DECEMBER 2018 NEWSLETTER

Dear Pilates Family,

Happy Holiday’s!!! December weather and the stress that this holiday month brings can leave my body feeling tight and wound up. This time of year, I’m attracted to all things that keep my body fueled, hydrated and energized. To me that means exercise, hydration, nutrition and sleep. Here are some things that I do this time of year that keep me in check so that I can give my 150% into holiday cheer and having fun.

1. The Mayo Clinic States that you should Drink 8-10 oz of water a day, but this varies per individual health needs. 12+ if you’re exercising to replenish the water you sweated off. If you’re feeling extra crampy or tight a boost of electrolytes may help. I use Nuun Electrolytes in my water. They’re all natural, 1 gram of sugar and some even are made with greens for an energizing effect.
2. Pilates Segmental bridges, spinal rotations and roll downs to keep the spine and joints mobile and lubricated. From a joint stiffness standpoint, exercise helps boost synovial fluid, which is a natural lubricant inside the joints. Pilates works your joints in all three planes of motion so for extra juiciness at the joints try these exercies.
3. Increase Vitamin K rich veggies for their anti-aging, disease fighting properties. Specifically, broccoli, spinach, kale and cabbage which have been proven to help decrease the inflammatory markers in the blood. Eating foods rich in Vitamin K give your skin a healthy glow just in time for Holiday parties!
4. Sleep 8-10 hours a night. I equate this feeling to a relaxing day at the spa. From a muscular stand point, getting the adequate 8-10 hours is important to increasing muscle size, strength and efficient recovery. There is a great deal of regeneration, recharging and recovery at the cellular level that occurs for your performance enhancement the next day. Catch your zzz’s to enhance your Pilates Planking the next day!

Client Spotlight - Me! Healing from Diastasis Recti with Pilates
I would like to highlight myself for the Client Spotlight this December. Let’s talk about being split down the middle! I suffered a diastasis recti somewhere in the middle of my pregnancies which left my rectus abdominus muscle separated by about 2-3 fingers width. This lack of core strength left my pelvis twisted, abdominals weak and my body vulnerable to injury. I was scared to work out because my abdominals didn’t “fire” the way they used to, and I was starting to compensate and feel low back pain. My self confidence was at an all time low. I was scared to run, lift weights and perform the Pilates repertoire that I had mastered just a few years ago.

I started my Pilates journey on my own, motivated with my frustrations to work harder on pulling together these two parts of my body. I had my Pilates and Physical Therapy training to guide me through the poses, but I didn’t know what was safe. I decided I needed more education on the why’s, how’s and what’s of the Diastasis Recti. Was I never going to be able to learn how to fire these muscles well enough to heal? I was fortunate enough to take a Continuing Education course with the world renown Pelvic Guru Diane Le e who was able to educate me on the pelvic floor anatomy and a safe exercise progression to heal. With my Physical Therapy and Pilates background and Diane’s Diastasis education I had all the tools I needed to safely train the muscles that were so weakened by my pregnancies.

For one year I worked diligently on creating a stable, fit core from the inside out. I worked on improving the alignment to balance the forces around the pelvis, hip and sacroiliac joint using methods of myofascial release and Pilates based stretching techniques. This helped me realign my pelvis and Sacroiliac joint relieving any lower back pain. I was able to successfully recruit my long sought after pelvic floor and transverse abdominus muscles in different planes. Most importantly, I was knowledgeable and more confident in what I had to look for within my body to support my self properly when performing day to day activities with my kids and family. This is important in injury prevention. Today, I can participate in running, weight training and any fitness program without limitations. In the end, I still have fully functional transverse abdominus and a tightly sculpted core. Through my uniquely tailored program I was able to recover surgery free and become stronger than prior to my pregnancies.

December Happenings
I am so grateful to be nominated as the Top 10 Yoga/Pilates Studio in Best of Loudoun 2019! For those of you that know me and what my business represents, I would greatly appreciate your vote! My mission at Accelerate Pilates is to create a safe place to strengthen, educate and heal. Over the past year we have built a great community that has such amazing energy and good vibes. I am amazed at the progress that is made daily by each one of you. Please spread the word to your doctors, friends and family about ways that Accelerate can help prevent injury and accelerate recovery. I look forward to providing new opportunities for growth, health and wellness in 2019.

Class Schedule!
No classes 12/23 – 1/2. Take time to enjoy your friends and family during this special time of year. Rest, relax and unwind because your body and mind deserve it. Happy Holidays!

Scheduling Policy
Availability is limited so I appreciate you for scheduling your sessions ahead of time. This helps with planning Reformer groups and pairing up everyone appropriately. Thank you for also cancelling and rescheduling your classes within the 12 hour time frame as this allows me to efficiently run the practice, prepare for sessions and offer all clients a fair chance in signing up.

Events
Join me for Happy Hour at Cooper's Hawk Winery on December 20th from 4-6PM to celebrate your accomplishments this year! Come hang out with your Pilates family and catch up over some good wine and treats.