Foundation Series

The last two months have been turbulent. Well, that may bit a little dramatic but for anyone who has been through the same thing will understand.

Here’s what happened… In August I was sick with a bad flu. Even when I was better it took another three weeks to recover fully and regain normal energy. The point is, I didn’t workout out in any way shape or form for the whole month. For me this is not the norm.

Usually I get in two Callanetics workouts a week and that is enough to maintain a body shape I am happy with and not feel like I am seizing up like the tin man.

Now, we have spoken before and answered many questions that come to us through email and through the café about people feeling as if they are getting bigger, rather than smaller. Our advice is to either give your muscles a rest to let everything settle down or to back up your session as soon as you can to make the pull in even better when it comes.

Puffed out! This puffiness was all over my body. My thighs, hips and belly were all soft and puffy, like a waterbed. This photo was taken on Wednesday 17 September 2014

After the non-event that was August, I hit September with at least four workouts a week. I was sure to mix up the exercises and pulses to get the toning happening from all angles. You can probably already guess what happened…I got puffy! I had not experienced this in some time because I was happily maintaining my shape and fitness, rather than trying to really take it up a level. After nothing for a month up was the only way to go as far as I was concerned!

We had a filming booked in and I was all puffed out. I questioned my diet, nothing different there. I even stepped on the scales (which I rarely do) and there was only the usual fluctuations. I called Sandra and we pondered what I must be going through… the pre-pull-in-puff!

With filming on the Thursday and me all blown up on the Wednesday I was not feeling on top of my game. I had been feeling very strong in my workouts and was frustrated at my jeans getting tighter. So I did a workout on the Wednesday. On Thursday morning I woke up and felt as if I must have swapped bodies overnight!!

The next day…Callanetics delivers! The innermost muscles have found their new resting place and pulled in the outer muscles. No more puffiness! This was taken on Thursday 18th September 2014 behind the scenes during filming.

I stood up out of bed and I could feel that I was slender and pulled right in. I went to check in the mirror. When I lifted up my top a bit to inspect the tummy that had been protruding the night before, I was very excited to see a flat stomach with definition! Apart from being so excited to have my body back to a point that I was feeling good about it, I was so pumped to go and film the workout for next month!

So the take home is?

• EVERYONE goes through the same stages of body transformation, no matter how long you have been practicing Callanetics.
• Just because you fell like things are moving around and you’re not liking it, does NOT mean you should stop! You are about to have a breakthrough!
• After a break, even if it’s years, you CAN get your body back into the shape you are happy with and that you will feel strong and confident in!

So now I have two questions for you. First, have you ever experienced the pre-pull-in-puff? Second, how long did it last before you came out the other side?