FitSugar

Get Physical: Salsa Dance Lessons

FitSugar — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 03:30:00 PDT

Looking for a fun way to exercise and connect with your friend or lover? Why not sign up for Salsa Dance lessons? I recently took a lesson with my hubby, and I swear it was the most fun I've had in a long time. Plus it's always so exciting to learn something new. Salsa dancing makes you feel beautiful and sexy, and the next morning my hips were sorer than when I do a 3-hour hike!

Depending on the studio, classes are offered during the day, in the evenings, during the week and on the weekends. You can sign up for private or group Salsa lessons. Private lessons are a little bit more expensive, but you'll get some major one on one time. You'll be able to go at your own pace, which means you'll probably perfect your moves faster. If you feel self-conscious or nervous, a group lesson might work better for you, so you can blend in with the crowd. Plus the energy of the group can be very inspirational.

In your first lesson, you'll most likely learn basic front, back and side steps. You'll learn these alone and with a partner. You'll also learn how to do turns and maybe some other fancier steps.

Some places offer a Salsa dance package where you pay a fee for a bunch of lessons. This is a great deal, since it motivates you to go once a week consistently. That way you're guaranteed to have a special date with your favorite person, and it's a great way to get you both moving.

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Get Physical: Salsa

FitSugar — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 12:30:00 PST

Looking for something fun to do with your honey? Not just counting crunches together at the gym, but something HOT? Have you tried Salsa? Not the dip - salsa DANCING. You can burn calories together while tripping the light fantastic.

Most Salsa Clubs start the night off with a short lesson or offer lessons on particular nights. It feels like a date, but it will also get your heart rate up. You can check out the Salsa Crazy website - they sell instructional DVDs and you can get free downloads of mini lessons.

See you on the dance floor.

3 Sexy Valentine's Day Dates to Keep You Healthy and Fit

Michele Foley — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:32:16 PST

Valentine's Day is always a good excuse to heat things up, and there's always a healthy, fun, and sexy way to celebrate the love-filled day, whether you're spending the holiday with friends or that special someone!

Girls Night Out: Pole Dancing Class
A pole dancing class is a frisky way for friends to celebrate Valentine's Day together. It's a little intimidating to swing around a pole while also letting out your sexier side, but when doing it with a group of your favorite girlfriends, it becomes easier. Besides being a great excuse to get together, this dance-inspired workout will help you tap into your sensual side while also helping tone muscles, firm the body, and increase flexibility. Once class is over, head out together for a glass of heart-healthy wine.

Group Date: Salsa Dancing
If a perfect date night for you involves getting together with other couples, charge things up by going salsa dancing. Besides being an easy way to burn calories, salsa is like flirting on the dance floor. From the rhythmic Latin beats to all that hip shaking, things are guaranteed to get hot. Don't be afraid to switch things up during the night. It's almost expected that you'll dance with different partners while out for a night of salsa dancing.

For You and Him: Couples Massage . . .
If you're going the traditional route and spending Valentine's Day with that special someone, indulge by getting a couple's massage. It will help you both relax, offer relief from stress, and ease muscle soreness that comes from exercise or the demands of the day. From there, cook a healthy dinner together and don't forget to get physical - and not at the gym! Valentine's Day is a good excuse to be intimate with your partner, especially given all the health benefits of having sex.

Straight From the Mouth of a Zumba Instructor: Tips For Class Newbies

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 01:02:39 PDT

Want to know why Zumba is all the rage? Or are you already hooked on Zumba and want to know what it takes to teach a class? Our interview with Michele Schmidt, a certified Zumba instructor, answers all of your burning questions.

FitSugar: What is Zumba?
Michele Schmidt: Zumba is a fusion of Latin and international music combined with a heart-pumping cardio workout that's easy to follow and fun to do. It was founded in the '90s by Alberto "Beto" Perez, a fitness instructor from Columbia, when he forgot his music and improvised a traditional aerobics class with Latin music and moves that he grew up dancing to.

FS: What makes it such a great workout? Will it help a person lose weight?
MS: Zumba is an intense cardio workout, so it can help a person lose weight! Typically an hour long, classes include interval training and strengthening movements (like squats and lunges) to maximize your calorie and fat burn, as well as to improve overall body tone. Proper diet and nutrition is also an important part of any weight loss program - many Zumba teachers have said that "you can't out dance a bad diet!"

Learn beginner tips for your first Zumba class and how to become a Zumba instructor after the break!

What to Do For Cinco de Mayo If You're . . .

Tara Sharp — Thu, 05 May 2011 04:00:26 PDT

Happy Cinco de Mayo! It doesn't matter what your Facebook status says today, you can have a fiesta-filled evening with my tips for celebrating with friends, lovers, and family.

Single and Looking: Go stag or grab your best wing-lady and get yourself to the most popular local taco spot. Sit at the bar for maximum mingling while you enjoy margaritas and chips and salsa. Bonus points if there's a mariachi band and dancing!
In a Relationship: Have a romantic night in and cook up some delicious Mexican dishes, complete with homemade margaritas. You won't have to fight the crowds, and you could even entertain yourselves with other people's relationship drama by watching some telenovelas!
Hanging With the Girls: If you're looking to spend some quality time with your gal pals, you don't want to be shouting at each other in a packed Mexican restaurant. Instead, get the gang together and go somewhere that doesn't serve chips and salsa. My friends and I have gone out to sushi to celebrate, which can be way more fun than waiting in line for two hours.
Married and Need a Date Night: Desperately need to get out of the house and just do something? Don your most dramatic, sparkly dress and hit the Latin dance floor with your hubby! Research ahead of time restaurants and bars that have free salsa or tango lessons, and unleash your inner dancing queen.
Getting Over a Breakup: Have a party at your house so you're surrounding by supportive friends, and if the alcohol induces an emotional breakdown, you don't have to take a late-night cab alone. For added fun, tape a pic of your ex on a piñata and do some therapeutic bashing. And you never know if your friends will bring along some single hotties to help cure you from your breakup blues.

The Covet List: Seriously Sexy Red Dress

Noria Morales — Fri, 13 May 2011 03:04:00 PDT

The Piece: Haute Hippie Take Me Now Dress

The Investment: $475

Why We Covet: If there is one thing every woman should do at least once in their life, it's have a steamy night of salsa dancing whilst wearing a sexy, wispy, ultra feminine, RED, dress. And we just found that perfect dance-until-sunrise dress in the form of this silk dress aptly named "Take Me Now." We think we just might.

Check out other items from our Covet List!

Sugar Shout Out: Make the Most of Your Small Space on a Budget!

PopSugar — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 23:55:00 PDT

How to Host an Engagement Party

Katie Sweeney — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 04:07:40 PDT

Wedding season kicked off earlier this week, and once you've gotten engaged, it's time to start thinking about an engagement party. The first step is to decide whether or not you want to have one. Traditionally, an engagement party was thrown for the couple to announce their engagement to friends and family, but these days, most people already know about it. To see my suggestions for planning the perfect engagement shindig, keep reading.

Get Your Partner to Exercise: No Nagging, Bribing, or Insulting Required

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:03:28 PDT

Fitness may be a priority for you, but your husband, boyfriend, or partner might be another story. If you wish your better half would include more exercise in their day whether it's to relieve stress, drop a few pounds, or as a way to spend more time together, I'm sure you've discovered that nagging, bribing, or insulting them are surefire ways to get them to shun sweating it out. Plus, it won't make you feel very good if you're constantly pressuring your partner to get moving. Your significant other is more likely to start working out and stick with it if he or she feels like it's their idea, so give these tactics a try.

Work the money angle. Mention that the gym you want to go to offers huge deals if you join with a friend. Who doesn't jump at the opportunity to save a little moolah?
Speak their language. If saving dough isn't exciting enough, lure your significant other with talk about air-conditioning, deals on massages, and huge TVs to watch sports and The Food Network.
Make it about your dog. If you have a four-legged friend, mention that you went to the vet, and your doc is really concerned about recent weight gain leading to a doggie heart attack. That'll pull on the old heart strings a little, and will certainly inspire regular walks or runs with Fido, but really, Fido will be walking or running them (wink).
Surprise, you're exercising! There's no backing down if you casually sign the two of you up for a Partner Yoga retreat, salsa dance class, or dodgeball team.
Throw them a compliment. Come home from the gym all upset and say, "I really wish you were with me to spot me on the machines because you're so patient and strong. I'd much rather have you help me than one of the random muscly dudes at the gym. Could you meet me after work tomorrow?" Flattery can work wonders and maybe once they show up, they'll do a few sets and like it so much that you'll have yourself a permanent spotter and gym buddy.

Keep reading for more ideas.

Vanessa Williams Shares Her Favorite Workout

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 10:00:08 PDT

Vanessa Williams has got it goin' on: besides raising two children, the 47-year-old star is currently working on two projects - Ugly Betty and the Broadway show Sondheim and Sondheim, set to open in the Spring. Between all of this, she shares in the April issue of Prevention Magazine, she still manages to hop on the treadmill three times a week, lift weights, and throw in a crossword puzzle! Check out some of the interview highlights here:

Her cheat foods: "New York pizza. But what's really deadly is when I cook and bake: cakes, pies, lasagna, roast chicken, tacos . . . and my kids' requests: buttermilk waffles, blueberry pancakes, French toast."
Her number one diet tip: "Cutting down portions. If you're full, stop. Push the plate away - you don't have to finish it all."

To find out what Vanessa's favorite workouts are,

Her favorite workout: "I was doing Pilates before people even knew how to spell Pilates. I started with [Pilates guru] Mari Winsor after my first child, 22 years ago. She used to come backstage and do a mat floor workout with me when I was doing Kiss of the Spider Woman on Broadway. Core strength balances your entire body. It pulls your shoulders back, tucks in your pelvis, makes you walk straighter, and gives you great posture."
Her favorite outdoor workout: "I walk outside. It makes you feel alive. I live in a wooded, hilly area, so it's great to be able to go outside on a gorgeous day and see the neighborhood. Bring a couple of dogs with you and it turns into an adventure."
Her favorite way to work out with friends: "Salsa! I started in '97 as training for a movie I did called Dance with Me. I go out and salsa with friends, especially in the summertime. Now, that's incredible cardio! Not only are you dancing nonstop, but the music keeps you going - you could be dancing for hours and dripping with sweat and not even feel like you're winded or working."