Vain Roxy

Whether you like to kick up your heels to classic ballroom or hardcore hip-hop, you’re doing your body good.  In fact, the Mayo Clinic and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute both have reported that dancing can provide a myriad of health benefits.  So even if you’re not pro, a little social dancing with your girlfriends will afford you all the gains.

1. Decrease stress
2. Boost overall energy
3. Improve muscle tone, coordination and strength
4. Lose and manage weight
5. Reduce blood pressure
6. Lower risk of coronary heart disease

photo courtesy ABC

When dancing, it’s important to stay hydrated, so drink plenty of water.  If you’re feeling sluggish and tired out on the floor, try a supplement such as Akavar 2050 to increase your energy and give you the boost you need to keep moving.  And most importantly, fondly think of all the calories you’re burning to get that svelte and sexy body.  Just how many calories are you burning?  Calorie totals are those burned within one hour.

1. Swing dancing = 235 calories
2. Square dancing = 265 calories
3. Salsa = 420 or more calories
4. Aerobic dancing = 540 or more calories
5. Ballet = 300 calories
6. Belly dancing = 380 calories

Even though the holiday season is a time of joy and spending time with family, it can also be a time of wastefulness. Here area  a few ways to stay green this holiday season.

• Don’t buy new wrapping paper. Use the same paper from the year before. And if you haven’t saved anything from the previous year, start this year by saving every piece of wrapping paper, tissue paper, and so on for going green next year.
• Save all boxes and box fillings (peanuts and such) to use for the next year.
• Give “tree-free” cards. They don’t even have to make Christmas cards out of paper anymore. They use things like hemp.
• If you need a “green” gift idea, consider making a donation to a great cause in someone’s name.
• If you are going to be having a party, consider hiring a green catering company.

Have a great holiday season this year!

The rest of this year is going to be full of major PARTIES! We have Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and let’s just add New Year’s. And on top of all of that, my sister is getting married and having a baby at the end of this year. So, let’s just say that I am going to be partied out by 2009. And there is going to be a party for every single one of these events. Pretty crazy. I am trying to prepare now for the crazy wrapping up of the year. Here are somethings that I am trying to keep in mind as the months progress:

• Catering. Most of these parties, I will probably have catered. I am keeping my eyes open for some great Utah caterers.  I want to make sure we have great food, but do not have to file for bankruptcy.
• Decorations. I haven’t decided yet if I want to do it all myself, have some people help me, or just hire someone to do all that stuff for me. And I haven’t even decided on which themes I want. Ugh. So much work left to do.
• I was thinking about a chocolate fountain for some of these events. That could be really fun. I’ve briefly browsed through some consumer reviews to make sure I get a great deal.
• Clothes, of course! Heck, that should have been at the top of the list. I am always looking for excuses to buy more clothes–wholesale, of course. Plus, that gives me an excuse to buy even more!

Anyone have any party ideas?