If you didn’t know my former life was one of a Stott Pilates Instructor and studio owner! And living in the pilates world for over 10 years, I learned specifically how to LENGTHEN the body and muscles with exercise and now with FOOD too.
It’s a perfect combo! Keep reading for the secret!
Don’t read this email if you want to be built like a body builder or you like Cross Fit. #sorrynotsorry
I shared these tips from my sauna this morning and thought you need to know this basic stuff!
#1: WATER
You have to FLUSH toxins because toxins are stored in and as fat when your body has too many to deal with (and most people do!) If you are looking for weight loss and slimming down, you have to drink water, even if and especially if you feel like you are retaining it now (hello pregnancy!)
First thing in the morning your Dear Liver has worked to clean you out overnight and all of that crud is just sitting there WAITING to be washed away, so wash it away! Drink your water, at least 20 oz of pure filtered water FIRST THING!
BONUS TIP: Lymphatic Drainage, that’s what you’re looking at in the picture! I use Fascia Blasters, I have three sizes and use the bigger two here for my legs, low back, feet, and the mini for my face! If you have a sauna it’s even more beneficial because you are getting all the benefits of the infrared light PLUS your muscles are WARM so you can move junk out of the lymph better/faster. If you are into health, check out my sauna here, or give Sunlighten a call and tell them I referred you!
#2: WALKING
Walking is your best friend for toning and longevity and mental health. Everyone walks or can walk you just need to use it to your advantage. Walk at least 45 minutes in a row most days of the week. I walk at least 60 minutes almost every single day of life even now 9 months pregnant (and let me tell you it is NOT super comfortable right now but it’s SAVING my mind from going nuts from not moving as much as I want to!)
Walking tones those legs, especially if you work on longer strides and bonus tip: Get a tall friend to walk with OR someone fast (like me) it will push you to make it more of a workout.
I like to imagine my muscles pulling and stretching while I walk and my butt tightening up when I go up any kind of hill! Also PAY attention to your stomach and core, you should be engaging it and pulling it in all the time, posture posture posture!
#3: TONING
For more specific exercise, you TONE your muscles by putting them on a STRETCH while you STRENGTHEN them. This is the key. And this is what pilates does. I love yoga too, but yoga is NOT the same as Pilates. Pilates focuses on core strength the entire time and actively cues you to remember this. You are working ALL your muscles at once while putting certain ones on a stretch and using your own body weight or props for resistance while everything else is stabilizing you. This. Is. Magic.
In general, look for and do core strength based workouts, pilates, yoga, barre (just be careful with barre because #toomanysquats = bulky thighs). Do these 3/4/5 times per week, you can’t really over do it because it’s SMART EXERCISE.
The keys are:
light resistance or body weight (think 1 pound ankle weights; 3 pound weights for arms/upper body)
Higher reps/sets
work similar muscle groups at once and then go to another area
always do core work (unless you’re pregnant then NEVER do ab work or core work EXCEPT to use them as STABILIZERS)
#4: LIVER CLEANSING!!
How you do this:
Stop putting toxins into your body and cells via
Conventional food
Processed/packaged/fake food/SUGAR!
Beauty/household products that are not non-toxic, get on board, this is so necessary for health!
You put IN the ingredients that HELP your liver and all elimination channels naturally cleanse which means:
YOU EAT A PLANT BASED DIET!
You didn’t think I’d skip out on food did you?
And the biggest secret of all of this? Is that FOOD and the plant based diet is WHY all the other tips will ‘appear’ to work when you do the food part right.
I taught for many many years, over 10 years. And pilates will not = weight loss.
It will definitely strengthen and tone you and reshape your muscles and body, it’s sort of like spanx :)
BUT it was ONLY WHEN I had my clients combine pilates and the tips above WITH the plant based eating that they saw the magical results.
And yes, in 6 weeks.
>>Dropping weight: 11 pounds, 8 pounds, 6 pounds
>>Bloating GONE
>>Better digestion
>>Clearer skin
>>Seeing their muscles and the benefit of the workouts so fast!
You eat way more often then you workout and that’s how it’s supposed to be. You don’t have to be a gym rat or ‘try so hard.’
You simply have to know the system. Know the methods. Know how your body, your digestion, and food fit together. And your liver :)
And then you JUST DO IT and keep DOING IT. And IT WORKS.
If you’re looking for true, real health, that makes it easy on your body to work FOR you. Not fighting against it, not making it change or do things. Just a way of eating, a way of looking and understanding food that truly aligns with long term health. And with that health you reshape your body not by force, but with love.
