balance, Your Pilates, Yoga and Gyrotonic Studio

Super News for Soupergirl

2011-06-20T14:48:00.015-04:00

Soupergirl, a local soup delivery business, drops off soup at our Bethesda studio where clients then pick up their orders. Big news is that the homegrown business is moving into a storefront location. Sara Polon, the founder, who makes the vegan soups as well as desserts and salads, is being joined by her mother, Marilyn. Sara is committed to offering ingredients from local area farmer's markets. Later this month, Soupergirl will be found at 314 Carroll Street NW, Takoma Park. http://www.thesoupergirl.com/

Gyrotonic: A Great Fit for Moi

2011-06-17T14:11:00.000-04:00

When I first walked through the door of the Bethesda studio, the odd-looking Gyrotonic equipment caught my eye. It intrigued me. I came to find out that Gyrotonic was invented by Juliu Horvath, a dancer who wanted to work out while injured. Gyrotonic combines aspects of swimming, dance, tai chi and yoga. Susan booked me for a private session, to introduce me to it. Despite being somewhat uncoordinated the first time, I enjoyed the way it made me feel. Since then, I've starting taking classes with Alesia, another master trainer who rocks! The experience is wonderful for me because I have always wanted to be really stretched out. When I do gyro, I get connected with parts of my body--I really FEEL deeply, down to a skeletal level. Gyro has increased my body awareness, as I am more conscious of my posture, how I might slump over a computer screen, or the fact that I skip a day of stretching. Working on Gyrotonic helps me to expand, in ways other than the physical. The big secret I hate to admit is that I am so busy enjoying it, I forget that I'm exercising!

by Sheila M.

Balance Challenge Winning Story

2011-06-10T13:01:00.004-04:00

I blame it all on a freaking pair of jeans.

To know me is to know I rarely wear jeans. Despite living in them all through high school and college as one tends to do, my distaste for how my legs looked in them grew exponentially to the point that I just never wore them. Skirts and dresses are just so much cuter anyway. While digging through old clothes one weekend in late February, I stumbled upon an old pair of jeans. Oddly nostalgic for comfy jeans of days past, I tugged them on. But they were no longer just comfy jeans; they were comfy jeans that no longer fit. After I shed a few tears and stood there with puffy eyes and jeans that didn’t fit, I took on a Challenge. Having read about the balance Challenge earlier that week, I decided to take the Challenge one step further: To focus on making exercise a normal part of each day of those 10 weeks.

The problem? I do not have a healthy history with fitness. Gym class for me was pure hell. That hour a day when I should have been developing a healthy devotion to fitness was pure humiliation for me. It is never easy being the fat kid in gym class. We all have our burdens of education to bear: some people claim a hatred of math because of one awful teacher. I can take a derivative like a rock star but put me in a group exercise class and I plant myself in the back row willing myself to be invisible.

It was time to exorcise those demons. On Monday, March 3^rd I started the balance Challenge and kicked off my I Hate Those Freaking Jeans Fitness Challenge. The goal was simple: Do some sort of physical activity every single day, including at least three Balance Pilates classes a week. Each week, I wrote about how I incorporated my workout into each day on my blog, I Wanna Be A Domestic Goddess. My readers gave me workout ideas to keep it fresh and even joined me in a few of my workouts. My friend Shirin even joined Balance!

The Challenge was the first time I did not give up on a fitness goal. Every morning I woke up and decided where my workout would fit into that day. Sometimes it meant walking at lunch and sometimes it meant dragging myself to a 6 a.m. PTF class. There were some busy days, some really ugly allergy days. But it always happened. I had signed up for this Challenge before and didn’t finish; finishing this time was huge for me. At the end of the Challenge, those Freaking Jeans fit. I owe this accomplishment to the balance Challenge. It gave me the framework and confidence to develop a healthy fitness attitude for the first time in my life.

And it inspired my next challenge: Running.

by Rebecca H.

Rebecca in her jeans!!

Happy Birthday, Susan!

2011-06-08T08:27:00.002-04:00

Susan on Bosu Ball. Photo by Valeria O.

Happy Birthday to our favorite business owner and awesome instructor, Susan Smith Burns!

Have a great day and thank you for creating this wonderful community of balance. You are an inspiration to us all.

The Food Pyramid Is History!

2011-06-02T20:00:00.002-04:00

Somewhere along the way, maybe in health or nutrition class (if you're young enough) you learned about the health food pyramid. That old reliable was laid to rest today. "My plate" was unveiled by the USDA and First Lady Michelle Obama, who we know is all about health and fitness. (Remember the rage about her toned arms!) With a plethora of info available at choosemyplate.gov. there is no excuse to be out of the loop. Pyramid--out, plate--in.

From Client to Instructor: Real Men Do Pilates

2011-06-01T10:00:00.001-04:00

Jerry Anderson came to balance studio on a recommendation from his martial arts teacher, who was closing his school. “I took three private sessions and fell in love with Pilates,” Jerry remembers. “Pilates is SO in line with some of the principles of Chinese martial arts. In particular, the ideas of balance, working from the powerhouse area and the use of opposition.” Jerry loved the easy transition from martial arts to Pilates, as he was able to continue with rigorous conditioning, since he understood certain concepts when he walked in the door. He became so committed to his Pilates practice that he booked himself time at a studio even when on vacation. As with all love affairs, a plateau followed. “I knew from martial arts that once you have a grasp of the basics, one way to graduate to another level of understanding is to start teaching others." Jerry relates. “You have to be able to break it down. That’s why I took my first Pilates Mat certification: to become better at my own practice.”

Once Jerry started as an instructor, a chiropractor friend started referring clients to him, using Pilates as a long-term maintenance plan. “My work as an instructor over the past year has really opened my eyes to the power of Pilates. Seeing the Pilates method work to increase flexibility and range of motion in clients who had challenges due to health problems, as well as seeing the positive effects of Pilates on clients who work out regularly and don’t have health challenges.”

One time Jerry wanted to demonstrate a chair exercise, and found himself struggling. “Being a Pilates instructor can really have an impact on your own practice. When I was doing Pilates three or four times a week, I could just pop into that exercise," he remembers. "I realized I needed to go back with more commitment to my own workout practice in order to keep myself in shape." Jerry sees maintaining his own level of fitness as an integral component of teaching. He has always used balance as his workout studio since he took his first private session three years ago. Jerry's goal is to continue his education with a Power Pilates comprehensive instructor certification. Jerry is one of many guys really "getting" the benefits of Pilates.

See a rugby team being trained in Power Pilates at Rugby and Pilates.

Good News for Guys: Feeling Good Can Feel Better

2011-05-29T08:23:00.001-04:00

Let's be honest, sometimes people arrive at balance studio because they have a problem. Usually, it's a physical problem: being out of shape, pain, weight gain. The fitness program begins. You might initially have the pain of muscle use, but, over time, you do get to feel better. One option available to round out, supplement, or enhance a fitness regime is acupuncture. For men specifically, it has been known to relieve headaches, gastrointestinal issues, sports injuries, anxiety or depression and back pain. For more details, read on...

Jets fullback Tony Richardson receiving acupuncture

Some NFL players use it regularly. Peter Liebenthal, our acupuncturist at balance, spends each Wednesday at our Bethesda studio. A dedicated healing professional, Peter knows acupuncture helps people's bodies heal themselves. He works to empower people to realize they are the primary person responsible for their own health. They CAN heal themselves, Peter believes, because acupuncture works by bringing out the body's natural ability to heal itself. We are currently running specials in honor of Father's Day aimed at creating relief from stress and strain. Being in shape is not a prerequisite!

Father's Day Acupuncture Special

Includes initial 90-min session and one follow-up session for $160

Save $50

Intro to Acupuncture Special

Includes initial, 90-minute session and three follow-up sessions for $299

Save $91

Get Dad Started Special (not acupuncture)

Gyro Single session, Pilate's Private session, and two Pilate's Mat, PTF, or Yoga classes for $123

Save $67

Appointments can be arranged online, by calling the studio or stopping by the front desk.

Inner Critic vs. Inner Goddess

2011-05-16T11:26:00.003-04:00

by Debra O'Reagan

I love a makeover show, whether it’s home, wardrobe or full body overhaul! And I love the promise of the fresh start that spring brings! A makeover requires a need for change - it often starts with a critical eye. When we makeover our house or garden, we criticize it, work hard and stand back and admire our progress.

It seems like the stand back and admire step is often missed in our approaches to our bodies. I have seen some amazing changes in everyone around me, but the self-dialog seems to remain the same. I keep hearing words like droopy, crepey, poochy etc. as people point to a body part, which happens to be attached to what appears to be an amazing body.

We can all point to a body part and give it a negative adjective (the one I abuse personally is poochy) but being self-critical misses the point. As a Pilates instructor, I constantly say that we're here for a whole body work-out -- which means that our whole body actually works! We may be unhappy with parts of our bodies, but overall, our bodies work! They carry us through space, they allow us to do what we love to do. We may want to improve in strength, flexibility or appearance and we will never stop being self-motivated -- but we need to stop being self-critical.

We need to look at the big picture and give ourselves a pat on the back. Why not revisit your internal dialog and say nice things to yourself? Give yourself that well-deserved pat on the back. Celebrate your successes, whatever they may be. Send your inner critic away and revel in your inner god / goddess!

Photos of Debra's re-made back yard

Challenge Party: A Great Success

2011-05-13T13:11:00.002-04:00

Fun, games and good food were the order of the day this past Saturday when we had our balance

challenge / Pilates Day celebration. The studio looked amazing, with team-themed decorations in the classrooms and other areas and balloons popping out to remind us: this is a party!! Activities during the party included great team games organized and led by Bonnie and Anne, and coached by the many instructor backseat drivers... Besides blindfolded Rolling Like a Ball, another challenging activity was Climbing Up Front on the Wunda Chair while holding two full cups of water!

Debra, Alison, Holly and Zara work their wall squats!

In one of the classrooms, individual challenges reigned supreme. Doing push-ups, planks and balancing (on one leg!) on the bosu ball were some of the ways participants could earn more points for their teams. Our Pilates equipment demonstration was also a big hit. Valeria and Jane showed us beginner reformer moves, SusanJ and Holly M displayed intermediate choreography, and the piece-de-resistance was Debra O, led by Bonnie, doing some super-advanced tricks on both the Reformer and the Cadillac.

Debra O doing her thing on the Cadillac.

Food selections were fantastic, and team-colored coded, to boot. Eating from the rainbow has never been taken so seriously! The orange team came through with the best drink option -- orange juice with champagne available for mimosa fans. We also had lovely veggie and turkey wraps, and, for that ever-demanding sweet tooth, homemade chocolate-chip cookies and a zillion or so mini-cupcakes. SusanJ made us the most adorable cake pops, with theme-colored frosting to match. To die for! Overall, folks loved the the colorful, (mostly) healthy and tasty food.

Pete, Marla, Charles, Camilla & Margaret partying!

Everyone chose to mingle, rather than attending Kym's yoga class, which was a lovely conclusion to the day's activities. Door prizes included four bottles of wine, two gift certificates to Flaxella, and an awesome collapsible hula hoop custom-made by Jeanne, using balance challenge colors. The lucky winner was Charles C, red team member, and one of our most enthusiastic challenge participants. Some of our balance challenge participants picked up their t-shirts on Saturday. They are available for pick up at the front desk, in teal, pink, white and gray. You've earned it, so be sure to get yours!

Prenatal Posse

2011-05-05T22:43:00.024-04:00

Moms-to-be are right on it! A group of pregnant women are meeting here at balance each Sunday morning, for ten weeks, to stretch and contract (no pun intended) in preparation for the big day when baby arrives. Brianne Barrow Little, instructor of the workshop, thinks prenatal fitness is key. Susan, studio owner, asked Brianne about teaching such a class and she agreed, thinking, "Sure, I'm going to need it, I may as well help others." The ten week class follows the Pilate's total fitness format, using lighter weights and with modifications based on the group's changing bodies and individual changing bodies. The participants work on breath, inner thighs, pelvic floor and side stretches. "Prenatal fitness is good for the baby and the body for delivery," adds Brianne. "It will help the body return to its "new normal" sooner. We also incorporate relaxation as that is a key management tool through contractions and delivery." Some of the women in the class are pregnant with their second or third children, and they know how important exercise is. An age range difference lends itself to the multi-level component of the class, with each mom-to-be working at her own level.

     The group takes many water breaks to stay really hydrated. They don't overstretch as hormones are already making their bodies more flexible.  "The class focus is not on trying to lose weight or get stronger, but to maintain strength," notes Brianne. "We are supporting the growth of a human being and delivery, as well as breastfeeding and toting the baby around." She enjoys sharing this time with other pregnant women, as they experience the differing phases of the process. Brianne reminds us, "There are separate phases, but, overall, this is a ginormous change in a woman's life." During her pregnancy, Brianne also became an aunt for the first time, in February.  Looking forward to the late summer harvest, Brianne is planning for lots of healthy nutrients for breast milk. She and her husband are growing tomatoes, cucumbers, cantaloupe and zucchini and she can't wait to eat them.
     There are a few spots left if anyone out there wants to be part of this great opportunity. The group will not meet this Sunday, but, will be back together next Sunday, May 15th.
     To all, best wishes for a Happy Mother's Day!!

Balance Challenge Party in the House!

2011-05-01T23:00:00.010-04:00

     JIC (just in case) you haven't heard the scoop, this upcoming Saturday, May 7th, is our balance challenge party. We are holding our celebration on that date because it's Pilates Day. How great is that? A day devoted to the core and more. (To the right is a pic of Joseph Pilates working with one of his clients.)

     Our Bethesda studio will be the host location for the fun.  We are starting up around 12:00, when we will have games and light eats. Bonnie and Anne will lead team games that will challenge and amuse us.  Individual challenges will be available in Studio I as well.   All attendees, even if they are not challenge participants, can join in and donate any points they earn. After the team games, instructors Valeria, Susan J and Rebecca will demonstrate Pilates at the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Kym, one of our yoga instructors, will close out the celebration with a half hour class.  We will also have prize drawings open to all.

     Bring your friends, your competition, whomever you think will enjoy, as this event is an Open House as well. You have worked long and hard, staying with the balance challenge. You deserve to pick up your balance challenge t-shirt and enjoy the games. Special prizes will be given to brave souls who sport an outfit showing off a little midriff.  Come on, you know you want to!

Road ID: Don't leave home without it!

2011-04-29T07:30:00.001-04:00

Susan here, checking in with yet another product I wish I was being paid to promote. But since I've yet to have any luck getting companies to hire me as their spokesperson, I'm happy to pass along this recommendation gratis.

I hate carrying a lot of stuff with me when I go for a run. As long as I have my iPod and my sneakers, I'm good to go, although I've learned over the years to slip a $20 bill in my pocket just in case I really need that iced coffee when I'm done. Even carrying my license or another ID with me felt too cumbersome and mistake-prone. How many times, after all, have I actually remembered to remove that unused $20 from my pants pocket?

I saw an ad for Road ID in a magazine and really liked the idea behind the Shoe ID, pictured above. It fits right on the top of your shoe, doesn't flop around and falls into the category of "set it and forget it" products. I fully intended to find the time to get around to ordering one, but in the meantime kept on running, walking, hiking and rollerblading in anonymity. And then I heard a story that shook me to my core: my friend's ID-less daughter got hit by a car one day while out for a run. Just like that, this vibrant girl, training for a marathon, became one of the 450,000 unconscious Jane or John Doe's who end up in the hospital each year. Through the miracle of technology and one determined nurse, the hospital staff was eventually able to identify her through her iPod's serial number, but not before precious time had passed during which she didn't have anyone to make informed medical decisions or even to hold her hand.

I now have a shoe tag for each and every pair of sneakers I work out in. And I can still run completely unencumbered, knowing, as the tagline goes, that Road ID will speak for me if I can't.

Click here to go to the Road ID website

Spring Has Sprung

2011-04-27T13:00:00.008-04:00

Finally, sunny weather. Sure, we need precipitation, but, enough already! Orange and yellow tulips are in bloom on the median on Wisconsin Avenue, just outside of the Bethesda studio. Such a welcome sight.

The weather outside might lead us to get inspired. Inquiring minds want to know what new projects and plans members of our balance community are exploring this spring season. Here's a snapshot of what folks around here are up to:

Nancy: "Just five more weeks until my daughter's wedding! My current goal is to tone my arms and shoulders for my Mother-of-the-Bride dress."

Lauren (yoga instructor): "Our spring project is building interior walls for our kitchen. We've had no kitchen since Thanksgiving!"

Brand-new client, Ana: "I had a surgery and have to change the way I work out. I was introduced to yoga and pilates by a friend. I like the way the muscles look after. I'm joining balance to be toned again."

Bonnie, another new client, says: "I'm re-upping yoga because I felt so much healthier when I was doing it."

Sherri: (pilates instructor) "My daughter just moved out, so, I am almost an empty-nester!"

What is new and blooming in you this spring season?

Yoga Nidra: A Big Yawn

2011-04-22T13:05:00.004-04:00

Think of yoga as a big yawn? Your dreams (or nightmares) about yoga may come true if you try noga nidra, where falling asleep is actually okay.

Yoga is tough for the goal-oriented, must-see-results-now types among us. We won't say Type A, that's so '80s! Yoga makes us slow down, pay attention and just be in the pose.

You're not alone at balance. Recently, an instructor was overheard saying, "I wish I liked yoga." A few of these thoughts may run across your mind:

"I can't stretch that way. My body doesn't work like that."

"I cannot hold this pose for five more seconds and maintain my sanity. Pick one."

"Relax? When did relaxation become exercise? This is my workout time!"

For those of us trying to like it, and knowing we could use some relaxation, a yoga nidra class is coming up May 1st. When this workshop ran last month, we had to add a second class just to accommodate the waitlist! We know, we know, but try it.

If not this time, another time.

Who needs to relax anyway?

More yoga nidra info, if you can go there......

Susan's Challenge Tip: Weight loss

2011-04-19T13:31:00.000-04:00

How many of you have taken a look at the various goals posted around the studios while waiting for a class to start (or perhaps even during class?!?) A number of them, not surprisingly, have to do with losing weight. A couple of people have asked me recently if doing Pilates / Yoga / Gyrotonic / Hula Hoop / etc. can really lead to weight loss.

Any time you build muscle, you increase the number of calories burned at rest over the course of each day. But since muscle is more dense than fat, this may show up as inches lost before the the scale does much budging. To get that scale to really move, you can't neglect nutrition and you should also add in some cardio to the point where you are getting some exercise six days a week.

But haven't you already noticed a difference in your thought process? When you're making the effort to get to classes three times a week, you may find yourself rethinking that scone, choosing a side salad instead of the fries, or perhaps switching from a Frappuccino to a regular iced coffee. Or maybe you follow the routine of the Orange Team Cheerleader, Kate B., who watches what she eats during the week, but allows some indulgences on the weekend...

We have a saying around the studio that "Energy breeds energy." It's a mantra for our instructors to recognize that their energy affects the tone of their session. By that same token, it's not too much of a stretch to state that "Health breeds health." Take note throughout your week of the various ways the balance Challenge has prompted you to make additional small, healthy changes. If you've got one you want to share, post it on our Facebook wall and let us give you the accolades you deserve.

In the meantime, if you're really serious about seeing the numbers on the scale go down, take the following suggestion from our very own Kelly Bradley, Certified Health Coach and Nutrition Consultant:

Increase your awareness around food by starting a food / wellness journal. One of the best things you can do to start improving your nutrition is become aware of your current habits, cravings and emotions around eating. Pay particular attention to how the body reacts to specific foods and food combinations.

It's All About the Challenge!

2011-04-14T15:01:00.000-04:00

Coming into the studios these past weeks, you must have noticed bright colors bursting out, from the moment shoes are left by the door? Teams Green & Orange decorated the whole Bethesda studio, not even sparing the restrooms!

Balance Challenge team members are out to motivate other team members, to compete, and literally, to show their colors. You can't help but be reminded of pep rallies and team/school colors from high school or undergrad days. It feels good to be part of a team, spurring each other on to success. Then there is the REAL competition within yourself, as you meet the commitment to exercise more regularly.

On an obvious level, participating in the challenge is beneficial because we get to see and feel the physical results. We are toning up for summer's scantier wear and that is a really smart and timely decision. However, there is a big underlying bonus to our balance challenge: the awesome energy that's been created. People connect while talking about their individual participation, pulling for team members and the team overall. Lots of fun teasing happens, as teams try to one up each other on Facebook or in person. Plus, we get to enjoy wonderful prizes! Even non-participants are invited to participate by giving their "stars" to teams of their friends. It's a game for all.

Of course, the challenge is a competition, so there will be winners. We will celebrate those winners and all team participants on Pilates Day^®, May 7th. We are planning a celebration/open house that Saturday from 12pm - 2pm at the Bethesda studio. Bring your friends and supporters and represent your colors. There will be games, dancing, colorful snacks and lots of good cheer. The challenge that day will be leaving the fun fun fun!

Let your team push you further -- take on a LiveStrong Health and Fitness dare!

Bethesda front desk is all decked out!

New product...at least to me!

2011-04-13T13:34:00.001-04:00

Susan here, checking in with you on a rainy Wednesday. I can't stop talking about my latest food obsession, So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer, and thought I would share this find with any of you who are looking for tasty non-dairy alternatives. This product has been out for a while, but with coconut water gaining in popularity as a natural sports drink for its abundant minerals (potatssium, magnesium and calcium), vitamins (B6, niacin and folic acid), and amino acids, I'm suddenly noticing coconut products everywhere. On a whim, I selected the Original flavor of this creamer to try in a smoothie. Before I added it to my blender, I decided to try a little sip straight from the carton. One sip led to another...and another. I'm not exaggerating when I say I could drink this straight up with a straw. Somehow I do manage to restrain myself....at least most of the time.

So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer

Fresh, local flavor: the farmers' markets are back!

2011-04-08T17:52:00.000-04:00

The Bethesda Central Farm Market re-opens on Sunday, 04/10/11!

A sure sign that spring is right around the corner is the re-opening of our local farmers' markets! We love this time of year -- it's just so much easier to eat healthy when fresh, local produce is on tap. Many of the larger markets offer bread, fish, meat and dairy in addition to fruits, veggies and flowers and other locally made products. Here's a list of our favorites:

Bethesda Central Farm Market

Sundays from 9am to 1pm (begins 04/10/11)

Elm St, between Wisconsin and Woodmont Ave

and

Thursdays from 11am to 3pm (06/01 -- 10/26/11)

Bethesda Lane, between Bethesda Ave and Elm St

FreshFarm Markets of Bethesda

Saturdays from 9am to 1pm (begins 05/07/11)

Norfolk Ave, at Veteran's Park, between Fairmont and St Elmo

Rockville Farmers Market

Saturdays from 9am to 1pm (05/14 -- 11/19/11)

Rockville Town Center, at the corner of Rt 28 and Monroe St

and

Wednesdays from 11am to 2pm (06/01 -- 10/26/11)

Rockville Town Center, at East Montgomery Ave

Kensington Farmers Market

Saturdays from 8am to 12pm (year-round)

Train Station Lot, at Howard Ave

Silver Spring FreshFarm Market

Saturdays from 9am to 1pm (04/03 -- 12/18/11)

Saturdays from 10am to 1pm (Jan -- Mar)

Ellsworth Dr, between Fenton & Georgia Ave

Takoma Park Farmers' Market

Sundays from 10am to 2pm (year-round)

Old Town Takoma Park on Laurel Ave, between Carroll and Eastern Ave

DuPont Circle FreshFarm Market

Sundays from 8:30am to 1pm (04/03 -- 12/27/11)

Sundays from 10am to 1pm (Jan -- Mar)

20th St NW, between Massachusetts and Connecticut Ave

Meditation as a pain pill?

2011-04-06T19:30:00.002-04:00

The practice of meditation is well-known as a tool for lowering blood pressure, calming stress responses and improving attention span. But can it actually decrease the amount of physical pain you experience? In a new study, researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center answer with a resounding "yes".

Not only did the study participants' perception of the pain they were experiencing decrease, there were actual changes in brain activity as it relates to cognitive control and emotion. An exciting find, for sure, as the annual cost of chronic pain in the US (including healthcare expenses, lost income and lost productivity) is often estimated to exceed $100 billion.

Fortunately, the researchers also found that you don't have to be a meditation expert in order to experience these brain changes: the people in their study had less than 90 minutes of instruction. And although it would be ideal to incorporate a period of meditation into your daily routine, most yoga classes will include a component of meditation practice, along with a practice of the physical postures.

NPR Health Article: Even Beginners Can Curb Pain with Meditation

Let's make one measurement count

2011-03-24T21:42:00.003-04:00

I think we can all use a measurement of success as we see positive changes in our bodies (I know many of you are already feeling a difference from the balance Challenge!). Measuring your waist line may be the most important indicator of your health. This may come as a surprise but not all fat is created equal! The fat around your middle may be the worst offender. This fat leaks a constant stream of hormones into your bloodstream and some of these are very harmful.
According to the International Diabetes Federation, a normal waist size for a women is 32 inches or less, 38 inches or less for men. Many doctors take this a step farther, recommending a target of 30 and 35 inches respectively.

Here is what I would like you to do: Stand in front of the mirror with feet hip distance apart. Wrap a fabric measuring tape around your waist, about one inch above your belly button. Record this number on your calendar for May 7th, the day of the Pilates Day and balance Challenge party, and let's see how you do. We can share our success then!

****

Marla is one of our wonderful Pilates instructors. She also teaches Golf Strength and Stretch workshops to help improve your swing and your body. As a registered RN, this lady knows her stuff!

Debra's Challenge Check-In : Week One

2011-03-14T21:55:00.002-04:00

Week one – no rescue breaths - Woo Hoo!!

What a surprise, I volunteered to be a team captain for the balance challenge before I considered just how I planned to fit in 3 “official” workouts into each busy week. I looked at my schedule last Monday night and realized that I had an 8am flight booked for that Thursday. Translation: I needed to get in my 3 workouts ASAP. I made it to three equipment classes in two days and took two mat classes while I was away. That's more pilates in the first week of the challenge than I think I had done in the whole month before!

Each class I took was with a different instructor, which meant that each time I had a different set of eyes on me. Being a classic overachiever, I always want to do my best, but all that working out made me sore and tired and at some point I had to switch my goal from doing my best to just doing it! It felt like survival mode, my new goal was just getting through my class without testing my instructor’s CPR skills! Somehow I got through and not one of my five fabulous instructors had to administer rescue breaths. I don't know which made me happier! When the week was over, my sore muscles were starting to feel familiar and I didn’t mind them anymore. I laughed at myself, I sweat a lot and I got through it without emergency attention: it was a good week. Maybe next week I will set my goals a little higher!

****
Debra is one of our Fabulous Pilates Instructors. She teaches both Pilates Equipment and Mat in our Rockville studio.

50+ Yogini takes on the Balance (30 classes in 10 weeks) Pilates challenge

2010-10-15T11:27:00.000-04:00

Day 1. Beginner Pilates Mat. I figure I should start at the beginning, so I don’t develop any bad habits. Plus I don’t know any of the exercise names, how amazing is that? So I swallow my vanity and leave the house with my breakfast in my hand and not a speck of makeup – am I really giving up my Saturday morning?? This is my only day off! Apparently I am. I let the instructor know I’m taking her class for the Challenge, and we have a nice chat before class. Big plus for me already – as a yoga teacher here I come and go without a lot of interaction with the Pilates staff – I’m going to get to know some Balance staff and members better, and have some fun with them.

The Hundred? I actually counted this time. Exhaling through the mouth… well, I don’t do that in yoga unless I’m sighing my way into savasana (the final relaxation portion of yoga practice.) But I understand it helps to reach the deeper abdominal muscles, so I’m working on it. I think I need a picture book for the rest of the exercises! Are they even called exercises?? But I’ve changed my goal from “the perfect rollup” to “a teaser with ease.” By that I mean, without the big groan at the end.

I asked my instructor a question after class, and she kindly told me that “taking my age into consideration” I might not get the full spinal articulation I think I should have in my lumbar spine. I took that in stride, thank you very much! Many years of yoga practice have given me spinal extensors of liquid steel, but strong spinal flexion? Not so much. In the interest of a balanced body, I think Pilates has something important to offer me. But mainly I want to see if I can get that “bangin’ Pilates bod” by Christmas party season (thanks Liliana for that phrase!) Is that un-yoga-like? Hmmmm.
All in fun and good health, so bring it on!

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Kym is one of our wonderful yoga instructors. You'll find her in our Bethesda studio on Sunday mornings for Yoga Mixed Levels and a monthly Restorative Yoga class.

Sizing up my personal Pilates Challenge

2010-10-14T17:27:00.000-04:00

Two weeks and seven workouts into The Pilates Challenge, I can't believe how great I feel! Well, actually, I can... I have, after all, been practicing Pilates for about 13 years and teaching almost twelve. Although I never set out to have a career in fitness and certainly never expected to run my own business, Pilates was my drug. The thought of getting paid to share it with others while having a legitimate reason to continue spending money for my own lessons and classes was just too enticing. It was 10 years ago that I opened balance, Your Pilates & Yoga Studio in a teensy-tiny backroom space in a popular shopping center in Rockville, Maryland. I had no staff and no idea what I was doing, but figured if nothing else, I had bought myself a year or two until I really had to figure out what to do with my life.

This was the era when Pilates classes weren't yet offered in every gym and business would be slow and steady until a mention on Sex & The City would send the phone ringing off the hook. If I was at a party and someone asked what I did for a living, I'd have to make a choice between a) saying I was a Pilates instructor and trying to explain what it was (and listen to the inevitable Pontius Pilate jokes) or b) just smiling and saying I was a personal trainer. More often than not I chose to tell the truth, knowing that, despite my best attempts, talking about it wasn't enough -- the value was in the doing... Unless you're Oprah, in which case you can talk people into trying anything; especially if you get Bette Midler on a Reformer on your hit prime-time TV show...

In various ways, people started figuring out that Pilates wasn't a fad or something you had to be a dancer to appreciate. They came to that little back room and discovered what I couldn't explain but knew to be true: The Method works. It feels good and enhances your life on so many levels. Improved posture, better biomechanics, injury prevention and rehabilitation, sharper concentration.... and of course, the thing we all really care about: aesthetics. I can't tell you how many people asked me if I had lost weight when the only change in my life was to get out of the gym and head into the Pilates room.

Business grew. The studio expanded to Bethesda and quickly outgrew that space. We moved into a larger Bethesda location and started looking for a larger space in Rockville. We found it at the same time that an opportunity arose for us to double the Bethesda studio, adding massage and therapy rooms and a Gyrotonic program. More and more, clients would come up to me with a smile and tell me that my studio had changed their life. By this time, Sex & The City was a DVD collection and a major film. Pilates classes were no longer considered a luxury, but a major component of the fitness industry's new focus on "functional fitness." I found myself working long hours and setting aside less and less time for my own Pilates practice.

I was still an active person, but after being in the studio all day every day, it became harder and harder to push myself to hop on the equipment. When I was done with work, I just wanted to go home. So my practice became inconsistent -- some weeks I'd get in three workouts, but the norm was one, occasionally two. Let's just forget the weeks when it didn't happen at all . . . At some point I remembered why I got into this business and decided that something had to change. I would tell myself that "next week" I would start my own little Pilates challenge, but spring turned to summer and my consistency was still touch-and-go. I knew I had to make myself accountable somehow. Who knew that little star stickers on a board would be the thing to do it?

So here we are, two weeks and seven lessons in. And I've fallen in love again.