Fiber and other nondigestible carbs are bulky and tend to slow digestion, which, in turn, eases the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. When glucose enters the bloodstream more slowly, cells are better able to burn it for energy.
— Denise Austin
As you do Pilates, use your breath to draw your mind into the present and whisk the tension out of your body.
Banish aches and pains by strengthening and stretching the muscles that affect your back.
Prolonged sitting can cause stiffness in your lower back.
As a baby grows in the womb, the surrounding abdominal muscles stretch outward. If you don't tighten up those muscles after delivery, your abs will remain loose and weak.
For most of my life, I've put on weight in my thighs, not my belly. But in my mid-40s, things began to change.
Besides helping you to form a beautiful flat tummy, strong abdominal muscles will improve your balance and coordination as well as help you perform other types of exercise with greater ease.
If you were fit before your pregnancy, a Pilates program will quickly help restore your figure and your energy.
Some of the routines take less than 10 minutes, making Pilates the perfect form of exercise for anyone who finds there's not enough time in the day for exercise.
Possibly one of the most exciting aspects of Pilates is that anyone can do it, and everyone can achieve amazing results.
I love to go out with my husband and a few friends on Friday or Saturday. Being from Southern California, Mexican food is my favorite, and I normally splurge on enchiladas and margaritas.
Diffusers not only leave your home smelling clean and fresh, but the oils that you choose to use in it can leave you feeling refreshed and stress free!
I was a gymnast as a little girl.
Women love classes and like to be together. They enjoy exercise classes. But that's not what a man usually likes to do.
To maintain good health, you need to exercise almost every day - 30 minutes is recommended, that's what I personally do - and you need to eat right.
Helping people keeps me going.
I love walking on a treadmill, it's a great way to challenge yourself!
Fiber and other nondigestible carbs work wonderful weight loss magic.
Because Pilates requires you to press your abs toward your spine, you don't want to allow your lower belly to round and press out as air comes into your lungs. You also don't want that abdominal lock to force you to breathe shallowly. To breathe correctly, you must expand your rib cage, primarily through your midback.
Stretching exercises promote flexibility, so you move fluidly.
Your lower back contains numerous muscles. One group, called the erector spinae, attaches to your spinal column at different points along your back, allowing you to bend it forward and backward and from side to side. Toning these muscles helps prevent back pain, and it also tightens and firms your entire lower back.
If you look in the mirror and think, 'Boy, my body needs a good dose of middle management,' keep in mind that tummy fat could be the result of many things.
To me, that's the most exciting aspect of Pilates. It doesn't matter who you are - athlete or couch potato, toned or flabby, man or woman, young or old - you can do it. Every body can benefit.
Of all the forms of exercise I've taught, Pilates is one of my favorites.
We use our shoulder muscles to accomplish practically every pulling, pushing, and hoisting task we do (they really do carry the weight of the world!), so they're a great place to start building strength.
You don't need any heavy, expensive equipment, and you can do Pilates anywhere, anytime.
If you think a bare midriff is only for teens, think again.
Aim to eat healthy six days out of the week, and then enjoy what I call a 'super splurge' on the seventh day. It helps you enjoy yourself and not feel so deprived, so you're ready to recommit to healthy eating the following week.
No gift list would be complete without a mention of fitness.
What was cool about my career, Jack LaLanne gave me my first break on TV. I was his co-host.
Getting healthy, getting into shape is a gradual process.
I don't starve myself, and I don't think other people should either.
I like intervals. I will turn a walk into a workout. For example, I walk for five minutes at an easy pace, then power-walk for two minutes and repeat. Intervals blast the fat.
The key is consistency. Do your ab exercises at least three times a week, or even a few minutes each day.
In other fitness pursuits, you may have learned to go through the motions first and perfect your form second. In Pilates, it's the other way around. You learn to control your abs first and then proceed through a series of more progressive movements. At all times, you should feel in control of your body.
To do Pilates moves correctly, you'll need to concentrate on your abs - keeping them pulled in and up - at all times.
Moves that build powerful core muscles (abs, back, hips, and pelvis) help support your spine, so you stand straighter. They also improve your balance, which starts to deteriorate in your 40s as these stabilizing muscles weaken.
Internal and external obliques form your sides and waist. Your external obliques sit closest to the surface toward the front of your waist, with the internal obliques sitting deeper and closer to your back. Toning them shrinks your waistline and love handles.
I'm well aware of the health dangers of an expanding waistline and belly fat: diabetes, heart disease, stroke, even cancer.
In addition to firming your abdominals, Pilates also helps strengthen and stretch the entire body from head to toe, helping you to stand taller.
Pilates helps condition the body without punishing it.
Strong shoulders will do more than just make everyday tasks easier. By developing the muscles of the upper body, you'll get sexy-looking shoulders and create a 'V' silhouette that makes your hips and waist appear slimmer.
Because there's no bouncing, jarring, or stress to your body, Pilates offers the ideal form of exercise for people who, because of joint pain or muscle weakness, shy away from exercise.
I really believe that green tea is the key for all of us women who are gaining some weight around your middle.
I think it really helps if you focus on losing weight one week at a time.
In L.A., I see people who are always in their cars, always driving. I encourage them to walk more - walk to the post office, walk to lunch. Even if it is a 10-minute walk, it's so good for you.
I'm a big believer in a balance of workouts - a well-balanced workout plan. Part of it is cardio, part strength training and then flexibility. You really need all three.
People are awake about 16 hours a day, so to devote 30 minutes to keeping your weight down, keeping your body healthy, is not a lot of time.
I'm into eating whole foods.
When it comes to foods as we age, it is a good rule of thumb to focus on high-quality, whole, fresh foods as the basis of all your meals.
