Jodie Pilates & Ripped Bodies | Houston TX

Todays post a little different from the norm.  This month (March) is Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month  and in support of it I will be speaking briefly about an autoimmune disease known as Raynaud’s.  Unless you suffer with it or have a family member or friend that has this illness, you have probably never heard of it.

Basically, Raynauds is  a condition that causes certain ares of the body, for example, fingers, toes, nose and ears to feel numb because of lack blood flow to the affected area or areas  and this is in response to cold temperatures often times but on rare occasions emotional stress can bring on the attack.    As the affected begins to “warm up” and the blood starts flowing to the affected area, the color of the skin begins to change color again, from white, to red to sometimes blue. Yes this is painful, it throbs and sometimes tingles.  Below I have included a few pictures of what occurs during an attack.:

Source

Raynaud’s normally accompanies other autoimmune diseases  but not all the time, sometimes  it just occurs by itself. Not a lot is known about this condition and there is no cure. However, my goal is to make others aware of it.

If you would like more information on Raynaud’s please stop by the Raynaud’s Association website as well the Facebook Page for more helpful tips and support if you are dealing with this. They also have a shop on the website with some helpful products that will help keep you warm.

Have a great week everyone.

We have all heard the reports that sitting for long hours kills. Researchers say that prolonged sitting may lead to a slower than normal metabolism, diabetes and a larger waistline.

We all know movement is medicine and I am firm believer in that.  If I have to work at my computer for an extended period of time I make it a priority to get up and move every 30minutes.

I will do a set of jumping jacks, run up and down my stairs for a total of 10 trips, I include push ups, squats, planks as well as a few  stretches.

Here are a few I like to do:

Back and Hamstrings. Lie on your back, feet on the floor, knees bent. Draw both knees into your chest and rock side to side. Then alternate extending one leg and hugging the other leg into your chest. Hold each stretch for 20 -30 seconds.Enjoy this you should be able to feel the entire body relaxing.

Cross Body Stretch: Still on your back keep one leg extended and use the opposite hand to cross the bent leg across your body, and look in the opposite direction to the crossed leg.

 Shoulders. Stand and  reach your arms behind you,  you can hold on to each wrist if this easier or interlace your fingers, while raising your arms behind you so you feel a wonderful stretch in the front of your shoulders.

Here is a link to another article on Simple Desk Stretches

And of course if the weather is wonderful you can always go for a walk.

What are your favorite ways to break up the long hours of  sitting?

For your reading pleasure:

The Vitamins You Need Now

Still Not Exercising?

Diet Rich In Iron May Prevent PMS

Hi everyone,

So I have some exciting news Athleta, a division of Gap Inc will be opening its doors here in Houston on May 9^th .

This brand of  stylish and flattering  active wear is designed by women for active women.

Athleta’s new store will be located in the Town & Country Village where they will carry  fitness and lifestyle apparel for your sport such as  running, yoga, golf   as well as they carry accessories and footwear plus a lot more.

I had the opportunity to interview Tess Roering, Athleta’s VP of Marketing. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.

When and by whom was Athleta started?

Athleta was founded in 1998 in Sonoma County as a catalog business and was acquired by Gap Inc. in September of 2008; it is now one of the company’s five brands and is headquartered in Petaluma, Calif. Athleta sells direct through a consumer catalog, online through www.Athleta.com, and now through 12 stores across the country.

What was/is the inspiration behind the brand?

Athleta’s mission is to celebrate and serve women athletes of all levels. Our unique breadth of product designed by and for female athletes offers both strength and beauty for every athletic pursuit, from running to swimming to skiing to biking and everything in between. We use technical fabrications and unique designs targeted at women athletes who want high performance in the activity, and incorporate meaningful details – reflective designs on flicker points, hidden pockets with locking zippers, thumb holes, quick drying fabrics, and more. Athleta combines that with beautiful, feminine designs that make women look and feel beautiful.

Why did Athleta decide to open a Houston location?

For years our customers have been telling us they want a place where they can touch and feel – and try on – our beautiful performance and lifestyle products. The store will provide an opportunity for our Houston customers to do just that, as well as connect with and be inspired by other women athletes. As with other markets, we listened to our amazing existing catalog and online customers to help us pinpoint a location nearest them. We are thrilled to be making our Texas debut by opening in Houston, one of our most saturated customer markets. Having a store in Houston will not only reach our existing customers but also expose new customers to Athleta.

 How does Athleta plan on becoming involved with the community?

We are a national partner of Girls on the Run – a national non-profit prevention program that encourages pre-teen girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running – and will leverage our stores, in addition to national support, to provide additional assistance to the organization’s local chapters. In fact, in celebration of our Houston store opening, we’re making a donation to the Houston chapter of Girls on the Run and will be working locally to build awareness of this terrific program and helping them to recruit volunteers. While our first month or so we plan to focus on making sure our customers have the best experience in our store, we plan to partner with our customers to identify where and how they would like us to get involved.

Will you have local ambassadors?

We definitely love to partner with local fitness enthusiasts to share the Athleta culture and to in turn learn what the local community is interested in. We also offer a discount to fitness professionals and have an Athleta Sponsored Athlete program that is granted to women around the country on a yearly basis. This program celebrates the powerful life force and athletic accomplishments of a select group of women that embody the essence of Power to the She.

 Will Athleta offer free classes occasionally?

Our Town & Country Village store will offer a variety of free fitness classes throughout the month. These classes may include yoga, Pilates, Zumba, or a run club. Each store offers a different, localized class schedule. To the get latest information, visit our store page on www.athleta.com/stores .

 How can I as a Pilates Instructor/Personal Trainer help to promote the new store?

Some of the opportunities within our stores include teaching classes, receiving our fitness pro discount and trying out our latest products, or hosting a private shopping event with clients and friends. We encourage you to meet with the store’s General Manager and Customer Experience Lead to see what needs they may have out in the community. They’re always interested in getting to know trainers and instructors as it’s these connections that help to ensure we’re meeting the needs of our customers.

Here are just a few pieces from the collection.   Go check them out and spread the word. This is a fantastic brand.

Seamless Hanalei Tank Regal Purple

Dash Top Tank -Orange

Long Woven Bead Necklace

Yoga Bag

Dipper Skort ( we all need a skort)

Printed Tee Maxi Dress

Havaianas Flip Flop

Pony up Hoodie

Have a great week everyone.

Adding  the following exercises to your routine will help you get ready for Summer.

V Sit Hover

Sit on your hips bend your knees in close to your chest, lifting both feet off the ground balancing on your sit bones. Clasp your hands behind your head elbows wide. Engage abs and lean back and touch your lower back on the ground, extending both legs out  pause for a few seconds here.  Return to the start by using her abs to sit up. Do 3 sets 12-15 reps.

Side Plank and Row

Attach one end of a resistance tube to an object near the ground. Get in side plank position, making sure your shoulder is over your elbow. Hold tube in the free hand and extended in front of you, engage your abs in lift your hips off the floor. Pull the tubing in towards your side, pause for a count of 2 and return to the start.  Do 3 sets 10 reps each side.

Medicine Ball Pushup

Start on all fours, place both hands on the ball, shoulders over wrists. Engage abs and lift into a plank position.  Hold this position for a 2 count, exhale and bend elbows and lower chest to the ball. Straighten elbows and return to start. Do 3 sets 10-15

Single leg Tricep dips

This is one of my favorite exercises for the triceps.

Sit with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hands behind your hips, shift your body slightly behind you, (towards elbows).Engage your abs and lift your hips off the floor, extend one leg to the ceiling and hold here while bending at the elbows to lower  upper body to the floor. And return to the start. Do 3 sets 10 reps on each side.

Bird Dog

Start in tabletop position with shoulders stacked above wrists.  Raise one arm forward and extend opposite leg back. Hold for three counts. Repeat on other side. Do three sets of 10 to 12 reps. To make it more challenging you can hold  3-5 weights in each hand.

Pullover with Straight Leg Crunch

Start with legs at a 45degree angle, both arms overhead.  Inhale and lift your arms and legs at the same time.Pause for count of 3 and return to start.

Do 3 sets 15-20 reps.( use weigh of your choice).

As  always warm up before  and stretch after your session.

Live everyday with passion and gratitude.