body – Page 11 – Personal Euphoria: Pilates & Fitness Classes in CT

Mourning Mt. Madison

On the second day of a recent hike, we stuffed our packs and headed up the mountain once again. We wanted to reach the top of Mt. Madison (elevation 5,367 feet). The night before the weather predicted was ice and snow, so when we woke up and found the weather to be gray, chance of rain and winds of up to 65 mph, we were actually pleased.

Once we’d gotten above the treeline, where views were only popping up occasionally when the clouds and fog would disperse, roughly 40 mph winds were a constant. I was chilled to the bone whenever I stopped for a break. Moving was the better option.

After lunch we decided to go the last half mile up to the summit of Mt. Madison. I was excited and the wind was really blowing. My sister and I climbed over one rock, approximately 100-feet from the summit and the wind nearly knocked me off the my feet. Kate my sister and I grabbed onto a rock. In one step the wind had […]

Mourning Mt. MadisonMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:32:10-04:00

How I Feel After Pilates

One thing I know for sure is this:

On the mornings that I start my day with Pilates I feel taller all day. I stand taller and it feels easier to do so. And that feeling makes me happy and glad to know that Pilates exists.

How I Feel After PilatesMaggie Downie2014-08-04T18:03:37-04:00

Strength of Speed

I’m not sure that everything in life relates to this, but I have certainly found it to be the case since I’ve joined a Dragon Boat team. The faster we paddle, the slower we move. The problem is, we are moving fast, but not getting much strength behind each paddle. When we paddle slower we get more for our effort. Still, it’s hard to convince people to go slow. Our minds think the faster we move our bodies the quicker we will go.

More and more in life, I am finding this to be the case. When I try to rush through things, […]

Strength of SpeedMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:32:10-04:00

Never Happy with Height

(This image is from the day I officially became the shortest in my family. I’m not positive of the year, but I’m going to guess my brother is 12 and I’m 22–give or take a year for both of us in either direction.)

Though I have 5’3″ on my license because I prefer odd numbers, I always believed I was 5’2″. When I stopped growing at 5’2″, I was bummed. It sounded really short. And I certainly didn’t like being the shortest Downie in my family, especially because I’m seven and ten years older than my younger siblings.

But even though 5’2″ didn’t seem tall, I never felt short, and, eventually, I grew to like that feeling–feeling taller than I was. I came to see the many benefits of being vertically challenged. If it rains, I get to stay drier longer than tall people, to name one.

So it came as a huge surprise about a year ago when I had a doctor’s visit and discovered I was 5’4″. I was stunned and happy because […]

Never Happy with HeightMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:32:11-04:00

Pilates Proven

Researchers from the kinesiology and physical education department at McGill University in Montreal found that Pilates improves shoulder stability, strengthens the lower abdominals and improves posture.

Let’s hear it for Pilates!

Pilates ProvenMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:32:11-04:00