Healthy Lifestyle

While Pilates has been around since the 1920s and became well-known in the 1960s, it really took off in popularity closer to 2000. Almost fad-like in its popularity, Pilates garnered 8.6 million participants by 2010, and interest hasn’t waned yet. Some of its most devoted followers are A-list Hollywood celebrities, who have found the exercise a tried-and-true method for shedding pounds and maintaining bodies that have become objets d’art.

Hollywood celebs are among the most heavily scrutinized for being in shape. Most film roles require actors to look perfect in clothes and out – a tall order that leads celebrities to depend heavily on their Pilates instructors to keep up healthy appearances.

Mari Winsor who operates several Los Angeles Pilates studios, has earned the moniker “Queen of the Pilates,” has released a number of fitness DVDs, and has trained some top stars, including Samuel L. Jackson, Minnie Driver, Melanie Griffith, and Marisa Tomei. She notes, “Celebrities come to me because it works — they know that if they have a role to do, if they’ve gotta be in a bathing suit, or less, in three weeks or four weeks before they actually get on the set, they know they can come to me and change their body very quickly” (nbcnews.com).

Nicole Stuart, who has trained the stunning Kate Hudson for more than 15 years, echoed Winsor’s sentiments during an interview with Shape magazine: “It primarily works your core, but not just the front. You’ll work the entire body—front, sides, back, your whole midsection, trunk—it pulls everything in and together. You’ll become tighter, more toned, and stronger. It makes you stand taller, makes you have more confidence, makes you more grounded. You’ll lose inches and get that leaner, longer look. After the first 10 sessions, you’ll feel different. After 20 sessions, you’ll see a difference!”

It almost goes without saying that if you’re looking to achieve a body fit enough for the spotlight, you’d do well to follow the lead of celebrity trainers and such celebrities as Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Penelope Cruz, Sandra Bullock, and Chelsea Handler—all who swear by Pilates:

Actress, former model, and Pilates devotee, Cameron Diaz has been long known for her long, lean, and toned physique. In 2013, Diaz published The Body Book, a fitness book focusing on the benefits of exercise that go beyond the physical and address emotional and psychological health as well. For the first time, the actress performed nude on screen, looking as fit and confident as ever at the age of 42. Her daily workout regimen includes running, weightlifting, and (of course) Pilates.

Academy Award–winning actress Kate Winslet has never had qualms when discussing body image. In 2003, she lambasted GQ when the magazine photoshopped her figure to make her even thinner, and has been very outspoken in condemning Hollywood’s obsession with thinness. So when Winslet appeared in 2009 looking as svelte and fit as ever, all eyes were on her. Her secret: Eating sensibly and doing Pilates workouts for twenty minutes every day. “I’ve achieved my ultimate figure,” Winslet told Courier Mail.

Spanish actress Penelope Cruz has mystified the world with her beauty ever since she hit first hit the silver screen in 1992. At the age of 40, she was chosen to play the part of a James Bond girl. The role has always required actresses to be in peak physical condition, which previously translated into younger actresses being cast. Cruz will become the oldest Bond girl to date, a testament to her diet and fitness program. While Cruz once studied ballet, she currently relies more on Pilates to stay at the top, and was voted Hottest Celebrity of 2013 by Fitness Magazine.

A runner up for Hottest Celebrity of 2013, actress Sandra Bullock is famous for her strong, super-fit body. At age 50, she’s still a major hit at the box office, making films such as “Gravity,” which require her to be at a stellar level of fitness. Among her daily fitness routine, Bullock incorporates Pilates, which serves to sculpt her long and lean muscles.

Always in the public eye, Chelsea Handler has strived to keep up her physical appearance as a comedian, actress, author, television host producer, and civil rights activist. In recent years she decided to step up her game, not only for her audiences but for her health. Unsatisfied with the results she achieved by running and doing yoga, she switched to Pilates and hasn’t looked back. Since doing Pilates five to six days a week, Handler has taken her new body for a spin, posing for the covers of Shape magazine and Playboy.

Over such a short period of time, Pilates has become synonymous with health-boosting, fat-burning, and body-sculpting for celebrities and plebeians alike. Over the years, it’s garnered the attention and loyalty of millions searching for a workout that can be done at any age to deliver top results in a reasonable amount of time. If you’re searching for an exercise that will keep you active and make you feel amazing, maybe it’s time to join the ranks of Hollywood stars and take a Pilates class, too.  Contact Firehaus Pilates in Denver to start today!

In this age of iPhones and Androids, tracking your Pilates workouts couldn’t be easier. Some applications for smartphones feature creative ways to keep you motivated, while others serve as a kind of fitness diary.

Different approaches work for different people, which is probably why there are hundreds of fitness-tracking applications to choose from. Luckily, you don’t have to sort through them all to find the best of the bunch—we’ve gone ahead and waded through the good, the bad, and the ugly to find the best mobile apps that will help you keep track of, and achieve, your fitness goals. The best part is, the apps are all free!

Fitbit:

Most people who know Fitbit think of it as an expensive tracking device, not as an app. If your workout of choice is Pilates, the device is far less useful to you, anyway. The good news is that the app stands proudly on its own—you can download it for free and use a number of its impressive features.

Among its highlights are logs for popular workouts and activities, a tracker that monitors your daily steps and distance, a calendar that lets you plan out your fitness goals and record them once they’re completed, a calorie tracker, and a place to set goals and view your progress in stylish charts and graphs.

Fitbit for iPhone / Fitbit for Android

Fitocracy:

Some people consider posting their workout progress on their social media network to be a bit of a faux pas. On Fitocracy, though, such status updates are highly encouraged. If you’re the type of person who derives motivation from discussing your goals and sharing your successes with others, you may want to check out this app.

Video game enthusiasts created Fitocracy to offer athletes and active people an entertaining social medium through which to set, track, and have fun with their fitness goals. Registering with Fitocracy welcomes you into a thriving community engaging in an array of activities and are eager to cheer you on when you post a status update, engage you in friendly competition, and offer you support and motivating tips when you need the encouragement.

Download Fitocracy

Map My Fitness:

If you’re searching for a more general fitness tracker that allows you to connect with your friends, check out Map My Fitness. This app allows you to log over 600 different types of fitness activities, and it keeps track of your daily steps, calorie intake, weight, and sleep duration in a simple and easy-to-use interface. Plus, if you do have a fitness-tracking device, you’ll be able to connect it with Map My Fitness.

Map My Fitness App

Pact:

Earn Cash for Living Healthy: This app is perhaps the most creative—and maybe even the most motivating—approach to keeping up with your fitness goals (92% of their members successfully meet theirs). Upon creating a Pact account, you’re encouraged to set your weekly workout and/or healthy-eating goals. Once that’s done, you set a dollar amount for how much you’re willing to pay each day you fail to meet your fitness or nutrition goal. If you miss a day of your workout, your credit card will be charged for the amount you agreed upon. Sound pricey? It doesn’t have to be. You can actually make real money with this app—every day you do succeed, some money goes into your account, to be cashed out later. The money you earn comes from the pockets of those who missed their workouts. Hard work at the gym has never paid off so well!

Pact App

Most people who are successful in reaching their fitness goals know that monitoring their daily achievements is a tried-and-true way to stay on track. Using an app to comprehensively organize your progress is not only convenient, but also fun. Even if you’re not making money or competing with fellow fitness-enthusiasts, you’ll likely find that just logging a daily workout into your app and charting your history of success is rewarding enough to keep you going.

While the office parties, potlucks, family meals (complete with desserts, of course), and ever so many holiday snacks, will slow down in a couple weeks now, it’s a good idea to get a head start on your fitness goals for 2015.

The Nitty Gritty: Be Specific with Your New Year’s Resolutions

A 2007 study from the University of Bristol found that a depressing 88% of New Year’s resolutions fail! Don’t let this happen to you this year. The same study found that specific goal setting was much more likely to succeed than general goal setting. For example, if you were to commit to coming to a Pilates class at least once a week for each week in 2015 you’d be more likely to succeed than if you were to make a more general resolution like “This year, I am going to get into better shape” or “This year, I am going to take better care of my back.”

You’re Not Alone! Share Your New Year’s Resolutions with Friends and Family

The same study found that people who shared their goals with friends, family, and coworkers and got their support were more likely to succeed. Indeed, one of the keys to a New Year’s Resolution is sharing it with the people close to you. When getting a jump on your 2015 New Year’s Resolutions, consider approaching them with a friend or partner. It’s always helpful to rely on someone else’s willpower and fortitude when our work lives become stressful and we feel too tired to get to the gym. You’re not alone! At Firehaus Pilates we are invested in creating a friendly, welcoming atmosphere where participants of all skill levels can mingle, trade tips, and expand their practice.

Jumpstart Your Resolutions with Pilates Jumpboard Classes

If you don’t have much experience with Pilates or are interested in trying something new, consider our Jumpboard Classes this December. Jumpboard class offers a high-intensity cardio workout that will keep your heart healthy and body fit even after all the holiday feasting. It has the added benefit of being a low-impact exercise that protects your joints even as it tones and strengthens your core. This is a great option for skiers, snowboarders, and other winter sport enthusiasts eager to get their condition up to spec before hitting the slopes.

Weight conscious individuals may also want to consider our Pilates reformer classes which use targeted exercises to control weight and build strength. While more generalized fitness classes may improve some aspects of your overall physical health, Pilates classes are geared toward the individual, they use targeted exercises to correct imbalances, and they create optimal conditions for injury recovery and overall strengthening.

Whatever your New Year’s Resolutions may be, swing by the studio and share them with us! We are pleased to be a part of the Denver community and want to support you in your goals for the New Year. Until then, check out all our Pilates classes and Happy Holidays!