Author: HairWeavings Editorial Team

Originally posted at: Lisa Barlow’s Houndstooth Bag

Photo 1: @LisaBarlow14

Originally posted at: Lisa Barlow’s Brown Logo Crop Top

One piece of advice I find myself repeating like a mantra is this: Pilates is an absolute game-changer for women over 60! Allow me to shed some light on this.

As a certified Pilates instructor who has dedicated the past decade to working with seniors, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the transformative power of Pilates, right before my eyes.

It’s not just about the physical changes I observe; it’s the stories, the triumphs, and the newfound sense of strength and vitality that my clients share with me. These women, ranging in age from 50 to 85, form an inspiring community of Pilates enthusiasts.

Over a cup of coffee, one of them recently told me about her experience of holding her new grandchild and effortlessly getting up and down from the floor while cradling the little one. Her daughter, in awe of her mom’s strength, couldn’t help but ask the secret behind her abilities. Without hesitation, her mother (my client) replied: “Pilates.”

This anecdote is just one of the many heartwarming stories I’ve had the privilege of hearing from my clients. Pilates is a remarkable body science that deserves to be embraced by those over 60. While mainstream media has portrayed Pilates as a workout for the young and flexible, I have found Pilates to be life changing for women as we age.

Why?

I have witnessed first hand the transformation and the sheer joy on someone’s face when they regain confidence in their body and embrace life to the fullest thanks to Pilates. Hence the reason why I have created a FREE, 12 Days of Pilates journey for you, and below is a video that will give you an idea of Pilates for beginners.

Pilates isn’t just a form of exercise; it’s a lifestyle, a philosophy, and a promise of renewed vitality. Let’s dive into why:

Enhanced Mobility and Flexibility

Embracing a Pilates practice in your 60s can significantly improve your overall mobility and flexibility. Pilates exercises focus on gentle stretching and controlled movements, which help counteract the stiffness and reduced range of motion that often accompany aging. This increased flexibility not only makes everyday activities easier but also reduces the risk of injury.

Stronger Core and Posture

Pilates places a strong emphasis on core strength and posture. A well-developed core can alleviate back pain, improve balance, and support the spine. For women in their 60s, maintaining good posture and core strength is crucial for preventing the progression of age-related conditions like osteoporosis and ensuring a confident, upright stance.

Stress Reduction and Mental Well-Being

Pilates isn’t just about physical benefits; it also promotes mental well-being. The mindful nature of Pilates exercises, combined with controlled breathing, can reduce stress and anxiety. Women in their 60s often face various life changes and challenges, and Pilates provides a space for mental relaxation, fostering a positive outlook on aging and life in general.

Pilates is not just an exercise routine; it’s a lifeline to vitality, strength, and mental well-being.

With enhanced mobility and flexibility, you can regain the freedom to move comfortably, relieving the aches and stiffness that may have held you back. A stronger core and improved posture empower you to stand tall and face each day with confidence. And, let’s not forget the power of Pilates in reducing stress and enhancing your mental well-being, creating a positive perspective on the aging process.

Now that you’ve glimpsed the potential that Pilates holds, I invite you to join me on a FREE 12 Days of Pilates journey online. It’s an opportunity to experience the magic for yourself and embark on a path to renewed vitality. Embrace Pilates, and let’s make your golden years your best years yet!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What are some struggles you are experiencing today that you hope Pilates could help? Have you experienced the magic of Pilates before? Please share you story below to help inspire others. If you haven’t tried Pilates before, what concerns do you have about embracing this form of exercise?

As the leaves fall, the trees become bare, and a few apples hang stubbornly on my apple tree; ebony crows sit watchful on the fence row. I, too, have hung stubbornly to the tree, resisting change. In the last few evening hours before Daylight Savings time ended, I frantically spent every moment outside, worshipping the last moments of that honey colored sun because I know what is coming. Darkness.

Despite being a gardener and naturalist, who is aware of the cycle of life, it has taken me a long time to honor this honest and inevitable turning of the wheel of the year. It was not until I addressed my own darkness and inability to rest, that I became able to accept and embrace the fading of the light. It is the fact that nothing lasts forever that makes every moment so precious.

Type A x 10, and Forest Gump

Like a beehive at the height of summer, I spent most of my life moving at warp speed. In my 50s, I realized this was a coping mechanism to avoid mourning and grieving the losses in my life, the heartache in my soul and the sadness of what had been taken from me physically, emotionally and spiritually.

When I ran a 10K like a pirate with a peg leg, three days before my first hip replacement, I had my come-to-Jesus moment. If you are stubborn and brave enough to do this, you are brave enough to stop because this is lunacy. It was like that iconic scene in the movie Forest Gump when he slowly stops his years of literarily running back and forth across the United States and announces he is going home.

Coming Home

This is not an easy process, but in a season where we are called to be grateful and give thanks, I am relieved that I am at peace. Just like that leaf slowly spinning as it falls from its mother tree, letting go of the life and sustenance, and spring and summer days of growth and sunshine, can be enlightening.

I, too, can finally let go of summer, embrace the unknown and all that comes with it. I can look into the darkening sky and not be afraid because I have learned to shift my focus inward, toward self-reflection and restoration.

My invitation to you is to rest with the cycles of nature, sending your energy down to your “roots” so that you may re-enter the next year from a nourished and replenished place and know that death is never final for the cycles of nature always promise rebirth.

Letting go of my emotional, and eventual mortal coil, like the leaf, I must have faith that I may not be the same person emerging in the spring or the next life, but I will reemerge.

Some Customs of Autumn that I Embrace

I remember all my friends and family that have journeyed on. My Italian family goes to the cemetery and has a picnic celebrating both our ancestors and their memories.

The Celts gathered around the fire and told and shared stories of their loved ones and warriors.

Meditation Is Part of It

I meditate on what behaviors, bad habits, and anxieties I would like to let go of as I release the emotions that come with each. It is amazing what I chose to hold onto, especially when release can be so very sweet.

Fire, the element of Autumn, is a potent way to release, let go or transform. I have numerous ways of working with fire and some are as simple as that first lighting of the woodstove, or the pine scented candles that line my windows. Also, I like to sit outside with a mug of warm cider and watch the glow of the burning wood in my outdoor fire pit.

My Burning Ritual

Finally, through the year I throw old trees limbs, the detritus of broken furniture, wood pallets and all other burnable materials on a pyre worthy of the Vikings. My family and I gather round with chairs, and I send all I want to dissipate into those orange, blue, yellow and green flames. It is a symbolic and very real way of burning off the dross of the year and all things that I do not want to carry forward. And then, after doing that, I can enjoy the warmth and magic of the flames!

A Shift in Lifestyle and Diet

I curtail wine drinking, prepare nourishing herbal infusions, cook my root vegetables, and take joy in the chestnuts, pomegranates, and cool weather greens like kale, spinach and swiss chard. Venison, acorn fed pork and that turkey grace my table.

Interestingly, it was the pomegranate that tempted Persephone, the Goddess of Spring. Hades, the God of the Underworld, lured and tempted her to his dark kingdom with that mahogany red fruit. But he found out he could not keep her forever. Her mother, Demeter, reminded Hades of the need for reawakening and revival, so he releases her every year for seedtime and pink blossoms.

There will always be spring, and I must remember, as the light closes in earlier and earlier every evening, the darkness, too, has earned its place.

Also read THE AUTUMN QUEEN, A FABLE.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Who will you be next year? What would you like to let go of? Are there any old beliefs that may hold you back? What end-of-year rituals have you established to cleanse yourself of the old?