By: Nancy Hawkins Rigg, Founder and owner, Forever Fit Foundation

It’s a brand new year, and by now most of those New Year’s resolutions have gone the way of the red and green gift wrap. But it’s also a brand new day that brings another opportunity to start again. Even if you tossed the paper, the list is still on your mind: goals like being more fit, flexible and healthy. You might have listed losing the last 10 pounds or zipping up the jeans without a struggle or not needing heavy-duty, support undergarments that squeeze your belly back into place. There is something you can do that offers many benefits for each hour you spend practicing.

Have you tried Pilates? It’s no magic bullet. You have to do something, and make a commitment to doing it more than a half hour once a week. Pilates is one piece of the puzzle and nicely complements cardio and strength-training workouts. Pilates is a workout system developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s, and it’s been used successfully to rehabilitate injured dancers, and more recently for core strengthening and conditioning by athletes. Some people are just plain intimidated by the idea of doing Pilates. They’ve seen pictures of lithe bodies easily bending over some formidable-looking equipment.

The practice of Pilates for therapy and exercise is based on those principles, but a credentialed teacher has realistic expectations for her clients. Most aren’t long, lean, strong and flexible. Some are overweight and out of shape, and some have challenges, such as asthma, diabetes and heart problems.

The trainer will talk to you about your physical problems as well as where your body holds stress. Your Pilates teacher can offer a client an opportunity for success by modifying Pilates poses to reach the needs of that individual. In each Pilates’ session, clients practice strengthening, flexibility, extension and contraction, breath and awareness .under the watchful eye of the skilled trainer. Pilate’s exercises lengthen and strengthen muscles, improving posture, stamina and coordination. Some people even find the movements relaxing, because they release tension.

Pilates also offers variety: sometimes you perform the exercises on the classical studio equipment, while during other sessions you may use small apparatus, like a ball, band or ring. Pilate’s exercises can also be performed on a mat, using your strength, breath and flexibility to move through the exercises. Before you start any new program, check with your doctor to see if you have health conditions that may prohibit you from this type of exercise.

It’s better to start something new under the guidance of a personal trainer before you buy a DVD to work on at home. Save that until you’re comfortable with the basics of Pilates.

A good Pilates trainer will meet you where you are. If you are strong and supple, she can design a workout to challenge your strengthens and fine tune your technique. But if you have never done Pilates and feel clumsy, heavy and intimidated, put away those doubts, completing your Pilates workout will leave you wanting to do more.

Like many physical activities, there’s a strong mind/body component to Pilates training.

Pilates requires focus, concentration and body awareness, all great skills to develop since you can use them in other areas of your life. That’s why Pilates’ devotees often refer to their exercise regime as practice: it’s not easy. Pilates does take practice, and as you practice you start to notice that you are a bit more flexible, a bit stronger because the grocery bags don’t seem as heavy and maybe your jeans feel a lit bit looser.

Keep practicing. Who knows where this will lead?

Nancy Hawkins Rigg is the founder and owner of Forever Fit Foundation, a personal training business specializing in Pilates, Gyrotonic, Gyrokinesis, Yamuna Body Rolling and sport specific training. Forever Fit Foundation accepts clients at three sites: Dover and Lewes and Mendenhall Station, Pa., just over the Delaware line. A certified athletic trainer, she earned her bachelors degree from the University of Delaware and her master’s degree in exercise science and sports medicine from Miami University in Ohio. Please call (302) 423-1816 or (302) 698-5201 to schedule an appointment or for more information.

Publisher’s Note on Forever Fit Foundation:

It has been two years since I started taking Pilate’s with Forever Fit, and I couldn’t be more satisfied with a program. Each session is something new and challenging. My posture and flexibility have improved unbelievably. If you have ever thought of trying Pilate’s, but haven’t, then you owe it to yourself to at least try it once. Because once you do, you will never want to stop.