Monday 23 December 2013

Stress Management - How Pilates and Exercise can help. Useful tips and info to get you started.

Stress Management and how Exercise and Pilates can help - Article for Magazine health and well being section.

Many of us have stress in our lives whether it is with relationships, difficult work experiences or just the  pace of life in general using London as a example. We are so used to trying to juggle work, relationships, children etc etc and be fit and healthy as well.

I have seen many clients wanting to lose weight and they are making a huge effort with exercise but not seeing any results. Often those people are the ones with very stressful lifestyles and the stress hormones flying around our bodies, there is no wonder it can be a challenge for some to get to their desired body weight if this is their aim. Also, the comfort eating that can possibly go with the stress we experience or the tiredness and lack of sleep are all contributors to us having a not so healthy life and feeling of well being.  Some people go the other way when they have trauma in their life and can't eat and lose weight, all of which is obviously not helping us having well being and balance.  So this is why it is obviously a good idea to look at ways of being able to manage stress, keeping our body in balance and having tools to use when life feels like it is getting really tough!

The first challenge is getting started if you haven't already. January time is the perfect time to start with all the other new years resolutions but to make sure they stick, it takes 21 days to form a habit. I highly recommend to start with just setting 20mins a day without fail for 21 days of the type of exercise  you really enjoy most. Whether this is Pilates combined with flowing movement or going for a power walk/run or swimming. As long as you commit that time for 21 days is the most important thing. If you want to do longer that's really great but 20minutes is the minimum. The reason for this is that we often feel overwhelmed with the thought of not having enough time, or not feeling motivated or if we are feeling really down, its hard to get started.  So we need to make the goals manageable and realistic. Once you have formed your habit doing the exercise for 21 days you are more likely to continue this and set out a routine.

Doing 20 minutes of exercise daily or 3xs a week is all you need to see results in your body and how you feel. When we exercise we release feel good hormones (endorphins) which help us with our energy, happiness and also help relax us.  The opposite to what stress hormone(cortisol) does! When we feel good in ourselves and with energy and calmness is it so much easier to deal with life situations and gives us a focus for ourselves.

Setting time for yourself to exercise also will help with your confidence. We are valuing ourselves, giving ourselves this time and seeing aesthetically pleasing differences in our appearance. This will motivate you to continue.  I recommend taking measurements for yourself monthly to see what results you are achieving, as the scales do not always show the amount of inches you are losing! Also, I get my clients to fill out a wellness wheel and set monthly goals to help them make small changes, that for them, will help them feel happier, healthier and get results you want.

Muscle weighs more than fat after all. Doing Pilates especially will help with inch loss and all my clients who stick to a daily programme for the first 5 weeks, all see inches drop off! As well as feeling calm and able to cope with situations better. Some will see their body totally transform.  Walking taller, feeling slimmer, stronger, being more relaxed from the deep breathing, just to mention a few benefits!

When we have stress in our bodies and minds, we hold on to tension in our muscles and don't realise how tight everything is until its released! Hence, why some peoples shoulders feel up to their ears, they have back ache etc etc. So Pilates will definitely help counteract this and help you stretch out and release all that stored up tension that stress can create. Everything is energy, including stress so you have to shift that energy and move to release it and let go. I have a ten minute u tube clip for you to help you stretch out daily on my charity and media page on my website. We also have a ten minute abdominal blitz for strength and tone. http://www.pilatespluswellness.com/charity_media.html
I highly recommend coming to a class if you have not done Pilates before so you know you are doing the exercises correctly. www.pilatespluswellness.com for further details of classes running in Balham, Northcote road and Abbeville road - Clapham.

As well as Pilates, doing weights, power walking, running all help increase our heart rate and keep us fit  and burning unwanted calories as well. The more muscle we have in our body the more efficiently we burn fat due to our metabolism being more efficient and working at a staying at a higher rate throughout the day due to the exercise we have done. As well as this, you will have more energy for your day or if you are exercising at the end of the day you will feel more relaxed and able to sleep better. Everyone is different so the time of day you exercise needs to fit in with what works best with your schedule and what feels best for you? The important factor is you do it! The value of being able to sleep better if you are experiencing stress in your life, would be quite high I am guessing! If you need help with a fitness routine to do for yourself, please do contact me as I have a team of personal trainers and pilates teachers combined, who can help you with your individual goals as well as help motivate you. We also have many classes you can attend which are pilates and fitness combined as well as other styles depending on your needs.

If you have a day where everything has been too much, even just focusing on breathing deeply in through your nose, expanding your ribcage and breathing down to your abdomen. Breathing out through your mouth and just focusing on your breath will be a great stress release if nothing else. Many clients often feel amazing after a class simply from the breathing and focus on their body and breath.  So if all else fails, just do this for your stress management for ten or twenty minutes to feel calmer more centred and grounded. Combine this with the stretches, concentration, relaxation co ordination and alignment strength and stamina Pilates can offer you, I think its definitely a good new years resolution to take up and keep :) Further information is on my website. www.pilatespluswellness.com  I hope this article has been helpful and has given you some useful tips and support to help you manage stress. Happy Christmas and Happy new year! Rosa x



Tuesday 3 December 2013

January courses 2014. 10% discount if you book and pay before 20th December.

HI Everyone, 

I hope you are all really well and looking forward to Christmas and having a break :) I am on maternity leave from all physical work now but will obviously still be running all the classes and if anyone wants any 1:1 sessions or home sessions I have a group of Pilates teachers and personal trainers who are really great and working for me if you need help and motivation from January to get into shape and get rid of any unwanted pounds gained over Christmas. Simply email me to book a session/block of sessions through pilatespluswellness and I can allocate a teacher most suited to your needs.  It would be really helpful if I can sort out all the January bookings asap before baby comes as I have more time at the moment, plus the classes are quite full so early booking is highly recommended to secure your place.  10% discount for all bookings paid early and confirmed before 20th December. I will be back to do the daytime classes from April but I am sure you will love the classes with the other teachers. Susanna is covering many of my classes and maija is doing the Thursday 1035am Cardio Pilates for me.  Chidem is doing the Wednesday evening classes ongoing for me also and Holly Fridays class. 

Pilates is fantastic for inch loss as well as many other things and really compliments a fitness routine whether you need to work on flexibility, mobility, strength or you simply want to look fantastic and tone up your body. As well as reducing any pains especially low back pain. All the Pilates teachers working for me are Body control Pilates teachers and personal trainers who are also trained in ante natal and post natal training as well as other specialist areas. 

JANUARY PILATES COURSES RUN w/c 6TH JANUARY - w/c 10th FEBRUARY 2014 - 6 WEEK COURSES. (half term for daytime classes 17th February - 21st February) No daytime classes over half term. Evenings and Saturday classes run ongoing throughout the year) 

NB If you need to swap sessions this can be done within a course provided 24 hours notice is given and also this is subject to space available in the other classes.  If there is not the space available it will not be possible to swap sessions.  This is due to when we are busy it is not fair on you all if you have a over crowded class due to too many people wanting to swap and change. So flexibility can be offered where possible but within limits! We have no more than 12 clients per class booked on a course. 

To book a course simply email me to confirm your place and secure your place with payment via transfer (details sent on booking) Prices of the courses listed below and also class details: All venue information is on the class timetable on the website. Please make sure you bring a mat to class for all venues except the Fybre studio venue. Unfortunately refunds can not be offered but flexibility amongst classes will hopefully help if you have a busy schedule.  If you want to do drop in sessions please email me on the day or the day before to check for space. Drop in sessions cost £15/hr normal classes and £17/hr for specialist pregnancy or mum and baby classes. Please note we need 7 clients in a class for it to run.

Monday Pilates classes: Balham library Hall
0930am Intermediate/Advanced Pilates with Susanna - £72 usual price - £12/hr. Early payment price £64.80
1030am Beginner/Improver Pilates with Susanna - £72 usual price - £12/hr - Early payment price £64.80
1130am Mum and baby Pilates and toning with Susanna - Usual price £90 - £15/hr. 10% discount early payment - £81

Tuesday Pilates classes: Balham library Hall - £72 for 6 weeks or £64.80 Early payment price - £10.80/hr
6pm class?  would anyone be interested in having a Mixed ability/beginner or pregnancy Pilates class at this time? Let me know if so and if there are more than 6 of you I can get this class running. 
7pm Beginner/improver Pilates with Susanna 
8pm Mixed Ability Pilates with Susanna

Wednesday Pilates classes: 
Daytime classes 25 Northcote road (fybre studio hired) 
0930am Mum and baby Pilates and Toning with Susanna - £90 usual price - £81 Early payment price - £13.50/hr. 
1030am Mixed Ability Pilates with Susanna NEW CLASS   - £72 usual price - £64.80 Early payment price. 

Evening Wednesday classes 60 Hambolt road (just off Abbevile road) 
7pm Pregnancy Pilates with Chidem - £90 usual price - Early payment price - £81 - £13.50/hr. 
8pm Mixed Ability Pilates with Chidem - £72 usual price - Early payment price - £64.80 - £10.80/hr

Thursday Daytime classes 25 Northcote road(fybre studio) 
1035am Cardio Pilates with Maija - £72 usual price - Early payment - £64.80 - £10.80/hr. 

Friday Daytime class 25 Northcote road(fybre studio) 
130pm Classical mat Pilates Intermediate/Advanced class with Holly - £72 usual price - Early payment - £64.80 - £10.80/hr.

Saturday Daytime class - Broomwood Methodist Church hall- Parlour room. (just on corner of Broomwood road and Kyrle road) 
10am Pregnancy Pilates class (teacher to be confirmed) £90 usual price - Early payment price - £81. 

Would any of you be interested in a 9am pregnancy yoga class, 10am post pregnancy yoga and 11am pregnancy Pilates if I can get the hall hire at Broomwood for that long and book the teacher? The yoga teachers style will be 50 % exercise and 50% focusing on breath, relaxation etc to prepare you for birth and getting through birth.  The post pregnancy yoga will be the exercise but also meditation relaxation etc which might be just what you need post baby :) Let me know your thoughts. I would need a lot of interest to run the yoga courses as the teacher has 12 years experience and a great reputation so would need to cover the costs! I would then be teaching the 11am pregnancy Pilates class if we do the yoga classes in advance.  Otherwise we will stick to just the 10am pregnancy Pilates and 9am post pregnancy Pilates if you prefer this option? 

A Pilates course would make a lovely gift for someone for the start to the new year! Also 1:1 session of Pilates and personal training combined. I have both male and female trainers to suit all your needs and covering many specialities. Courses for 1:1 sessions are booked in blocks of 5 or 10. £60/hr if you book a course of 5 - £300. if you book a course of 10 sessions the cost is £55/hr - £550. Payment is made upfront in advance and you can mix the sessions up according to your schedule. Email me to book a course of personal training or Pilates. 


Thank you everyone for your continued support over the last year and help spreading the word about the classes. It is much appreciated. If you introduce a friend to the classes and they book a course you will automatically get 10% discount and they get 10% discount as a introduction too. Have a really great Christmas and New Year! x

Monday 14 October 2013

How to stay motivated with Exercise and your goals. Coaching tips

Many of us start exercise and find ourselves slowly declining and finding reasons not to do it or work gets in the way or life gets too busy for us.  I here from many clients each week that they didn't practise their routine or do their run on their own because of the above.

So if you want to stay really motivated and determined you need to have a really big goal and aim that's bigger than just losing a few inches or doing exercise because you have to but secretly you haven't quite got into it.


  • Write down at least 5 reasons why you are doing the exercise you are doing? 
  •   As well as  achieving a nice toned and defined body, what else are you achieving from exercise?
  • How does it feel to value you and make time for you? 
  • What is the cost to your health and well being by not exercising?
  • How Confident do you feel seeing your body change and getting results?
  • Set yourself a small goal as well as a big goal and also a time frame for this.
  • Schedule in to your diary when you will exercise and stick to it! 
It takes 21 days to form a habit.  Use my utube videos for 10mins a day to do the daily routine so that you have formed the habit of Pilates.  Everyone has ten minutes a day to spare in their schedule!  Below is the link to my utube clips.  Choose the one that is most suited to your needs.  Or alternate the abs routine with stretching routine. You see a result with consistency! I will be making some more u tube clips for you all to help motivate you and keep you on track. The Pilates classes attended, think of what you want to achieve each term and let the teacher know and she can you this as a focus one week for each of you to give you exercises to help achieve this. We can then post on this blog to see how we are all doing. We are often driven more by pain so this may be if I don't do the exercises I get back pain or if I don't do the exercises I will not feel as toned and strong in my body. If you are driven by pleasure more then just think of the "ME"time you are giving yourself, time to De stress, time to stretch out after being hunched over a computer all day maybe?

We often think we need to set at least 30mins or an hour aside to exercise and it can be this that stops us from doing it! Ten minutes a day is achievable.

http://www.pilatespluswellness.com/charity_media.html

If the above doesn't help you get motivated and you need a little more, then as well as coming to my Pilates classes, Come to Turkey 2014 May24-31st and join in with our Pilates retreats in the sun. Relaxation, pampering but also 4 hours a day of blitz it Pilates and Exercises. 20% discount if you book and pay by 30th November 2013. JOIN US FOR HOLIDAYS IN THE SUN!

http://www.pilatespluswellness.com/pilates_retreats.html

I run 14 classes a week and have different teachers working for me.  So lots of variety for you for Pilates and also pilates combined with fitness classes. Join today. www.pilatespluswellness.com