By Kathy Nicholson.
Do you wish you had the time to improve your health, wellbeing or physical strength? Often when you’re trying to keep up with day to day life, it’s hard to find the time to keep up with your day to day wellness. Well, cast your old gym memberships and mantra to the dirt, Suna is changing lives with one small movement at a time! You’ll be surprised at what a few little changes can add up to!
Ever wondered how to motivate yourself to make positive healthy changes without going through a punishing ritual at the gym? Suna has a modern movement mantra that will improve the physical strength and wellness of every person, regardless of age or capability. In this article, I’ll share my 6-point blog where I review Susie Cleland’s most recent Suna Pilates pod cast: How to get the best results with Exercise and share some personal insight into why I think every person needs a Suna in their life.
1. Functional Fitness, unlike the gym, is not a form of punishment
I was interested to hear a new term “Functional Fitness” in Susie’s video. Perhaps I’ve heard it before but just never absorbed its meaning. My mind is a flurry of thoughts that often cause me to miss or skip over many of life’s fleeting lessons. But the idea of being functional fit using movement, well that really got my attention. I don’t want to build huge muscles or to lift weights over my head. I just want my body to move easily and be capable. Susie has created Suna Pilates to train the body to function in the way it was meant to move by making minor adjustments to improve structure. What could be better for you than for your body to move right and hold the correct posture when standing and sitting? The only part Susie can’t help me with is my commitment to exercise. As Susie says, sustainability is key and there is no point starting exercise if you’re just going to quit. It’s that commitment part that I find the most challenging! Eeek!
2. Personal Trainers will push you as far as functionally your posture can handle
I really like the idea of having a personal trainer leading every Pilates session, regardless of whether I think I need one or not. I don’t have to stress about which exercise I am going to do, or whether I am doing it correctly, as the trainer will ensure I am getting the most out of every movement.
To be honest, I’ve joined three different gyms in the last 6 years. Each one was like my own personal Bermuda Triangle, my commitment and motivation would enter the gym with me on Day One, never to be seen nor heard from again. I’d pay for a Personal Trainer for the first day and then I’d trail behind them while looking around at the muscly people grunting and sweating all over the equipment and feel much the same as I would watching a foreign film without subtitles… What is going on here? How does that person do that? Why do I feel so out of place? Then after being thoroughly overwhelmed, I’d leave and never return.
But at Suna, with the focus on working out the right way and ensuring every participant is observed and challenged at their individual level of fitness, all I have to do is get myself to the class and the trainers do the rest. Perfect!
3. Suna’s business model includes a partnership model. They actually care.
Susie talks about how important it is to listen to your body and that Suna wants to help you understand what you need to be the best possible you. There is a reciprocal partnership here unlike my gym memberships that were clearly not concerned with whether I attended or how I was progressing. The gym didn’t care if I’d attended once and then never returned, they had my money. So on top of my own personal fitness motivation turning to dust after Day One, so too did my savings account as the weekly gym membership fee withdrew over the entire year.
However Suna has done away with contracts. I guess they back themselves and the value they bring to their customers so they don’t want to latch onto you in a parasitic lip lock, you are free to go if you decide Pilates just isn’t for you, with just a 4 week notice period. Just blow a kiss at the door and return any time you like. No hard feelings. How mature.
4. Working out the right way will reduce my stress and ensure I age well
I am approaching the big FIVE OH.m.g (there I said it!) so I really appreciate Susie’s approach to fitness and mantra that the right exercise is anything you like. I enjoy walking and hiking, but I also need some discipline to push me a little. After all, the more I get moving, the more I’ll stay moving! It is true that the older I get, the more I have to work to maintain the same level of fitness that used to come rather easily to me.
I know that committing to Pilates is not going to be all sunshine and rainbows, some days I’ll find my progress with Pilates amazing, and other days I’ll walk into the studio and not remember why I’m standing there. Okay my memory is not that bad (yet)! But my body is changing with age, so I need to challenge myself physically so I can age well. So I don’t end up looking like some of my lovely elderly neighbours that walk bent at the waist unable to straighten up. If only they found Pilates when they were my age.
And it’s not only age that concerns me, it is the affect stress has on my health. As Susie pointed out, if you don’t learn how to handle stress, a state of being stressed will become your normal. Everyone needs an outlet and with my busy life of work, kids, pets and so much more, I know I can’t wait until later. Later is now.
5. Eating the right way for my metabolic type… who knew that was a thing!?
The diet industry is an explosion of ideas and promotions and money. Just when you think all the fads have been thought of and done, another comes along. Fad diets have been dangled in front of my face for over 20 years and I’ve done more of them then I’d like to admit. Let’s see… Lemon Detox (twice) with temporary results and an angry disposition for 6 of the 7 days of detox, the cabbage diet, the carrot diet, Atkins, protein only, vegetables only, and on and on it goes.
While I consider myself a reasonably healthy person, I am far from disciplined. I like the occasional glass of pinot noir in the evening, Friday night take-away, and once in a while I sneak some of my kid’s lunch supply of crisps. It’s strange… I didn’t put any effort into gaining this extra 10kg of weight, it happened quite by snackcident (hehe), but I’ll be darned if I am going to let it stay.
So I need a new way of approaching weight loss, and I don’t want to abuse myself into being fit. I’ve considered eating more fish, however I have no idea if that’s what my body really needs. I think this is where metabolic typing comes in. I need to change my mind set towards food by understanding my metabolic self, and then eating and exercising according to what my body needs to be healthy and to function at its best. If I can combine eating correctly with working out the right way, my goal of losing weight while building strength will be attainable. Get ready body, you're about to get exactly what you need!!
6. It’s time to let “No Pain, No Gain” die its 1980s death!
I love Susie’s discussion on how the idea of “no pain no gain” is an outdated an unnecessary mind set. Hooray!! Why do I have to be soaked in sweat in the middle of my work day and return to work all red faced and puffy just to feel I am doing what is best for me?
I researched “no pain no gain” and do you know where it came from? It began in 1982 via Jane Fonda’s aerobic videos, where she promoted pushing far past the point of muscle fatigue to gain results. Do you know what else happened in 1982? The Commodore 64 computer was released, ET was in the theatre, and Michael Jackson’s Thriller took over the world of pop music. Any one still want to purchase a Commodore? Yet we still want to inflict pain on ourselves to shred our muscles. Isn’t it time we started to listen to what our bodies are telling us?
Susie points out that we are all kinetic beings, meaning that we are affected by motion. Being healthy and fit is no longer about muscle shredding or punishing yourself, it’s about moving in a challenging but correct way. Isn’t it time we all embrace our present selves with respect and love?
Finally, a really generous offer from a business that cares – Suna’s 2 for 1
Susie finishes her enlightening podcast with a smart offer from Suna. I am a firm believer that couples that play together stay together, so I am going to be hitting up my other half to join me. It will be interesting to see how different we are metabolically and how we both progress from working out the right way.
I am quite happy to say goodbye to the pain and sweat and I think we’ll really enjoy it - although he is a lot stronger than me, it will be equally as challenging for both of us in our own kinetic way. I don’t want to do Cross Fit or Pump classes or anything that will punish me every time I go. I want to enjoy my time and feel accomplished. So why wouldn’t I give it a go? Suna won’t lock me in so no risk to my bank account!
I know myself and I need focused Personal Trainer sessions at the start just to get the basics down correctly, and then two full weeks of classes will definitely get me and my partner into a pattern of exercise. Plus I love the idea of an open door to try Suna Pilates, without any locks, only keys. Knock Knock. Who’s there? Well in 3 months’ time it will be a far healthier and happier version of myself!
Maybe I’ll see you there?