I met Kathy Smith...

and I bought her new weight loss book, too! (plus 2 videos which came with said book for the low, low price of 40 bucks Canadian.) She was very nice and- unlike most fitness professionals with videos, kind of tall. (Here is her blog for those interested in that kind of thang.)

Her talk was pretty interesting. She started working out at 19 after both her parents suddenly died. She went with her boyfriend "Rocky" to the track because she didn't want to be alone. She eventually worked up from one lap and made the "mind/body" connection, feeling better emotionally when she was feeling better physically. Her first aerobics ( which was just starting in California) video was on a record (!) and came with a poster with pictures of her doing the exercises. lol. It came out just when Jane Fonda's (an aerobic classmate ) came out and she was really distressed (since Jane was so famous and all), but it made her work harder- visiting gyms and getting out there meeting people. Much of her talk was about not being afraid of failure or listening to the voices in your head (the itty, bitty, shi**y committee, she called it) or the voices of others telling you that you can't do it. She had to really fight for her first Yoga video, apparently, as the Warner's executives were acting like she was trying to convert them to a new religion. Anyway, it was an interesting lecture and she ended with a video of her fitness videos over the years (leg warmers flashback). She didn't actually teach any of the sessions at the conference, but she did show up at the Zumba party and briefly danced on stage. (good sport and in good shape for over 50!)

Sophia (my friend who does the conference with me) and I got her autograph (yes, we're dorks) when we ran into her on the way to the bathroom after one of our many, many classes this weekend. I hadn't bought my book yet (unlike Sophia), because I didn't feel like carrying it around in my already stuffed backpack (especially since we were going to Lululemon after also), so she signed her name on a card one of the volunteers with her provided. (I wouldn't have asked, but the volunteer whipped it out and I figured I could paste it in the book later. OR put it on a scrapbook page with my photo after I undergo massive weight loss and body shaping apres reading fore mentioned book...Kathy will want to include me in her next book..... We'll go to next conference together...etc. etc. ....or not! ;P

I'll let you all know how the book is though. It has recipes and exercises, too.

I'll further report on highlights from my conference and do some instructor spotlights thru the week- much like my review of the Buffalo snack food that carried on forever- since it might be good to break up a possibly really long post AND I'm still feeling tired and a tad lazy.

In terms of my weekly recap, I STILL haven't dropped the holiday weight- mainly because I've not been recording my points (having been away and eating out in the big city). I did go to boot camp this morning- after taking Monday completely off to recuperate from the 13 (!) classes I did this weekend. We just had a small group today and each station had 2 exercises you did one after the other. I enjoyed this method: less having to circulate- probably keeping you more in the zone...ok, maybe this method wasn't as good. ;)

hope everyone else had a good week with better weight loss success than me! I will be a better blogger for the next few days (before our last holiday trip of summer). *sob*