From Burnout to Balance: How Pilates Saved My Body and Soul

By Pene, Founder of Ma'at Studio Pilates

At 35, I thought I knew everything about fitness. I'd been teaching high-energy group fitness classes since I was 20, living by the motto "if you're not sweating, you're not working out." I never listened to my body. I pushed through three pregnancies, continued my intense workout schedule, and prided myself on my relentless energy.

I had no idea my body was about to demand I stop.

When My Body Said "Enough": Recognising Adrenal Fatigue and Burnout

By age 35, I was juggling it all - teaching multiple high-energy fitness classes each morning, raising three young children, and working for our small business. I was completely disconnected from my body, ignoring every signal it was sending me. That's when everything changed.

The symptoms hit like a wall: unexplained weight gain, chronic insomnia, and an exhaustion so deep that no amount of sleep could touch it. I was experiencing what I now know was severe adrenal fatigue and complete burnout. My naturopath delivered news that felt like a death sentence to someone like me: "You need to stop all exercise immediately. Swimming and restorative yoga only."

For someone whose identity was wrapped up in high-intensity workouts, this felt like the end of the world. Walking into my first slow yoga class, I was overwhelmed with anxiety. The thought of stopping and slowing down wasn't just foreign to me - it was terrifying.

The Reluctant Beginning: Finding Pilates Through Necessity

I persevered with swimming (which I didn't love) and yoga (which I now love) because I knew I needed to get better. Exercise had always been my mental savior, so I had to find something that worked. After months of this gentler approach, curiosity got the better of me. I'd always wondered about Pilates - heard people talking about it, seen the studios, been intrigued for nearly 10 years but never had the means to pursue the consistency I knew the successful practice demanded. 

One day, I decided to try it.

That first Pilates consultation changed everything. I walked out absolutely in love with the method. I haven't looked back since.

The Transformation: What Traditional Pilates Taught Me

I couldn't get enough of Pilates. I was attending at least three times a week, wherever I could, whatever I could afford. For the first time in years, I felt incredible after exercising - strong but not completely exhausted. My body was finally agreeing with something I was doing to it.

Pilates taught me to slow down. Working with the traditional principles of control, precision, and flow helped quiet my racing mind. I was one of those people always thinking "what's next?", finishing one thing just to rush to the next. But through my Pilates practice, I discovered that the best work happens when you slow down, breathe, and truly connect to movement.

The mind-body connection I'd been missing for decades finally clicked. I learned that control and precision create better results than force and intensity ever could.

For five years, I practiced Pilates as much as possible, deepening my love for the method and experiencing firsthand its transformative power.

Following My Dream: From Student to Teacher

At 40, we were moving interstate and closing our small business. For the first time in years, I allowed myself to really dream about what I wanted to do next. The answer came immediately: I wanted to share my love of Pilates with everyone. I wanted to help as many people as possible feel the way I felt when practicing Pilates.

That's when I decided to study my Diploma of the Pilates Method and become an instructor. After completing my training and beginning to teach, I knew exactly how I wanted to move forward, staying true to the traditional method that had saved me.

That's when Ma'at Studio Pilates was born.

Why "Ma'at"? The Egyptian Goddess of Balance

Ma'at is the Egyptian goddess of balance, and that's what our studio is all about: connecting mind and body. In every session, our aim is to provide clients with a full-body experience and help them discover that powerful mind-body connection that changed my life.

The Challenge I See Every Day: Reconnection in a Disconnected World

As a teacher, my biggest challenge is helping people reconnect with their bodies. I see it constantly! New mums, mothers of older children who've put themselves last, people who've simply lost touch with what their body is telling them.

This disconnection is epidemic. Whether it's from chronic stress, burnout, postnatal recovery, or simply years of ignoring physical signals, so many people have lost the ability to truly feel what's happening in their bodies.

When I see that reconnection happen in my studio, when someone finally feels present in their own skin – it's powerful. It drives me to show up day after day because this is the most rewarding job I've ever had.

My Practice Today: Pilates, Yoga, and Sound Meditation

While Pilates remains my foundation, I've also embraced yoga, the practice I was once so resistant to. I now realise its beauty and how good I feel when I practice it. Every day, I do either yoga or meditation, often incorporating sound meditation, which I've found incredibly beneficial for managing daily life and stress.

This is something I'm excited to bring to Ma'at through workshops, because I want to continue sharing what works. I know these practices work for dealing with everyday stress, and I hear so many people say "I can't meditate." I was that person too. But if you don't try, you don't know. If you don't give yourself the opportunity to slow down and be okay with your mind drifting, you'll never discover what's possible.

Our Promise: Staying True to Traditional Pilates

As Ma'at continues to evolve and expand our offerings, I want people to know that we will never lose sight of what matters most. We're staying true to the traditional method, the full-body experience, and the mind-body connection that forms the essence of everything we offer.

Pilates at Ma'at isn't a trend or a fad. We haven't gotten caught up in big group classes or watered-down versions of the method. From the time I finished my training, I committed to staying true to traditional Pilates because I know it works.

If You're Where I Was: A Message of Hope

If you're reading this and you recognise yourself in my story, if you're pushing through exhaustion, disconnected from your body, suffering from chronic stress, adrenal fatigue, or burnout – please know that there's another way.

You don't have to hit rock bottom like I did to start listening to your body. You don't have to wait for a health crisis to discover the transformative power of mindful movement.

Pilates taught me that strength doesn't come from force, it comes from control, precision, and connection. It showed me that slowing down doesn't make you weak; it makes you powerful.

Whether you're dealing with postnatal recovery, chronic pain, stress, or simply want to reconnect with your body, traditional Pilates offers a path back to yourself.

Ready to start your own journey back to balance? Ma'at Studio Pilates offers classes for every body and every experience level. From our gentle Mindful Movement sessions to our comprehensive Mat Mastery program, we're here to support your transformation. Book a consultation today and discover what traditional Pilates can do for you.

Ma'at Studio Pilates - Connection through Movement.