My Weekday Workout: Cooley's Colleen Gillis
"Regular exercise keeps me calm and my mind clear. It's like the gas in my tank to keep me going in all the ways that I need. It also helps me sleep better at night, which is critical."
September 17, 2019 at 10:56 AM
4 minute read
(Photo: Shutterstock)
Colleen Gillis, Cooley, Reston, Virginia.
Gillis is a partner in the firm's real estate practice and focuses on representing major developers and local companies in all areas of land use entitlement, including office, retail, industrial, mixed-use, residential, hotel and large planned community projects.
How often during the week do you work out? Every day, so seven times a week.
At what time during the day or evening do you work out? Usually in the evening, but if that can't happen because of work demands, I'll make it happen in the early morning hours or over lunch.
Colleen Gillis.
What's your go-to routine? I practice and teach Baptiste Yoga, which is a vinyasa-based yoga done in a heated room. When I'm able to get to the studio, I'll practice between 60 and 75 minutes, depending on the class. If I practice at home, I'll practice for as much or as little time as I have.
How long does it take? I can get through an entire practice in as little as 25 minutes, but personally I prefer a longer practice, ideally 75+ minutes. If I can get a bit more time in the practice, the physical and mental rewards are exponentially greater.
Why do you like this routine? I love Baptiste Yoga because it's a perfect blend of a physical practice that improves my strength and cardio health while simultaneously bringing me into a meditative state with its steady flow and movement and measured breathing. I find that when I'm on my mat, I can really clear my mind for whatever is yet to come that day—be it client meetings, presentations to politicians and decision-makers or just a busy day in the life of a working mom.
What does regular exercise do for you? Regular exercise keeps me calm and my mind clear. It's like the gas in my tank to keep me going in all the ways that I need. It also helps me sleep better at night, which is critical.
How long have you been exercising regularly? I've always exercised regularly (at least since college) but became a regular yoga devotee about 10 years ago.
In what ways have you changed your routine over the months or years? I used to be a hardcore runner and have run five marathons and countless shorter races over the years. I also used to do Pilates, but personally found yoga to be the most effective and foolproof way to achieve a clearer mind. I also found that Baptiste Yoga was a great vehicle for me to discover what I was capable of off of my mat on an ongoing basis. It's amazing how often work "problems" are "solved' when I'm not even thinking about them during yoga.
How do you convince yourself to work out when you don't want to? It's rare that I don't want to practice, but when those moments arise, I might do yin yoga, which is a slower, more restorative form of yoga. If I think I might need to move a bit, I'll just commit to moving through a few sun salutations. I usually find that by the time I've landed in downward facing dog a few times, I have reset my mindset sufficiently to keep moving beyond just 10 minutes. Proving once again: "I wish I didn't do yoga" said no one, ever.
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