All I want for Christmas is two good knees…

Devon will be documenting her experience as she goes through our body transformation package! Stay tuned for her results and story! Go Devon!!! This is her fifth "Lite Lesson"

Progress Report: These pictures are of me in my old jeans. The inches are falling off! Thanks Cyclelate!

Down 4 pants sizes going on 5:)

LITE LESSONS:

I have completely torn my Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in my left knee two times to date. And the stories leading up to the injuries are worth mentioning.

As a teenager, I prided myself on being able to play backyard football with the big boys. So here I was proving that I was a worthy teammate (even for a girl), by going after my brother who had the ball. My left knee gave out, twisted, and my brother scored a touchdown. The embarrassing thing was that it was tag football not even tackle.

Treatment: complete repair of the ACL using part of my patellar tendon (the one located on the front of your kneecap).

The second tear happened in college. I reinjured the same knee trying out for cheerleading. It didn’t tear completely, but enough to keep me from making the squad. After that, I decided to hang up my pom poms for awhile.

Fast forward to senior year, my boyfriend of 3 years just broke up with me, and I was looking for some much needed cheering up. So where does a girl go to get this solace, you ask. Duh, a gay club on Bourbon Street.

The boys always tell you how pretty you look, all want to dance with you, and even encourage you to grab their behinds. Picture this, heart-broken me, showing my best, back-up dancer moves on top of a platform in New Orleans’ hottest gay bar. I leaped off to grab my amaretto sour, and…Bam, ended up on the floor with no drink in hand. My friends put me in a taxi, and I cried all the back to my dorm room, knowing I had torn it again.

Treatment: complete repair of the ACL using part of my hamstring.

Two surgeries, months of rehab, and frequent ice massages later, I shied away from most extreme sports and high impact activities. I did not want to add another surgery to the list, so I concentrated on strengthening my quads and low impact cardio. I tried my first spin class and loved that it was easy on my knees, without a lot of jarring. And on top of that, it was challenging and great heart-pumping workout.

I still have crappy knees with hardly any cartilage, but recently found that a combination of pilates and spinning is the perfect antidote. So maybe Santa will bring me a non-invasive procedure this holiday season; but until then, I will stick with taking classes at Cyclelates.

Fashion Fridays! Cute Top From Zara

This fashion find is from my bestie:) You can buy it now from any Zara store and it looks AMAZING on! Super flattering in all the right places to rock your new body from Cyclelates! Wear it with skinny jeans and boots or pair it with a gold sequin skirt+liquid legs+cute booties = perfect holiday outfit. Enjoy!

If you have a fav fashion find send it to info@myspinlates.com. We will feature cute styles every Friday. xo, B

TOESOXS: The hidden use:)

Not only are they super cute and provide MAD grip on the pilates reformer, I have discovered another amazing use for these bad boys! Wear these supa cute socks with your winter boots flat or high heel for max comfort. Especially in high heel boots the socks do not allow your foot to move back and forth providing a super comfy ride for you tootsies:) The nice grippers lock you foot in place and provide extra cushion with the grippers. I discovered this phenomenon this weekend when I wore my super sexy high heel boots with no pain:) Thanks Toesox! Helping me inside and out of the studio. Pick some up the next time you are in the studio. We have more colors and sizes behind the desk. Enjoy!

Other TOESOX Benefits:
Toe socks help spread your toes to strengthen foot muscles and increase blood circulation. Stronger feet improve posture and balance. Get healthy, happy feet in ToeSox, they're like exercise for your feet.
Wearing regular athletic socks draws the toes together, making them act as one unit. The purpose of the toes is to spread and anchor to the floor to help the body balance and stay aligned. By restricting this natural movement, you are inhibiting the body’s design and function. When toes spread, blood circulation increases and other muscles are activated. The human foot is a remarkably well-design instrument with 26 bones, 33 joints, 20 muscles, and hundreds of sensory receptors, tendons and ligaments.

The action of spreading the toes signals the shins, which signal the thighs, hips, and back. The smaller foot muscles, like the abductors, are commonly atrophied due to lack of use. When the toes spread out, these small muscles are used and strengthened, promoting foot health, cell renewal, and full-body support. ToeSox are exercise for your feet even while wearing shoes.

Replace your socks with toe socks to enhance your foot health and wellness.

Educated Bites Tip: Do you get Nauseous when Taking your Vitamins?

Do you get nauseous when taking your vitamins? I was talking to one of our body transformation clients yesterday and she mentioned struggling with the challenge of taking all the vitamins and supplements she needed every am. After trying several suggestions the best was take her vitamins with udo oils or omega oils. Not only is it wise to ingest these beneficial oils it also helps with the nauseating feeling you get when taking vitamins on an empty stomach. Some clients that get nauseous simply take their vitamins with a meal or at night but this option was not working for our client. With the addition of udo oils she is able to take her supplements without any nauseous feelings while getting the supa fab benefits below. Hope this helps others!

Benefits of Udo Oils:

Increase energy, performance, and stamina. EFAs enhance thermogenesis, help build muscle, prevent muscle break down, and speed recovery from fatigue;
Strengthen the immune system. EFAs make hormone-like eicosanoids that regulate immune and inflammatory responses. N-3s have anti-inflammatory effects and can slow autoimmune damage;
Lower most risk factors for cardiovascular disease. EFAs (especially n3s) lower abnormally high levels of blood pressure, triglycerides, Lp(a), fibrinogen, tendency to clot formation, and inflammation;
Improve brain function: mood, intelligence , behavior, and vision. Our brain is over 60% fat. EFAs are important components of the entire nervous system. They are necessary to make the neurotransmitter serotonin. Depression and other brain diseases show decreased levels of n-3;
Aid in weight reduction. EFAs help keep mood and energy up and suppress appetite, thereby aiding in weight loss. More recently, they have been found to block the genes that produce fat in the body (saturated and Trans Fat do not have this same effect) and increase thermogenesis;
Regulate organs and glands. Liver and kidneys, adrenal and thyroid glands, and the production of male and female hormones need EFAs;
Speed recovery and healing. EFAs are necessary for cell growth and division. They form all cell membranes and regulate vital cell activity;
Support healthy child development. For nervous system development, a growing fetus needs optimum EFAs from the mother's body. Mothers become depleted of EFAs during pregnancy, and need optimal EFA intake for their health and their children's optimum development;
Improve digestion. Poorly digested foods tie up the immune system and can cause gut inflammation, leaky gut, and allergies. N-3s improve gut integrity, and decrease inflammation and "leaky gut";
Decrease infection. EFAs have anti-fungal, anti-yeast, and anti-microbial properties, helping to protect against infections;
Keep bones strong. EFAs aid in the transport of minerals that keep bones and teeth strong, helping to prevent osteoporosis;
Protect genetic material. EFAs regulate gene expression, and n-3s inhibit tumor growth;
Ease PMS. Studies indicate that n-6 (GLA) intake was voted, by women, among the top three most effective PMS treatments. N-3s may be even more effective;
Produce beautiful skin, hair, and nails. Some of the first signs of EFA deficiency are dry, flaky skin, dull hair, and brittle nails. N-3s can help skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne. Also, GLA (n-6 derivative) administration is useful for some patients with atopic eczema.

Do you believe a “Suit” tells the truth? - Lite Lesson Week Four

Devon will be documenting her experience as she goes through our body transformation package! Stay tuned for her results and story! Go Devon!!! This is her fourth "Lite Lesson"

LITE LESSONS:

Suit – (ˈsüt ) noun: A set of matching outer garments, especially one consisting of a coat with trousers or a skirt. slang: proper noun for a business person —usually used in plural.

Being an accountant, I guess I would be considered a “Suit”. You know, the corporate type, in a more traditional business setting. But ask anyone that knows me, and that person can attest that I never stay a suit at any one job for more than 2-4 years. And with the search for a new opportunity, comes a need for a new suit (as in the garment, not the proper noun).

Looking over my resume, I can tell you exactly what suit I wore while interviewing for each job. Just like my multitude of job titles and responsibilities, my suits varied in different sizes. My very first interview suit was a simple black duo from Petite Sophisticate (remember that store?): the top was a size 2 petite and the skirt was a size 10 petite. For those of you who like to compare body shapes to fruit, I was a perfect pear.

Four years after that, my next suit was a 6 petite (jacket)/8 petite (pants). With each new interview, my suits had an upward trend; with my last interview suit being a size 18 for both jacket and skirt. Unfortunately, my body shape was now more like an apple (curves no longer as apparent).

With my new size and current job, I vowed that when and if I had a new interview, that suit would be smaller. Because this job has steady work hours and rarely any overtime, I am able to consistently workout. For those of you following my blog, you know that I have been dedicating myself to pilates and spinning at Cyclelates for about 6 months now.

My exercise efforts are more focused, and maybe I am more focused in my career direction too, because I realized I needed a change much earlier than in the past. Don’t get me wrong, I still like my organization and all the benefits (especially the work hours that provide time for a workout program), but I find myself wanting more. That being said, I began looking at internal job openings and was recently invited for an interview for a different position in another division.
I was excited for the opportunity but cringed at the fact that I was going to have to put on that size 18 suit for my interview this week. Just for comparison sakes and with no expectations, I thought I would give my 2008 suit a try. I stepped into the pants; all was well, clearing the knees and then slipping past the hips. So it was a little snug in the waist, but in my best Barney Stinson impression (from “How I Met Your Mother”), “This is going to be legen………wait for it…….…derriere’y!” It totally fit in the derriere, and I could conceal the slight pinched waist with the jacket. I had to look at the labels to remind myself of the size. Results - 12 petite jacket and 14 regular pants (hemmed of course). Morale of the story: This “Suit” doesn’t lie!

Fashion Fridays: Get the Look!

Every Friday I will share my favorite item or outfit of the week. Inspiration will come from many fashionistas and our own stylish clients. If you have a look you love or would like to share send tips to info@myspinlates.com. xo, B

We won't always focus on fitness fashion but since its all I have been wearing recently I wanted to share:) I received this amazing bday gift and I LOVE it! It could be the most cozy sweater I've acquired and it can transform into a cute winter vest:) Perfect for those snowboarding trips making you the cutest snow bunny on the mountain! Enjoy!

Scuba Hoodie with Detachable Sleeves: $148.00
Where to get it: http://shop.lululemon.com/home.jsp