R.I.P. Ron Fletcher

Ron Fletcher

May 29, 1921 - December 6, 2011

A memorial service is planned for May 5, 2012 in Tucson, Arizona. Per Ron's request, donations can be made, in his memory, to your favorite animal charity or cause.

To learn more read about him on Wikipedia or Fletcher Pilates

Top 10 Workout Songs- 2011

Crank up the tunes and get your workouts going with these top 10 hot tunes of 2011:

1. Tim Berg - Seek Bromance (Avicii Vocal Edit) 
2. Katy Perry - The One That Got Away 
3. Alexandra Stan - Mr. Saxobeat (Maan Studio Remix) 
4. Flo Rida - Good Feeling 
5. Wolfgang Gartner & Will.I.Am - Forever
6. Hot Chelle Rae - Tonight Tonight (Goldstein Remix)
7. Taio Cruz & Flo Rida - Hangover 
8. Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull & The WAV.s - I Like How It Feels 
9. Kaskade & Skrillex - Lick It 
10. Kelly Clarkson - What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)

To find more workout songs--and hear next month's contenders--folks can check out the free database at RunHundred.com. Visitors can browse the song selections there by genre, tempo, and era--to find the music that best fits with their particular workout routine.  Read the full article here.

Compliments of: Chris Lawhorn, author of Run Hundred  (http://www.RunHundred.com)

Eat Well for the Holidays

Holidays can be a hectic time of year which may lead to bad health decisions and potential weight gain.  Take these simple steps to keep your body, mind and spirit in check till New Year:

1. Use a smaller plate to provide the visual illusion of feeling fuller.
2. Drink a glass of water or bowl of warm soup before your meal.  Often we are dehydrated instead of hungry.
3. Be active before/after holiday meals.  Go for a walk with the dog, play a game with the family, fit in an express workout, or join a holiday fun run.  
4. Include plenty of color on your plate and focus on filling up on the veggies first.
5. Limit yourself to one "celebration" beverage such as eggnog or alcohol.
6. Ask if you can bring along a healthy option to the meal (such as veggies and dip, sweet potatoes, salad).  Knowing there is a "safe" choice will help curb cravings.
7. Engage in conversation to ensure you listen to your internal signs for hunger to avoid overeating.
8. Try to limit yourself to only one sweet per meal (one slice of pie, one cookie, one chocolate).

Holiday Fitness Gift Ideas

Give the gift of fitness this holiday season.  Here are some excellent options for those on your lists this season:

• Race entries
• Lululemon clothing for women/men

• Favorites: Define Jacket, Groove Pant, Run Your Heart Out Skirt

• Heart Rate Monitor to stay in your zones
• Recommended: RS400 Polar 
• Massage Stick or Grid (foam roller) or Personal Massage
• New shoes 
• New socks 
• Suggestions: Balega or Smart Wool
• Training log book to track progress

Health Advice: More Veggies

Q: As a kid I wasn't a fan of veggies and now as an adult I'm still not able to eat the amount I should.  Is there an easier way to get my veggie count in for the day besides drinking a V8?

A: Stop being picky and try preparing your veggies a different way!  Grill, bake, or dice them up into smaller chunks.  Mix them with healthy spices or herbs such as thyme or rosemary.  Add liquids like vinegar and citrus juice to enhance the flavors.  Put artichokes on your pizza, spinach in your mac 'n cheese, choose sweet potatoes fries or add zucchini strips into your lasagna.  Get creative, but when in doubt add in a traditional side salad with light dressing.  

Break It Down: Open Leg Rocker

Take the challenge of the Open Leg Rocker as Joe demos below.  

Purpose- rid the body of toxins, prep for Teaser, massage the spine


Preps- Rolling like a Ball, Spine Stretch Forward, Roll Up, Bridging, Hamstring stretches


Form- maintain the same shape throughout, lift sternum and lengthen spine when balancing, hold onto knees/ankles, gaze at toes


* May not be appropriate for those with tailbone discomfort or those with low back problems such as disc injuries or fusion.


Modifications- hold back of knees/thighs instead of ankles, rock back and forth without balancing, practice balancing while you bend/straighten your legs


How to Advance- hold onto ankles, squeeze ball in ankles 


Challenges- magic circle in ankles, legs tight together, transition to full Teaser + balancing twists

Lulu Lemon Trunk Show Dec. 6th, 2011!

Trunk Show Sponsored by Lululemon (http://www.lululemon.com/)

When: Tuesday Dec. 6th, 2011

Where: Core Sport Pilates and Fitness Studio

Plymouth, MI

Time: 5:30-7:30pm

*Get presents for yourself and those on your holiday list!