January, 2014 | Body Conceptions

“But What If I Can’t Dance??”

January 26, 2014/0 Comments/in Tips /by bodyconceptions

“But What If I Can’t Dance??”

I get asked that question all the time. Many people who hear that Body Conceptions is a “dance-based” fitness class immediately worry that they’ll be walking into a room full of skinny dancer girls who spend the next hour twirling, leaping, and kicking their faces with perfect dance form.

Nope – that’s not us at all! For us, the concept of connecting our fitness approach with dance means that we are using some of the same principles dancers use – like connecting the core with the movement, finding length through the muscles, and paying close attention to posture and lift in the body . Using these principles often leads to the creation of a physique that resembles a dancer. But, heck no – No one in the room needs to know even a tiny bit of dance to be successful!

So How Should I Approach a Body Conceptions Class if I Think I’m Uncoordinated?

First of all, don’t worry! Most people coming to a new class feel a little anxious. We have compiled a few tips for you, though, to help you have the best experience the first time you come to our class:

1) Arrive early. Give yourself enough time to get a lay of the land, claim your space in the room, and talk to the instructor about the workout. We are extremely concerned about helping everyone experience their first class in the best way possible, so please don’t ever worry about talking to us or asking questions before everything starts!

2) Tell us if you have any injuries or special conditions that could affect your workout. First of all, we want our class to make you feel strong, healthy, and safe. We can’t give you modifications or suggestions during the class unless you let us know what you need. Believe it or not, we can also slightly alter our exercises during the class to accommodate your situation.

3) Get your instructor’s attention during class. We are very concerned about making sure that you do our exercises correctly. We will pay attention to you, but don’t be shy if our direction doesn’t make sense to you or if something feels uncomfortable or incorrect.

4) Don’t be shy about following up. We are here for you, and we also love answering questions about your experience in our classes. We will truly listen to you if you have strong feelings about the class – positive or negative – and we are always looking for ways to be a better company.

5) Keep coming back! It’s amazing how quickly you’ll start feeling comfortable with the movement and see some serious change in your body. We mix things up in our classes all the time, so you won’t get bored or feel like you’ve “seen it all.” And you’ll see that each and every class will challenge you in a different way.

We want to meet and get to know you. Shoot me an email, come try our classes, give me your thoughts. Above all, we want our clients to have the best experience and most effective results. And to feel like every class is a fun and welcoming space.

Sweet Potato and Lentils:
Warming and Healing in Winter

January 19, 2014/0 Comments/in Recipes /by bodyconceptions

It’s been cold!! This week, I asked Joanie – one of my instructors and resident health coach – to give me one of her favorite healing winter recipes to help us get through the season. Not only has Joanie’s clients seen amazing results, but her food is also incredibly tasty. Try this recipe, and you’ll be a happy camper!

~Mahri

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Warming Sweet Potato and Maple Lentils

The winter months are known for bringing on colds, coughs, sneezes and sniffles. That makes it more important than ever to eat healthy, mineral-rich foods to keep your energy up and your immune system strong. This simple recipe is flavorful, packed full of nutrition and warms you up from the inside out.

Ingredients
2 cups dry lentils
1 medium, red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 sweet apple, peeled and diced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced small
14-oz can diced tomatoes (with juice)
2.5 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp regular mustard
1 ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Rinse and drain lentils. In a large oven-safe pot bring lentils and 4 cups of water to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for about 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring often. Cook until lentils are tender and a majority of the water is absorbed.
2. Add onion, garlic, apple, sweet potato, tomatoes, maple syrup, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper to the pot with the lentils. Stir well to combine. Add apple cider vinegar.
3. Cover and bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven, stir, and bake for additional 8-12 minutes, uncovered, until the sweet potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste
4. Serve over toasted multi-grain bread, whole wheat pita or on a salad of dark, leafy greens.

Makes 4-6 Servings

For more recipes or information about Motivated Nutrition’s 6-month coaching program, visit www.motivatednutrition.net

I Was Amazed! (but not really…)

January 11, 2014/0 Comments/in Pregnancy /by bodyconceptions

Before leaving on her holiday vacation, my client sent me a picture of herself in a bikini with the words, “[My husband] says thank you.” What I saw was a beautiful, sculpted body – only FIVE MONTHS after giving birth to her first child. I had trained her before, during, and after her pregnancy, and I was looking at someone who was incredibly proud of her progress and in enviable shape for ANYONE, formerly pregnant or not!

I debated whether or not to show my client’s “before” and “after” photos. Pregnancy is a hard time for some women, and every woman has their own journey and their own struggles with their body during that process. Gaining weight – and sometimes needing bed rest – is part of it, and I would never want anyone to feel badly about their progress in comparison with anyone else’s.

HOWEVER, the progress I saw with this client has not been unique! Time and again, I have trained my clients through their pregnancies and have seen some of the most amazing results – both during their pregnancies and afterwards. They stay smaller during their pregnancies, and they tell me that labor for them is much easier than they imagined. They recover their abdominal strength much more quickly postnatally, and many of them don’t look like they ever had a baby a mere 6 months after giving birth. I knew exercise during pregnancy was crucial going into this work, but I never imagined I would see such consistent results like this.

So ladies: DON’T STOP EXERCISING ONCE YOU GET PREGNANT!

Here are some bits of information and guidance to keep in mind:

1) You can do much more than you think. Ask your doctor first, but know that you can continue many kinds of exercise you were doing before your pregnancy.

2) Your body is the boss. Always listen to it if something doesn’t feel right – but it’s ok to push your body if it feels good to do so.

3) Just because you have a baby in your belly does not mean you can’t work on your abs. The opposite is true!! It’s crucial to strengthen your deep core muscles during pregnancy. You’ll have an easier time supporting the pregnancy, giving birth, and recovering your strength afterwards.

Are You Pregnant? Give Us a Try!

I have had extensive experience with pregnancy, and my instructors are either certified or in the process of obtaining pre-/postnatal exercise certification. The Body Conceptions method is especially strong at accessing the core and strengthening the muscles that are functionally important during pregnancy. We also guide you through exercises and stretches that help relieve your aches and pains as the pregnancy progresses. And the workout is fun!

So – no matter what you are experiencing, KEEP EXERCISING. Here’s to a strong and healthy pregnancy!

Meet Trainer Extraordinaire:
Lauren Rodriguez

January 5, 2014/in Instructors /by bodyconceptions

I am so happy to have such great people working for me. Lauren is such a creative and dedicated trainer. If you can, try one of her fantastic classes this month at Stepping Out Studios. You’ll have a blast!

~Mahri

Full Name: Lauren Rodriguez Johnson

Where were you born? Naples, Florida

Where did you grow up?I spent half of my childhood in Naples and the rest in Charlotte, North Carolina.

What’s your biggest passion? Dance, and pretty much anything that keeps me moving and lets me be a little bit of a ham

Tell me about your career. Have you changed direction? If so, why? For me, fitness and performing have always gone hand in hand. I have always considered fitness to be a big part of my dance career because it keeps me active and feeling and looking great. Now I’m taking advantage of my knowledge and experience to help others find a way to a higher well being and better self image.

What do you wish you knew when you were younger? That you can’t please everyone. I am still guilty of this from time to time, but I have learned that there comes a point that you need to be able to say “no” and put your own well being first.

What’s your fitness style? I am pretty disciplined and driven. I have always been self-motivated and goal oriented. That being said the free spirit in me has to love what I’m doing. If I don’t get enjoyment from it, I can’t stick to it.

What’s the best piece of health/wellness/dance advice you’ve ever gotten? To be a “smart” dancer. So many times in the dance world we push ourselves so hard to reach perfection that we don’t take the time to consider what it could do to our bodies in the long run. I have always known that I wanted dance to be a part of my life forever, so I strive to keep myself as educated as possible in the realm of anatomy and sports medicine because I truly believe that if you take care of your body, it will take care of you.

What’s something most people don’t know about you (that’s maybe a little funny or weird)? I fall asleep to I Love Lucy every night, and according to my husband, will often times sing along with the musical numbers in my sleep

What’s your guiltiest pleasure? Twizzlers, I can eat an entire bag at a time!

What quality do you really cherish about yourself? My wholeheartedness. Whether I’m teaching a class, performing or spending time with family and friends I try to put my whole heart into it and do everything with gusto. For me everyday is an opportunity to live life with unreserved enthusiasm.

Anything else about you that I missed? I am happily married to a wonderful guy who is a talented musician. We have a 13 year old dog named Humphrey who is the light of our lives. The “doing all things with gusto” sometimes backfires and makes me a bit of a klutz. I am half Cuban and half Italian. And I am convinced that I have the best family and friends a person could ask for and am extremely grateful to be surrounded by such wonderful people every day!