How Pilates Strengthens Your Body

I used to make fun of women who ordered elaborate Starbucks caramel macchiatos topped with whipped cream, extra cinnamon, and low-fat milk. I used to roll my eyes at the women who carried Prada purses with matching wallets, confidently placing their orders as if they belonged in a world I didn't understand. I used to make fun of women dressed head-to-toe in matching Lululemon sets: perfectly coordinated sweatpants, sports bras, and expensive running shoes that I could never afford. I laughed at the women who carried yoga mats under their arms on their way to Pilates classes, convinced they were performing a lifestyle rather than living one.

At the time, I thought I was mocking superficiality. I thought I was rejecting consumerism, status symbols, and carefully curated identities. But looking back, I wonder if what I was really mocking was the freedom they seemed to have. They moved through the world with a confidence I didn't possess. They spent money on themselves without apology. They took up space. They treated small pleasures—a fancy coffee, a designer bag, a workout class—as things they were allowed to enjoy.

What I saw as vanity may have been self-care. What I dismissed as materialism may have been self-expression. And what I interpreted as shallowness may have simply been contentment.

Now, I realize I became exactly that...that is the irony of it all. I love the workout routines that my sister-in-law and I do in the early mornings, she keeps up with the videos "Move with Nicole" with extreme ease, while I roll around on my mat like a panda who ate too much bamboo laughing at myself not being able to hold a stance or do a movement as she has the grace of a ballerina.

However, with this workout I find there are many benefits to it: improved core strength , better posture, increased flexibility , enhanced balance and coordination, reduced back pain , improved muscle tone , stress reduction and mind-body connection, aid weight management, and improved overall health.

I find when I glance at myself in the mirror I can see some light abs trying to break their way through my skin, so there's an improvement there to lose that belly before summer really hits and it's been working.

My posture is much better at work, I find I am trying my best to keep my back straight while sitting at work or sitting in my car, on the couch however, i definitely sit like a middle-aged man who drank beer all day or like a mermaid fresh out of water with a blanket over me.

Increased flexibility and better balance though...I am still working on both and it is not easy. I am still toppling over like a poorly constructed pyramid or like a domino waiting to fall onto the mat.

The reduced back pain is a must, if my back still hurts after completing a Pilates class than I would be doing it wrong. My whole body feels like it's been stretched out paper thin and every stretch "feels good", but while doing Pilates it hurts and I groan about it, but it still gets done.

The main reason I love Pilates is because it helps me focus my mind. In a world that constantly demands my attention, Pilates gives me a half hour where I can step away from the noise and concentrate on something simple: my breath, my movements, and the way my body feels in the present moment. During a session, there is little room for overthinking or worrying about things outside of the studio and by studio I mean my sister-in-law's living room. My attention has to remain on my posture, my balance, and the muscles I am engaging, which creates a sense of mental clarity that is difficult to find elsewhere.

After a Pilates session, I feel renewed—not just physically, but mentally as well. It's as though the mental clutter or sticky notes and papers I've been carrying around has been cleared away from the mental counter tops, leaving me calmer and more focused. The tension I didn't even realize I was holding in my shoulders, neck, or back seems to melt away, and I leave feeling lighter and more grounded.

I feel better about myself when I do that morning routine and of course, there's our chit-chat sessions which help relieve any stress either of us are feeling.

Pilates is an exercise everyone should do in their lives, it take strength, focus and helps you gain muscle and just overall feeling better about your day, about your body and it's so easy to do at home. I encourage you to pick up a mat, find a YouTube video, and start working out in the comfort of your own home. I know it's easier said than done, but do it once and that's all you need to continue.