Chakra Pilates Blog

5 ways to keep to your fitness goals

2012-02-25T14:31:00.005-08:00

Lately many people have been asking for advice on how they can stick to their routine and achieve their health and fitness goals. Here are 5 tips to help you to stay on track:

1. Make an appointment- Treating your workout like a special appointment you have for yourself means that you are less likely to cancel. After all, you are important and deserve to take some time to better yourself. Taking this special time out for yourself throughout your day is a great way to give back to your body and help you look and feel your best.

2. Put the pain in perspective!- We have all heard the saying "No Pain, No Gain!" Well it's true, when the going gets tough just think of all you have survived in the past and realize that you can do this! Some workouts can seem very intense, but just think of how proud of yourself you can be once its all over!

3. Just show up!- Don't think! Just Do! Once you are there it is hard to say no. Getting there is more than half the battle! Pack a gym bag in your car so you can go straight from work, or maybe wake up earlier and fit a workout in to start your day. If you get there and halfway through your workout you decide that it is a bad idea, you can always leave! But honestly, how often does that happen?

4. Have Fun!- Who says that exercising can't be fun? Don't take yourself so seriously and do workouts that you enjoy. This helps to keep them from feeling like a chore, meaning you will be more apt to follow through to meet your workout goals. Switching up your workouts is also another great way to work different muscles and keep you from getting bored in your routine.

5. Give yourself a pat on the back!- Be proud of yourself for any obstacle you overcome or any accomplishment no matter how small. After all, a main component in meeting your fitness goals is discipline and taking small steps toward the big picture. Choosing popcorn over potato chips, apple slices instead of a Snickers or water in lieu of soda are all small acts that have can have big benefits.

Don't give up on yourself! It is never too late to become a healthier person! The instructors at Chakra can help you meet and even exceed your fitness goals with our fun, intense, mind body workouts! We also provide before and after measurements to help you track your progress!

The Benefits of Barre

2012-01-23T12:08:00.000-08:00

Barre is one of Chakra's newest classes and is becoming quiet popular! Our instructors were trained by fitness and lifestyle expert Tracey Mallet, created of Booty Barre. This blog will share the benefits of Barre and what some of our clients and instructors are saying about this hot new class!

Barre focuses on women’s trouble areas: thighs, hips, abs, and arms. The class uses the ballet barre to work on thinning your thighs, lifting your seat, flattening your abs, and toning your arms, all in an hour that’s done to fun, upbeat music. The idea is to get each muscle working to the point of fatigue and then we stretch, creating those long lean dancer's muscles. Your heart rate is up the whole time, so you get the added benefit of cardio. This workout is for people of all ages and sizes because it is extremely effective at reshaping your body. Anyone who has taken approximately 10 classes will tell you they notice a difference in their body. The great thing about this workout is that you don’t need prior dance experience to take the class. This is a fun, sexy class that works the whole body while making you feel beautiful and empowered!

This is what Jodette Goebel, one of our instructors has to say:

"Booty Barre is by far my favorite workout. It combines various elements of dance, ballet and Pilates with a kick butt cardio twist. I have lost weight and toned areas of my body where I've never seen definition before. It is a total body workout that creates long and lean muscles and doesn't leave you feeling bulky. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend it. You won't be disappointed!"

Our clients love it! Here is what a couple of them have to say!!

Michele O'Donnell says:

"I highly recommend Booty Barre. It is an incredible workout & you really feel it the next day. The results are instantaneous - it puts you in touch with your body & you look & feel better. I love to dance, and dancing to the great music through the moves really helps to push yourself beyond where you think you can go; & like any exercise with regular practice you only get better. Booty Barre will have you wearing your jeans with pride!"

Naomi Collins says:

"The Booty Barre class at Chakra is amazing. It targets those pesky problem areas like booty, thighs, abs and arms, keeps my heart rate up to burn major calories and its fun! It combines the flexibility of yoga, the strength of Pilates and the grace of ballet, all wrapped up in 60 minutes of solid movin' and groovin'. So far I've noticed that my booty and thighs are much firmer and my arms feel less jiggly. As a person who primarily does yoga, I find this an excellent way to mix up my normal routine."

If you are looking for a fun, new workout to add to your regimen Booty Barre is the class you are looking for! You can try it for your first time for only $10, which is quite a steal since these classes typically run at $22+ at other locations. Barre is a great compliment to Yoga and Pilates, with an added cardio benefit. This hour long class burns almost 600 calories and will leaving you feeling sexy and toned. The exercises help you sculpt long lean muscles using props such as weights and balls in addition to the barre. Sign up for a class today!

A Healthy You!

2012-01-07T11:28:00.000-08:00

The New Year is here! Many people use this fresh start as a motivator to focus on improving their health and wellbeing. This blog post will share some delicious, nutritious recipes that will help you stay on the right track without sacrificing taste!

Kale Salad

Kale is considered a "Beauty" vegetable because it improves skin tone and complexion. It is rich in Vitamins K, A and C, Calcium, fiber, potassium, folate and more. Most people aren't crazy about kale. In fact, I admit, I wasn't a huge fan at first. I have since learned a couple of tricks that help even non-kale lovers (like my husband!) be more than happy to finish off this yummy salad. The first trick is to use Lacinato kale, which is less bitter, and to remove the stems and just use the leaves. The stems are very bitter so removing them helps make the salad more pleasing to picky eaters. Next massage the dressing into the leaves and let it marinade for 10-15 minutes helping to soften the leaves and allow the dressing to soak into the kale. Adding some other super foods to this salad help up the health ante and add even more flavor. Suggestions include cucumber, red bell pepper, raisins, red onion, carrot, and walnuts. Chop all the vegetables and add them to a bowl. You can add a dressing of your choice and allow everything to marinade for a bit before serving. enjoy!!

Balsamic Garlic Green Beans

This dish makes a nice side, or even a quick snack. Everyone who I have made this for says how much they love it! First wash and trim green beans and place on a baking sheet. Chop up fresh garlic and sprinkle over the green beans. Drizzle with oil, bals

amic vinegar, salt and pepper. and mix well with hands. Bake at 400F for about 20-25 minutes until the ends brown a little.

And what kind of person would I be if I didn't share a yummy healthy dessert recipe? A bad kind of person! So here you go!!!!!

Apple Cinnamon Crisp

This apple crisp can be served for breakfast or as a healthy, light dessert. It's so easy to make and tastes just like apple pie minus the crust! Preheat oven to 350F. Slice up 2-3 apples and place in a lightly greased baking pan and sprinkle with 1 tbs of water and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. In a separate bowl combine 1 tsp of cinnamon, 1/4 c brown sugar, 1/6 c flour. Cut in butter until it resembles coarse meal. Mix in 1/2 cup of rolled oats. Sprinkle over apples and cook for 25-30 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream, or opt instead for greek yogurt drizzled with honey for some added protein!

Bon appétit

The best way to spread Holiday Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear.!!!!

2011-12-22T09:56:00.000-08:00

Most people will agree that if you want to find an example of the holiday season at its worst, go to a mall parking lot any time in the two weeks leading up to Christmas. People can be impatient, aggressive and rather un-cheerful, which is absolutely contrary to what this time of year is supposed to mean! As you finish up last minute errands, if you find yourself encountering a Grinch, instead of fighting back try to smile and spread some cheer. Not only will it prevent a nasty situation from getting worse, it will also generate some good karma!

This holiday season, as we approach the New Year, try to focus on finding and feeling gratitude in all aspects of your life. Gratitude can be expressed in a silent, personal way or outwardly through gestures and words. Express your gratitude externally by smiling to yourself for no reason, smiling at strangers, listening to a friend, family member. Internally, practice gratitude through how you see yourself, your state of mind as you move through everyday activities. Most importantly, share your appreciation to the Universe, or Divine, by saying “Thank You” and truly feel this gratefulness in every cell of your being. When we recognize all the blessings in our life the Universe responds with “You’re Welcome.” Don’t be surprised if that comes in the form a surprising gift or opportunity that you’ve been waiting for.

Life runs much more effortlessly when we are not fighting ourselves, the urge to be somewhere else (even if it’s in a long line at the mall), or needing something else. If you ditch the December Downers, Pity Parties, and let the Hysterical Holiday Shoppers or Family Drama take a vacation, life becomes so much easier and full of contentment. If you spend your day in a bad mood, frowning at those around you, chances are a whole lot of people are going to frown right back. Whereas, if you walk around with a big smile on your face, you are more apt to receive more smiles and positive energy. By creating your very own reality in which you make a conscious decision to be positive or negative, and those in your environment will react in accordance to what you put out. Also known as Karma!

So, what’s the moral of the story? Take a breath, be positive and remember that you get back what you give, so try to make a conscious effort to extend more positivity. We all create our own realities and sometimes, if you pay close attention, the Universe gives a little prod to remind us that we’re all in this together.

Celebrate the Season

2011-12-15T18:21:00.000-08:00

The holidays are a time of celebrating! Spending time with family and friends, indulging in good food, libations and sweet treats. It is estimated that most people consume, on average, an extra 500 calories a day during the holidays!! This blog will contain some information on how to try to balance out the festive season while still being able to enjoy yourself. You don't need to deprive yourself, the key is control! These tips will help you have a happy, healthy holiday season.

Eat a healthy meal before attending the party! This will help you to eat less empty calories and focus on more favorable options such as veggies and fruit, or allow you to selectively decide which options are worth indulging! Smaller portions cut out alot of unnecessary fat and calories without completely eliminating your favorite foods.

Share a healthy option! Ensure that your dish wont be blamed responsible for packing on too many pounds. This doesn't mean you have to sacrifice taste. There are plenty of yummy options that are good for you. Hummus and baked pita chips, or veggies. If you are making a recipe that calls for sour cream, substitute it with greek yogurt (23g of protein in 1 cup and 0g of fat!)

Get your groove on!! Mingling and dancing will keep you away from the food table and allow you to enjoy yourself while also burning a few calories.

Stay hydrated! Alcohol, sodas and coffee are common drinks of choice when celebrating and all dehydrate your body. Make it a rule to drink a glass of water for every of the above drinks mentioned and your body will thank you! The water will help flush out toxins and keep you feeling healthy.

In addition, add in a high intensity workout as often as you can to help counteract those extra calories and keep you looking and feeling great! Yoga and Pilates can burn between 200-500 calories an hour depending on the intensity and a Barre class (combination of yoga, pilates and ballet) will burn around 550. These also are considered mind-body workouts so they add double the benefit! You can Click Here to take advantage of our Holiday deals for an all access pass to these great classes!

Happy Holidays from Chakra- XOXOXOXO