Spring Cleaning
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.
Annie
