work – Personal Euphoria: Pilates & Fitness Classes in CT

Motivation to Move!

Do you get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day? Most adults don’t. Thirty minutes is important because it’s the minimum amount of exercise our bodies require to be healthy. Still ¾’s of adults aren’t getting that. So how do we find our motivation to move?

What Doesn’t Work?

First, we need to realize what doesn’t seem to work for us. We seem to think we SHOULD (always a tough word) be motivated to move because we know it’s good for our health. We think we SHOULD be motivated to lose weight. Research indicates those are both useful tools for helping start a workout, but not stick with it.

What Does Give us Motivation to Move?

There are multiple motivational tools that do provide motivation to move. Next time you want to stick to a workout plan, consider whether it meets the following:

Visible

To make a workout visible consider using social media as a tool. Post about your new workout goals. Write what you did each day. Ask friends to encourage and boost you up on days you don’t feel like moving. Or partner with co-workers and have different departments compete for the most steps. […]

Motivation to Move!Maggie Downie2021-08-23T16:07:42-04:00

Best Motivation 2016: Take Pride in Your Work

I never dreamed of teaching Pilates or owning my own business, but I do believe what I do makes people feel better. And that helps make each day a good day.

I’m usually not a sucker for a headline like, “Best Motivational Video 2016.” But I followed the link, clicked, and watched. And I don’t think I left with the right takeaway. Now, I would never say that someone shouldn’t follow their dreams. I encourage following dreams. I’m a dreamer myself.

But here’s the thing I think about when I see a video like this. What if everyone followed […]

Best Motivation 2016: Take Pride in Your WorkMaggie Downie2017-12-29T19:36:06-05:00

Gluteal Atrophy or Oh My Aching Butt

Gluteal Atrophy or Oh My Aching ButtMaggie Downie2017-10-25T15:49:51-04:00

Who’s Excited About Their Psoas?

The Psoas Vs. Mark Twain

When I worked at The Mark Twain House & Museum people were fascinated with my job. They were interested in what I did; they were interested in Twain; and they were happy to listen to stories of the different people I’d gotten to meet there.

Now that I teach pilates, people are noticeably less interested. In fairness, I think it’s less about pilates and more about Mark Twain. When I taught high school people weren’t overly interested in the day-to-day details about what was going on in the classroom.

Working at the Twain House was a great experience, but I’m happier running my own company and teaching pilates. Now I get to read books about the body instead of books on Twain—both […]

Who’s Excited About Their Psoas?Maggie Downie2017-09-12T19:31:48-04:00

Stability Chair at Work

I often try to convince people that their bodies would be happier if that sat on a stability ball at work. When I worked in an office I sat on a stability ball and it was, if nothing else, a great conversation piece. Very few people take me up on the offer, however.

But my Dad did. And then the next day his office banned them because of a potential work hazard. I was annoyed because that is actually really short sighted (unless everyone at work has very expensive ergonomic chair that is actually ergonomic). Sure, anyone can fall off a stability ball, and I understand that we work in a litigious society, but all the research on sitting on a stability in schools or offices only shows the benefits. Kids do better in school. People remain more attentive (you’re less likely to fall asleep when you are sitting on a ball). Balls are more ergonomic than most office chairs so they are better for your back and hips.

A couple weeks later my dad received […]

Stability Chair at WorkMaggie Downie2017-09-12T19:31:48-04:00