Pilates Body ATX

Pilates footwork and arthritis

We flex, we point, we circle. In Pilates, we move our toes a lot. Pilates exercises are great for working all the little muscles in your foot. Yesterday, after class, one of my students told me she was having lots of pain with the foot work because she had arthritis in her toes. She told me that from now on, she was just going to leave the foot work out.  

When I was trained in Pilates, one of the first things I learned was that movement heals. This has become a mantra that I work through and also share with my students. I think its better to try an exercise with a limited range of motion and actually use the muscles rather than leaving out the exercise completely. Just make sure you are listening to your body and always check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program. 

Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints and the inflammation causes pain. To treat arthritis, most doctors recommend moderate and controlled exercises on a regular basis to help keep effected joints mobile - and Pilates is the perfect exercise series because the movements can be tailored for each individual!  

For arthritic toes and joints, I recommend performing each exercise with a modified range of motion. Pilates footwork is designed to balance the musculature of your foot and ankle so just be gentle with yourself.  I also suggest doing the “ABC”s foot stretch a couple times each day for strengthening. The way that works is you just trace each letter of the alphabet in the air with your foot (upper or lower case is up to you!) This helps build the muscles in your foot and bring mobility to the joints. 

If you are suffering from joint pain, your Pilates instructor should work with you to find appropriate modifications for your unique case.

Salty and Sweet Snacks

When I have snack cravings, it is usually for things that are both salty and sweet. Anytime dark chocolate covered pretzels are involved - watch out! 

Here are a few of my favorite semi healthy salty and sweet snacks:

• Mango slices drizzled with white vinegar and sprinkled with salt and pepper (I had this on my trip to Panama. You can buy a little bag of them from street vendors.
• Watermelon chunks with crumbled Feta cheese
• Dried cranberries and roasted almonds (I buy unsalted because I think they are salty enough)
• Baby carrots and peanut butter
• Cantaloupe melon pieces wrapped in prosciutto
• Manchego cheese with date or fig
• Peach slices with cottage cheese 

Do you have a salty / sweet snack recommendation? Please tell me in the comments!

Easy Chicken and Avocado Salad

I am obsessed with avocado right now. Yesterday, I mixed up a super easy avocado filled salad that I liked so much, I am making it again today. Follow this recipe and you will have enough for 2 lunch sized servings. 

Salad: 

• 3/4lb -1lb of smoked deli chicken, sliced thin ( I use Boar’s Head deli meat cause its easy but you could also use “real” chicken)
• 2 small avocados (sliced thin)
• 1 cucumber (sliced thin - remove seeds if you like) 
• 1 head romaine lettuce (chopped or torn) 
• 1/4 cup toasted almonds (I toasted them in a pan for about 5 mins) 

Mix salad ingredients together and dress as you like. Here’s a simple dressing recipe that I like with almost everything.

Dressing: 

• 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon raw cane sugar 
• salt and pepper to taste 

Mix dressing ingredients together and drizzle over salad. This will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days. 

What to eat for a Pilates workout

My parents came to visit Austin last week and I invited them to try one of my Pilates classes. It was their first visit to my new city and they were totally taken by all the trailer/truck eateries and of course, the breakfast tacos! 

On the morning of my class, my parents made a pit stop at a taco trailer where they each devoured 2 overloaded breakfast tacos, a fruit plate, and queso. Needless to say, when class started, neither of them were feeling very good. Since there is so much emphasis in Pilates on core work and using your abdominals, you don’t want to be super full when you do a workout. 

Many of my students ask me what to eat for a Pilates workout. Today, I had 2 eggs fried in olive oil and half a sliced tomato. I did a workout and was full until noon. Some days, I prefer a handful of roasted, unsalted almonds or a shake with spinach and/or protein. I try to choose foods that will keep my belly fairly empty but will maintain my energy like complex carbs, lean proteins, or a little fat (like 1/2 an avocado with a scoop of cottage cheese).

What is your favorite workout food? Let me know in the comments. 

Pilates Workout Music Vol 4.

Here’s the play list for this month’s classes at Thrive Fitness in Austin. 

Rococo - Arcade Fire 

Everyday- Dave Matthews Band

Lights & Music - Cut Copy

We No Speak Americano - Yolanda Be Cool

Disturbia - Rihanna

Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap

Fancy Footwork - Chromeo

Back And Forth - The Bright Light Social Hour

Forget You - Cee Lo Green

Got to Be Real - Cheryl Lynn

Night By Night - Chromeo

Osaka in the Rain - Matt the Electrician 

The Bringdown - Bob Schneider