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THRIVE in 15; Pilates for YOU

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I fell in love with yoga curtesy of a well worn Kathy Smith VHS in 1997.

To this day, I can quote the cheesiest yet true Baron Baptiste and Bryan Kest moments from their late-’90s Power Yoga videos.

There was a brief time around 19 when I was magnetized to belly dancing. Living in rural West Virginia made my in-person class options rather slim but the “Belly Dancing for Beginners” video my aunt gave me for my birthday quenched my thirst.

When I lived in Peru for a year and couldn’t afford a gym membership or internet, I begged visiting friends to bring me Pilates DVD’s and “spent time” with my favorite celebrity instructors on the regular during one of the loneliest and least healthy times of my life.

My introduction to kettlebells was the instructional video that came with my pink, plastic, sand filled first ‘bell.

Throughout my 20+ year history with ‘workout videos’, I’ve always gravitated towards the shorter ones.

Even though I would often complete several “10 Minute Solutions” (a great series by the way) at one time, I like the pace and the mental undertaking of shorter workouts.

Let’s be real; getting started is the hardest part and on the other end, not seeing a workout through to the end doesn’t have the same sense of completion and satisfaction.

In the Spring of 2021 I created my own short-format Pilates video series and call it THRIVE in 15.

THRIVE in 15 is a program of fifteen Mat Pilates workouts that are geared to improve mobility, strength, posture, and form all within 15-20 minutes.

Pilates is amazing cross training for life. Pilates exercises supports you and improves your physical capacity in everything from active/athletic endeavors to functional necessities in life like carrying groceries to sitting all day.

In my humble opinion, it is the “miracle cure” it sounds like. However, to derive the benefits, you have to do it. 😉

THRIVE in 15 AD

HOW DOES THE PROGRAM WORK?

Each Monday in November participants will receive that weeks workouts delivered via email. Once you have access to the workouts, you are free to repeat as many times as you’d like during the program. The links will expire December 6th, giving you 5 weeks to complete the 15 short workouts at least once.

WHAT PROPS DO I NEED?

All you need in a little bit of time, a little bit of floor space, and a mat or large towel or blanket plus a device/internet to access the recording.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Two dollars a workout. The THRIVE in 15 program is $30 per household, I encourage you to get other members of your household to join with you because a workout buddy is fun and encourages us to achieve our goals!

WHAT LEVEL ARE THE WORKOUTS?

This program is appropriate for anyone free of chronic or acute major illness or injury. Not every single exercise or every single repetition will be right for every participant but it is designed with a range of humans in mind.

Please feel free to ask if you have any specific questions about whether it is appropriate for you.

-Katrine Sophie, busy working mom, Vienna Austria

I am intentionally choosing to offer this program for the second time during the month of November, where things are majorly shifting in the Northern Hemisphere. As our days are getting shorter and colder & the holidays are rapidly approaching, it can be challenging to focus on our physical well being and carve out the time/energy for exercise. I want you to THRIVE during this next month, as we approach the end of another weird year for the record books.

THRIVE1-1

THRIVE in 15

15 workouts delivered via email during the month of November

$30.00

SIGN UP TODAY TO GET STARTED THIS MONDAY AND THRIVE THIS FALL!

Healthiest

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Faith Levine Pilates

What are your barriers for living the healthiest version of you?

Exhaustion?

Lack of knowing what is “healthiest” for you?

Lack of resources, like time or money?

These are real questions (not rhetorical) that I’d love to hear your answers to, either in the comments or a private email if that feels more appropriate.

My biggest barriers are sleep, fear, and apathy.

I’ve never been a “good” sleeper. As a kid I would have insomnia a few times a month. Most of my 20’s were spent in a survival state of little to no sleep. Now at the end of my 30’s, sleep has improved but many of my days are still dictated by my nights.

Fear and apathy. Not quite ready to touch those ones right now.

What would your healthiest self look like?

Be realistic.

If I am being realistic, my healthiest self would meditate somewhat regularly, like a few times a week for even 5 minutes. Meditation is like broccoli; I know it’s an important part of the (mental health) plate but not as much fun as the mac n cheese. (mostly kidding, I genuinely love eating all veggies)

If I am being realistic, my healthiest self would weigh about 5 pounds less because it would be a result of less overindulging. Because if I’m being realistic, I would never expect myself to 100% stop overindulging, I honestly find a beauty and a pleasure in occasional, conscious gluttony.

If I am being realistic, my healthiest self would spend less “screen time”. I love my phone and I love social media, I really do, however I don’t love that I am addicted to it.

If I am being realistic, my healthiest self would spend daily time on “self-care” in the form of mobility work and self massage (myofascial release). This work has often been pushed to the back-burner in favor of work or workouts but, as I approach 40, my awareness is shifting from “more miles, longer runs, faster, burn calories, get stronger” towards “I wanna walk-and dance-when I’m 90!”. I notice a positive difference from as little as 5 minutes a day of mobility and massage work, 5 minutes that I definitely have to spare right now.

If I am being realistic, my healthiest self would dance more.

If you know what’s good for you, do it 😉

On that note, I’m rolling out the #545healthiestme game* starting Monday. Every Monday for 5 weeks I will set a goal of doing something specific for 5 minutes every(week)day. The first is 5 minutes a day of sitting meditation. Join me?

*I wrote challenge several times when deciding what to call this but it didn’t sit right with me. Call me a hippy (‘cus you’d be right, born and raised) but “game” sounds much more approachable, supportive, fun, and community building than “challenge” to me. So, let’s play!

{image by the magnificent Meredith Coe}