My Body Update: 8 weeks of The Pilates Class
8 weeks ago now, I came to you and gave up a full update on where my fitness and health journey was. I was feeling defeated and was making changes with the advice of my naturopath.
But let's back it up a bit as I feel like I should give you a bit of fitness history and why I'm so much happier with what I am currently doing.
I grew up dancing, starting off in tap and then working my way into hip hop and competing until I graduated highschool. Back then, there was no gym in Chester and so in order to stay in shape, especially for dance, I ran 2-3 km a few times a week, and my mom bought me Mari Windsor Pilates on VHS that I did in my bedroom 3-4 days a week. I always felt strong and lean during my highschool years and I feel like it was because of this routine.
I then moved off to college in Toronto and joined the campus gym. By then, it was all about weight training. Every magazine promoted lifting weights and going heavy, mixing that with a ton of cardio and HIIT. So that's what I did. I said goodbye to years of using pilates and yes to all the high intensity workouts and heavy weights.
By the time I was in my mid 20’s I was running 8 kms 5 days a week, and hitting up the gym for weight training 6 days a week. I was in the best shape of my life and besides boy drama, didn't have much stress.
But at 26 I gave birth to Aubrey. With only one kid, fitting the gym back into my routine after 6 weeks was easy and I bounced right back to my pre pregnancy weight and shape. Then Poppy happened. I had a dangerous misscarriage before her and spent my whole pregnancy shoving my face with carbs and not wanting to move in case it caused me to lose her too. But, within a year of working out postpartum, the weight came off.
Between Poppy and Emmitt, we have two busy children, two successful businesses, and now own and are renovating our home. The stress levels are high. But, the baby weight was holding on.
Until 8 weeks ago, I was doing everything I did in my 20’s to get crazy fit. I was running 6 km a few days a week, Weight lifting and also doing Kayla Itsines BBG. But, instead of dropping pounds like I thought I would be, I started packing them on. The scale was higher than it was when I walked out of the hospital over a year ago, and I still looked about 4 months pregnant with most of my weight hanging onto my lower abdomen. On top of that, I felt like absolute GARBAGE.
So, I turned to my naturopath to figure out what was up. I was slaving away to get healthy and confident in my skin again, but things were getting worse. So, she recommended we get my cortisone levels balanced as well as my hormone levels. You see, my body was stressed to the max with life and then add to it the intense workouts, it caused my body to be constantly in fight or flight mode and was holding onto all of the weight because of it.
So, 8 weeks ago, I stopped it all. I started taking the supplements to get my insides balanced as well as figuring out a new fitness plan that instead of revving up my heart and nervous system, calmed it. I started walking 5-7 KMs a few days a week which has been lovely and also turned back to Pilates which is such a good outlet for me. Yes it may not ‘smash’ a ton of calories, but it does make me feel long and lean.
For Pilates, I turned to The Pilates Class, created by Jacqui Kingswell who is a personal trainer to Tash Oakley and Devin Brugman of A Bikini a day. After watching their bodies transform after starting with Jacqui, I knew her classes would be just what I needed.
The classes are all online based and there are so many classes to choose from with more added each week. Each class ranges from 10 min targeting classes (ie booty, abs or arms) to 45 mins for full body and barre. It's not your traditional pilates though. She bases many of the workouts similar to HIIT doing each movement for 30-50 seconds but they are small intense workouts to target each individual muscle group. Its also low impact, so for someone who has been trying to heal my adrenal fatigue.
So, my week now consists of 5-6 walks a week first thing in the morning and Pilates Class online classes 3-4 times a week. As you can see from the before and after, my body is already changing, and as I continue, I’m sure I will see more changes.
But, that's not all that has changed. My digestion is back on track with minimal upset, I have so much more energy, being able to wake up for 6 am, and last until 10 without having to nap or survive on caffeine. I also feel mentally happier. And that is the biggest take away with my history of depression.
My Starting Stats
Weight: 150
BMI: 25
Body Fat %: 28.2
Arms: 10.5 inches
Chest: 34 inches
Waist: 29.5 inches
Lower Belly: 36 inches
Hip: 40 inches
Thigh: 24 inches
My Current Stats
Weight: 144
BMI: 24
Body Fat %: 26.6
Arms: 10.5 inches
Chest: 33 inches
Waist: 28 inches
Lower Belly: 34.5inches
Hip: 39.5 inches
Thigh: 23 1/4 inches
Thats a total of 6 lbs lost and 5.5 inches
Let me know in the comments, what is your favorite workout?