Denice’s Personal Story: OK…so on to Pilates’ “Day 4” (…Well not actually “Day 4,” more like week 6, session 4! HAHA!)  So I took off way too much time form Pilates.  It was quite a wake up call to my muscles.  I arrived at the Body Center in Claremont California at 4:45 p.m. with a miserable cold.  I really was having second thoughts about participating today due to not being able to breath, but I thought I had missed so much; I needed to jump back on this horse.

Stephanie came in as her bubbly self (she really gets me motivated!) and I explained I was having some breathing issues and she said to just take it easy.  I said, “OK!” And we were off! 

We always begin the session with leg work.  I enjoy these because it really helps me feel the burn in my quads.  My favorite is when we do “High Toes” on the bar and let our heels fall under.  It really works the quads and hamstrings.  FEEL THE BURN!!!! 

I found myself really concentrating on keeping my focus on the correct muscles and not just going through the motions, and boy did I feel it!  Stephanie had us do a new exercise…not one of my favorites, but I could tell right away I need to do more of them.  It was a mock push-up type of exercise. We were on our knees and facing the top of the Stott reformer machine, and we used ONLY our quads and abs to pull us.  My arms were getting the “crazy shakes” (as she always says) and it showed me how weak I am!  It is my new goal to be able to do this exercise with ease in the next few weeks.

After the session was completed, Stephanie had us stand next to the reformer and reach to touch our toes, then roll back up, and stand on our tippy toes.  I never really understood why we do this; it seemed meaningless to me after such a rigorous work out. But Stephanie explains it like this: “It helps you notice if your body is off balance, like if you overworked your back, you might fall forward, showing you that you may need to work your abs a little more and vise versa.”  I get it now! 

I am excited we are back on track — check back next week!

 Elana’s Personal Story: So my “Day 4” of Pilates was more difficult than our first day! I mean I almost wanted to say, “Stop! No more…I (inhale) can’t (exhale) take it (inhale) anymore (exhale)!” But it’s no one else’s fault but mine.

These are the 3 honest reasons why I allowed my body to move in slow motion and perform poorly:

• Skipped 2 weeks! (one of us was sick at one point, one of us couldn’t gather herself away from the computer to make it on time…wonder who that was?)
• Gained a few holiday pounds that didn’t quite make me feel as flexible and fit
• Grabbed a machine smack in front of the mirror! (Instead of noticing the definition of my arm muscles, I couldn’t keep my eyes off the size of my thighs!)

With these faults in mind, I am still proud of myself that I DIDN’T QUIT!!! But I must have done something right, because even writing this recap now – 3 days later – I can still feel the tightness of my abs.

 So here is what I vow to do in preparation for “Day 5” (which I already started today!):

• Do a 20- minute workout at home before I go to work
• Eat a protein-based breakfast before I get my usual Starbucks or Coffee Bean cup of caffeine
• Drink my 8 glasses of water a day!
• Get lots of sleep
• Return to recording my nutritional and fitness habits on www.dailyplate.com.)
• Forget about having a chocolate milkshake only a few hours before….(tear drop)

So I know I didn’t go too much into detail with my “Day 4” as I did with my “Day 3” details on the practice of Pilates.  So I will turn you to the recent, enjoyable interview with Jeff Fairley, the director and owner of the Body Center.

 Wish me luck for “Day 5!”

xoxox, Denice and Elana (so you probably figured out by now that those aren’t pics of us, but we thought you would get a kick out of seeing the EXACT type of movements we do!)