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I did 10 minutes of Pilates every day for a month…
And here’s what happened…
Full disclosure: finding time for exercise since having the twins has been a challenge.
Nearly every minute of every day is filled with taking care of others. The four little people in our home have a steady stream of needs throughout the day and if I’m not giving them my full attention, then I’m focused on all we’re doing here at The Balanced Life.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m deeply grateful for all of this…I feel like the luckiest lady in the world! But it certainly makes it challenging to find time for myself.
I started getting excited about longer workouts, hour-long Pilates classes…I was feeling motivated and it felt good to feel like myself again! But guess what happened?
Even though I was aiming for 3-4 classes per week, I found myself going ONE time per week, max. Sometimes even less! That’s all I could realistically manage.
ONE hour-long class once per week (or less) is not going to bring the results I’m looking for. I will not rebuild strength quickly taking that approach.
But you know what will? CONSISTENCY.
Even if it’s just a few exercises per day. It’s the consistency that leads to results. Whether it’s an hour per day or 10 minutes per day, results come from regular repetition, day after day, week after week.
“Long-term consistency trumps short-term intensity” – Bruce Lee
So, for the month of April I went back to what I KNOW works and re-committed to a minimum of 10 minutes of exercise per day.
Since my #1 goal is to build strength (still re-building after my last doozy of a pregnancy), my one requirement was that it had to be strength-building. So Pilates, light weights, or HIIT.
I decided I’d listen to my body each day to see what sounded best.
Surprise, surprise! 25/30 workouts ended up being Pilates! It’s the perfect mix of strength-building, energizing, and stress-reducing.
I can always trust Pilates to leave me feeling BETTER than when I started.
Since 10 minutes a day is something I’ve been preaching and teaching for the last 6 years, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to me that the results from my commitment were SIGNIFICANT…but it blows me away every time!
After doing 10 minutes of Pilates per day for 30 days, here’s what happened:
1. My strength improved more this month than any other month since having the twins.
I filmed a few workouts for The Balanced Life Sisterhood at the end of the month and I noticed a significant improvement in my core strength, core stability, endurance, and overall muscular control. It felt good to feel like myself again!
2. I established a consistent routine that I can easily continue with (and I genuinely want to).
Since I didn’t over-commit, I didn’t end the month feeling exhausted and ready to throw in the towel and take a break. Instead, I proved to myself that I CAN find 10 minutes a day (sometimes more) and it doesn’t take away from time with my family, my work, my friendships, or my relaxation time (dark chocolate on the couch after bedtime is kind of a big deal in my life).
3. The scale finally budged!
You know that I don’t work out for a number on the scale, but after 5 months of stagnancy in releasing some of this extra weight from my twin pregnancy, the scale finally shifted. The number on the scale is the LEAST important factor for me, but I do see it as data that can be helpful in certain situations.
After years of internal work, I have a very healthy relationship with the scale (meaning it doesn’t define my progress, reflect my worth, or affect my mood) and for me, seeing that my body started releasing extra weight again (5 lbs. total), let me know that my metabolism was firing and my body was responding.
Overall, it was an incredibly successful month and I share this with you in case you can relate to how I was feeling 30 days ago:
- Wanting to build strength
- Needing to improve consistency
- But struggling to find (or make) time for exercise
Does this sound like you?
The physical results of 10 minutes per day have been SIGNIFICANT, but what’s more incredible is how I feel:
- Strong
- Energized
- Healthy
- Proud
- Motivated
- Successful
And I want this for you too.
So if you’re struggling with consistency, I invite you to give this a try.
If you’re a member of The Sisterhood, just follow your calendar this month and commit to a minimum of 10 minutes per day. I’ve selected all the workouts for you, all you have to do is follow along.
If you’re not a member yet, check out the 5-day Pilates Strong challenge and get started on your own today.
I am excited for you to see just how good this approach can make you feel.
“Every moment of our life can be the beginning of great things.” – Joseph Pilates
Dedicate 10 minutes to your health today and let me know how it goes!
xo,
PS – Check out a few of my favorite short workouts on the blog: Quick Full Body Pilates and Quick Pilates Abs!
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16 thoughts on “I did 10 minutes of Pilates every day for a month…”
Consistency is clearly the key. I also switched to a healthier lifestyle, gave up smoking and started a SportMe app marathon training. My quest to a healthy life had a lot of ups and downs, but things are on the right track now. Your blog post are truly inspirational, txs!
Way to go Iris!
I needed this reminder- after a few months of struggling to find (make) time, I am 5/5 since this post- thanks for being such an inspiration- grace over guilt all the way!!
Great job @jen-diamond!!
I was constantly putting guilt on myself for not working out enough or “long” enough for the past few months. Reading this has helped remind me that guilt isn’t going to help me grow and that consistency of even just 10 minuets a day can make a huge difference. I’m excited to get back on track and build a healthier relationship with my exercise routine.
Hooray Jeanine!! We are so happy to hear this! Love that this reminder helps encourage you to have grace for yourself and to have a healthier relationship with exercise. We are cheering you on!! ?
This post was exactly what I needed a few weeks ago! I am due with our first child in August, and had purchased the previous prenatal program when it was on sale. Throughout my pregnancy, exercise has been sporadic, but I was hopeful that I could recommit after classes (grad school) were done for the summer. I was convinced I could only do the program workouts because, 1) I paid for them, 2) I needed to workout longer. This post hit on exactly what I was struggling with, and for the past three weeks I have been consistently completing the FREE mini workouts on YouTube every day! My body feels better – stronger and less sore throughout the day – and I’ve started to look forward to waking up early for my daily workout. Even if I snooze a few minutes, there is still time to get at least 10 minutes in every morning.
This is so great to hear! We are so happy you’ve seen how short workouts can be so helpful and effective! Thank you for sharing! Congratulations on your new little one. 🙂 What a gift!
You are so motivating! Thank you! I am active but, haven’t done the program all month. But, if you can do 10 minutes a day, so can I! I always feel better after!
Thanks!! Needed this!
After several years, yes you read that right, I started doing 21 days of Pilates. I was experiencing lower back pain and started out going to the chiropractor. When i wasn’t getting well right away I remembered how I felt when I WAS doing Pirates and that Pilates uses strengthening exercises. So I thought, why not give it a try! I’ve been paying into it for years with out using it (dumb I know) So now was a good time to get back into doing something! I decided to try the 10 minute, 21days of Pilates and I am two classes away from finishing!! Woo-hoo! The best thing though, my lower back pain is almost entirely gone!! The 10 minute routines are great! Everyone can find 10 minutes to do something great for themselves!! This was just what I needed to get back on my mat!! ThAnks Robin and team! Keep doing what you do so well!
Thank you for sharing, Joni! That’s so wonderful to hear that your lower back pain is almost entirely gone. 🙂 Great job making time to take care of yourself – keep it up!
Please tell me the cost per month, without bring part of the Sisterhood.
I feel like this app is the answer to my problem of committing time every day to working out.
Hi Kathleen! We’re so happy to hear that you’re interested in our app! The app is actually part of what members of The Sisterhood have access to. (In addition to the app, The Sisterhood, which is $24 USD/month, includes monthly Workout Calendars, a Workout Library with 150+ workouts, healthy recipes, a supportive online community, and more.) ?
Mostly I aim for 30 minutes of exercise a day, preferably in the morning, and when I cant do the 30 minutes due to having to rush to work, I don’t workout all together… I needed to read this, you are a life saver! Thank you so much!
“Long-term consistency trumps short-term intensity” – Bruce Lee
And this I have fallen in love with….
Thanks for sharing, Tebluv! We couldn’t agree more!