Mary Helen Bowers

Pregnancy is magical, I've never felt more connected to my body.

— Mary Helen Bowers

I adore the tapestries at the Musee de Cluny in Paris!

— Mary Helen Bowers

I live in my Ballet Beautiful street shoes.

— Mary Helen Bowers

When you work out a lot, it's so important to eat the right foods.

— Mary Helen Bowers

I love how chic yet simple ballet style is for everyday dressing.

— Mary Helen Bowers

I think most people don't need as much cardio as they think they do.

— Mary Helen Bowers

A simple scoop-neck leotard highlights a ballerina's swanlike neck and elegant posture, both rooted in a powerful core.

— Mary Helen Bowers

Ballet is an incredible art, but it can be a bit elitist, which is a really big turn off to me.

— Mary Helen Bowers

My style is a little '70s and classic old Hollywood. I incorporate a lot of vintage, bohemian blouses paired with a good…

— Mary Helen Bowers

I try and get as much sleep as I possibly can, although it's harder with a baby.

— Mary Helen Bowers

The idea for 'Ballet Baby' started when I was going through my own pregnancy.

— Mary Helen Bowers

When you're wearing pointe shoes, honestly, they hurt - a lot - every day.

— Mary Helen Bowers

Even if you're having a snack, enjoying it in a beautiful teacup or on a lovely plate makes it feel like more…

— Mary Helen Bowers

Working out should be empowering! It should make you look and feel strong, elegant, healthy - the best possible version of you.

— Mary Helen Bowers

The changes that your body goes through during pregnancy are so radical, I've really tried to embrace and celebrate my new body,…

— Mary Helen Bowers

Sometimes people feel really trapped by the body that they have. Women are told, 'You have this body shape; you're a pear…

— Mary Helen Bowers

Ballet opens up the chest and the arms and elongates the body, so you carry yourself straighter. That's so important for a…

— Mary Helen Bowers

The image of a pregnant woman embracing her figure and really putting it out there can be scary to some people, but…

— Mary Helen Bowers

It's not realistic to say never eat sugar, but I try to limit my sugar as much as I can to buckwheat…

— Mary Helen Bowers

The muscles that are used in Ballet Beautiful are similar to those used in classic ballet. They're also muscles that don't get…

— Mary Helen Bowers

Have something that you enjoy, that satisfies you. For me, that is dark chocolate, red wine, and cheese. But make room in…

— Mary Helen Bowers

A lot of fitness is about contractions - you're doing squats, or you're on a bike and your knees are bending but…

— Mary Helen Bowers

Stretching before and after every workout keeps muscles supple and helps elongate the lines of a ballerina's limbs.

— Mary Helen Bowers

A lot of people think the body is just about genetics, but the right approach can change its shape.

— Mary Helen Bowers

I think being in the right mindset is a huge challenge for women, who often take an all-or-nothing approach to working out…

— Mary Helen Bowers

There's no feeling like performing. It's magical, it's so rewarding, and it just feeds this special little part of your soul.

— Mary Helen Bowers

Before founding Ballet Beautiful, I was a ballerina with the New York City Ballet.

— Mary Helen Bowers

Rather than thinking about what not to eat, I like to focus on what I can eat to look and feel my…

— Mary Helen Bowers

It's not about having a perfectly sculpted figure; it's about feeling healthy, fit, and confident.

— Mary Helen Bowers

On weekends, I do brunch at home: whole grain bagels, lox, avocado, eggs, and organic bacon.

— Mary Helen Bowers

Most of the time, even if I'm at home in my sweatpants, I probably have a pair of slippers on.

— Mary Helen Bowers

For a ballerina, the center of balance is everything - creating a strong center of balance begins with building strong abdominal muscles.

— Mary Helen Bowers

Mid-afternoon, I snack on Greek yogurt with nuts or a green juice from Juice Press.

— Mary Helen Bowers

For ballet dancers, style is about melding personal expression with physical form.

— Mary Helen Bowers

My approach in general is to take really great care of my skin, but I try not to overdo it and not…

— Mary Helen Bowers

I'm very sensitive to salt. I always see and feel a big difference in my body when I eat it, so I…

— Mary Helen Bowers

I'll buy a special occasion dress even if I don't know when or where I'll wear it.

— Mary Helen Bowers

I want my workouts to feel like a luxury, a way to pamper yourself and add a beautiful dimension to your everyday…

— Mary Helen Bowers

Could you physically lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks? Maybe. But there's no way you could do that in a healthy way…

— Mary Helen Bowers

It definitely wasn't cool in junior high, when everyone else is trying out for cheerleading, to have a life consumed by ballet.

— Mary Helen Bowers