Our Favorite Things: Kombucha

Kombucha is a fermented tea that is quaffed for medicinal purposes. Kombucha is generally fermented using a visible solid mass of microorganisms called a "kombucha culture". Some call it a tea, some call it an elixer. Either way, it's a miracle and it's been used around the world for hundreds of years to restore health and vitality.

Drinking Kombucha is an acquired taste. Its been described as drinking vinegar. However, the health benefits outweigh the taste. While serious Kombucha drinkers can make their own at home, we prefer a brand called "GT's" which can be purchased at Whole Foods, Harrys or Good Nutrition. GT adds fruit to the tea to create a more palattable drinking experience.

Why would you drink Kombucha? Simply because it is a super healthy food that helps the body to find (or regain) its natural balance, which promotes overall well being. Just like regular exercise, Kombucha is something that supports a healthy lifestyle. When the body is healthier, its natural defenses are stronger.

How to drink it? Have one in the morning instead of coffee. Sip one throughout the day for sustained energy. Drink one with a meal to help control your appetite. Drink one now !!

East Cobb Pilates Instructors Receive Top Honor

They say that those who can't do teach, but Mary Jo Falvey and Elizebeth Ellison prove otherwise. STOTT PILATES® has given its highest certification designation to these two local Pilates instructors. Falvey and Ellison are the first STOTT PILATES Certified Instructor Trainers in the state of Georgia and are part of a group of only 200 Instructor Trainers worldwide. The certification allows Falvey and Ellison to train instructors in the STOTT PILATES curriculum. "We are really excited to be able to teach this method of Pilates," Falvey says. "There is a shortage of qualified Pilates instructors in Atlanta, and this certification program allows us to meet the demand."


Stefania Della Pia, the Assistant Program Director of Education at STOTT PILATES, says of certification, "Mary Jo and Elizebeth are amongst the most qualified STOTT PILATES Instructors in the world and are key figures in representing the brand in Georgia and the world."
Between them, Falvey and Ellison have 25 years of Pilates Instruction and Personal Training experience. Each holds a Personal Training Certification from the American Council on Exercise and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Instructor Trainer candidates must have a minimum of 1,000 hours of documented Pilates instruction, be recommended by another Instructor Trainer, and submit videos of their teaching repertoire. After the application process, finalists receive an invitation to attend specialized instruction at the STOTT PILATES headquarters in Toronto, Canada.


Della Pia applauds the hard work of Falvey and Ellison. "Both Mary Jo and Elizebeth's attention to detail and precise cueing and correcting are exceptional," she says. "They both have a professional yet extremely approachable and patient manner that makes them excellent Instructors and Instructor Trainers."

How to Keep your Commitment to Fitness this Summer

Here are some tips to keep you on track as the weather warms up.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate – Make sure that your body has adequate water to keep yourself feeling energetic and ready to move.

Exercise with a buddy – It’s hard to miss a workout if someone is counting on you to be there. Team up with someone with similar fitness goals.

Plan exercise time on a weekly basis – Don’t wait until the middle of the week. Pull out your calendar and schedule each workout into your daily activities.

Get it done with – Putting exercise at the beginning of the day is a key to sticking with your program. Plus the temperatures are cooler, leaving little excuse that “it’s too hot to exercise.”

Keep an open mind – Drop your preconceived notions about exercise. Try a class at a local rec center, join a sports team or pick a new class or exercise routine at your local gym. Summer is a great time to try something indoors.

Cheat – OK, that means get in extra exercise while performing daily activities. Instead of burning gas circling the parking lot, burn a few calories by parking at the end of the lot, take the stairs instead of the elevator, take your dog for a brisk walk or play in the pool with the kids.

Watch Your Mouth – Not just what you put in, but watch what comes out. Use positive language when referring to your workout. Use terms like, choosing, renewing, loving, learning, changing, etc. Eliminate words like, can’t, won’t, awful, fat, and ugly.

Don’t Give Up – If you backslide a day, few days or week or more, realize it’s part of any goal to have obstacles put in your way. Get back on your horse and try again!




Pilates Tutor Studio
Pilates Tutor Studio is located at 296 Village Parkway at the Paper Mill Village in Marietta, GA 30067. The Studio is owned and operated by fitness specialist Mary Jo Falvey, who holds a BA in Sociology from The State University of New York and an MA in Physical Education/Exercise Physiology from Adelphi University. She is a certified STOTT PILATES® Instructor Trainer and is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer.



adapated from an article by Karin Koser, KPK & Co. http://kpkco.com/

Yes, Men Do Pilates

After all, Joesph Pilates was a man.

His exercise method has it foundations in Greco Roman wrestling, "German Gymnastic", Body Building and Yoga. Think : those olympic guys who do incredible feats and make it look incredibly easy.

Folklore tells us that Pilates developed his method of "Contrology" as a personal rehab practice for his own young body, which suffered from the effects of rickets and asthma. So there's Joe, doing his exercises daily, and eventually developing the strength and abilities to become a circus performer. This is all from doing a series of exercises, without performance enhancing drugs. By his own strength and determination, he makes it to the Big Top.

Pilates originally taught his method to men, who like himself were interred in British camps during World War I. He was a Personal Trainer before the term was ever coined. Think: sweaty guys working out at the gym. Instead of "pumping iron", they're doing a controlled form of exercise, using the body's own weight as resistance. During this time, Joe adapted his method to help rehabilitate the injured. Folklore again tells us that Joe created his first machine using hospital bed and matress springs. He called his invention a "bednasium". That guy was a genius.

By combining core stabilization work and exercises that strengthen the body's major joints in all ranges of motion, Pilates is an exercise method that any man should consider doing.

Today Pilates is used by top professional athletes to enhance their performance. From Golfers to Ball Players, the method can be adapted to meet the requirements of a particular sport.

Pilates is also practiced by men who suffer from low back pain/strain and want to get their lives back (no pun intended).

And just look at the guy. That's him at age 77, with one of his inventions. (Of course he's holding a cigar in his left hand but we won't go there). Wouldn't you want to have health and vigor at age 77?

So if you're thinking: "I could never do that" or "Pilates is a bunch of women lying on the floor writhing about" or "what are those machines used for ?", I encourage you to explore Pilates for yourself. Pick a place where the instructors are certified and knowledgable, and take a lesson or two.

And think of Joe when you are practicing your breathing or doing your 100's. His exercises worked for him. They'll work for you.

For more information about a really great Pilates studio that teaches men and women of all abilities, visit http://www.pilatestutor.com/