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Do you LOVE Yourself? Do you LOVE your body?
Are you doing healthy things on a regular basis to treat you with love, affection, and kindness?
I am well aware that I’ve got my own challenges with body image, and have spent my entire life struggling to overcome them. (Some days I’m completely happy with me, and other days I feel like I’ll never have the body of my dreams… which causes me to feel bad that I’m not a lean, wispy, 5′6″ and 110 pounds. But instead a mere 5′4″, compact & muscular, and a fluctuating 150-155–Funny, 20 years ago when I was only 118-125, I had the same poor attitude and thought I was fat!) And unfortunately, I know that I’m not alone. With the hype and peer pressure from the media, and magazines–too many of us always point a negative, critical eye to our own body and we end up focusing on our flaws instead of our features!
So let’s take a moment to celebrate how much we LOVE our features!
I love sharing this exercise, and hope that you’ll drop me a line and tell me about your experience.
Here’s What To Do:
- Find a photo of yourself that you LOVE!
- Blow it up to an 8×10 glossy and print a copy.
- Get out a sharpie or your favorite magic marker.
- Around your body, write as many positive words as you can think of that express who you are and the things you love about yourself.
- Strive to fill the page with words. (if it doesn’t happen when you first sit down to write–don’t worry… keep your pen handy and as things pop into your head, you can continue to add them.)
- Frame your photo & put it somewhere where you will see and reflect on it daily!
There is great power in positive words. The messages that we send and surround ourselves with (our mental self-chatter) really does affect our attitude and our health. Negative chatter = negative attitude, and positive chatter = positive attitude!
Tell yourself daily how much you love YOU, and use this exercise to keep all the great things you love about yourself front and center so you’ll confidently be sending yourself daily doses of positive energy to stay focused on your great features instead of your flaws!
Self-love is a key to wellness success!
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Posted by Aliesa George, on February 27th, 2010, in All Posts, Articles, Health, Mind-Body Health.
Tags: Body Image, Positive Mental Attitude, Wellness
I read an article the other day and it said, “Pilates isn’t a mind-body exercise in the meditative way that Yoga, Tai Chi, or Qi Gong are, but it does use your mind to influence and improve your body.”
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It seems evident to me that this author has probably never experienced a Pilates workout! And in my study of Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and meditation,
I believe that these great mind-body methods are more similar than one might think for improving whole-body health.
Here’s Why:
All have underlying principles & philosophies behind the exercises. And even meditation (sitting still) is an exercise!
Each Mind-Body method has a system of utilizing the breath, and specific breathing patterns to improve technique and maximize benefits from your practice.
All require, concentration, coordination, and improve whole-body health, balance, and body control.
It’s not just, let’s move the body, but let’s be aware, in-tune, and conscious of what we’re doing, how, we’re doing it, the initiation point, end point, and in-between points for every movement.
I think it’s wonderful that we have options for focused fitness and enhanced wellness for improved mind-body health. There is a method out there to help meet the needs of each of us as individuals. And if you want to develop and fine-tune your skills, cross-training and exploring different mind-body methods may give you an increased appreciation for your body, health, and the ancient wisdom that is at the root of each of these techniques.
Look for my series of upcoming posts on the benefits of each of these great mind-body methods.
- Pilates
- Yoga
- Tai-Chi
- Qi Gong / Chi Gung
- Martial Arts
- Meditation
And I’m curious to know… What’s your #1 favorite Mind-Body Wellness method? Answer the survey, and if you have a moment – tell me why it’s your choice in the comment section below.
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Posted by Aliesa George, on February 24th, 2010, in All Posts, Exercise and Fitness, Fitness, Health, Meditation, Mind-Body Health, Pilates, Polls & Surveys, yoga.
Tags: Chi Kung, Meditation, Mind-Body Exercise, Mind-Body fitness, Pilates, Qi Gong, Tai Chi, yoga
Enjoy Whole-Body Strengthening Without Any Fancy Equipment!
A great body position on push-ups, makes the exercise so much easier to do! And with great technique you’ll be getting a lot more bang for your buck from every repetition to improve your upper body strength and fitness.
Push-ups in Pilates normally are done at the end of a Mat workout, but they’re a great exercise that you can do anytime, anywhere without any fancy equipment to maintain your fitness.
To Start the Exercise:
- Stand with your feet in a V-position, arms extended over your head.
- Walk your hands down the front of your body while you bend forward to reach the floor.
- Walk your hands out on the mat taking 3-5 steps to get into a long and strong push-up position.
While you are getting into your push-up position…the following things should happen in this order:
- Heels lengthen away from the head
- Tailbone tucks under and reaches towards the heels
- Lower abdominals lift up and in
- Glutes & Inner thighs squeeze
- Shoulder blades pull down the back
- Spine lengthens through the top of the head
To do a Push-Up and keep a great body position, the sequence of what happens is really important.
Inhale to lower the whole-body, exhale, pull the low belly up, shoulders down, then engage the muscles under the shoulders, around the ribcage and into the belly to help lift the body up while straightening the arms.
Here’s a video clip with my fitness tips and a Push-Up demo to help you improve your body position and Push-Up power.
Have Fun Practicing Your Push-Ups!
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Posted by Aliesa George, on February 22nd, 2010, in All Posts, Exercise and Fitness, Fitness, Pilates, Pilates Exercise, Pilates-Teaching Tips, Videos.
Tags: Chest exercise, Exercise Tips, fitness tips, Pilates Mat Exercise, Pilates Matwork, Push-Up Exercise, Push-Ups, upper body strength
Fear or Folly! Scared or Jolly!
I’m going to make a bold statement. The biggest thing holding all of us back from achieving our full potential is FEAR! And what’s so interesting about this is what terrifies one person, seems like a fun and exciting thrill to the next guy. Just look at the breakneck speeds and heights the Winter Olympic athletes achieve for the thrill of their sports!
What’s sad about this is that for many of us, FEAR stands in the way and blocks us from even attempting new things, or taking the necessary steps to break old destructive patterns.
I say this in the first person, because I too am human, and actually conscious of at least a few of my self-limiting fears.
But we always have choices:
- Let the big ugly FEAR monster get the best of us.
- Take a deep breath, move forward, and see what happens…
Chances are once we’ve made it to the other side of a fearful experience – we can check that off our list and be proud to know that in that moment – fear did NOT get the better of us.
Olympic Athlete Jeret Peterson has this to say about fear and Freestyle skiing,
“I don’t really have nightmares a-about being up in the air, because I love it so much. And you know, the funny thing is, I’ve never gotten hurt in the air, it’s only when you land.”
Whether you’re flying through the air on skis, or flying through some other mental or physical fear, without actually moving through fear you won’t know where you’re going to land, or when you’re going to land, or how perfect that landing might be… But if just like an Olympic athlete, you’ve done the right things to prepare, and have the knowledge and skill required to reach the goal – regardless of where you land, going up means you’re going to come down so why not land on the other side of your fears.
You can’t really decide if it’s fear or folly and your scared or jolly until you’ve taken that deep breath and moved forward through your fear – whatever it might be!
Move through your fear then, you can ask yourself:
- Would I do it again?
- Did I love it?
- Hate it?
- Is this now one of my most fun and favorite things to do?
- How do I feel about myself and my accomplishment?
My Latest FEAR-ful Experience:
A few weeks ago I went snowmobiling for the first time. Mind you I have a fear of motorcycles, speed, and lack of doors and seatbelts! The first hour was ok, on very flat trails at my 12-15 mph pace, but the two daredevils that I went with were itching for more, so we headed up the mountain and I saw my speed increase to 17-25mph in an attempt to keep up… I’m sure that some of you are laughing at this snail’s pace, but for me it felt like 100 mph and on the edge of out-of-control!
And of course once we got farther up the mountain, I was faced with the fact that now I had to go head-first, straight down! I sat on the edge of the precipice, looked at my fiancé – and said…You guys have fun – I can’t do this!!!
I was terrified. We had another 3 hours left on our snowmobile rental and I knew that I was letting my FEAR spoil the day. So I took a very deep breath and plunged head first down the hill! AAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAUGH – I was screaming the whole way!
And you know what…it was scary – but not as bad as I thought it was going to be. I did a lot of hills during the next 3 hours and while I cannot sincerely say that I loved my snowmobiling experience and look forward to doing it again – I am proud that in the moment, on that day on the mountain, I overcame a big moment of FEAR.
*****
What have you done lately that scared you and how did things turn out? Any words of advice to share?
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Posted by Aliesa George, on February 19th, 2010, in All Posts, Olympics.
Tags: Fear, freestyle skiing, Jeret Peterson, Olympic Athletes and fear, Overcoming Fear
Well, here is the question of the day!
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There are so many different reasons that each of us is inspired to exercise. And your inspiration might change throughout the year. Finding the motivation factor to keep fit is one of the keys to success.
I believe that if you know what motivates you, you’ll be more apt to do whatever it takes to stick with your workouts. And if your reason isn’t important enough…well you might workout occasionally, but not enough to really reap the benefits you’d like to achieve.
So take a moment to answer this question on my poll for the day. And then on those rare and occasional moments when you’re feeling un-motivated, and un-inspired to “get your sweat on…” perhaps you can think back to your response to this survey and recommit to your self and your health to get your tennies on (or swim suit, or Pilates attire) and make the most of your workout!
If you’re one of those die-hard, “I never miss a workout” types – Congratulations, You are truly inspirational and it shows in your attitude, commitment, and physique.
I’d love to know the WHY behind your #1 reason too, but there’s not a fill-in the blank response on the poll form, so if you’re inspired to comment and share, please pop your thoughts into my comment form below.
Have a Fit & Fabulous Day!
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Posted by Aliesa George, on February 19th, 2010, in All Posts, Exercise and Fitness, Fitness, Health, Pilates, Polls & Surveys.
Tags: Exercise Poll, Fitness Survey, Reasons to Exercise, workout
Ahhh the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Canada. A great time to cheer on our countries athletes and watch the best in the world excel in their sports. Those of us who are now glued to the television are enjoying hours and hours of thought provoking stories, and phenomenal demonstrations of athletic performance.
So far the Olympics have been met with both tragedy and success! Is there a sport that I don’t like to watch? Not yet…Most of the winter sports have me sitting on the edge of my chair and seem to be for speed demons!
Last night the commentators were quick to point out that Winter Olympians are a fearless bunch, and I have to agree.
Here’s a quote from American Todd Lodwick on his comparison of real-life to ski jumping.
“The best way I can describe it is to go up onto the thirtieth floor of any building, and then get in the car and drive that car off the top roof, and then land safely. That is pretty much what it is.”
So I’ve got to ask…
- Would you willingly volunteer to take a wild ride like this? And not just once…but over and over again until you’re confident, in control, and know that 99% of the time you’re going to land safely!
- Would you even consider jumping if you had the slightest thought that you might fail?
- Does this sound like FUN to you?
These great athletes from all over the world have spent endless hours practicing their sports, paying attention to diet, nutrition, cross-training, injury-prevention (or rehabilitation) and many have still had to work, take care of their families, and handle other responsibilities.
And they are now reaping the benefits of their dedicated efforts by being the best in their sports and selected to represent their country in the Olympics! Way to go – I’m proud to cheer you on!
If these athletes can juggle life with Olympic training to achieve success in their sports, perhaps those of us with regular lives can also strike a balance to achieve success, whether it’s for fitness, business, or other endeavors. The drive, determination, and motivation that these athletes share definitely lights a fire of inspiration under me to make better choices and continue striving for success until I reach my own “Olympic-sized” dreams.
Do the stories of Olympic athletes help to motivate you? I’d love to hear what’s helped inspire you to stay focused on achieving your dreams.
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Posted by Aliesa George, on February 19th, 2010, in All Posts, Diet and Nutrition, Exercise and Fitness, Fitness, Goal Setting, Olympics.
Tags: 2010 Winter Olympics, Goal Setting, Goals, motivation, Olympic athletes, Olympic dreams
It seems like stretching is sometimes a low priority when time is limited and you want to get a great workout. Is your goal to warm-up for your more vigorous activities? Do you want to increase your flexibility? Are you aware that WHAT you stretch, HOW you stretch, and WHEN you stretch really does make a difference?
Here’s a great health article that was recently in The San Diego Union-Tribune about dangerous stretching techniques and the benefits of dynamic stretching before exercise. It also includes some great tips on how to stretch safely, and a few examples of good stretching exercises for your post-exercise cool down stretching routine.
Are you on track with your flexibility training exercises to stretch safely for your fitness workouts and sports performance goals?
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Posted by Aliesa George, on February 17th, 2010, in All Posts, Exercise and Fitness, Fitness, Flexibility & Stretching, Links to Interesting Articles.
Tags: benefits of stretching, cool-down stretching, dynamic stretching, flexibility, Stretching, Stretching Exercises, stretching techniques, Stretching tips, warm-up stretching
I recently came across an abstract on PubMed.gov about the prevalence, distribution, and effect of pain among adolescents with Cerebral Palsy by Dorlap & Bartlett.
Out of their sample of 230 teenagers studied, 64% of the girls and 50% of the boys reported that they had experienced pain in the last 6 months. Foot, ankle, and knee pain seemed most prevalent, low back pain was also reported.
The Study Concludes:
“The high prevalence of pain and its effect on daily activities suggests a need for greater focus on health promotion.”
My Thoughts on Health Promotion and Pilates:
I would love to see some research done on Pilates to reduce pain and improve motor function for adolescents with Cerebral Palsy. All I can go by is the actual improvements that I’ve seen with my CP clients!
Over the past 15 years I’ve had the opportunity to work with three CP kids, (2 were short-term clients, one has been consistently participating in Pilates programs for more than 12 years) All three of these amazing kids showed dramatic improvements that they carried back into their daily life activities.
I have seen changes in gait, motor control, balance, flexibility, strength, body awareness, confidence, coordination, and the list goes on…
One of my CP clients has transformed from extreme pigeon-toed gait and tripping over her own two feet on a regular basis, to trying out for the basketball team in high school, taking ballet classes for a while (requires external rotation of the hip and the ability to move in a toe-out position) wearing high-heeled shoes for her school dances without fear of falling, and she even learned to roller-skate! If you can’t keep your feet both facing forward, roller-skating is not an option.
All these activities she was unable to even consider before Pilates, and the day I knew Pilates had made a dramatic difference was when her grandmother brought her in for a lesson and said to me, “I went to see my granddaughter’s perform in a play last weekend, and I had to go back and see the show twice! I missed her entrance… She used to walk with a funny gait and now she walks just like everybody else.”
The combination of strengthening and stretching that is at the core of Pilates equipment training makes it an optimal choice for helping improve balanced muscle development which leads to better body alignment, strength, and flexibility. The fact that on the Pilates Reformer you start flat on your back and work to stretch and strengthen the hips, knees, ankles, and feet actually targets the most prevalent reported pain that this study brought to light.
The muscles of child with Cerebral Palsy might be a bit more tightly contracted, and more resistant to increasing flexibility, but in my experience, just like anybody who has a tight muscle, it will require consistency with the right exercises and activities to begin achieving positive improvements.
It’s evident to me that regardless of your physical condition, the right exercises done consistently over time can only lead to one outcome – health improvement! In my experience…Pilates can be an excellent choice to reach this goal.
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Posted by Aliesa George, on February 15th, 2010, in All Posts, Exercise and Fitness, Health, Pilates, Pilates Exercise.
Tags: Adolescents Exercise and Cerebral Palsy, Cerebral Palsy, Cerebral Palsy and Exercise, CP, Health Promotion for Cerebral Palsy, Pain and Cerebral Palsy, Pilates and Cerebral Palsy, Pilates and CP, Teenagers with Cerebral Palsy
It’s great to see that even Dr. Oz is helping to educate people about the benefits of wearing the right shoes to keep your feet healthy. Check out this Dr. Oz show video to see what he has to say about determining your arch type – normal, flat, or high, and what the wear patterns on your shoes can tell you about your feet, so you can be sure when you’re shopping for shoes that you find the best shoe for you.
And from my perspective as a foot-fitness expert… good shoes can help support your feet, but keeping your foot, ankle, and leg muscles strong, fit, and flexible is even better. Even if it’s only for 2-3 minutes a couple of times a week. Taking time to exercise your feet can help improve your arches, retrain gait habits, and help you enjoy pain-free feet! Check out the book Fantastic Feet! And lots of other great foot-care goodies here.
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Posted by Aliesa George, on February 5th, 2010, in Articles, Foot Care Tips, Links to Interesting Articles, Videos.
Tags: Best Shoes, Dr. Oz, Feet, Flat Arches, Foot Health, High Arches, Normal Arches, Picking Shoes, Shoe shopping
There is controversy over the use of braces to correct excessive curvature of the spine (scoliosis) in teenagers because research has failed to prove that they work. “Bracing is regarded as effective by some and as useless by others.” According to Stefano Negrini, MD the scientific director of the ISICO (Italian Scientific Spine Institute) in Milan.
The cause of most adolescent scoliosis is unknown. It affects 3-5 out of every 1,000 children, and is more common and more severe in girls.
Scoliosis can be:
- Idiopathic – Of unknown cause.
- Functional – From poor posture and body alignment habits.
- Structural – Caused by disease, or birth defects.
So why is bracing used if the experts aren’t positive it’s actually working?
Based on the severity some sort of treatment is required, because if left untreated damage to the spine, heart, and lungs can occur as an adult. Bracing is less evasive and still allows the option to strengthen the body through exercise and movement to balance and support the spine. The alternative option of surgery and spine fusion is a permanent and last-resort option to protect the health of internal organs and quality of life.
What else can you do to treat Scoliosis?
While studies so far show that none of these can prevent the progression of scoliosis, they may offer some relief of symptoms.
- Manipulation by a Chiropractor, Kinesiologist, or Osteopathic Doctor
- Electrical Stimulation
- Diet & Nutrition
- Exercise
The benefits of Pilates for clients with scoliosis
Over the years, I’ve had many clients with varying degrees of curvature of the spine participate in Pilates programs. And while there might not be documented research to the benefits of Pilates exercises for scoliosis…From my experience, I have seen amazing gains in strength, and mobility. The curves don’t go back to normal, but it is possible to learn how to strengthen the body and retrain some of the weaker muscles to better support the spine and achieve more optimal muscle balance. Plus increased body awareness of good and bad posture habits is vital to learn how to avoid falling into the poor alignment that the scoliosis curve would prefer. Spend more time using your own muscles to strive for good posture through Pilates and other fitness exercises, and you’re retraining the body for better health.
Looking at the Difference in Support Options
A brace is an external support for the spine. If the brace is doing the work, our muscles don’t have to work as hard (and in my opinion….may become weaker over time.) But if you don’t have the muscle awareness or strength to properly support the body all day long…bracing may be required to assist.
Spine fusion surgery creates permanent internal support for the spine. (While this might solve one problem, it has the potential to create others) And generally speaking fusion surgery is a last resort option.
Exercise strengthens the core and back muscles so your body can provide it’s own muscular support for the spine. Pilates exercises with the focus on core stabilization, and functional mobility of the spine in all directions – flexion, extension, side bending, and rotation, and should be considered as a primary care option to assist in improving health and supporting the spine.
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases continues to research and learn more about treatments for scoliosis to determine the best modalities for improved health. I hope in time, that more documented research into the benefits of Pilates for scoliosis will be conducted.
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Posted by Aliesa George, on February 3rd, 2010, in All Posts, Back Pain, Health, Pilates.
Tags: correcting scoliosis., Excessive curvature of the spine, Pilates, Pilates Exercises, Scoliosis, Spine Fusion
