Reflections on the Doonya Challenge: How I Went from Flab to Fit

As many of you know, I recently completed the Doonya Challenge in DC, a 3-month fitness challenge where I took 3-4 Doonya classes every week. For those of you unfamiliar with Doonya, it is a 60-minute dance fitness class filled with nonstop cardio, aerobic, and strength training performed to upbeat, fast-paced Bollywood music. While many compare it to Zumba, I think of it more like a mid-week trip to the club for some hip-shaking action!

When I decided to start the challenge back in February, my goal was to lose weight and tone up in a manner more fun than the treadmill at my gym. To be completely honest, I didn’t think I would be able to last long, with the rules being that we had to attend 3-4 classes per week. As with so many other workouts I’ve done, I expected to last a couple weeks before losing interest.  BUT I actually ended up staying and pushing through the three months! Why, you ask? Is it because I’m a masochist? Is it because I was desperate to lose weight? Is it because I didn’t have much else going on during the evenings?

Err, while the answers to some of those questions might be yes, the real reason was because I just found the workouts so addictively fun and effective! When the challenge ended earlier this month, I could not feel better about my fitness level and overall well-being. Not only have I lost about 9 pounds, but my arms and leg muscles have also toned. My stamina has improved, as evidenced by my ability to push through high-energy Bhangra songs without water breaks (think about doing 5 minutes of constant jumps, squats, and taps to this song).

Pictures of me before and after the challenge

The icing on the cake (maybe I shouldn’t use dessert references when talking about fitness!) is that they just announced me as the winner of the challenge! The prize is unlimited Doonya classes for a year and a cash prize! I’m soo excited to win, but definitely have to give a shout out to the other DC finalists whose energy and dedication was so inspiring, and the Doonya instructors who kept us motivated throughout!

Even though the challenge is over, I am still attending classes because I feel gross when I haven’t worked out for a few days. It also helps when the instructor puts on my favorite song and I can just let loose! For those of you looking to lose weight, tone up, or just have fun, I definitely recommend the Doonya workout. If you’re like me, you’ll like the results you see and will come back for more!