hey hey, barrebabes,

happy monday, my loves! today's newsletter is spring-spirited with a few tips on getting rid of what we don't need to allow space for continual progress in our workouts.

out with the old, in with the new

lately i've been "spring cleaning" in many aspects of my life, from tending to some get-right-with-myself spiritual/alignment work to literally cleaning my closets, and it's occurred to me as i sift through tiny baby clothes and stretched out leggings that this process of clearing that which no longer serves us is necessary in our workouts, too.

my early teaching style was heavily influenced by how i was taught ballet, my uber-strict classical pilates training, and how i had been told to carry myself through the world. but after nearly 10 years of teaching (!) there's some super common cues i've let go of and replaced with ones that actually work. it is natural and beneficial to shed these old layers of external and irrelevant messages like snakes shed their skin, and by doing so we create the space for new changes, new goals, and new progress.

here's the quick & dirty "do this not that" list for you:

old cue: "tuck your tailbone"
why this doesn't serve us: "tuck the tailbone" is a super common cue from ballet that, at best, is a lazy way of discouraging anterior pelvic tilt and at worst polices the body/booty and encourages glute clenching.
new cue: "lift up from your pubic bone"

old cue: "keep your abs in all the time always"
why this doesn't serve us: keeping our abs clenched all the damn time is neither natural nor beneficial because it doesn't allow for proper intra-abdominal pressure regulation through breathing and can put undue pressure down on the pelvic floor. moreover, after years and years of sucking in, are anyone's abs actually any flatter from it? mine weren't, either. remember that in order for a muscle to strengthen, it must contract against a force, and in order for a muscle to fully contract, it must fully relax and lengthen first. thus, relax (and do a crap ton of pilates and barre) and all will eventually be flat and strong.
new cue: "exhale and engage your core" "support your spine with your abs" "breath-belly-move"

old cue: "shoulders back and down"
why this doesn't serve us: jamming our shoulders down our backs restricts the natural movement of the scapulae and leads to even more tightness and pain in the neck and traps.
new cue: "release your shoulders away from your ears" "bring your armpits towards your hips" "lengthen the back of your neck"

that's it for now, babes. as always, please holler at me with your questions, comments, hopes, dreams and desires. keep pulsing, and i'll see you on screen soon!
with love & planks,
annie

vodka, virtue signaling, and clean girls = mean girls

There is a specific flavor of judgment creeping up in my algorithm that stands in a matching set and in painful contrast to summer, the season of celebratory beverages, the pull of giggling with friends on a sunny patio, or the pleasant tinkling chink of ice cubes in a glass. You’ve probably seen her, too: the pristine, ageless, pastel-hued wellness influencer holding up a mocktail as she boasts of all the alcohol she will never let past her perfect pout, because alcohol isn’t healthy and is therefore for the lazy unwashed masses. As if you so much as look at a fermented grape, you are actively failing at life.

This is so not my vibe. Not saying I’m going on a bar crawl or challenging you to a drinking competition anytime soon, but the internet has turned sobriety into the ultimate virtue signal and I’m frankly tired of it. Health is not a moral issue, nor are delicious adult beverages consumed in moderation, and it’s so very much not cool to “wellness wash” something that, at its most innocuous, has been part of human society for eons, and at its worst, is actually a life-threatening disease. Not a fitness hack.

Let’s clear something up right now: sobriety is a fantastic, life-changing path for many. I’m all for it, where it’s necessary. And I write this at a time when I myself am largely abstaining (mostly for reasons of vanity, truth be told.) But there’s a vast gap between truly casual, truly moderate drinking for pleasure (which, as an ex-barmaid, I very much understand is not possible for everyone) and actual liver-and-life destroying alcoholism. And again, self care and personal habits are not moral. Having a glass of wine does not make you bad, unclean or unhealthy, just like drinking green juice doesn’t punch your ticket to heaven.

There is a massive, beautiful, nuanced space between the disease of alcoholism, excessive consumption, self-medication, social dependence, the familiar ritual, or simply enjoying a tasty beverage with friends. And I figure I’m not the only one who is tired of being made to feel guilty by moralizing teetotaler party poopers on Instagram acting like there's no middle ground.

zest for life vs. health as spirituality

Truthfully, this is why I always felt so at home in the Pilates world. It didn’t proselytize on lifestyle choices, and you didn’t have to be a sober vegan to fit in (listen, some of the most fun, most beloved folks I know are sober vegans, so I’m not throwing shade, just illustrating a point.) For me, it stood in stark contrast to my experience in yoga spaces, which often felt like it was trying to equate health with spirituality. Pilates didn't do that.

Joe Pilates himself was a character—he famously loved his German schnapps, smoked cigars, and lived a robust, vibrant life well into his 80s. He believed, as he is famously quoted in his book “Return to Life Through Contrology,” that the point of physical fitness was to live life with “spontaneous zest and pleasure, “ and I found it incredibly refreshing to be in a method where people cared far more about your zest for life than how long it had been since you last ate a cheeseburger, had an Oreo, or knocked back a cocktail.

My training roots reflect that exact attitude. Back when I was in my certification program at Drago’s Gym on 57th street, every single Friday at noon, someone would break out the champagne. And without exception, every person in that studio — teachers, clients on the reformer, attentive apprentices or geriatric gymnasts hanging from the trapeze — would stop what they were doing and toast with a Dixie cup of bubbles. It was about community, joy, and celebration. And I never turn down champagne.

I remember being in a shop one day and overhearing an incredibly fit, spandex-covered blonde person boasting, "As a fitness instructor, I inspire my clients because I haven't had a drink in seven years." I just stood there thinking: Yeah ok but I inspire my clients because if I do “go out with the boys,” I’ll still wake up with the men (it’s a joke, people) and haul ass to class the next morning. You and I will never be friends. Again, I’m all in favor of drinking less or not at all, I just couldn't relate to the holier-than-thou attitude.

inherited beliefs and the "wine mom" trap

But as much as I love a celebration, we also get an overwhelming amount of messaging from our families, society, and culture that quietly bakes itself into our habits, and assumptions around alcohol are particularly pernicious. I think it’s always worth questioning those beliefs. To truly inquire of yourself: How do I feel about this? How true is this for me?

I learned about alcohol from my parents. They never drank to excess, and I’ve never know either of them to lose control or even have a hangover. From them, I learned that drinking could be relaxing, convivial, and fun—a nice little reward at the end of the day. But I also internalized the habit of daily drinking, thinking a chilled glass of vodka on a Tuesday was normal. And I know that for many it is, but it’s not good for me, and old habits are tough to break.

Spoiler alert: I did break that habit, years ago, and I will share with you the relatively painless method I used to do it forthwith.

But back to habitual drinking. As I got older, that everyday moderation baseline collided with a massive cultural narrative: the "college party girl" turned "wine mom." You know the jokes, the memes, the signs in home decor stores. It’s a culture that normalizes a high volume of consumption under the guise of stress relief and mama you deserve this, and for a long time, I swam in that sea. At one point, I could easily drink a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc by myself at a party without feeling particularly impaired.

Younger me slinging hot sauce behind the bar to pay for grad school

My first real "come to Jesus" moment happened years ago during my Pilates teacher training. I was heading into the city for my lesson on a Wednesday afternoon, and I was so hungover from some nonsense the night before that I was clutching the subway pole for dear life. Facing a series of inversions on the short box, I genuinely thought I might pass out or puke on the apparatus. I decided then and there that I had absolutely no room for hangovers in my life, and thus, no room for excessive drinking. It would be a decade before I had another hangover.

But what actually qualifies as "excessive"? The official guidelines seem to change every five minutes, or they announce that there is “no safe level” of alcohol consumption, (which probably doesn’t mean what we think it means) and the cultural goalposts are always moving. We have to decide for ourselves what moderation and balance look like.

my “Marie Kondo” approach to drinking

A couple years after that subway realization, I decided to truly take the reins. I wasn't looking to change my whole personality or adopt a dogmatic lifestyle, but I wanted clarity. So, I started counting my drinks each week.

Think of it like a Marie Kondo approach to alcohol: holding up the habit, looking at the data, and asking, Which of these drinks truly brings me joy, and which ones am I just having out of course of habit?

When I first tallied it up, my weekly number was 34.

I know that sounds insane, but you can let go of your pearls now because while that might sound like a lot to some of you, I was already quite moderate compared to my social circle at the time. I didn’t "get drunk." I just had a vibrant social life, worked in an environment where alcohol was present, and loved wine with dinner.

Seeing that number was a shock, but it was also incredibly freeing. I pretty immediately cut it in half, spending quite a while in the 17-drinks-a-week range. From there, I set little goals for myself to bring it down to 10. (Which still sounds like a lot to some, but keep in mind, I still maintained one 10-hour bartending shift a week at the time, and I had certain professional obligations.)

And after a while, moderation simply became my habit. Over time, I just became the kind of person who drinks less.

Now, it’s also true that I had a couple of babies during that timeframe, which makes it much easier to abstain for chunks of time—and also turns you into an absolute lightweight. But as all "wine moms" know, parenting stress is real. Giving yourself to other people all the livelong day makes you really, really want a grown-up treat for yourself at the end of it.

Today, as long as I’m under double digits for the week, I feel okay about it. But it is a constantly evolving process.

For a long time, it’s been my practice not to drink during the week. At first, that boundary caused a bit of "binge behavior" on Fridays. But I quickly realized that chugging Pinot Grigio at a Friday happy hour just gave me a raging headache by 8:00 PM, so I chilled out on that pretty fast. More recently, I noticed that even weekend indulgences throw off my sleep and wreck my skin, so I’m taking a beat on all of it for awhile to make sure I break the habit.

I can hear what you’re thinking, and no, it’s not just that I’m older and can't hang (even though I am older and definitely can't hang.) It’s that I know myself better now. I am simply better at listening to my body.

Do you like piña coladas?

live your own story

I am absolutely not here to encourage you to drink alcohol. If you don’t like it, or if choosing total sobriety makes you feel vibrant and alive, that is amazing. Do you. Healthy comes in many varieties.

Alcohol is not innocuous. It’s a powerful substance, and we shouldn't treat it mindlessly. At the same time, we shouldn't let internet strangers dictate our personal boundaries through shame and virtue signaling. Balance is highly personal, and we all have to define it for ourselves.

As we move into June, my challenge to you inside and outside the studio is this: Make sure you aren’t just following the beliefs of someone else. Make sure you aren’t accidentally living someone else's story just because they yelled it loudest on an Instagram reel.

Listen to your body. Tune into your intuition. Decide for yourself what you believe. And let’s leave the judgment at the door and focus on what actually makes us feel whole.

Chilled Wine & Real Talk: Why Health Isn’t a Moral Crusade

There is a specific flavor of judgment dominating our social feeds right now. You’ve probably seen it: the pristine, pastel-hued wellness influencer holding up a mocktail, gently implying that if you so much as look at a fermented grape, you are actively failing at life.

Lately, the internet has turned sobriety into the ultimate virtue signal. Let’s clear something up right now: sobriety is a fantastic, life-changing path for many. But health is not a moral issue. Having a glass of wine does not make you a "bad" or "unclean" person, just like drinking green juice doesn’t punch your ticket to heaven.

There is a massive, beautiful, nuanced space between the disease of alcoholism, excessive consumption, self-medication, social dependence, the familiar ritual, or simply enjoying a tasty beverage with friends. And frankly? I’m tired of the moralizing teetotaler party poopers acting like there's no middle ground.

Zest for Life vs. Health as Spirituality

Truthfully, this is why I always felt so at home in the Pilates world. For me, it stood in stark contrast to the yoga world of the early 2000s, which often felt like it was trying to proselytize health as spirituality. Pilates didn't do that.

Joe Pilates himself was a character—he famously loved his German schnapps, smoked cigars, and lived a robust, vibrant life well into his 80s. I found it incredibly refreshing to be in a method where people cared far more about your zest for life than how long it had been since you last ate a cheeseburger, had an Oreo, or knocked back a cocktail.

I remember being in a shop one day and overhearing an incredibly fit, spandex-covered blonde person boasting, "As a fitness instructor, I inspire my clients because I haven't had a drink in seven years."

I stood there thinking: I inspire my clients because if I do go out with the boys, I still wake up with the men and haul ass to class the next morning. I just couldn't relate to that holier-than-thou attitude.

My training roots reflect that exact attitude. Back when I was learning, every single Friday at noon in Drago’s Gym, we would break out the champagne. Without fail, every person in that studio—whether they were a teacher, a client in the middle of a reformer set, or a geriatric gymnast hanging from the trapeze table—would stop and toast with a Dixie cup of bubbles. It was about community, joy, and celebration.

Inherited Beliefs and the "Wine Mom" Trap

But as much as I loved the celebration, we also get an overwhelming amount of messaging from our families, society, and culture that quietly bakes itself into our habits. I think it’s always worth questioning those beliefs. To truly inquire of yourself: How do I feel about this? How true is this for me?

I learned about alcohol from my parents. From them, I learned that drinking could be relaxing, convivial, and fun—a nice little reward at the end of the day. But I also learned that alcohol is a tricky, unwieldy substance that is incredibly difficult for many of us to balance or control.

As I got older, that baseline collided with a massive cultural narrative: the "college party girl" turned "wine mom." You know the jokes, the memes, the signs in home decor stores. It’s a culture that normalizes a high volume of consumption under the guise of stress relief. For a long time, I swam in that sea. At one point, I could easily drink a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc by myself without feeling particularly impaired.

My first real "come to Jesus" moment happened years ago during my Pilates teacher training. It was a Tuesday afternoon, and I was so violently hungover that I was clutching the subway pole for dear life. During my weekly lesson, facing a series of inversions on the short box, I genuinely thought I might pass out or throw up on the apparatus. I decided then and there that I had absolutely no room for hangovers in my life, and thus, no room for excessive drinking.

But what actually qualifies as "excessive"? The official guidelines seem to change every five minutes, and the cultural goalposts are always moving.

The Marie Kondo Approach to Drinking

Years after that subway realization, I decided to truly take the reins. I wasn't looking to change my whole personality or adopt a dogmatic lifestyle, but I wanted clarity. So, I started counting my drinks each week.

Think of it like a Marie Kondo approach to alcohol: holding up the habit, looking at the data, and asking, Which of these drinks truly brings me joy, and which ones am I just having out of course of habit?

When I first tallied it up, my weekly number was 34.

Get ready, because that might sound like a lot to some of you. But the wildest part? When I started counting, I already felt quite moderate compared to my social circle. I didn’t "get drunk." I just had a vibrant social life, worked in environments where alcohol was present, and indulged in the daily ritual of winding down.

Seeing that number was a shock, but it was also incredibly freeing. I immediately cut it in half, spending quite a while in the 17-drinks-a-week range. From there, I set little goals for myself to bring it down to 10. (Which still sounds like a lot to some, but keep in mind, I still maintained one 10-hour bartending shift a week at the time. I had professional obligations!)

And after a while, moderation simply became my habit. Over time, I just became the kind of person who drinks less.

Now, it’s also true that I had a couple of babies during that timeframe, which makes it much easier to abstain for chunks of time—and also turns you into an absolute lightweight. But as all "wine moms" know, parenting stress is real. Giving yourself to other people all the livelong day makes you really, really want a grown-up treat for yourself at the end of it.

Today, as long as I’m under double digits for the week, I feel okay about it. But it is a constantly evolving process.

For a long time, it’s been my practice not to drink during the week. At first, that boundary caused a bit of "binge behavior" on Fridays. But I quickly realized that chugging Pinot Grigio at a Friday happy hour just gave me a raging headache by 8:00 PM, so I chilled out on that pretty fast. More recently, I noticed myself slipping back into a solo cocktail habit on weeknights, which immediately threw off my sleep and wrecked my skin.

It’s not just that I’m older and can't hang (even though I am older and definitely can't hang). It’s that I know myself better now. I am simply better at listening to my body.

Live Your Own Story

I am absolutely not here to encourage you to drink alcohol. If you don’t like it, or if choosing total sobriety makes you feel vibrant and alive, that is amazing. Do you. Healthy comes in many varieties.

But alcohol is not innocuous. It’s a powerful substance, and we shouldn't treat it mindlessly. At the same time, we shouldn't let internet strangers dictate our personal boundaries through shame and virtue signaling.

As we move into June, my challenge to you inside and outside the studio is this: Make sure you aren’t just following the beliefs of someone else. Make sure you aren’t accidentally living someone else's story just because they yelled it loudest on an Instagram Reel.

Listen to your body. Tune into your intuition. Let’s leave the judgment at the door and focus on what actually makes us feel whole.

hey hey, barrebabe,

i hope this finds you well even though it's 1) still a pandemic and 2) still freaking snowing and cold and 3) monday vibes can be stressy and weird. i get it! have some vitamins and think sunny thoughts, and we will get through this!

today i have for you some birthday-related reflections.

but first, please let me say that last saturday's post-class hang was SO FUN! seriously, shooting the breeze with you babes for a little while was warm and fuzzy and ultimately so rejuvenating for me. i love hearing about where you are and what you're up to, plus everyone is soooo interesting and badass. there is nothing better than having a community of rad babes and i am the luckiest in that department, so thank you all for showing up!

39 is divine

growing up, i was taught that after a certain, unspecified age, it was considered rude to ask a woman how old she is. since no one has asked me on the past few birthdays, apparently i have reached that age myself, but i don't mind telling you that i just turned 39 and feel pretty freaking awesome about it.

there's so much dumb negativity around age in our culture, particularly for women, and i'm calling bullshit on all of that, right now.

our bodies, priorities and interests change, but that doesn't automatically mean these changes must be shrouded in expectations of misery. while i may have more forehead lines at 39 than 25, i also have WAY better style, and while i may not be willing or able to drink 100 margaritas all night and be fresh as a daisy in the morning, i know how to take better care of my body overall, and it shows. overall, my experience of getting older has been that many, if not most, things get better, provided we are kind to ourselves (and do lots of pilates!)

obviously i'm nowhere near old yet (isn't 40 the new 21?) but there's plenty of pop culture out there that says otherwise. i found myself watching "sex and the city" the other night and thinking how foreign the characters seemed to me, fretting about their 36th birthdays and pricey shoes and such, and how much older than me they seemed. in the spirit of carrie (i love SJP, don't get me wrong!), could it be that my generation is redefining ageing for women?

i think maybe we are. but either way, it got me thinking that i'm actually living/slowly ageing proof that pilates, barre, and a beginner's mind really does keep us healthy and youthful, just like i learned from my incredibly gorgeous-at-all-ages pilates & dance teachers and other role models.

joseph pilates said "if your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you're old. if it's completely flexible at 60, you are young," and it so far seems to be true that we are only as old as our spines - and our dispositions - are limber. so wherever you are in your years, keep moving, keep learning, and please keep pulsing with me :)

that's it for now, babes. hope to see you onscreen soon!

with love & planks,
Annie

Hey Hey Barrebabe,

Greetings from newborn land! I hope this finds your 100th-ish day of pandemic life treating you well.

I'm writing you in one of the rare moments when both children are asleep (and I'm not a total zombie nap fiend - yet) just to check in with you. I miss you, babes! I've been stoked to see you're staying moving with your wonderful subs, and am especially glad to see my community standing up and supporting Black LivesMatter by taking donation classes, marching, and being loud about what's right. Keep it up, babes!

Sounding Board

I'd love to hear your responses, however brief, to the following questions (I'm including my responses up front, just in case I don't have time to type for another couple weeks):

Are you moving?
I am, just gently and a little bit each day. Right now it's a combo of a renegade glute bridge session on the floor while the baby naps, doing pliés and tucks while rocking her to sleep, and practicing pelvic floor lifts while breathing "shhhhhhh" to calm her down. Taking a few minutes at the end of the day when Papa is at the helm to foam roll, work with a band, or just wiggle and stretch. Every little bit counts. It's not for long, most of the time I'm not wearing workout clothes, and sometimes I can't do the other side until hours later, but if I waited until conditions were perfect to move, I'd always be waiting and never moving.

If so, when are you working out? When would you like to work out?
I grab 5 minutes whenever I can. In a perfect world I could wake up & workout for about an hour around 8 or 9 every. damn. day. What's your ideal workout length, time of day, day of the week?

How do feel after your class/work out?
Whole and energized. Happy in my own skin. When I move, I love what I see in the mirror and how it feels to live in my skin. The days when I don't move are when the stressy/negative/judgy thoughts creep in.

How do you want to feel after your work out?
You tell me. Sweaty and breathless and exhilarated? Energized and toned? Calm and refreshed and rejuvenated? Hungry? All of the above?

Please also feel free to share any feedback you have re: subs/playlists/props/videos. I'm all ears.

Get Up Stand Up

Being actively anti-racist is always important, but it's particularly urgent right now. I humbly offer two ways to do this:

1) Vote. The NYC Democratic Primary is tomorrow 6/23. My ballot's in. Make sure yours is, too. It's becoming literally a life or death situation.

2) Support Black and Brown causes, organizations and businesses. One very near to my heart is Cumbe Center for African and Diaspora Dance in Brooklyn. Donate or take online class with them. I do.

Baby pics!

We are all in love with sweet baby Ramona :)

Stay well, stay safe, and until we get to move together again, stay in touch!

All the best,
Annie

the “summer body” you *actually* want

Welp. It’s that time of year again.

Spring in New York City—long, light-filled, slightly chaotic, aggressively sneezy days. The trees are blooming, the temps are heating up, and right on cue… so is the “change your body because you need to be better” noise.

You know the vibe:
Get ready for summer 30-day shreds.
Bikini body challenges.
A million new ways to fix yourself before June.

From where I’m standing, this time of year is exciting and beautiful, but it can also feel… weirdly exposing and kinda shitty. The layers come off, the social calendar ramps up, and suddenly it’s “crap, these shorts fit last year…”

And the cycle of marketing directly to women’s socialized insecurities continues.

To be clear: there is nothing wrong with wanting to shed the winter layers and step into summer with ease and confidence. It’s just important to be sure that optimizing for booty shorts doesn’t deplete your energy or kill your soul.

Vanity isn’t evil—it’s just not enough on its own.

But my beef with this is the one-size-fits-all, do-more-try-harder, “optimize your entire existence because you are not enough” messaging that floods this season.

Because let’s be honest— most of that advice is not built for our actual lives. It’s built by and for single men with stock portfolios and few responsibilities who lead existences that could not be more different than my own cacophony of unread emails and people who have taekwondo and homework and playdates and emotions to manage who need their mama.

And not for nothing, we are all different. Our bodies are different, our goals, and our seasons of life all vary, as they ought.

So if you’ve ever thought there was something wrong with you because you can’t keep up with the 87 supplements, multistep morning routines and exhausting workouts, hear this:

It’s not you. It’s the model.

move smart, not hard

You don’t need to shrink your body to have a summer body. You don’t need to weigh less, lean out, or completely overhaul your body comp. There are a million ways to be attractive, and even more ways to feel good in your body.

But across the board, one thing consistently ranks at the top of both categories: confidence. And confidence doesn’t come from restriction, punishment, or even gaining others’ approval. It does comes from:

• an internal sense of capability

• comfort with discomfort

• self-trust.

This is where your movement practice comes in. When you exercise in such a way that helps you feel aware of and connected to your body, you build this confidence. When you recognize your progress and improvement over time when you meet and exceed challenges and feel ease and freedom in your own skin, you nurture this confidence. And when you prioritize posture, alignment and control (you know, like, doing actual Pilates) you project that confidence to the world.

Posture sounds stiff, stuffy, maybe old-school. But posture + lift = confidence.

When your body feels better, you look different. More open. More relaxed. More like yourself.

So I fail to see why we should exercise to the point of exhaustion just because that’s how some gym bros define their self worth, or why we should punish ourselves with restriction because some scrawny influencer swears by it.

why most “summer body” advice falls flat

Most of the advice out there fails for a few simple reasons:

• It works for the person selling it—and people exactly like them

• It assumes we all want the same thing (we don’t)

• It ignores the realities of women’s bodies—especially in peri/post-menopause

That last one matters.

Because so many women are out here being told they’re not doing enough—
not lifting heavy enough, not eating perfectly enough, not disciplined enough. When in reality, the opposite is more often the truth.

We’re doing a lot, holding a lot, and most of us are trying A LOT. And all this doing and striving saps our energy instead if multiplying it. If you’re doing all the things and the things are working, you probably don’t need even more intensity. You might need less stress.

Intense workouts, aggressive calorie deficits, fasting—all of that can spike cortisol. And when cortisol stays high, the body tends to respond with inflammation, water retention, fatigue, stubborn weight, and that frustrating feeling of “I’m doing everything and nothing is working.” This is a normal physiological response, not a character flaw. Sometimes the most effective thing you can do is stop trying to override your body—and start working with it.

what actually works

First: your workouts should leave you feeling better than when you walked in. Not crushed, not depleted. But lifted, clear, energized & with a spring in your step. Ready to take on the world.

If your workout is consistently leaving you exhausted, tight, or inflamed, it’s worth questioning whether it’s supporting your goals—or quietly working against them.

Second: you have to like it.

Not tolerate it, not dread it. Actually enjoy it. Because the best workout isn’t the most intense one—it’s the one you’ll actually keep doing. We still have a body to care for after summer is over. We still have to keep moving after the 30 day challenge is over. So you might as well do what you like.

(Bonus points if it happens in a room with good light, good people, dark green reformers and good vibes, just saying).

The Bottom Line

The “summer body” you actually want?

It’s not about being smaller.
It’s about feeling at home in your body.

Lifted. Connected. Comfortable. Confident.

You don’t need to punish yourself to get there.
You don’t need to earn it through exhaustion.

You can choose something that works with your life, your body, and your nervous system.

Try doing something that doesn’t totally suck. Your body—and your confidence—will thank you.

hi there, babe!

i hope this finds everyone well after the holiday weekend. i myself am busy preparing for our first flight as a family of 4. we're taking the littles to see their viejo & abuelita in texas for the first time since 2019 (and ramona's first time ever!) stay tuned to my instagram @barrebabemama for mini-burns and workout tips while i'm away because you know i will be all over a posture series after a (likely stressful) airplane trip!

this week's newsletter is short & sweet with some words about body image.

mirror mirror on the wall

y'all, the struggle is real when it comes to body dysmorphia, or the tendency to obsess over a perceived minor or imagined physical flaw. for me, it's more of a shopping problem than a confidence issue (i keep buying jeans online that are literally 2 sizes too big) but bdd is unfortunately a super common problem that can lead to extreme and unhealthful behaviors (and just too much stress.) when i don't love the image reflected back to me in the mirror or onscreen, i resist the urge towards panicky sit ups and spartan carb restriction and shift my focus instead with the following tips:

1) focus on what i like about my body and literally don't look at the rest for awhile. i remind myself that no one cares about what i look like nearly as much as i do, and i give myself some heartfelt compliments.

2) take a little extra time with something about my appearance that's easier to control, like blowing out my hair, matching my shoes to my hat, or wearing nice lipstick. it's good for morale.

3) focus on posture exercises (like "Y-T-W" arms or magic circle from class). posture practice boosts mood and body image almost immediately. plus, strength training, especially for booty, is particularly empowering towards giving less fs about looks and more about badassness.

4) pretend i'm a beloved friend, barrebabe, or baby ramona telling me she's feeling down on herself because of body image and immediately soften the tone of my internal monologue. i know i wouldn't want any of my babies or babes to EVER feel bummed about body stuff, and i include myself in that category. change starts from within!

that's it for now, babes. stay cool & keep pulsing!
with love & planks,

annie

hey, babes!

there is so much bullshit in my industry. yeah, i said it. i have long been uncomfortable with the tendency in the fitness world towards telling people how they should look, what they should want, and what their health and wellness goals should be. and too many instructors make holy grail claims that they know how to make everyone and their mother sleek, lean and cookie cutter perfect.

but true fitness is not about weight loss and dieting, intensity to the point of pain, or attaining someone else's idea of perfect.

it's about connecting to your body and feeling capable, strong, and beautiful in your own skin, which is so much more than fat vs. thin, old vs. young, pretty vs. not.

i know that bodies large and small, delicate and sturdy, round and angular can all be capable, strong and beautiful, and i know that my class can help them get there.

to that end, here are three mainstream misassumptions and how we challenge them in barrebabe world:

no pain no gain workouts are the only way

this approach comes from a worldview that assumes that life is hard and has to suck. rather, intensity should be an adjustable feature of anyone's exercise regimen based on where they're at, what they want, and how they feel that day. discomfort and challenge, like spicy peppers, are the exciting part of a workout, but they're definitely not the meat and potatoes.

imagine the difference in physiques of your average linebacker with, say, an olympic swimmer. both are athletes, both train hard and can do amazing things with speed and power. now think of what you are training for - is it explosive speed or marathon endurance? lifted, toned and smooth muscles or un-pinchable leanness? or do you train so you can feel healthy, confident, and hot in your favorite jeans? if it's the last one and it's not happening with your current exercise program, you might be going too hard for your unique body chemistry. chill out, be nice to yourself, and for chrissake respect your rest days and enjoy your uninflamed, balanced, strong & beautiful body.

its all about calories in vs. calories out

whatever. i believe in science, but i also believe that science is more complicated than this oft-repeated little equation. i don't know how many calories we burn in 45 minutes of barre, but i know that whole body workouts with relentless attention to form will burn more calories throughout the day, at rest and over time. and i don't have to measure exactly how many in order to feel the difference.

to each their own, but for me, i don't want to spend my life weighing my portions and foregoing the occasional frozen margarita to stick to the super-prescriptive diet program of some internet famous fitness model/body builder/chiropractor in order to bulk up my booty or trim down my waist.

every body is different and will respond differently to adjustments in quality, quantity and timing of food and exercise. while it's true that moving a little more and eating a little less will dramatically improve the health of many people in our country, when you are already at a healthy weight and not a total couch potato, this approach can cause unnecessary restrictions, unhealthy eating habits, ocd tendencies and other unproductive uses of your precious time and brain power.

fitness and wellness are about so much more than weight loss or gain, and i have long been a proponent of measuring what the internet calls nsv, or "non-scale victories." this means i keep my scale in a dusty corner somewhere and instead celebrate my ability to finish a set, the quality of my posture in my reflection in the screen, how i feel walking down the street in my leggings and how distracted my husband is when i wear booty shorts. these are all victories that don't require qualification of how much we should weigh or what size jeans we wear or how many carbs we eat or pounds we lift, and they certainly don't require inputting data into an app.

again, more power to you if counting and tracking and macros and supplements are your thing, but in my experience, i've been at my most sleek when i'm not thinking very hard about it and instead taking a gentler and more general approach of eating real food that i like and doing movement that i love every day.

fat is bad and unfit and unhealthy and we must not ever be fat

the fear of fat in the fitness industry has become itself a menace. yes, there is an obesity epidemic that is threatening many aspects of public health, but that doesn't mean that softer, rounder, larger bodies are necessarily any less capable, strong, beautiful or HEALTHY than small, lean, thin ones and it certainly doesn't make your average fitness trainer an expert on knowing who is healthy just by looking at them. i believe barre can help anyone reach their best body - it will help your body function as a beautiful unit and create muscles with a smooth and lifted look, no matter their size or shape.

variety is the spice of life, my dears, and training for thinness is SO 20th century. all bodies can be barrebabe bodies, amen.

anyway, babes, i love you how you are, and can't wait to move with you again.

with love & planks,

annie

hey hey, barrebabe,

holy summertime, batman! nyc (like the rest of the planet) is heating up quick this season, and while i personally love me some summer, i'm aware that's partially due to the extreme privileges of working in temperature-controlled studios, having a comfy, big-ish apartment with central air (for the first time in my life and it's absolutely everything i thought it could be & more), plus: ice, sun hats, and the freedom to take it slow. now that i've checked my privilege, today i have for you some words on abs & raising babies.

soft spots

we all have something about us that presents a challenge to the psyche or self-esteem, and for me, it was always my abs. i can remember as early as kindergarten age sucking in my little kid belly to appear thinner, a habit that would be reinforced by years of ballet training, 90's-era super skinny supermodels, and a culturally-inherited perfectionist mindset of self-improvement. i remember being told over and over to pull in, brace, or scoop my abs in to look better, to have good posture, to strengthen my core or perfect myself in whatever way. and when i started teaching, i, too, repeated this "always abs in" mantra, and while i still say it a lot, it's different now because i also cue to relax the belly. what an idea!

the thing is, all that clenching and gripping and trying so hard didn’t particularly change my abs. i certainly got stronger, but it wasn’t from sucking in all day and it really wasn't until i got pregnant with my first baby that my abs really started to respond to my efforts on their behalf. suddenly, once i wasn't so laser focused on keeping them flat all the time (which obviously wasn't going to happen for at least another 9 months), i suddenly found i could engage them more fully and deeply and could really feel the work, even as i got bigger and bigger. my low belly (that holy grail of pilates prowess) especially was “turning on” like crazy, and when it was time for postpartum healing, i came back to strength, ability and connection in that area - as well as flatness, eventually - like never before.

there are a few reasons for this that are also some key takeaways to share with you:
- perspective shift. since my abs weren’t going to get any flatter while pregnant (duh), i could let go of that goal and just focus on the work and honoring where i was that day. THIS IS KEY.
- learning to relax and breathe. i've said it before - in order for a muscle to strengthen, it must contract against a force. in order for it to contract properly, it must also lengthen properly. so practice relaxing the belly and pelvic floor on an inhale and contracting on the exhale. trust the relax phase and honor it - in life and in pilates!
- letting go of perfectionism and outcomes. once i shifted my focus from tiny flat abs to just being where i was, i was able to really make changes and rebuild a strong foundation that has served me ever since. focus on the feeling and let everything else go.

so what do abs have to do with raising kids?

well, for one, without the process of growing and birthing them, i might never have discovered these tools in such a deep way. and not for nothing, without having kids to care for, i might still care deeply about having fitness model flat abs instead of my own feminine, strong, reasonably toned and attainable midsection. loving my babies has helped me to love myself, too.

moreover, just as we set up for an exercise with excellent posture and apply modifications when we need them, so too do i try to set up my little ones for success without too much focus on the destination, so to speak. by exercising care towards the structure of their day, and adjusting when needed. by releasing thoughts of perfect kids or perfect mothering and just consistently showing up for them with positive focus. by relaxing, both with my babies by playing on the floor or wandering around with them in the yard but also relaxing any outsized expectations i might have of how they should be. of course, in life as in class, this is sometimes easier said than done. but when things get frustrating, i try to remember to relax and breathe and feel grateful for my problems because they are pretty great ones to have.

finally, i believe that mama's strength, confidence and sense of self worth sets a positive model for her children and benefits the whole family. we develop the tone of our inner monologue very early in life, and i try hard not to let negative self-image talk escape my lips or show through my actions around my little ones. for their sake, and my own.

that's it for today, babes. thanks for reading, and i hope to see you at the barre soon!
with love & planks,
annie

hey there, babe,

today's newsletter is all about transformations, and to be honest, i'm both excited and nervous to share mine with you. i'm always a little nervous to share "progress" selfies, not so much because i'm in my underwear (i actually have no shame) but because the whole practice of "look at me and how well i can pose for instagram" is at best a little silly and at worst can become obsessive, narcissistic, and deep in the murky realm of social media-induced self esteem weirdness.

truth is, i think vanity can be a great motivator, as long as it doesn't totally take over, and i'm excited to share the results of an unintended experiment on myself made possible by the pandemic: since giving birth to ramona last year, i have basically only done zoombarre/barrebabe method from home - no dancing, no gym, no running, no intense cardio, virtually no pilates apparatus, not even yoga or other classes  - and i've been decidedly unrestrictive in my diet and eating habits (quite the opposite, in fact - breastfeeding munchies and pandemic stress eating are real. i don't know my weight, but i know the few weeks i tried noom i was routinely clocking between 2300 and 2700 calories per day, which is really neither here nor there but is definitely not what i'd call restrictive).

behold my progress below and see what happens when you do barre and basically nothing else for a year.

progress, not perfection

with an eye towards postpartum body confidence, the selfies below were taken pretty much exactly a year apart. the left side photos are me about a week after ramona was born and the right side are candid, unedited shots from last week (if there's any doubt on the absence of photoshop, note the line from my apparently too tight leggings haha ). the last photos were taken a year after diego was born for comparison.

why i barre so hard

ok, so maybe i'm no bikini model, but:
1) i'm not done yet;
2) i'm pretty proud to have achieved some sweet results while going at my own pace through workouts of my own design that are chill, centering, empowering & feel-good instead of intense, exhausting, painful & punishing; and
3) i'm so grateful for my beautiful community of online barrebabes because i couldn't/wouldn't have done it without you!

seriously, because you showed up for you, i showed up for me too, and as much as i love barre, i never would've been so consistent without you. so thank you, babes 🙏

this all goes to reinforce my guiding tenets that the best workouts are the ones you'll actually do, and that you'll do them most when you love what you're doing and the energy of those you with whom you move.

the 39-year-old-with-2-kids body you see above was not earned through diets, detoxes or cleanses. it wasn't fought for with blood sweat and tears in bootcamp or by plodding away on a treadmill for hours. if you love those things and they work for you, i applaud and support you, but for those of us who don't jive with the traditional "no pain no gain" approach to fitness, the barrebabe method is here - and it works. i'm living, pulsing, planking proof.

that's it for now, babes. thanks for indulging me and i hope to see your gorgeous/strong/work-in-progress-not-perfection self at the barre soon!
with love & planks,
annie

hey hey, barrebabes,

i hope this newsletter finds you well, if a day later than usual. sweet little ramona had anepicfirst birthday weekend full of family, friends, parties and visits, and after so long with basically nothing fun to do, it felt equal parts awesome and exhausting to suddenly have such a robust social calendar.

it was incredibly energizing to see grandparents, cut cake with friends, and run around like the good ol' days (i mean,kind oflike the old days - now it's all strollers and the minivan and outfits i can squat in and flat shoes), but it also really highlighted for me how much i actually love our slower pace of life. as much as i thrive on some quality new york hustle, i've come to deeply rely on the beautiful simplicity of my quotidian rituals to keep me centered: laundry and houseplants, cutting fruit into tiny pieces and going for walks, playing with blocks and reading board books with small people, stretching on the floor and eating vegetables. as we enter a new phase of post-pandemic life, i'm thinking of ways to balance the rush with the quiet, am adjusting my schedule accordingly, and offer my insights to those of you who are in the same boat. happy reading!

a better normal

i don't think it's cool to make light of the pandemic -- too many have suffered and lost too much -- but it is in my nature to look for silver linings on at least a personal level, and i'm approaching this next phase of post-pandemic/working mother of two/creative creature & wife-hood with some takeaways from the past bizarre year in mind.

mostly, as i consider opportunities new and old, i'm trying to remember that in life, as in art, just because something is possible doesn't mean it's desirable. thus, here's what i'm keeping that i learned in quarantine times:

- health is everything. be grateful for health, care for health, do things to promote the health of others.
- friendships are the best part of life. nurture friendships, listen to friends, do things with them.
- time spent with family is never wasted time, especially as a parent. my babies will never need me again as much as they do right now, and all the other stuff (ambitions as well as dishes) can wait.
- slowness is good. it's good to not have plans always. it's good to stay home and cook. to consume less and waste less. excess less. focus more easily.
- it's good to travel less. to free the sky of so many airplanes for the sake of birds, to lessen the number of ships in the ocean so the whales can talk to one another, to reduce the cars on the roads so the air can clear.
- it's good to re-wild the world and allow the earth to rebalance itself. make decisions on both a personal and political scale that contribute to the health of nature and natural places.

some of these decisions are easier to make than others. it's hard to turn down opportunities, it's hard to feel like my career wheels are always spinning in place, and it's unpleasant for my dreamy little self not to be running off to go see wild places. i try not to consume plastic but i keep buying berries in their plastic containers anyway because we all love them. but balance is a process, and it takes a little something from every day to make it happen.

that's it for today, loves. be well, and i can't wait to see you on screen or in the studio soon!
with love & planks
annie

hey hey, barrebabes,

i hope this finds everyone well! today i have for you some words about vanity vs. virtue in the fitness/wellness realm, and a sparkling new playlist. happy reading!

no judgment

i don't know about your instagram feed, but my search results skew heavily towards super fit pretty people eating small amounts of expensive plants in very nice lighting and, while i fully realize that i, too, am yet another chipper small-ish blonde giving out unsolicited wellness advice, i'm calling bullshit on all the virtue-signaling superfood smoothies and unnecessarily intense workout plans and calorie goals.

i hear a lot of language eating & exercises habits that smack of what parenting expert amy mccready refers to as "blame shame and pain" words. from "i've been good lately, but then cake/cheeseburger/watermelon margaritas" and "i've been so bad, i haven't worked out all week" to more subtle/sinister cues about what so-and-so thinks you should be eating because she herself is paleo/vegan/gluten-free/counting macros/hasn't had a cookie in 5 years because she wants to "be an inspiration to her clients." (i actually met someone who told me this. i was honestly kinda bored).

here's the deal, babes: eating well and moving often are not in themselves virtues (nor is self-care). neither are small indulgences, second helpings or having bread and wine in the same meal actual sins. the best way to eat/move/find balance is always as unique as your own individual dna, and there are as many "right ways" to do it as there are stars in the sky. this spectrum of healthful practices help make us into better versions of ourselves, but they don't make us better than anyone else.

please hear this: i think it's cool that you are grain-free, plant-based, or obsessed with oat milk or keto casseroles. and i think it's cool that you do spinning and marathon running and hot piloxing and bootcamping every day - IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD. it's just that i think that often we're confusing vanity for virtue and it's not cool to be judgy of others.

rather, the virtues i see in fitness/wellness are:

patience - with progress and results
commitment - to the whole self
honor and integrity- being true to where your body is today
kindness - to the community moving around you

and i think that any time we reduce waste, limit excess, consume less, question labels, shop locally and mind the planet, we are making virtuous choices - and i think that how exactly you do that is up to you :)

finally, if you catch me being snooty about whatever the hell i just had for dinner, please - call me out. i am well aware of how lucky i am to have access to high quality local & sustainable food, just as i am well aware that having such an amazing crew of barrebabes show up regularly for my class is the biggest reason i am able to work out consistently. just say no to body shaming, food shaming, and most definitely to "no pain no gain" mentality!

music for your ears

i love music, and i love to share it with you, so until we can go out dancing at shows again, please enjoy my latest barre class playlist :)

that's it for today, my loves. let me know if there's a specific topic you'd like to read about here, and in the meantime, keep pulsing!
with love & planks,
annie

hey hey, barrebabes!

i hope this finds you healthy and well. today i have for you a few words about my take on "wellness," whatever the heck that actually means. happy reading!

i wanna be well

but i have some beef with the fitness and wellness industry, of which i am a part. it's a multi-billion dollar industry that seems to mostly consist of a lot of pretty and often quite white & privileged people telling others how to "live better" (yup, also me).

while there are plenty of well-meaning and knowledgable practitioners out there (me again), i see a lot of selling of snake oil, guru culture and charlatanism out there, so i offer to you a few tips/cautions that have served me in my own quests for "wellness," which, when you think about it, is a bougie, vague, catch-all term for everything you can buy that signals virtue, from dangerous detoxes to super cray eating & exercise regimens to very expensive supplements and skin care products. i'm a sucker for better living through internet holistic health, too, so i thought i'd share how i filter the onslaught of my instagram advertisements:

- know the difference between a health issue prevention strategy and a preventative health practice. especially know the difference between a public health issue and a preventative health practice. what i mean is, i might exercise a lot, fast occasionally, drink warm ginger tea and take vitamin D, all of which will help protect me from chronic disease, but these things won't help me not get sick with a disease like covid (or malaria, which i've totally had and it super sucks). while i don't run for a pill every time something hurts and rarely go to the doctor, vaccines and antibiotics save lives. medicating ailments that can be alleviated through lifestyle adjustments is a totally different issue!
- become familiar with the term "scope of practice" as it relates to credentials. be suspicious of those acting outside their scope. doctors do the diagnosing and prescribing. it's their job. i create & lead the awesome workouts, show you tools to connect you to your body, and refer you to appropriate practitioners as needed. that's my job.
- understand that doctors are humans with high level degrees. just because someone is a doctor doesn't mean they know everything, or even very much, about you/what you should be eating/how you should be moving. on the other hand, they are people who have learned a lot about the human body and probably have a more informed opinion than your average instagram yoga babe. the point is, listen to your body and intuition over anyone you meet on the internet!
- most people giving you advice about diet, exercise, etc. are just sharing what has worked for them. and just because someone looks the part doesn't mean they know jack about how to change your body. be wary of quick fixes, gurus and programs that seem too good to be true. take only what resonates with you and forget the rest. don't give your power away to anyone - you don't truly need their validation.

thanks for reading, babes, and for sharing your energies with me in all your ways. you are beautiful and awesome and i can't wait to move with you again!
with love & planks,
annie

hey hey barrebabes!

today I want to talk about abs!

reframe it: your abs

abs abs abs... there are a million reasons why our abs may not look quite how we wish them to. posture slumps, hormonal cycles, indulgent meals, too intense workouts, not enough rest, cocktails, and family/work stress - all of these regular parts of life, for various reasons, can hide your firm & fabulous abdominal muscles with a layer of puff. and this can be frustrating, especially when you're a leetle bit of a perfectionist (ahem, like me) or grew up in the 80s & 90s when it nearly every female celebrity was super duper tiny thin af (also me - the 80s part, not the skinny part).

something i've learned over time and oh so much trial and error is that obsessing gets us basically nowhere when it comes to abs. rather, the key is to focus on technique and let go of outcomes. i can't guarantee you super flat abs for life (nor can anyone else, so don't be fooled!) but i can promise that practicing excellent alignment and not focusing on unpinchable pancake flatness will help keep deep connection and strength in your center. so when the puffy layer finally does deflate, it will reveal a smooth, firm, functional low belly zone. 

reframing common abs cues is very helpful with this. movement teachers, myself included, often tell classes to "keep abs in," "pull navel to spine," or "hollow out the belly." real talk: this is lazy, shortcut language to get a roomful of people to get their breath, abs and pelvic floor muscles on board with whatever else they're doing and to try to make sure no one hurts their back.

truth is, you really don't want to try to stay like that permanently. if you've been taking my class for awhile, chances are your core muscles already do their job, and who has ever seen any improvement from walking around with their abs sucked in all day? not i, says the ex-ballerina with teenage body image issues. in fact, over time, keeping your abs cinched in can impede both movement and breath and lead to pelvic floor issues. not cool.

instead:

 - focus on moving/standing/walking with great posture.

 - bring your pubic bone into the same plane of space as the front of your hip bones.

- relax abs and pelvic floor muscles on your inhale. contract, lift, and engage on your exhale. 

try it. now. with hands on the bones of your pelvis to sense their placement, check in with your alignment while seated, standing, walking, doing dishes, painting a wall, etc. if you, like me, tend towards a slight sway back or anterior pelvic tilt when standing, you will feel a lift in low belly when you bring pubic bone forward. if you, also like me, tend to slump a little when seated, bringing your pubic bone back to line up with hips will feel like a similar lift. no grip, no clench, certainly no stress, just your good 'ol postural alignment serving you well.

and someday, when i stop breastfeeding and/or eating snacks like a teenage boy, my abs will look fabulous and yours will too and we'll all go to the beach!

that's it for today, babes. take care of yourselves, do good and righteous things, and i'll see you at the barre!
with love & planks,
annie

hello, barrebabes!

introducing... drumroll please... the barrebabe method! i am so pleased to announce that after 7 years (or is it 8?) i finally have a name for my spicy juicy barre classes!

(like, duh! of course that's the name of my work!)

bbm classes are empowering, body positive all-levels workouts based in pilates, the lotte berk method, ballet, yoga and a little special sauce :)

Why barrebabe with me?

for one, i am trained as hell and always learning more, from my master's in dance and my classical pilates certification to my years of experience and continuing education in pre/postnatal corrective exercise and myofascial release.

i'm also living proof that my chill, alignment-focused approach to exercise works: i've pretty much put humpty-dumpty (aka me) back together again after two babies, and there are few things i love more than helping others look & feel amazing in their own skin - without the crazy/intense/restrictive/punishing/no pain no gain nonsense.

indeed, my classes are the foundation for a a lifelong daily movement practice meant to connect you to your body and keep you strong, flexible, toned, and pain-free all over, no matter your age, reproductive status, or current fitness level, and my aim is to share my knowledge, love of movement and good vibes with you as often as you'll let me.

and, not for nothing, i believe that the best exercise is the one you'll actually do and do consistently, which will only happen if you love what you're doing.

also, i'm funny and kind, and i really do want you to feel awesome when you're working out with me!

Plus! I offer you pancake recipes!

pancakes

i've never been much of pancake person (i'm personally more of a biscuit babe) but diego has been very keen to make them lately. i don't love starting my day with a bunch of flour and sugar, but can't resist his sweet little self standing on a chair stirring batter and handling eggs withthemost intense focus, so, after a few instances of mood swings and dizziness from blood sugar crashes, i've finessed a more balanced, less carb-y, gluten and refined-sugar free version that i'm pleased to share with you:

heat a griddle or cast iron pan over medium low heat. combine 1 1/3 cups almond flour with a tsp of baking powder, 1/4 tsp of salt and a healthy shake of cinnamon in a small bowl. in another bowl, beat 2 eggs, 1/3 cup of milk/mylk, a tbsp of maple syrup, a capful of vanilla and an optional mashed banana. stir in the dry ingredients. (batter should be just a bit liquidy, feel free to add more milk if needed.)

melt a little olive oil or butter in your pan and pour a 1/4 cup of batter onto the pan. cook for about 3 minutes, watching for bubbles to appear on top, and flip. you may need to adjust heat downward with each pancake if the outsides are burning. keep warm on a plate wrapped in a cloth until serving with more fruit and maple syrup. and then kiss your fingers like a chef and have a bunch of chill calm energy for a long time because almond flour is awesome!

hey there, babes,

the sun is out, the moon is full, and so we enter into what is, for me at least, one of the more intense seasonal shifts as we emerge from our sleepy winter dens, shed our protective layers and rev it up for the spring. don't get me wrong - i strongly dislike winter, and love anything that brings me closer to long, languid summer days, heat and bare skin and irresponsible sandals.

but spring itself, for all it is an exciting, colorful and tantalizing relief from the desolate grind of winter, it's also mercurial, aggressive, and can't be trusted to play nice.

and it makes sense - it takes massive gumption and energy for all those tiny green plant shoots to bust up through the cold hard earth and get their growth on, and i find i feel a similar mix of fomo, irritability and breathtaking exhaustion in these early days of spring. i want to be outside all the time, but i tire quickly and intensely. my skin is shiny but my scalp is dry. the apartment is chilly, but it's warm out of doors - you know what i'm talking about.

we are children of nature, and our hormones and systems respond in kind to changes in environment. we are not the same all year round, nor should our food and daily rituals be. to assist in these perfectly natural shifts, i humbly offer some tips and a go-to recipe that helps me re-adjust for the new season and a few words about barre class as functional fitness.

happy reading!

live and let liver

i don't know about you, but the longer days (and a postpartum/pandemic year) make me want to wear my summeriest (and smallest) clothes, to be out allllll the time soaking up the nicer weather, and to drink fancy drinks on patios. but the fact is, it's still cold, and we need nourishment at a basic level to truly be ready for spring (and fit into our booty shorts):
- stay warm. ayurvedically speaking, wind is just as unsettling to the body as cold, so keep ankles covered and protect ya neck until it's over 70.
- sleep. at night because our organs like nighttime to rest & refresh themselves. to assist in this, i *try* to do a mini-fast from both food and phone every evening from at least 8pm-8am.
- eat a spring soup (recipe below) or similar warm, restorative, bitter & sweet foods.
- give the liver a break and chill on the wine. moderation always and a few consecutive days off from alcohol can go a long way in helping the body to rebalance.

annie's kale and sweet pea spring soup:
1 bunch of kale, chopped
half a package of frozen peas
a small onion
around 3-4 cups broth of choice (i'm homemade bone broth girl, but vegetable stock is super yum for this) and/or water
butter or olive oil for sauté
optional milk/mylk for a little creaminess
salt, pepper, garlic (fresh or powdered) and/or ginger (fresh or powdered) - to taste

sauté your onion for a bit, then add your fresh or powdered aromatics. add the kale and peas and cook for a few minutes. add liquid and bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, covered, for about 20-25 minutes. add optional milk or alternative (i like coconut) and blend with immersion blender. adjust seasoning and enjoy your pretty, green & v healthful lunch :)

actions speak louder

it's been oft-repeated that we are what we eat, but i think perhaps even more pertinent is that we become how we move. i say a lot in class that the way we work out is the way we design our bodies, and that by focusing on excellent form and being super present in our workouts, we can make new neuromuscular pathways that effectively change how our bodies function over time.

we already know that we spend an historically unprecedented amount of time in spinal flexion (sitting at a computer, looking down at the phone, feeding a baby, writing, playing most musical instruments, woodworking and artmaking, driving...) when we practice lifting, broadening and opening up our posture and strengthening the back of the body, we help to save ourselves from the negative effects of a lifetime of flexion, such as hunchbacks, headaches, poochy bellies, pelvic floor troubles, sleepy glutes and bummed out hamstrings, to name a few.

clearly, how we exercise has health ramifications far beyond calorie burn and 6 pack abs, and i wanted to highlight some of the not-so-obvious ways class prepares us for a lifetime of badassery (and inspire you to come move with me) so, in no particular order:

- single leg and foot/ankle exercises = great balance. having good balance is not only handy for preventing falls as our bones age and become more delicate, it also recruits smaller, harder-to-talk-to muscles that result in awesome looking legs and less joint pain.

- pelvic tucks = healthy pelvic floors. literally and figuratively, maintaining our connection to these deep strong core muscles also maintains their tone and function and keeps us out of various kinds of pain, which in turn keeps us confident, energized, and sexy as hell.

- all the booty exercises = all that booty. the more i learn about pain, particularly in the context of postpartum healing and posture, the more i realize how important the posterior chain in general and the glutes specifically are for basically everything. and it's a gift of nature that strong & functional butts also look rad, so even if your motivations are more cosmetic than rehab focused, everybody wins.

- moving in and through different planes of space = better overall mobility. our daily movement patterns tend to be pretty limited (unless we're actual acrobats, ninjas or toddlers) and since mobility is a move-it-or-lose-it type of deal, it's paramount to work in various planes of motion frequently. we do a great deal of this in barre (side/reverse planks, mermaid, twists or pretzel, anyone?) and i always endeavor to switch things up and keep it fresh.

music for your ears

i love music, and i love to share it with you, so until we can go out dancing at shows again, please enjoy my latest barre class playlist :)

anyway babes, that's it for now. stay rad, do good and righteous things (and keep wearing your mask)
with love & planks,
annie

hello loves,

i hope this finds you safe, healthy, and content after the ritual feasting last week.

rewilding

if you've been reading my newsletters for awhile, you know i care deeply about the health of the earth and environmental justice, and if you've been paying attention to climate change news, you know the world is in desperate need of "rewilding," or returning land to a more wild, balanced, and natural state. this fulfills a dual need for ceasing the death of biodiversity and creating necessary carbon sinks.

root to heavenis a new nonprofit project dedicated to this aim and more, by working with indigenous cultural leaders to plant 1,000 (native) trees for 1,000 tribes across the globe. from their site:

"We recognize that indigenous people from all over the planet have been deeply violated by colonization, industrialization, globalization, and the misuse of the economy. With great respect and in the spirit of reparation, we wish to return to these Earth Keepers the resources which are most valuable to them so they may continue to carry out their sacred work on behalf of all of us and with our full support and acknowledgement."

how badass is that?

if you have a needed, fascinating, or otherwise aligned project, let me know!

planty snack

and on an adjacent note, apropos of nothing, here's a filling, healthful proteiny plant-based snack/side/topping for you:

toasted chickpeas
preheat oven to 400 degrees
drain and rinse a can of chickpeas
dry them as best you can - it's cool if the skins come off
arrange on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil
shake on salt, pepper, cumin, paprika and garlic powder to taste
roast for about 20 minutes or so, tossing once

so crispy and yum!

that's it for now, babes. stay safe, wear a mask, and i'll see you on the interwebs!

keep pulsing,

Annie

hello hello babes,

this will necessarily be short, as the baby finally went down for a nap for who knows how long. today i have for you a few words for morale, and - by request - a recipe.

i realize we are all totally inundated with emails, online content and web advertising SO I just want to say:

you are doing great. these are unprecedented times and stressful ones in a million ways, and there is no way to be perfect at pandemic life. you are a beautiful person who matters a lot to the people around you, and you do good and righteous things. i appreciate you so much. keep your head down, chin up & we will get through this insanity together.

And no, because sometimes this also helps:

let me eat cake

i was joking in class the other day that i'm making progress on my abs but you can't tell because i've also been making cake (because, balance!) so, while i've been dutifully eating spiced cooked apples for breakfast and minding my portions (because, ayurveda) i've also basically eaten the following cake in its entirety. my baking is normally gluten-and refined sugar-free, but i used both regular flour and actual sugar in this and while it was delicious it was extra addictive - i could tell the difference in both my self control and abs after! this recipe makes a lot, so plan to share:

pumpkin cake
preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 baking pan. dust the pan with flour.

cream 1 stick of softened butter and 1/4 cup coconut oil with 1.5 cups of light brown sugar. add in 2 eggs and a good slug of vanilla extract and beat. (i don't have a mixer and used my food processor instead). then add one small can of pumpkin (i always use libby's).

combine 2 cups of flour with a tsp each of baking soda & baking powder, 2 tsp each of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and ground clove, and some salt. mix thoroughly, then add to wet ingredients. pour into the pan, spread smooth and then bake for 25-30 minutes (test the center with a toothpick).

meanwhile, make frosting! soften half a package of cream cheese and half a stick of butter and combine with a cup of powdered sugar, 1/2 cup maple syrup, a tbs of lemon juice and a little salt and vanilla. let the cake cool before you frost it.

enjoy. and then take lots of barre classes!

hope to see you soon, loves!

do good and righteous things, vote early and be excellent to each other!

love,
Annie

Hello Babes,

I hope this finds everyone well and staying safe during the madness that is right now. I know you don't need one more person telling you to wash your hands, so I just have a couple of announcements for you today.

pandemic precaution
As of today, I am taking a 2 week hiatus from teaching in-person classes and sessions in order to best look out for Ms. Baby and my immune system, which can be a bit delicate during pregnancy. This wasn't an easy decision to make, but it does feel like the right one.

Classes are still on at Chalk Gyms, but due to pregnancy my particular classes are suspended as of Monday 3/16 for the next week or 2 (hopefully not much longer than that!)

With certain exceptions, classes are on at East River Pilates, but for the next 2 weeks, the majority of my classes will be taught by one of our amazing instructors.

Keep Moving

Exercise in general and Pilates specifically has proven benefits for the cardiovascular, respiratory, and immune systems and can help us keep sane and grounded during times of upheaval, uncertainty, and cabin fever. Joseph Pilates had a lot to say about the deep health benefits of his method of training that go beyond excellent abs. One of my favorite Joe stories comes from when he was interned as prisoner of war in England during the influenza epidemic of 1918. He developed a good deal of his mat work at this time, and trained other POWs in his methods. When the flu hit and killed thousands of people, he was proud to say that not a single one of his trainees died. (!)

Legends aside, we can all feel better by staying active. I'm still working out the kinks, but starting at the beginning of next week, I will be offering barre & Pilates classes through Zoom for a nominal fee during the pandemic (and I offer steeper discounts to those who are on unpaid leave at this time). So come pulse and sweat and burn with me without leaving your apartment!

If you'd like to join in on a class, please hit reply with your name and ideal time of day to work out. Recorded classes will be available to those who can't attend live. Stay tuned/keep en eye on Instagram for class formats and times.

In the meantime, be vigilant, take care, and remember that we are all in this together!

With love & hand sanitizer,
Annie

Hey hey, barrebabes,

So many things to tell you today! I have announcements, an oft-requested playlist for your listening pleasure, and my very own Rough Guide to Prenatal Exercise.

Before we get to all that, though, I want to follow up on a previous post about pelvic floor strengthening and the Perifit (pelvic floor trainer) device. While the Perifit has definitely been effective for me, I must caution against using it much while pregnant because of the proximity of the womb to the low level radiation from the bluetooth antennae on the device. (The company also issues this warning, which I discovered after a little digging.) I'm an everything-in-moderation kind of girl, so I still use it for literally a few minutes each week or two (i.e., no longer than an ultrasound would take), but have also purchased kegel weights for a more analog approach to pelvic floor strengthening - and, of course, I do a lot of Pilates! I treat my brief kegel weight sessions like I would lifting weights with my hands - with focus, attention to whole body alignment, and rest in between sets. And I'm looking forward to getting back into the Perifit groove after Ms. Baby arrives in May :)

drumroll please

March is Women's History Month, and I'm honored to announce that our very own barrebabe/journalist Sabrina Franza will be featuring my class on News 12! Filming will be in class Wednesday, March 11th at 10am. Come one, come all! (And don't worry if you prefer not to be on camera - as much as I'd love to feature your beautiful badassness, there will be a designated section for those who would rather not be filmed to take class.)

Rough Guide to Prenatal Exercise

One of the best parts of my job is that I get to work with people, mainly women of childbearing age, to empower them in their bodies, fitness and wellness goals. While every woman and every pregnancy is unique, I've noticed some common experiences and misconceptions about prenatal exercise, what is and isn't safe and when, and what to expect while you're exercising pregnant. Moving mindfully throughout my first and now second pregnancy has saved my sanity, kept me grounded and connected to my body, helped me deal with common pre/postpartum discomforts, and made my recovery to full strength and a better-than-ever body relatively easy. It's important to remember though that pregnancy is not the time to strive for a personal best record or really any other goal aside from feeling better, strong, connected, and confident.

To that end, here's my rough guide to caring for your prenatal body through movement.

Tip #1: YOU'RE STILL YOU
The main thing is to understand that the physical changes of pregnancy are both gradual and constant. You don't suddenly become a different person with a totally different body and strength level the second you get pregnant, or enter your second or third trimester. The body changes a little bit each day, and it's important to be able to check in with and listen to your body, to adapt to the changes while maintaining a sense of self and center.

Tip #2: YOU ARE THE BOSS
Pregnancy is an amazing opportunity to develop pathways of communication with your body and to learn to decode and trust its signals, and it's good to remember that YOU know best what's right for YOU. Unfortunately in our culture, it's also a time of heavy policing by the outside world. Coworkers, relatives, friends, blogs, Pilates instructors, even doctors can all make suggestions, provide guidance and counsel, direct you towards research-backed beneficial practices, but ultimately, you are the goddess of your own garden and will know what's right for you.

Tip #3: DO it while it feels right, STOP when it doesn't
Many commonly repeated prescriptions for what to/what not to do are too reductive, too general, and need to be understood in the context of our litigious society and cultural tendency towards extremes. Most pregnancy advice veers towards the conservative because of course no one wants to be responsible for a negative outcome for a pregnant woman or her baby, but also for CYA purposes so as not to get sued. Moreover, it's impossible to account for each individual woman and her unique conditions, and pretty much the only thing that's safe for everyone to do an extreme amount of while pregnant is sleep. But when it comes to movement that you care about and are proficient in, there are really no hard and fast rules about exactly when to stop (see Tip #1).

Take planks, for instance. Planks are not recommended exercise for pregnancy because they can place too much pressure on already stretched core muscles and contribute to diastasis rectii, or the thinning of the linea alba ligament that joins the sides of the abs together. But unless and until the core is stretched to the point that the center cannot hold, planks are great isometric strengthening exercises for the core muscles which actually helps prevent diastasis.

Precisely when the pregnant core should stop planking is different for every body. For me, planks are pretty much an every day occurrence in both my profession and my movement practices, and, being injury-free, it would stand to reason that my body might be able to plank a little longer into my pregnancy than someone brand new to working out. But even I am careful to stop when it feels like my form is suffering, because it's better to abstain than to do something with poor form.

Tip #4: Mindfully Modify
following this order:
1) Decrease duration/reps. Even in the first few weeks of pregnancy, the body is building blood (blood volume increases by 50% during pregnancy!), growing a baby and a placenta, and going haywire prepping for the weeks to come. This can lead to feeling winded or lightheaded during activity much, much faster than normal, and it's imperative to listen to those signals and take rest breaks as needed.

2) Modify form. As the body changes, familiar exercises are going to start to feel different as well. Pay close attention to maintaining perfect form, and if it doesn't feel right, change position to make it work. This might mean bringing one or both knees to the mat instead of holding a full plank, or making movements smaller, or sticking to single leg lift variations rather than double. This is really where a session with a qualified movement professional can come in handy!

3) Omit what your body doesn't need so you can focus on what it does need. Meaning, feel empowered to skip exercises that place undue stress on your core muscles and focus instead on deep breathing while engaging pelvic floor and transverse abs. Avoid exercises that require laying on the belly or that move directly from laying down to sitting up or vice versa and focus instead on strengthening your side body muscles and lateral hip muscles. Eventually, you'll omit abdominal flexion exercises (because really, they won't even make sense after awhile) and focus instead on strengthening the back and hips in extension. Focus on what your body wants and needs, not what it (temporarily) would rather avoid.

Other things to keep in mind:

1) Stay connected to your body. For me, the best way to do this is to keep moving, and everything from gentle stretching to hip circles to even a body scan-type meditation counts. When you mindfully move your body you keep the pathways open for you to listen to its messages and are better able to determine and provide what it needs.

For me, I've found the following signals and remedies to be useful:
feeling lightheaded in class ---> rest
feeling sluggish ---> do some gentle cardio
low back pain or heavy-feeling legs feel heavy ---> work lateral hip muscles, booty & hip extension
shortness of breath when sitting or relaxing ---> activate posture and breathing muscles, side body work, upper body tension release
pelvic floor pressure ---> time to chill
2) Roll with the changes and understand that they are gradual. A 12 week pregnant body is different from a 24 week pregnant body which is different from a 38 week pregnant body. Blanket prescriptions like "pregnant women shouldn't run/lift weights/planks/twist/do abs" are simply too general to matter to your unique, *trained* pregnant core. I think the main reason they are so oft-repeated are because 1) at the extreme of pregnancy, these movements are neither possible nor desirable; 2) there are better exercises for pregnant bodies that need attention while pre-pregnancy goals can take a backseat for a little while 3) in a class or group exercise setting, it's best to teach in the most conservative way possible to protect both their participants from injury and themselves from liability. Again, listen to your body, modify for duration, then form, then omit!
3) Prioritize movements that:
-connect you to your core (like TVA breathing and pelvic tucks)
-stabilize the pelvis (like leg lift variations in quadruped)
-mobilize the spine and major joints (like cat-cow, hip circles, shoulder rolls)
4) train the back of the body (booty-strengthening exercises, working with hips in extension, upper back and chest opening exercises
5) focus on your sides (like strengthening in side planks and mermaid stretches)
6) prioritize posture both throughout movement in general and specifically with Pilates exercises like chest expansion or serratus pushups.

Whew, that's a lot to do!

and, finally, a playlist

A little love, from me to your ears: 2020 no. 2

Send me your questions, feedback, hopes dreams and desires - I want it all! Thanks for reading :)

With love and (modified) planks,
Annie