I don’t have time to exercise!
Being a busy working mum of 2 young boys means that I really do get it when people say ‘I don’t have time to exercise’ Lives can often be a hundred miles an hour and the last person to get some attention is yourself! The big revelation for me after having my first son and desperately wanting to get back in shape, is that you don’t need to dedicate an hour or so to do a class or to go to the gym, now please don’t get me wrong I love doing both these things, I just simply don’t often have the time! added to that – getting a sweat on meant a change of clothes and a shower! making the time scale even more unattainable. Its the regular workouts that get the best results, its so frustrating to find a class you love then only managing to attend twice a month! This can leave you feeling disheartened and disappointed. When I started a local Pilates class I felt so inspired to be able to get better at the moves and to re-strengthen myself. It was really hard as I’d had a C-section 6 months earlier and my tummy was like a jelly and I was stiff as a board, but I loved it. I went straight home that first evening and joined an online Pilates site, and tried to get to class as often as I could.
Can 15 minutes Pilates a day make a difference?
The simply answer is a huge YES! The deeper answer is to look at what the benefits of Pilates are. There are so many but these are some of the ones I have found to be the most relevant
Full Body Toning – Pilates is super effective at working all the muscles in your body and finding the ones you didn’t even know you had! strengthening your entire body.
Strengthens Your Core – Your Powerhouse – A strong core will stabilise and support your body which in turn will improve your posture and balance. The pelvic floor is a muscle within your core that needs constant attention and can become weakened through carrying children, giving birth and old age.
Improves Flexibility – Most of the moves have an element of stretching as you can see from the GIF below and even the moves that are less focused on lengthening or flexibly are always followed with a stretch. Serious feel good factor when you can touch your toes!
Boosts Energy – I wish I could bottle up the feel good factor and let people see how they would feel from a Pilates session. It improves your blood flow, releases happy endorphins and increases oxygen levels through mindful breathing. Pilates mobilises, stretches and lengthens your spine and muscles leaving you feeling energised and a foot taller!
Improves Posture – Better posture not only makes you look and feel great, it helps to prevent back problems from poor alignment and uneven pressure.
Pilates is for everyone– As long as you have enough floor space to lay down you can do Pilates anywhere, in your home, in your garden, on a beach! There is no restriction on age, body type, gender or fitness ability.
Online Pilates
Practicing just 15 mins of Pilates a day can make a huge difference. Online Pilates videos allow you to grab a quick session in a work break , early morning or in the evening without having to fit into an instructors schedule. Body Sculpt Pilates online members can do my 15 minute series found in my Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced sections of the website. I also have the Body Boost which is 2 week plan of 15-20 minutes daily Pilates with healthy meal plans. Give it a go! you will be amazed at what a difference regular Pilates will make to your strength, flexibility, tone, posture and well being.
