One,Two,Three...Zumba!

Zumba has hit the nation by storm this year as one of the best workouts to do for your body. Men and Women of all ages have signed up for lessons, bought the fitness videos, signed up for Zumba cruises and parties and have even bought the video games (Wii, Xbox etc.). Zumba is a dance workout which combines dances such as the Salsa, the Cumbria, hip hop and many more. The well known dance workout gets you  using all of your body. First you will start with the lower body,then your abs and eventually your upper body. All of this gets worked out at the same time which means you will burn more calories within the hour. I have always wondered what the big fuss was about it so i have decided to get my Zumba on via the Wii and the sessions to see which was more fun, more challenging and overall, if it works!

To start with I decided to try the Wii console version of Zumba to see how it works and if it was effective or not. After an hour of working out I can certainly say that I had fun. It did take me a few times to learn the steps and the next day my body did feel stiff so I must of gotten a good workout since I stretched before and had a good cool down session too. The only downside to using the Wii was that although there was people on the screen it was quite lonely and if you shook your hips as fast as they did on television then your remote would have fallen out of the belt provided with the game. To buy the game it is roughly £35 at any game store and grocery stores such as Tesco or Sainsburys.

Today I went to one of the Zumba lessons and I was pleasantly surprised how much of an atmosphere there was. The room was filled with positivity and everyone was raring to go with the lessons. The teacher was full with enthusiasm and definitely brought it out of other people. Whenever I couldn't keep up with anything I never felt daft or embarrassed that I messed it up because I felt as if I wasn't the only person who was getting confused. It is much harder to do in a lesson although the outcome will be much better. The music is the same in the lessons although you get more of an understanding of how to perform the moves correctly. The lesson I went to today was at my College which only cost £1 whereas at a gym the lessons may vary, depending on how many are in the class etc..

If anyone was unsure about whether to try Zumba or not then I would definitely give it a shot as I was unsure and now I love it. If you would like company then I would recommend the lessons however if your shy about your body then try the video game or the workout DVD. Then if you feel that you could face a lesson then do so as they company will be an advantage and you may possibly make some new friends while your there! It's a win win situation, so what are you waiting for? Try Zumba today and I can guarantee you, that you'll have a blast.

Don't Break Your Piggy!

I went to the town earlier this week to buy my dinner when I realised I hadn't enough money.Is it just me or is everything starting to become more expensive? Have no fear, I've found a solution to all of you financial problems.

Us girls like to shop yeah? Well if you always feel like you need some retail therapy then look no further. Being a student can have its benefits in this area with 10% of here and 10% off there but not everything has to have a small percentage off. Any fans of Dorothy Perkins clothes needn't look further as if you have a student card then you are allowed to use it on sale items. The only time you are unable to use your card is if there is an event such as, 'everything 30%off'.

If you aren't a student then don't worry as Primark will always have the latest trends at very reasonable prices and T.K.Maxx gives you the opportunity of wearing brands but without the expense, what more could you need?

Not everyone likes to spend their money on shopping though, they prefer to spend it on food and social events. If this seems more like you then your not alone;I love my food, sweet food in particular. What I find is that the best way to not buy food out is to either have a meal before you go out which isn't always enjoyable if the food's boring but that's where you come in.

Why don't you try and buy yourself a cookbook? In the book you will find loads of different recipes that you can make and maybe even end up making something new for yourself. This is especially useful when you don't know where to go to eat with someone ( boyfriend/girlfriend, or friends in general). If you cook a meal for your partner they will see you as utterly sweet however if you both work together and make something, you both will be having fun and will be getting to know each other more and it's all for free. Maybe your with your friends? Then make a 'Come Dine With Me' themed night and each week go to one another's house and see who is the best cook or make a meal all together and have a goggle in the process. Whatever you do it's a win win situation.

Anyone just want to save in general? I know the feeling. I spent months trying to save up for a college trip and I eventually got the money I needed. To be honest, I probably wouldn't of got it all if it wasn't for this site. www.vouchercodes.com is a site that allows you to print off any deals that may interest you or the site will give you the code( for example, you would get a code for asos.com) . The amount of vouchers you can get is unbelievable. From Argot to Frankie and Bennies, and the variety can be so big also, such as Homebase to New Look. I can guarantee everyone that there will be a voucher on this website that someone will be interested in.

Good luck in your savings and remember, don't break your piggy!

Back to School

School, college or university, all of their long 6-8 weeks of holidays is finally coming to an end. Some people have tried things they would never have imagined while others just cruised by and let time pass them by. At the very beginning of each year who doesn't decide to change something about their school/college/uni lifestyle? It's almost like a New Years Resolution. Some people always want to change something for the following year and here's a few of the top most wanted lists.This year I will...

Try harder at studying. Yes some people may have not got what they wanted so they want to try extra hard this year in getting what they want while others just want to maintain their brilliant grades, maybe get even better. At the moment this is one of mine, purely because I was so close to the above grade.

Look much better. Some people could see this as looking more 'together' and stylish although some guys may think to themselves 'I shall grow a beard' or 'I will look more clean shaven'. Some of the girls may even try new make-up and hair ideas also just because they are sick of what they used to look like, wearing the same type of thing everyday. It's a good thing to try although it is harder than everyone thinks. Some people also try and look better as in losing weight, putting on weight so when they go back people can shower them with compliments but to lose or gain a significant amount of weight takes pure determination.

Prioritise my time better. This one is very similar to trying harder at studying however I feel that this would be used for all aspects of your life, ie, college, friends, job etc. If you try your hardest and don't succeed on this one then it could leave quite a scar behind. I always try to do this one but everything always ends up getting on top of me and that makes me even more stressed.

Eat healthier. Yes, it's all their at the back of our minds. Since we're all away from our parents at this time, most people like to opt for the more unhealthy option of junk food and takeaways. Unless you have a packed lunch however which shows that you are trying to be healthier in some sense. Some people may eat healthy all week then one day just eat what you want. In my college, my group used to have something called 'Take out Thursdays' were we would all chip in and get some dominoes pizza delivered to the college. One of my friends gets a McDonalds every Wednesday. Yes these lot are good as treats but if this becomes a habit your body will know what to expect a certain day which won't do you metabolism any good.

So if any of the top ideas seem like something you have come up with then I wish you all the best because like I pointed out it's not easy to change our habits and you need stamina and determination to keep it up.