Why You Need More Than New Year's Resolutions

I have been thinking a lot about exercise adherence with the New Year upon us.  What exactly is exercise adherence?  Well let me start by telling you what it isn’t.  It isn’t a resolution.  Exercise adherence refers to how strong a person’s commitment is to continue an exercise program.  It isn’t just about will power; it is about so much more. You need to set goals, not make resolutions. 

What helps a person have a high level of exercise adherence?  Things like family support, personal support of a trainer, accountability by a trainer or other person, enjoying the program you begin (yes, it is possible to enjoy exercising!), social support, and starting with a program that is not too intense in the beginning and builds as your fitness increases.

So why is starting a program at Indianapolis Pilates by 15 to Fit going to help with your commitment to exercise?  Here’s why.  Every session you have, whether is in a group class setting (where you will rarely have more than 4-5 people in a class), a private session, or a duet (with one other person), you will always have a personal trainer leading you, correcting your form and supporting you.  You could join a gym with 100s or maybe 1000s of others, and even if you get a couple of free trainer sessions, you will never get the one on one attention you get at our studio.  Our services are personal and we can meet with you, discuss your fitness goals and get you on track to achieve them.  And you will be with one of our skilled trainers every single time.

Guess what? It is also really fun.  Our trainers are serious about what they are doing, but they are all also a lot of fun.  The group classes create the social support that was discussed above as one of the factors that helps keep everyone motivated.  Several of my clients have become friends, and exercise becomes almost a social gathering at the studio.  We keep up with each other ‘s lives and we get a killer workout too.

But while we are on that topic, I also realize that each person is at a different physical level and I don’t try to work you so hard on your first visit that you never want to come back.  We learn your body and your fitness level and work with that.  We have classes at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.  Of course, we won’t let you slack off either, and will hold you accountable for doing your best work and achieving your goals. That is what we are here for.  So where are YOU?

Give us a call at 317/281-6762 or email us today (patrea@15tofit.com or cmorog@15tofit.com).  We will help you meet your goals.

Holiday Bazaar Tomorrow!

Tired of the same cookie cutter holiday gifts you see everywhere and in every store?
Join us on December 7th from 4-7 pm at the 15 to Fit Studio for our Holiday Bazaar!

Stop by and see unique gifts from Down Home Up North and enjoy some beer and wine provided by Great Fermentations at our Fitness and Holiday Bazaar. Get a leg up on your holiday shopping, and enjoy some fitness motivation while you're there.
 Great Fermentations is a local brewing and wine making company owned by Anita Johnson. The staff at Great Fermentations has been brewing or making wine for over 45 years combined. They love the science and the creativity of making beer, wine, cider and mead. They share a passion for teaching their clients and have helped thousands of customers make their own beverages over the years. To the staff at Great Fermentations consumption is just considered enjoyable research.
 Down Home Up North is a northern Michigan-based store with unique home accessories and an online store with changing merchandise monthly. Owner Amy Minick Peterson returns to Indianapolis in the off season and is pleased to participate in the 15 to Fit Fitness and Holiday Bazaar. She is an enthusiastic 15 to Fit customer, too! Check out some of her offerings at http://www.downhomeupnorth.com/

They'll be bringing in some special items for this event... so don't miss it.


Bring a friend and receive 3 extra chances to win one of the door prizes!

What Does 15 to Fit Mean Anyway?

The 15 to Fit Challenge
So people are often asking me about my company name “15 to Fit.” What does it mean, how did I come up with this? Well, generally, my name takes into account my philosophy that I will guarantee that if you follow our program for 15 weeks, you will become stronger (especially in those abs!) and more flexible or your money back. In a general sense, 15 weeks to fitness!

More specifically, I have started a program I am very excited about called the 15 to Fit Challenge. I have set up a special package including introductory private sessions, individual assessments, and group classes. You will get 45 Pilates Sessions with this Challenge!

This is a Wellness Challenge to motivate and commit you to following through with your health goals. Plus you have a chance to WIN $1,000!

$1,540 Value for $895!
What is included:
1- Private, introductory session
3- 30 min. Assessment sessions: Start Date, Mid term and Finish Date (15 weeks from Start Date)
45- Group Equipment Classes or Movement Classes

Assessment Sessions:
• Body Weight
• Body Measurements
• Strength Assessment
• Muscular Endurance Upper Body
• Muscular Endurance for Abdominals
• Flexibility Test

Challenge Rules:
Attend 2 of 3 of your assessment sessions. It is strongly suggested that you attend the midterm session between Weeks 7 to 9 but to stay in the Challenge you must be assessed at your Start date and your Finish date, 15 weeks later.

Attend 3 Pilates classes per week, either group equipment or movement classes. This is an average of 3 classes per week over the 15-week period. This doesn’t mean you can’t attend if you travel or are going on vacation. You just must be able to make up those classes either before you go or after.

Whoever has lost the largest percentage of body weight wins $1,000!*

*There must be at least 12 people entered over the 15 to Fit Challenge Session 2-2011 for the challenge to take place. Session 2- 2011 is defined as the period between January 3- May 23, 2011. Sign up now for this exciting challenge!

What if you don’t have a significant amount of weight to lose?

You can still enter the challenge and receive assessments and great Pilates sessions at a dramatically reduced rate.

One 55-Minute Introductory Private Session $75
Three 30-Minute Assessment Sessions $115
45 Group Equipment Classes or Movement Classes $1350
Total Value $1540
15 to Fit Challenge Price $996
One payment $895
Or 4 payments of $249

It’s going to be a new year; wouldn’t you like to start it off right, dedicating yourself to your own health and well being? If this sounds good to you, sign up here.

“After 10 sessions you will feel a difference, after 20 sessions you will see a difference, and after 30 sessions you will be on your way to a whole new body.” -Joseph Pilates

Hey Moms--ever heard of diastasis?

Have you been wondering why you just can’t get that Mommy belly to flatten out?  Have you ever heard of a diastasis?  Diastasis technically means “the separation of parts of the body that are normally joined together, such as the separation of certain abdominal muscles during pregnancy, or of adjacent bones without fracture.” (Thank you Wikipedia).

Image via WikipediaThe type of diastasis I deal with regularly in my practice is the first example given above—the separation of muscles in the abs that occurs during pregnancy.  When a woman is pregnant, and her pregnancy continues to grow, the rectus abdominis muscles often split apart (think of that “6 pack ab” area of your body) in order to make way for your increasing belly.  You can feel this condition if you know where to look, or “feel,” as the case may be.  If you lay on your back and put your fingers a few inches from your belly button and lift your head, you can sometimes feel a ridge sticking out of the middle of the abs.  This is the diastasis I am talking about.

A lot of women I have trained have developed this condition during pregnancy, and sometimes it can heal on its own, but there are many exercises that can be done in order help it heal (or to prevent it getting worse).  Further, one of the keys is that you have to know how to do the right exercises to do in order to not make it worse.  I think this is one of the reasons some women feel they can never get rid of that “pregnancy paunch”—because they are not doing the right exercises to get rid of it, and they are doing in fact the exact wrong exercises to exacerbate it.  For instance, in order to heal a diastasis, you shouldn’t be doing crunches, which is probably the first thing a lot of people think of when they are worried about a protruding belly.  Exercises that focus on the internal obliques and the transversus abdominis are great options both before and after pregnancy to help with a diastasis problem.  You also need a trainer who knows how to look for this problem, and most importantly, knows how to avoid certain exercises that intuitively, might seem like a good idea, but will only make the condition worse.

Pilates can be a great option to help with a diastasis problem because exercises can be tailored to the individual and to that individual’s body—there is no one size fits all in Pilates in general, or at Indianapolis Pilates by 15 to Fit.  Check out our website if you are in Indianapolis for great info on classes (http://www.15tofit.com/) or check out my great workout videos for expecting Moms and post partum Moms (www.gomomfitness.com).  There is hope!

What is the "Core" anyway?

There are certain words you hear thrown around a lot in fitness these days, particularly in a Pilates setting.  One of these words is “core” or “powerhouse.”  What exactly does that mean?  If you look it up on Wikipedia, you will see the technical anatomical definition to include the following major muscles: the pelvic floor muscles, transversus adbdominus, multifidus, internal and external obliques, rectus abdominus, erector spinae (sacrospinalis), the longissismus thoracis, and the diaphragm. Minor core muscles include the latissumus dorsi, gluteus maximum and trapezius.

Image via Wikipedia Ok those are some big words for muscles mainly in your abs (both in the center and the sides), your back, your butt, and your pelvic floor—which are low ab muscles—the one you would use to stop yourself from peeing (sorry to be graphic, but that is usually the easiest way to describe it).  Think of it like this, they are the muscles that keep you upright and able to do major body movement. 

A lot of traditional exercises will target a few of these muscles, but the reason I have learned to love Pilates so much is that it integrates very precise movements in order to target ALL of these core muscles.  And some of those muscles are deep within your abdomen, underneath those “6 pack” muscles.  And trust me, crunches are not targeting all these core muscles—crunches only target one area.

By getting in and working all these core muscles, you can improve your body health dramatically. Your posture can improve.  Toning these muscles is great to maintain your balance and flexibility and also maintain nice things like continence, or not peeing yourself when you laugh or sneeze (some of you Moms know what I am talking about here).  They are also great to help during childbirth which is why Pilates can also be great for expectant mothers (and why I have an entire DVD aimed at you guys!).  You won’t have a bad back if you have strong core muscles, because your core will take care of you if you take care of it.  Seriously, a strong core is the key to so many things, but you have to know how to work it.

Patrea in the Indianapolis Star!

In the News: "Football Teams Add Pilates, Non-Traditional Training Methods"

http://www.indystar.com/article/20101105/SPORTS02/11050344/Football-teams-add-Pilates-non-traditional-training-methods?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CSports%7Cs

$5 Pilates Class is Tomorrow November 2nd!!!

$5 Teaser Tuesday Pilates Class

15 to Fit Pilates

DATE: Tuesday November 2, 2010

TIME: 6:30-7:30 PM

MORE: Sign up today at http://www.15tofit.com/ under "webscheduler" or contact Christina Morog, Marketing Coordinator at cmorog@15tofit.com