As of today, I've officially passed the "seven day" mark at my new job, and even got my first paycheck. The difference between this and my previous position is a complete 180: dream hours, understanding employer, and confidence renewed.

The last is really a result of the previous two. I was hired in a position they WEREN'T hiring for, in an industry I've only known for a year and a half. I got the job on my own, because I know what I'm talking about (and WHO I'm talking about)....something I had started to doubt in the last 6 months before maternity leave. I didn't feel appreciated, or respected. When you spend more awake time at a workplace than home, those things start to weigh on you and mess with your head. 

 But now, after incredible success with Pilates Napa Valley and the Sonoma Diet, and this new position, my faith in myself as a woman and participating member of society has flourished. I feel like ME again, albeit a bit larger, and definitely more "mommy" me than I was two years ago. I'm happy with who I see in the mirror, the progress I've made physically, and my ability to quickly turn a terrible situation into a great one. 

 The subject line mentioned "the rub" and here it is: Since going back to work this past week, baby D has had FAR more formula than she's used to... typically 3 bottles (or 12oz) in the morning, then the rest of her day on breast milk. This is messing with her tummy, and by the end of the night, she's cranky and crampy and crying in the most pathetic way possible. So even though I'm this SuperWoman by day, in the evenings I'm a stress-ball. I know going to work is good for me (and her, and Trevor, and our bank accounts) it's just so hard to see her suffer, and know if I was home, she wouldn't be AS gassy. She eats every two hours, so I'm just not able to pump that extra 12oz she needs. 

This is a weight-loss blog, so here's the connection: I haven't done much in the sense of health this past week or so, and I forgive myself for it. As you can see, it's been a bit chaotic. But, that doesn't make my body feel any better. I have NO time or energy to make it up to the studio, I've gained 2lbs back, and am DEFINITELY not following Sonoma right now. With disability ending, I don't have the cash, and with work starting, I don't have the time to cook our meals like I was. Man, good thing I don't have a SERIOUS addiction, because I'm the queen of excuses.

That's fine. You On A Diet has this great anecdote comparing a weight-loss journey to a car drive with GPS... when you mess up, the nice lady tells you calmly, but firmly "take the next available U-turn". There's no chastising, no guilt, just a plain and simple message to fix it, and move on. I'm resolved to make that U-turn, but how? How do other new/working moms find the time to run the household, feed the baby, manage a career AND stay in shape?

Ew. I ate FAR too much yesterday, as I always do at the in-law's for holidays. We stopped at SBUX on the way in, and split a breakfast sandwich, hoping that would curb my appetite....but no. Arrived to the usual spread of stuffed mushrooms, chicken-artichoke dip, and shrimp cocktail. Grazed, then ate dinner of ham, new potatoes, brussel sprouts and mashed turnip. Then strawberry-rhubarb crumble.

Oh, did I mention I made seven dozen oatmeal-chocolate cookies each the night before? Yeah...

How am I doing?

I woke up this morning feeling TERRIBLE. Dehydrated with heartburn worse than pregnancy, and my stretchy pants were suffocating me. But, it being the baby's first Easter (and my boyfriend's birthday) we were overloaded with candy. After a quick sort through the bounty, we threw most of it away:

Buh bye. We only kept a few pieces of Scottish candy that we only get once a year, and started eating fresh again this morning with Panera salads for brunch. I'm now sipping black coffee to kill the sugar racing through my blood stream, and am considering my diet for the next week or so. I'm thinking about going back on Wave 1 of the Sonoma Diet to get everything back on track. Who's with me?

So, last week I went in and was weighed. I had little to no confidence that this thing worked. I still felt bigger than I have in years! I could grab parts of the belly, all of my pants felt tight, shirts felt tight, hell.....my socks felt tight! So I was not excited about class at all. One of my com padres lost 5lbs but I was not feelin' it. Lo and behold.....5lbs gone! Who'd a thunk!!! As happy as I felt, I still questioned whether or not Heidi and Nancy had rigged the scale. A few days later I finally noticed the mid-section not as noticeable. The jeans no longer had the muffin overflow. The shirts fell straight and the socks....well they are still tight, but Spring is here and I won't have to wear them much longer.

Now to let you know how the week went. In three words.....IT WAS HELL!!!! The cravings for sugar were seriously intense. I began to salivate and hate Heidi during a Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie commercial. Co-workers still were extra kind to me. Every time I rejected my friend, my soul mate, the true love of my life (sorry Scott but you know it is true!)..chocolate, I realized something; I could say NO! I channeled Nancy friggin' Reagan and learned to just say NO! Went to a birthday party and had NO chocolate cake! I survived! I still have not yet had any chocolate (o.k. I had a hot chocolate this morning) but that was it!!! I still crave, crave, crave sugar, but if i made it this far I am going to see how much more I can take. I have days that I feel that I am teetering on the edge of the chocolate abyss and someone will find me on the floor of my kitchen with melted chocolate smeared all over my mouth, wrappers everywhere, and me in a sugar coma from the overdose I just endured! But I think of the kids and I find strength.

There was something else that I realized during this endeavour. I am not only a chocoholic, I am a snack-a-holic! I miss the random trips to the fridge to get chips and salsa, Costco's artichoke/jalepeno dip and Wheat Thins. I missed my morning glass of Carnation Chocolate Breakfast drink. I also realized just how MUCH I do eat during the day. Damn I am a pig!! I thought I was doing right by my body by eating salads, but the portions of those salads (McDonalds, even Baja Fresh) were the equivelant of two and a half meals on the Sonoma Diet. And I would eat the whole thing in one sitting!! This last week has taught me that I don't really need the sugar (but I still really want it!), and I don't need to eat a meal of a snack.

I have not officially started Wave 2, reading over the changes tonight. But I am looking forward to trying it out. I am putting my milk consumption back in and of course the wine, but I am still trying to portion out what I eat and making healthier decisions. I don't really have more lbs to lose, but I do want to try to keep off what I have lost and make this body more healthy than before. I have replaced most of what I can with whole wheat; pastas, English Muffins, tortillas. I have actually eaten brussel sprouts and enjoyed them. I drink my seltzer water instead of sodas. I WILL have only one piece of chocolate/sugar when the presented to me, don't want to be too rude.

As of now I feel....successful. Not totally fulfilled with my food but realizing more of what changes I NEED to make in my diet. Looking forward to class tomorrow to get a good work out. So until then......JUST SAY NO!

It is Sunday morning. I have had my 1 cup of whole grain cereal with 1 cup of milk and enjoying my cup of herbal tea. Last night I went out to dinner with my husband and went off book!I tried to be good ordering the fish instead of a burger. It was pretty tasty (thanks to the mayo-based sauce that was on it). We also ordered an appetizer, Bubbly Crab and Artichoke Dip. The crab and artichoke are on the list of allowed Wave 1 foods, but not the fantastic gooey, cheese, sauce that surrounded it. The Norman Rose Tavern has a new Bubbly Crab and Artichoke Dip addict to add to its list. OH my God it was DELICOUS!!!!! Up until last night I was doing great on the diet. However, I am a working mother of two (6yrs and 3yrs old) so I will relish any time I can have date night with the husband!

I have to say, I am not feeling this diet so far. Not that I expected to drop lbs quickly. But I have never paid more attention to what I eat in my life. For some reason I feel like I am eating MORE than usual. My normal day would be a quick Carnation drink (chocolate of course)in the morning, then sometimes lunch, and a small dinner that lacked vegetables on my plate. Oh, I probably forgot to mention the multitude of Mini Reeses Peanut Butter cups I would consume or the Coke that I would have, or that lunch usually consisted of some drive through salad or burrito of some sort, or the Cheetos that I would get at the gas station as I filled up for the ride home.

I get that on this diet I AM eating more healthy foods. That I am filling my day with good nutrients and more natural foods for my body to process. I get it!! But I feel bigger now then when I started. And I don't think I can blame it all on the Bubbly Crab and Artichoke Dip (I told you it was delicous, right?!). Maybe I feel this way because I am paying more attention to what I put in my body therefore my body itself and all of the flaws that I see are bright and shiny. What I am most proud of is the fact that despite my fall of the wagon last night, I still have not consumed any sugar!!! I even helped my daughter fill her plastic eggs with jelly beans and did not have a single one!!!! I have moments of utter pain as I see the Easter baskets on my dining room table, or as my children ask for hot chocolate, or when the waiter asked if we wanted desert. But I stayed strong, popped some gum in my mouth and moved on! My fear is that when the ten days are over I will again return to the chocolate whore I was before.

Only time will tell!

Thanks for listening

It's about time! I was getting desperate for sweetness, gobbling diced bell peppers like Skittles.

It's official, and time to come to grips: I am “out of shape”.

I've always been a bigger girl, hovering just above the national average size 14. In high school I was just lazy, and ate terribly. You'd think living with my mom, the fitness fanatic that she's always been, something would have sunk in. But, not really. I'd have friends drive me home from school when I should have walked the mile or so, and then have a box of macaroni and cheese once I got there.

Regardless of size and weight (18 jeans, and 220 was my highest), I always maintained some level of being “in shape”. Every summer I left on tour with marching band's extreme cousin, drum corps, where every morning was focused on conditioning. I'd run, and crunch, and pushup with the best of them, come home in August 20-30lbs lighter, and gain it all back before Christmas.

In 2006, fueled by boredom in South Florida, I set out to fix that. I started SkinnyChels, a blog to keep me accountable as I started my first real weight-loss journey. In the first 3 months, I lost 30lbs, and got down to 170, my lowest I could ever remember. I was able to keep it off (with 10lbs fluctuations) for 2 years, until I went on tour for the last time in 2008, and came home a TINY (for me) 160lbs. That picture on the right is my very last day. Tanned, skinny, but still the fat kid of the group.

I tried to maintain that weight, but a stressful job, low income, and wacky schedule “forced” me and my boyfriend to eat fast food daily. By Christmas I was back up to 190. I was able to keep level there until April. That's when I got pregnant. Two weeks after leaving the hospital, I had lost 25lbs without trying, half of what I gained with my baby. But the baby just turned 2 months old, and I'm still sitting in the 220's. The same old excuses have come up for me, just substitute “stressful job” with “newborn” and I'm just as unmotivated as I was last fall. My boyfriend is rowing along in the same boat, and we've finally decided it's time to break the cycle. With our baby girl in the picture, it's extremely important for us to set a good example on how to have a positive, healthy body image without resorting to under or over eating. 

I'm participating in Pilates Napa Valley's 10-in-30 program, following the Sonoma Diet, and pilates 3x/wk. I had my first class on Wednesday, and I'm still sore! While it's frightening, and overwhelming to completely start this process over, it's also liberating. Whenever I've done pilates with my mom, I've always used my previous experience to almost override what she'd tell me, second guessing everything. “Yeah, I know, I've got this” was frequently emitted when I was getting particularly annoyed. But at that first session, I was able to finally accept that I am completely “out of shape”, and was able to experience the class like you all do, and got the excellent instruction and support Pilates Napa Valley has to offer.

I'll be blogging here weekly (sometimes more) to chronicle everything, and I'll continue to write on my own resurrected SkinnyChels. Are you doing the 10-in-30 program? I'd love to hear about your success! 

Starting Weight: 223lbs
Starting Body Fat: 47%
Waist: 36in 

It's been 10 days, and I'm officially finished with Wave 1 of The Sonoma Diet. And I have to say, it was a resounding success. I lost 6 lbs in the 10 days!

The best part is that I haven't felt hungry at all. And it wasn’t as difficult as I had imagined. The meal plans provided in The Sonoma Diet are satisfying, and full of variety. Truthfully, the meals are how I eat on a normal basis: lots of grilled lean meats, with savory vegetables. It's extremely easy to go out to local restaurants in the area and still stick to the diet, since the program is based on our Wine Country way of eating. 

Following the food portion guidelines is key: Three meals a day, on 7” or 9” plates divided into proper percentages of grains, proteins and vegetables. In addition to these three meals, veggie snacks are allowed and 3 fats per day (avocado, olive oil or nuts.) If you are active (you, know, like doing Pilates and cardio) you get bonus snacks to keep up your energy!

I can't say I didn't crave my sugar fixes, and with teenagers in the house, I couldn't throw out the chocolate chips and fruity snacks without expecting a mutiny. In fact, my youngest daughter came over and made brownies right under my nose! I did cheat with the tiniest bite of brownie, and had maybe 3 glasses of wine  (normal 4oz pour) over the entire 10 days. This however, is still considered a success, as that was my typical nightly consumption before!

Today started Wave 2, which allows fruit and minimal wine back into the diet. This is supposed to last until you hit your goal weight, however long that may be. If you ever slip, or find yourself craving refined sugar again, hop right back onto Wave 1, until the cravings are gone. Honestly, after the past 10 days, the fruit I had today was far more satisfying than those gummy fruit snacks ever were! I can definitely see this “fruit as dessert” idea is going to work out quite nicely, if a strawberry is the sweetest thing I have.

After all this success, I’ve been inspired to launch all new weight-management packages at Pilates Napa Valley!  For best weight loss results, I recommend the “March Madness” 10-in-30 program. Lose up to 10 lbs (or even better, 10 inches!) in 30 days. Three Private Pilates sessions in the first week, then semi-private classes 3 times a week for the next three weeks (12 sessions total) for $419. (a savings of over 20% off regular pricing.) Additionally, those who sign up for the 10-in-30 program will receive a free copy of The Sonoma Diet, to maximize their health and weight loss. All participating clients will also have their measurements and Body Fat Analysis taken at the start and end of their initial 30-day program. Call us at 707.253.2214 to get the full details and sign up!

My oldest daughter, Chelsea will be starting the 10-in-30 program this week, and will be blogging here to share her experience. Stay tuned!

Health and fitness have always been important to me, and when I opened Pilates Napa Valley, my wellness became my business. I thoroughly enjoy the butt-kicking workouts we provide, and eat my three square meals a day. I encourage clients, friends and family to manage their portion sizes, ignore those carby cravings, and to definitely NOT indulge in mindless, empty-calorie snacks.

I'm here to tell you all that I've been living a lie: I am a closeted sugar addict.

It happens when I'm at home, far away from our mecca of health on Trancas. Inevitably, something will distract me, and I'll end up in the kitchen. I CRAVE sugar! During the day, I'll have a Costco pack of fruity snacks, chocolate chips by the handful, or Chocolate and Oats FiberOne bars. Once I'm home for the day, multiple glasses of white wine serve can serve as dessert. When someone bakes? It's all over.

I still have leftover Christmas weight, and this inability to refuse sugar is only making things worse. My body fat has gone from 18% to 23% in the last year. I take off my uniform stretchy pants to go out to dinner with my husband, and my jeans don't fit! This is getting ridiculous.

So, I'm starting the Sonoma Diet today. This book, written by Napa Valley local Dr. Connie Guttersen, RD., Ph.D, is easily the best written “diet book” I've ever picked up. Her method is to eat satisfyingly tasty meals (that also happen to be healthy), mimicking the cuisine of the Mediterranean and Northern California wine country: Whole grains, lean meats, and fresh vegetables. The meals are then enhanced with olive oil, spices and herbs. Once thing that's blatantly missing from the diet is my dear friend refined sugar.

Like most diets, Sonoma has three waves. The first, 10-day Wave 1, takes the lack of sugar to the extreme. On top of nixing common sense items like my go-to foods listed above, artificial sugar, diet sodas, and even fruit are all taboo. The author acknowledges she has nothing against fruit, but insists eliminating all sugar (or anything that tastes like sugar) will break my sugar dependency. After 10 days, fruit is added back in. 

So, today I start. I'm really excited to kick this sugar addiction, and truly be the example I strive to set everyday at Pilates Napa Valley. 

Starting weight: 132

Starting body fat percentage: 23%

Hi, I'm Heidi Strong, owner and director of Pilates Napa Valley.  I thought you might like to hear my story, and how I started the studio.
 
I have been a graphic designer all my life.  As a designer, I developed a deep appreciation for aesthetics.  In design, there must be balance in all elements; that's what makes a design pleasing to the eye.
 
But as a professional designer, I didn't have that balance in my working life.  There was always the pressure of deadlines, and working with clients or management to articulate a vision or a message though design.  Sometimes it came easily; but often it was challenging.

At my last design job, I was consistently under a great deal of pressure. A co-worker suggested that I take a Pilates Reformer class.  I was told it would reduce stress, and help relieve those shoulder stitches and neck aches that come from sitting in front of a computer monitor, mousing the life long day, all the while receiving evil e-mails.  Ouch.  What's more, I was also informed it would strengthen my core and sculpt my body into goddess-like condition.  For real?
 
I've never been much of a jock, but I thought I'd give it a try.  Who doesn't want to be in goddess-like condition?  And you can't win if you don't play, right?
 
I started taking reformer classes, and quickly became addicted.  Never had exercise  been more fulfilling.  It wasn't easy, but it didn't stress my body out more.  In fact, stress melted away.  Kind of like being in a bath tub with candles and a glass of wine, but resulting in a tighter, more defined body.  I liked the community of the small, focused reformer sessions--it was actually fun to go and work out with friends.  I realized that this was something I wanted to help others experience.  And I saw my body changing in a way that I couldn't quite believe possible.
 
So I quit my job as a designer, and devoted a full-time effort to becoming a certified instructor with a dream of opening my own studio in my home town of Napa.
 
And that's how Pilates Napa Valley came to be.
 
Whether you're a long-time fitness fanatic, trying to get back into shape , or just  beginning a fitness  practice, I encourage you to give our universal reformer classes a try.  I think that you will find it quite different--in a good way-- from any classes or exercise regimen you may have experienced.  There are a maximum of only six participants in each class. We focus on you as an individual and work with you personally to make sure you get the results you desire.  Pilates is a great complement to the other sports you may participate in, such as golf, horseback riding, running, biking, tennis, etc, and will definitely improve your skills. Even if this is the only exercise you do,you will find it makes an incredible difference in  your functional fitness--the ability to participate in everyday physical activities with ease and comfort.
 
We all know there are no miracle cures or overnight fixes.  But if you are the least bit interested in seeing how Pilates can make a difference in your life, I invite you to come to my studio.  You'll work hard, but because the reformer apparatus is so brilliantly designed (thank you, Joe Pilates), you will thoroughly enjoy your work out in a way you never thought possible, and leave each session feeling energized and powerful.  The reformer challenges your core and your entire musculature, with no undue stress on your joints.  If you commit to the practice regularly, you will see amazing changes in your body.  And maybe in your whole outlook on life. 
 
It happened to me and it will happen to you.
 
Sincerely,
 
Heidi Strong
Owner and Director
Pilates Napa Valley

Recently, a client was looking at some of my original marketing materials and commented on a reference that seemed to suggest Pilates is great for the “elderly”—those wrinkly old folks over 50. 

I would have to agree that the definition of “elderly” has changed dramatically over the last few years.  Medical advances and state-of-the-art medications are helping people live much longer.  But developing healthy practices—in terms of exercise, nutrition and lifestyle—can help ensure that those years are quality ones.  

If 50 is the new 40, with a regular Pilates practice (and a good cosmetic dermatologist), we might be able to make it the new 35.  As we age, our old familiar exercise routines may become less appealing.  We simply can’t run as long or fast, cover the entire tennis court, bench press our weight or do the splits like we used to.  But as we age, Pilates can be an even more important part of a balanced exercise regimen. 

Pilates increases fitness from the inside out, with no undue stress on the joints, and addresses flexibility.  As we switch from running to walking and singles tennis to doubles, developing strong and supple core muscles will help us maintain and improve posture, mobility and balance during our chosen cardiovascular activities.  (Neurologists believe that improving core strength helps stave off equilibrium problems which can cause serious falls and fractures.) 

Resistance training continues to be essential as we age to retain muscles mass and strength, and one of the great benefits of working out on the Pilates Reformer is the addition of resistance to the moves.  Add some power walking, swimming, cycling, salsa dancing or anything else that gets the heart rate up, and you have a winning, balanced exercise routine that will keep you feeling physically and mentally fit no matter what you age.

New name, new look, new Web site.  Same Heidi Strong.  Those of you who have practiced at the studio for awhile know that it’s more than a place to get strong and flexible.  The idea is almost a cliché, but we really do have a community here at Pilates NV.  Unlike the impersonal atmosphere of the big fitness centers, our classes are small and intimate, so we get to know one another, and have a chance to exchange ideas and experiences, even if it’s only in the brief minutes before and after class.  When you put in your 55 minutes at Pilates Napa Valley, you’re not only doing something for your body, but we guarantee you will have fun doing it.  No boring classes! Our trainers mix up the basic flow so your muscles will not get lazy.  And because we have such a diverse and interesting clientele, not to mention a group of excellent trainers with personality and passion, you will be entertained, amused and motivated.  O.K., there might be some lame jokes and TMI, but hey, if it helps us get through The Hundred, why not? We’re serious about our Pilates practice, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously.  In the spirit of our Pilates Napa Valley “clubhouse”, I will be posting on this blog whenever I can.  It may be technique tips on how to perfect an exercise, or how Pilates can address specific physical issues, or it might just be my famous Turkey Minestrone recipe.  Oh wait a minute, I don’t cook.  Well, hopefully our Pilates Napa Valley culinary experts can help me out there.  I invite you all to send me comments and questions.  I would love to see this site become yet another way we can have fun together and share our Pilates practice.