I was chatting with my mum recently and we were having a little giggle, as we’d both put on some “Covid Kilos”.

For me it was about 4 kgs.

She didn’t know how much she had put on – which was great. She just knew how she felt.

After little chat we decided to keep each other accountable for some extra movement, and she committed to starting back at my Pilates again and I said I’d start swimming.

It’s vital to go by how we feel and not be driven by our weight in numbers. Sure take a peak sometimes, if you feel off track, but don’t rule your life by it. Checking the scales can easily become an unhealthy obsession.

I knew I wasn’t my usual weight, or a weight I felt comfortable about, because I wasn’t fitting into my clothes as well. I didn’t need the scales to tell me that. I just decided to jump on them one day and see what they said. It was maybe the first time in 6 months.

Weight is going to be different for everyone, it will be effected by so many things, of course exercise and diet, but also our age, our history, our experiences, our beliefs current happiness, stress levels, amount of sleep, hormones, hydration and much much more.

Assuming we will lose weight by doing more hard core exercise is not always the answer. In fact if you’re stressed, sometimes your body will respond more to the opposite. Adding the stress of hard exercise sometimes makes the body think it needs to hold onto the weight, as it’s going into protection, storage mode.

Even though I’d exercised all through the lock down, quarantine period, we had in KL, I believe I put on weight because of a few reasons; comfort and emotional eating (reaching for more cakes and ice-cream than normal), being away from my husband, some really stressful times (work wise), lack of sleep and not as much general incidental movement.

Fast forward to today (approx 1 month later) I haven’t changed my exercise routine, other than adding a few more weight sessions, but I have lost 2 kgs. This is due to regulating my body again, eating less of the sugary foods, getting more sleep, hubby back and feeling less stressed.

I’m sharing this with you today, to highlight a couple of things;

1. To show you how sometimes doing more exercise is not always the answer.

This is different for everyone. If you’re already stressed as mentioned, sometimes adding more stressful workouts is not the answer. Instead adding a mind body exercise like Pilates and Yoga plus weights can actually help to lose weight. This is because we slow down the production of Cortisol the hormone that will cause us to hold more weight (more on that another time).

 

Other times, to make a shift in body weight cardio, like HITT and BARRE etc, and exercising for longer periods of time are required to see a change. It really does depend on your daily activity, and your life situation. Test your body. See what works. We’re all different.

 

2. To also explain how I didn’t beat myself up about the weight gain.
I could have entertained thoughts that popped into my head like “I have to be in good shape as I’m a Pilates instructor, I have to look good for my clients etc etc” but as soon as I recognized this happening I stopped and thought, wait, I’m human too! I’m not immune to these things. I also have to honour this stage and moment in my life for what it is.

Instead I switched this thinking and told myself I need to get back to toning up and feeling healthier, as I know how I want to feel again. Being healthier to me meant, eating less cakes and chocolates, sleeping more, and taking better care of myself by not adding more to my life so I could reduce stress etc. I made a choice, to focus on my self care for the month and not focus on making myself feel bad about the weight gain.

 

3. I want you to know that it it’s normal if you don’t always maintain our best self all the time.
Remember you’re human and everyone, including myself, fall off the wagon sometimes. It’s unrealistic to think you can be at the same all the time. Life, and we, are always changing, nothing is certain and or stays the same. Covid has certainly reinforced and reminded us of that. So how can you expect yourself to be the same always or even be the same as you were 5 years ago. I’m certainly not saying to not care, not have goals or not strive for improvement (however that looks for you). I’m just saying, if you fall down, just pick yourself up and get going again – with no hard feelings or bad words to yourself.

Remember to always speak to yourself like you would a friend and take care of yourself like you would your own child.

Until you learn to love your body no matter what shape or form it’s in, it won’t give you what you want, and you’ll never be happy. Don’t wait to love your body when it’s at your ideal weight on the scales, or looking like this or that. Love it now. There may not be a tomorrow. You’re still the same beautiful person no matter what your body looks like.

Our body is the vessel for our soul – you are always the same beautiful soul.

All I did was show myself some love, took care of myself and my body started to regulate it’s self again.

Ok enough of my lectures now! haha

Keep moving, keep loving and speaking kind words to yourself.

Quarantine Pack Update & Special offer

If you signed up for the Quarantine Pack classes, I hope you’ve been enjoying them.

I released this pack for everyone to have access to the classes they’d need during these unprecedented times in the world.  

The pack was only going to be available for a couple of weeks, but as so many people were benefiting from it, I decided to keep it open since March 24th. 

As many have had access now for about 5 months….

I’ll now be closing it off for those who joined the Free Quarantine Pack before 29th July.

You’ll have until next Wednesday 19th August to use it – after that the password will be changing.

However this doesn’t mean you have to stop using the classes!

You can keep access to them all plus over 200 + more, from inside my online Pilates Studio: The Core Fit Club. 

To find out more click here >>> The Core Fit Club

I hope to keep training you!

When you join you’ll be joining hundreds of other happy clients who are getting amazing results. 

Until next Wednesday I’ll be offering a special for those who join….

$10 first month 
(monthly plan) – saving of $5

BUY NOW​
OR

1 x FREE month 
(annual plan) – saving of $68 

BUY NOW​

 Don’t miss out on this! 

This offer will end Wednesday 19th at 10pm Malaysia time
Not available for anyone who’s already had a once off special offer from ePilates Online

Barre Class for you to try

I have included one of the latest Barre Classes released for my Core Fit Club Members this month, as part of their new August class. This is a full body class that will get your heart rate up and tone and strengthen your whole body.

Click the image below to play. …
This class is available until next Wednesday 19th August 10pm Malaysia time.

Please let me know in the comments below how you enjoyed the class and be sure not to miss out on the special offer until Tuesday 24th August!

Plus be sure to sign up for the FREE Quarantine Pack below,  if you haven’t already done so. 

Lots of love

Em xo

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