Dance Your @ss Off alternative to the Gym

I'm sitting here at Starbucks using the free Wi-Fi you get when you have a gift card and wiping off the crumbs from a delicious mega oatmeal raisin cookie. I've switched from the expensive designer coffee choices to just regular brew with lots of cream and about three packets of Splenda. It all tastes about the same - strong enough to grow hair on your chest.
And, I figure I could cut back on the 400 calories consumed when having a tall white chocolate mocha. But then again, the cookie and the amount of cream I use to cut the coffee probably adds up to about the same.

While checking my Facebook, I noticed a few friends posting their intentions to hit the gym after work to ease some of the day's stress. This must be where I've gone wrong. Instead of the gym, here I sit, kicked back, coffee in hand, and crumbs on my shirt. That's attractive. Good thing I'm not trying to impress anyone.

Maybe it's the fact that I'm approaching midlife that I'm not panicked about getting to the gym. It just doesn't seem that appealing anymore. I'm at the point in my life where what you see is what you get. Honestly, think about the choices here. Who in their right mind would choose to punish themselves by standing next to a man sweating all over the machine next to you and smelling like he needs a shower yesterday over relaxing in a cushy chair with soft jazz playing in the background and the aroma of cookie and pastry wafting in air. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

Then again, exercising more regularly would be good for me. I would definitely be healthier, and I might even feel a bit better. I need to build some stamina for the cross-country traveling, c/w dancing, and adventuring I plan to do in the future. And how could I forget about the fast-approaching swimsuit season when the racks at Target are donning those cute little bikinis.

So, what's a girl to do when she doesn't want to go to the gym? I've seen the answer on cable. Audition for a season on "Dance Your Ass Off". This is real, folks! It's an honest-to-goodness reality weight-loss show spoofing the ever-popular "Dancing with the Stars." It airs on the Oxygen channel, http://dyao.oxygen.com/ which I find amusing, since the dancers are gasping for breath after their performances while waiting for the judges' decisions.

In this case, the participants are "talented, full-figured" people who are paired with professional dancers and then train for weekly performances. I thought about auditioning - for one small second. I consider myself somewhat talented when it comes to dancing. I did spend about 30 years in tap shoes with a baton in my hand. And, I'm full-figured; perhaps not as full as some I've seen on the show. I would love to  learn some new dance moves with a professional dancer, but I stop at the costumes. You won't catch this girl in metallic pink spandex.