Before I get into the nitty gritty of my lunchtime post, I have to say thank you for your kind and supportive comments on my morning post. There’s some great discussion going on in the comments section of the post about how we all feel pressure to eat a certain way from time to time, whether we blog or not. Loved all of your thoughts!
Workout
Today’s workout took me to the gym with my mama!
(In case you were wondering, my mom is a nurse and worked full-time until she was diagnosed with breast cancer and lymphedema. She is now essentially “retired,” thought not really by choice, and makes it a point to try do low-impact exercise classes regularly.)
My mom is an avid Jazzercise and Zumba-goer and always invites me and my sister to join her. This morning the two of us went to Zumba together. When we arrived my mom warned me about the instructor, saying people really struggle to follow her lead in the class.
I’ve been to a handful of Zumba classes and while I’m not coordinated in the least, I’ve never struggled too much to mimic the movements of the instructor.
Until today.
The teacher was practically freestyle dancing. At first I concentrated really hard and tried my best to follow her random movements, but once it became apparent that she never seemed to repeat moves, I knew I was way out of my element.
Toward the end of the class, I looked around the room and everyone had a dumbfounded look on their face. The only indication that we were all even attempting to do the same movements was the fact that we somehow managed to go right when the instructor went right, and left when she danced left.
It was a mess!
I was actually a bit frustrated at the end because I didn’t get the workout I came for. I tried so hard to follow the random movements that I couldn’t really get into them or do them full out. I felt like I essentially walked in place the whole class.
My mom and I laughed it off in the end, and spent 25 minutes after class at the gym doing our own respective workouts (10 minute run + 15 minutes on the elliptical for me).
Fillin’ Jars
On our way home from Zumba, we swung by The Fresh Market to nab some goodies to include in the peanut butter granola packages for the two winners of The Great Fundraising Act auction.
We purchased some tea, hazelnut and almond butter, chocolate and yogurt-covered pretzels and Larabars and packaged everything up when we arrived home.
I hope they like the goodies! 
Lunch
Lunch today was delicious!
I used chicken from a leftover rotisserie chicken I found in the fridge to assemble a sandwich and served it with blueberries, a cup of honey Greek yogurt and some chocolate-covered pretzels.
Sadie was quite a fan of the scraps of chicken I threw her way.
And now it’s time to hunker down and do some research! Fun! 
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Ahh, I LOVE The Fresh Market! They always have the best stuff!
I hope the winners love their goodie bag from you! That’s so sweet of you to contribute to such an awesome cause.
Too bad about the zumba class. I have the zumba dvd’s at home and find that they show you how to do the moves so quick and then jump right into the routine full-speed. It’s a good workout regardless but I hate the feeling of “not getting it” when I’m usually quite coordinated.
Ooh very cute packages!! That’s a shame about the Zumba class. Does your mom’s gym have anonymous feedback cards? You could put one in and suggest that the moves be broken down a little better so that everyone understands them. I’m definitely NOT a Zumbie or a dancer of any sort, so I know I’d definitely appreciate that!
I am sorry to hear about your Zumba experience!!! As a Zumba instructor myself, it is sad to see that some instructors only LIKE to dance, but don’t necessarily know HOW to teach.
Unfortunately Zumba Fitness, LLC offers certification to anyone, no matter if they have teaching experience or not….thus the possibility of coming across a class that is hard to follow. HELLO frustration!!
I try to preview moves or stick to easier moves, so come try a class with me! hah 😉
Your lunch looks SO good! I am off to find something for myself, now too.
i would LOVE your class! i’ve really enjoyed every zumba class i’ve taken in the past b/c the instructors repeat or preview moves, like you said. so much more fun and easy to follow!
I too am an instructor and am sad to hear about your Zumba experience! I would definitely fill out a comment form, or even email Zumba headquarters. Often the teachers that are not following the Zumba formula aren’t licensed instructors, so it is helpful for the Zumba office to know about these people. Just a thought…
I just found your blog and I think it’s adorable 🙂 I’ve never tried a Zumba class before….was this your first? Think it’ll be your last?! I always watch them before my yoga class, and not gonna lie…they look really funny!!
no i’ve done several zumba classes in the past and NONE of them were like this. i will DEFINITELY take zumba again in the future, just not w/ that teacher.
I love zumba! Your packages for the auction winners are adorable!
I can’t do zumba without a few drinks first – good for you for trying to sober lol!
I like the packaging on your granola! Cute!
Hmmm You’d think that if the instructor KNEW that folks struggle to follow her, she’d try to… you know… improve? Or at least explain herself?
As a big fan of zumba, I feel like I’ve had every type of instructor in the books, and that’s my least favorite type. We get it, you rock at dancing… we’d like to at LEAST be able to samba and sashay some cardio in our lives, but can’t even understand your booty shaking (perhaps, unlike shakira, her hips DO lie.)
YES, YES, YES. that’s EXACTLY how we felt! she is obviously an amazing dancer, but NO ONE could follow her!
I hear ya with the Zumba, I’m not coordinated enough to get a good workout from dancing. Good thing there is something for everybody!
That’s how I feel about any “dance” or aerobic moves kind of class! That sounds like a pretty bad instructor though.
Love the granola jars! and those goodies! I have never tried the Pecan Pie flavour LARA bar 🙂
We eat very similarly when it comes to lunch! Haha
I like zumba, but can imagine it would be even more fun after a martini 🙂
How awful, sounds like you got a dancer that doesn’t know how to teach. Like Annette said above, Zumba will let anyone and their dog get a license to teach, without ever teaching them, or evaluating them on how to teach. It’s really shameful on their part.
I too am a Zumba instructor and it really annoys me when other instructors do things like that, you really should complain to the gym, if everyone was confused then it’s clearly a problem they need to deal with or they will be losing money.
I have zumba for the wii and it’s very basic…all I know is that I usually gag from the smell in the class as my body pump class is right after zumba lol! I will give it a go one day but don’t know if I can handle zumba for an hour then do body pump haha!
I bet it was fun with yo mama though, I’m trying to get my Mom to come with me to exercise 🙂
I love the Fresh Market. My parents have one right near there house, my dad and I always make a pit stop when i’m home. 🙂
I took my first Zumba class in Miami last time I was there visiting my bf’s parents… it was so much fun but I definitely think Florida has the TOUGHEST Zumba classes!
It must be all the Latin influence (especially in Miami) because while I have had years of dance experience following Zumba is completely different. I managed to repeat nearly all of the moves on count but looking into the mirror I couldn’t help but laugh — while my arms and legs were *basically* performing the same sexy salsa-esque moves as the other tanned Florida natives in the class, I looked like a silly blonde Cheerleader!! Gotta work on wiggling my hips a lil’ more I suppose haha.
oh lord, i made the mistake of looking at myself in the mirror and instantly regretted it. i looked like a total fool with no rhythm or sense of coordination.
how disappointing! 🙁 I hate when instructors do that!
I would be SO annoyed by an instructor like that! I’m a dancer and dance teacher and you can always tell the teachers who just started to teach to make extra money and have an excuse to look at themselves dance in front of the class a lot instead of actually teaching.
That’s frustrating about the Zumba instructor. I’m going to my first Zumba class tonight so hopefully I have a better luck!
It’s so great that you are able to work out with your mom. Since I got married, & moved away, I’ve missed our workouts!
I love Fresh Market too! Your goodies are wrapped so cute!
Love your blog =)
What a shame, I’m a Zumba instructor and it drives me crazy that they will let anyone get licensed to teach even if they have no fitness or dance instructor certifications.
You really should complain, or at least advise the gym. You’re clearly not the only one finding the class hard to follow.
Those goodies look really cute! What a nice package! 🙂
Lunch looks tasty as usual. I love chocolate covered pretzels!
That is a shame about the Zumba class. I take it weekly and love every second. All instructors are different, so perhaps you just got a bad one? The girl that I go to does jump to different moves, but the class catches on.
I’m really surprised that the gym keeps that instructor around! When I taught Zumba, I always previewed new moves and called out what was next. I also made sure to follow some kind of pattern so that it was easy to follow. Such a shame–I hate when classes are a disappointment!
I LOVE zumba! there is NO such thing as a zumba overload 😉
Although there IS such a thing as a bad zumba instructor 🙁 (sorry, i pressed enter too early and left 2 comments lol)
That;s so annoying about the instructor! I hate leaving a class and not feeling worked out- talk about an hour wasted!
Yikes, that Zumba instructor sounds like a mess. She should have been able to read her class and know when people aren’t getting it. Hopefully that wasn’t some people’s first classes and it deterred them for life.
First…I felt the same way when I tried Zumba. It was just awkward!
Second…The Fresh Market is the JAM (<– sound familiar?) 😉 That's my favorite place to get coffee. I know you guys have your awesome single cup maker, but if you ever need to get the fresh ground stuff, go with the caramel macchiato flavor. It's amazing!!
really? maybe i’ll get some! i’ve wanted to buy one of those little cups that allow you to use your own coffee and my sister has been obsessed w/ caramel macchiato’s lately!
DO IT! I promise, you won’t regret it 😉
I know what you are saying about the Zumba instructor. I went to a Zumba fundraiser a few months ago and one of the instructors just seemed to be doing whatever, it was almost like she was drunk. There was no repeating of moves, it was a free for all. I hate when that happens, it really makes for a terrible workout! I’m glad you got to do a little post workout – workout, that always makes it better. 🙂
I LOVE Fresh Market. I’m visiting my boyfriend in NC this week, and I’ve made him take me there twice already. I just like walking around and looking at all the beautiful stuff they have! I’m such a weirdo.
I’ve never done Zumba – I’m super intimidated by it. I don’t think I would be very good at it! I think those goodies look perfect – I would be MORE than happy if I received that package 🙂
I always feel that I never get a good workout in dance-type classes as I keep having to stop or can’t keep up with the choreography! I’d much rather do kickboxing or spin.
I’ve never taken a Zumba class, but I’m definitely intrigued by them. Your’s today sounds… interesting! 😉
What awesome goodies! 🙂
I hate it when I go to a class like that and I’m left feeling frustrated the whole time at not being able to follow the instructor….you definitely end up feeling you didn’t get a good workout in and that’s annoying!
To be honest that is why I haven’t really thought about taking live classes — I like my workout dvds because I can stop and replay to learn the moves.
What?! You mean you don’t like walking in place (or rather right to left) for your workout! Haha. That stinks about Zumba…I’m not really a “group” exerciser for that very reason. I like to do my thing, work my body how I know will achieve the sweaty-look and feel, and be on my merry way!
Your little packages look cute! Happy house hunting research if that’s what you’re up to 🙂
rotisserie chicken is my FAVORITE! Oh and my dog can smell it from a mile away! I think it’s because when he was younger, a rotisserie chicken FELL on the floor and he attacked it with full force. I, of course, took it away and he proceeded to stomp into his little crate and not come out for a while, haha.
Oh my gosh I’ve been to a Zumba class like that! The teacher was impossible to follow, kept doing her own thang, and there was no repetition! I left after a half hour because I was so frustrated and wasn’t getting a workout at all. Zumba is definitely about finding the right instructor. I’ve been to 6 different instructors and 2 of them were just like how you described. I’ll stick with the other 4 🙂
uuughh sorry about the terrible Zumba instructor! I hate when I don’t actually get a workout in a class 🙁
hi julie
first time responding!! love your blog, have been reading it for a few months now. i am also a zumba instructor and i wish i could have seen what your instructor was doing. the zumba formula is to use 70% zumba program music and 30% whatever you want. every other month we get a DVD with choreographed routines on them to incorporate into our class. ALL of the DVD routines contain repetitious movements in each song. for instance, the chorus is always a certain set of moves or the tag is a certain set of moves. even routines i choreograph myself are set up the same way. most of the same genre of songs will also have certain movements that are the same. for instance cumbia songs, reggaeton songs, calypso songs all have certain signature steps. i also teach zumbatomic which is the kids’ class and my kids even recognize these patterns. also, just to let you know there is little to NO verbal cueing in zumba. it is 90% visual cueing. when i go to another instructor’s class it is often not difficult for me to pick up the choreography because all of the classes i go to the instructor uses the zumba choreographed numbers or choreographs routines in the aforementioned way. most of the time i do not preview steps before i teach a routine as participants catch on once we start dancing. what a bummer! i hate when i workout isn’t as good as planned.
That’s my total nightmare scenario with those dance classes haha. I’ve never taken Zumba for that reason, even though I took dance when I was a kid and am not completely uncoordinated.
Love the ribbon on your little granola jars, and Justin’s nutbutter packets = the best.
Your mom sounds like a very strong woman!~ Fight on and she’s an inspiration 🙂
That class sounds exactly like the Zumba class I took! I really wanted to like it and had the instructor actually instructed I probably would have. When the music starred she just starred shakin’ it and didn’t stop for sixty minutes. No instruction what so ever, and this woman owns the studio!
Sorry your class was sucky! Maybe stick to Jazzercize when visiting mom?!
I love the way jars look as packaging..so cute 🙂 That class sounds crazy. I hate when teachers are too all over the place to follow, makes me so frustrated.
We have those types of Zumba instructors at our gym too. Some are very strict on following zumba format, and then you get some that just wanna get their frek on! lol. One things for sure, a great Zumba instructor is fascinating to watch! I wish I could move like that! I am not a Zumba’r. lol. I’m a pumper.
**”freak on”
🙂
Ugh I totally would have been lost in that class too. I have ZERO rhythm, so I need an instructor to tell me what to do. By the way, isn’t the Fresh Market the best?! I love all their gourmet stuff!
um cutest little goodie bags ever!!!!!!! i wish i won!
and totally agree about the frustration! thats the only negative i have about taking classes! you never really know what to expect!!