I'm all about taking care of yourself and doing things you enjoy to fill yourself up. Making time for yourself on a regular basis to do things you enjoy. Even if it's only 5 to 10 minutes out of the day- you'll feel less stressed and happier. I learned the importance of this during grad school and my time as a school counselor.

In counselor lingo, we call this self-care. Basically, the idea behind a "self-care practice" is to spend regular time (whatever length and schedule fits in your daily life) doing something that you enjoy that relaxes and refuels your mind and body.

My favorite assignment in grad school was to do something each day for self-care for a whole week. So when I was given this assignment, I initially thought this is such a joke...I'm really being told to do this in a graduate level course?! So the joke was on me. Believe it or not, I really struggled with this assignment. But it taught me an important lesson.

My schedule gets filled with so many different things, work, kids, household chores, and the list goes on. If I do not plan on "me time," it does not happen. I need the balance in my life. I need to refuel myself so that I can be the best version of me for others around me. For example, if you are so stressed and fixated about something going on at work, you can't be fully present for your kids. Many people find that exercising helps release the stress, which also decreases the feeling of being burnt out with your job.

I really believe we don't take seriously enough taking care of ourselves. We also can't make "not having enough time" an excuse. I recently heard some statistics that we spend an average of 90 minutes a day on our phone, which adds up to 23 days in a year. That's a lot of time wasted.

Still confused why you need some self-care in your life? Check out this TED Talk. It is such a good reminder of why our emotional health and well-being matters.

So here's how I've been practicing self-care lately:

O N E
Exercising:
So given that I teach Pilates, it's probably no surprise that I like do Pilates, but I enjoy Yoga as well. I would also love to start taking dance classes again.

My current weekly exercise routine looks a little like this:

• 2x a week- Pilates Reformer Workouts (I may use other equipment, but mainly focus on the Reformer,)
• 1x a week- Pilates Wunda Chair and Cadillac Workout, 
• 1-2x a week- Pilates Mat Workout with Standing Arm Series (using small weights),
• 2x a week- Yoga Class,
• And one day of rest thrown in the mix.

T W O
Reading:
I love to read. Some weeks it happens more than others. But I'm a book worm and if I find a book I enjoy, I don't want to put it down. I find reading is a nice escape and I love having a quiet moment for myself to read. Lately, I just finished reading The Things We Keep by Sally Hepworth.

T H R E E
Baking:
The past few months I've picked up more on baking. I definitely have a sweet tooth, but I hate how much sugar and processed ingredients are in store-bought desserts and pastries.  So, I've been experimenting with a lot of recipes using healthier substitutions like bananas, yogurt, coconut oil, whole wheat flour and honey.
I seriously make these muffins once a week and eat them for a snack, breakfast, or as a dessert. The recipe is here. This week, along with a few plain banana muffins, I made a few muffins with blueberries, strawberries, and organic dark chocolate chips.


So to wrap it up...Here's some easy steps to take to begin practicing self-care.
Step One:  Choose one activity you enjoy.
Step Two:  Do it for at least 10 minutes a day for a week.
Step Three:  Notice the difference it makes in your day.
Step Four:  Work on increasing the amount of time you practice self-care.

Happy Monday! Where did the weekend go?! Anyway, today I'm sharing my confessions with you today...

While you may think your Pilates teacher is an indestructible super human, who eats all things fresh and healthy, commits to working out a minimum an hour every single day of the week, and the list goes on...You may be surprised to find out that your Pilates teacher is human just like you AND isn't the health whiz you imagined.

I confess:

1. I don't work out everyday.
Ideally, as Joseph Pilates would probably advise you if he were still alive today, you should aim to workout 5 to 6 times a week and incorporate 1 day of rest a week into your fitness regime. HOWEVER, does that mean that I always get that number of workouts in every single week? No! For example, this past month the stomach bug went slowly around our house for two weeks. Between taking care of sick ones and then getting sick myself- there were about two weeks that I only got maybe 4 workouts in. AND it is okay. The next week I got myself back on track because even if I don't feel like I always have the energy to workout- I'm happier, less stressed, and energized when I do Pilates. This makes me more able to take care of the little feet running around my house, my sweet husband, and even my Pilates client that walks in the door.... like the saying "If mama is happy, then everybody is happy." I know it is the counselor in me coming out, but I really think self-care is important and you should too!


2. I love Pizza, french fries, and did i say ANYTHING sweet!
Yes, I admitted it. I like to eat all of those things. Do I eat them every single meal? No, but on occasion I do enjoy them from time to time. The key here is in moderation. I don't follow a certain diet rather I strive (and am still learning) ways to live a healthy lifestyle. I talked last month about my goal being working on cutting out processed food in my diet. And I should probably say most processed foods. I may eat something that is processed, has way too much sugar, and isn't organic from time to time. But for the most part, I try to incorporate easy, practical ways to eat healthy. For myself, I've found things that make this lifestyle work for me. I like to cook with organic unrefined coconut oil for most recipes- such as banana bread muffins. I buy fresh or frozen organic produce as much as possible (especially the produce on the dirty dozen.) And I could go on...but my point is my goal is to eat well most of the time.

Pictured above is some of the food items that I try to buy Organic. Did you know you can buy a lot of Organic products at Aldi?! Keeping the grocery budget in line while buying organic sounds like a win to me! I'll have to share more of my Organic grocery finds at Aldi soon.

3. I won't think you are cheating on me if you take a fitness class besides Pilates.
I've talked about Yoga and Pilates the past two days (here and here.) I myself LOVE yoga and especially fell in love with it during my second pregnancy. In fact this weekend, I took two Yoga classes and did not do much Pilates. I've actually recommended to clients before to try out a Slow Flow Yoga class or Long Slow and Deep Yoga class. I think any exercise is good for your body and will complement the work you are doing with Pilates. I know it's nice to have variety in your workout from time to time as well. So whether it's Pilates, Yoga, Cycling, Boxing, Weightlifting, Dancing, Swimming and I could go on and on- just live an active lifestyle! I think the idea I'm getting at here is do what feels good to your body and enjoy it!

Pictured above is the Foot Work Series on the Exo Chair (a Balanced Body version of the Wunda Chair.)

That's all of my confessions for now. I probably could share more, but then you might not want me to be your Pilates teacher. All jokes aside- we are all human. We aren't perfect. I like to give room to live a little bit in a healthy lifestyle and give myself grace- while finding the balance of not making excuses.

The Pilates method has taught me so much not only on the Reformer or mat, but in my personal life as well. One of the most important lessons that I have learned from delving into Pilates is the importance of balance. In my Pilates equipment class at Applachian State, I remember learning what is now one of my favorite exercises on the Reformer- Side Splits (found in both the Intermediate and Advanced Classical Pilates Repertoire). When instructed to stand on top of the Reformer to do this exercise, at the time I thought what if I fall and loose my balance? A topic for another day, but fear is often our own worst enemy. 

Hey, there. Thanks for visiting my blog. I'm Donna, and I've been practicing Pilates for more than seven years and I've been a certified instructor for four years.

Growing up just north of Charlotte, I started dancing when I was two years old, so movement, balance, and flexibility have always been very important to me. When I went to college at Appalachian State, I began looking for opportunities to learn more about movement and strengthening my core. While in Boone, I picked up two Bachelor's Degrees (Spanish Education & Dance), a Master's Degree (School Counseling), and a Third-Generation Classical Pilates Instructor Certification. After graduating, my husband and I moved back down to the Lake Norman area.


As a Third-Generation Classical Pilates Instructor, I am two generations removed from Joseph Pilates. He's that guy to the right, and if his name didn't give it away for you, he invented the Pilates method. My Master Trainers (Marianne Adams and Rebecca Quin at App State), were trained by Romana Kryzanowska, who was Joe's protégé. Since earning my certification, I have been exposed outside of the classical style of Pilates through my time at Davidson Pilates and continuing education at App State.

If you've never tried Pilates, you should really consider giving it a shot. It's a type of exercise that truly strengthens your whole body. It can be very therapeutic as well.

I'm looking forward to using this blog to share my experiences in Pilates, and how it helps me find balance in other areas of my life. I'll also talk about how I try to seek overall health and wellness for my family by sharing life hacks, tips, and stories. With a toddler and seven-month-old, running and crawling around the house, trust me, there's no shortage of stories to share. Here's to chatting it up again real soon!