This year, I decided to spend my last Mini-Course Week on school grounds. My friends and I were feeling healthy on sign-up day so we signed up for 30-Minute Meals, Nutrition, Kickboxing, and Zumba.

On Monday, we headed off to 30-Minute Meals followed by the nutrition class.  I first prepared a delicious plate of chicken marsala and pasta pomodoro with the assistance of AHN parent Mrs. Stark and other fellow classmates. I then proceeded to my nutrition class taught by Jane Becker, RD, LD, CNSD, Clinical Dietitian from Shriners Hospital for Children.  She provided us with useful information about how to read the nutrition labels on foods and what amount of proteins, calories, vitamins, etc. we must take daily in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Tuesday and Wednesday taught me two different types of exercise. Kickboxing on Tuesday and Zumba on Wednesday both required hard work and endurance, as the instructors did not allow us to slack off.  Our instructor for Kickboxing was a former policeman and military man who now teaches this sport outside of school. He pushed us to our very limit. We could not stop working on our abdomens until they ached. He taught us several punches and how to do an effective kick. This class provided a good exercise as well as excellent tips and moves for self-defense.

Zumba on Wednesday was a complete drift from the aggressive kickboxing from the day before. Taught by AHN parent Mrs. Lisa Acebo, our class consisted of different types of body movements choreographed to popular songs. The repetition and steps worked up a sweat within minutes. However, zumba is definitely for those who do not have much trouble following steps. I, for one, was lost for most of the time.