Hi there! Watch your first Pilates video and follow the instructions. This exercise session focuses on the fundamentals of Pilates and learning how to switch on specific muscle groups. Try and focus on your technique and don't rush each exercise. If you have done Pilates before and it feels too easy then you can do another set of each exercise. 

Enjoy! :) 

Medical Warning

You should consult your doctor before starting this exercise and weight loss program especially if have a pre-existing medical condition. Make sure that they give you permission to commence training. Do not over exert yourself and work at your own pace. Stop immediately if you feel pain or discomfort and consult your doctor.

By undertaking this exercise program you acknowledge that you do so at your own risk and the creators and instructors of this program will not be liable for any personal injury, loss or liability of whatsoever nature (whether for breach of duty or contract) arising because of or in connection with you undertaking this exercise program and advice contained in these videos.

In this session we focus on strengthening the muscles of the upper body as well as improving our posture. Use a band that isn't too strong to begin with. You should feel a mild strain in the muscles throughout the session but no pain. Stop if you feel any pain and do each exercise slowly and carefully.

Print out the PDF below and follow the instructions in Column A- highlighted in red. Below they are summarised: 

1. Do 3-5 mins of your chosen activity from the cardio PDF below (slowly).

2. Copy the dynamic warm-up video directly below in Lecture 9. 

3. Complete CARDIO A/ HIIT training- using a timer or watch complete the session below: 

• 30 seconds of low exertion of your chosen activity to recover (eg. slow walk or slow ride).
• 30 seconds of high intensity exertion of your chosen activity  (eg. fast walk or fast ride).

REPEAT THE HIGH INTENSITY INTERVALS FOR A TOTAL OF 20 MINUTES

Medical Warning

Make sure you get permission from your doctor before starting this exercise and weight loss program, especially if have a pre-existing medical condition. Do not over exert yourself and work at your own pace. Stop immediately if you feel pain or discomfort and consult your doctor.

By undertaking this exercise program you acknowledge that you do so at your own risk and the creators and instructors of this program will not be liable for any personal injury, loss or liability of whatsoever nature (whether for breach of duty or contract) arising because of or in connection with you undertaking this exercise program and advice contained in these videos.

Try the dynamic stretches in the video and be gentle to begin with. Then complete your cardio session.

Meditation 1

This meditation will help you to relax your mind and body. By focusing on each part of the body individually and contracting and relaxing each area you should end up feeling much more relaxed which will help when trying to meditate. 

Many studies have found that meditation is great for reducing stress levels as it forces us to stop and relax our mind, which then helps to reduce tension in the body.

High stress levels have been found to cause weight gain due to the production of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is believed to raise blood sugar levels as well as have other negative effects on the digestive system and the rest of the body. 

So, try and do this short meditation in order to help with your weight loss. This is particularly important if you have a stressful job or are currently dealing with lots of stress at the moment.

This Pilates video works your core muscles, gluteals, inner thighs and the upper back. 

Do each exercise slowly and carefully and with good technique. If you have done a lot of Pilates previously you can do another set. 

Work at your own pace and stop if you feel any pain. 

This video helps to strengthen your legs muscles primarily. Again it is important to follow the instructions carefully and use correct technique as much as possible. 

These exercises will help to improve your muscle tone and strength, which is important for having strong bones and for losing weight.

Meditation 2

This meditation is about loving yourself and accepting yourself at the present moment. Sometimes when people are not happy about where they are in their life it can encourage them to make positive changes, which is a good thing. But often if you are feeling really negative about your life currently, then you can get stuck in a bad cycle and find it impossible to help yourself to get out of the bad patterns you might be in.

So during this meditation I encourage you to think about some of the good things that are happening in your life as well as the good aspects of who you are presently. Write them down on your program notes. Keep relaxing and praising yourself for what you are doing here and everyday, as it will help you in many ways and hopefully inspire those around you to do the same.

Copy the dynamic stretches in the video and be gentle to begin with. Then complete your cardio session.

MEDITATION 3 

This forgiveness meditation will help you to let go of any emotional baggage that you might be carrying with you. Often if you have been hurt in past relationships with family, friends or partners this can cause mental, physical and emotional stress. Over time this can lead to negative patterns of over-eating or eating the wrong foods. By releasing this stress and forgiving the people that have hurt us we can move forward feeling lighter and more free. 

Forgiving someone can be very hard but extremely worthwhile for our long-term health. Good-luck with this meditation and do your best! :) 

NOTE: If you have trouble with this meditation and need some extra help I strongly suggest you make an appointment with a counsellor or psychologist. 

MEDITATION 4 

This meditation aims to help you to realise the benefits of training and eating healthier. It also helps you to focus on looking after your body and treating it well rather than abusing it.

In this Pilates session we are working the whole body and each exercise is progressively getting a bit more challenging. 

If you are struggling to complete each exercise then you can reduce the repetitions of each one. If it is too easy for you than do another set of each exercise. 

Always remember to work at your own pace! :) 

In this program we use dumbbells to make your muscles work harder. This routine will help you to improve your upper body strength and tone the body. Make sure that you use a weight that is manageable for you, and at the end of each exercise you should feel tired but not exhausted or sore. If you haven't used weights before I suggest you start with two- 1kg dumbbells and for the next round of the program you can try and use 1.5kg or 2kg depending on how you are feeling. 

Meditation 1 

This meditation will help you to relax your mind and body. By focusing on each part of the body individually and contracting and relaxing each area you should end up feeling much more relaxed which will help when trying to meditate. 

Many studies have found that meditation is great for reducing stress levels as it forces us to stop and relax our mind, which then helps to reduce tension in the body.

High stress levels have been found to cause weight gain due to the production of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is believed to raise blood sugar levels as well as have other negative effects on the digestive system and the rest of the body. 

So, try and do this short meditation in order to help with your weight loss. This is particularly important if you have a stressful job or are currently dealing with lots of stress at the moment.

This exercise routine is great for your abdominals and core muscles. Pilates is beneficial for many reasons as it helps us to gain control of our muscles and joints, improve posture, flexibility, spinal stability, reduce back pain and tone the body.

By utilising more muscles this should help us to reduce our fat stores over time.

In this session we focus on strengthening the muscles of the upper body as well as improving our posture again. Try and use a stronger band this time if you have one. You should feel a mild strain in the muscles throughout the session but no pain. Stop if you feel any pain.

This meditation is about loving yourself and accepting yourself at the present moment. Sometimes when people are not happy about where they are in their life it can encourage them to make positive changes, which is a good thing. But often if you are feeling really negative about your life currently, then you can get stuck in a bad cycle and find it impossible to help yourself to get out of the bad patterns you might be in.

During this meditation I encourage you to think about some of the good things that are happening in your life as well as the good aspects of who you are presently. Write them down on your program notes. Keep relaxing and praising yourself for what you are doing here and everyday, as it will help you in many ways and hopefully inspire those around you to do the same.

MEDITATION 3 

This forgiveness meditation will help you to let go of any emotional baggage that you might be carrying with you. Often if you have been hurt in past relationships with family, friends or partners this can cause mental, physical and emotional stress. Over time this can lead to negative patterns of over-eating or eating the wrong foods. By releasing this stress and forgiving the people that have hurt us we can move forward feeling lighter and more free. 

Forgiving someone can be very hard but extremely worthwhile for our long-term health. Good-luck with this meditation and do your best! :) 

NOTE: If you have trouble with this meditation and need some extra help I strongly suggest you make an appointment with a counsellor or psychologist.

Follow the instructions on your cardio PDF for Column B- highlighted in red. Here they are again: 

1. Do 3-5 mins of your chosen activity from the cardio PDF below slowly.

2. Do the dynamic warm-up above. 

3. Complete CARDIO A/ HIIT training- using a timer or watch complete the session below: 

• 20 seconds of low exertion of your chosen activity to recover (eg. slow walk or slow ride).

• 40 seconds of high intensity exertion of your chosen activity  (eg. fast walk or fast ride).

REPEAT THE HIGH INTENSITY INTERVALS FOR A TOTAL OF 25 MINUTES

Medical Warning

Make sure you get permission from your doctor before starting this exercise and weight loss program, especially if have a pre-existing medical condition. Do not over exert yourself and work at your own pace. Stop immediately if you feel pain or discomfort and consult your doctor.

By undertaking this exercise program you acknowledge that you do so at your own risk and the creators and instructors of this program will not be liable for any personal injury, loss or liability of whatsoever nature (whether for breach of duty or contract) arising because of or in connection with you undertaking this exercise program and advice contained in these videos.

MEDITATION 4 

This meditation aims to help you to realise the benefits of training and eating healthier. It also helps you to focus on looking after your body and treating it well rather than abusing it. 

This Pilates program works your abdominals, inner thighs, gluteals and back muscles as well as our core stability. 

If you have any questions or concerns throughout the program do not hesitate to contact me and I can see if I can help you. 

In this training session we add dumbbells to increase the load on the lower body. Work at your own pace and use a weight that is challenging but manageable. 

Meditation 1

This meditation will help you to relax your mind and body. By focusing on each part of the body individually and contracting and relaxing each area you should end up feeling much more relaxed which will help when trying to meditate. 

Many studies have found that meditation is great for reducing stress levels as it forces us to stop and relax our mind, which then helps to reduce tension in the body.

High stress levels have been found to cause weight gain due to the production of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is believed to raise blood sugar levels as well as have other negative effects on the digestive system and the rest of the body. 

So, try and do this short meditation in order to help with your weight loss. This is particularly important if you have a stressful job or are currently dealing with lots of stress at the moment.

Hopefully by now your core is feeling stronger and you are starting to learn how to switch on your muscles more effectively. Keep watching the technique closely and well-done for getting this far! 

This exercise session focuses on your legs. I have also added in a foot strengthening routine as it is really important to have strong feet when exercising regularly, to avoid foot and ankle injuries and to reduce stress on your knees, hips and back.

This meditation is about loving yourself and accepting yourself at the present moment. Sometimes when people are not happy about where they are in their life it can encourage them to make positive changes, which is a good thing. But often if you are feeling really negative about your life currently, then you can get stuck in a bad cycle and find it impossible to help yourself to get out of the bad patterns you might be in.

During this meditation I encourage you to think about some of the good things that are happening in your life as well as the good aspects of who you are presently. Write them down on your program notes. Keep relaxing and praising yourself for what you are doing here and everyday, as it will help you in many ways and hopefully inspire those around you to do the same.

IT'S FUN FRIDAY TIME AND YOU'VE NEARLY FINISHED THE FIRST CYCLE OF THE PROGRAM!!! Woohooo!!! 

Here are some more ideas for you to reward yourself so try and do one of the things below: 

• Go to the movies or watch something on TV that you like
• Get a massage or facial or something that makes you feel good! 
• Head out for a nice lunch or dinner
• Buy yourself something small that you have been wanting
• Starting reading a book that you might enjoy
• Have a relaxing bath with some oils in it (if you have one). 
• Go to a fun event 
• Just think of something that you enjoy doing and have some fun!!

MEDITATION 3 

This forgiveness meditation will help you to let go of any emotional baggage that you might be carrying with you. Often if you have been hurt in past relationships with family, friends or partners this can cause mental, physical and emotional stress. Over time this can lead to negative patterns of over-eating or eating the wrong foods. By releasing this stress and forgiving the people that have hurt us we can move forward feeling lighter and more free. 

Forgiving someone can be very hard but extremely worthwhile for our long-term health. Good-luck with this meditation and do your best! :) 

NOTE: If you have trouble with this meditation and need some extra help I strongly suggest you make an appointment with a counsellor or psychologist. 

MEDITATION 4 

This is your final meditation for the 3 week series! So, be grateful that you have come this far and remember that your body is amazing to be able to achieve this! :) 

WELL-DONE!!! 

Hopefully by now you have finished the first 3 weeks of the program and you are feeling good. Here are your next steps:

1. Fill out your progress measurement sheet and other sections from Lecture 3 in the Week 4 column. Send them to me if you would like me to take a look.

2. Take a pic of yourself wearing the same clothes as the pic you took of yourself in Week 3 and post it in my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Sustainablewl) or your Instagram page (@sustainablewl), or tag those page  if you want to show me your progress or friends and family. 

3. Give yourself some praise!!!! :)) 

4. Continue onto your next round and repeat Section 2-4 for two more cycles until you have completed 3 rounds. 

5. If you have any questions or feedback please send me a message. I really hope that you are enjoying the course!!!!