The low-impact Pilates routine seeing mega results
Pilates has been around for 100 years now, but lately, it’s seeing a complete workout culture renaissance. Low-impact fitness is finally recognized as a more sustainable way to achieve your body and strength goals, making Pilates a go-to exercise. One of the benefits people get from high-intensity interval training is the cardio. Still, many of us at the BODY studio have crafted a Pilates routine and lifestyle for ourselves that creates a sustainable, highly effective approach to low-impact fitness with mega results.
As with any workout where strengthening in the body is desired, there must be a routine that incorporates diet and cardio for balance and results. Even the most advanced pilates practitioners will only get so much cardio out of the exercise, as it’s designed for strengthening, elongating, and flexibility. In the spirit of low intensity, there is a cardio option at the top of the list, as effective as running, and without hard impact on the body. We often forget how beneficial walking is to our body and our mind. Walking for long distances to get your 10,000 or 20,000 steps in a day is just as if not more effective than running while being gentle on the body and burning over 500 calories per jaunt.
Now that cardio is checked off the list of your pilates routine, diet is next. When considering a diet, fads are out and sustainable eating is in. A whole foods plant-based diet, as seen on the entire BODY Cafe menu is a clean, nourishing approach to your body and wellness goals. With gut health at the epicenter of most ailments, adopting a plant-based diet is a cleaner alternative to eating that’s also kind to the planet and animals. While eliminating bad cholesterol on a vegan diet, risks for heart disease and high cholesterol are also significantly reduced. Have no fear about the myth that a plant-based diet is low on protein, as with a balanced diet, protein isn’t a concern for most vegans as most vegetables contain some protein and when mixed with beans, legumes, and grains the rest comes easy.
On the topic of diet, an incredibly effective tool for structuring your eating habits is intermittent fasting. The most popular intermittent fasting routine would be the 16:8 plan, which means you fast for 16 hours and have an eating window of 8 hours. An eating window is a structured way of consuming that allows you to get your energy, calories, and nutrients in, while also sending your body into fat-burning stages that help burn while also eliminating temptation for cravings. A common question when it comes to intermittent fasting is how to choose your eating window. While it’s not recommended to eat past 8 PM, the window is completely customizable to your body and routine. For some early birds, an eating window of 8 AM to 4 PM is ideal, while others who prefer to skip breakfast thrive from 12 PM to 8 PM. Figure out what works best for you!
Creating a workout routine and diet that turns into a habit yields results. There’s no need to push your body to the limit with exhausting workout routines that fatigue and irritate your body. Pilates paired with cardio, a plant-based diet, and intermittent fasting can get you there with energy to spare and added benefits to your health. If you’re unsure where to get started, come visit BODY for a pilates class then visit the cafe for a glimpse and taste of our whole foods plant-based, gluten-free menu!