Zumba Helps Employee Get Joy of Life Back

Cordelia Neill has lost 40 pounds doing Zumba.Cordelia Neill has had a devastating year. Two major losses left her grieving and heartbroken.

Luckily for Neill, she found an outlet that would help her heal and mend her heart: Zumba.

See, in November, Neill’s mother died.

Neill, a receptionist at the Child Welfare Services office in Escondido, had been taking a Zumba class offered at her worksite every Tuesday through the County’s Wellness Program.

“I needed some outlet,” said Neill, 61. “I needed something to lift me up.”

Neill began taking the Zumba class months before her mother’s passing. She wanted to improve her health.

Inspired by the County’s Wellness Program, and encouraged by her three sons, Neill tried boot camp and yoga classes. She did not like them.

She then tried Zumba, a fitness program that involves dance and aerobic elements. She loved it.

“I needed a change. I had high blood pressure and high cholesterol,” Neill said. “The scale kept going up. I had reached 235 pounds. I said to myself, ‘I’ve got to stop.’”

She liked Zumba so much, Neill tried not to miss a single class.

“Zumba is addicting. But it’s a healthy addiction,” she said.

When her mother passed away, Neill continued to go and found the classes had another important benefit. The combination of music and activity improved her mood. Her co-workers’ support also helped.

Neill was getting over the loss of her mother when death struck again. Her father died in April.

Again, Neill stuck with Zumba classes, but she added three more private lessons each week and also started to attend a bereavement support group.

“I went numb. I had so much grief,” Neill said. “But I kept going to Zumba. The music lifts my spirits. It really soothes me.”

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, regular aerobic exercise can help with depression and to relieve stress because it stimulates the production of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers and mood elevators.

Nearly a year later, Neill has lost 40 pounds. Zumba and healthier eating habits have returned her cholesterol and blood pressure to normal levels.

“Zumba helped me with my grief. It took my mind off things and helped me improve my self-image,” Neill said, adding she will continue doing Zumba because she wants to lose 60 more pounds. “Zumba really helped me. It’s a relief. It helped to get my joy of life and my smile back.”

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