Getting

a

e

For

The

Wedding

Boot

Camp

can

work wonders.

By Judy Greenwald

nyone getting married
knows that weddings
mean joy and excitement
(and no small amount of
stress) while preparing for
the big day. Combating
the strain of the event is
essential, and the "Wed­
ding Boot Camp" fitness program at
Equilibrium Studio in Bloomfield Hills
uses Pilates to do just that.
Jessie Abrams Hodari, who is both a
teacher and student of exercise classes at

Equilibrium, certainly can attest to the
positive impact a workout routine can
have on everyone in a wedding party.
"Planning a wedding can be one of
the most stressful times in a person's
life," said the petite, energetic 28-year­
old, who was married to Aaron Hodari
in September 2014. The couple resides
in Franklin, and along with both their
families are members of Temple Israel
in West Bloomfield. They were married
at The Townsend in Birmingham, and
Temple Israel's Rabbi Harold Loss offici­

ated.
"Some

you

days of planning can leave
distraught and run down;' she said.

''When I got to the studio and saw my
clients waiting for me, I immediately felt
inspired by them. I had the power and
pleasure of creating a positive, stress-free
and fun environment for them and me.
Teaching helped keep me grounded and
stay 'wedding-ready' physically, and even

important, mentally:'
Equilibrium features STOTT Pilates, a
form of mind-body exercise that focuses

more

on strengthening the core muscles while
following the natural curvature of the
spine. Equilibrium, which was started
by her mother-in-law Nancy Hodari

18 years ago, is

the exclusive licensed

training center for the STOTT method
in Michigan and the Midwest. "People

come

here from all

over

the United

States and the world to become STOTT­
certified instructors;' she said.

It was her passion for health and help­
ing people that in 2012 led her to be­
come a teacher at Equilibrium, in a path
that changed her career and brought her

home from the West Coast.

GETTING I

44

SH

PE ON PAGE 46

February 2015 I RID TrmrnD

Above: Jessie Abrams Hodari

teaching a class.

Below: The whole bridal party can get fit

together.