Pilates...aka kicks my butt!

So a few months ago I started going to a pilates class with my friend Lindsey at Gold's Gym (side note to Lindsey: I am very disappointed that you have not come once this week. Slacker). I would go maybe twice a week since I started...but this week I have been three times, four if you count tonight because I am going tonight. I also plan on going Saturday so that brigngs my grand total to 5! Normally I hate when people constantly update you about things such as the gym and what food they fixed for every meal, but I just can't help it. I really really love pilates and I have not gone to the gym 5 out of 7 days a week in a long time!

So reasons I love pilates:

1. It doesn't seem like working out. Normally when I go to the gym an hour of the eliptical and lifting weight seems like 4. When I go to an hour of pilates it seems like 15 minutes.

2. It's challenging but fun so I want to go back. I hate the monotony of the gym because I always do the same things, but with Pilates classes, the instructors never do the same things two days in a row.

3. It works out your whole body. I am not exaggerating. I have muscles that hurt right now that I didn't even know existed. I played water polo in high school so I have had my fair share of being sore, but never this sore!

4. I feel so good after I am done with my class. Granted I might be ready to faint or fall over, I still feel good. Exhausted but happy.

5. I feel more healthy. I actually can tell my excercise is making a difference in my overall health. When I would go to the gym on my own I never felt like it made a difference. But now I do.

6. With Pilates you can choose how hard you want it to be. With every excercise the instructor will show you the begginers way to do it (my way for now) the intermediate and the pro way. For now, I will be doing the begginning, because if I did anything more I would have to call by husband to come pick me up off the floor after every class. But I like that once I master the beggining I can still go to the same class and do the more advanced moves.

7. It works on strengthing your whole body. Pilates seriously can work out any muscle you want it to. It focuses a lot on your "core". So you are working out your abs the entire time, but it is a very diverse excercise.

8. It also helps you with flexibility. After just a couple of months I can feel myself getting more flexible. I can almost do the splits on my left side. This is something I haven't been able to do since I danced in high school.

Okay, so I could keep going, but I think you get the point. I would recommend this to anyone! It is fun and challenging and definitely not boring. There are evern 2 or 3 brave men that come to the class every night so you can't use your sex as an excuse (although my husband does). The instructors at Gold's are amazing. They can seriouisly do it with their eyes closed and their hands tied behind their back. Plus they talk the whole time and never sound out of breath. They are crazy! Sometimes I will just sit and watch them. It really is a pretty excercise when you do it right. So go to Pilates or buy a tape and try it at home I promise you will like it!