74 October 2013 www.womanthismonth.com LIFESTYLE | wellbeing other hand, yoga focuses on exercise in the form of various poses and centres on breathing techniques along with concentration,” Jane explains. A success story Women often tend to postpone workout sessions. Finding motivation and avoiding boredom is hard, especially when it comes to keeping up with exercise regimens. But this isn’t the case with Pilates, according to Fatima Ali Reza, a successful entrepreneur. “It’s key to have a good instructor, who can help keep you stay concentrated and focused on the routine. Pilates works from the inside out, mostly due to the varying movements incorporated with breathing,” Fatima says. “It was during my trip to Paris in the year 2000 that I first heard of Pilates and ever since I’ve been hooked on to it. The benefits are many. Just one hour of the routine makes me feel like I’ve done three hours of yoga. I feel my body is much firmer than it used to be. It has also improved my posture,” she adds. Women need to educate themselves about this form of body sculpting. Contrary to the popular saying ‘no pain; no gain’, Pilates isn’t painful. It is just a matter of devotion and concentration along with regular practice. Positive benefits can be seen within weeks. Give it a try Pilates has gained accolades from women all around the world for being a successful method that actually works with regards to weight loss, which is just one of the benefits of regular practice. Experts guarantee that this exercise improves toning of muscles, postural stability, core strength and peripheral mobility. It enhances functional fitness, ease of movement and body awareness. It is easy on the joints as it is low impact. Above all, it can be customised for different people, including those with injuries. Pilates is known to be the best form of exercise to prevent lower back pain and functional disability linked to the spine and posture. Studies show that nine out of 10 rehab specialists prefer it as the best exercise for back and postural rehabilitation. Body and mind It is essential to get trained under a professional instructor as many people have different reasons to begin practice and different requirements according to their body and current state of health. Pilates benefits the injured and non-injured equally. g
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