Free Recipe Friday – Zucchini Muffins

September 8, 2017

This week for Free Recipe Friday at Pilates of Charleston, we bring you Flourless Zucchini Muffins! Much thanks to Instructor Julie who offered it up! Who doesn’t love a zucchini bread? Better yet, a zucchini muffin! And…who doesn’t love a flourless one? Because they’re flourless, these muffins are low carb, which is nice because then we can enjoy are carbs elsewhere in our day after our classes. Zucchini is a vegetable that’s packed full of nutrients like Vitamin C, potassium, folate and Vitamin A, all of which promote overall good health. These muffins are awesome as a “grab and go” snack or breakfast, making them a perfect choice to snag before you head to Pilates of Charleston. And they’re so delicious, heck…it’’s like eating a cupcake for breakfast!

If you make these, snap a picture and share it on our Facebook or Instagram page and let us know what you think!

Zucchini Muffins fresh out of the oven.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups rolled oats1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking soda1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp salt2 large eggs
2 large eggs6 tbsp (120 g) honey or agave
6 tbsp (120 g) honey or agave2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
1 ½ cup shredded zucchini, squeezed of excess liquid
¼ cup mini chocolate chips ( optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Add the oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a high-speed blender, and process on high until the oats have broken down into the consistency of a fine flour, about 10 seconds.Add all of the remaining ingredients except for the zucchini, and process on high until the batter becomes smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds.
Add all of the remaining ingredients except for the zucchini, and process on high until the batter becomes smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds.Fold in the zucchini by hand. Chocolate chips are optional
Fold in the zucchini by hand. Chocolate chips are optionalSpoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each one about 3/4 of the way full.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each one about 3/4 of the way full.Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the tops of your muffins begin to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the tops of your muffins begin to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

NOTE: Zucchini is made mostly of water, so when you’re shredding it make, sure you really drain out the excess water, by means of either a sieve or even paper towels.

Happy Muffin Day, Y’all!

Your Pilates and Fitness Instructors at Pilates of Charleston!

Get to class today!

Technique Tip Tuesday – Ribs and ABs

August 29, 2017

Think of it this way: Your Frontal Ribs and Abdominals are good friends. Your abdominal cavity attaches onto the the ribs.

Kris, Pilates of Charleston client demonstrates incorrect and correct versions of rib cage connection to abdominals. Notice how the top picture illustrates “popped” ribs.

Pilates Principle!

Fact! If you can breathe using your Ribs and Lungs to breathe while you perform your Pilates exercises at Pilates of Charleston, your abdominals will be more fully engaged and your body will be able to sustain the Pilates exercise for a much longer period of time.

But! It is important to know that finding your rib cage and abdominal connection is just as beneficial not only when you’re lying on your back, but when you are in plank, sitting, standing, weight lifting, stretching or just living your daily life!

Kris, a really wonderful client of Pilates of Charleston shows us another common Pilates exercise to show you how fundamental it is for you to understand and educate yourself in finding your neutral rib cage position.

Shoulder Bridge: Notice how Kris is emphasizing the lower back curve in the bottom picture, in comparison to her finding her rib cage and abdominal connection in the top image which is the correct version of this Pilates exercise.

Make sure you sign up for class below so that your Pilates and Fitness Instructors at Pilates of Charleston can keep you and your body checking in on those small details that could change the way you workout anywhere!

Get to class Now!

Free Recipe Friday – Juice and Smoothies

August 25, 2017

This week, for Free Recipe Friday, we pay homage to BLEND Juice Bar, one of our favorite stops for smoothies, juice, and superfoods! We always visit BLEND’s Mt. Pleasant location (320 W. Coleman Blvd., Mt. Pleasant, SC) since Pilates of Charleston is only five minutes away. A smoothie or juice is the perfect snack for us, and a much healthier alternative than fast food or a coffee shop splurge that might involve a pastry!?! When we only have a short break in our jam packed teaching days, BLEND Juice bar is a go-to for us! Smoothies and cold pressed juices are packed with fruits and vegetables that fuel your body with energy and nutrients than you don’t get with processed food. Ever tried a wheatgrass shot? They have some pretty impressive nutritional power…they’re loaded with chlorophyll, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E. You can get all all these things within a wide array of variations and flavors to please anyone’s palate at BLEND.

Katie and Elizel at Blend Juice Bar

Katie’s Mango and Pineapple Smoothie:

2 cups of Almond Milk or your favorite non dairy product
1 cup of orange juice
1/2 frozen chopped spinach
1/2 mango pieces
1/2 pineapple chunks
2 Tablespoons of Chia seeds.

Place the ingredients into a blender and mix away. Add more Almond Milk or orange juice if mixture is too thick.

Be sure to stop over at Blend Juice Bar the next time you head over to your class at Pilates of Charleston to try one of their amazing concoctions.

Happy Pilates Juice Day!

Your Instructors at

Pilates of Charleston!

12 class September Challenge

HIIT Pilates!

August 24, 2017

Technique Tip Tuesday – Lunges

August 22, 2017

Technique Tip Tuesday is here again!

This week is all about the Lunge. At Pilates of Charleston, we as your Pilates and Fitness Instructors are on a continuing mission to keep you and your basics in perfect form! The Lunge forms part of the basic fundamental movements in fitness.

So. Why do we Lunge? – Simple answer: It trains the biggest part of your leg, The Quadriceps and Hamstrings. It trains your stabilizers. Stabilizers = Balance. Balance is necessary for everyday walking. Period. Its as simple as that.

There are many different kinds of lunges. Forward Lunges; backward lunges; and sideward lunges. For the most part Forward and Backward Lunges have the same form and technique tips apart from the obvious that either you are stepping forward or backwards in space. Side Lunges has a slightly different approach – but more on the side lunge at a later date.

Lets take a look at Lunge form in the photo below.

One of our Favorite Private clients’ Lyn, was kind enough to allow us, at Pilates of Charleston to use her magnificent body to demonstrate the correct and incorrect form for a Lunge. (Lyn is standing on a Pilates reformer at Pilates of Charleston. Please note: standing on the reformer to demonstrate the Lunge is for the sole purpose of this image only.)

Correct:

Step forward normal stride.
Find your Balance.
Drop your back knee towards the ground.
Keep a strict upright posture.

Incorrect:

Do not allow front knee cap to surpass front toes.
Do not distribute your weight onto front foot. Keep body weight equal on both feet.
Do not let your back drop and hunch forward.

REMEMBER! Your body weight should be equally distributed through both legs in a forward or backward Lunge.

If you are still feeling slightly insecure about your lunge, or any other fundamental fitness exercise, feel free to catch any one of our Pilates and Fitness instructors at the studio before or after class to ask your questions at no charge at all! We want you to feel confident when you work out.

Get to class now!