Keeping fit through dancing

OMG, I woke up so early that I have lots of time to spare for thinking.I tried to go back to sleep but my brain is as awake as the pain I feel at my lower back. I would feel this back pain occasionally when I walked around for so long or when I also sat down for so long. But I think anybody of my age would also feel the same way because I think that at 50, our body would start telling us that we had used it and relied on it for so long. But don't get me wrong, I am not a lazy woman and I love my body that I take care of it as much as I could. I exercise, in fact I have a few gym equipments at home. I have a small stationary bike, a cross trainer, a big hoola hoop, some CDs on aerobics exercising, brisk walking, etc. Most of all, I like my 4-CD set of latin music which I use when I feel like exercising through dancing.

And I think that being intent on keeping fit and healthy is working quite well for me. I am able to maintain my ideal weight for so long, it keeps me energetic and it keeps me ahead of anybody (even any youngster) who hits the dance floor when needed.

When was the last time I went out to dance? It was on the 28th of March when my high school friend and her 22 year old son and her sister with her husband, travelled from overseas to visit me. My friend is also of same age as me (50) and her sister is 44. Me and my friend were members of the HS dance troop way back in the mid 70's so we were used to dancing the salsa, cha-cha and in those years we had slumber parties where we enjoyed dancing under disco lights more than anything else.

Well, going back to my story: to complete our "reminiscing session" my friend and I decided to have a night out. We went to Clarke Quay and after walking around to choose which club to go, I finally convinced them to enter the Pump Room because I know that the band in there plays "retro" music. Who would not enjoy dancing with Electric Dreams, It's my life, Fame, Buttercup, Wake me up before you go go?

After dancing with the band's first set, my friend commented that I have an unbelievable energy. She even talked to my hubby (who was overseas that week) over the phone to jokingly complain that they could not keep up with my energy. And my husband said that. "Yeah, she has a large Energizer battery with her."

Anyway, I shared to my friend that my energy and endurance is not built overnight. It is a result of diligent and committed (little by little) regular exercising which I started only 5 years ago.

5 years ago, I felt my energy was waning out and I am gaining some weight. I looked at myself at the mirror and saw myself having a bit of bulge here and there, and worst of all, my colleagues (who I had been working with from 5 years before) started commenting on my noticeable double chin and flabby arms.

So I started to hit the gym and became very intent to put some interest on keeping fit and healthy. But later on, because I couldn't go to the gym regularly, I considered doing other ways to ensure I could get a lot of exercise. I thought of doing what I enjoy most: walking, dancing, and hoola hooping.

I discovered that the secret of keeping fit is not just to go to the gym, but easily, just make sure that I eat in moderate amounts and try to move my body as much as I could to burn the calories I take in by eating. It is a simple formula of equalizing the take in of food and burning up of energy and fats from food I take. It is because I know that whatever fat or calories not burned up would be stored in my body parts and that's when I would gain weight.

I enjoy dancing... when dancing I sweat but not feel tired because I enjoy the fast music and the continuous rhythmic beats of drums and other instruments. And that's why I enjoy Latin music a lot.

And when I need to dance, I don't even need to go out and do it in pubs. I can do it in the privacy of my home, inside my bedroom, while cleaning, cooking, whatever... just making sure that I burn the fat, burn the fat, burn the fat, burn the fat.....