Pilates and Inner Peace

Why is it so difficult for us to be still and focus on our breath?  It's a seemingly easy task that becomes alarmingly difficult to do in the midst of our chaotic modern lives.  We are constantly distracted by other people, places and the millions of things we have on our to do lists.  Quite frequently we are disturbed and annoyed by other people!  So much in fact that we eclipse our own happiness and ability to be present in the moment.
I know, what does that have to do with Pilates?  Well, when we approach Pilates or exercise as a distraction from our chaotic lives or we can't let go of our annoyance with others we lose our connection to ourselves and our inherent peaceful nature.  How can we relax our shoulders or engage our abdominals when we are irritated, frustrated and annoyed?
Next time you let the behavior of others destroy your sense of inner peace ask yourself why it is beneficial to do so. Is it helpful to yourself or the other person?  Does it accomplish anything useful?
If the answer to these questions is 'no' then let it go and reside in your natural state of peace and joy :)

Pilates and Travel

I will be taking a short trip this weekend (yay!), which means time spent in cars, on planes, and on public transit.  Whenever I travel, I try to use what I've learned in Pilates training to recover after a trip.

Back when I was traveling for work, the first thing I'd do when arriving at the hotel was to lie on the floor and do some bridges, toe taps, and basic stretches to get my abs warmed up and my back relaxed after being compressed for so long.  I try to make sure I work in some spinal flexion (such as chest curls) as well as some spinal extension (swan pose).  I also want to add a little spinal rotation in the mix (spine twist or saw would be good examples) to make sure I'm moving the spine in all the planes of motion.  It's amazing what some good stretching and a little muscle warm up can do to get me going again after feeling crunched for a trip.

Anyone else have some go-to moves for relaxing after a long flight or car ride?

Yummy gluten free cauliflower tortillas

I've made other gluten-free tortillas but I think this is the best one yet.  And you will get your veggies while eating them.  And, they are soft!

 

Cauliflower Tortillas (Paleo, Grain Free, Gluten free)

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 17 mins

Total time: 27 mins

Serves: 6-7

Ingredients

• ¾ a head of cauliflower riced or 2 cups riced and packed
• 2 eggs
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. For these I actually rice my cauliflower slightly more fine that cauliflower rice. Toss ¾ a head of cauliflower cut up and most of the stem removed and pulse until you get a texture slightly finer than rice. (Once it’s riced measure it to make sure you have 2 cups packed.) You can also do by hand with a grater.
3. Place riced cauliflower in bowl and microwave for 2 minutes and stir, then another two minutes and stir again then place in a dish towel and squeeze excess water out as hard as you can. (You’re going to want to get out as much water as you can and be careful not to burn yourself because it’s going to be very hot.) DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP.
4. Place drained cauliflower back in bowl and add two eggs, salt and pepper and mix until well combined.
5. As a note it will be a little bit runny but shouldn’t be pure liquid either. Spread mixture onto a baking sheet into 6 small fairly flat circles.
6. Place in the oven for 10 minutes then pull out of the oven and carefully peel them off the parchment and flip them and place back in the oven for 5-7 more minutes.
7. Once they’re done place them on a wire rack to cool slightly.
8. Heat a medium sized pan over medium heat and place the tortillas into the pan pressing down slightly and brown them to your liking. (Don’t skip this step because it gives them slightly crispy on the edges and gives them a wonderfully nutty taste)

Add your favorite fillings or leave flat and make a pizza for the kiddies.  Dinner!

Working it

Check out Tuesday night's reformer class performing Control Front to Pike with the short box.  An excellent way to challenge core strength and stability while feeling and looking really bad ass!

The Art of Doing Nothing

In our culture there is a huge emphasis on DOING.  Working harder, faster and longer are revered by our leaders and innovators.  What is not taken into account are the ramifications of this said methodology.  What are the consequences both individually and societally of not emphasizing stillness and inner reflection?  If you are tired, injured, sick or stressed as a result of implementing those values is the net gain of more money, things and ego-based satisfaction really worth it?  It would almost be more beneficial for us to ask those question before taking any action so that we use our life energy in a way that is balanced and increases our quality of life rather than detracts from it.

What does this have to do with Pilates?  It is in fact imminently applicable.  We approach working out much like we approach life - GET ER DONE!  We are focused on goals and not process.  When we disregard process we treat our bodies as machines not as sentient entities.  Our workouts become rote and we wonder why we don't feel good after we workout or we don't look any better.  Bringing stillness and mindfulness to our Pilates practice opens up a world of opportunity.  It allows us the opportunity to make better and healthier choices that give us increased rather than decreased quality of life.  It also allows us to take that awareness into our daily lives if we choose to.  The more you can view your Pilates practice as a microcosm of how you experience life the more you will get out of it both on or off the mat.

Time for Sunscreen!

It is *finally* starting to feel like winter will end this year here in Chicago.  I'm as happy as the next gal about the weather shift, but those of us with fair skin have to start thinking seriously about sunscreen these days.  After only an hour in the sun unprotected this week and I managed to come home with a minor burn on my neck.  Keeping the sunscreen tube in my purse from now on!  For anyone confused about what to look for in a good sunscreen, the FDA has put together a useful (if slightly annoying) clip.  Enjoy:

Double Rainbow!

Those of us that were here at Urbancore Monday evening around 7 pm were treated to the most amazing view from the front window.....a double rainbow!

Can We Influence What We Crave?

There has been a lot of talk around the studio lately about food, habits, and cravings; and it has gotten me thinking about the power we have over our own needs.  I certainly haven't conducted an exhaustive search, but the research I've found, as well as my own personal experience, leads me to believe we actually have quite a bit of influence over what we think of as overpowering cravings.

I know you've all been wondering what I have for breakfast every morning, so I will use that as a prime example.  Until recently, I was quite fond of a big bowl of cereal with blueberries as my morning repast.  I was getting some protein from milk, some carbs from cereal, and some good sugar and antioxidants from berries; all in all not the worst breakfast out there.  Unfortunately, as much as I looked forward to this meal (which was quite a lot), I often found myself hungry again only a few short hours later.  So, time for a change! 

Source: Wall Street Journal

A few weeks ago, I began making green smoothies for breakfast and lunch and saving solid foods for dinner and snacks (I'm basically a toddler when it comes to food now).  I've been making and drinking green smoothies for years, but never as my entire breakfast meal.  I expected this change to be difficult as I always thought I needed something more substantial in the mornings, but it hasn't been hard at all.  In fact, I find myself feeling more full and satisfied longer than when I was eating more.  I've been experimenting with recipes and found a lot of luck with adding peanut butter to give my smoothies a protein boost.

I wanted to share this story, not because my food is fascinating, but because I was shocked at how quickly I was able to completely eliminate what I used to see as a huge food craving in my routine.  I wonder what else I could change?

Vulnerability = Courage

A friend sent me this TED talk link yesterday, and I just watched it.  While it is aimed primarily at the business world, please be patient and listen to the end; it's a terrific reminder that our excuses are not useful, or even necessary.  Get out and live.

http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_listening_to_shame.html 

Another Guilt-Free Dessert - Strawberry Shortcake with Lime Coconut Creme (Gluten & Dairy Free!)

I just died and went to food heaven.   Seriously.  

I ate TWO in a row.  And I didn't even feel bloated afterwards.

http://cookeatpaleo.com/paleo-strawberry-shortcake/

wednesday wisdom

It doesn't take long to form a habit. Experts say something in the neighborhood of 21 days. So if you are trying a new workout, or changing the time of day you workout (I started working out early in the morning this january with our bootcamp and although it was pretty tough in the winter, my body got used to it and now I'm in a total routine. 5 days a week at 5:45 or 6am.) Give it a month and see where you are and how your body responds mentally and physically!

Grumpy Cat wants you to work harder

You Gotta Try This!!!!!

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/03/07/you-gotta-try-this/

Seriously, this raw chocolate raspberry fudge cake is super delicious and healthy.

Delicious explosion in your mouth :)

Get FUNdamental with me! (VIDEO!)

Oh, hey guise!   I made this short and informative video for those requesting instruction on the basics.
I show you the basic 5 Pilates Mat exercises you must master before doing work on the reformer.  In this video I show you how to establish something called Lumbo-Pelvic Stabilization.  In laymans terms that is when you hold the spine and pelvis still as you move different parts of our body.  Sound easy?  It's actually challenging and requires a lot of concentration.  Try it and get back to me !

Nice to Meet You!

Hello blog!  Many of you may already have seen me around or met me at Urbancore headquarters, but now that I'm contributing to the blog, I wanted to say hello again.  My name is Emily and I'm an apprentice instructor. 

I first came to Urbancore in 2010 in an attempt to improve my yoga practice.  Little did I know that I would fall hard in love with Pilates and how it makes me feel.  After a couple years of rushing out of my corporate job every day to get to the studio in time for classes/sessions, I left the consulting world to focus on Pilates.  I have been training with Angela in her teacher training program since August of 2012 and recently became a Tier 2 Apprentice.  I teach private sessions and am starting (this week!) an Apprentice Reformer class on Thursday evenings.  I am very excited to be on this crazy journey of focusing on wellness in my life and career and I look forward to meeting you all in person around the studio!

Horsing around

I found an amusing historic image of Joseph Pilates horsing around in the studio.  Just another day showing off his stability and strength!

(By the way, he's the one laying down!)

fun with props...

Adding a pliable red ball to the corkscrew increases the work in the inner thighs and internal obliques!

If it's sweet, it's not poisonous - but is it good for you?

I have been reading a lot about foods lately. Not so much for myself at first - I have three kids and want them to have healthy habits - but of course I use the info on me. 

So one thing I have learned that there is no plant found in nature that tastes sweet and is poisonous. So evolution has taught us that craving sweet things is good for us. 

Not so much in modern society!  So much of our prepared and processed food has various added sweeteners that we have become physically addicted. 

So I gave up all sugar/flour/grain for a week. So painful for the first few days, I felt literally sick, but so worth it!  Not only has the energy come back, I've list the cravings - and a couple of pounds!

It's worth a try - give it a week!!