by Lisa Drayer
If you're a beginner, it's a good idea to take an introductory workshop. You may prefer to learn what downward dog looks like first, before hearing about it in class! I took an introductory workshop at my neighborhood favorite, New York Yoga, and it offered me an opportunity to learn various poses while receiving constructive feedback.
Tai chi is suitable for anyone who wants to move with greater strength, grace, and ease, from adolescents to the aged. This ancient Chinese method of movement is nonimpact. It incorporates flowing movements while shifting the body's balance.
Tai chi movements are performed slowly, evenly, and mindfully. The Chinese compare the movement to pulling the silk from a cocoon: pull steadily and the strand will unravel; pull too fast or too slow, and it breaks. In tai chi, the body is always moving, but under complete control as it remains soft and relaxed. Practiced for just 20 minutes a day, tai chi can relieve stress, increase flexibility, build stamina, and strengthen the body, all without any huffing and puffing on your part.
Pilates
People often ask me how I stay in such good shape, and I am happy to tell them, "Pilates!" Pilates exercises have been sculpting dancers' bodies for years. The method was developed in the early 1900s by German-born boxer and fitness enthusiast Joseph Pilates. He devised a series of physical movements that—coupled with focused breathing patterns—stretch, strengthen, and balance the body. He also invented unique equipment that challenges and supports the body during special exercises. The Pilates system is made up of a sequence of exercises meant to be followed in a certain order. The routines done on the floor are known as matwork, and they are complemented by the exercises that use equipment. In Pilates, exercises are done with careful precision and with only a few repetitions, maximizing the effects of the work by how the exercises are executed, not by the number of repetitions.
The first thing a Pilates instructor will tell you is that Pilates is not just a series of exercises but an approach to developing body awareness. The Pilates method has been described as an intelligent form of exercise—a holistic approach to the mind, body, and spirit that offers multiple benefits.
My Pilates instructor, Tara Bridger, told me during my first session that Pilates focuses on the body's core or "powerhouse"—the deep abdominals, lower back muscles, hips, and buttocks—and then extends outward to the rest of the body, providing balance, strength, posture, and efficient movement. It builds strength upward along the spine while supporting the other joints and muscles. Specific attention is also paid to strengthening the upper back muscles that draw the shoulders down and open the chest. When the exercises are done with precision and mental focus, you learn to feel your imbalances and to see how your body has compensated for them over the years. Tara explained to me that Pilates corrects these weaknesses, optimizes how the body functions, and teaches the body to remember its natural alignment and to move in the safest and most energy-efficient way. The overall benefits include a strong, flexible spine, deep core strength, increased muscle tone, greater flexibility, better alignment, stronger mental focus, increased circulation, decreased stress, greater energy, and, the benefit I have noticed the most during my sessions, improved posture. When correct posture is relearned (we all started with it, according to Tara), our presence becomes stronger and more attractive and we appear and eventually feel more confident.
Pilates creates a flat, strong tummy and builds long, lean muscles without bulk. How? Because the system was designed to lengthen and stretch the muscles as it strengthens them. Pilates has narrowed my waistline and toned my buttocks and thighs. It has defined the muscles in and around my spine and along my arms. Overall, it makes the whole body look and feel strong, supple, vibrant, and naturally beautiful. Tara tells me there are over 500 exercises in the Pilates system (I haven't learned them all yet!). Though every regimen strengthens the core and tones the whole body, the system allows for specific focus on whatever area of the body needs the most attention, because every body is different.
Expert Advice: Finding the Right Pilates Instructor
I asked Tara Bridger for her insights about finding a Pilates teacher. Tara is a certified Pilates instructor and an expert in the method taught by Romana Kryzanowska, a protégé of Joseph Pilates. This is what she had to say:
Because the title Pilates can be used to describe any type of exercise that incorporates some aspect of the original Pilates method, you'll want to take the time to find a legitimate, effective, and safe studio with reputable instructors.
The original method designed and taught by Joseph Pilates is practiced today at studios that trained under the Romana's Pilates Method or Authentic Pilates Method. Joseph Pilates chose Romana Kryzanowska to carry on his legacy before he died in 1967. Today Romana is in her 80s and still teaching throughout the country. She continues to be the foundation of his method. It's taught by instructors who either trained directly under Romana or under one of her direct Pilates descendants. Many branches of Pilates have altered or diffused the original system and have implemented new exercises and techniques that are not technically Pilates. The original method and its followers subscribe to a very high standard of practice.
On a more personal level, you want to find an atmosphere you feel comfortable in and an instructor whose personality and approach work best with you. Do you prefer a private setting where no other clients are present? Or are you more comfortable when others are exercising around you? Some studios are larger and can accommodate many private sessions at once, while others offer a more spalike environment. Do you prefer a man or a woman? A softer, gentler, encouraging voice? Or someone with a tougher "coach" quality who is ready to push you when you need it? Finding the best instructor for you is a trial-and-error process. I recommend trying a few different people at first. Also, it may be beneficial to work with more than one person on an ongoing basis to gain different perspectives. Everyone has a different eye, even though all should be teaching the same technique. You'll know when you're with the right person. Trust your instincts!
Look beyond just the mat classes. Understand that to fully benefit from Pilates you should practice the entire system, which involves the equipment (Reformer, Cadillac, Wunda Chair, etc.) as well as the mat. Be wary of studios that offer group classes on the equipment, especially the Reformer. Pilates cannot be taught safely on the Reformer in groups of more than three people. A larger class size means the system has been greatly modified from its original form to be taught in groups.
It is important to have some one-on-one instruction and experience with the whole system before diving into a large class setting—both for safety reasons and for the effectiveness of the workout. Large classes combine people with different levels of strength and various body types and limitations. If you are not in a financial position to take private lessons on an ongoing basis, either invest in a series of 5 to 10 private sessions and then proceed into classes (and brush up with a private lesson about once a month), or look into duets or trios, which still offer individual attention for considerably less money.
Be sure your instructor follows strict safety guidelines. The Pilates system should always be taught by an instructor who adheres to the "safety first" policy. If the equipment is misused or a client is worked beyond his or her strength level, injuries can occur.
If you have concerns about whether or not a studio or instructor is appropriate, you can always contact the two studios in New York that train instructors under the original Pilates method: True Pilates (212-757-0724) or the New York Pilates Studio (212-245-8367) to see what affiliations they have in your city.
For Inner and Outer Beauty: Stress Less
A life filled with beauty from the inside out begins with eating healthfully, including my Top 10 Beauty Foods in your diet, and adding exercise to your daily routine. There's just one more part of your life that needs attention. You'll also need to decrease your stress—an inevitable factor in life that detracts from your beautiful appearance and ruins your calm demeanor. I
n addition to exercise, R & R (rest and relaxation) are key to looking and feeling your best. The more relaxed you are, the better you feel and the more beautiful you look.
Tension Is the Enemy of Beauty
We all know that stress exacerbates skin conditions like acne and that being constantly tired and worried makes people look old. But for many years there was no scientific explanation for this mind/body connection. When a 2004 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed a connection between life stress and looking old, this seemed like a blinding flash of the obvious, but it was a big deal in scientific circles. The study compared biological markers between a group of women who cared for a chronically ill child and a control group of women with healthy children. The study found that the more years of caregiving a woman had experienced, the shorter the length of her telomeres (the caps of DNA protein on chromosomes that are reduced every time a cell divides), the lower her telomerase activity (an enzyme that protects telomeres), and the greater her oxidative stress. Additionally, the telomeres of women with the highest perceived psychological stress—across both groups—had undergone the equivalent of approximately 10 years of additional aging, compared with the women across both groups who had the lowest perception of being stressed.
Stress can contribute to wrinkles and may aggravate skin conditions including eczema and acne. The effects of stress not only can show up in your face, but also around your middle! If you've ever gone through half a bag of Hershey's Kisses without realizing it, you know there is a link between anxiety and eating.
Adding Relaxing Moments to Your Life
Busy lives don't lend themselves to long periods of relaxation on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis. But the key is not the length of time you incorporate relaxation into your daily life. The most important thing is that you make some time for it, even if it's very small, on a regular basis.
Anything that allows your mind to escape the stresses of life can be helpful in making you feel calm and at peace. In addition to dancing and Pilates, here are some of my favorite stress-reducing activities.
CREATE A RELAXATION ROOM AT HOME
Many spas have relaxation rooms to sit in before and after treatments. It's great to create a relaxation space at home too. It doesn't have to be a "room" per se—it can be a space in your bedroom, for example—but the key is having an area at home that is devoted solely to relaxing. You may want to add a really comfortable chair or daybed, put a dimmer on the lights, or have candles on hand—whatever it is that you enjoy and find relaxing. This will give you an opportunity to decompress. The key is not to have too many outside stimuli. Forget the BlackBerry, cell phone, and laptop; this is a time to unwind and clear your mind of distractions and stressors.
MEDITATE
Meditation is a great way to relax, especially if you are under a lot of stress. Research has shown that meditation can lower heart rate and blood pressure and even improve cognitive performance. Important factors to consider when meditating include finding a comfortable place, relaxing your muscles, and focusing on one thing, whether it's your breathing, an object (a flower or a painting), or even a picture in your mind. You might visualize a peaceful place, like a secret garden. Or you might imagine sitting on a beach in the Caribbean or standing on the summit of a mountain. Meditating for as little as 10 minutes is enough to have a beneficial effect on your stress level. The key is staying focused and not letting any distractions or thoughts enter your mind. This may be difficult at first and may take a lot of time and practice. Being mindful is key.
LISTEN TO YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC
Listening to soothing music can be very relaxing—and slow tempos in particular can induce a calm state of mind. Calming music can slow your breathing and heart rate, lower your blood pressure, and relax tense muscles too. This can be particularly beneficial when you're getting ready for a tough day at work, if you're in your car stuck in traffic, or if you're lying in bed trying to free your mind of stressful thoughts. Music therapy has been shown to be helpful in decreasing anxiety associated with medical procedures: one recent study from Temple University found that individuals who listened to music during a colonoscopy required less sedation during the procedure than those who didn't listen to their favorite tunes.
GET A MASSAGE
Having a massage is a great way to free yourself of tension, and adding aromatherapy oils such as chamomile or lavender can be particularly beneficial. One recent study found that emergency-room nurses experienced reduced stress levels with aromatherapy massage. The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing, found that at least 50 percent of the emergency-room staff suffered moderate to extreme anxiety. However, this figure fell to 8 percent once staff received 15-minute aromatherapy massages while listening to music. While it may be preferable, you don't necessarily need a full hour to experience benefits!
TAKE A HOT BATH
Heat relaxes muscles—and taking a long bath can be soothing to the mind as well. Stock up on your favorite bath salts and soaps, get a bath pillow, and decorate the room with candles. You can even create an in-home spa by incorporating treatments like facials into your routine.
TAKE A VACATION
Even when you have a day off, it's hard to relax if you're surrounded by all the usual stressors—piles of bills, home repair jobs that need to be done, shopping to do, and all the other obligations of daily life that make your "to do" list go on for two pages. To escape your day-to-day worries, you need to escape your surroundings! For most people, a vacation to a warm climate, preferably on a sandy beach, is ideal. On the other hand, you may have always wanted to go to Alaska. Whether you prefer a no-frills campout or a luxury hotel, do whatever you find rejuvenating. If you can possibly swing it, get away to relax.
Getting Your Beauty Sleep
There's a reason they call it beauty sleep! A full, deep, restful sleep can help you stay healthy, lose weight, be more alert, improve your concentration, increase your productivity, elevate your mood—and ensure that you wake up gorgeous. You might be aware that you look and feel better after you get a good night's sleep!
Sleep is a time for your body to repair damage caused by everyday wear and tear as well as by sun exposure, stress, illness, and so on. During sleep the body focuses on regenerating cells and on maintaining and building bones, muscles, and other tissues. This kind of repair work also can occur while you're awake, but sleep allows the body to concentrate on healing without having to divide its energy sixteen different ways. While you are sleeping, you also recharge your immune system and rebalance the chemicals in your brain. In addition, you subconsciously process the day's events and even mull over problems—sometimes even producing bright ideas in the middle of the night. When you have a problem, it always helps to "sleep on it."
Sleep Yourself Thin
Researchers have uncovered an interesting connection between sleep and weight. People who do not get enough sleep are at increased risk of eating too much—not because they lack willpower, but because their hormones are working against them. Have you ever had a sleepless night, followed by a day when you just wanted to keep nibbling? Welcome to the effects of the hormones leptin and ghrelin.
Leptin and ghrelin work together to control feelings of hunger. Ghrelin is produced in the gastrointestinal tract and stimulates appetite. Leptin is produced by fat cells and sends a signal to the brain that you are full. Research shows that when you don't get enough sleep, it reduces your levels of leptin, so you don't feel as satisfied after you eat. Sleep loss also causes your levels of ghrelin to rise, which stimulates your appetite. This dynamic creates the perfect conditions for overeating. In fact, researchers have found that people who sleep less than seven hours per night are more likely to be overweight.
Two studies—the first conducted at the University of Chicago in Illinois and the second at Stanford University in California—reveal a great deal about how leptin and ghrelin operate. In the Chicago study, researchers subje
cted 12 healthy men in their 20s to two days of sleep deprivation, followed by two nights with 10 hours of sleep. During this time doctors monitored their hormone levels, appetite, and activity. After two nights of sleep deprivation, the participants' levels of leptin (the appetite suppressor) went down, and their levels of ghrelin (the appetite stimulator) went up. They experienced greater appetite, and they specifically craved high-sugar, high-salt, and starchy foods. The researchers were surprised to discover that hormone levels could be affected so much, in such a brief amount of time.
In the Stanford study, about 1,000 volunteers reported the number of hours they slept each night. Researchers tracked their levels of ghrelin and leptin and charted their weight. This study revealed that those who slept less than eight hours a night not only had lower levels of leptin and higher levels of ghrelin but also had a higher level of body fat. Specifically, there was 4 percent increase in body mass index when sleep was decreased from eight hours to five hours—a finding that can represent a difference of 25 pounds!
Conquering Insomnia
Waking up with a puffy face and bags under your eyes is an unfortunate consequence of insomnia. If you are having some problems getting your beauty sleep, here are some things to try:
Take a hot shower. If you take a relaxing shower, then lie quietly in bed, it may be just what your body needs to get to sleep. If you have time, a hot bath—complete with scented candles and bath salts—is even more relaxing.
Open the window. Fresh air and a cool room temperature provide the best sleeping conditions. If you need more warmth, buy a cozy comforter, but leave the air temperature cool.
Get comfortable. The kind of mattress and pillow you like best will help you get comfortable right away. Few things are more annoying than trying to sleep in an old, worn-out mattress with a lousy pillow.