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In the previous blog post, APOGEE instructor Lauren Karr explained how one Pilates exericse–The Hundred–can help you look better in a bathing suit. Actually, because this simple exercise brings awareness and strength to your entire torso, you’ll look better in anything you wear!

Inspired? Here’s a video to guide you:

There’s no getting around it: It’s summer and you’re making appearances in a bathing suit. Whether you’re at the pool, beach, river or lake, there’s no hiding in this hot weather.

We asked APOGEE Bedford Hills Power Pilates instructor Lauren Karr what you can do to look your best when you’re barely dressed. “You want to relax and square your shoulders,“ Lauren says. “Your abs need to support your upper body.” With your head, neck and shoulders in alignment and supported by your abs, you will look taller, more elegant and graceful. The way to do this, says Lauren, is by practicing one basic Pilates move: The Hundred.

If you think you already know this exercise, take a minute to review it and be aware when you’re on the mat. Then, bring that same mental focus to your posture when you’re standing.

Position: Lie flat, arms relaxed at your sides, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Feel where your shoulder blades are on the floor—how far from your ears are your shoulders, for example. As you engage your abs, glide your shoulder blades down your back, “as if you’re tucking them into the back pockets of your jeans,” says Lauren.

Lift: Lift your feet so your knees are over your hips and bent at 90 degrees; extend to 45 degrees. As you lift your head off the floor to look into your core, be certain the lower tips of your shoulder blades remain on the floor and your shoulders are square. “You should be folding up from the bra line,” says Lauren. “Don’t throw your neck off the spine.”

Move: When you begin to pump your arms and breathe, initiate the movement from your back, says Lauren. “Your abs are your powerhouse, but your shoulder blades must work to stabilize your upper torso,” says Lauren. “Your upper back is a secondary powerhouse.” Pump your arms up and down vigorously, inhaling for 5 counts and exhaling for 5 counts, until you reach 100 counts.

When your upper back and abs are working together, as they are during The Hundred, your trapezius and upper back will relax. Not only will you look taller, but you’ll appear calmer as well. Calm and relaxed? Now that looks good in a bathing suit!

by Staci Rosenberg, APOGEE Life Coach

Many of my life-coaching clients have a wish list that looks nothing like their to-do list. They wish they could spend more time with family and friends; wish they had more time for fun; wish they could develop a long-term, loving relationship.

But their calendar says work, work, work. Even their family time is all about chores.

My prescription: Have a summer fling! There is no time like summer to loosen up, expand your horizons and live the life you dream of. Whether you want to meet people, spend time with friends and family, exercise more or just relax and read a book or knit, now’s the time. But how?

1. Schedule a date for your fling.
If you find time to complete work projects, answer e-mails and stay current with TV shows, you have time for a summer fling. Take out your calendar and make an appointment with yourself or friends: Plan a walk before breakfast or after dinner; block out a Saturday morning for a hike or bike ride. Make your fling as important as an appointment with your boss or doctor.

2. Change something about yourself.
If your wishes aren’t coming true now, you need to change. If you always wear black, choose a color. If you always look serious, try smiling in public for a day or two or wear a silly t-shirt to your exercise class.  If you never go to art shows, museums or concerts, now might be the time to start.

3. Take advantage of the summer warmth and light.
Just go outside! Once you’re out of the house, office or car, it’s easy to make an evening or afternoon—even your coffee break—special. You can sip a cup of tea or dine outside, plan a picnic in a park, walk to your destination instead of drive, or stroll your neighborhood until dusk. Slow down and experience the space you’re in.

4. Connect with people who are already having a summer fling.
It can be tough to invent a summer fling by yourself, so join one already in progress. Accept an invitation; attend a free outdoor concert, play or art opening; join a hiking or bicycling club—invite friends, your spouse or child. Try a Zumba class at APOGEE. Once you’re in a group, look around, join in and have fun.

Need inspiration? Follow the words of Henry David Thoreau , who wrote, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.” 

Here is a collection of recent health news you can use.  We’re focusing on whole-body health. Click on the links to read more about each topic.

Be active for better brain health: Perhaps you work out to keep trim and toned, but did you know that exercise also builds new brain cells? Recent research shows how physical activity stimulates the stem cells in our brains that make new neurons. Perhaps that’s one reason why people who are active in their younger years are at lower risk for cognitive impairment later in life. In a study of more than 9,000 women, those who had been active a teens had the lowest risk of cognitive impairment, but regular activity at any time in life lowered the risk. In other words, being active now means better brain health later.

Awareness has healing power: The mindfulness you develop in meditation and yoga can help your health in many ways. In one study, people who practiced mindfulness boosted the levels of immune cells in their blood. And in an Australian study, 12 women at risk for binge eating lost weight and had higher self-esteem after practicing yoga for 12 weeks.

Meditation is increasingly being recognized as a natural pain reliever. The U.S. Army  is adding yoga and acupuncture to its arsenal of pain treatments. In Britain, brain scans showed how meditation changes the way the brain anticipates pain. “Meditation trains the brain to be more present-focused and therefore to spend less time anticipating future negative events,” said the study author.

Natural foods guard against disease: Whole, natural foods are like treasure boxes filled with healing substances. For example, extra virgin olive oil may guard against breast cancer; researchers think substances in the oil help send death signals to cancer cells and protect DNA in the cell nucleus. Just pour it on. And replacing white rice with whole grains could reduce your risk of diabetes by 36 percent, say doctors at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Two or more servings a week of brown rice, whole-wheat berries and barley made the difference in the study.

Processed foods, on the other hand, can be damaging. So many processed foods contain added sugars and a recent study found that fructose makes kids’ fat cells bigger and less sensitive to insulin, setting them up for obesity and diabetes. Another reason to choose water and avoid drinks with added sugar!

Finding the time, energy and motivation to keep your body fit can be as challenging as completing the workouts themselves. That’s why APOGEE’s new Power Pilates OneShot class is quickly gaining a devoted following: In 55 minutes, you can raise your heart rate, burn off calories and work your core with Pilates moves. “It’s motivating because there’s so much variation,” says APOGEE OneShot instructor LucyAnn Doino.

The OneShot class alternates between Pilates mat work and ropeless jumping—think of a boxer’s workout, with foot shuffles, side-to-side footwork and hopping. The difference: You’re holding just the handles of a jump rope—there’s no actual rope to get tangled or miss. The Jump Snap handles make the noise of a rope so you know your pace. With feet, legs and arms moving, OneShot gives you an exhilarating total-body workout.

“In the 45-minute Intro class, we do a 25-minute Pilates mat warm-up, followed by 5-minute jump routines alternating with 5-minutes of Pilates mat work,” says LucyAnn. The Pilates moves are similar to those in a Beginning Mat class. The jumping routines are easy and anyone can revert to the basic side-to-side move if they need to lower their intensity. “We do 20-, 30- and 60-second jumping intervals,” says LucyAnn. “The choreography is simpler than a Zumba class.”

In the 55-minute Regular OneShot class, the Pilates mat warm-up is 10 minutes long, followed by 10-minute jumping intervals with mat breaks lasting 5 minutes.

“The music is really motivating,” says LucyAnn. “No one is bored!” With music, the snapping sound of the Jump Snaps and just enough footwork to keep you challenged, OneShot is 55-minutes of sweat you’ll look forward to.

OneShot is open to everyone. It is helpful to have taken Intro to Pilates Mat so you understand the instructions during the mat-work portions of the class. Find a  OneShot class in White Plains or Bedford Hills.