By Kelly Vero
I’m Kelly, I’m 43 and I live on the sunshine island of Malta. After turning 40, those little niggles and twinges in my back, my legs (I did a marathon or two) and all of those years standing up, sitting down and drinking wine by the telly resulted in a slipped disc in March.
I decided to get a grip of my body, my outlook on life and bloody well do something.
That something has become the start of my Pilates journey and I’m hooked.
So, here are 5 things that have happened to me since I started attending Pilates classes. There are so many benefits of Pilates!
1. I can touch my toes! I’ve been crippled by back pain all of my life and I’d given up on being flexible, and yet, in a few short weeks I have kissed back pain goodbye and I can touch my toes for the first time in years.
2. I have confidence. I mean it. Pilates is not just about stretching and bending and getting to grips with the equipment, it’s also about mindfulness and going to that place where you can focus on yourself and think about exactly how you want to improve.
Our teacher John says this a lot: “this is your time,” and he’s right, it is and I make the most of every second. Because of that I feel so different about myself and my outlook on life.
3. I eat better. Largely due to my classes being in the evenings, I’m a bit more careful about what I eat. Of course, I dream about a big fat burger but let’s be honest, what good would that do, really??
4. It’s a gateway to a better understanding. The tightness of my hamstrings from years of walking, standing and dancing meant that I needed some extra help; my Pilates teachers suggested I get one of those stretchy exercise bands to fill in the gaps between sessions.
This has led to the understanding that I thought I always had about my body completely changing. It’s not about diet or exercise, diet and exercise or taking pills or supplements, it’s about understanding how you got to this place and how you can improve.
5. I dropped a whopping TWO dress sizes in TWO months! I’m dying to show you the photo of when I went out last week and wore a crop top like it was nothing. I would never have done that before, ever!
And people are noticing the change, where once I would have dragged myself around and dressed “to my size” I refuse to accept that it’s ok to embrace a healthy lifestyle when you can wear crop tops and tiny shorts at the age of 43!
OK so, that last part is the big bit of this click-bait-esque epiphany, and it’s not just about getting thinner. You’d better believe it. I haven’t lost any weight, you know, I need to make that bit clear. No, no.
Instead, my posture has changed, my ribs are lifted and so is my bum, my abs are supporting my frame and I can get in a size 14. That’s what I have seen as the huge benefits of Pilates.
So what if I’m not a supermodel? I’m happy in my skin because I needed to change. I’m gonna live forever and you should want to as well.
You may also like: Pilates For Runners and How To Do Pilates At Your Desk!
Kelly Vero is the founder of Silicon Chic, a digital media publisher of interesting games and apps curated and made for women by women. She likes ballroom dancing, a cheeky glass of fizz and Vivienne Westwood shoes. Salty liquorice is her weakness and she used to live on the island of Malta where she published four books chronicling the goings on of private detective and former Knight of Malta, Jack Sant. Three Pints of Blood by Kelly Vero is available on Kindle now.
Last Updated on January 31, 2023 by Editorial Staff
