Pilates & Food: A Restorative Recipe

Pilates & Food… These are 2 of My Favorite things As an owner of a Pilates Studio & a mom, there is not much time in the day to feed oneself. We all know how important feeding our body is; it works so hard teaching our clients, taking care of our family, and sneaking in some Pilates for ourselves in between sessions or after a long day. I used to be so against crock pots and I really didn’t know why, so I decided to explore it a bit… I remember hearing my very Italian New Jersey mother once say “Uck who uses a crockpot! Using one of those is not really cooking! So yeah, I guess that’s it, those words stuck in my head for years and years and I would not use one. The poor thing just sat there staring at me … until life got out of control and a baby joined the family. Alive with juicy veggies and amazing aromas, I now had a healthy and savory meal that was ready when I got home. This recipe is one of my favorites to come home to after a long day; it truly nourishes me from the inside out. The mix of coconut milk, garlic and ginger is just so delicious it will warm you up and make your mindful Pilates body feel great. My 10-month-old son is obsessed with the chicken, so it is a meal that every age can enjoy. It can become a go to for all busy wives, mommas, teachers, leaders and overall bad asses! Enjoying this recipe and a Restorative Pilates class is a perfect way to end the day. Recipe: TheKitchn – Whole Chicken in Coconut Milk – Slow Cooker! Why Restorative? Restorative movements in Pilates or any type of exercise are very important. They help us decompress and find our center. They allow us to focus on our breath, our mobility and our balance by slowing down and really feeling the movements. With restorative movement, you have time to think about how each movement feels in your muscles and in your bones. You become very aware if something feels tight or if it suddenly relaxes; ahhh, we love that feeling. One of the main reasons for this is because it is done at a slower pace.  I love restorative Pilates because it is great for assisting someone recovering from an injury, is a safe and effective class for active agers and pre and post natal women love it. While your crockpot is taking care of dinner, use these moves to take care of yourself. Shake off any holding patterns you may have picked up during the past few days. My go to restorative moves… 1. Diaphragmatic Breathing: Inhale and think about releasing your bottom and your pelvic floor muscles into the floor where you are comfortably sitting. Exhale and feel how the breath narrows your ribs and gently lifts your pelvic basket. 2. Foot Rollout: Grab a spiky ball, a tennis ball, a lacrosse ball or your child’s toy ball and roll out the bottom of your feet. You may find some sticky and painful spots – stay with that for a bit and then move the ball vigorously from toe to heel. Your feet work hard all day everyday. Show them some love and watch how it improves your posture! 3. Neck and Shoulder Release : Lie on your back with your legs long. Reach both arms up to the ceiling and inhale to reach your finger tips long towards the ceiling – feel how your shoulder blades gently separate and open your upper back. Exhale and and allow your shoulder blades to melt into the floor, narrowing towards each other – feel how this allows your collar bones to spread and your ribs to narrow.

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