Edan Gelt - Communications Strategist, Fitness Blogger, Child-life Volunteer

I’ve never tried Zumba before, to be honest, I was just too intimidated.  A friend and former colleague Lidia saw my posts on Facebook and invited me to her class at LA Fitness downtown.  I figured if I was going to embarrass myself, I might as well do it in front of her.    Lidia’s passion is dance and she used to do it competitively, dedicating nearly all of her free time to it.  She’s recently given up the art and now takes to the dance floor three times a week at various LA Fitness locations close to her Chicago home.   I arrived at LA Fitness on Sunday morning, post a St. Patty’s day hangover and joined Lidia and her regulars in the studio.  The music started and off she went as I tried to keep up as she Merengue’d, Salsa’d, and Bachata’d her way cross the dance floor.  She was amazing and as I side glanced in the mirror, I knew I looked like a flailing fish but I was kind of keeping up and totally having fun. The music was rhythmic and the infused hip-hop dance moves were f

I’ve never had acupuncture; needles make me a little squeamish so I was a bit hesitant to try it. Being a fitness junkie, something is always hurting – my knees from running, my neck from cycling, my mid-back from just about everything.  I was researching different ways to deal with the constant stiffness and pain.  As I searched, acupuncture continually showed up in my search results.  After years of hemming and hawing, I finally tried acupuncture at Your Medicos in Buffalo Grove and LOVED IT (and the therapist Kevin).  I can’t wait to go back.   I love massages – the more pressure the better so I was in my element for the first part of the session.  Kevin knew just the right spots and spent extra time working the knots and tight areas along my neck and back.  About half way into the session – Kevin inserted the needles, which thankfully are hair thin.  I have to admit, I was scared - however, after he put the first few in, I realized the fear was unfounded – I hardly felt them.