“I did pilates for 30 days and this is what happened…”

Introduction

Ever wondered if doing shorter pilates workouts of around 10 to 15 minutes can really transform your health and wellbeing?  Then this blog post is for you.  

Kindly written by Carrie MacWilliam,  a member of my pilates membership, The Lifetonic Club.  Carrie shares her story of how being able to do shorter pilates workouts have allowed her to stay consistent with exercise, build her strength back up quickly after having a baby and feel more confident in her body and relaxed in her mind on an on-going basis.

You’ll also read how it’s given her the energy and patience needed to take care of herself & her family.   

photo of Carrie doing the hundred in her living room

Why I chose pilates to help me regain strength & confidence

About a year ago I made the leap back into exercise after a three year hiatus. From a very young age I’d always been an active person and enjoyed keeping fit, but the stresses of pregnancy and demands of being a working mum had put that on the backburner – there just never seems to be enough hours in the day!   My confidence in my body had also taken a knock.

I felt:

  • tired
  • lethergic
  • low on energy
  • stiff and achy especially in my low back
  • disconnected from my own body and mind

I had tried really hard to get back into the swing of things with exercise but finding time to get to the gym felt almost impossible. W hen I did make it, I was exhausted breaking a neck to get their on time, and carrying all the gym kit was like a workout in itself!  The classes were fast and loud and I often left feeling kind of more exhausted than I was before I arrived.

Something just wasn’t working for me – I knew I wanted to strengthen my body and rebuild my confidence;  I needed a new approach but I just wasn’t sure what that was!

Then I discovered an advertisement for pilates for beginners through Ostara Pilates along with Julie’s blog post on the benefits of pilates.  All the benefits of practising Pilates completely rang true to me and felt this is what I needed to take my first steps to truly strengthen my body and rebuild my confidence.

I signed up for 6 weeks of pilates for beginners.  Making the initial time for myself and not feeling guilty for that was the first step.  Julie helped me understand that by taking time to look after my own health, put me in a much better position to take care of everyone else’s; the old adage “you can’t pour from an empty cup.”

But guess what, as a new mum, busy PR Director and wife, I still struggled with finding those 60 minutes to get to class….

What shorter workouts have done for me

I joined The Lifetonic Club during the pandemic and started by following the pre-planned calendar, making a commitment to do at least 15 mins per day for 30 days and here’s what happened.

  • Gone was the clock watching and worry of finishing on time to make a class (then feeling guilty when I didn’t quite manage it!) 
  • There was no more packing and lugging a gym bag (not to mention the stress of trying to get changed before a class)
  • My inconsistent approach to looking after my health disappeared
  • I no longer felt knackered after every workout

Instead, I got:

  • A flexible & realistic approach to working out
  • An easy to follow plan that has helped me to stay consistent even on the days when I don’t feel like doing much
  • A quicker way to see improvements in my overall health and fitness (I often now do over 2 hours a week in a way that suits me, while also giving me some much needed breathing space)  
  • Support from an amazing community of people all working towards improving their health and fitness in a practical and fun way
  • A sense of comfort and nourishment whilst everything in the outside world seems so upside down
photo of carrie following along to one of her lifetonic club pilates workouts

On the physical side I couldn’t believe how quickly my body’s overall strength and stability returned. 

Within one week I felt stronger and more toned.  By the second week I felt like I was actually gaining more energy with every session as well as feeling calmer.  By 4 weeks my flexibility was so much better and I wasn’t aching as much from taking care of a toddler!  I also noticed that I had naturally lost the weight that had come with a maternity leave of cake and hot chocolate. 

I feel all the positive endorphins after every session no matter how short and like I have worked all the right places in the right way, and it feels good! 

How staying consistent has left me feeling

In short, this is how finding shorter bursts of time for myself has left me feeling:

  • more positive and energised each day
  • more confident
  • calmer & stronger than I ever have before
  • free from niggly aches and pains and tension headaches (but also know what to do if I feel them coming on!)
  • much more intentional with all aspects of my wellbeing which has a huge ripple effect on those around me (patience with a toddler is a big ask but I now have the confidence to tackle more strenuous activity which in turn has given me a big boost)

Who wouldn’t want to feel like that each day?

I don’t ever remember enjoying exercise as much as I do now so if you’re looking for a way to make long lasting change to your wellbeing routine & have fun with it too, then The Lifetonic Club is for you!

You can read more about joining our pilates membership, The Lifetonic Club here.

Inspired by Carrie’s results? Want to try all the incredible benefits of pilates for yourself? Than sign up below for my FREE 21 Days of Pilates Challenge.

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Meet Julie

Hi, I’m Julie owner of Ostara Pilates and creator of The Lifetonic Club. Here you’ll find pilates workouts, educational resources and practical tips dedicated to woman at midlife.  You’ll learn how to build a better relationship with your body and mind during one of the most significant periods of your life and how to create a simple wellness routine so as you feel supported even on the days where you have no energy.   Read more.

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