Once you get in the habit of working out regularly, sometimes it can become a hard habit to break. (Stop laughing, it’s true.) That’s a good thing. Our bodies can learn to crave exercise. The problem comes when you stop listening to your body.

If you have a recurring pain when you do a certain exercise, always ask your instructor about it. Adjust the exercise so it doesn’t hurt or give your body a break and sit out one exercise.

It’s hard at every exercise level. Often beginners don’t want to skip an exercise because they want to know they can do it. Intermediate groups will push through an exercise to prove they can do it. We can all build up to doing any exercise at our level, but we’ll never get to that point if we don’t listen to our body when we need a break. A break doesn’t necessarily mean three months off from exercise, but it might mean a week off given a particular pain or injury. It also might mean an adjustment. A month ago, I pulled a pec muscle. I […]

As it turns out, Joseph Pilates wasn’t the biggest fan of soap. Not that he thought you should never use it mind you. He just thought you should only use it when you stink or perspire. I don’t know how his body worked, but I tend to perspire every day, usually be the end of my first class.

That being the case, I decided to test Pilates’ theory about washing for one month. I didn’t use soap for a month. Instead, I followed his recommendation of scrubbing down with a bristled brush. Pilates’ theory being that the brush removes dead skin cells and exfoliates while soap leaves a residue that clogs pores and keeps your skin from breathing. Sounded interesting or a least amusing. I was willing to try it.

I have pretty sensitive skin, so it took a few days to get used to scrubbing down with a brush. It’s rough, and there was no recommendation on how hard to scrub. I didn’t scrub very hard–gentle strokes that hurt less under water. (I opted not to run the experiment on my face.) At about week […]

You’re halfway through the week. Sometimes this is when it starts getting hard to get up an hour early to workout or will yourself to hit the gym on the way home from work before dinner. Push yourself through the week by taking Friday off as a day of rest instead. Come Friday, sleeping in a bit longer will probably seem like an even better treat.

Sometimes exercise is all a mind game. You have to convince yourself to do it. Joseph Pilates believed our minds controlled our muscles, which is true in many cases. Think about engaging those muscles and make your muscles drag you to your favorite workout location. Imagine which muscles are working to get you there. You’ll be happy afterward, and it will probably even boost your energy.

When it’s wet and soppy outside, there seems to be less incentive to get up and go for a stroll. That makes sense. No one wants to get soaking wet. But sometimes the rain makes it easier to get yourself to the gym, a fitness class or to stay inside and workout on your own or with a video.

When you’re looking for a little variety, hit up your local library for a fitness video. You can try something for free and see if you like it. You can usually grab a Pilates video from the library and save yourself over $20–the cost of purchasing the DVD. It’s a great way to change it up, since watching the same video over and over can start to feel a little boring.

There’s never a good excuse not to exercise. Whether it’s raining or the sun is shinning, try your best to get in your fitness routine. You’ll feel better for it in the long run.

Are you still trying to work on plank–the exercise of the week? No one seems to like it, but it’s a great way to work your entire body in one seemingly simple exercise. Keep going. Today, Saturday, and Sunday and you’re done. They’ll be a new exercise on Monday. Maybe one you prefer.

Remember–try to smile while doing it. That makes it all easier. 🙂