With all of my pregnancies, I really tried to do low impact exercise to stay healthy and active. Most of the time, that meant I walked a lot, but my third pregnancy was a summer baby. The last thing I wanted to do was walk while being all hot and big in the spring and summer Georgia heat.

Then, I remember reading on Facebook about a free month trial of Jazzercise at my local recreation center. I had a fellow church member who took classes at Jazzercise, and I decided that I would try it out. I had never done Zumba or any type of dance class before. I hadn’t even heard of Jazzercise before until I started going. So I had no idea what to expect or how to gauge how well I would do it.

I remember walking into the class, being nervous. There were plenty of women in the room, and it was suggested to me to stand behind a regular and follow her movements. The hour went by quickly. Once it was over, I was covered in sweat. That was one of the most fun I ever had while working out. I was in love.

I’ve given birth to that baby now. She’s two and a half years old. And I’ve been doing Jazzercise the entire time since then.

Now, I may sound like a walking commercial for Jazzercise, and I probably am! I love the program, the diversity in the routines, the balance of cardio and weight training, and the fun. I love the community and friends that you make while working out. It’s not a solitary movement. We are dancing… working… sweating… together in a goal to have healthier bodies. We are a family of encouragement, cheering each other on as we reach our individual goals.

Well, you might think that dancing in front of people sounds embarrassing. What if I make a mistake? What if my body just doesn’t move that way? What if I can’t follow the choreography?

There are all valid questions and concerns, but I still have the same answer for you.

Who cares?

Who cares if you mess up? Who cares if you can’t follow? Who cares that you look sillier than the person next to you? No one.

No. I take that back. One person cares. YOU do.

But you shouldn’t. We’re not there to judge (and if you are, stop it!). If you let go of looking absolutely ridiculous (which you won’t), then it frees you to have fun.

Now, I love Jazzercise. I won’t deny it, but it may not be your cup of tea. That’s okay. Whatever gets you moving is the important thing. Maybe you’re into CrossFit, joining a fitness club, Zumba, yoga, pilates, barre, whatever it may be, do what you love.

And don’t be afraid to mix it up. Just because I love Jazzercise doesn’t mean I’m not open to doing other forms of exercise. I just started to incorporating yoga at home, and it has improved my performance at Jazz. I’m also thinking about doing a free week membership at CrossFit just to see what it’s like.

So go out there. Get moving. Be active. Do what you love.

Here’s a picture of me during my engagement shots. I’m pretty sure this is the heaviest weight of my life. This was taken in 2005.