Pilates: Not for persons with weak muscles

This is what you need to know before you attend your first Pilates class:

1. Wear tight fitting tops - otherwise they will hike up when you are bent down touching the ground
2. Tie your hair in a low ponytail as you spend some time lying on your back and the higher pony is very uncomfortable
3. Make sure your hair is tightly pinned back out of your face
4. Take a bigger towel to put on your mat so that you don't slip when balancing on hands and toes
5. Make sure your feet are pretty - you take your shoes and socks off

What to expect:

The class started with lots of stretching and warming up. Your heart rate increases and you can feel the muscles working, but it's not impossible.

Until...

The stomach section. If you can imagine a blotchy red, panting, quivering mass of shaky jelly with bits of hair sticking out all over the place and beads of sweat popped out on her forehead - you will have a pretty accurate image of me.

I hope you have a better core strength than I did when I first started!

I am convinced that The Roll Up is a method of torture.

From a lying down position, you "gently roll your upper body up into a sitting position - using only your stomach muscles - while keeping your legs stretched straight out in front of you, flat on the ground" What?

I tried twice, spluttered and ended up my my feet pointing at the sky; so I lay there and watched the others doing exactly what he said: Gently rolling up

If I have to take a step back from the jealousy of watching them do it, I must admit that it was actually beautiful. Their movement was so fluid and graceful. The strength it must have taken to make it look so easy made me envious. And determined to one day be able to do that. No matter how long it takes me.

Then we had to do the planking. Goodness.

And the biggest fail funniest exercise was The Roll Over
We used to do this as kids and I was always the one to get there first. Little did I know how hard it would be years later when I was unfit!
More graceful moves from my classmates while my backside refused to lift off the mat. I was mortified! I was the only one in the class who couldn't do it. No matter how hard I tried.
I am now able to do it - so there is hope!

An hour later you are stretching it all out and then it's finished.

I left there feeling full of energy. Until about 45 minutes later. Then I had to lie down on the couch and nap.

What you should do before attending your first class:
I don't think the gyms have an actual beginners class. I would recommend doing some research into breathing and muscle techniques for each of the main Mat exercises. It helps a lot with the exercises.
If I had not read that section about controlling breathing I don't think I would have been able to complete all the reps of some exercises.

The next day:
I was sore all over. I thought it would only be my stomach as I struggled with that the most, but it was also my biceps, triceps, shoulders, stomach, back, butt & thighs.
Proof that it truly is an all body exercise!

Older and Wiser

Blog everyday in May-  Day 8: A piece if advice you have for others

Don't rush into relationships for fear of being alone or because you think someone can make you happy.

Not respecting yourself is a sure way to ensure that a man never will. And if you cannot be happy while you are single,  you will not be happy in the wrong relationship.

Challenges Remaining:
Day 9, Thursday: A moment in your day (this can be just a photo or both a photo and words)
Day 10, Friday: Most embarrassing moment (s). Spill.
Day 11, Saturday: Sell yourself in 10 words or less
Day 12, Sunday: What do you miss? (a person, a thing, a place, a time of your life...)
Day 13, Monday: Issue a public apology. This can be as funny or as serious or as creative as you want it to be.
Day 14, Tuesday: Ten things that make you really happy
Day 15, Wednesday: A Day in the life (include photos from throughout your typical day - this could be "a photo an hour" if you'd like)
Day 16, Thursday: Something difficult about your "lot in life" and how you're working to overcome it
Day 17, Friday: A favorite photo of yourself and why
Day 18, Saturday: Tell a story from your childhood. Dig deep and try to be descriptive about what you remember and how you felt.
Day 19, Sunday: Five of your favorite blogs and what you love about them
Day 20, Monday: Get real. Share something you're struggling with right now.
Day 21, Tuesday: A list of links to your favorite posts in your archives
Day 22, Wednesday: Rant about something. Get up on your soapbox and tell us how you really feel. (a pet peeve, a current event, a controversial topic, something your husband or roommate or neighbor or boss does that really ticks you off)
Day 23, Thursday: Things you've learned that school won't teach you
Day 24, Friday: Your top 3 worst traits
Day 25, Saturday: Something someone told you about yourself that you'll never forget (good or bad)
Day 26, Sunday: Something you read online. Leave a link and discuss, if you'd like.
Day 27, Monday: A letter to your readers
Day 28, Tuesday: Only pictures
Day 29, Wednesday: Five songs or pieces of music that speak to you or bring back memories. Use Grooveshark or YouTube to include them in the post
Day 30, Thursday: React to this term: Letting Go
Day 31, Friday: A vivid memory

My kind of advice!

1. Aspire to be Barbie - the bitch has everything.

2. If the shoe fits - buy them in every color.

3. Take life with a pinch of salt.... A wedge of lime, and a shot of tequila.

4. In need of a support group? - Cocktail hour with the girls!

5. Go on the 30 day diet. (I'm on it and so far I've lost 15 days).

6. When life gets you down - just put on your big girl panties and deal with it.

7. Let your greatest fear be that there is no PMS and this is just your personality.

8. I know I'm in my own little world, but it's ok. They know me here.

9. Lead me not into temptation, I can find it myself.

10. Don't get your knickers in a knot; it solves nothing and makes you walk funny.

11. When life gives you lemons in 2010 - turn it into lemonade then mix it with vodka.

12. Remember wherever there is a good looking, sweet, single, or married man there is some woman tired of his bull!

13. Keep your chin up, only the first 40 years of parenthood are the hardest.


14. If it has Tires or Testicles, it's gonna give you trouble.

15. By the time a woman realizes her mother was right, she has a daughter who thinks she's wrong.