Do

Pilates

There are only three things I own that once belonged to the coveted 3:20 A.M. timeslot of infomercials: The Magic Bullet, Proactive, and Winsor Pilates.

Mari Winsor has been making appearances in my living room for over six years now. I have to say that although she cannot perform miracles (I have already admitted to eating pie for breakfast, a before dinner snack, and dessert), they allow me to maintain. Normally, I treat Pilates the way most Catholics treat mass. I throw the DVD in every now and then and it is only when I start to notice that I am in trouble that you will find me parked on the floor for about two weeks straight.

Pilates are great for two reasons:

First, with Pilates you really truly do not feel like you are working out (if you are a ‘feel the burn’ person, this is not for you). You are literally lying on the floor in a prone position for 95% of the workout.

Second, you start to notice results quickly. It may not be weight loss, but you notice more (and in some cases new) muscle definition within the first week.

Even though at this point Winsor Pilates are a maintenance strategy, they are also excellent for crisis management. If you plan ahead and really do them every other night or so for three weeks to a month you can drop a dress size. For me those times are weddings, reunions, major holidays, and bathing suit season.

Note: screw the band (tried it), the ‘Sculpting Circle’ (tried it), and the ball (just looked like too much work); just get the original Pilates and you’ll have enough. The 20 minute really does work, and the longer one is for the odd night that you are feeling ambitious. For real bang for your buck though NOTHING beats the Buns and Thighs Sculpting DVD, it is only 20 minutes and it is spot on.

Place: It is tough to find the original, try Amazon and Ebay
Product: Winsor Pilates Basic 3 DVD Workout Set
Price: $50+