What Do Coffee and Pilates Have in Common?
Have you seen those cute memes that say, "Pilates? I thought you said Pie and Lattes." Truly, I think Pilates, Pie, and Lattes can all be good friends. They're definitely not mutually exclusive. In fact, I happen to think coffee and Pilates are an especially perfect pair.
Coffee is great. Pilates is great. Let's talk about just a few of the ways they are similar and complement each other.
*Disclaimer: This post, though based in real science, does not refer to any specific studies. I highly recommend you do your own research to confirm what I've said here. If you'd like some places to start, send me a message and I can share a few resources.
1. Alertness
Obviously, coffee is often used for energy. It is the lifeblood of many people I know. So many of us start, punctuate, and even end our days with it (I don't recommended coffee at night, but it is a thing people do. Usually with decaf, I assume).
Pilates, also, is intended to have you feeling more energetic when you're done. Though the work is tough, it's not exhausting. Most people report coming out of a class feeling more energized than they were before class began. Movement is powerful that way.
2. Brain Health
Cool scientific studies in humans show that the caffeine in coffee improves many aspects of brain function, including memory, mood, vigilance, energy levels, reaction times and general cognitive function. So that morning cup of joe is setting you up for success all day!
Pilates is a form of strength training. There have been many studies linking brain health and strength training. Your brain is an important part of your body, and it's a piece that is definitely used in the whole body system that is Pilates.
3. Burn Fat
There's no expectation that you need help burning fat. If that's something you're interested in, though, Pilates and Coffee have both been shown to help with that.
Coffee is one of very few natural substances that effects your metabolic rate in a way that helps your body to burn fat. Did we mention that it's completely natural? Sweet.
The Pilates part is even more obvious. Moving your body burns calories and therefore fat. Pilates doesn't burn fat as effectively as HIIT or cardio training. However, it still happens, and that means it's another thing that it has in common with coffee.
4. Meet Neat People
There may not be real science to back this one up. However, in my experience, you meet the coolest people both at coffee shops and in Pilates studios. Both pull in exactly the kind of people who are worth knowing.
I'd say it's worth doing a study of your own if you aren't sure about this. Go to your nearest local coffee shop and smile to a few people and start a conversation or two. Do the same thing at a locally owned Pilates studio, and see what happens.
If you happen to be in the Greater Phoenix Area, I can definitely make recommendations for some places to try it out. If you happen not to be in the coolest Valley of the Sun, I still may be able to help you out. I pretty much try to plan all of my travels around Pilates and cool coffee shops.
Closing (tldr)
In conclusion, Pilates and coffee are great. Do them. Drink them. Love them. Because in the end, all you're really doing is taking care of yourself -- and you're the most important you there is.
