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Category Archives: Wright Now!

24 Hours to LIve

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This was a topic I was assigned to write about during my Life Power Yoga Teacher Training. What would you do if you had 24 Hours from now to live?

 

24 Hours to Live

by Davida

If the sun rose and I learned that after this day I would be no more

I would gather my family and hold them till they felt my love burning through their core

But with little time for crying and useless tears

We’d have to find exciting things to distract out somber fears.

First brunch at Snooze with bacon and champagne

Then off to Elitch Gardens for a quick ride on Twister, Eraser and Boomerang.

Next a drive to the mountains to have a last romance with nature

Along side my daughter and sons I’d run, jump, hike and take lots of pictures.

On the way back we’d quickly call everyone on the cell phone

Tell them it’s one of our infamous impromptu parties in our home

People would show unknowingly to hear music and dance singing karaoke

It would be wonderful to smile, laugh, hug creating a lasting memory

And when all of our friends and neighbors went out the door

I’d pick up my phone to make calls once more.

My aunts, uncles, in-laws and any cousins I could find

I’d wish them all well and say good-bye.

One more last number I’d would need to dial

To make amends with my brother, I haven’t seen in a while.

My heart would be heavy as I’m sure I wouldn’t want to go

My children so young, unable to see them grow.

My husband, who I’m in love with so specially

I would want his face to be the last I see

I would remember the times we laughed and joked sarcastically

Like him, no other could stimulate me mentally

He is my rock and I am his desert flower

In his arms I would want to spend my final hours.

Gazing into his eyes and realizing we made our dreams come true

So much love, our beautiful children and a great dog too

I’d have no regrets except that I couldn’t stay longer

Spreading love, promoting peace and making the world stronger.

 family

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Finding My Edge

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The boys wanted no part of it. But my daughter was wide-eyed and enthusiastic as usual. Sometimes I love how she takes after me.  We got in line and to our surprise the half dozen people in front of us were passing on the two open seats and urging us to go ahead of them.

 

“Sure!” We said eagerly and hurried to sit down and get buckled in. It was a beautiful sunny day. The view from the edge of the cliff was spectacular.  For the first time I looked down and saw the 1300-foot drop. My stomach started to sink and I asked myself, “What the hell are you doing?” My hesitation, surely a sign of age.

 

In the next minute we were swinging over a cliff and looking down at the rocky landscape surrounding the barely visible Colorado River. The noises coming from my mouth were a cross between laughter and screams and my heart almost beat through the skin on my chest. When my feet where once again on the solid ground atop the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park I could feel the rush across my body start to subside. I either needed a nap or a cocktail.

 

I love that feeling. Fortunately I don’t need to be 1000 feet in the air to get a charge. While I do love a good thrill ride, what I’m really talking about is the rush I get from trying something new. I’m not one who enjoys sitting on the sidelines and watching others live. As I sit there wide-eyed watching someone on stage, on t-v or doing something spectacular like American Ninjas my husband looks at me, rolls his eyes and says, “I know, you want to do that”.

 

Life is too short to sit around. There is so much to see and do. In school I joined every club, team or show I could. In college a job slowed me down but I still managed to start a sorority, a college scholarship ball (with Sammy Davis Jr as our first guest) and learn to ski. My best friend had the idea to go to France for a semester for our language credit. Lack of funds was not a sufficient barrier. I got a job dealing black jack and was on my way even after my friend bailed on me.

 

When I had enough of museum tours in Paris I ditched the other students and went looking for a friend of a friend of a friend who lived on the outskirts of the city. She wasn’t home but I met a nice man on the le Metro who offered to take this young American visitor to Le Sulky horse races and then to dinner on the Champs-Elysees. Wow! That was just my first few days there. It’s amazing what can happen if you just say yes.

 

Once I graduated I was eager to take on the world behind a microphone and camera. Alone I drove my little Ford Festiva miles and miles north of Reno to Idaho Springs and south to Los Angles trying to get my foot in the door as a television reporter. I landed my first job somewhere I never heard of in East Texas far away from any friends or family. There I was thrown into election season where I found myself face to face with big, loud talking men wearing big hats. I didn’t know the issues but it was thrilling to find out. Within a week I had to learn how to produce several five-minute news segments and anchor the local cut-ins for the Today Show. The nerves eventually subsided and the daily grind of covering news events was the perfect job for a thrill seeker.

 

Here’s the secret about me, I rarely say no (more often now as I age… but still rarely). That’s how I find my edge. You never know where I might turn up. I see a posting on the Internet, a blurb in a paper or someone might mention an upcoming event and I think, why not. The next thing you know I’m at an underground SMBD show or teaching classes at a swingers club or meeting the organizer of Denver’s new morning fitness party, Kleen City and becoming its next Mistress of Ceremonies.

 

As you can imagine sometimes my adventurous spirit can get me in some sticky situations. But it’s all part of learning and growing and I hope I never stop. I tell my husband, without me your life would be boring.

 

Glenwood Springs

Giant Canyon Swing at Glenwood Caverns in Glenwood Springs

Is snacking during exercise a good idea for you or your kids?

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In my town it’s now expected that parents take turns bringing snacks for halftime as well as after the game. As I watched one of the moms at a recent game hurry around urging each player to take a banana during the break I wondered who started this bright idea. Did some kid, “bonk” during a soccer game and now we have a crusade to keep stomachs full during sports? Why can’t kids make it an hour without a snack? Is it helping or hurting?

The fact is regular exercise activity does not require a snack. A regular meal high in carbohydrates, fluids and perhaps electrolytes before sports is enough. Too little fluids or too many carbohydrates can cause cramping and other intestinal problems.

You only need food during exercise if you’re engaged in a long strenuous activity like a marathon or hard-core exercise for two or more hours. Then you’ll want to have easily digested carbohydrate rich foods like a banana, sports bar or gel for quick fuel for muscles.

After your work out is the time for protein. Muscles need protein for recovery and growth and the best time to receive this is after exercise.  Don’t bother super sizing. Only 10-20 grams of protein is sufficient from whey, egg or glass of milk is good.

It’s most important to drink plenty of water during exercise. I like to drink-up before leading an hour class so I keep everyone moving without stopping. I noticed when I stop for three seconds others stops for 30 seconds. But everyone is different and many people need to replenish and cool themselves down.

Children are smaller and need to replenish their fluids more than adults. But stopping to eat in the middle of hard-core running may cause more discomfort then benefit. Perhaps we should wait until after the game to pass out snacks or not have one at all (oh my, did I write it out loud? Don’t shun me.). Why not teach our children good healthy habits and that it’s about the game and not the treats.

 

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Eating during exercise can cause cramping and intestinal problems.

Burning the Myth On Zumba Calories

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I have to speak out! You cannot burn 1000 calories in an hour of Zumba Fitness class. Nor can you burn 850 as this photo circulating around Facebook claims.  I love Zumba and like most have lost 10 or more pounds doing it regularly. But the journalist in me cringes every time someone makes the claim that you burn zillions of calories doing Zumba Fitness. It doesn’t matter how happy you are during that hour it’s false. But the news is still good.

So you know, a calorie is unit of heat energy and how we measure the energy we consume and burn.  For example, fats have nine calories per gram. Proteins and carbohydrates have four calories per gram. Pure alcohol has seven calories. The rate we burn this energy changes to meet the needs of the body. That’s why to lose weight you must burn more calories than you take in. Hence, doing more Zumba classes and not increasing food in take has been the recipe of success for so many Zumba Lovers.

My own anecdotal evidence finds an hour of hard core Zumba Fitness… with lots of high impact merengue, fast salsa and butt kicking reaggeaton mixed in burns around 500 calories. I have measured with 24 Hour Fitness’ Bodybugg and Polar’s heart rate monitor. The heart rate monitor showed I burned less.

More scientifically, the American Council on Exercise’s (ACE) independent study of Zumba Fitness classes found a group of 18-22 year olds burned 9.5 calories per minute or 369 calories in an average class (consider warm-up and cool down). It says that’s more than cardio kickboxing or step aerobics.

Researchers also said because of the high and low intervals in the class more calories are burned compared to steady stage exercise like jogging. ACE also noted the importance of instructor expertise to insure a safe and effective workout.

But don’t get bogged down by the numbers. The point is Zumba is a party so people want to do it. If you can get your butt up and moving that’s more than half the battle. A fun fitness class putting a smile on your face and sweat on your forehead will put you on the path to good health. Then, hopefully you’ll get the bug to try other exercise activities with weights or in the water. Americans need to move more and lower the rate of obesity in this country.  Let’s get everyone to join the Party MOVEment and get on the path to better health. You don’t have to burn 1000 calories in an hour to achieve this.

ACE Study: http://www.acefitness.org/certifiednewsarticle/2813/zumba-174-sure-it-39-s-fun-but-is-it-effective

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Your Mama Would Want You To Do It Wright

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You either love my fitness instructing style or hate it. Either way if you stick around you’ll benefit. As a 5’11 out going black woman I’ve been told I can be intimidating. So as an instructor I’ve embraced this as my so-called “super power” and used it to make sure my participants get the most out of their workout. I tell them “I’m like your mother who makes you eat your vegetables”.

I use this super power mostly at the end of class when I’m doing the stretch. This is when those ADD or busy types get bored with the stretching routine and want to climb over everyone to put their equipment away first or leave early. Like they’re going to get so much more accomplished in those extra five minutes. I call these people out, in a nice way I hope, and start listing the benefits of stretching and how this is your body’s reward for the hard workout you’ve endured.

The fact is stretching is the key to youth. Stretching elongates the muscle to its fullest length increasing flexibility and improving strength. When done properly it helps the muscle by increasing blood flow and bringing nourishment to the muscles and removing waste. It also helps the joints to move freely and prevents injuries.

Researchers have found it improves balance and coordination as well as artery function and lowers blood pressure. Is this enough to convince you to take the time and stretch?

Well think of any elderly dancer or Yogi. Think of a person whose daily practice includes or used to include stretching. Look at how they move and feel. The ones I’ve observed seem to move more easily than others their age. On the other hand, show me a person who can’t touch their toes and I’ll show you a person who is or will eventually be complaining about back or hip pain.

Simply take the time after a workout to stretch the major muscle groups you’ve been working. Clear your mind and breathe deeply. Put your hands on your thighs and arch your spine to stretch your low back. Lunge forward and tilt your pelvis to stretch the hip flexor. Reach for the ground with your knees straight and elongate the hamstrings. Hold these stretches for 10-20 seconds. Do it twice! Stretch any other body parts you’ve just worked so you can use them better next time. It should also help you feel less sore the next day.

You attend group fitness classes so you can be shown the correct or best way to exercise. So don’t skip out before you’ve gotten your money’s worth. Now go eat some spinach and stand up straight.

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Bacon & Champagne

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If you’re my friend on Facebook you probably know there are two things that make my Sunday happy, bacon and champagne. Waffles and bacon washed down with a bubbly treat is my least healthiest meal of the week. But I look forward to having it on my day off. I tried going the healthier route with turkey bacon. But my husband scoffed at me and took over the Sunday breakfast chore and vetoed any pork knock offs.

I’m amused that people tease me about eating bacon. I think they get a kick out of it because I’m an exercise instructor and supposed to be living a life of fitness and wholesomeness. I guess since 68% of bacon’s calories come from fat, which is mostly saturated, I seem like a fraud. But here’s my secret, I’m terrible at dieting. Whenever I deny myself something I want it more. That’s why I subscribe to the motto “everything in moderation”. As long as I exercise daily and try to eat 7 servings of fruits and vegetables a day I can occasionally indulge. Plus if I only have bacon on Sunday mornings I can enjoy it guilt free.

On the bright side bacon is a better choice over sausage. Although both are high in saturated fat, two links of sausage are more calories then three strips of bacon. Fortunately one ounce of bacon is usually all you need to compliment your meal. Add a glass of champagne, which has shown to improve blood flow and vascular performance and you shouldn’t be too worried about having a heart attack by lunch. Just don’t miss your weekly ZumbaÒ Fitness classes or other cardiovascular exercise to strengthen that heart muscle. Need to drop a few pounds? Shrink your food portions. Americans are infamous for eating large meals. Being healthy doesn’t have to be torture. Just stay active, make good choices and remember the key word: moderation.

 

CyberChimps