I've been meaning to make a post like this for a while now. My success with Keto has sparked an interest from my cousin, so I'm partially compiling these to share with her... and to be honest, I find it incredibly helpful being able to look back on little snapshots of my routine as I morph along my little way. I know people get impatient with these types of posts, so I'll go into more detail after I post the menu. ;)

Remember that sweat I said I broke into during my last Pilates class? Well, I got down and dirty with some muscles that haven't been disturbed in centuries. I have taken a few days to stretch it out at home (legitimately having "stretch" sessions) and I'm still feeling the effects.

This hasn't deterred me from wanting to go back - actually - it's made me want to go back even more. This is exactly what I wanted. I'm literally feeling obvious signs of progress, and I have been since the first session.

I am so glad I decided to do this.

Bonnie and I met up for our first Saturday Pilates Class today. I actually broke a sweat! I'll admit, I was seriously in the zone and really trying to tune everyone else out - focusing a LOT on breathing technique. There's also a lot of habits to break:

•  Keep both feet pointing forward.
•  Don't extend all the way to where your knees lock.
•  Keep wrists straight, your hands should not bend back.
•  Know the difference between the Arches & Balls of your feet.
•  Squats are not the same as Deadlifts.
•  Breath OUT when you extend up and out
•  Breath IN when you come back home

For some reason the breathing technique comes across backwards to me, and I catch my feet wanting to relax into this neutral position and slightly angled.

So. This week was interesting. I wasn't sure if I'd actually write about it, but here I am... blogging about it because it ties into a lot of other things concerning my life and this blog.

One of the main reasons I signed up for the Elements Massage membership, was due to constant aches & pains which I know are related to work. Back at the beginning of this year, I went to the doctor, had a few prescriptions, and even tried some Sports Rehab/Physical Therapy for my back. My back is always sore and I know it's a result of my job. Moving patients that can't move on their own... and most of the time, they are not small or tiny or easy to move. The Sports Rehab that I was referred to (1) did not accept or (2) wasn't covered by insurance. Whatever the case, it was out-of-pocket and not cheap. We're talking at least $250.00 a session.

It's honestly why I was so eager to sign up for Pilates. Not because I wanted to be Boujie (even though my incredibly sarcastic self will play it up and let you think that) but it's honestly because I wanted to dedicate time and energy to working on my muscles and proper stretching in an attempt to help alleviate some of the discomfort I'm in all the time. This is exactly why I wanted to avoid the Jazzercise/Cardio bullshit and go with something with little-to-no impact on my joints.

"How about we fix the actual issue, and not just treat the symptoms."

Totally sitting here shoveling homemade Keto Salisbury Steaks & Squash Casserole in my mouth as I write this. I actually had to refrain from sneaking in another Pilates Class this week... I say "sneak" because Bonnie and I enrolled for some Saturday classes, but I got out of work early on Tuesday and checked out the Center & Balance class, so that's still 2 in 1 week. I signed up for the 4 Pack and told myself I wanted to see how often I legitimately used the membership before I upgraded to anything more. I'll probably be bumping up to the 8 Pack here soon.

1     GLAMGLOWSuperToner Exfoliating Acid Have not broken into this product yet. I will circle back around when I do and give my review! Retails for $42.00     [ S H O P ]
2     LAURA MERCIERCaviar Volume Panoramic Mascara A little surprised by how clumpy and messy the wand was. I compulsively tried ge…