about.com exercise of the week!

Here's an exercise that I added to my 25 day pilates challenge for myself...check out the post from the extremely informative about.com pilates blog.

Exercise of the Week: Open Leg Rocker

Exercise of the Week: Open Leg Rocker originally appeared on About.com Pilates on Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 at 08:00:01.

The Benefits of Eye Focus During Pilates and Fitness Ab Work Exercises

via centerworks.com

{check out this interesting article from http://www.centerworks.com about using eye focus to enhance effectiveness of ab exercises} What are you looking at?

Posted via web from Anne's posterous

Get Great Pilates Reformer Workout At Home! | Anne Samoilov Pilates

(…even without expensive studio equipment)

So, you’ve bought your reformer…Maybe it’s a home version of the studio machines you are used to working on. Maybe it’s a sub-$500 model that uses a bungee style chord instead of the springs.  Maybe it’s a resistance band setup that hooks up to a door and mimics a reformer.  Whatever you have chosen, I’m here to tell you that you still can get a great workout at home…

Here are a few simple things to remember and try…the first one being my personal favorite!!

Technorati Tags: pilates at home, pilates home reformer, pilates moves

via annesamoilov.com

{prompted by an email from an old schoolmate in Vermont!}

Posted via web from Anne's posterous

3 posts in one day???

Ok - I am just putting it out there big time today, so I figured why stop?
Here's a blast from the past that you might already know about...

Check out this short clip....If you like the Divinyls pretty well-known song, you might like this...hopefully. :)

The clip is lifted from a longer video...so apologizes for the stun sound at the beginning!



Enjoy...and if that's still not enough for you....

Check this out...another blast from a not so distant past: Anne Miller Sampler CD.

Red Carpet Ready - What it Takes

I started the Red Carpet Ready program and joined the Red Carpet Ready club in April or May of 2009.  Since then, I've encouraged many friends and family to join the Red Carpet Ready program.  I know that it works and am so motivated and inspired to help others.  When I see someone I know can benefit from something, I tell them.  I don't just blindly go out and spam people who aren't interested. I really try to focus on the people that I think would fit perfectly with what the program has to offer.

So, the question is...who is right for the Red Carpet Ready program and what does it take to become a success story?

Here are 5 things that made ME right for the RCR program:

1. I immediately connected with Val. Her videos spoke to me because she is like people I know and am friends with already. No attitude. No negativity. Plain, simple, support.  If you connect with Val or like what you see of her in the videos, you will like the program. You will allow her to be your teacher.  I know it seems pretty surface level stuff, but you will be more open to listening to her strategies if you first like her. Simple. Not to say that you won't like the program even if she doesn't resonate with you, but it will help if you like her style.
2. Simple Nutrition Guidelines - There was no specific meal plan to follow, but guidelines that were specific and simple enough for me to follow without feeling like I was on a diet.
3. Straight-forward Challenging Workouts that bring you through 2 different phases and help you build a base of strength. 
   
4. I was ready to make a specific change in my life and my body.  I had already made the decision and was merely looking for the path.
5. Mindset Support - I knew that she provided a way to get your brain in the game of getting in shape.  I knew this was a big hurdle for me and liked that she focused on this aspect of fitness.
   

Now...about that success story...

Here are the 5 Things that Made (and make me a RCR Success Story):

1. Mindset Exercises and Goal Setting - I did all of the exercises she provides and follow up on them regularly. I readjust when I need to and add new goals as the first ones are reached.
2. Diet & Nutrition - I took the guidelines she gave me and I stuck to them. Simple.  The food was a huge part of my success.  If I hadn't taken her guidelines and also went further into learning about clean eating, there would have been very little change to my body.
3. Workouts - I did them as she requested and also took her advice to increase weight when the workouts needed to be more challenging.
4. Pilates - I combined RCR workouts with only a few pilates workouts per week. These pilates workouts reminded me how to stabilize my body first before moving. I think that increased the effectiveness of Val's exercises.
5. Consistency - There is no maintenance. I am still doing Val's workouts. Now, I'm into the Action Hero Babe Training System, but might return to RCR in the beginning of the year for a change of pace.

My results have been amazing, but honestly not even as dramatic as some women who had more inches to lose and were able to lose even more fat then me!

3 1/2 inches off my waist
2 inches off my hips
2 inches off my muffin top (just below my belly button)
1 inch off each thigh

Weight Lost = 13 lbs.

2009 - My Red Carpet Ready Year

Wow, it's been a long year.  But to be honest, it has flown by now that I think about it. 
Things started off bumpy....

January - I was still jittery being a new mom. Held so tight to my schedule and routines that I was making everyone and especially myself CRAZY.  I won't lie and say that the schedule is gone, but the hysteria behind it is! Yay! I win!

February - Mila turned one and was overwhelmed with the turn my life took since her birth.  So much turmoil I had brought on myself.  When I saw the pictures from her birthday, I realized how much I needed to start taking care of myself again.  Started teaching more pilates...

March - Birthday month for Mommy.  1 week before my birthday I made the decision to change and improve myself.  Started working out more, started going out of the house more!  I even left Mila with a babysitter! What?? Yay, mommy's getting her groove back.

April/May - Through a series of events I cannot even recall, I found Valerie Waters.  I started her Red Carpet Ready program and have not been the same since.  Check out my next post about how to be a Red Carpet Ready success story.  We moved to an amazing new townhouse which further helped me to relax and let Mila do the same.

June - Going strong, getting in shape, feeling energetic.  More pilates, more teaching...but most importantly, more me.

July/August - Visits from Grandparents...Mila running around in the sunshine.  Ahhh...life feels good.

September/October - Solidifying my Clean Eating habits and Regular workouts.  RCR reunion and working out with Val. These were stellar months and I'm so thankful for them!

November - Thanksgiving with my little family.

And now...winding the year down by making goals for 2010...but starting them now in 2009.

25 Days of Self-Appreciation

So, I've started a few different personal challenges to end out 2009 and to start 2010. One of those is 25 Days of Self-Appreciation where I find one thing each day that I appreciate about myself. I've been following Sheila Viers from Livewell 360 and using her comments section to update my daily appreciation, but decided I'd use my own webspace to do the daily updates. Then, every few days I'll post a new one on her site too!

Today is Day 10 for me:

Today I appreciate my inner geek. I am so grateful that I can talk about a Wayne Dyer book and the Law of Attraction one moment...then switch gears and discuss the latest World of Warcraft gaming strategies. I love that I am not stuck in any one of plane of existence and try to be super serious all the time!

Here's to living a life of intention and leveling up your Troll Rogue.

Day 11 - I appreciate my bravery to take chances at different times in my life…not returning to the animation industry and just working on creative projects. I was lucky to have my husband to support me, but it felt good to only choose ways to spend my time that actually excited me.

Day 12 - I appreciate my skin too, just like my RCR sister Leeanne. I love being told by dermatologists that I do have the skin of a 38 year old who lives in Southern California. I take pride in NOT spending hours in the sun or the tanning bed just to get a healthy glow. However, I will do a spray tan for my upcoming AHB pics.

Day 13 - I appreciate my choice to breastfeed my daughter for 13, count them 13 months. It was tough, but I am happy that I was able to give her this much of my time and body. When we finished, I knew she was ready just as much as I was.

....see you in a few days!

Pilates Shoppers Take Note

Here we are into the biggest shopping day of the year and it occurs to me that those of you not out fighting the crowds might like help figuring out what and how to buy for Pilates.

via pilates.about.com

The About.com Pilates blog is a great resource if you're looking to learn more about pilates. Check out this post on buying pilates home equipment, pilates clothing, and pilates dvds!

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