nourish your morning body to feel good all day

I've discovered over the years of moving and teaching movement that when it comes to waking up the body, nothing beats the bodymind work of Pilates. It comes down to this: some exercises and ways of moving simply are better than different kinds - especially in the morning. Now, I need to qualify that word, "better". By "better", I am referring to methods of movement that engage our body and wake up neuromuscular pathways in a more mindful, efficient, and holistic way. I love cardio. I love riding my bike and getting outside. But Pilates, though quite intense, as you well know, is  designed to use the least amount of energy to achieve the deepest work. That's why I practice mat Pilates in the morning to wake up my body, I take deep breaths before I look at my phone, and the first thing I ingest is H2O - and lots of it! And you should too. Yup. Here's a few more tidbits why being good to your body in the morning sets you up for the rest of your day - let's make it a good one.

1) Our spinal fluid is more viscous in the morning. It's really more like jelly than water.

The spinal discs that absorb and release fluid throughout the day to do their job as proper shock-absorbers are filled with spinal fluid as we sleep. That's why we're a little taller in the morning. Because our discs are essentially "thicker" in the morning, we need to be nice to them and ease into moving. Think of toothpaste versus warm honey. The latter drips smoothly from the spoon. The former has to be squeezed 

out of a tube. If we gently lubricate our joints and especially our spinal joints by yawning and rolling and reaching, we allow for that fluid to in essence, "melt" a bit and help us to move more freely and comfortably.

2) ​Say NO to cell phones in the morning. So you took care of your spine and joints by gently waking up, yawning and slowly moving from laying to sitting to standing. You've prepared your body to be alert and ready for the day's challenges. And then you look at your phone and BOOM! All that clarity and focus gone.

But, Stephanie, I have to see who my new Instagram followers are!

I know, I know. But when we check our phone first thing in the morning we are bombarded with too much information. Work e-mails. Texts from last night. Missed messages. That sudoku game we forgot to shut down. And by doing this we begin the opposite process of focusing, and rather, we begin the process of SCATTERING. This literally follows us throughout the day, disrupting focus, flow, and even potentially damaging our memory. Just Say NO - to cell phones in the morning.   ​

3) Drink lots of water all day long. Ever since I moved to Southern California and the dry heat that I admit I totally prefer to humidity, I realize I am in a constant state of dehydration. Perhaps not ideal, but I have been more conscious of drinking my water.

Why is this really important? 

Because absolutely every cell in our body uses water for proper function. EVERY CELL. We just learned that fluid gathers in the spinal discs as we sleep making them more viscous. And that the better choice is to gently oil our joints in the morning. And we learned that resisting the urge to look at our phone first thing helps to keep us alert and focused. So now (maybe after a visit to the bathroom) it's time to down some refreshing H2O. Yup. Lots of it. The recommendation is to divide your weight in half and drink that many ounces of pure water a

day - not liquid, actually WATER. But generally, if you're thirsty, you're body is telling you drink, so grab a glass of filtered water and go to town! If you workout and sweat a lot, drink even more. Squeeze half a lemon or add some herbs to help you get it down. But do it. For the good of your entire well-being. ​