We start with a gentle warm up, rolling on the floor, mobilizing our spines, juicing up our shoulders and hips. Next we get organized engaging the small stabilizers. Our strength series includes traditional Pilates mat exercises – Hundreds, Roll up, Teaser, as well as Lunges and Rows to strengthen your whole body. We cool down and reconnect our minds and bodies with a gentle stretch at the end of class, following my trademarked R.O.S.S. protocol.
Join us Wednesday February 15th 6-7 pm P.T. on zoom.
You’re welcome to tune in with your video on or off.
Whether you are brand new to Pilates, or have years of experience this class is for YOU!
You’ll leave feeling like you’ve done just the right amount of work and stretching.
Come meet our fun, silly, welcoming group of ladies (and our mascot Cody the labradoodle).
Email me and I’ll send you the Zoom link Anne@FluidPortland.com
If you don’t have time to make it yourself, give me a call, as I do have a few jars available.
I’ve been using some variation of this butter in my massage practice for years.
In the winter I often add peppermint oil. I also like to blend scents like orange and clove, or clary sage and lavender. Feel free to omit the essential oils if you have sensitive skin, or prefer unscented products.
The main ingredients are shea butter, jojoba, and coconut oil.
Shea butter is a fat extracted from the nut of the shea tree. It can be used to heal minor cuts and abrasions. It is solid at room temperature. It’s often used in soaps and cosmetics.
Jojoba “oil” is actually a liquid plant ester, or wax extracted from the seeds of the jojoba plant. It typically is found in the deserts of Arizona, California and Mexico (the photo above is yours truly in Joshua Tree National Park where I stumbled up on a few jojoba plants growing wild).
Jojoba has the consistency of olive oil at room temperature, but unlike olive oil it has a long shelf life, and is able to withstand high heat without going rancid.
I was first introduced to this product when I was a wee massage therapist in Florida in the 90’s. I have oily and sensitive skin, and traditional massage oils caused me to break out if I did not immediately wash my skin. I once found myself having to go back to work after receiving a massage from a massage therapist who used jojoba. I thought, “oh man my neck and back are going to be so broken out tomorrow”. Instead, the jojoba absorbed into my skin, and I had no issues. I’ve been a fan ever since.
Coconut oil is a rich source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a type of saturated fat. It has microbial effects, boosts the moisture content in skin and hair, and contains antioxidants that have been shown to lower inflammation, and boost brain health. I put a spoonful in my coffee every morning. You can also use it as a substitute for butter in baked goods (I used some in a recent banana bread recipe). If you’re not a fan of the coconutty scent and taste, look for refined coconut oil.
While the ingredients in this body butter are “all natural” please do not eat it. Jojoba is not meant to be consumed.
Spread this on your hands, not on your toast :).
Having said that, your skin is highly absorptive. As with what I put in my body, I try to stick to skin care products that have a short list of easily pronounceable ingredients.
Ok on to the recipe…
Body Butter Recipe:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Shea butter
1/2 cup Coconut oil
1/4 cup Jojoba
5-10 drops of essential oil (optional – I used peppermint for my latest batch)
Directions:
Melt shea butter, coconut oil and jojoba oil in a double boiler. If you do not have one of these you can nest a glass bowl over a saucepan. Start with about an inch or two of water in the bottom pan, so that it comes close to the bottom of the bowl without spilling over the sides.
Whisk the first three ingredients together over medium heat until they are combined. No need to boil them, just give enough to heat so that they melt.
Turn off the heat, and whisk in 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oil.
Refrigerate for an hour or until white and solid.
With a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the oils until they are fluffy like whipped cream.
Fill glass jars body butter, seal them, and refrigerate another hour.
A note on storage: Depending on the temperature in your house (and the time of year) you may want to keep these babies in the fridge. If you leave them in a warm room, they won’t go bad, they just might melt and lose the whipped texture.
“Anne, you saved my life!” This was the first thing one of my clients said at the start or our Monday 6 pm yoga class.
He told a story about being out in the middle of nowhere, falling and not being able to get up. I believe his exact words were, “I’m screwed.” He then remembered some of the ways we have practiced going from the floor to standing, and was able to regain his composure, and figure out how to stand up (and not be bear food).
I know the old commercials where the little old lady says “I’ve fallen and I cant get up” were funny, but seriously, unless you have fallen and not been able to get up off the floor, you may not realize how terrifying this is, especially if you are alone.
My client is active, he loves to be outdoors, fishing and golfing. He’s been coming to our yoga class for several years. Occasionally his low back flares up and he does a few one-on-ones with me. He sees the value in strengthening, stretching, and mobilizing his spine, as this helps him stay out of pain, and allows him to do the things he loves.
After class I asked him if I could write a post about his story and he sent this email along with some photos from his trip:
“Hey Anne; A little story about my fall fishing trip:
My favorite fly fishing spot is the Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park.
This September I was fishing on kind of marshy, soft and mucky ground. Standing half in the water and half on the land tying on a new fly I lost footing and fell onto the bank. Initially on my back and side I could not get up, and after a number of minutes felt I might be screwed. Then a vision crossed my mind of Anne demonstrating a yoga standing move, butt in the air walking one’s hands towards ones feet. I managed to get on all fours, walked my hands backward and I stood upright.
Funny how things intersect and of course Anne is a hero.”
If you struggle with your balance or mobility, or feel you’re no longer able to do the things you used to do, our Monday yoga class is for you! We start with mobility work, incorporate a few standing strength and balance exercises, then the last half of the class is devoted to stretching. This is a great stress reducer, and a fantastic start to your week.
Still not sure if this is for you? Reach out to me and I’ll send you the code to try your first class for free.
21 day program to decrease pain and tightness, improve sleep, and reduce stress and anxiety.
Our focus:
Daily, pain-free movement
Feed your body
Rest
How?
Meet with me for 30 minutes of one on one time focused on you and your goals (phone, Zoom, or in person). We will establish your personal game plan, so that you are clear on when and how you will you move your body, prep healthy meals, and find more space, and ease.
When?
September 19th – October 9th
Where?
Online, via email. If you’re local, you may choose to meet with me in person for your one on one. You receive weekly email prompts for pain-free movement, mobility/flexibility, healthy eating, stress reduction, and improved sleep.
Not sure if this is for you? Join our Zoom meeting Saturday September 17th at 11 am to see if this is right for you! (message me for the private link Anne@FluidPortland.com
Are you the perfect person for our June Personal Training experiment?
Find out what you can accomplish when you commit to taking good care of YOU!
You are ready to make positive changes.
You have a specific goal.
You are able to commit to Wednesdays 5:30 – 6:00 pm PT on Zoom, June 1st, 8th, 15th, and 22nd.
I’m offering four weeks of personal training with me, at no cost to you.
We start with a zoom call to see if we are a good fit. You and I will meet for thirty minutes once a week for strength training. We will finish with an assessment to see what specific what improvements have you made.
To take advantage of this fabulous opportunity to work with me one on one, call or email me today!
