Healthy Living : Pilates

Hello ^ - ^ I've recently decided to try and be healthier this year (this coming academic year that is). I've started early, slowly working myself into the healthy lifestyle over this month. I don't think I'd be able to completely change overnight into a totally healthy person :P

Last year I was a fresher and I put on weight, not an awful lot, but enough that my favourite skinny jeans wouldn't button up (THAT was a bad day). But fortunately/unfortunately around the same time I developed an intolerance to gluten which I wasn't aware of for about 4 months. This along with my holiday (I always lose weight on holiday) made me able to fit into my jeans again! But this was not the healthy way to do things :P

So this year I've decided to try and live the healthiest lifestyle I can manage. And by that I mean that I will still be drinking, still be eating chocolate and cheese, and still be enjoying myself. But a bit differently.

So the first thing that I've changed has been my exercise regime. I've been on a couple of runs, but it tends to take me quite a while to get into the swing of running. One thing that I've been able to get into right away (every other day for the past two weeks, excluding the weekends - my lazy days) has been pilates.

I'd recommend pilates to anyone who wants to exercise, but doesn't because 1) it's boring, 2) they want to stay in the house or 3) they don't see results fast enough. Firstly pilates isn't boring because the exercises are all differnt and require some amount of concentration to do. Secondly all you need is a mat and your living room floor, I've been using a beach towel, but am considering buying a cheap yoga mat. And finally I noticed results after a week. My stomach looks flatter and when I tense I can see muscles! (and no I don't have, or want, a six pack :P). I've also become a lot more flexible, before I couldn't touch my toes, but now I can have straight legs and put my palms flat on the ground :D

You can go to pilates classes at your local gym, or buy a dvd, but as someone addicted to youtube I found my pilates lessons there :P I've been using POP pilates there are loads of different videos, ones for beginners or more experienced people, full body workouts and individual body part exercises. I've been doing a full body workout every other day, plus either a legs, bum, abs or arms workout, alternating each time.

The most satisfying part about pilates is the ache you get the day after. I love it because it means I've actually worked hard and soon the parts which are aching will be all lovely and toned :D I'm definitely going to carry on at uni, but I'll be trying to add some running, as I don't know how much my housemates will appreciate a sweaty exercising girl on the living room floor every other day... :P

"And what is the use of a book (or blog post)," thought Alice, "without pictures or conversations?"

This is just one part of my new healthy living thing I've got going on. If you guys are interested I was thinking about doing posts on other things, especially fooooood :P Let me know!

Sunny xxxxx