Achieving a realistically Healthy lifestyle!

In order to fully benefit from the Pilates system, it is essential to commit to a regular practice routine as well as examine you currently lifestyle. Be prepared to make changes where necessary. Make sure you get enough rest and eat a healthy diet while reducing your stress levels and staying positive.

In the next few Articles I will be going through some valuable information to help you lead the healthy life you want.

For most people today a serious concern is that of weight loss. There are so many “wonder” diets promising you massive weight loss in a short time and this setting unrealistic goals for those who want to lose the weight and keep it off. As such when these unrealistic rapid results are not met, we tend to give up . Trapping ourselves in a never ending cycle of unhealthy habits.

The trick here is to set realistic goals. Unless you are working out intensely for at least 4hrs a day, it is highly unlikely you will lose up to 10Lbs per week! You would also have to be eating way below your usual caloric intake which in turn will “starve” your body and so when you end your “diet” , your body will automatically store the extra “fuel” and this will make you gain more weight in the long run.

Theoretically , if you are burning more calories than you are taking in you should lose weight. Most of us can attest to the fact that this is not as simple as it seems.

Here are some hints to help you :

Calorie counting: First of all you will need to figure out your Resting Metabolic Rate. (RMR) . Use this link:

 http://www.shapefit.com/basal-metabolic-rate.html

The number you get will represent the minimum number of calories you need to maintain your current weight. It is believed that in order to lose weight you need to diet or exercise up to a 500 caloric deficit everyday. This means you either have to exercise 500 calories off or eat 500 calories less than your minimum requirement.

Personally I recommend increasing you activity levels , it is important to figure out what you Maximum heart rate would be. Use this formula : 208 -( 0.7x age) = Max heart rate.

This will help you to figure out your Target heart rate in order to determine your ideal heart rate( while exercising ) for weight loss. A good target is to aim for between 50% and 70% of you maximum heart rate. ( Times your heart rate by 0.5 or 0.7) . This is useful if you are using a heart rate monitor ( which can be bought in most stores) or using the monitors attached to various cardio machines at the GYM.

unfortunately for women , without exercise once we are over 25yrs old, we lose lean muscle and replace it with body fat. At a rate of up to 3% per year. Excessive body fat – particularly in the abdomen – is a high risk factor for killers such as heart disease and diabetes.

I recommend doing exercise at least 4 x a week for up to an hour . Cardio twice weekly and a strengthening and toning exercise ( Pilates is perfect for this! ) at least twice a week too. Of course the more you exercise the faster you will get better results.

On days you do not exercise drop you calorie intake, and do the little things necessary for maintaining an active lifestyle.

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Important Elements to Master exercises ( Part one)

In order to truly benefit from your Pilates workouts it is important to understand all the elements that are in play.

1: Redefine your body

Traditionally we think of the body as two arms, two legs, a torso and a head. The best way to imagine movement is to think of the body in its simplest form. The Torso. This is the space starting at the bottom of the skull and continuing to the bottom of the buttocks. It contains the spine and all the major organs. Our “powerhouse” is also contained by ‘The Torso’, if you can visualise the body like this,  it will be easier to understand the essence of each exercise. Although your arm and leg muscles are working, it is important to focus on the muscles radiating from “The Core” or “The powerhouse”. Think of the movement as originating from your core and flowing to your extremities!

2: Your Powerhouse

The band of muscles that circles the body just under your belt-line (the abdominals, lower back, hips and buttocks)  is known as the “powerhouse”. Often when we sit we sink most of our weight into this area and as such, creates stress on these muscles. This causes soreness in the back, bad posture and the “gut” or “love handles” we work so hard to lose. When you are performing Pilates exercises you should be working from the powerhouse and lifting up and out of this area. Visualise yourself stretching your upper-body away from your hips. This action engages your powerhouse and protects your lower back. This motion can also be performed during all of your other activities , such as driving, cooking , shopping, etc. By doing this it will become a habit and encourage good posture.

3: “Scooping the belly” or Navel to spine

While engaging in Mat-work we learn to “scoop” our belly. This is also known as Navel to spine. This movement uses the abdominal muscles to reinforce the spinal muscles (paraspinals) . It strengthens and stretches the muscles of the lower back and allows for the creation of a flat abdominal wall. Pressing  Navel to Spine is not sucking in your stomach which causes you to hold your breath. Which is the complete opposite of the desired effect. Rather think of a weight pressing your belly down to your spine or an anchor attached to your belly button from the inside and pulling it down to the floor. It is important to maintain this position while breathing properly, inhaling and exhaling air from the lungs not from the belly.

4: Tucking under while Lengthening at the same time

In Pilates it is important to lengthen your muscles as you strengthen them. If a movement encourages you to “Squeeze your buttock muscles” , it is not meant that you must tuck your bottom under or contract the muscles so tightly that you cause your buttocks to lift up, off the matt. Your pelvis and the base of your spine should stay pressed against the mat , being held firmly in place by the other muscles of the powerhouse. In the beginning it is hard to start a movement without tucking a little. Be aware that the goal is to gain strength and control in order to lengthen in opposition to our pelvis, that is stretch away from it and keep it stabilised while performing each exercise movement.

5: Isolation.

Commonly we think of the areas of the body that are in motion ,as being the area where the mind should be focused. This is known as isolating a particular group of muscles. The problem with this idea is that it ignores the areas of the body that are not in motion, creating an unbalanced body. In Pilates movements it is important that every muscle be working simultaneously. That is the natural inclination of the body and maintains the body’s sense of balance. The best way to do this is to think of stabilizing or anchoring the area of the body that is not in motion. This ensures that the muscles of your body are working together. If you don’t focus on stabilising the motionless part of your body before beginning the movement, it creates a sloppy exercise that is ineffective and can lead to injury.

Next week I will focus on Stabilising with the Pilates stance, muscle control without tension , modifications for pain and injury and Lengthening the neck.

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Essential Pilates Principles

The Pilates system retrains our bodies , increasing strength and flexibility while improving our balance and posture. With this system our bodies are worked as a whole ensuring stability,balance, correct alignment,good muscle control and correct breathing are maintained while each muscle group is being exercised.

The essential principles for Pilates are as follows:

Concentration:Pilates requires concentration and focus. It is not a form of mindless repetition, each movement is carefully controlled . Your mind needs to stay alert which allows the mind and body to work in unison. Creating a “mind and body” connection. When we focus on a certain area we can feel that area working , that is the power of your mind!

Breath:Breathing is the first thing we do in life and the last.The proper use of our breath is paramount in Pilates.People have a tendency to hold their breath, or take shallow breaths, while performing exercises this inhibits the supply of oxygen to the muscles and causes tension to build up. This reduces the performance of the muscles. In Pilates we pay close attention to the breaths we take. Joseph Pilates designed his method to cleanse the bloodstream . By using full inhalations and exhalations, you are pushing out the stale air and gases from the depth of your lungs and renewing your body with fresh air to energize and revitalise your body. Throughout a movement we are incouraged to inhale at the start of each movement and exhaling usually takes place on the part of the exercise that requires the most work, forcing our bellys to “scoop” providing a good support for our lower backs and abdominals.

Centering:Our center is also referred to as our “Core” or “The Powerhouse”. This is our abdominal area , lower back, hips and buttocks, which is our bodies center of gravity. All our energy for our Pilates exercises starts at “The Powerhouse” and flows outward to our extremeties.With all the moves being controlled by the contraction of the abdominal muscles, we are able to stretch and lengthen our muscles without risking strain to your spine or neck.

Control: Muscle control is essential in order to maintain correct posture and alignment while working the muscles. There should be no sloppy , or haphazard movements.With Pilates each movement serves a function and the control is at the core. We strengthen the body by working against gravity using slow and controlled movements.

Precision: In order for Pilates to be truly effective , precise execution of the exercises is vitally important. Pilates requires practice, patience and concentration. Rather focus on doing one precise and perfect movement , instead of doing a hundred half-hearted ones. In the beginning it can be difficult to remember all the different points. Over time as you become more proficient , breathing, controlling your muscles,and keeping your spine in neutral and remembering to “scoop” your belly throughout exercises will become second nature to you.

Flowing movement:All the movements in Pilates should be as smooth as possible. The sequences should be repeated slowly , using continuous , flowing movement that is in pace with our breathing.

Isolation or Intuition:While we are practicing our Pilates routines it is very important to listen to our bodies. We need to develop an acute awareness of each part of our bodies, in order to work one set of muscles while at the same time maintaining correct posture, breathing and alignment. Do not force movements if something hurts…STOP! It is vital that you trust what feels right and what doesn’t.

Routine:Develop a routine and practice regularly , this will help you improve your technique and enhance your abilities.

Imagination and Visualization:Our minds are wonderful and work in mysterious ways , one way is to create a visual framework for our bodies to follow. Use your “Minds eye” to enhance your movements. Be creative in your visualizations as you do your routine. visualisations such as ” Scooping your belly”, or ” reaching up towards the ceiling” help us to perfect the movements.

In Pilates we try to see our bodies as a whole. Each exercise in the comprehensive mat work uses every muscle in our bodies. Muscles are never isolated, this creates an imbalance in our bodies. Through integration you will learn to use all your muscles simultaneously in order to achieve your goals !

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