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Balance; it is the key to everything. Balance is an essential component in your daily physical, mental, and personal/work life. Imagine you're on a beam, not far off the ground, but far enough to fall if you make a misstep or are pushed one direction or another. The key to success in this situation is pure balance. In life, you must stay balanced, both physically and mentally and in your life in general.

If the activities in your life are off balanced, you may miss out on opportunities. You must have a proper ratio of work, fun, and relaxation. Without the perfect balance, you will miss out, become overwhelmed, and the areas of your life that you are neglecting, will well...become neglected.

Mental balance is just as important as physical balance. If you do not take the steps to stay mentally balanced, you can be overcome with stress and anxiety, then consequently, your personal and work life may suffer. If you encounter the feeling of mental imbalance or want to take preventative measures, here are some excellent go to activities!

1. Light a candle, two, or maybe three...
2. Look into aroma therapy- Get educated on the array of benefits essential oils can have in your life.
3. Read a book
4. Take a bath
5. Go for a walk or a light jog
6. TRY PILATES

Luckily, all of these ideas can provide you with a multitude of benefits. Our favorite ways here at Delta Pilates to improve our health and balance are using essential oils, which can provide anything from relaxation, to pain relief or even improved focus and energy, and of course, we love to practice Pilates. Pilates can help you improve your balance, strength, AND can provide amazing stress relief.

We would love to see you come in to learn the art of pilates and we can help you start improving your life balance both physically and mentally!

At this time of the year, everyone SAYS their resolutions, because they have so much motivation, due to it being the New Year. They talk about how they are going to keep it the whole year, but within the next month, it is forgotten or unaccomplished. Have you ever wondered how that small percentage of people who actually go through the whole year with their resolution, are able to do so?

First, resolutions must be realistic. You cannot say you are going to never be negative, because mental resolutions are much more difficult to control than physical resolutions. Understand that some negative thoughts may slip, but just be mindful of them. However, you cannot say you are going to lose 20 pounds in a week, because that is not healthy. Both physical and mental goals must be achievable.

Second, WRITE your own resolutions down. It is proven true that when things are written down they tend to be remembered, because you can always go back to look at them. Try coming up with a resolutions to do with your spouse, loved one, best friend, or coworker to have someone to push you to succeed at your goals or when you don’t have the motivation for that one day.

Lastly, always tell yourself you can do it and that you are good enough to push yourself to accomplish your desired goal. Believe in yourself, because you are a strong individual. You made the goal thinking you could do it at the beginning and when it gets to be too much in the middle of accomplishing the goal, push yourself that much harder so you can tell people at the end of 2018 that you went through with your whole goal for an entire 365 days.

Sleep (noun): a condition in which the body and mind is inactive, typically reoccurs several times a night with the body going through different stages of sleep where the muscles are relaxed, eyes shut, and the consciousness is “mindless”. Sleep (verb): be asleep

Sleep. Something that can never be completely fulfilled. It’s always wanted… always needed. Sleep is so important for your body and your mind. It gives you energy to push yourself that extra workout, exercise, or drill. It is necessary to take care of your body on a daily basis. Not getting enough rest can lead to emotional/physical changes, for example baggy eyes, restless attitude, up and down mood changes, and lack of energy. By getting about 8 hours of sleep per night, moods can turn from negative to positive and workouts can turn from dreadful to pleasurable. Be sure to really focus on getting enough sleep for your body when planning your days and weeks out. In the end, changes will be noticed.

No matter where motion starts, it ripples upward and downward to adjoining links of the chain. Thus, weak or inflexible core muscles can impair how well your arms and legs function. And that saps power from many of the moves you make. Properly building up your core cranks up the power. A strong core also enhances balance and stability. Thus, it can help prevent falls and injuries during sports or other activities. In fact, a strong, flexible core underpins almost everything you do:

Everyday acts. Bending to put on shoes or scoop up a package, turning to look behind you, sitting in a chair, or simply standing still — these are just a few of the many mundane actions that rely on your core and that you might not notice until they become difficult or painful. Even basic activities of daily living — bathing or dressing, for example — call on your core. On-the-job tasks. Jobs that involve lifting, twisting, and standing all rely on core muscles. But less obvious tasks — like sitting at your desk for hours — engage your core as well. Phone calls, typing, computer use, and similar work can make back muscles surprisingly stiff and sore, particularly if you're not strong enough to practice good posture and aren't taking sufficient breaks.

A healthy back. Low back pain — a debilitating, sometimes excruciating problem affecting four out of five Americans at some point in their lives — may be prevented by exercises that promote well-balanced, resilient core muscles. When back pain strikes, a regimen of core exercises is often prescribed to relieve it, coupled with medications, physical therapy, or other treatments if necessary.

Sports and other pleasurable activities. Golfing, tennis or other racquet sports, biking, running, swimming, baseball, volleyball, kayaking, rowing and many other athletic activities are powered by a strong core. Less often mentioned are sexual activities, which call for core power and flexibility, too.

Housework, fix-it work, and gardening. Bending, lifting, twisting, carrying, hammering, reaching overhead — even vacuuming, mopping, and dusting are acts that spring from or pass through, the core.

Balance and stability. Your core stabilizes your body, allowing you to move in any direction, even on the bumpiest terrain, or stand in one spot without losing your balance. Viewed this way, core exercises can lessen your risk of falling. Good posture. Weak core muscles contribute to slouching. Good posture trims your silhouette and projects confidence. More importantly, it lessens wear and tear on the spine and allows you to breathe deeply. Good posture helps you gain full benefits from the effort you put into exercising, too.

Bottom line? We love strong cores :)

We have all heard that it is very important to stay hydrated, and most of us at this point do our part daily to keep our H20 intake up to par. But have you ever wondered why it is SO important to be hydrated?

Here are some fun facts about being well hydrated and why it is necessary.

We can start with the simple fact that your body depends on hydration to survive. Every cell, tissue, and organ in your body needs water to function and work properly. If that isn't enough, how about the fact that staying hydrated helps to combat fatigue. It's true! It gives your body the fuel it needs to maintain energy and performance levels - lessening the likelihood of pain and lethargy.

Weight loss! When our cells are depleted of water, they cannot create the energy we need to function, and so they send a signal to the brain to ‘get more goods.’ This means you will eat more, and likely carry some extra unwanted pounds. To avoid this, simply stay hydrated and your cells will stay happy and not send ‘fat signals’ to the brain. Further, and more obviously, replacing other drinks with water will help naturally keep the weight off. Some water with lemon each morning can be especially beneficial.

Hydration also has a significant impact on our skin. Staying sufficiently hydrated can greatly reduce acne, Dermatitis, Psoriasis, and premature aging of the skin – with proper hydration, the skin practically glows. Without it, our skin cannot properly rid itself of toxins and so it becomes irritated, inflamed, and congested, causing a host of unsavory results ranging from itching, blackheads, redness, acne, and general blotchiness.

We could go on. Long story short - the benefits of staying hydrated are almost endless, and it's a foolproof way to keep your body working, looking, and feeling its best. Drink up!

Relax. You deserve it, it's good for you, and it takes less time than you think.

You don't need a ton of time or to spend tons of money at a spa or retreat. Each of these stress-relieving tips can get you from OMG to OMMM in less than 15 minutes.

Meditate - A few minutes of practice per day can help ease anxiety. Even a quick 10 minute session over your lunch break. It is clinically proven to reduce stress, improve your overall mood, and even boosts your immune system!

Breathing Deeply - Take a 5-minute break and focus on your breathing. Deep breathing naturally slows your heart rate and lowers your blood pressure - so good for high levels of stress or anxiety.

Gratitude - Life gets hectic. Sometimes in the midst of our crazy, we lose sight of the things we have in our lives that bring us such joy. Stop once a day and say out loud (or to yourself) at least 5 things you are grateful to have in your life. It can be a spouse, a grand baby, a dog, a book...anything. Having a grateful mindset is an incredibly effective way to reduce stress.

We don't realize how much stress can inhibit our bodies and minds from functioning at their highest capacity. Whether we are on a fitness journey, a healing journey, or a completely unrelated journey, these tools can help significantly decrease your stress levels and allow you to be the best version of yourself every single day.