I 100% believe your hard workouts are hurting you, more than helping you and making you hold on to FAT, rather than lose it. If I were paid a penny for every student I’ve worked with that has had this epiphany when they start mindful movement such as pilates I’d be rich!

Perhaps even today you might be feeling discouraged that you keep hitting the gym hard everyday and your body still isn’t changing like you think you should? Sweating your last drop of energy and still feel like the weight just hangs on? Feel like you’re up against the wall hopeless, helpless and tired of trying everything “they”tell you to do and nothing is working? And to top it off your sore and in pain! Are you tired of staying on this crazy wheel yet?!

You’re right there are a lot of LIES out there! The truth is all great success in life comes from mastering the small and embracing the simple. I’ve been in the fitness industry for almost 25 years now and I have seen it ALL! As a competitive collegiate athlete with a competitive, hustling drive already I know what working out hard looks like. The drive till you die, sacrifice it all and leave your life on the altar of “fitness” ! Yep I’ve been there and seen it all! The many days I spent lifting heavy weight ultimately left me feeling strong in a sense but more heavy, bulky and stiff, and not to mention my sore back spoke to me every day! I left the gym feeling SPENT! 

Tired and ready to trade in my towel for a pillow! I knew the form and I knew the exercises but now I know it was still too much weight and strain not on just my body but my hormones! During the process of having 6 kids my ability to workout for long periods became a thing of the past. I knew I not only wanted to work out, I had to for my peace of mind and health, so I could continue to do the things I loved to do. After 6 kids and so many years of running hard, I retired my running shoes for the most part and took up pilates, yoga and therapeutic movement as my main jam. In my own journey I saw more results doing this than all those years of working out so hard and heavy.

So take it or leave it, but this is what I think……Most of us are overwhelmed, stressed, undernourished and under-rested. This in the long term wrecks complete havoc on our immune system; specifically our sympathetic/parasympathetic nervous system balance- “Fight and flight” or “digest and rest” systems. The result is adrenals which regulate our hormonal balance and energy levels are overtaxed with cortisol levels chronically spiked and our body never has time to “mellow out”. High levels of cortisol are associated with the fight or flight system that we initiate with intense cardio workouts, heavy loaded weight workouts and HIT training staying elevated even when we do not want them to be.

The long term disaster happens when cortisol remains high and it holds on to fat for energy storage because it fears there is a real enemy you are preparing to fight, and the enemy is your own work-out that your body feels stressed from not, set free through!

Why is it that when my clients leave the studio everyday they all say almost the same thing as they want to continue to linger around… I feel lighter, I’m standing taller, I feel so connected to my core, I’m so relaxed, I feel so much stronger like I’ve never felt, why didn’t I find this sooner? What I love is what comes a few sessions later- they not only feel all these things they notice the hunger pains are not as severe- they want to eat lighter foods, they feel less bogged down mentally, almost feel heavenly…. It’s an experience that can only be understood once you’ve felt the difference. The connection to the core as an anchor and the lines of the arms and legs as lines become longer, stronger and more defined because where TENSION was the answer before, INTENTION IS THE ANSWER FOREVER MORE!

Every body only has so many reps in those small joints that hold so much load before it blows. When you add misalignment on top of heavy weight you have a call to the Dr in the near future. The answer to longevity in your fitness routine is less tension with more intention for there is where your connection to your deepest strength and length resides.