Pilates Exercise of the Day!

Double Leg Stretch

Aim:

• Strengthen and lengthen your legs and hip joint
• To strengthen your abdominals
• To mobilaze the shoulder joint
• To co-ordinate breathing, arm and leg movement with abdominal control

Starting position:

Lie on your back on the floor, knees comfortably bent to chest at a table top position and slightly apart, toes pointed and hands on your knees.

Movement:

With both legs bent pull your lower legs in with your hands and lift your head, neck and shoulders.

Inhale: while inhaling keep your chin to your chest, simultaneiusly reach your arms overhead and extend your legs at a 90 degree angle.
Keep stomach muscles nice and tight.

Exhale: While exhaling slowly sweep your arms out to the side keeping them close to the mat while bending your knees and returning your arms and legs to starting position.

Repeat 5 times.


Keep checking for Stage 2 of the double leg stretch.

Quick, Easy and Pleasureable Meat-Fee Monday Recipe

Brinjal And Mozzarella Stacks

Meat-free Monday recipe

These juicy stacks of brinjal topped with tomato, mozzarella and basil make meat-free Monday more pleasurable than ever! 


Ingredients
2 medium brinjals sliced
1 packet Royco Beef Marinade
4 large ripe tomatoes sliced
300g mozzarella sliced
2 handfuls of fresh basil

Method

Preheat oven to grill setting.
Prepare marinade according to pack instructions.
Marinate brinjal slices with the prepared marinade in a dish for 10 minutes.
Place brinjal slices on a baking tray and brush generously with marinade.
Grill until slightly softened and brown.
Create stacks by layering the tomato, cheese, brinjal and basil. Drizzle with marinade and sprinkle with ground black pepper before serving.

Serves 4
15 minutes to make

Pilates Exercise of the Day!

Rolling Like a Ball

Aim:

Relaxing exercise
Massage for the spine

Starting position:

Sit on the mat and bring your knees to the chest. You should be near the end of the mat. Navel to spine. Round your back and wrap your arms around your legs. Hold each ankle separately. Bring your heels close to your bottom and lower your chin to your chest.

Movement:

Roll back like a ball until your bottom leaves the mat. Keep holding tight. Pull down firmly on your legs with your arms to help you start rolling back up without uncurling. Roll all the way up to the starting position. Roll back and forth 8 to 10 times.

Inhale: As you roll back.
Exhale: As you roll up.

Key points:

Keep stomach tight and no Stomach bulge.
Keep chin to chest.
Keep your heels close to your bottom.

Smoothie Time

Refreshing Skin Smoothie

Flaxseed minimises spots and fine lines, Vitamin C packed berries create collagen and cleanse skin, while pomegranates (also high in Vitamin C) reduce oxidative damage.

In a blender combine:

1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
1 cup frozen blueberries
175ml summer berries frozen yogurt
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 cup pure pomegranate juice

Pulse first, then process on a high speed until smooth.

Pilates Exercise of the day!

Leg Circles

Aim:

Mobilize the hp joint to keep them free.
Learn how to work your leg while keeping your torso firmly anchored and stable.
Stretch your legs while maintaining perfect posture.
Toning the thigh muscles

Starting position:

Lie on your back with your arms extended down at your sides, palms down. Engage (tighten) your stomach muscles and raise your 1 leg to an upright position at a 90 degree angle to the mat.

If your leg muscles are tight you can slightly bend your leg.

Motion:

Keep your spine anchored firmly to the mat.

Inhale: Lower your leg down to the side slightly (First half of the circle)

Exhale: While completing the circle

Watch Points:

Keep the circles small and controlled, do not move your lower back.
Make sure your body stays anchored to the mat throughout the exercise keeping your back, neck and one leg pressed to the mat and motionless.
No stomach bulge during the exercise, navel to spine.

The goal is to make your circles larger as you become more proficient, always keeping your torso firmly anchored.

Pilates Exercise of the day!

The Roll Up

Objective:

To stretch and mobilize the spine. To tone the abdominal.

Key Points:

Careful not to hold your breath. Keep the hips and pelvis firmly grounded and tummy tucked in.

Starting position:

Lie on the floor with your legs straight. Let your belly drop down toward the floor and make sure your shoulders are relaxed and away from your ears. Keep your ribs down and extend your arms straight up over your head that your finger tips are facing the wall behind you.

Motion:

Inhale: Leave your scapula down as you bring your arms up over head. As your arms pass your ears let the nod your chin to your chest and lift your head neck and shoulders slightly.

Exhale: And continue to curl your body up in one smooth motion towards your toes. Pull  your abs in and deepen the curve of the your spine as you exhale. That's what gets you up (not momentum).

Finally, keeping the head tucked, the abdominal deep, and the back rounded, reach for your toes.

Inhale: and slowly curl up to a straight up position, shoulders down and relaxed.

Exhale: Curl spine and slowly curl down into the starting position lowering one vertebra at a time.

Try do up to 6 repetitions.