Cheryl – Page 23 – Cheryl Ilov International

Fit Tips to Step Up Your Walking Program

Written by Cheryl on October 17, 2016. Posted in Fit Tips.

October is a great time to step up your walking program. The fantastic bright blue October skies, crisp air, and incredible colors make it an ideal month to get outdoors and get moving. Here are a few tips to keep you moving through October and beyond. 1). Invest in hiking poles or walking sticks. No, it’s not cheating, it’s smart. There are many great benefits from using hiking poles or walking sticks, regardless of whether you are enjoying a hike on a mountain trail or a long loop around your favorite city park. Here are just a few of the benefits. a). Posture. Using hiking poles (or walking sticks) put you in better postural alignment. They help keep you in a more upright position with your chest up and your shoulders back. So, as you are working on your fitness...

Blog Tour!

Written by Cheryl on September 30, 2016. Posted in Uncategorized.

My Virtual Blog Tour starts on Monday, Oct 3! Monday I begin an 8-stop virtual book blog tour. I’ll be “visiting” 8 book review blogs from all over the United States and Canada! Below is a list of the blogs I’ll be visiting. The bloggers will post reviews, interviews and excerpts of the book. Please check out the tour by clicking on the links below. You can also join us on my Facebook page for the blog stop of the day. Monday 10/3/2016 Urban Book Review Tuesday 10/4/2016 Beck Valley Books Wednesday 10/5/2016 3 Partners in Shopping Thursday 10/6/2016 Book Reviews and Giveaways Friday 10/7/2016 Jbarrett5 Book Reviews Monday 10/10/2016 JaM Book Blog Tuesday 10/11/2016 Library of Clean Reads Wednesday 10/12/2016 Buy The Book Marketing Follow along as I “travel”...

More About Your Core: Strength and Awareness

Written by Cheryl on September 19, 2016. Posted in Fit Tips.

I have a few more thoughts about core strength that I want to share with you, especially since my previous two posts were on the subject. I can’t include all of the salient points regarding core strength in one post, but I can leave you with more to think about regarding one of my favorite (and often misunderstood) topics. Here’s a brief recap and a few new points as well. First of all…. Strong core muscles help to eliminate and prevent back pain and injuries. However, they are only effective if you are doing them correctly. Otherwise, not only are you wasting your time, you can cause serious injury to your low back and neck. Even worse, you can develop a strong muscle that pooches out rather than in. Of course, from someone who has suffered miserably from low back pain,...

Core Strength: The Controversy Continues

Written by Cheryl on September 6, 2016. Posted in Fit Tips.

You wouldn’t think that there would possibly be a controversy about core strength, because core strength is always good. Or is it? But after posting my last article regarding core strength, I found a fascinating article pointing out the pros and cons of core strength, especially on how it relates to back pain. The author made several excellent points. I highlighted just a few which captured my attention, which I would like to elaborate on for further consideration. 1).Our spines were designed to move. Amen to that, brothers and sisters! Our spines are made to move: forward, backward, side to side and in rotation. Yes, even in rotation. Some practitioners refer to rotation as ‘twisting,” which makes me cringe in horror, since it conjures up an image of someone wringing out...

Core Strength and The Magical Muscle

Written by Cheryl on August 22, 2016. Posted in Fit Tips.

Core strength.. We have all heard the term. After all, it has become quite the buzz word in the fitness world, especially in the Pilates and yoga communities, just to name a few. But what exactly is core strength, and how do we get it? In traditional exercise and fitness routines, crunches and sit-ups have been the gold standard for core strength. So has the image of the “six-pack” or washboard abs. However, I am here to tell you that the gold standard is tarnished. So please allow me to shed some light (and hope) on the subject of core strength. Core strength refers to developing the abdominal muscles that stabilize our pelvis and support our low back. The benefits of core strength include a healthy spine, decreased incidence of low back pain, and protects us from back injuries....

Dance….For Joy

Written by Cheryl on August 8, 2016. Posted in Uncategorized.

Everyone knows that I’m crazy about dance. Any kind of dance, regardless of the style you practice or may be interested in is the motherlode for health and fitness. It doesn’t matter if you are a classical dancer or a closet dancer, nothing beats the benefits of dance. I absolutely love the grueling regimen and relentless discipline of a professional level ballet class. However, it always raises eyebrows when I tell people that I take ballet class at least four or five times a week. I get the slow up and down appraisal and the unspoken question hangs in the air–“Really….at your age??” Yep, really. At my age. And why not? I started my ballet “career” at the ripe old age of twenty, when most dancers are packing up their pointe shoes and retiring...

Feldenkrais, Survival, and Supernovas

Written by Cheryl on July 25, 2016. Posted in Ninja Notes.

I love the connection between martial arts and Feldenkrais. After all, Feldenkrais is based on martial arts, the art of movement, and the art of survival. Moshe Feldenkrais believed that all human beings were intended to not just survive, but to thrive in their environment. He also wanted to return to each person their human dignity. How beautiful is that? To have human dignity, you must be able to protect yourself and have strong personal boundaries. As a martial artist, I understand that, and I always integrate the principles of martial arts, self-defense, and survival skills into my Feldenkrais sessons. I get so passionate about Feldenkrais and the art of survival that many of my clients wanted to explore this connection at a deeper level, with practical application for daily life....

Opportunities to learn

Written by Cheryl on June 27, 2016. Posted in Cheryl's View.

Opportunities to learn are everywhere, and they have a tendency to appear when you least expect them. I had one of those opportunities myself a few weeks ago when my husband and I went up to our favorite getaway, Estes Park. It’s located right at the base of Rocky Mountain National Park and is a fabulous place to hit the refresh button, relax, and to commune with nature. Or as I like to say, just to hang out with moose and squirrel. The first morning we were there, I pulled the curtains open to let the glorious Colorado sunshine fill our cabin. I was greeted with the breathtaking sight of a small herd of elk milling about and grazing in the grass directly in front of our picture window. I’m still enough of a city girl to go a little crazy when I see wildlife, and I couldn’t...

Artichokes, Feldenkrais, & Peeling Produce

Written by Cheryl on June 1, 2016. Posted in Uncategorized.

I love Feldenkrais, and I love being a Feldenkrais practitioner. I also love artichokes, although I never even knew they existed until I was a young adult. I certainly had my doubts about artichokes, because they were so different from anything I had ever experienced up until that point in my life. Then I met a guy who was absolutely crazy about artichokes. Not only did he order them as an appetizer every time we went out to dinner, he insisted on preparing them for me whenever we made dinner together. I could easily have done without them, because they just seemed like a lot of trouble for very little reward. However, I was fascinated by his excitement and almost childlike enthusiasm as he boiled the artichokes, made the sauces for dipping, and then meticulously peeled back the tough...

Feet Fit for Health

Written by Cheryl on May 2, 2016. Posted in Uncategorized.

Putting your best foot forward. Too often we forget that our feet are an important part of our fitness, health and well-being. At least, we forget until we develop foot pain and deformities. Foot pain can lead to serious health problems, including abnormal gait, decreased balance, and pain in our knees, hips, and back. However, with the proper attention including exercises and stretches, you can keep your feet strong, healthy, flexible and pain free. Good health starts from the bottom up, so remember to make foot care a vital part of your daily routine. Here are a few tips to help you get started. Treat your feet. 1). Stimulate the bottom of your feet. Sit on the edge of a chair with your bare feet against the carpet, lightly and briskly rub them back and forth against the carpet for 10-15...

All of her experiences, training and practice contribute to a truly customized workout/core-strengthening program for each of her clients.
-Claudia D.
She not only helped alleviate the pain, she helped me regain flexibility and got me back on my center.
-Misti M-K
She gently guide you so that ultimately you understand your body better and are able to move with greater ease and less pain.
-Gwendolyn P.
Some of the numbness around my knees has subsided and I’ve regained some feeling as well as had deep joint pain reduction. Flexibility and overall strength has increased.
-Melinda C.
Her gentle, loving approach is just what my body needs to fully recover from a recent car accident. I leave each session with a slight tingling sensation and movement seems much more fluid.
-Shannon G
Cheryl’s background in physical therapy, dance, Pilates, Feldenkrais, and martial arts make her very capable of not only understanding movement but helping others achieve their goals!
-Sheila S.

Author: Cheryl