Ludlow High School paraprofessional Lisa Diotalevi plans to participate in the upcoming Sgt. Joshua D. Desforges Challenge, and is looking to improve her performance from the last time she entered the challenge two years ago.

To prepare, Diotalevi is doing Zumba classes everyday after school at Baila Comigo in Wilbraham. Zumba is “an aerobic fitness program featuring movements inspired by various styles of Latin American dance and performed primarily to Latin American music,” according to an online source.

Weight training is also a way Diotalevi plans to prepare for the challenge. She takes classes periodically at the YMCA on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. In the weight training classes she does workouts such as squats and lunges with weights and dumbbells, and overhead presses.

She also goes to the gym in LHS everyday after school to practice pull-ups on the bar with Zumba following right after. And since those will be the hardest part of the challenge for her, her main goal is to improve on those. Along with that, she does cardio and weights four times a week, which includes pushups, situps, pullups, and squats.

For her diet plan she says “ I just try to eat as much protein as possible, other than that I’ll eat whatever I want.”

She also is hoping to complete the whole 60 minutes of the challenge, since the last time she did it she was only able to do half of that time.

“The challenge is a great way to honor Josh’s memory and proceeds raised are used for scholarships for seniors at LHS,”  Diotalevi said.

The Sgt. Joshua D. Desforges Challenge is taking place in the Ludlow High School gym at 3 p.m. on March 12.