2noblecrows: The Secret to Natalie Portman's Lean "Ballet Beautiful" Body:

Dear Margaret,

Thanks for sharing your snack ideas! I just ordered the Pure Intentions extract in "green tea peach" via amazon.com...I cannot wait to try it since I'm getting so bored with water. I'm also going to look out for those hummus chips.. sound amazing. I like your applesauce pouch idea too.. I actually eat those pureed baby food pouches when I want to sneak in some more fruits/veggies.. although people always look at me like I'm insane:)

So, I loooved the movie "Black Swan" and really admired the transformation of Natalie Portman's body into a long, lean, and toned ballerina body (although, yes she was too skinny in the movie.. but that was lack of eating for her character:). Well, I was reading my October Shape Magazine and there's an insert displaying Mary Helen Bower's "Ballet Beautiful" workout DVD...telling how she was the one responsible for whipping Natalie Portman into shape for the movie. So, naturally I read all the reviews on Amazon and decided to purchase. I absolutely love it and was so sore the next day in areas I've never felt before! Plus, all you need is a yoga mat which is a huge bonus. I definitely can tell a difference even after a few tries. Natalie Portman told WWD:

'Ballet Beautiful is about finding balance and making fitness a part of your life in a happy, healthy, rewarding way where you get to feel pretty and look beautiful. A lot of fitness has that very masculine energy and drive, and that never worked for me. I want to be challenged, I don't want to be told that I'm terrible, and that I suck and that I'm not good enough - that's not motivating. I think the measure of a really good fitness program is how well you're really able to maintain it and be happy... If you're not happy, it's just not really going to work.'

I loved Mary Helen's approach and down to earth nature so much that I even ordered her book. One Amazon reviewer says, "This book talks to my whole person - mind and body! And it even gets into all those icky, negative feelings about bodies/food /accomplishment that we all get and that block us from making progress." Big fan of hers already:)

XOXO,
Kara