Ballet Beautiful: Transform Your Body and Gain the Strength, Grace and Focus of a Ballet Dancer (43 page)
Authors: Mary Helen Bowers
SERVES SIX
This is a classic family recipe that pairs really well with my butterbean recipe (on
page 227
) and fish.
1.
Place a glass pie plate filled with water on the bottom rack of the oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.
Wash six to eight red sweet potatoes and place them on a baking sheet, making sure they do not touch.
3.
Cook 45 minutes at 400 degrees.
4.
Without opening the oven, turn the heat down to 375 degrees and continue baking for another 30 minutes.
5.
Still not opening the oven, turn the heat to 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the potatoes in the oven for 10 more minutes.
6. Store cooked, unpeeled potatoes by placing them in a large ziplock plastic bag. Take out, peel, and heat as needed. The potatoes can also be peeled, mashed, and used in casseroles and pies. They keep well for a week in the refrigerator.
All of these recipes are great options for healthy, delicious meals that you can enjoy as you sculpt your Ballet Beautiful body! If you don’t always have access to a kitchen to make them at home, study the ingredients and look for similar options when eating out. I can’t wait to hear how you like them!
A Final Note
Ballet Beautiful is more than a fitness method or a workout program—it is an inspired lifestyle that supports a life of health, balance, and beauty. It’s one that is constantly evolving too. Your body and your mind will go through many exciting transformations and changes on the program as you dig in deep and really connect with it. I know Ballet Beautiful has changed my own life—in fact, it is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me! Ballet Beautiful has given me confidence, health, and a level of strength I never would have dreamed possible. All of this while allowing me to be both feminine and strong. I’m empowered by the Ballet Beautiful mindset, and I know that you will be too.
I am delighted to welcome you to our growing global community as I share with you in this book all that I have discovered. I cannot wait to hear about your own experiences and incredible results. Please become part of the growing worldwide Ballet Beautiful community at
www.balletbeautiful.com
,
where you can become a member, take live online classes, sign up for my blog, and stay updated on new exercises. (I create them all the time!) You can also follow me on Twitter @balletbeautiful and on Facebook at Ballet Beautiful. Not only will staying connected with Ballet Beautiful reinforce your success, but you will feel part of something much bigger than yourself!
Thank you for joining me on what I hope will be an incredible and long-lasting trip toward greater health, happiness, and success!
Welcome to Ballet Beautiful and enjoy!
Ballet Beautiful is built on a foundation of incredible support and love. My thanks go to the many wonderful people in my life who helped me create this program and to everyone who helped me write and publish my first book!
First, my family
: Thank you to my parents for their love—for letting me move to New York at 15 to pursue my crazy dream of being a ballerina and for cheering me on every step of the way! My love goes to Paul, my husband, for supporting me and Ballet Beautiful every day and for teaching me how to swim the crawl and buying me dark chocolate!
And my colleagues
: To Billie Fitzpatrick, my wonderful collaborator, thanks for your guidance at every turn and for your terrific patience in my pursuit of perfection! I am grateful to Matthew Elblonk, my meticulous agent at De Fiore, and to Renee, the world’s kindest and most engaging editor, and her fabulous team at Da Capo Press for bringing this book to life! And to the incredible Yelena Yemchuck: my deepest appreciation for conveying Ballet Beautiful through your beautiful images! Costanza Theodoli-Braschi, thank you for the beautiful illustrations of the basic ballet positions. And of course, I treasure my amazing team at Ballet Beautiful! Julie helps me make it happen every day, and Ashley brings my vision to life on the screen.
And friends
: A huge thank-you to Natalie for the beautiful foreword to this book and a thousand hours of her hard work, incredible kindness, and all-around awesomeness. Thanks to my first Ballet Beauties: Sarah, Romy, Rain, Karen, Zooey, Chelsea, Kate, Liv,
Leith, Kirsten, Eliza, Evgenia, Kristina, Rachel, Cora, Tracee, and Lynn, and to Gina, Rose, Katie, Val, Filipa, Helena, and all of the BB girls . . . I am so inspired by you all!!
I would like to give a special hug to everyone who was there at the beginning of this exciting ride! Carlos and Andrea, Linda, Dave, Tom, John and Alicia, Heather, Jeff, Laura and Patrick—thank you all.
And a final expression of thanks to you and the thousands of others who have taken a small leap to try Ballet Beautiful. I am humbled that you invite me into your daily lives to share my exercise and wellness program and hope you find in it reward and happiness for many years to come.
The Recipe index starts on
page 249
.
Ab Twist in a Lunge with a Pulse,
153
Ab Twist in a Lunge with a Pulse,
153
Ballet Twist from Side to Side,
95
Classic Ballet Beautiful Abs,
92
Classic Pulse,
93
One-Leg Extension for Lower Abs,
96
One-Leg Extension with a Twist and Hold,
98
One-Leg Extension with Twist,
97
Seated Ab Stretch,
94
Standing Ab Pulse,
151
Standing Ab Twist,
152
Standing Abs,
149–150
See also
Plié Workout
Alignment, defined,
49
Arabesque, defined,
49
Arabesque, positions of,
52
Arabesque High with Plié,
169
Arabesque High with Plié Stretch,
170–171
Arabesque Lift with Straight Leg High,
168
Arabesque Lift with Swan Arms,
110
Arabesque Plié en l’Air,
111
Arms.
See
Standing Series with Arms
;
Swan Arms
Arms, ballet positions of,
51
Assemblé, defined,
49
Attitude, defined,
49
Attitude Extension,
102
Attitude Lift,
146–147
Attitude Plié Pulse,
148
Balance
checklist,
41–42
in eating,
33–34
emotional,
36–39
in fitness routine,
34–35
importance of,
32–33
mental,
41
rest, importance of,
36
Ballet Beautiful
basis of,
xiii–xiv
body, features of,
48
components of,
xiv–xv
,
xvii–xviii
lifestyle,
xix–xx
mindset,
xviii
response to,
xv
results from,
xv–xvi
workouts, types of,
xviii–xix
Ballet Twist from Side to Side,
95
Basic Stretches,
55–61
Center Splits,
60
Classic Hamstring Stretch,
55
Hip Opener (Loose Pigeon),
56
Seated Ab Stretch,
94
Seated Hamstring Stretch,
59
Seated Hip Opener,
61
Standing Stretch for Legs,
58
Upper Body Stretch with Port de Bras,
57
Battement, defined,
49
Battement Tendu Lift in Parallel,
106
Body awareness,
39–41
Bowers, Mary Helen
as ballerina,
3–4
development of Ballet Beautiful workouts,
xiv
,
7–8
,
12
injury rehabilitation,
5
Breakfast, importance of,
181
Breakfasts, suggestions for,
200
,
206
Bridge with Can-Can Kick,
81
Butt.
See
legs, center, and butt
;
legs and butt
Butterfly,
78
Butterfly Extended Bridge,
83
Center.
See
legs, center, and butt
Center, connecting with,
67
Center Splits,
60
Classic Ballet Beautiful Abs,
92
Classic Ballet Beautiful Bridge,
77
Classic Inner Thigh Lift,
99
Classic Inner Thigh Lift with High Extension,
100
Classic Pulse,
93
Clothes, workout,
65
Condiments,
195
Coupé, defined,
49
Cravings, managing,
39
Cream sauces, avoiding,
182
Dairy foods,
192
Demi-Plié in Fourth Position,
140
Desserts, suggestions for,
209
Dieting,
175–176
Dinners, suggestions for,
200
,
208–209
Drinks,
196
Drinks, sweet,
184
Eating
balance in,
33–34
emotional,
36–39
fasting,
188
myths about,
186
planning ahead for,
177
,
179–180
poor food choices,
182
portion control,
198
principals of,
176–178