Align Pilates® Minneapolis

According to a couple of recent studies, from people who apparently have A LOT of spare time on their hands, folks who wear red appear more attractive to others. And it’s true for both men and women, and across all nationalities. Apparently, red knows no boundaries.

One study took two photos of one man. In the first shot, the man wore a blue shirt. In the second shot, he wore a red shirt. When the two pictures were shown to a group of select ladies, they consistently found the test lad more hunky in red. Another study conducted a similar test, but reversed the sexes. And yep, you guessed it. The ladies were right on target with the males. So next time you hit the treadmill or elliptical to impress your local gym hottie, you might just want to think sparking his and/or her interest with a fiery-colored ensemble. Because red is the best looking color around.

Maybe this explains why I’ve been so attracted to the Align Pilates sign lately?

Next time you do a lateral twist, think about how you’re cleansing the small intestine, which despite its deceptive name, is actually the largest of your internal organs. And when your feet slip ‘n slide on the mat during the next intense yoga class, it’s probably because your tootsies have 500,000 sweat glands that produce over a pint of sweat per day. And when you walk into tomorrow evening’s Pilates class, ponder how the day’s activities squish the cartilage between our bones, making us about 1 cm taller in the morning than we are when the sun descends—another great reason to delve right into those lengthening poses.

How did we become so knowledgeable in the ways of the body? I could say it’s because of years and years of intense schooling with the world’s most renowned smarty pants and a thorough referencing of the best encyclopedias around, but I’d be lying. In truth, it’s all a result of this little nugget: 100 Very Cool Facts about the Human Body. Check it out and impress your friends with fun facts. And when they ask how YOU got so smart, tell them it’s because the human brain cell can hold five times as much information as the Encyclopedia Britannica. (It’s true.)

If you read it online it’s true, right? Ha. But this one I believe. Number 15 in New York Times list of 31 Places To Go In 2010: Costa Rica. As my mother would say, “how fortuitous”. It just so happens I’ll be there in 2 weeks for Align’s Pilates-Yoga-Surf Retreat. Done. Bring on the next 30.

I’m a fan of finding inspiration in unlikely places. And I’m certainly a fan of getting a sneak peek into the diet and weight-loss secrets of others…especially celebrities.
So maybe you don’t have the funds to hire a personal trainer (i.e. Katherine Heigl) or a professional dining service (i.e. Rikki Lake/Tori Spelling) to come into your home and make sure you eat and live healthy. Neither do we. But even the rich and famous have humble ways of shedding unwanted pounds: Katie Holmes jogs her way toward her first marathon to fight post-baby weight, and country crooner Carrie Underwood logs her daily intake in a food journal to keep herself in check. The point is everybody faces diet and weight challenges, especially those who live in the limelight every day. We, the more modest not-so-famous, can gain inspiration from them—remember to keep it real and find the secret that works for you.

I’ll admit it. When I am on the road, it’s usually me against traffic. In other words, I do what I can to get ahead and keep up the pace. Though I always try to proceed with caution, I am not afraid of merging or switching lanes, I do not slow down before getting on the highway just because that silly meter light tells me to, and my turn signal means I am turning, not I am thinking about turning now, but my real turn is three blocks ahead, and when I approach my turn, it will take me 10 seconds to round the corner and 10 more seconds to complete the turn, and while I do all of this putzing, I have no problem with the fact that traffic had come to a complete standstill behind me.

Ugh.

Whether my behind-the-wheel aggression is a good thing or a bad thing has yet to be decided. (I know my mother’s vote would be a solid bad thing.) But maybe, just maybe, if everybody drove in a similar fashion, we’d all get to where we are going a little faster. And for the record, I’ve never received a speeding ticket (knock on wood), nor have I been in a serious accident (knock on wood again). This makes me think that I am doing something right. And this quick article reaffirms my suspicion.

The next time you are rushing from wherever you are to get to that yoga class on time, (see, you knew I’d have a fitness-related point in there somewhere) remember: safety first, breaking a little traffic rule now and again isn’t so bad, and there’ll be plenty of time to release all that road rage in shavasna.

One dress, one year, one dollar a day—this is Sheena Matheiken’s pledge. It’s called The Uniform Project and the goal is to send one underprivileged Indian child to school for one year.

Sheena is a girl who’s no stranger to the uni. Born and raised in India, where school uniforms are mandatory, she used accessories and personal style to stand out in a sea of conformity. This same creative spark has set fire to a much larger social project. That’s where the dress comes in.

Sheena has promised to wear one dress for 365 days. The catch? Each day, she spruces it up with witty accessories and style to make it unique. AND she puts one dollar in a “jar”. At the end of the year, the savings will be given to an Indian child so that he or she can have an education that would have otherwise been out of reach.

Confused? Intrigued? Inspired? Check out The Uniform Project website where Sheena chronicles her daily use of dress and accessories and tells the story behind her mission. It’s great motivation to spread a little creative good of our own around here.

Now, will somebody please get Sheena some Fabreeze?!

There’s a new *energy* drink on the market and it’s the first of it’s kind. Although this drink does just the opposite of what we’re used to with it’s *Red Bull* counterparts. This drink relaxes you.

The drink is called Drank (ha! say that 10 times fast) and is being sold as an aid to stress relief. Reports say it tastes just like grape soda. Is that like how obsecure meats always “taste just like chicken”? Drank is also being coined “marijuana in a can” because of it’s uber relaxation powers. Um…ok.

Now, at the risk of sounding like my grandma, I’ve heard of some pretty crazy things in my life but an anti-energy drink? Seems a bit sketchy, especially with the warning label that reads “This product may cause drowsiness. Not recommended more than two servings within a 24-hour period.” Let’s hope this isn’t grabbed by mistake by that extra tired semi-driver needing a swallow of pick-me-up.

Question: Why do we find the exercise habits of celebrities so fascinating?

Maybe because we want to hear about how hard they have to work to look that fantastic. (They’re real people too, right?) Plus, it’s often nice to know how the other half, like Ashley Tisdale and Sarah Palin, get and stay in shape so that we can take pointers from them, or just have another excuse to peer into their lives for a minute to two.

But peer as I might, I must admit I’m not 100% confident that I know who Ashley Tisdale is.

Question: Does that make me old?

It just keeps getting better. Pilates helps strengthen bodies. Now, it may even help support our drooping economy. Say what? Check out the recent Star Tribune article that addresses this very issue. If you have been considering a career path as a Pilates instructor, now may be the perfect time to jump aboard.

Don’t stop ‘til you get enough. Even though the economy is down, people aren’t giving up the things they truly love, like Pilates. So it makes sense that instructors are in high demand in the Twin Cities area, and many studios say that they can’t find enough. Local instructors can often charge up to $65 an hour, which is just one great reason to pursue this profession in tight times.

Help others help themselves. Pilates improves lives. It has become a favorite exercise routine among those who want to stop pain, rehabilitate after injuries, improve their overall posture and keep their bodies healthy. Through a regular Pilates practice, individuals learn how to activate their core muscles in order alleviate bodily ache and stress. By becoming a Pilates instructor, you can help fellow Minnesotans improve their quality of life while enhancing your own health and fitness.

Step right up. Don’t know where to go or how to start? You’ve come to the right place. Align Pilates is thrilled to provide top-notch instructor training at our licensed private career school. Our mission is to develop the best instructors through the most comprehensive training program in the mid west. Together, our directors have over 20 years of experience, and they are dedicated to providing a supportive and personal relationship with each student. At Align, you’ll receive more than just an education—you’ll gain a unique and thorough insight into the human body’s movements and capabilities.

See what your body can do to pull yourself out of the recession. Get more information about our Teacher Training Program on alignpilates.com.

We love Burt’s Bees products. And today, we love them even more. The company is celebrating an impressive twenty-five year run in the all-natural personal care department. In honor of this righteous event, Burt and his bees are giving away 25,000 Beeswax Lip Balms throughout the next 25 days. That’s right. All you gotta do is sign up on their website and you’ll get a soothing lippy for free. How ‘bout them bees?

Act quick—the website is all a-buzz and people are scrambling for the free balm. But if you happen to miss out on the freebie, don’t fret—there’s more to celebrate. For every $25 you spend on their website, you’ll get an Original Beeswax Lip Balm for zilch, zero, zip!

Today, it’s not about what you can do for the beeswax, it’s about what the beeswax can do for you. So follow the drone and check out Burt’s bevy of goods. (Here are some of our personal faves: Radiance Eye Cream, Milk & Honey Body Lotion, and Coconut Foot Cream.)

Happy Burt Day!