I was in my office at BBW magazine, where at the time I was working as an editor writing and styling fashion, fitness and beauty...and all of a sudden there was an earthquake.
It was the first earthquake I'd ever experienced.
The building started to vibrate, it was on rollers, common in California, so it was very subtle at first, but then the quake really kicked in and the building seemed to lurch and my bookcases were tipping over, stuff was sliding off shelves, furniture was moving across the room in slow motion and I dived under my desk.
The violent shaking didn't last long, but when I crawled out from under my desk to survey the damage, my legs were a bit wobbly.
I was putting everything back in place, when I picked up some press kits off the floor. As I shuffled through them, I noticed several of them were for fitness products and experts. I set them on my desk.
I realized I had just narrowly escaped some sort of disaster and that this earthquake stuff was for real! And unlike tornadoes, where you get ample warning most of the time, could happen again, anytime.
The little trembler had shaken me up but there wasn't any damage to the building...this time.
I got my office back in shape and started thinking about how I would survive an earthquake or any disaster for that matter.
I reached for the pile of fitness press kits and opened the one from Jillian Hessel, a Pilates expert. I had just recently heard something about Pilates so I put that one on the top of the pile. Pilates sounded interesting and different.
I was going to need help to get strong enough to survive a starring role in my own disaster movie. And this was before reality TV!
Imagine...you're in your office and the big one strikes. What would you do?
My mind quickly raced back to the moments of the biggest jolts and easily imagined the building coming apart at the seams. Or worse, how 'bout that de riguer move for every damsel in distress in action flicks, you know the one, where the woman is hanging on by one hand over the edge... of something, and just in the nick of time the dashing hero saves her. Yeah, how many of you can hang by one hand? I couldn't even do a pull up at that time, well I still can't really.
I mean I could picture myself trapped in an elevator with a bunch of scared and screaming people. Someone would suggest we try to escape through the elevator shaft....you've seen that storyline too...well could you, would you, climb into the shaft to escape?
And while I was asking myself the same question, it got worse, cuz it hit me the boyz won't be looking for me. Nope, Bruce, Arnold, or even Claude, none of them would have me on their radar. I was going to have to save myself.
So I called Jillian's publicist, Kyrian Corona, to thank her for sending me the information and made an appointment to meet Jillian. And that began my ongoing quest to save myself if in case I find myself starring in my very own disaster.
Sixteen years later I'm still friends with them both and still working with Jillian.
She's helped me find strength, balance and better posture among the benefits that are too many to list. I'm grateful for the other friendships I've forged as a result of Pilates. With Jillian's guidance and understanding of the way a body works, I can say that Pilates profoundly and positively helped me through several illnesses, including a recent hip replacement.
Jillian has a new workout DVD called Homebody.
It's really fun and easy to do. You can do it anywhere and don't need anything special in terms of equipment or clothing.
I took a screener to Europe last year and one of my friends, a bona fide couch potato, was up on her feet, making the moves before she even realized it!
Jillian created Homebody for those of us who need help finding the time to exercise, and in these uncertain economic times, for those of us who can't afford the gym, the trainer or the weekly class.
Check it out. Jillian designed the movements based on her love and awareness of yoga, dance and Pilates. There are three options, standing, seated and floor work.
I do the seated arms and hands dance every few days at my desk!
Give Homebody a try, next time there's something shakin' you'll be the star!
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