Photo from my days taking Reformer Pilates Classes (11/11/2015, aka a lifetime ago)
A lifetime ago, feeling like walking wasn't enough, I decided to try Pilates classes. I actually spent some time debating whether to return to Yoga (which I had done in the past) or to try Pilates. Pilates won. Partly because the timetable suited me better and partly because it was closer to home. And, well, I expected it to better achieve my goal to drop weight and tone up.
I was not wrong.
Not only did I shed fat, I toned up AND became more flexible in the process. Bonus!!
But there came a time when I felt like Pilates was no longer enough. I craved heavier weights on the reformers but was told "no more - the intention is for you to get toned, not to bulk up". Fair enough, my intention wasn't to become a body builder. But I craved that adrenaline rush of pushing past exertion. And I was no longer reaching exertion.
And then life happened. I started having bowel issues and ended up missing a lot of classes. Eventually I cancelled my membership - which was just as well as the following year turned into one of medical challenge after medical challenge.
I never went back to Pilates.
Once I was on the road to recovery post-surgery, I started looking at gym memberships. I have never liked gyms. They terrify me. All that scary looking equipment; and all those scary looking people. Thanks, but no thanks.
After moving cities, I once again looked into Pilates studios. I really missed those reformer classes and thought they would be a great way to gently ease my body back to fitness. I actually found a studio close to home! But my god the classes were cripplingly expensive.
So I resorted to walking. Hey, that is how I lost weight previously and perhaps in the future I'll be able to afford some Pilates classes too.
But then I developed plantar fasciitis. Joy. Not.
So no more walking for Franciska for the foreseeable future. Fuck my life.
I then invested in an exercycle - which even the Podiatrist approved of! And discovered the key to recovery was stretching my calves a variety of ways, numerous times during the day and night.
Then during covid lockdowns, TVNZ screened some LesMills classes on weekday mornings. As mentioned previously, I hate gyms. And LesMills in particular scared me. But what do you know, I liked these classes! (Even though BodyBalance annoyed me at first as it was "true" Yoga. It seemed that by creating a Tai Chi/Yoga/Pilates fusion, the creators took creative license in the process.)
I then discovered that as a student, I could not only get a month-long free trial of LesMillsOnDemand (LMOD), I could also get a discounted rate on membership. Yay!!
Before long, I was purchasing hand weights and a barbell.
I absolutely love, love, LOVE BodyPump. More than I ever loved Pilates classes. Perhaps its the weights. Or the music. Or the eye-candy.
Seriously though, BodyPump had me toning up, BodyBalance worked on my flexibility and core strength (which was annihilated by open surgery), and the exercycle increased my cardiovascular fitness. I was winning.
Then I was vaccine injured. And here I am, over a year on, still struggling with chronic fatigue, muscle weakness, and shortness of breath.
But that's not what this post is about. . .
I already mentioned in a previous post that walking was the key to my weightloss over a decade ago. And in this post I have talked about how Pilates was the key to me toning up and improving my flexibility.
I can't currently walk every day due to post-exertion malaise. BodyPump has proven to be too much to ask of my body so BodyBalance has been my go-to in-between walks. But today, a brand new Mat Pilates class dropped on LMOD! A 30 min class of pure Pilates. I couldn't believe it. Could the timing have been any better??
So I decided to give it a go. With every intention of stopping as soon as it started feeling the slightest bit like it was heading toward exertion. And I was pleasantly surprised at how easily I was able to modify the moves and stay within my limits. I paused for just 1 min of core exercises and actually got through all of the first set of side leg lifts. Then stopped. Much to my delight, I actually completed 18 mins all up. Without feeling like I'd exerted myself. Remarkable.
So I converted my efforts to kms and added 1.3km to the Angkor Wat Challenge. The app tells me that I am a mere 0.4km from the next milestone. It was challenging to reign in my enthusiasm and not push myself to clock up some more mileage.
Tomorrow is a new day; and I'm learning that tomorrow is more likely to be a good day if I don't push myself beyond my capability today.
Week 3 is off to a fantastic start!!
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