HOLISTIC HEALTH
Thriving is about feeling amazing in all aspects of your life. I want you to feel strong and flexible, calm and energetic. We do that here through Pilates and Meditation. These two practices can set you up for success and inspire you to reflect on all other aspects of your well-being. How’s your stress level? Your sleep? Your diet? How are your relationships? There are so many avenues towards self-care. Start with what sparks joy for you--the things that you look forward to and feel fully immersed in when they’re happening. Is it bubble baths? Dinner with friends? Long walks in nature? Find time to do things you love and you will feel great. Thrive with Hally is your homebase, your starting point--tune in, move, meditate and then get out there and Thrive!
SUGGESTED DailY MOVEMENT
and Meditation SCHEDULE
Move and Meditate for your cycle
OR the moon cycle
Women are unique (and amazing) because our bodies cycle through different phases throughout the month. These phases are not as simple as Ovulation, PMS and Menstruation. Did you know that there are parts of your cycle when you might have more motivation, focus and energy to try new things or that your communication skills might get a boost from certain hormones that stimulate social centers in the brain? There are so many awesome things about our cycle. We just need to learn to roll with it rather than fight against it. When I started doing this, guided by the work of author Kate Northrup and Dr. Alicia Vitti, I felt so much more in sync with my body and it’s needs. I’m kinder and more forgiving towards myself when I need to rest and have even learned to schedule things around my most productive cycle phases. You can do it too! For more on this topic, check out: In The Flo: Unlock Your Hormonal Advantage & Revolutionize Your Life! and Do Less: A Revolutionary Approach for Ambitious Women You can start maximizing your potential with the suggested movement and meditation schedule below. Let me know how it goes!
xoHally
PS. If you don’t have a regular cycle, try cycle syncing with the moon!
Week 1
Follicular/Waxing Moon
Go for variety in your workouts this week, try a new video each day or add a prop to the mix Pilates with Weights, --find something you love.
Use this time in your cycle to get clear on what you truly want--after each meditation (try Mindfulness Meditations, jot down some ideas or intentions in your journal.)
Week 2
Ovulation/Full Moon:
You have energy to burn this week, so go for a challenge like Pilates HIIT or Pilates Full Body Flow.
Get social and invite a friend to workout with you.
Try a Walking Meditation this week or work on your 2x Breath Meditation.
Week 3
Luteal/Waning Moon:
Add in some slow burn movements this week with Pilates Abs & Arms or Pilates Abs & Ass.
Try a Mantra Meditation this week and after each meditation, jot down ideas and intentions in your journal.
Week 4
Menstrual/New Moon:
Take care of your body with gentler workouts during this phase like Pilates Stretch.
Add in some extra meditation like a Full Body Scan or send yourself some Loving Kindness.
more ways to thrive
HABIT STACKING
Want to learn about an easy hack to create new healthy habits that will last? Enter...habit stacking. Want to add meditation to your daily routine? Try stacking it with another part of your routine like brewing your morning coffee. While you wait for your coffee to brew, pull up a 6 minute meditation and poof your coffee will be ready and just the right temperature for you to savor it more mindfully! Want to add more movement to your days?
Before you make your bed, roll out your mat and cue up a video. After your bed is made, throw on your favorite workout outfit and get on your mat.
Research shows that if you stack your habits, you’re more likely to make them stick. It takes between 21-40 days to build a new habit.
Commit yourself to 21 days of stacking healthy habits in your life and it will soon be a part of your routine. I suggest starting with the meditation Prioritizing What Really Matters as a kickoff to your 21 days. Now, go thrive!
*For more information on Habit Stacking, check out Habit Stacking: 97 Small Life Changes That Take Five Minutes or Less by S.J Scott.
Nutrition
There are a zillion different “diets” out there--so how do you figure out how to eat best for your optimal health and fitness? As someone who has had major issues with digestion, I have tried so many different things: vegetarian, gluten free, paleo, etc. What has worked for me? Not any one specific diet-but a combination of eliminating processed foods and most importantly listening to my body.
I have learned to pay attention to the signals my body sends to me and adjust accordingly. For example, I notice that when I eat processed sugar I feel amazing for about 2 minutes until I crash and feel hungover. So, I’ve done my best to eliminate this from my diet.
I’ve also noticed that when I’m mindlessly eating while checking email or standing in front of the fridge (ugh-guilty as charged), I have a hard time finding my satiation meter and end up eating more than I should. So, I try to be more mindful when I eat and actually appreciate or savor each bite. I end up eating slower, enjoying my food and digesting it better.
I also notice that my body craves different things depending on my activity level, my hormones and the seasons. In the summer, I crave cooling foods like watermelon, cucumber and jicama and in the winter I go for soups and stews.
These are just a few things that work for me. But, your body is different (hopefully you still have your large intestine)! So, show your body the love it deserves and listen to it, respect it and respond to it and it will thank you in kind. Try keeping a food journal or practicing mindful eating. For some added inspiration, try the Body Scan Meditation or the Pilates Slow Flow. These will help you tune into your body and show it some love.
affirmations
Fifteen years ago, I was working with a health coach who introduced me to affirmations (positively stating a something as real and true). For example, “I am exactly where I’m supposed to be”, “I have boundless potential”, “I love and appreciate my body and everything it does for me.”
Affirmations should be stated in the present tense and use “I” or “My”. They don’t have to be true yet. You can think of them as a goal in it’s completed tense, “I show love and appreciation for my body during my daily Pilates practice”, “I peel back the layers and reveal my authentic self with each meditation practice I complete.”
When my health coach instructed me to write down a series of affirmations on a piece of paper, I laughed that they would never be true. I doubted my own ability to heal and find success in my career. Little did I know that writing them down, reading and repeating them daily was the first step in a process of manifesting my desires.
At some point, I forgot about that piece of paper, but continued pursuing my goals despite my doubts. 7 years after I wrote down those affirmations, I found that piece of paper only to discover each and every thing had come to fruition.
Now, I don’t go a day without using affirmations as a tool for healing and growth. Each morning as I stretch my body, I silently repeat a series of affirmations which set me up for success in my day. I feel so strongly about the power of this routine, that I want to share it with you. Check out, Stretch and Thrive and Connecting to Your True Self this week and start to feel the power of affirmations in your life.