What is wellness? Why do you care?

What is wellness?

I spend a fair amount of time understanding wellness so that I can help my clients achieve it. It’s worth pointing out that there are significant differences between fitness, health and wellness. My favorite explanation of wellness is that it is an ‘an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life. Wellness is more than being free from illness, it is a dynamic process of change and growth’.

Why do you care?

Wellness matters because it is critical for a higher quality life. Wellness has dimensions:  

·         Emotional- Developing skills and strategies to cope with stress.

·         Environmental- Good health by occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support well-being.

·         Physical- Recognizing the need for physical activity, diet, sleep, and nutrition.

·         Financial- Satisfaction with current and future financial situations.

·         Intellectual- Recognizing creative abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills.

·         Occupational- Personal satisfaction and enrichment derived from one’s work.

·         Social- Developing a sense of connection and a well-developed support system.

·         Spiritual- Search for meaning and purpose in the human experience.

I really like thinking about wellness as a process of making good choices and knowing that those choices can evolve over time as you move toward a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle. Wellness is a goal for life but also a process you can start now and work on every day.

Positive changes? You can do it!

Feel like you want to make some positive changes in your lifestyle? We all know how hard it is to really do that. Here are some insights about how to make it happen, from an excellent article I saw in the New York Times a few months ago.

·         Choose well. What changes do you want to make? What will make you grateful that you have changed? Don’t fall into the trap of picking something just because you think you ‘should’.

·         A unifying theme. Select a general ‘theme’ that expresses that change to use as your goal. Don’t be too specific! Yoy will want to experiment with different ways to change until you find something that works for you.

·         Better habits. If you want to ‘break bad habits’, think instead of changing them into better ones. Think about the ‘trigger or cues’ for those bad habits. Experiment with different behaviors to use when those triggers or cues come up. Example: if you always snack in the evening because you are bored, have better alternatives already waiting…a crossword puzzle, a movie, a Ted talk.

·         Start small. Break your new behavior into easy, small pieces to get started. If you want to have a healthier diet, start with just one meal a week that is ‘plant-based’. If you want to exercise more, begin parking farther away from the door at work each day.

·          Reward yourself. Immediate ‘payoff’ is necessary for a habit to form. But the best rewards are ‘intrinsic’ so use those—take the time to notice and name how you feel after a good Pilates workout. “I feel stronger and leaner!”

·         Environment ‘design’. Think about how you can actually change your environment to help yourself with your goals. If you want to watch less mindless TV, for example, unplug the television. If you want to be active outside, look for a weekend cycling group that you can join. Those new friends will help you keep it up.  

·         Recovery plan. You will fail sometimes. Think about when that might happen and plan for your ‘recovery’ from those. If you’ve chosen to drink less, have a plan for Friday night happy hours with your work colleagues. Tell others about your goals so they can support you.

·         Celebrate often. Take a selfie when you are sweating from your workout. Tell your best friend about your ‘all-vegetable dinner’ last night. Write a thank you note to yourself from your ‘future me’! Experts say that effective and long- lasting behavior changes are much more likely when you are feeling gratitude and authentic pride. Least effective emotions: shame, guilt and fear.

Good luck! The article finishes by telling us… “Although big, long-term change isn’t easy, it is possible. Habits are not a finish line to be crossed…they’re a lifestyle to be lived.”

Tips for a Great Season at Premiere Pilates Sarasota

As we gear up for the start of our busy season here at Premiere Pilates Sarasota I would like to share a few common mistakes that are made by the newest of clients as well as my veterans. Please consider these helpful tips to insure our season gets off to a safe and smooth start.

• Leave your Jewels and Accessories at Home

It is not uncommon to see clients and instructors alike wearing dangly jewelry. This can actually be very dangerous! For clients, a necklace or earrings can  catch onto the equipment and you can easily injure yourself.

Easy solution – Go jewelry free

• Dress Appropriately

While baggy clothing may be comfortable when you are sweating, they can work against you in Pilates. It is important for your instructor to be able to see your position and posture to ensure that you are performing the exercises correctly. Baggy clothing may also get caught in equipment.

Easy Solution – Wear a formfitting tank with capri or long leggings. For men, athletic shorts and fitted tank or t shirt.

• Wear Grip Socks

We have recently instituted a “sock only” policy at the studio. Grip socks will help you stay in control if your feet get sweaty as well as insure the best hygiene. We want to promote the safest environment for our clients. We sell a variety of grip socks for your convenience.

Easy solution – Pack a pair of grip socks.

• Eating Beforehand

Think about what you are eating before a Pilates Class! Carb loading is not recommended. Remember that many exercises are done prone (on your belly) or inverted and a FULL stomach makes these positions very uncomfortable.

Easy solution – Eat a light meal and finish eating 30-60 minutes prior to class.

• Lighten Your Grip

The cause of neck tension and wrist pain can sometimes be attributed to over gripping the straps and handles. Foot and toe cramps are often the result of gripping too hard with your feet. I often see clients over gripping and overusing their hands  and feet instead of the targeted muscle especially when they feel their muscles on fire. “Less is often more” in Pilates.

Easy Solution – A light grip is all you need so take a deep breath and focus on the targeted muscle vs your hands and feet.

Mindful Posture

How many times have you heard “Don’t slouch!”  or “Stand up Straight!”. We not only heard this from our moms but it is something we repeat to our own children. Good posture makes you feel better, look better and move with greater efficiency. Conversely, bad posture has many negative side effects including pain.

So What is Good Posture?

Posture is the position in which you hold your body upright against gravity while standing, sitting or lying down. Good posture involves training your body to stand, walk, sit and lie in positions where the least strain is placed on supporting muscles and ligaments during movement or weight-bearing activities. Proper posture:

• Keeps bones and joints in the correct alignment so that muscles are being used properly.
• Helps decrease the abnormal wearing of joint surfaces that could result in arthritis.
• Decreases the stress on the ligaments holding the joints of the spine together.
• Prevents the spine from becoming fixed in abnormal positions.
• Prevents fatigue because muscles are being used more efficiently, allowing the body to use less energy.
• Prevents strain or overuse problems.
• Prevents backache and muscular pain.
• Contributes to a good appearance and self confidence.

Why is it so Difficult to Achieve and Maintain Good Posture?

Most of us spend way too much time either sitting in a chair, driving a car or some combination thereof. We tend to slouch rounding our shoulders, jutting our heads forward and tightening up through our hips. We find ourselves sitting in twisted positions to accommodate our work stations so that we can view multiple computer screens. The longer we give in to these “lazy” postures, the more “normal” they become in our own bodies and left unchanged result in poor posture and eventually pain.

Try These Tips to Achieve a Good Sitting Position:

• Think about the Pilates Principles we emphasize during exercise to find a strong seated position:
• Sit up with your back straight –Lifting through the crown of your head. Your buttocks should touch the back of your chair. This will allow you to engage your abdominals to support your back.
• Roll your shoulders back opening the chest and collarbone area and draw the shoulder blades together.
• All 3 normal back curves (cervical, thoracic and lumbar) should be present while sitting.
• Sit evenly on both sit bones. Distribute your body weight evenly on both hips and continue to lengthen your torso.
• Bend your knees at a right angle. Keep your knees even with or slightly higher than your hips. (use a foot rest or stool if necessary). Your legs should not be crossed.
• Keep your feet flat on the floor.
• Try to avoid sitting in the same position for more than 30 minutes.
• At work, adjust your chair height and work station so you can sit up close to your work. Rest your elbows and arms on your chair or desk, keeping your shoulders relaxed.
• When sitting in a chair that rolls and pivots, don't twist at the waist while sitting. Instead, turn your whole body.
• When standing up from the sitting position, move to the front of the seat of your chair. Stand up by straightening your legs. Avoid bending forward at your waist. Immediately stretch your back by doing 10 standing backbends.

This might feel difficult and awkward at first but check in a few times a day to find this new posture. The more you practice and become aware of this posture, the more natural it will feel. You will likely never revert to your old ways.  

Have you ever wondered why we don’t we wear shoes during Pilates?

Q. Why don’t we wear shoes during Pilates?

In Pilates, there are technical and scientific reasons why you shouldn’t wear shoes. The most important of which is deeply rooted in the foundation of Pilates – we are doing very precise movements that deal directly with the alignment and articulation of the joints. When you wear shoes, you limit the degree of articulation while also limiting your precision of motion and alignment. There are 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 tendons, ligaments, and muscles that make up the foot. Simply put, wearing shoes limits you practice.

Studies have found that barefoot activities like Pilates can improve balance and posture as well as prevent many common injuries like tendonitis in the Achilles or shin splints. The studies also found that shoes can sometimes lead to compensations.

Shoes don’t belong in the Pilates studio, unless they are by the door waiting for you to finish class.

July Beauty issue of Sarasota Scene

It’s time for a recharge with the July Beauty issue of Sarasota Scene where our very own Susan is featured! Check it out! She’s on page 52

Creating a Balanced Body - Detecting, and Overcoming Compensations

As a Pilates instructor, I am passionate about helping my clients become more aware of compensations that have turned into bad habits. During each session we have together I am on the lookout for the detrimental patterns that can lead to injury when left unaddressed. There is a new focus all across the fitness industry to limit pain and dysfunction through teaching and reinforcing good body mechanics.

We all experience times of stress in our life and it is during these times that we tend to revert to old habits and patterns, no matter how much we have worked towards creating new ones. We stop talking care of ourselves, exercising goes to the wayside, and we often stop sleeping well or drinking enough water. We chose bad foods over healthy fruits and vegetables while watching our favorite TV shows. Our bodies store the stress we experience so reinforcing good habits can seem counter intuitive. Finding a positive way to handle and release tension can prevent stress from solidifying in our joints and muscles. The goal is to prevent things like rounded shoulders and spinal compression, which can sometimes be the result of stress. We have to actively make the time to learn about our bodies and create that awareness within ourselves.

Remember that the body and mind have a symbiotic relationship with each other - we have the power to control our thoughts just as much as we do to control our awareness of movement.

Is it okay to skimp on sleep in order to fit in a workout?

If you are cutting back on your sleep on a routine basis, then the answer is no. In most cases, people are exercising to stay fit and trim. Lack of sleep can result in just the opposite. Insufficient sleep is associated with weight gain, impaired glucose metabolism and cardiovascular stress. It also weakens athletic performance and makes you much more vulnerable to injury. Several recent studies have demonstrated how athletic performance is directly related to sleep.

Another thing to keep in mind is when you want to work out. If it is close to bedtime, it will affect your ability to fall asleep. If it is early in the morning, before you usually wake up, it may cut into your REM sleep and can have adverse consequences.

Making the Transition from Beginner to Intermediate

Q: Right now in my practice, I find beginner mat classes too basic, and intermediate classes a little too challenging. Do you have any suggestions for making the transition from beginner to intermediate level? Is there anything I can do at home to bridge the gap?

A: In your practice, you should always feel challenged. But that doesn’t necessarily mean more complex or difficult moves. It has more to do with diving deeper into the work, gaining some more control and achieving a better quality of the moves. It is important to keep in mind that level is not an indication of your grasp of Pilates, the way you do the work is! And your ability to assimilate it into your everyday life.

Herein lies the power of Pilates: it is a lifelong practice of understanding our bodies better and being more aware of our alignment, posture, and moving habits.

You will hear many instructors say they derive just as much value and challenge from a fundamentals class as they do an advanced class. Of course, we understand that it is human nature to want to be challenged.  There is a sense of gratification in feeling and seeing improvement but your ability to do the work safely without harming yourself should always come first! With this in mind, consider practicing at home between classes! You’ll be amazed at how quickly self-practice will allow you to feel more confident and comfortable in a higher-level class. And remember… Enjoy every class you take, regardless of the level!

Mindful benefits of Gratitude

Sometimes it’s all too easy to let negative thoughts take over and with our mental state and physical health inextricably linked, it is important to keep the negatives in check. Negative thoughts and stress often present in the physical body in a myriad ways, from headaches and stomach-aches to suppressed immune systems.

In today’s world filled with social media ads and fast pace, self-reflection and improvement can feel like more to-dos on an already full list. But taking just a few minutes out of your day to reflect, write down or verbalize what you have to be grateful for can have a huge impact on your mental state, health and quality of life. By adapting habits to show gratitude as part of your daily routine you can begin to reap its benefits. Here are a few simple ways to start feeling and realizing what you are grateful for in your life.

Improved Relationships:

Showing gratitude for the people in your life can have a huge impact on the quality and longevity of those relationships. Having strong connections around you is not only beneficial for your mental health, it can also lead to new experiences and opportunities.

Effective Stress Management:

Daily life is full of stressful situations. Being grateful can improve your ability to deal with adversity, helping you handle whatever life throws your way at work and in your personal life. Practicing a gracious attitude can greatly reduce negative emotions such as, guilt, resentment, and frustration as well as reinforce positive emotions such as happiness and optimism, and lower levels of depression.

Improved Physical Health:

Grateful people report feeling less pain and feeling healthier, according to a 2012 study published in the online journal Personality and Individual Differences. They also tend to take better care of their health by exercising more often, going to the doctor and being more conscious of what they eat.

Focus on Achieving Goals:

Self-reflection is an essential part of gratitude and also plays a role in achieving your goals. Taking stock of your life and being aware of what you want for yourself helps in setting goals and putting in the work to make them a reality.

Live in the Moment:

Be present and try to focus only on what you are experiencing in the current moment! Break the cycle of being concerned with rewriting the past or controlling the future. Let the mind be free to be present and content with what is. And if you feel yourself falling into negative thoughts, take a moment, focus on your breathing, and be grateful.

Start a Gratitude Journal:

Take a few minutes either at the start of each day or right before bed to list what you’re thankful for. It could be something positive that happened during your day or in your life you are thankful for. Doing this will help shift your focus from the negative to the positive! And you will have the opportunity to look back on it at the end of the year.

Don’t forget to thank those who contribute to your life even in the smallest ways with a simple spoken thank you or a note. You’ll find that the effect is cumulative—the more you practice gratitude, the more grateful you’ll become.