this is what democracy looks like

I am still reeling from the amazing energy of the marches this past weekend, feeling hopeful in a get-shit-done kind of way instead of a please-don't-let-this-be-happening way. I was honored to march with my brilliant mother, my aunt, my cousin/best friend, and my rad stepsisters, one of whom is even more pregnant than me and still kept up for the 8 miles we walked that day. And, my stalwart stepdad slayed it by staying home with the grandbaby and making sure dinner was on the table by the time we got home after 10 or so hours outdoors. Anyway, here's a few shots to share with you from DC - I'd love to hear about your experiences, too!

Stay Rad,

Annie

Dear Strong and Beautifuls,

Fitness and health is about so much more than weight loss, thigh gap, and bikini bodies, but it is very much about feeling comfortable in our own skin and working towards total confidence and wellbeing. To that end, and because this is a complaint I've been hearing about a lot lately, I humbly submit my personal method to identify eating habits that aren't working for you and shifting them towards those that do. Remember, I'm not a nutritionist, so these really are my personal tips (and the program I plan to follow next fall when I'm trying to get my jeans to fit again).

- Identify the culprit(s). Write down what you consume and how it makes you feel, bearing in mind that noticing how and when you eat and how you feel afterwards is as important as what you're actually eating and how much. Scarfing a burrito waiting for the subway is, for many of us, a shortcut to a stomach ache and belly bloat - not to mention kinda gross - whereas the same burrito, enjoyed morsel by morsel, sitting down, actually just covered all your food groups and delivered a bunch of useful nutrients, energy, and pleasure to your brain & bod. It's the same with wine - chugging a bottle solo watching an episode of Friends is different than sipping the same bottle over a few hours giggling with actual friends, no?

- Write down everything you consume for a few weeks (i use Notes on my iphone, but putting actual pen to paper is good, too) and then do weekly assessments. This could mean trading food journals with a buddy, seeing her take on your habits and vice versa, counting culprits by tallying how many times that week you ate pizza or drank beer, or simply noting your mood and constitution after eating or drinking. The biggest clue that the food itself or the way it was consumed is a problem for you is if you have stomach issues, including visible belly bloat, or feel crappy after eating it - including if you feel depressed, tired, or hungry.

- Count up food groups or types and use that info to steer you towards improvements. For instance, if I ate wheat 20 times in a week and vegetables 7, I can clearly identify an imbalance and take steps to correct. Armed with quantifiable data, it's much easier to decide between the quesadilla and the salad, or to dessert or just nibble some fruit. Plus, it's fun to set little goals for yourself and track your improvements, such as knocking a few drinks off the weekly tally or eating vegetables more than grains and starches.

As you get to know your patterns, you'll find ways to make informed decisions that change as you do, and while it takes a little mindfulness, it's not exactly what I would call difficult to do. I definitely wouldn't call it a diet, which is often a temporary change with temporary effects. Everyone is different and so are her needs and tastes in food & fitness, so get to know yourself before the next juice cleanse, elimination diet, or keto week.

*

ME as an example!

It's open to interpretation how you want to count, but I've found that a bit of simple data analysis gives me a clear idea of what I'm actually eating and how it works for me - i.e., its effects on my digestion, energy, and how it makes me feel overall. For me, it's been helpful to count food groups (vegetables, fruits, grains, protein, fats, sugar) to see what my "culprits" are, culprits being things that don't agree with me, aren't in line with how I want to be eating, or are just plain excessive. I can also see how frequently I'm having them, or if there's just some imbalances that need correcting. Once I've figured out what the culprits are, I tend to break down my categories even further. For instance, this is usually what my tally list looks like, with my 3 culprits listed first:

Sugar - normally 3, now about 7
Booze - well, not anymore
Wheat - normally 4, more like 8 while pregnant
Legumes - 3
Dairy - 17 (includes Greek yogurt)
Red Meat - 3
Poultry - 5
Fish/seafood - 4
Eggs - 2
Rice, potatoes, corn, gluten-free grains & starches - 11
Veggies - 17
Fruit - 10
Other (usually includes the occasional protein bar, whey protein powder, nuts, random grains, pork, or something else that doesn't fit neatly into the other categories because I don't often eat it).

For me, any more detail gets overwhelming, but to each her own. Since I've been pregnant, I've started tallying my workout hours as well. The numbers are not meant to be a guideline for you, just a glimpse into what I'm up to :)

cut the culprits
Now you know what you're eating, what you could be eating more/less of, and have a general snapshot of your actual diet. So what's next? It's a little different for everyone, but it seems that for many of us fitness-minded healthy babes who are still struggling with low energy, belly bloat, a few nagging pounds, joint pain, skin problems, etc., there are a few top typical culprits. Obvi, I'm not a doctor and can't diagnose you, so please take the following tips for what they are, which is lessons learned from my personal experience and research. Listen to your body and trust it - it will always tell you the truth, and nothing that I or Oprah or Gwyneth Paltrow say should supersede that.

That said, my personal method is to attack the culprits in a particular order, rather than scrap them altogether and feel frustrated, deprived, or imbalanced. Here's the first phase of my strategy:

1) Nix sugar first. It seems to me that sugar wreaks more havoc on the body than any other single substance (except booze, but if you're drinking like many of us consume sugar, that is a topic for a different newsletter. I'm pretty sure even the party girls aren't lacing their lattes with whiskey every day or ending each meal with a tequila shot treat. Not unless you're on vacation, anyway). The unscientific way of understanding this is to recognize that sugar and sweeteners are processed (yes, including agave nectar and Sugar in the Raw), which makes their effects on the body extra intense compared to naturally sweet stuff. Even a small amount can throw your blood sugar and hormones temporarily but meaningfully out of whack. When you're trying to regulate and balance, the last thing you want is a major upset to your system.

Because of this tendency to abnormally spike blood sugar and disrupt hunger hormones, sugar is pretty much the only thing for which I advocate the cold turkey approach. I vow to remove it entirely for a week and see how far I get before someone offers me a cookie I can't refuse - usually 3 days will do the trick. In the meantime, I make a couple other small changes that make this process easier:

1) I replace sugar things with fat - such as taking my coffee with a little cream or half & half instead of sugar. This helps satiate the belly and the palate with no major effect on blood sugar. I'll also add healthy fats to all my meals such as avocado slices, butter on steamed vegetables, or nibbling a little cheese or olives to keep me full and feeling level and energetic.

2) I put off eating or drinking anything sugary or that has a sugar-like effect in the body (aka something that rapidly raises blood sugar), including fruit, grains, and starches until later in the day. I don't actually eat low-carb or even grain-free, I just save it for later, usually post workout. I often eat fruit before night classes because my particular body practically yells for it every late afternoon, but I abstain when I'm trying to recalibrate.

These are temporary sacrifices. This restriction isn't meant to last forever, so after you've recalibrated your internal balance and really gotten to know what does and doesn't work for you, it is perfectly good and reasonable to eat fruit or carby things whenever you want or need them. I've just found this take-no-prisoners approach to be a helpful method for sugar detoxing, which is the first and, for many of us, the most crucial step.

(FYI, I'm not doing any of this while pregnant except limiting sugar, kind of. These days, I have to eat carbs all day long or Mr. Baby lets me know he needs them!)

*

In our world, food and choices about what and how to eat are so plentiful that it's easy to find ourselves mired in too much advice, conflicting strategies, unhealthy habits, and harsh self-criticism about how "good" or "bad" we've been. Rather than follow the latest gospel of "healthy" eating (although I do like to stay up on recent research), I think it's important to remember that everyBODY is different and that the best way to improve your health through food is to understand what you, as an individual, need.

That's the real foundation for why I keep track of what I consume, note how it makes me feel, and try to identify patterns therein. After we get a handle on what's what, it's actually pretty easy to see where we can make adjustments to suit our lifestyle and current needs that are often more pleasurable than they are painful or difficult. Aside from sugar, which I discussed a few weeks ago (hit me up if you'd like a recap and I'll resend), the order of what you trim and how is pretty much up to you. I'd bet if you're paying attention, you already have some ideas of how to adjust things to get them to work for you (if not, I'm more than happy to help). Here's a few more common culprits and triggers I've noticed in myself and others and my ideas for how to deal with them:

wheat. So delicious, so prevalent, and so not necessary to eat every day. I don't demonize gluten (for non-Celiacs) except insofar as it's a sticky plant protein that is inherently rather difficult to digest and can cause chronic low-grade inflammatory responses in many people. I think of a wheat product as a great source of carbohydrate energy that is not a great source of actual nutrients. If I'm trying to reset my system, lose a few lbs., or clear up my skin & my mind, I skip it entirely. I also tend to limit things that pretend to be wheat, like gluten-free breads & pastries. Otherwise, I save it for special-ish occasions and things I really love, like fresh pasta a couple times a month or that flaky paratha bread at Café Mogador. (Until I got pregnant, that is - now me & Mr. Baby's carb needs outweigh any qualms I have with wheat, so I just eat the darn gluten for simplicity's sake and deal with it.)

dairy. If dairy doesn't work for you and that makes you sad, here's a few adjustments I've made that can help. (If you're allergic, though, you'll have to check with a nutritionist or doctor before giving these a whirl. Duh.) First, get choosy about your sources. Organic is good, but grass-fed is better. Milk from grass-fed animals has a very different (better) nutrient profile and just might not mess with your insides like the regs does. Also, keep the fat. I can attest from experience that eating lowfat yogurt for breakfast used to bum me out because I'd always be hungrier after and I never understood what the rage was all about. Then I discovered the satisfying near-decadence of full-fat Greek yogurt. Major life-changer for me and has saved me throughout my pregnancy - just a few spoonfuls do the trick. Plus, lowfat dairy has been linked to diabetes. Nope, not kidding. Go ahead and Google it if you're curious.

corn, ancient grains, and other staple starches. Other people who are smarter and more well-researched than I am have written about corn (namely Michael Pollan) but in our gluten-fee fad world, it seems to me that corn is still considered to wear a silky golden halo. Friends, corn is a grain, and like any other grain, it contains a great deal of energy, not necessarily a fantastic amount of nutrients, and can be quite difficult to digest, which results in ultimately mucking up your system. Same goes for quinoa, amaranth, and rice, to name a few. My food tracking has taught me that quinoa sits in my stomach like a brick (plus, not for nothing, I just don't like it) and also that I simply feel better when grains are less than a quarter of what I eat in a day or even none at all. It's not that I don't eat rice and corn - I most definitely do - but I try not to rely on them overmuch and try eat more real vegetables instead. I love fresh corn and corn salsa but try to avoid the processed kind, saving tortilla chips for Mexican restaurants and sticking carrots and zucchini slices in my guacamole at home. However, I do frequently eat rice and rice noodles and I'll tell you why: I digest rice well, it burns clean, and being a dancer/fitness instructor/New Yorker, I. Need. Carbs. And so do you. (The trick is to find which ones agree with you best.)

The moral of the story here is there's really no "bad" foods or one "right" way to eat, and you may be the total opposite of me. These are just ideas on how to strike a balance that makes you feel good. For me, I tend to save my favorite indulgences for just that - occasional indulgences - which are enjoyed without guilt or shame because I know that the rest of the time I eat in a way that works for me. I don't miss treats on the days I don't eat them, but you can bet I eat flour tortillas and chips & queso when I'm in Texas, croissant and baguette when I'm in a French bakery, and throughout my pregnancy, a reasonable amount of pumpernickel bagels and hot pizza slices. I also eat vegetables at nearly every meal and don't eat sugar in anything that isn't overtly a dessert. A few adjustments here and there, learning to make choices that please you and work for you, and generally striving to understand your personal balance will have awesome effects.

Stay Rad,

Annie

Hello Strong & Beautifuls,

Hope everyone is staying toasty and fit as we bundle up our way into mid-January. This week I've got some wintery workout tips for you, and my favorite way to get warm.

 

Winterize

Now that it's legit freezing out in NYC, I thought I'd share some dancer wisdom that perfectly applies to barrebabe life. Here's my top tips/musts for happy exercising in the coldest months:

1) fleece tights. because who wants cold legs? I layer a pair of fleece tights or leggings over my workout leggings and then strip them off when I get to the studio. that way, I keep the muscles from getting stiff and right in the freezing temps without sweating my face off once I start moving. oh, and they don't have to be fancy to work - I typically go for the $5/10 jobbies at Rainbow or wherever.

2)no boots. in the studio, that is. kicking off your wet shoes & boots at the door of the studio, leaving them outside or along the wall, or just simply not walking through the studio in your outside clompers keeps the floor clean and safe. for dancers, it's ingrained not to wear street shoes in the studio. would you wear them onto your yoga mat? didn't think so.

3) coconut oil & shea butter. between your overzealous heater and the biting wind whipping down the avenues, winter in NYC can be hell on the face and lips. problem is, so many moisturizers actually have the opposite effect if they're full of glycerin or petroleum jelly (you know how you get "addicted" to Carmex or Chapstick?) and either you're constantly reapplying or starting to look a little slick. rather, try shea butter and/or coconut oil - just a little - and enjoy non-clogging, absorbable, effective moisture. I like to homemade body butter on my face (granted, I have super dry skin right now from being pregs) or I "oil cleanse" my face by coating it with coconut/olive/castor oil, steaming it under a hot towel, and then wiping away the excess. shea butter has received a lot of attention in recent years, but it's been used forever in West Africa (where I really got into it) to heal and clear up skin problems, improve dryness & elasticity, and drummers and dancers would even use it on their hands and feet to soothe soreness, etc.

good for rubbing on the mama belly, too, I might add :)

dance dance dance

and now, for the best way I know to warm up in the winter months... you guessed it... AFRICAN DANCE. pretty much anyone who knows me knows what I am most passionate for (beaches, avocados and my hubs being pretty high on the list as well) but you don't have to be a super fan or a pro to reap the soul-warming benefits of a good dance class:

- it's fun. they say the best exercise is the one you'll do, so you might as well do something really fun! I love that we have a big beautiful studio to move in where we can turn the lights down and the music up and lose ourselves in rhythms and full-body movements a few times a week. it feels so good just to move your body in a room full of people moving their bodies in the same time. in my BodyRhythm classes, we have everyone from newbies to pros, and we all dance to the same beat. it's about how it feels, not so much about how it looks in the mirror. also, even people who swear they're "the most uncoordinated" nail the steps quickly and look great! it is truly the highlight of my week to dance with y'all.

- it's good for you. ample research shows that the act of dancing releases endorphins, improves mind-body connection, is healthy for the brain, and reduces stress. who doesn't want to feel/look young, happy, calm and smart? thus, the 6:15pm BodyRhythm class is the perfect to destress after a long week and get stoked for the weekend. the hour-long cardio gets the blood flowing for pretty skin and the whole-body movements enliven all your muscles. plus, the lower down you dance, the more tone and strength you create for the booty & legs.

- it burns like a zillion calories. OK, maybe not an exact zillion, but according to one barrebabe's FitBit, you can burn upwards of 900 calories just from an hour of barre and an hour of BodyRhythm. LIKE WHOA. I'm not a big calorie counter, but last time I checked, that's close to half of what the powers that be recommend we eat in a day! even more, when you're dancing, you don't even notice you're working that hard - probably not quite the case when you're pounding along on the treadmill, am I right?

Anyway dearies, whether I see you at the barre, on the dance floor, or both (you badass babe!), I know you're taking awesome care of yourself and I totally dig that.

Until then,
STAY WARM!

Annie

Dear Strong & Beautifuls,

I write to you today, the last day of the year (after a brief hiatus from all things computer-related) to wish you a wonderful 2017 and to express how much I truly look forward to spending another year pulsing and sweating and getting rad with you all. It's gonna be a wild ride in more ways than one, for sure - yes, Donald Trump, but on the bright side, you may already know that Mr. Roddancerbod and I are having a baby. Like whoa, right?

I am also writing to thank you for 2016, as I am one of the (unfortunately rare) people who actually had a pretty great year, and you all were a gigantic part of that. Seeing your bodies change and hearing how you feel stronger and more connected to yourselves in the past year has made me feel stoked to do what I do and has provided me with tons of energy to keep it up. Even deeper than that, I found that when things were hard, I found the most comfort being in the studio with you (awwww). First, when David Bowie died and we worked out to his music for a solid week; later, when we did the same with Prince, trying not to cry; most especially the week of November 7th when we were speechless and frightened and grieving but felt better getting strong together; and finally, in the past almost four months of my pregnancy, when literally the only time I felt relief from "morning" sickness was during class with you. Anyway, thanks for being rad, and let's keep it up for another trip around the sun!

 

deep thoughts

I find the end of the year to be as good a time as any to reflect, made more poignant because just about everyone is doing so, and to share what I've learned in the past year that I'm taking with me for the next. The primary lesson is:

overtraining sucks!

It has the opposite effect of what you want it to do. At the beginning of 2016, I was teaching over 21 classes a week, and while I didn't necessarily do everything in each class full out, it was just too much, energetically and physically. I love my job, but I was exhausted all the time, was in some amount of constant pain, felt uncreative, and was even chronically puffy and (not that I entrust my self image to a bathroom scale) a nagging few pounds heavier than I felt I oughta be. I wasn't getting stronger or more flexible and I didn't look toned - you couldn't even see my hard-won Pilates abs. Hardly a good example of the benefits of Pilates, barre, and dance, or exercise at all. Even though I preached moderation, I didn't really get it for myself until I was at a surf & yoga retreat in Costa Rica. Midweek during what was supposed to be vacation of my year, doing everything I loved (swimming surfing hiking yoga dancing riding etc etc), I could barely walk from pain and was forced to sit out high tide and inversion class and just sit there in the pool. I wasn't injured, it was just my body telling me loudly what I'd been ignoring for too long which was: Stop. Doing. So. Damn. Much!

After barre class one day, a friend asked me, "You do these workouts all the time - how do you not actually weigh five pounds?" It was an honest question, not mean-spirited, and I had to ponder it a bit. If what I was teaching was so effective, why didn't it show? The answer is that overdoing anything, beneficial exercise included, can throw your body out of whack and it will compensate by overreacting. I was in a chronic inflammatory state due to overtraining, overworking and over-stressing, and it wasn't until I chilled out my schedule (and my workouts, to some degree) that I saw the traces of the body/dancer/teacher I thought I should be.

I think culturally we tend to do this in many areas of life - if a little is good, a lot is better - and that this is really not true. Oddly enough, all the things I was afraid of losing by ditching the intense schedule - money, networking, fitness, a sense of success, etc. - actually improved once I let it go. Literally all of it. And that has been true at nearly every turn in my life. When I reduce the intensity of my workout schedule a little, I tend to see better results. When I give up a job that was great but not necessarily hitting on all eight for me, my bank account somehow swells rather than dwindles. When I add a little less heat to the sauce, it tastes better. When I chill out on overthinking something, I usually get effortlessly inspired about it, or forget the issue altogether.

All this is not to say that we shouldn't get sweaty or exercise fiercely or work hard or eat spicy things. Just that being honest about what's working for us as individuals is infinitely better than following along with "recommended" guidelines or packing in extra commitments simply because we have a free hour to spare. Remember what you're training for and act accordingly. If it's the Olympics, maybe you quit drinking wine and do two-a-days with a trainer. If it's to look awesome and feel confident and strong, shoot for workouts that work for your life and do them just often enough that if you skip one for happy hour it won't derail your whole week.

Anyway, babes, the takeaway for me is a something I learned a long time ago in choreography class that some famous artist whose name I can't remember said: Just because it's possible doesn't mean it's desirable. That goes for good art, shopping, career moves, what you eat for dinner, and your workouts. So while my goals for the next year are worthy - grow the barre program at Chalk, continue to learn and live the lessons of Pilates, make a website and grow my business, have a healthy pregnancy and baby and stay rad throughout - the central thread is to prioritize my energies for a balanced, meaningful existence. That means I now have a day off each week, that I might do a little less but I do it better, and that I eat ice cream exactly when I feel like it. I hope the same for you this year in all the wonderful things you do. 

All the best to you,
Annie

Hello Strong & Beautifuls,

I hope this finds you well and warm, whether you're working like crazy here in NYC or already off to your holiday destinations making cookies and relaxing (or something like that). This week's newsletter is just to wish you the best of winter holidays, and offer three of my favorite go-anywhere do-anytime exercises to help keep you in touch with your barre bod if you can't make it to a class.

go-to moves

For me, exercise is about more than fitness. My workouts are as much about maintaining my sense of balance, confidence, calm and connection as they are about getting my heart rate up and getting sweaty, and I know it can be tough to maintain an exercise schedule during busy holiday times, especially when traveling or hosting. But a few minutes to yourself, or at least for yourself, every day will have far-reaching benefits, even if they don't put you at a calorie deficit in the face of egg nog and sugar cookies. Use these three favorite moves to stay strong and connected to your body this holiday, which in turn will stave off the effects of stress and excess:

1) The Hundred
Devised by Joseph Pilates, we do this warm-up exercise almost every single class. It's not only a genius breathing exercise (cardio lying down, woo-hoo!), it strengthens and tones your abs and warms up your whole body. Use it to wake up in the morning or warm up any time of day. If you're feeling extra diesel, try repeating it to complete a two-or-three-hundred:
Lay on your back with knees bent at ninety degrees, thighs together. Lengthen through your pelvis, maintaining but not exaggerating the natural curve of your lumbar spine, and curl head, neck, and shoulders to the tips of the blades up off your mat with arms long by your sides. Begin to rapidly pump your straight arms up and down about 6 inches and breathe deeply, inhaling for 5 pumps and exhaling for 5 pumps. Extend your legs as soon as your feel ready and as low as you can maintain a flat stomach (NOT puffed up to the ceiling) and long pelvis. Breathe 10 breaths.

2) Forearm Plank
I love a forearm plank because from this position, you can challenge so many aspects of your core strength while practicing perfect alignment and staying long, which help you make lean muscles rather than bunchy, stiff ones. Placing forearms on the ground, tuck your toes and extend to straight legs with chest in between elbows and head and hips in line with the rib cage. Hold here for 1-3 minutes, mix in with a few rounds of the Hundred, or play with some variations:

1) Bend one or both knees, keeping hips steady and stable
2) Twist one hip down to the mat at a time, switching up speeds
3) Shift whole body forward and back, maintaining alignment
4) Play with your hand position - clasp hands, turn palms up to ceiling, flat on ground or hands facing each other

3) Second Position Pliés
The go-to for strong and toned dancer legs, a burn for inner as well as outer thighs, and even a little heart rate boost if you go for it. This is also my shortcut to a daily booty lift and it keeps the leggings looking righteous & firm, that's for sure. Set up proper:
Stand with feet turned out to the corners of your mat (aka 10 and 2 o'clock) and separated wider than your hips. Ideally, when you arrive at your deepest bend, your knees should be in line with your ankles (not beyond your toes) so your shins are exactly perpendicular to the ground. Keep hips in line with rib cage throughout - no booty sticking out, no chest dipping forward (clue: use your abs!) - and bend until hips are line with knees. Press down through your feet as you stretch back up from the inner thighs. Try some variations:
1) Pulse for 30 seconds, then slow it down for 30 seconds and repeat.
2) Stretch arms by ears and tip torso forward as you bend or pulse for 30 sec, then back to upright for 30 sec.
3) Lift one or both heels at a time, resisting any temptation to roll your ankles or wing them out.

And you can do all of the above in 10 minutes. If you have extra time, put on some tunes and have a dance party with yourself. Or your boo. Or some children. Or your aunties.

To close, babes, my greatest holiday wish for you, whether you're trimming a tree, lighting candles or dancing around a solstice bonfire, is that you enjoy your body. You have all shown yourselves such respect and care this fall, and I hope you can recognize and love the awesome results you've achieved, visible and otherwise.

Be Rad,
Annie

Hello Strong & Beautifuls,

I hope this finds you well and approaching some sense of balance amidst end-of-year deadlines, holiday parties, errands, and travel. I rely heavily on Pilates workouts, beaucoup walking, and my own barre and dance classes to keep me fit and sane throughout these times, and I hope you also see the class space as one to renew, balance and strengthen you in both body and mind.

Jimbere Fund

This may not have anything to do with barre class or fitness, but it's connected to one of my other life's passions: participating in a positive future in Africa. (If you don't know, now you know).

My friend Obadias and his wife Adele have started Jimbere Fund, a nonprofit to provide assistance to rural communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where they grew up. (And by rural, we're talking a 3-day walk to the the nearest dirt road). Obadias' stories of his home place painted for me a picture of a beautiful jungle mountain existence, simple, pastoral, and not totally unlike where I grew up (minus the jungle part) - but also an impoverished, war-torn world out of reach of American media and virtually absent from our consciousness. For a sense of the contrast, at the time I was a little kid playing blissfully in the woods behind my house with sticks and Barbies, Obadias was a little kid hiding from enemy soldiers in the woods behind his house which had no electricity or modern plumbing.

Here's his synopsis of what Jimbere does:

"Communities in Itombwe Mountains - and similar communities all across Congo - arguably face the most acute needs in the country (of D.R. Congo). The state doesn’t exist there. Nonprofits working in the country are mostly clustered around Goma, Bukavu, Uvira and other small cities. They go up to the last dirt road. That means those who live beyond the reach of the road are left out of development efforts and have to fend for themselves. It also means that people who need help most - the poorest and most vulnerable - don’t get it. I know because my parents still live in the village I grew up in and they tell me what’s going on.

That’s why I co-founded Jimbere Fund, a startup nonprofit on a mission to revitalize distressed communities in Congo. We’ll be working with Congo’s most remote communities to design and implement individualized high-impact development interventions that expand economic opportunities and access to critical services, create jobs and lift people out of poverty in a sustainable way. Our approach blends community organizing and development interventions. Communities identify their most pressing needs in areas such as agriculture, healthcare and education, and we work with them to find solutions and co-implement them.

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Here are ways you can help:

1) Sign up to stay in touch and think of 5 people/groups who might be interested in our work and introduce us to them.

2) Invite us to speak to your groups/churches/events so we can share our work and build support

3) Host a fundraiser next year to support our work or a fund specific community

4) Donate what you can on the website.

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Check it out, babes, and let's put some of the good energy we build in class to work for others who need it!

music

Treats for your ears :) Follow me, annieforeal, on Spotify. And send me the songs you love to work out to! I'm a professional music listener and love to know what your ears are craving.

Last Barre Playlist 2016
Last BodyRhythm Playlist 2016

Hello Strong and Beautifuls,

I hope this finds you well and happy as we move into December. This week's newsletter is all about taking care of yourself, and a couple nutrition/good mood tips to help you stay shiny in the darkest days of the year.

As always, I love to hear from you, so don't hesitate to reach out with your own life & nutrition hacks, favorite things, and songs you'd love to work out to :) It takes a village, am I right?

when it gets gloomy, my go-to remedy is a sweaty, fun dance class. it never fails to turn my mood around! in addition, here's a couple other tidbits to keep you sunny without actually bailing to Mexico or hiding in a tanning bed in the dead of winter.

• vegetables rule. and chances are you could be eating more of them. try them as a snack: replace chips or crackers with sliced zucchini, carrots, celery sticks, cut up red peppers, etc. i'm a sucker for pre-sliced vegetables myself, being both busy and a little lazy. current favorites: pretending zucchini rounds are chips and dipping them in guacamole, or eating baby carrots and celery sticks in herbed cheese like Boursin. I drink green juice or smoothies with/for breakfast and keep a big container of kale chiffonade (sounds fancy, but it just means "sliced up into ribbons") in a little lemon juice and olive oil with various available toppings (shredded carrots, dried cranberries, grape tomatoes) so my pre-class snack can be salad. vegetables in soup form also count - zucchini, broccoli, and butternut squash are my faves to turn into pureed awesomeness, albeit not at the same time - although veggies in bagged chip form do not (too may weird oils).
  
  question: does tomato sauce count as a vegetable? (would it be more apt to consider it fruit sauce?) can pizza be vegetables if there's vegetables on it? heavy thinking to be done.

• fat is a friend. depending on the source, of course. i am a committed eater of quality fat and have most definitely not become fatter because of it. quite the contrary, really. now, everyone is different, and i am not your nutritionist, but i do know that consumption of low fat dairy products has been linked to the rising incidence of diabetes in this country and that replacing real, quality fats with fake sprays/oils/chemicals does no one any favors. fat helps with energy, satiety (feeling full and satisfied) and even nutrient absorption (which is why cooked vegetables go so well with butter). eat your avocados, coconut and olive oils, grassfed butter, cheese and yogurt, and enjoy pretty hair and skin to go with your more manageable appetite and increased energy. it helps me stay sunny, at any rate. 

• take a nap. or meditate. rest your eyes. put your feet up. go easy on yourself and use sleep to press the reset button on a rough day rather than a sweet/caffeinated/alcoholic/retail treat. although sometimes all those treats have their place, 20 minutes of peace and quiet can make all the difference. 

• go outside. most of us New Yorkers don't have a problem with this one out of necessity, but still - get all the sunlight and fresh air you can. get off the train a stop early. cut through the park if you can. walk on the sunny side of the street. it all helps.

• relax. drink tea. take a walk. have a dance party in your socks. allow yourself to do whatever sometimes, be unproductive, communicate with no one who isn't in the same room as you for a little while. whatever is on your list can probably wait 30 minutes. let yourself live. i sometimes like to "play summer" to spend a chilly afternoon or evening listening to reggae and making margaritas. in a bikini. wearing suntan lotion. (i'm kidding, but i wouldn't put it past me one day...)
  
  and when all of that fails, eat a grapefruit. i swear, those things have magical powers.  
   

music

Treats for your ears :) Follow me, annieforeal, on Spotify. And send me the songs you love to work out to! I'm a professional music listener and love to know what your ears are craving.

Into the Groove - Barre
BodyRhythm 10

Be Rad,
Annie

Hello Strong & Beautifuls,

As we head into Thanksgiving week and the full swing of American-style holidays, it's more important than ever to stick to your workouts. Not because we're totally gonna gain five pounds eating gravy and pie (heaven forbid) and blow our cute winter wardrobes, but because our movement practices help keep us happy, balanced, and sane in what is a very energetic (read: stressful) time of year. I believe that stress more than anything keeps us from reaching our fitness goals, so below is my personal short list of do's & don't's to keep in mind for the next month of feasts, obligations, trips, and celebrations, all which can create and contribute to inflammatory stress.

1) DO move every day. If you can't make it to barre class, go for a walk. Consider throwing in a few jumping jacks or squats for flavor. If you only have 15 min, 15 min is better than nothing. Try a Tabata interval workout with your favorite barre moves mixed with a little cardio, or chase someone's child or dog around the yard for awhile. If nothing else, STRETCH. Do a few squats, touch your toes, do some sun salutations, roll your neck and shoulders. I am totally the chick doing yoga in the airport (minus the happy baby and glute bridges). You'll just feel freaking better! 

2) DON'T stress Thanksgiving carbs and the occasional Christmas cookie. I believe that it's important to enjoy and savor the delicious, celebratory foods of the season that have been lovingly prepared by/for you, and I also believe that any impact they have on weight is super short-term, aka negligible. The point is not to stress about it, but rather, fully and completely enjoy it for the once-or-twice-a-year treat that it is. Since I adopted this strategy, I no longer see any change on the scale or jeans choices come January. (I also seriously stick to DO No. 1!)

3) DO eat your vegetables. Just eat them. Every meal. Every day. Do it.

4) DO take smaller portions - say, 3-4 bites - of things and go back for seconds of what you truly, truly dig. Usually the best part of a treat isn't the overstuffed feeling you get from having too much of it, and usually at feasts and parties there is plenty of everything, so there's no need to eat like you've been lost in the wilderness for three weeks. Another trick I like is to eat with a small fork or spoon and on the smallest plate I can find, as long as my hosts/company aren't too picky about their tableware settings.

In addition, make sure your celebratory food is just that - for a special occasion, not every day. That means skipping the sugar in your latte on Tuesday and saving the pumpkin spice for pie on Thursday, not in every other damn food you can think of. (True confession: I have exactly ONE peppermint mocha every year, as Starbuck's is the only coffee shop open on Christmas near my in-laws' house in Austin. And for the 20 minutes it takes me to drink the sweet high fructose corn syrupy mess, I have to admit it's pretty awesome).

5) DON'T beat yourself up for feasting/enjoying a cultural past time you grew up with. It doesn't make sense. See DO No. 1 and enjoy your once-a-year indulgences! They are part of being a person in this day and age. Only when they are taken for granted/not enjoyed to the fullest will they become a magnet for weight gain and/or general bummed-outtedness.

And when in doubt, I'll see you at the barre!

Annie

Hey hey Barrebabes!

With the change of the seasons comes changes in our bodies, and I don't just mean the outfits (although I am pretty stoked to see my old friends Leather Jacket and Ankle Boots). With the cooler temperatures and shorter days come different foods in season and different ways you'll want to eat them. Here's my take on how to handle the shift (sans pumpkin spice lattes, thank you very much):

Summer is a great time for raw foods. Fresh salads, ice-cold smoothies, chilled stuff. In the fall & winter, it's usually best to focus on warm, cooked things. Duh. So roast your veggies before tossing them into a salad, drink warm tea/broth/soup if you grab a smoothie, cook your kale... you get the picture.

If you're anything like me, around this time of year I seem to find myself feeling hungrier than usual and my cravings for warm, spicy & mushy foods are in full force. It stands to reason that as the temperatures outside get colder, we need to eat warmer, more nourishing meals, things that are both nutritionally dense and easy to digest. Veggie-based soups, stews and purées are perfect for healthfully satisfying both the cravings of your comfort-seeking hungry self as well as your nutritional requirements without saying to hell with it and overeating green chile mac and cheese or pizza bagels until Thanksgiving. For me, I love butternut squash soup, sweet potato purée, and gumbo, to name a few, and homemade mashed potatoes as my kinda-guilty pleasure. Holler for the recipes.

If I'm eating a bunch of yummy orange food like the squashfest mentioned above, I try to skip other starchier sides like rice or pasta, except maybe on my heaviest training/teaching days when I might need the extra carbs. It's important and can be kinda tricky not to overdo it, so make sure to truly savor & enjoy whatever you're eating and don't actually dive headfirst into the chili.

New seasons also mean new habits, and fall is a particularly good time for habit-making with all the back-to-school vibes and decrease of summer distractions. I myself am starting some new eating/life habits to help me stay balanced, aware and in control. After a failed attempt at the end of summer in trying to make "healthier" choices (specifically, eating more fish and legumes instead of meat) and increasing carbs to help balance the energy demands of my job (not inherently a bad thing, but a slippery slope nonetheless), I basically ended up more bloated, itchy and hungry than anything else. So, in addition to eating all the butternut squash and warm spicy stuff I know and love, I resumed my ongoing search for a guideline to help me find balance and better read my body's signals.

Because every body is different, and because I think diets are counterproductive, I wanted something that would help me figure out what works for me, and not what the latest advice is on carb cycling or kale chips or the glycemic index of onions. Enter Ditch Your Nutritionist, a grassroots protocol on eating from Austin, TX. Basically, through a series of online video lessons and workbooks and meal guidelines, you learn how to eat optimally for your own body and adjust for energy expenditure, food sensitivities, etc. The instructor, Anne Marie, is a friendly and accessible certified nutritionist and lays everything out in a simple, no-frills kind of way, and you get to learn a whole world of stuff beyond the old "calories in vs. calories out" fallacy.

Now, I'm not doing this to lose weight. I love my shape and could give a hoot about the number on the scale. Rather, my goals are for more energy, less confusion about what works for me and what doesn't, amazing health, nice skin, balanced hormones and a beautiful belly both inside and out. Just sayin'.

I'm sharing this with you in case you seek the same kind of peaceful, uncomplicated relationship with food that I do. But because transparency is key, I must also note that if you sign up for the program and tell them I sent you, they send me money. And they'd do the same for you (which doesn't suck). And it's really kinda cool, when you think about it, because you're receiving money back on an investment you made in your health just for spreading the word. But I'm here to share, not sell, so no worries from me if it ain't your thing.

EXTRA MUSIC LOVE!

Music

I LOVE music. I also love that many of you seem love the music I play in class. In fact, I would love to hear more of what gets your toes tapping and makes your heart beat faster and am always listening for new favorite songs. So indulge your ears here with weekly playlists from me from my barre & dance classes and share links to your favorite songs in the comments or over email. Woohoo music party time!
BodyRhythm Playlist
Barre Playlist

Thanks for reading, babes. Keep being awesome and I'll see you at the barre

Hey Strong and Beautiful Babes

This week, I've been thinking a lot lately about the idea of self-care, what with the Feel Good Rx workshop coming up and all. Through various conversations (with others and also inside my head), I've encountered some interesting reactions to this particular topic. It seems that we (the general, "average American" we) have inherited the notion that taking care of one's self is something along the lines of either:

a) a luxury, which is only deserved by those who've "earned" it by somehow having enough money and time to "indulge" in things like massages or pedicures or meditation workshops; or

b) a chore, like going to the gynecologist or sweeping the floor or doing the dishes. Something that must be done but certainly isn't "fun" (although these last two I find rather pleasant and meditative - does that make me a total mindfulness nerd?) and is often dictated by an outside source, such as a doctor telling a pre-diabetic patient to watch her diet and exercise more, or the dentist saying you must floss in order to take care of your teeth.

It struck me as a little funny that there could be such different approaches to the same idea, even in the same person (for instance, I balk at the idea that I should get regular massages because of their cost, yet I readily spend twice that on Pilates and trapeze lessons and fancy coconut oil for my face, no questions asked). Moreover, "take care" is a pretty typical phrase in our language that isn't particularly loaded one way or the other when said to someone we care about, so why the unwillingness to either "indulge" or "work" when it comes to one's self?

Well, the answer to that question is surely beyond the scope of my little writings, but it's worth thinking about. Do your workouts and classes feel like a chore? Are they an addictive indulgence? Or are they absolutely crucial to your sense of health, balance, or even happiness? What other things do you do that feel like you're taking good care of yourself? I know for me exercise has always been non-negotiable because of my dance background, but certain kinds feel better than others. For instance, dance class makes feel alive and happy and creative and rad while treadmill running made me feel depleted and unworthy. Strict diets with limited choices made me feel insane and hungry, while intuitive, no-rules eating of quality foods I love keeps me thriving and reduces stress.

Of course it's different for everyone (thank heavens) but if in any area of your life you're feeling stagnant or frustrated or unwell, it might be worth thinking of ways to take better care of yourself that don't include anything too strict or unpleasant. My shortcuts? 10-minute meditations in the morning, frequent dates with my foam roller, and pretty walks whenever I can.

What do you do for yourself?

Music

Indulge your ears here with weekly playlists from me from my barre & dance classes. Reply back with links to your favorite songs or any music you think I would dig.

BodyRhythm
BarreBod

See you at the barre!

TAKE CARE,

Annie

Babes,

The countdown - 1 week to go

It's really getting down to it in this election race. I know many of us can't wait for it to be over, but I'm personally rather terrified of the outcome so I beseech you, intelligent, thinking, righteous women and men of barre and dance: go vote next Tuesday. Make it your top priority. It matters now more than ever. There's simply too much on the line not to.

In the meantime, dedicate some of your good vibes to a positive outcome for our country. When I'm feeling scared or angry, or that strange mix of both I've been feeling so often recently in the presence of "repeal the 19th amendment" crazies and blatantly racist Trump supporters (no use sugar coating it, babes, you know where I stand), I try to channel those energies into tough workouts, into change-the-status-quo intentions, into all the evidence around us (here in NYC at least) of what is good and right in the world. Each time we focus on our movement, energy or thoughts, we shift the vibration of all our cells towards something new and different. For me, that means I am dedicating my focus to a Democratic victory next Tuesday. 

I realize it may seem a little odd to hear politics from your fitness instructor, but it freaking MATTERS!

*

Election Eve

So much energy swirling around today! So much on the line - the future of the free world, women's rights, the steps made towards equality and fairness in the past eight years - I'm practically vibrating with nerves and anticipation for the election results. But all we can do now is wait... and WORK OUT!

For one, there's no better way to focus than a solid sweat fest, and anytime I need release, calm, or good vibes, exercise is the first place I turn. It pretty much never fails to raise my vibration, soothe my worries, and I believe that the good energy we work up in class creates more good energy for the world. Practice radical self care and be the change, babes! Maybe this sounds like fitness hippie speak to you, but you can't argue with the notion that working on one's self, at the very least, doesn't suck. Especially when you get to do it in a studio full of beautiful, creative, intelligent, strong & like-minded babes, like we do :)

*

The Fallout

It's hard to believe that it's only been a week since I last wrote you. My hopeful, albeit nervous, tone on the eve of the election makes it feel like it has been much longer than just a week that we've spent in grief, worry and anger. Heaven knows we have difficult and uncertain days ahead of us as well, and I don't have any answers to what we, collectively and individually, face.

All I know is that it has been the ultimate comfort and strength for me to get to work out and dance and move and sweat in the same room with you, my barrebabes, this past week. I am so very grateful to know all of you and share your energy each week. You make me feel hopeful, confident in the good in the world, and very proud to be a forward-thinking woman. I know we are stronger together and our workouts contribute something positive to the world, and this motivates me so much.

So... thank you.

*

Reproductive Health PSA

One of the most pressing news items for us predominantly female barrebabes is the threat posed by the incoming administration to our reproductive rights, including access to birth control (evidenced by the mad dash for IUDs reported in the news last week). I wanted to add my two cents to the topic of staying in control of our bodies and their capacity to create life. Please do not read this as anti-contraception or anything of the sort, nor should this be taken as medical advice for obvious reasons, but rather as another tool for us to stay empowered, to stay healthy, and to stay in control. 

Whether you're trying to prevent pregnancy, trying to get pregnant, or simply wish to understand your body better, Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler is the answer. This book changed my life. I went on birth control when I was sixteen to help with irregular periods, and even though I went through the ringer with it for the next eight years, I never questioned that it was the best way for me to protect myself and stay healthy. It was expensive and my insurance wouldn't always cover it, and, among other things, I didn't realize how crappy I felt on it until I went off when I discovered a genetic mutation that predisposes me to blood clots when taking hormonal contraceptives. With no more Pill, what was a girl to do? Luckily, a friend recommended TCOYF and I've been safe, happy, and in touch with my body ever since. I love that I know when I'm ovulating and understand my cycle of changes every month. I'm not saying to quit your NuvaRing if it works for you, just that if it doesn't, or if it becomes too expensive/unavailable due to healthcare or nonsense in the White House, you have options that are completely natural and that WORK, whether you're trying to or trying not to.

So there's my PSA for you, babes :)

 With love and planks,

Annie

Hey Babes,

As I round out the last couple days of my second pregnancy, I’m reflecting on a questions I hear frequently:

How is this pregnancy different from the first?

While this question is probably most interesting just to me, I have learned some things throughout Baby Sister’s gestation that I think are useful takeaways.

In many ways, my two pregnancies aren’t all that different - morning sickness that lasts all day, an early penchant for pizza and grapefruits and a later obsession with watermelon, strawberries, and ice cream, and a genetic blood clot condition that means I give myself shots every day and, lately, twice a day, of blood thinners that sting and bruise but are actually a pretty easy way to save our lives. I’ve gained the exact same amount of weight in about the same amount of time but carry it very differently - with Diego, I didn’t really show much for the longest time but then became squishy and round all over, while with Baby Sister I feel like it was obvious about 5 minutes after conception but aside from a double chin I’m less puffy with no swelling.

37 weeks of pregnancy, 7 of lockdown, and I have to say, I’ve been pretty amazed at the fortuitous state of things in our life right now. I never would have slowed down this much under normal circumstances, and the past nearly two months have been full of so much of what I love and have missed for so long. But this beautiful time is bookended by a considerable amount of fear and uncertainty, from panicked packing when we decided the best thing for Diego and Baby Sister would be to leave our Brooklyn home and drive to my recently retired mother’s new house in South Carolina to wondering what’s to become of our jobs on the other side of this thing. We’re lucky, and yes, privileged to be where we are, and since neither of us grew up knowing anyone with leisure time to spare, we appreciate it for the gift that it is. And it has been truly a gift, to be surrounded in family, a warm southern spring, trees and nature and space for Diego to grow and thrive, to have been able to teach and stay connected to my movement community in NYC and everywhere, to have been able to really reconnect with my mover/teacher self through daily barre classes and feel the immense benefits. It’s confusing, and occasionally middle-of-the-night frightening, because it’s very hard to make the right decisions when you’re in limbo, and the beautiful life we’re living right now isn’t our real life. We have prepared for war in times of peace, but savings run out, babies grow, and neither of us have any guarantees for work prospects, nor have we seen a dime of unemployment yet. So there’s more uncertainty than usual when bringing a new baby into the world, because I won’t understand her world. My 38 years have been full of moving in roomfuls of sweaty people, of concerts and movies and shows, busy bars and crowded subway cars, friends and friends and friends, travels to enchanting places, living daily life with a sense of freedom and spontaneity, connecting with people and sharing their energy. Meanwhile, as happy as he is, Diego hasn’t so much as spoken to another child in 7 weeks, or traveled farther from home than the stroller can roll. I don’t know when either of them will go to school, play tag with their friends, see a movie, or go to a birthday party.

Tone switch.

There’s a lot I’m learning and even loving about being pregnant in the time of COVID-19. Doing barre every day has taken me out of pain, has strengthened and energized me in amazing ways. I had more pelvic floor trouble earlier in my pregnancy than I do now, more pain and even leaking. It’s more clear to me than ever that I basically get the most sick or injured when under stress, that I manifest stress physically in my body, be it from the tendency of stress to weaken the immune system or processes I don’t understand. But as I’ve settled in here, for one reason or another, my chronic pelvic girdle pain has all but subsided, and the creepy cold I had in quarantine (I virtually NEVER get sick, y’all) vanished the day I after actually got a COVID test. I love that it’s warm and sunny and the watermelons are in season here. I love the pregnancy hormones apparent in my skin, that I’ve had virtually no swelling and only wear flip flops because it’s too hard and completely unnecessary to tie shoes. I love the feeling of slowing down, of having buckets of patience and attention for my toddler because I’m not running from thing to thing. I love my little family enjoying these last few weeks of 3 together, and I love that Diego loves it so much. My pregnancy symptoms are largely the same as they were with Diego - all day morning sickness like a hangover that never lifts, heartburn from drinking water, feeling sprightly and craving movement half the day and large and slow for the other half - but this pregnancy is different in that I’ve had virtually zero back pain (thank you, Pilates) and more PGP (thank you, residual trauma from previous birth) that has luckily not stuck around,

Hey Hey Barre Babes,

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 misconceptions about prenatal exercise safety and confusion as to 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. However, it's important to remember that pregnancy is not the time to strive for a personal best record, train for your first marathon, or really to pursue any other physical goal aside from feeling good, 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 when exercising pregnant 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 no one wants to be responsible for a negative outcome for a pregnant woman or her baby (duh) 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:
1) connect you to your core (like TVA breathing and pelvic tucks)
2) stabilize the pelvis (like leg lift variations in quadruped)
3) 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!

With love,

Annie

I almost can’t believe that this time two years ago I was screaming in pain, crying on the floor of the hospital room, and desperate to help my baby son out of my body. I have never felt so grateful, nor have I felt so humbled, as I do from having given birth. I write this to honor him, my brave baby, and to honor my body for all it has accomplished. They say each birth is different, unique to the woman in labor, and that no matter her "plan," she will be presented with the perfect individual challenge for her to overcome. Diego’s birth was both the very best it could be and also not what I wanted or planned for. At all. Not in the slightest. It brought me to my knees, literally. But it also opened up a beautiful, intense world of experiences for me. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

It started with a routine checkup.

It was a Sunday afternoon. Father’s Day. Sunny, sticky, and hot. Damian’s practicality and some superstition on my part caused us to pack the labor bag and, with much groaning and waddling from me, we made our way to the train. The cool subway car never felt so good. Even in my flowy pink boho dress, I looked so uncomfortably pregnant, people instinctively moved away. The Friday prior, I had been told my amniotic fluids were low, but since the baby and I had been so healthy and strong throughout my pregnancy, I didn’t honestly believe anything was really wrong. We went to meet the doctor, still planning for Damian to play his band’s show that evening, and I was calm as the nurse squirted blue gel on my belly and began to wave the ultrasound wand around.

“No fluids,” she said.

We needed to get the baby out right away! As I was already in triage, the preparations began for admittance and induction. They wrapped my belly with a pink and blue band to hold the heart rate monitor and stuck an IV port in my wrist. My blood pressure and temperature were taken half a dozen times and I answered the same battery of questions at least that much. How many weeks am I? Have I been pregnant before? Does my husband beat me? Fearing my fate, I called my doctor as a last-ditch effort to find an alternative to induction and was transferred instead to the midwife: blonde and serene, straightforward, and absolutely maddening as she described what was to transpire that evening.

“Better eat now,” she said. “And try to sleep if you can.” So Damian went out and returned with a Mexican Coke and the best steak I’ve ever had. And while I would not sleep for quite some time, as I hadn’t already for a few days, we settled in for the adventure to come. A couple hours later, the midwife returned. She informed us that we would begin with a pill, a cervical ripener called Cytotech that dissolves in the cervix to help it open, but, she admitted, rarely works on the first dose. If it worked, they’d insert a balloon that would inflate against my cervix, simulating the baby’s head, to help it open further. After that, I’d be given Pitocin through my IV.

Ready to pop.

I bristled immediately at this “cascade” of interventions, having spent the majority of my pregnancy reading Ina May Gaskin’s Guide to Childbirth and preparing for a natural labor in the birthing center. I cross-examined the midwife ruthlessly, trying to find alternatives or figure a way out. But eventually, I understood that despite her polite, open tone, I really had no say about what was to happen. I made demands for impossible things, trying to keep control of the situation (apparently a theme for me). Damian told me to relax. That the details I was harping about weren’t a big deal. And although I snapped at him, I suppose my outright bitchiness was really just a defense mechanism to hide my absolute terror of what was coming. I wasn’t afraid of the pain — not yet, at any rate — but of the 80% C-section rate associated with inductions on account of low fluids. Moreover, I would have to stay in bed for hours to be monitored, which at that point seemed like the greatest torture because it also meant being connected to the IV, shifted around like a ragdoll by the nurse, and using a bed pan (insult of all insults).

I was smack dab in the middle of what I felt was the classic hospital birth nightmare.

I was miles away from my peaceful birthing center plan of water, rhythmic breathing, relaxation, and hip circles. In all my preparations for birth, I had never heard of oligohydramnios, the technical term for my low fluids, and had never even seriously considered the possibility of induction. I was mad as hell I couldn’t get up and move around like I planned, couldn’t bounce and sway on my birth ball, or relax in my bikini in the bathtub. Nevertheless, my doula Michelle, my cousin Sarah, and Damian made a little party of it, and we passed the time waiting for the contractions to start by listening to music, sneaking me bites of watermelon, and spritzing my face luxuriously with rose water.

For hours I felt nothing, or nothing that I knew to identify as a contraction.

Due to my massive attitude about being confined to the bed and an intense desire to use the bathroom by myself (like a person!), I was allowed off the monitor for an hour while they prepared another dose of Cytotech. Michelle later said that hour, upon which I had so vehemently insisted, saved me. After some blessed alone time in the bathroom and stretching my legs, I returned to my birth ball and we started timing what I finally felt as contractions. They weren’t more than menstrual cramps, and frankly hurt less than regular pregnancy pains, but they were already two minutes apart. Within 45 minutes, we were in business and I was elated to be in labor. I was excited it was finally happening. I was excited to meet my baby and tried not to focus on my fear. As the surges intensified, we counted, breathed, imagined flowers opening up, and tried to relax. It was truly lovely.

Then, my water broke.

It was as if a switch had been flipped. All at once, my contractions came on full force. A stabbing, overwhelming pain from the deepest part of my belly, spreading throughout my pelvis, coupled with an intense downward pressure that was bizarrely uncomfortable.

As the barest trickle of amniotic fluid made its way down my leg all at once it hit me how dire my baby’s situation was and what a shithead I’d been to resist the hospital’s efforts to get him out safely. Suddenly, I was crouched over the bedpan and sobbing hysterically with guilt and fear and emotions I still cannot name. I was a screaming wild animal on the floor.

I would not stop screaming for hours.

I screamed as the kind blonde midwife and nurse pried my legs apart to insert the balloon — clearly another dose of Cytoech wasn’t necessary — and it was misery. I screamed as my hip flexors cramped. I screamed as Michelle and Damian tried to cool my face, help me relax and not hyperventilate, and tell me I was doing great. Many moms I spoke with said their labor pain was indescribable, but I knew exactly how to describe it: seppuku, traditional Samurai suicide by self-evisceration. I have never known pain like that before and am confident that nothing by comparison will ever really hurt again. I writhed and swore, counted down from eight, squatted on the bed holding on to the side rails, beat the pillows with my hands, swore and yelled some more.

Soon all that rage turned to genuine fear.

Fear of the next contraction, which was always less than a minute away. Fear of my ability to eventually help my baby out of me. Fear of my baby's well-being. Fear of more pain. Not long after the fear turned to desperation and my screams were cries for help. I’m not at all ashamed of this. I really, really needed help and knew it in my twisting, burning gut. All I wanted was an hour. A break. A nap to reset.

When the midwife offered an epidural, I thanked heaven. Thing was, we were only a couple hours into labor. My contractions had intensified so fast I didn’t have time to become accustomed to the pain before it increased tenfold. It was like barely beating the first level of Super Mario Bros. and suddenly fighting Bowser. My husband left the room when the anesthesiologist arrived. His heart was breaking watching me writhe in pain and begging for mercy. He needed a break.

Tell you the truth, I was a little relieved.

Some part of me was still trying to look out for him during the drama and I knew it must be hard to witness and not really be able to help. The epidural took forever because I kept having contractions. The midwife, to whom I’d been so mean to, was literally forehead to forehead with me. Her arms wrapped around me to both comfort and keep me still. I sat slumped at the edge of the bed, literally crying as my insides contorted, but I was calmer knowing that relief was on the way.

It came just in time. As soon as I laid back to catch my breath, the beeping from the heart monitor either stopped or went insane – I honestly can’t remember which – and suddenly there were ten people in the room, including my doctor, whom I was very glad to see. Within minutes it seemed like there were three pairs of hands inside me, numerous tubes and clamps and bags and who-knows-whats, and I didn’t even care. I just laid there in complete surrender, in complete gratitude to be in the hospital and in the hands of experts, thinking of women in huts all over the world. Thinking of worlds where there are no ultrasounds or air-conditioned hospital rooms or sweet-faced midwives or heart rate monitors or epidurals or doulas or wonderful husbands. I still feel intense waves of gratitude for the experts who helped me. For all the wonderful things the hospital has to offer. For all my friends and family and all they do for us. I believe natural childbirth is great for normal birth, but in me and Diego's case, things weren't normal. And I feel incredibly lucky to have had all the brilliant people and life-saving interventions on our side.

He’s here!

Anyway, it turned out to be a good thing I was numb, not only because of the numerous hands and tubes and procedures, but because apparently the contractions were too intense, coming right on top of one another, and too much for my baby. They gave me a drug that slowed the contractions down, an internal heart rate monitor for my little man, and a catheter pouring fluids back into my desert womb so he could float and not crush his umbilical cord. After a few moments, everything worked. The baby was doing better and we were left alone. I laid back blissfully knowing my baby was safe, relieved that the terrifying pain had subsided, and that he (and I) would both be OK. Michelle and Damian shivered and snoozed in their respective chairs, but I didn’t sleep.

I closed my eyes and went into the deepest meditation of my life.

While I'll keep the details of what I saw and felt between us to ourselves, the short version is that I was able to truly connect with him, feel his efforts and fears, and understand what a choice it was to be born. What a brave and active agent he was in his own birth. I encouraged him in every way I could and promised to help. I had always feared epidurals because I thought it would be terrible to feel stuck, paralyzed, and unable to assist my baby, but I found instead that, undistracted by my own pain, I was able to focus entirely on opening up and helping my baby out. Eyes closed or open, it was impossibly beautiful and I am forever grateful for being able to see and feel what I did that morning.

Soon the doctor found I was nine centimeters dilated and almost ready to go. It took me a second to figure out the choreography (turns out, pushing out a baby is NOT like Pilates at all) but once I got going I found I liked pushing. Everyone coached me and helped me hold my breath and curl my legs up to push outwards during contractions. We listened to James Brown, Rick James, and Zapp, switching over to some heavier Iron Maiden as the baby crowned and I could feel everything.

I was so psyched to be able to help my baby out, shouting with effort in between gulps of oxygen.

Finally, my doctor said, “Annie, look…” As I peered down and pushed one final thrust, out he came! Diego was here! Perfect, purple, and yelling. I was also yelling and laugh-crying with elation. I’ll never forget the look on Damian’s face at that moment — awed, relieved, happy, a tear or two of joy. We brought the baby right up on my chest and I felt him. His delicious smell, the tiny perfection of him… it was wonderful, absolutely wonderful.

So, on June 19th, 2017 at 11:37 a.m., after 12 hours of labor, Diego Zuma Rodriguez made his way into the world, and a giant double rainbow stretched across New York City :)

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Annie

Can’t beat summer spritzers and sunsets in Texas.

For some, summer is an effortless time of lightness in the body. Any protective layers against the cold have long been shed, and it feels natural to eat a little less and move a little more. But for others, summer is a trap of indulgent foods and heat-induced laziness, resulting in heaviness, bloat, and discomfort. Here are my favorite tips for those in this second camp:

sugar sucks

My nutrition advice pretty much always starts with sugar because it's the easiest way (no, really) to keep yourself together in terms of food and cravings. Cutting sugar calms blood sugar swings and appetite and reduces calorie excesses and emotional eating. Summer is tough because many delicious (and cooling) temptations are total sugar bombs, from the obvious ones like ice cream and frozen margaritas to more insidious offenders like that refreshing glass of lemonade, certain smoothies, or barbecue sauce. My advice is to choose one sugary thing per day, remove it from literally everything else you consume, and occasionally, like no more than once a week, enjoy a few extras if you feel like (sometimes cake just needs eating).

Some easy ways to do this are to avoid eating things from packages (hello, energy bars), read your labels (I'm looking at you, flavored yogurt), and don't drink sugar and alcohol together (sorry, but agave nectar counts as sugar). This way, when you do indulge, you'll not only really enjoy it, but, you won't see any unwanted effects or a need to feel guilty.

Photo courtesy of @nutritionstutorial

consume watery things in whole form

Like, you know, actual fruits and vegetables? Juice fasts are trendy, and they might totally work for you in isolated time frames, but it's better not to rely on the processed (yes, juice is technically processed) versions of things exclusively. Your appetite and your bod will be so much more satisfied by slurping real hunks of watermelon or biting into blueberries than chugging the juice — and you'll find joy in eating simple and refreshing things, like Persian cucumbers or really good tomatoes. These foods are hydrating, cooling, and have fiber, which you just need for a lot of reasons. I always say to eat a plant, or two, every time you eat something and soon you won't even have to think about whether you're getting enough. Get a spiralizer and make zucchini noodles in place of pasta. Or try carrots and celery in dip. Or pretend, like I do, that zucchini and yellow squash slices are chips and get to dipping in guacamole.

I also like to make big salads to store in the fridge for a few days so the easiest thing to eat in the house is pretty much a pile of vegetables. Recent favorites include Greek salad with romaine, red onion, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, and kalamata olives; corn salad with fresh or canned corn, grape tomatoes, red onion, cucumbers, cilantro, lime juice, a little olive oil and rice vinegar, and sometimes hot sauce.

don't overdo it

This means avoiding extreme cold as well as extreme heat and extreme intensity as well as extreme slothfulness. Eat cooked things alongside the salads mentioned above, enjoy cool showers but be chill about ice and frozen stuff, and bring a light sweater for your freezing office and subway cars. Turn your own AC to 76 or 78 (if you can help it) and drink a few glasses of room temperature water. Adjusting your workouts for the weather is better than doing nothing or too much. So unless you're training for a marathon in Hawaii, try not to exercise outside in the heat of the day and be gentle with yourself if you're feeling tired or weak. Intensity is like hot sauce, lord knows I love it when added to almost everything, but on its own, eaten like soup? Naw, no good.

Diego just can’t say no to tacos in the summer (fall, spring, or winter).

Other summer gottas:

- Rose water. Spritz it on your face, literally whenever. It’s good for the complexion as well as your mood.

- Red lipstick and no eye makeup looks simple, fresh, and rad — even on a sweaty face. Hot pink is pretty good, too.

- Wearing leggings on the beach once the sun goes down: feels soooo good when it gets windy and cools down out there!

- Wash feet in cool water in the evenings, especially after dance class.

- A swipe of deodorant, preferably of the natural variety, to prevent shaving bumps or chafing you know where.

- Coconut water: it cools and rules.

- Workout shorts with littler shorts built in (but for class, they should be just long enough to, uh, mind the gap so to speak).

- Drink spritzers because they're a foolproof way to have both water and wine at the same time.

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Simply go to the Contact section here on my site to sign up. Keep pulsing, babes!

Annie

Walking down Bedford Avenue, it seems that every second storefront is hawking CBD this and CBD that. The checkout counter at the bodega invites us to purchase CBD everything from brownies to energy shots, not to mention Sephora, which is basically half pot-based skincare all of a sudden.  The New York Times has covered the recent craze in several great articles, and I encourage the curious among us to read them as it’s pretty much the Wild West out there for this nascent industry.

As you probably know, I make CBD Muscle Melt to accompany the stretches and self-myofascial release practices of CBD Stretch, my very chill stretch workshop. While there are a lot of people out there who know a lot more than I do about this apparently magical substance, given its recent prevalence and meteoric popularity, I thought it might be useful to at least talk a little about what it is and why I use it.

What is CBD?

CBD stands for cannabidiol, a compound found in cannabis plants that is responsible for the relaxing, chill-out benefits of weed without the psychotropic effects (aka getting stoned) from THC, another type of cannabinoid in marijuana. Interestingly, these compounds work on humans because we have something called an endocannabinoid system that, in addition to ruling all kinds of functions in the body, has certain receptors to which CBD (and THC) bind. In a way, CBD meets you where you are to help your nervous system relax, which helps you calm down, focus, find peace, and otherwise chill.

Muscle rub + foam roller = heaven!

The most popular form of CBD is CBD isolate (extracted from hemp with no THC present) and full-spectrum CBD oil, which includes all 113 cannibinoids and a super teensy amount of THC, less than .3%. My favorite way to use it is topically, in conjunction with relaxing stretches and simple release techniques. I started using a CBD rub a few months after Diego was born to help with new mama shoulder tension and back pain from breastfeeding, and I would put it on before yoga and stretch sessions. It helped me literally relax, taking the grip right out of my tired traps, focus on myself (which can be challenging at first when tasked with keeping a squirmy, screaming human alive 24/7), and seemed to help me listen to my body. I also noticed it deepened the effects of my stretches and helped them last.

Salve-ation

I began to piece together the series of foam roller releases, simple stretches, and massage ball work that comprise CBD Stretch from all my therapeutic movement studies and went looking for a CBD rub to feature in class. I wasn’t all that stoked on most of the ones I could buy because they either didn’t work dependably or contained what I felt were semi-whack ingredients like lanolin and gelatin. So, having dabbled in making my own lotions and potions, I decided to try my hand at making it myself.

A behind-the-scenes look at how the magic’s made.

Using homemade CBD-infused coconut butter, skin-healing African shea butter, almond oil (which soothed my skin through pregnancy and kept it supple and stretch mark-free), and essential oils I knew to be effective in pain relief, I managed to make the little magical pots of pot I now use for sore muscles, achy joints, headaches, and even period cramps. The CBD works best with the essential oils and even better when combined with stretching, self-myofascial release, or meditation. I believe CBD increases interoception, which is our ability to feel and understand what is going on inside our bodies, thereby connecting us more deeply with our physical selves and helping us to listen. And since nothing makes me feel better than helping others feel better, I consider it to be a success already :)

Stay up to date on all of my blog posts and class announcements by signing up for my newsletter!

Simply go to the Contact section here on my site to sign up. Keep pulsing, babes!

Greetings and sun-utations!

Spring is most definitely on the scene, babes! Along with walks through the tulips, spring also brings a certain level of anxiety. Be it nerves about allergies, ramped up social schedules, or wearing less layers, I've noticed that calmness is not necessarily a common spring feeling — and it's all too easy to exhaust ourselves with preparations for the new season.

This is also the time of year when all the magazines hype their 30-Day Beach Body workouts, with everyone doing some form of spring cleaning to their bodies: be it a Whole 30, a juice fast, or a choose-your-poison-detox. All these things are relatively attractive, definitely challenging, and probably effective, but regardless, they are short-term regimens designed for short-term results.

“Have dance parties.

It all counts.

As you (probably) know, I think it's better to cultivate movement practices and food habits that sustain and nourish us over time and that you'll actually enjoy sticking with, rather than intense, quick fixes. Anyway, if you've been coming to class regularly, you don't even need to overhaul your already strong and beautiful bodies and could don your swimsuit tomorrow with no second thoughts. But, I understand the attraction of a jumpstart-type plan. So while I won't tell you not to implement these kinds of programs (after all, I'm not your nutritionist, life coach, or magazine editor), I will offer my preferred alternatives and preparatory tips:

fitness first. It's true that if you want results you've never seen, you must feel things you've never felt. But rather than a 200/day squat challenge, focus on working deeper in the exercises you already do, implement isometric holds, add an element of balance or instability, increase your weights or reps, or just get even more detailed in your body awareness while you're working out. Vary your moves and your workouts (or just keep coming to barre class and let me do it for you).

- have more fun. Meaning, go outside and play. Walk the bridge. Go for a bike ride even if it's just to brunch. Go swimming whenever you can. Have dance parties. It all counts!

- get curious. Try new things or a new approach to the same thing. Question your workouts. It sounds simple, but this is essentially how I progressively transform my reasonably fit dancer bod into an even sleeker/stronger/more-connected/functional/less-pain-having/better-than-it-was-at-25 physique — and this approach sustained me throughout my pregnancy.

I haven't done any kind of challenge since I started training in barre formats, mainly because I haven't felt I've needed to. If I gain weight, it's due to muscle or inflammation. And if my jeans get tight, it's usually nothing a few days off sugar, booze, and wheat won't cure.

If this sounds too easy (or too vague!), just try it. Or come train solo with me and find out what I mean.

Want to get moving... with me as your spirit guide?

Email me at annieroddancerbod@gmail.com if you’re interested in booking private pilates/barre classes or health coaching sessions.

or click this button.

-Annie

hello babes!

and happy earth day. 

this is just the teensiest reminder of a few things, somewhat unrelated:

the studio is closed and there are NO CLASSES fri 4/29 - mon 5/1. there is no virtual barre on thurs 4/28. i will be practicing pilates, professionally developing and drinking frozen margaritas at ALIGN summit in austin, tx.

you can join me for in studio and virtual small group classes by clicking here.

do your body-mind a favor and schedule a private pilates session here.

i blog now. check out little articles about aligning your movement practice with your concern for the future of earth here and here.

i wrote a book review of a perspective/life-changing book about the health issues of chronic blood sugar spikes, why you have them and don't know it, and the seriously simple things you can do about it. the “glucose goddess” and her hacks have solved many personal eating-related mysteries for me and have answered my questions way better than any google search yet. read it.

and, in the spirit of caring for the earth and for yourself, here's a few earth day related tidbits:

climate change is so big it can feel overwhelming and depressing to engage with because no one likes to feel helpless. but we're not helpless. be relentless in your efforts to reduce plastic consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and supporting efforts to protect biodiversity. it doesn't matter if it feels like no one else is pulling their weight. the more you do and share about it, the more “fashionable” or “on trend” it will become, and will eventually lead to widespread change.

that said, the decision-makers and the people in power are the ones needed to mobilize real change. vote, vote with your dollars, and support those making wise changes.

forgive yourself past excess consumption and move on. i'm not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. but i dedicate my small changes to the future of the world and have come to cherish them. fun, earth-friendly ideas: buy vintage. make your own every day cleaners with nice smelling essential oils like orange. take a walk. become an eco tourist. support & enjoy national parks and wildlife refuges and rewild the world. boom.

don't shy away from planet earth-related netflix specials because of fear of climate change depression (i know - it's real. my undergrad degree was environmental studies and it was reeeeaaalllly hard to keep it together. but action feels better than inaction, always, and i've seen so many changes i never thought would happen back in college. it's worth it to feel the feels). for instance, President Barack Obama narrates a recent one on national parks and it's awesome. “life on planet earth" by Sir David Attenborough made me cry in its love. there really is hope for the future.

protect your energy, outside and in.

ok babes, that's it for today. cheers to you and all you're doing to make our world a better place :)

with love & planks, 

Annie

i'm ba-ack! 

my pilates weekend in austin + a powerful mindset shift for body confidence.

ALIGN SUMMIT

Stretching it out in Austin, Tx with my dearest dance buddy, friend, teacher, Danica Kalemdaroglu

i want to say big thank you to all my clients for your support for my blissful weekend away at the first annual ALIGN summit pilates conference in austin.

this weekend gave me so much life! it felt incredibly good for this distracted mother of two littles to just worry about my own damn self for awhile, and while i got about 12 hours of sleep the entire 4 days and have needed many naps since, i've come back to the studio refreshed and energized in my teaching and passion for pilates. i woke up at 6 every day for class, stayed up late drinking, discussing & dreaming with dear friends, enjoyed some new york normal but relatively long walks in beautiful 90 degree austin, and ate approximately 75 tacos. i would do it again next weekend if i could!

It’s all in your mind

real talk : body confidence

fair warning, this section of the newsletter is about to be even more personal (and possibly self-indulgent) than usual, but it seems to me an important share in the fitness space.

one truth about me is that while i preach body positivity all day long, my own internal monologue is not always so cheery. i am certainly nowhere near body neutrality. while i appreciate those that have found freedom from self-judgment, oppressive beauty standards and all the tragedies of aspirational modern womanhood, that just isn't where i live.

i have always been motivated to seek beauty and to make my body into something beautiful. i'm a deeply physical person, and all my greatest pleasures are physical - listening to music and dancing, cooking and eating, feeling sand between my toes and swimming in the ocean, snuggling soft babies and being kissed by my husband with his strong stubbly jaw. experiencing the world through the body gets me out of my head for a little while and is a welcome break from the swirl of thoughts and feelings that constantly jumble my mind. 

moreover, i honestly think a little vanity can be a great motivator towards health & fitness, provided it's not the end-all be-all of why we work out, and as long as our sense of self-worth isn't measured solely against cultural norm beauty standards. my workouts have never been about making our bodies fit into some cookie cutter ideal of fitness or beauty. rather, my approach is to use modalities that reveal and highlight the individual specialness of each body, so that her muscles, whatever their size or shape, look (and function at) their own unique best. 

all that said, as positive as i am, i still grew up steeped in diet culture and fat phobia, around women on perma-diets who were taught to hate their bodies, and the body dysmorphia is real (as is transitioning to motherhood and feeling the feels about what the hell i'm supposed to wear on any given occasion that doesn't require leggings).

so when i went to try on my jean shorts and summer clothes as i packed for austin and nearly nothing fitright, i felt frustrated, ashamed and a bit hopeless. for all i do to take care of myself, it still wasn't enough.

immediately i began plotting my weight loss strategy and analyzing everything i was doing wrong. cut gluten, for real this time. stop eating cookies with the children and finishing their mac and cheese, you pathetic, weak emotional eater. all the legumes aren't doing you any favors, better skip those. and, my favorite - your body just isn't the same after having babies and you'll never feel the way you used to. the feeling in my chest was a mix of sadness, frustration and shame. all because a pair of cutoff levi's i bought second hand in flagstaff, az tore a little at the pocket when i buttoned them.

but then i paused and looked at almost-two-year-old Ramona, who is beyond beautiful with her little round belly and long legs and sweet, sensitive skin and i realized the time is now to help fortify her against the trials and supreme waste of mind energy that await her in our objectifying, youth-worshipping and fat-phobic world. already, her brother calls her fat because she is round where he is straight. (which, p.s., is a mystifying bummer to me because we never use the word fat in our house to describe a person. ever. but that is how prevalent and toxic it is that my highly observant and normally very sweet son would pick this up so early in life.)

so, right then and there, i shifted my mindset towards what i'd want Ramona to think about herself, should she ever be faced with a similar jean shorts dilemma. instead of beating myself up for being a normal human woman and starting some major self-improvement project, i realized that i had an awesome opportunity to flip the script of my ongoing self-criticism and show my body unconditional love. perhaps last week's indulgences are just now showing up and we'll de-puff in a few days (this is, in fact, what happened). perhaps the jeans don't fit because all the heavy weights posterior chain work actually works and my booty is finally growing - hooray! let me celebrate these curves because my hips are indeed 4 inches wider than before, and that just means more to love, and more to scoop, in pilates.

now i can think: look at this body, the obvious care that is being taken with it, the magic within it that makes it grow and change and shrink and expand and do its own thing. and i have to say, while i don't think i received a single compliment over the weekend, it didn't matter, because i just felt awesome in my own skin. this is key. i finally felt the body positivity, the love from within, that i talk about all the time, and truly didn't need it validated from the outside world.

the mindset shift, again, was this: instead of getting frustrated and feeling like i needed to diet my way to some aspirational body ideal, i instead saw an opportunity to practice unconditional self-love. i would not force my hips into too-tight things or quietly shame myself about a second breakfast taco. rather, i would let myself be curious about my extra curves, about how an exercise actually felt in my body as opposed to what i thought the results would be.

and while i still don't really know what to wear as a 40 year old mother of 2 as opposed to a 25 year old bartender (the extremes of my wardrobe at the moment), it doesn't matter. with extra size comes extra bearing, a bigger presence, and i am not at all mad at that.

anyway, babes - be well, be curious, and come move with me soon. with love & planks,

-Annie

I’m back from a weekend in Austin feeling equal parts exhausted and completely alive.

After four days of early mornings, long walks in the Texas heat, deep conversations, and more tacos than I can reasonably justify, I came home with something better than rest — I came back with a shift.

Not a dramatic, life-altering transformation.
But something quieter. More lasting.

A shift in how I see my body.

Real Talk: Body Confidence Isn’t Linear

Here’s the truth:
Even though I talk about body positivity all day long, my inner dialogue doesn’t always match.

I’m not living in some perfect state of body neutrality. I still have moments of judgment. I still catch myself measuring against old standards, old habits, old narratives.

I grew up around diet culture. Around women who were always trying to shrink themselves. And that stuff sticks — even when you know better.

So when I tried to pack for this trip and realized that most of my summer clothes didn’t fit the way I wanted them to… yeah, it hit.

Frustration. Shame. That familiar spiral of:

“What am I doing wrong?”
“I need to fix this.”
“Maybe I should start over.”

The Moment That Changed Everything

Then I looked at my daughter.

Her soft belly. Her strong little legs. Her completely unfiltered way of existing in her body — without judgment, without hesitation.

And it clicked.

If she ever stands in front of a mirror one day feeling the way I just felt… what would I want her to think?

Not “fix it.”
Not “shrink.”
Not “you’re not enough.”

I’d want her to feel at home in herself.

So I paused.

And instead of spiraling, I made a different choice.

The Shift: From Control to Curiosity

Instead of trying to control my body, I got curious about it.

Maybe the jeans didn’t fit because bodies fluctuate — like they’re supposed to.
Maybe the workouts are working, and my body is changing shape in new ways.
Maybe there’s nothing to fix.

So instead of forcing myself into smaller spaces — physically or mentally — I let myself take up the space I’m actually in.

And something surprising happened:

I felt good.

Not because anyone complimented me.
Not because anything physically changed overnight.
But because the pressure lifted.

What Pilates (Really) Teaches

This is the work.

Not chasing some perfect version of your body.
But learning how to live inside it.

Pilates, at its core, isn’t about aesthetics. It’s about awareness. Strength. Connection.

It’s about understanding how your body moves, supports you, adapts — and yes, changes.

Your body isn’t something to constantly fix.
It’s something to work with.

On Strength, Stress & Small Shifts

Life doesn’t exactly make this easy.

We carry stress — external and internal. The world feels heavy sometimes. And even when life is good, there’s that strange mix of gratitude and anxiety humming underneath.

I feel it too.

And while we can’t always control the big things, we can shift how we respond.

Not through restriction or punishment — but through addition.

Adding nourishment.
Adding movement.
Adding small, supportive habits.

Because restriction almost always leads to backlash.
But support builds something sustainable.

A Note on the Body We Ignore

One of the most overlooked parts of all this?

The pelvic floor.

It’s not a niche topic. It’s not just for postpartum bodies. It’s foundational.

It’s your core. Your breath. Your stability.

And like the rest of your body, it deserves attention before something goes wrong — not just after.

Where I Landed

I still don’t always know what to wear.
I still have moments of doubt.
I’m still practicing.

But something has changed.

There’s more space now.
More ease.
More respect for the body I’m in — not the one I think I should have.

Because with change comes presence.
With presence comes confidence.

And that kind of confidence?

It doesn’t need permission.