As I sat in my hotel room at The Mirage in Las Vegas, following an eventful, fun and delicious Thanksgiving dinner with friends, I thought about the feelings and thoughts many have at the end of that day...

“Ooooh, I just ate too much food!”……“Maybe I should have skipped dessert!”

 “No way, pumpkin pie is tradition, right?”

Well, here’s the GOOD NEWS… let me help you get through this month with all the parties and BIG celebrations with these Three Ideas:

˜Idea #1 - Take out your calendar and let’s start with December 2016.

Find three days in each week that you feel would work for setting aside some time to “get up and move!” It doesn’t matter how long you decide to stretch, exercise, walk, dance or just move, even if it’s only in a chair doing some arm exercises and knee lifts!

Draw a “heart” around each day you designate to “move.”

Now, this is the important part…set yourself up for success! Make sure you feel comfortable with three (or maybe just two) days. YOU must take the initiative to be the Director of your next 31 days!

˜Idea #2 - I always tell my dance students that the goal is NOT to lose weight during the holidays but rather to stay the same OR gain no more than about 5 pounds, then “you’re good!” Do we agree?

How? One trick is to stay hydrated either by water (preferred) or ice tea. The crucial time of the day is when you wake up. It’s important to drink plenty of water, especially before each meal. Why? We sleep a certain number of hours without hydration AND it’s been proven that if you drink a glass of water before each meal, you will eat less.

˜Idea #3 - What positive thoughts can you think of each morning when waking up? Are you ready to pat yourself on the back or are you troubled by slipping the day before and having that extra slice of pizza OR forgetting to do some kind of exercise?

This is what I say to you, “Each day, pat yourself on the back no matter what.” Your thinking will be going down the right path because YOU ARE AWARE AND YOU CARE! Don’t beat yourself up. Get back on the road and focus. By doing this you’ll have fun along the way, and THAT’S what’s IMPORTANT during this celebrated month of December, right?

Guess what my friends. By following these Three Ideas for a “Healthier Holiday” you will have a plan that carries over to the start of 2017! Don’t wait like everyone else and set your Goals for 2017 on January 1st. I’d love to hear how these ideas worked for you.

Exercise is a subject worth repeating because the senior population is growing rapidly as new medicines, proven treatments, plus healthy eating and exercise habits that help extend our lives are advertised daily worldwide.   Anything that is promoted numerous times and in multiple ways causes the public to eventually take notice and creates not only an interest throughout social settings but also an interest by the witnessing of “huge results.”   One such proven example is daily exercise equals longevity with a better quality of life.

Now, on to the “meat” of this blog -- how can you, the reader, get on the bandwagon and take advantage of all of these “great results” that are exposed daily and share with your fellow seniors? 

• Spread the word ~ “healthy living” can be contagious
• Preach by example ~ like the “pied piper”
• Support seniors ~ compliment or praise each other for an effort to live a healthy life

Living a Balanced Life:

• Exercise at least 3 times a week; even a brisk walk through the Mall or around the block counts!
• Prepare healthy foods
• Be sure to have your annual check-ups.  (We know our bodies so don’t put off seeing a doctor if you are experiencing an unusual change in your system).

Another reason to EXERCISE, and this is so important, especially for seniors over 65 years old ~ BETTER DAILY BALANCE!

One  out  of  every  three  adults over 65 years old falls each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They go on to say, “However, research supports the notion that many of the physiological changes related to aging – such as loss of balance – can be prevented or postponed with regular exercise.”

In my classes, I teach a portion of the class standing behind a chair as we practice a series of exercises designed specifically for balance. I’m so proud of my seniors as they continually achieve and hold the balance positions longer each time. In my new 5th video, KT’s Classic Dance Aerobic Video, recently released, I have added a chapter on balance.

I know so many seniors where movement is a major focus in their lives. I'm honored to be a part of their "fitness plan" for the movement as they desire not only to think of physically moving, but also ensuring that the organs in their body are nutritionally nurtured and balanced.  I am very proud of the many seniors who are starting to take their health seriously by partaking in daily moving activities and practicing healthy eating habits!

To Your Health 

What a glorious way to start each new day in celebration of YOU. Being thankful for just “ONE THING” in your life at that moment when you first arise is a great way to start celebrating YOU!  We all know as we age, our minds and thoughts change along with our bodies as they, too, are often not as active.  So, it’s up to “us” to get into habits that will help us experience each day with a new appreciation!

I first started teaching Dance Aerobics to the Avondale seniors in August of 2011. I had (and still have) about 30 seniors, male and female of all ages. I mention “all ages” because there are seniors in their 90’s in my class.

I also want to give a BIG shout out to Erin and Dax, the Recreation Coordinators of the Avondale Senior Center, who always keep a full schedule of fitness activities for the seniors.

As I celebrate the hundreds of seniors who have allowed me to reach out to them these past four years, I want to say, “What a privilege!” and I applaud each of you as I’ve observed a tremendous growth in your health from moving your “bodies” and challenging your “minds.”

I want to thank all of my seniors here in Arizona, as well as all who have purchased my videos in various states, for inspiring me to continue my mission of reaching as many people as possible, of all ages, to follow my lead in realizing that “Movement” is truly the “Key for a Happy & Healthy Life.”

As you can see, when I awoke today my celebration was twofold, being so thankful that I can teach all my Dance Aerobic classes each week and thankful for all of you, my fellow dancers!

It’s that time of the year again where we stop to enjoy family, friends and all the “goodies” offered to us!  As “2014” comes to a close, my wish for everyone is a Healthy & FUN Holiday plus taking some quality time for yourselves to reflect on all the wonderful gifts you have received this year and setting goals for “2015!”

Do you ignore statements about how to “be healthy?” Do you quickly turn the page or change the channel when you see and hear challenging facts about your health?  Or even worse, you read and listen about healthy choices and say, “I’m fine” when you know otherwise. Please DON’T IGNORE what your body is saying to you!

Our physical bodies are like machines, and with this in mind, I always tease my classes about oiling our knees and hips when we start with warm-up routines.

With all that said, let’s talk reality. Yes, it is definitely harder as we get older to keep our bodies and minds in a healthy state. Look at some strong statistics though. The most recent statistics of people living over 100 years of age is from Wikipedia in 2012 stating the number at 316,600. The United States has the most Centenarians, with Japan coming in second.  You have to say that the Doctors and media are getting through to some people.

What can seniors do and what should they be doing to enjoy more of a “Quality of Life” as they age? I have a few suggestions and would also like to hear from some of you who either know what to do or are experiencing that “Quality of Life” we all desire.

I know some of you think I sound like a broken record. Remember when we were playing the 78’s and then the 45’s and the needle would have trouble getting out of a groove and keep repeating the same word or words? That’s me!  As I continually say in my classes and here on my Blog, “Movement is KEY to longevity and quality of life!” You’ll also hear me repeat the words of nutritionists, “we are what we eat.” Some kind of movement and eating right is essential to YOUR “Quality of Life.” In my Class Schedule each week I visit 6 Centers. I teach seniors 55+ to 95 years young. Some are in wheelchairs, others using walkers and the rest walk in on their own. It’s inspiring to see everyone moving to the beat or to their own beat. What is your choice of health?

To Your Health,

The statistics are high for people of all ages in the world who live with pain.  According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, a recent market research report indicated that more than 1.5 billion people worldwide suffer from chronic pain.  I witness this on a daily basis in my aerobic classes.  Seniors 55+ attend my classes with back pain, knees that have been replaced or just worn out, and with arthritis, the most commonly reported pain.  In fact, on some days so many of my seniors who have arthritis have to sometimes sit down while participating in my class.  This is fine.   I always tell everyone to only move as much as they can.  What counts is “You walked in the door!”

I have touched on this subject in an earlier blog, August 25, 2014, "Joint Effort."  I feel this subject is worth repeating as I remind everyone that “Movement is the Key” to feeling good! I completely understand this kind of thinking, “Oh I can’t exercise today.  I have too much pain.” Those thoughts are normal unless you have at some time encouraged yourself to attend a class and then realized how great you felt afterwards.  And even then you sometimes have to remind your brain of that wonderful experience and feeling.

What a glorious way to start each new day in celebration of YOU. Being thankful for just “ONE THING” in your life at that moment when you first arise is a great way to start celebrating YOU!  We all know as we age, our minds and thoughts change along with our bodies as they, too, are often not as active.  So, it’s up to “us” to get into habits that will help us experience each day with a new appreciation!

For example, this past week I returned to Avondale Senior Center where in August of 2011 I started teaching Dance Aerobics every Wednesday to about 30 seniors, male and female of all ages. (I mention “all ages” because I have seniors in their 90’s in my classes!)  We moved over to the American Sports Center in Avondale a little over a year ago. More seniors joined us from the area and Dax & Erin, the Recreation Coordinators of the Avondale Senior Center, made sure they transported as many seniors as they could.  CareMore Insurance sponsored me at the American Sports Center and continues to sponsor me as we move back “home” to Avondale Senior Center.  I want to say how very grateful I am for CareMore sponsoring me not only there at the American Sports Center and here at the Avondale Senior Center but also every Monday morning at the Christown Mall in Phoenix. (Please see class schedule for more information.)