[sassypie]

Calling all Pilates Users #1!!

Hi and welcome to a thread for all pilates users - occasional or habitual! This is a place to share your questions, thoughts, accomplishments (or lack thereof ), complaints, worries, fears, and any other emotion under the sun! Please jump in and share often - we love having you!

Jen

[sassypie]

Ok, phew, now that I've done that, I gotta go!

I did do pilates today and you guys, I am getting so much better at it!!!! I can actually roll up and down without raising my legs off the floor (well maybe they come off like 1 or 2 inches - but that's it!) Feeling pretty good about it so no bubble bursting! I can only improve right?!

Take care and see yall soon

[meanbuji]

atta girl sassy!!!!

I still haven't gotten a tape yet....but I am working on it!!!!!!

[happy2bme]

Hello peoples. Was a busy week, sorry I couldn't post more. Thanks for starting a new thread Sassy. Hope the job goes well on Tuesday. Totally understand about you not being able to spend as much time here, but do check in. That is so cool that you are seeing improvement with the Pilates. Do you find that you're automatically standing straighter and not slouching - tho maybe unlike me you have good posture. I have enjoyed your company and hope to hear from you even if it might not be as frequently.

Speaking of away, I have a busy weekend ahead, then we head off for vacation at a friend's cabin on the lake for a week on Monday so I'll be out of touch. Don't abandon us meanbuji - even if it will be quiet during the week. I love your sense of humor and would hate to have to go stalking you on other threads .

Well it was a baaaad exercise week for me. Because of the stupid foot - found out it's an icky callus not a blister like I thought, I wasn't able to do cardio with Mr. Trainer. After Tuesday's killer floor exercises, I woke up Wednesday very very sore. Thursday was a real killer as I could barely more at all. Was worse when I sat working for a while and tried to get up after 20 or 30 minutes when everything tightened up. I looked like Frankenstein and had the moans to complete the package. I've never been in this much pain. I knew what I had to do to work it out and I did it. But I have so much to do and I was out of it for 3 days - feeling better now but I'm so far behind.

This will be my last post until next weekend. Just wanted to let you know what's going on so that you didn't think I got snooty and left you hanging. Enjoy the long weekend and have a great week!

[meanbuji]

hey gals!!! I got a bunch of Pilates videos from the library yesterday, among other goodies, so I'll be checking them out all through the weekend!!! hopefully by next week I'll be a pro!! LOL!!!!!
happy, sounds marvelous spending the week on the lake!!! I'm jealous!!! just bring lots of avon skin so soft to keep the bugs away & take good care of that callus!!!!!
sassy, you keep up the Pilates..I shall be bugging you for inside moves!!!! LOL!!!!

[sassypie]

Hey girls!

Wow! I've missed coming here and unfortunately, I'll probably only get to come on weekends unless I get a little boost of energy in the evenings! Even though I'm only working part-time, I can just see that my nights are more packed than I originally thought. Why does that always happen? You plan and plan but then life happens and there's nothing you can do about it but just deal. Flexibility - that's a good friend to make I tell you.

Speaking of flexibility - I only exercised 3 out of the 6 days I was supposed to. Shame on me. I was just sooooo tired this week! Dh and I had gone to the Dave Matthews concert over the Labor Day weekend and we also stayed at a B&B in Lake Geneva called the Watersedge (familiar Happy?). Well, we didn't much sleep what with the concert going late and then a deelish breakfast the next am. Plus, I have been used to getting up in the am to get the girls ready for school - but then I could always go back to bed if I wanted to. Now, however, I have to get up and stay up and it's just not my cup of tea - I am soooooo not a am person!

So, I ended up doing pilates once, abs and thighs once, and kickboxing once. I am mad myself for not putting more effort into it and so next week I will try harder. My eating was not terrible but not the greatest either. I have been taking crackers and fruit to work for a snack and then having dinner. Oh, and I have been trying to have at least something for breakfast too. I fear that I am not eating enough during the daytime and I will end up storing fat instead of burning it off. I also know that I am not getting enough water in during the time that I am at work. I just seem not to be as thirsty. Besides that, I'm busy and I tend to forget about it. Any suggestions on how to maintain the water intake? Keep in mind that if I drink a ton, it'll all need to come out sometime and in my case it's like, every half-hour! I can't make 20 bathroom trips/day !

Happy - I hope you had a great vacation and would love to hear all about it - maybe I've been there if it's around our area? I hope you've recovered from your callus and vicious trainer and that when you return, you'll be in top form and ready to (clap) pump, you up! (Hanz and Franz).

Meanbuji - how did you like the pilates tapes? Which ones did you get? I'd love to hear about the ones that really worked you, as I only have one type. I have heard A LOT of good things about Denise Austin's pilates! Everyone says her perkiness gets on their nerves but the workout is just too good to let that get in the way. I don't have that one but I am considering it in spite of her peppiness. Please let me know how everything went, k?

Well, I'd better go. My brothers are here watching DA Bears with dh and the girls are wreaking havoc down with them. They always get so nutty when they're together . What is it about men and little kids? They're all little kids you say? Yeah, that's my thought too Talk to you next week - Take care and have a good one!

[GreatBigMonsterMomma]

Hi all. I'm new. I'm trying to get into the swing of things with Pilates. I just do matwork...From a book, 'cause I don't own a TV. (Don't own a scale either, aren't I a total heretic? ) It's an enjoyable exercise, which is why I do it. My motivation: my daughter thinks I'm the funniest thing going when she watches me exercise.

[sassypie]

Hi all

Welcome GBMM!! Glad you found your way over to our little part of the universe. I have to warn you though, there's not a whole lot o' chat in this thread cause we're all really busy and can't get here everyday to check in. If you're cool with that then you'll fit in just great! So your little one loves to watch you do pilates? That sounds like a hoot! My girls haven't had the pleasure of watching me do them, if they did, they'd be laughing for all the wrong reasons I'm sure! Hope to hear more from you.

Happy - where are ya girl? I haven't been here much but you're like a ghost! Hope your doing ok and can check in soon!

Meanbuji - same goes for you. Don't give up on me girls - I am making it here when I can - I swear!

I exercised 3 days so far this week. I plan to w/o today still and tomorrow. That means that I'll have missed only one day. Not bad but could be better. As for my eating, it has been pretty good EXCEPT! that my dh made choc chip cookies and I pretty much devoured them. (My total weakness - I admit! ) Otherwise, ha ha, it's been good. My one problem still remains though and that is getting enough water in throughout the day. I'm having trouble with that especially when at work. I need suggestions, ladies, if you have them. Well that pretty much raps it up for me. Girls are getting ready for bed so I should go and help - need to make sure those teeth get sparkling white !

TTYL!! See ya -

[GreatBigMonsterMomma]

Hmm, when I worked was when I was most likely to drink a lot of water. It was so easy to keep a bottle of water on hand. I'm always thirsty, though.

I worked out for about 40 minutes night before last. I'm trying to work out every other day, so today's my day. I strapped GBMB into her bouncy seat and worked kissing her toes into the routine, so that kept her happy. She thinks I'm doing it solely for her amusement, Sassy.

[happy2bme]

Hi All,
Welcome to the group GBMM. Sorry I haven't posted lately, haven't been around. I took my second week of vacation Labor Day week up at a friend's cabin on the lake in Wisconsin with a side trip the the Wisconsin Dells. Got home last Saturday, run run run to unpack, wash and repack as I left last Monday for a week's training class in Ann Arbor, MI for work. Got home Friday, rush rush, got college class tonight and then I'm back to Ann Arbor on Tuesday for the rest of the week for a second training class. Will be glad to be back to my routine next week.

Even tho I was travelling, didn't do too badly with eating out tho I was no angel always. Got in at least 2 healthy meals. And the hotel has a treadmill, bike and stepper along with a very cold indoor pool that I used each night. I did work out with the trainer on Saturday, he went a little easier on me after our last session where I couldn't walk for 2 days and couldn't drive for 3 Got up this morning at 5am , admired the starry skies and headed over to my 6am water aerobics class that I haven't been to in a month only to find that the instructor called in sick. But the cheery group there was all too accomodating in figuring out our own routines. There were too many people in the pool to be able to do laps but we pranced around using the noodles and water dumbells. Felt good to get back in the groove again.

Next Monday our new treadmill gets delivered. I am so excited about that. Automatic incline, heart rate monitor and it adjusts itself based on your heartrate (more/less incline and faster/slower) so I should get a better workout. My foot finally healed too Hallelujah so all is well with my world again. And we're going to fix up the basement which I'm also excited about.

How's the job going Sassy? Sounds like you're on the run. I usually work from home but found that when I do go into the office, I have a harder time keeping up with my water intake. I guess it's just forming new habits. Alot of the girls in the office bring large cups of ice water and sit them on their desk to remind them to drink, drink, drink. Maybe I drink less in the office because I talk more

Gotta run now. Hope everyone's doing well. Don't abandon us meanbuji! Come out, come out where ever you are. Catch up with you next weekend!

[ras8779]

Hi Everyone!

I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind if I asked a few questions about Pilates. I have a few Pilates videos. I have Kathy Smith's Pilates for the abs, Denise Austin's Pilates for Everybody, Denise Austin's Pilates Mat workout and another one that the title escapes me right now. I also own a Pilates machine but it's the one on the floor without the stand. Do any of you use the machine? If so do you think it's better on the stand or on the floor. I honestly haven't used it because I'm uncomfortable that low to the ground. If you own a machine which one do you have and would you recommend it? Hope you don't mind all the questions. I'm just wondering if I should stick with the mat workout or if using the machine would be better.

[happy2bme]

Hi Ladies,
Welcome Ras - wow a Pilates machine of your own! I'm impressed. Most of us who have been doing Pilates have been doing the mat workout. Even when I was taking classes at the gym it was on the mats. Maybe there's a lurker or a new person who's gone to a Pilates studio or has some experience with the machines. Don't know much about them but don't you get better, deeper stretches with the equipment?

I guess in general I'd say that if you aren't comfortable with the machine, stick with the videos tho I can see why you'd hate to waste the investment. I just say this only from the human nature point of view that you're more likely to stick with something you like.

As for me, I'm traveling again this week so no Pilates. Just using the treadmill, stepper and bike at the hotel along with the pool which thankfully this week they seem to have added some warm water to it - last week it was frigid and it's an indoor pool. With that, I'm off to go do some "doing" instead of just talking about it. Have a great week everyone, catch you on the weekend.

[susanje]

I have done pilates/yoga every now and then for the past couple of years but now I want to put it into my routine as a regular thing (I also have a BFL style training routine, a lot of weight training).

I went to class Sunday morning and Monday night and notice that my lower back is killing me. wonder if this is a sign that I'm doing something wrong or just a normal beginners soreness. Thanks for any thoughts/ideas.

Susan

[meanbuji]

hey guys!!! I'm so sorry I haven't been here for awhile...I had it set that I got a mailman telling that there was a message but I guess that only works a few times...so I assumed nobody posted & so I never came back...very bad me, not to have checked sooner!!!!
I got a few Pilates tapes from the library, the most recent was the "for dummies" one, but I haven't actually tried them out...one looked really hard!!! I think it was jennifer kries??? I got the denise austin from the library just last night so tonite I'll check that one too....
Lookit all the new folks!!! how nice!!!!
hello everybody!!!!
susan, if the pain doesn't go away after a day or 2, tops, then you might have pulled something...a general soreness is normal, but downright pain is not!!! keep an eye on that!
hi ras, I hope you get the info you need on that machine of yours! I've never heard of it so I can't help you there, but it sure sounds interesting!!
monster mom, you sound like a hoot!!! glad you've jumped right into the swing of all this stuff...then you can just feel your way around & see what works for you...and share those tips too! LOL!
happy, you're still bouncing all over the place, I see....and still getting your exercise in too!!?? good for you!!!!
sassy, so you had a good time at the concert?! I know what you mean about the water...now that it's not as hot, it sure is hard to guzzle down...I really have to force myself!!
as for me, still trying to do my tapes every day but have slacked off a bit on the bike riding, I'm ashamed to say....I have to really force myself cause I get lonely riding alone!! I'm a big baby, I know!!!!

[happy2bme]

Hey everyone, good to be back again.

Susanje - back pain??? That's a big - it's normal for muscles to be sore when you start to work them but any kind of joint pain, neck pain or back pain is a big warning to STOP! Readjust, modify or find an alternative. If you're doing Pilates in your class, it's really, really important to do the moves correctly. Since you're in a class I would talk to the instructor who hopefully is certified and knows what they're doing. Some of us - like me and Sassy have what's called a "delicate (weak I guess)" neck and we have to modify the exercises to support our neck so we don't strain it. Be careful! Since you've been doing weight training already, I'm sure you're familiar with the idea of doing the moves correctly.

It's good to be home after 3 weeks of continuous travelling. Boy am I out of it but the good thing is that I'm eager to get back into a routine again. I sure do notice the difference. Work is keeping me extra busy but I've sworn to make time to keep up with the exercise. Now that the cooler weather is here, got to replan my diet program too - mostly ate cold meals over the summer. My biggest challenge now that the new TV season is on is to avoid blowing the whole night in front of the boob tube

Stop by, say hello guys, it's gotten very quiet around here lately...