you from fear, anxiety, and anger — allowing you to be truly happy.
3. Add chickpeas to your diet
Chickpeas contain folate (folic acid), which helps make dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. Other folate-friendly foods include lentils, black-eyed peas, and soybeans. These ingredients are often found in Indian food. Check out Armit Palace Indian Restaurant 2635 Southwest College Road, Ocala, FL

Read all the ways to improve your mood at Martha Stewart’s Whole Living.

You are what you eat!

It’s hard to believe but you can lower your cholesterol, fight off free radicals, reduce your risk for heart disease and cancer and improve your mood just by eating superfoods. These foods have lots of nutrients and are packed with disease fighting powers. Here are some of the top superfoods. Be sure to get your daily dose.

Pumpkin
Salmon
Soy
Spinach
Tea (green or black)
Tomatoes
Turkey
Walnuts
Yogurt
See more Superfoods here.

Having a Hard Time With My New Years Resolution?

I am one of the millions of people who vowed to lose weight this year. And it seems like I was on track for a couple weeks but I have already fallen off the wagon. Everyday I find myself saying “We’ll tomorrow I’ll do better.” Yeah right. That tomorrow never seems to come. How are you doing with your New Years Resolution?

Benefits of Vitamin D

A lot of people have been scrambling to get the flu vaccine when all you have to do is eat the right foods. There is an article that gives you a list of top flu fighting foods. Most of these foods are enriched with vitamin D. Vitamin D has been a hot topic, with stories about the sunshine vitamin’s many health benefits dovetailing. Many experts believe that getting sufficient vitamin D can offer protection against swine flu. The vitamin is believed to cause the production of antimicrobial substances in the body.

Some foods that will help prevent the flu:
Milk
Roasted sockeye salmon
Chinook
Pink salmon
Sicilian-Style Pasta with Sardines

Click here for more.

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