Irish dance diet - Harvesting the fruits of your labors

Christy Dorrity and Victoria Lambourne, TCRG,
at the launch party of AWAKENING
Photo: Kathleen Lamborn

Month: 11
Weight: 140
Weight lost: 15 pounds
Muscle gained: 17
Total fat loss: 32 pounds

For years I've been working hard. Not just on training my body, but on bettering my Irish dancing and writing a novel. It's been a great journey, full of hard work, sweat, and bumps in the road. Sometimes I've wondered if I would ever reach my goals, or if I would be happy when I arrived at the end of my journey.

This month I've seen the fruits of my labors rewarded in a harvest of plenty:

1-I am a hairs breath away from my personal training goals (can't wait for maintenance). It's been almost exactly a year from when I started, and I'm looking at solo dresses! More on that later. I can't tell you how good it feels to have my body in shape again. My body no longer gets in my way when I'm dancing, and I feel great!

2-My novel, AWAKENING, (about an Irish dancer) debuted this month, after four years of work. The launch was fantastic, blowing the doors off of the sales we expected to reach. My dance school hosted a launch party where we danced some Irish and I signed copies of the book. I can't tell you what that night meant to me. It was a fantastic blend of family, Irish dance, and the culmination of many years of hard work. Truly a bounteous harvest.

3-This weekend I went to the Southern California Open Feis in Redlands, CA, competing as an adult at the champion level. I placed last, but I danced hard and felt great about it. I felt accepted by the fellow competitors, the judge, and the teachers, and the satisfaction of being able to dance at that level was a boon.

I'll tell you what I tell the kids when I sign a book for them:

"Believe in the unseen, and follow your dreams!"

Yes, they really do come true!

Readers: Are you an Irish dancer or a dance school, competitive or not, with a story to share? Would you like to inspire others to feel your passion for Irish dancing and culture? Do you have a question about Irish dancing?