Pilates HD

What a lovely weekend reminiscing with and .clare. We visited our old secondary school for its 50th anniversary. It felt very strange to be back there after 25 years, so much has changed yet lots has stayed the same too. Loved looking around our old form room too (I don’t feel old in the slightest!). Lots of fond memories ripped off with some cheeky cocktails

Living with CFS, scoliosis and osteoarthritis it can be hard to commit to a structured routine. I know what I need to do stay physically and mentally well; but quite often my body says no. I’d love to join a Zumba class, run another marathon and build bulk at the gym, but it’s just not going to happen for me. With a grounding in Pilates and condition management I’ve learnt how to adapt, listen to my body and not feel guilty if I don’t get to workout as planned. I’ve equipped my little home gym with cheap and fun toolkit to make my workouts more exciting and challenging, and help me do the workouts I love in a different way.

I can only row once a week so on other days I can do seated row with hand weights or a resistance band

My legs plays up if I do weighted squats, so I squat without weights and add some weighted wall angels

When I can’t walk uphill I add some ankle weights to my hip extensions to fire up my glutes

Too many free weights are a no no as my twisted spine means I overcompensate and make my symptoms worse. So I’ve just ordered a workout bench to add to my gym so I can do more weights whilst maintaining better control of my axial skeleton.

I love working with clients to make their workouts impactful and fun, focussing on what they can do rather than their limitations. There are so many options out there, and the bonus is that choosing the right exercises for your goals and body can only help in building strength and confidence

Topping off the week with a walk to the summit - the view (and wind!) never gets old. I’ll need to rest my poor feet for a few days but it was worth it! ❤️

Little post work stroll. Wow what a hot one, but love seeing nature in full bloom

Cover needed for Pilates at Trugym Kidderminster Sunday 2 April 10-11. Please DM if you can help 🙂

Update on my little sproutlings 🌱. The alfalfa are coming on really well and I think in a day or two they’ll be ready. The kale are taking a little longer to appear but there are some shots beginning to show 🙂. Different seeds will need different lengths of time in the jar but all they need is a bit of sunlight and a good rinse a couple of times a day. I’m beginning to grow quite fond of them 🥰

I’m embarking on a new adventure - with sprouts! I’ve had the book for a while (thanks sis!) but it wasn’t till I looked a bit more into sprouting that I realised how wonderfully nutritious sprouted seeds can be! I started buying sprouts from the supermarket but they’re rather pricey and not always available, so decided to grow my own. I’m starting with kale and alfalfa, and once they’re ready (which should be in just a few days), I’ll start working my way through the recipes in the book. I’m also looking forward to adding sprinkles to my salads and just generally munching! Stay tuned to see how my little sprouts are getting on

Despite being left-handed, I have been struggling with pain in my right arm for 6 months now and have been diagnosed with tennis elbow (nope, I do not play tennis!). The physio has suggested it’s linked to my dropped shoulder which is lower than it should be and rotated forward thanks to scoliosis in my thoracic spine. So, I’ve started lifting weights to strengthen my deltoids and help draw my shoulder back.

This isn’t the first time my curvature has caused me problems, and despite the pain I have a lot to thank it for! Before taking up Pilates about 5 years ago, my shoulder pain was chronic, and I used to have to drive with my right arm behind my back as it was too painful to hold the steering wheel. Regular classes helped with the pain enormously and I rarely experience shoulder pain these days. One thing I’ve learned through teaching is that location of muscular-skeletal pain is often different from the cause, so it’s important to identify any imbalances that can indicate under or over recruitment of muscles.

Now, even as a qualified Pilates instructor, I’m still learning to listen to my own body and improve my posture – my body is very good at telling me if I’m not moving efficiently. So I will be adapting my lessons for a while to avoid aggravating my elbow, and will hopefully be feeling stronger in a month or two # scoliosis

My happy place. It was worth braving the cold 🥶 for this morning’s class followed by some me time cardio and coffee

I’m nearly at the end of my week of grain free lunches and I’ve really enjoyed getting creative with different ingredients. For day 5 it’s a peppered mackerel fillet with turmeric spiced cauliflower purée and green beans. The turmeric, and omega 3 from the mackerel, are wonderful for reducing inflammation, so I try to eat them regularly to help manage my arthritic feet

These mini mushroom frittatas were so easy to make. Sauté and season the mushrooms, add to a greased muffin tray and pour over some beaten eggs. Bake for about 15 minutes.

I made a batch of these which I can have for breakfast or for a post workout protein boost.💪🏼🍳🥚. Out with the beige! 🥖🍞🥯🥪🍟

Grain free lunchtime - Day 4. This might be my favourite yet - it really hit the spot this afternoon. Corgetti (made with a julienne peeler) tossed on pesto and served with vegan “meat” balls (shop bought). The green of the basil is stunning and definitely brightened my day.