Category: Pilates

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Getting back into exercise

Photo by MART  PRODUCTION: Pexels


Perhaps like a lot of people in the new year you are thinking about dusting off your trainers and getting back into exercise? The question is how do you set yourself up for success? Whether you’re returning after a long break or just revamping your routine, it’s crucial to approach it thoughtfully and safely.


First things first—be gentle with yourself as you restart your fitness journey. Begin with light workouts or physical activities that you genuinely enjoy, like cycling, dancing in the kitchen swimming, or even brisk walks. The key is to ease your body back into the rhythm of regular exercise without overwhelming it. If you are wanting to learn a new skill such as yoga, Pilates or start resistance training with free weights I would strongly recommend classes or a trainer. That way you learn the correct form and exercises can be adapted to your needs. This is especially important if you have old or existing injuries or underlying health conditions. Nothing ruins a good intention like an injury.

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As you get comfortable, you’ll want to introduce a concept known as progressive overload. This means gradually increasing the weight, intensity, or duration of your workouts to continue challenging your muscles and seeing improvements. It’s a crucial strategy to keep progressing, but always listen to your body and adjust accordingly. If you don’t incorporate progressive overload at best you stop progressing but at worst you can even regress. The body is incredibly good at adapting which means if you don’t continue to challenge it, your body will adapt to the stimulation so we’ll the starting program will no longer do much. If you are working with a trainer or coach they will handle this aspect for you.

Photo by Marcus Chan: Pexels

After a while you might lose the motivation to continue, you will I’m sure have very personal reasons as to why you started it’s worth remembering this initial motivation. Here are a few potential reasons to move that hopefully will keep you motivated.

1. **Bone Health**: Regular exercise, particularly weight-bearing activities like walking and weightlifting, is essential for maintaining bone density. This helps prevent conditions like osteoporosis, keeping your bones strong as you age (Hamdy, 2021).

2. **Preventing Sarcopenia**: As we age, muscle mass naturally declines, a process known as sarcopenia. Staying active and engaging in resistance training can slow down this process, helping maintain muscle strength and size (Janssen, 2018).

3. **Independence and Enjoyment**: Fitness isn’t just about looking good—it’s about feeling good and being able to live life on your terms. Regular movement helps maintain independence, making daily tasks easier and more enjoyable. Whether it’s playing with your kids, gardening, or dancing, staying active enhances your quality of life.

Finally how do you set yourself up for the best chance of success?

– **Set Realistic Goals**: Start with achievable targets and slowly increase them as you build strength and endurance.
 
– **Find a Buddy**: Sometimes, having a workout partner can provide extra motivation and make activities more enjoyable.

Photo by Elina Fairytale: Pexels

– **Hire a Trainer**: Perhaps you already know you struggle with what to do and when or sticking to a program. Having an appointment keeps you accountable and takes care of “where do I start and what do I do”. It is also really important to seek the advise of someone who knows what they are doing if you are recovering from illness or injury. Part of which might be getting clearance from your doctor then seeking a trainer who can work with/around that condition.
 
– **Celebrate Small Wins**: Every step forward is progress. Celebrate milestones, no matter how small.

– **Remember why you started**: Keep in mind your personal reasons for starting as well as those listed above. Exercise is a lot like brushing our teeth, we don’t always want to do it, but we know it’s critical to good health.

Remember, the goal is to enjoy the journey as much as the results. Stay patient, be consistent, and your efforts will surely pay off.

If you would like to have personal training, yoga or Pilates in a private gym in Alnwick please get in touch.

### References

– Hamdy, R.C. (2021). The Effect of Exercise on Bone Density. *Journal of Osteoporosis*, [online] Available at: <https://www.journalofosteoporosis.com&gt;
 
– Janssen, I. (2018). The Challenge of Sarcopenia: Musculoskeletal Declines with Aging. *Public Health Reviews*, [online] Available at: <https://www.publichealthreviews.com&gt;

If you would like to work with a personal trainer also qualified in yoga and Pilates in a private home gym in Alnwick please get in touch.

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What to consider when hiring a trainer

When considering hiring a personal trainer, it’s essential to evaluate your needs and the type of environment where you’ll thrive. Do you prefer the bustling atmosphere of a busy gym, or do you find solace in a quieter, more private setting? Are there specific areas of concern such as sensory overwhelm or allergies?

Recognising this will narrow down your choices and ensure you feel comfortable and motivated during your training sessions.

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For those with specific health concerns, it’s crucial to find a trainer with the requisite expertise or experience in dealing with such issues. A trainer with several years under their belt may offer invaluable insights and precautions tailored to your unique requirements.

The modern world offers ample ways to vet your potential trainer. Start by exploring if they have a professional website or a presence on social media. This not only gives you a glimpse into their training philosophy but may also showcase reviews and testimonials. Positive feedback from past clients can provide reassurance about their skills and professionalism.

Qualifications are indispensable in the fitness industry. Don’t hesitate to ask to see evidence of their certifications. A certified trainer should proudly present their qualifications, assuring you of their competency.

Equally don’t be afraid to ask details about the qualifications, a weekend course is not the same as a year long one. Short day long or weekend courses or even entirely online are becoming common in the yoga and Pilates world. The depth of this type of qualification is not the same as one taken over many months or years in a studio

Similarly, inquire about their experience. This can be of particular importance of you have specific health concerns or needs that are relevant to your training.

Some trainers specialise in specific areas, while others cover a spectrum that includes yoga, Pilates, resistance, and cardio training. Know what you’re looking for in a training programme to ensure it aligns with your personal goals and interests.

Photo by cottonbro studio: Pexels

Budget constraints can be a significant factor in decision-making. Generally, a newly qualified trainer working within a public gym will be more affordable than a seasoned trainer with their premises. Remember, the more advanced and varied the trainer’s qualifications, the higher their rate might be. Therefore, it’s about finding a balance between expertise and affordability.

Finally check what their billing schedule is, some trainers ask for a minimum booking others week to week. I for example work on a week to week basis with no minimum booking required but I do have a 24 hour cancellation policy.

Ultimately, hiring a personal trainer is a personal decision. Aim to get the best value for your budget while ensuring they are the right fit for you. Always feel empowered to ask questions and be transparent about what you’re seeking in your fitness journey. If unsure ask to meet beforehand and have a chat about what you are looking for to see if that trainer fits your bill.

If you would like to have personal training, yoga or Pilates in a private gym in Alnwick Northumberland please get in touch.



[^1]: Smith, J. (2022). “The Benefits of Personal Training.” Fitness Journal.
[^2]: Brown, L. (2021). “Understanding Qualifications: A Guide to Fitness Training Certifications.” Health & Fitness Review.

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What to expect

If you are considering joining me for one to one training in my little home gym in the new year here’s what to expect:-

On the first session we meet and have a chat about what you are looking for, what you hope to gain from the process as well as likes and dislikes movement wise.

Then we go through anything health related that might be relevant to the training sessions. This could be long term health conditions or old injuries.

Taking all of the above into account I take you through a few movements, nothing scary pretty basic body strength and mobility to see what your body wants to add to the conversation. If at any point of course if I ask you to do anything that feels wrong for your body we will skip that movement.

Then all of the above information is used to design a program that works towards your aims while working on mobility and strength to the degree that your body is ready for.

Some people start with a great deal of mobility work in order to allow them to move onto strength work safely. Others start with joint stabilisation for example in hypermobility spectrum disorders this is always stage one. For another it might be quite quickly into strength work.

The mobility and strength is through a blend of yoga, Pilates, bodyweight exercises and free weight resistance training.

Over time as you progress for most people more of the strength work is added in week upon week. Still we keep a focus on mobility to allow for strength through as full a range of movement as possible. This might be over a matter of weeks it might be over a matter of months. Each person will have different needs and their sessions as a result will look and progress differently.

The overall aim is however the same, to help you realign and strengthen your body to allow you to move freely and comfortably in day to day life.

For more information please read through other pages. The reviews page is a good place to start as it gives an idea of the process from a participants point of view and of course feel free to message with any questions.

Reviews

If you would like to have personal training, yoga or Pilates in a private gym in Alnwick Northumberland please get in touch.

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Setting boundaries when you aren’t good at it!

The past couple of months I’ve been working on setting boundaries. I am really not very good at doing this and basically want everyone I care about to be happy. I think it’s not uncommon for mums to find themselves in this situation, especially if they have children with additional needs. My 3 children all had significant challenges growing up ranging from depression, autism (and the unwillingness of the world to be a kind place to autistic people) to cancer and an especially nasty cancer causing genetic disorder.

I always saw it as my role to smooth things over, to make their life easier when at times it was far from it. Which of course is the right thing to do, but then I kept doing it not only for them but for well anyone I loved. I continually put myself last and well I found myself exhausted. Bone tired exhausted, regularly doing things for other people that actually they could do for themselves. I was the person who would say yes to everyone and bend over backwards to make everyone’s life easier.

You will think this is ridiculous, but it wasn’t till I started working with a counsellor dealing with some of the issues I have from childhood trauma and some of the awful years where my children were suffering that I realised this was a problem. Somewhere in my psyche I have a belief that in order to be loved I need to look after everyone. That unless I am making sure they are happy they won’t love me. Perhaps it stems from being years of being bullied, perhaps later years and bad relationships. I honestly don’t know. But it’s there as a belief and it’s one that I’m working with.

I started with family boundaries, allowing people to do things for themselves that they were more than capable of. There are people in my life who have significant struggles not all of which they can manage on their own I still help with areas they need. But I was taking on a lot that they are more than capable of and that was primarily my fault. I hadn’t set the boundaries for myself and felt my input was vital. The reasons of childhood cancer etc are more than understandable. But still that’s where I found myself, taking over when people didn’t actually need it.

But finding myself waking up at 5 am and not stopping till 8 pm was becoming unsustainable and I was just making myself miserable.

At 50 I am in a process of re-finding myself and allowing myself to come first sometimes. I was not just put on this earth to look after everyone else and nothing more than that. I deserve to explore my own joy and ambitions. I deserve to have time to read a book, relax in a bath or see friends. Other people deserve the chance to try and sometimes fail on their own and by doing so grow in the way we all have to.

That is a work in progress, saying no sometimes, and backing off when it’s not really my place to take responsibility.

The next set of boundaries I have started to set are with work. I am a self employed personal trainer which means everything is my responsibility from advertising to looking after equipment, keeping records on clients, planning and of course delivering the session. Not to mention the actual delivery of the session. For every hour taught there is another 20 to 30 minutes spent on setting the room up, then tidying it up, note making and planning.

After a month of a great deal of cancellations and numerous evenings on the phone re-arranging appointments I was talking to my counsellor who suggested that was another boundary I should set. He was of course right. I needed work boundaries. Just as I could not be there for family 24/7 I needed to have some stability in my working life. I previously had taught classes which is a very different way of working and not reliant on an individual in the same way. The transition into working out of a home gym means I am learning as I go along and I had not at the outset stated clear guidelines.

All of my clients are genuinely lovely people and likely hadn’t even thought about the issues it causes when there are a lot of cancellations especially last minute.

Before becoming self employed I did not realise the frustration of turning work away because I believed I was fully booked to have so many cancellations you lose a full day of work. I am a great deal more considerate now of my fellow self employed friends.

There’s the added complication that unlike a hairdresser or a beauty therapist for example I can’t fit in a new client ad hoc. To be able to see everyone in a given week I can only have a finite number of clients. Occasional clients isn’t really a thing in this line of work.

Any new client I take on is going to want regular sessions be it weekly or fortnightly.

I also want my little business to be as successful as possible and to be able to help as many people as possible in a given week.

My new rules then for work were

1. Not replying to messages after 6.30 pm

2. Instituting cancellation terms. Fairly standard ones nothing exciting.

3. If anyone really is unreliable let them go as a client.

I emailed everyone with my new terms and I immediately lost a couple of clients. Strangely they were clients who already did everything I had outlined in the cancellation terms, which really took me aback.

With both setting boundaries with family and with work there was a similar reaction, some people totally understood it. Others took it personally when it wasn’t.

As someone who struggles with setting boundaries any negative reaction is very tough, which is very much a me thing. It felt especially with loved ones like it reinforced my fear that to be loved I need to be forever available.

With family and friends I chose to focus on the people who loved me anyway, who offered to help me because they knew I was flat out busy. Who loved me regardless for who I am not what I do, even when I am too tired to have anything to give.

With clients it is a little more simple, they come and go it’s the nature of the business and I will always respect the choice of anyone who has decided it is no longer for them. Even if I will miss them.

When setting boundaries we do not control how the other person will react. That is an aspect of the process we need to accept.

Their reaction is their own and they absolutely have a right to it, that doesn’t mean it was wrong to set the boundary, although you may question yourself.

Each of us has a finite amount of energy and time to give to family, friends and work. Accepting that and working with it long term is to the benefit of everyone. None of us is a great deal of use if we are totally burned out and overwhelmed.

Now I have boundaries in place, as much in my mind as anywhere else I feel genuinely lighter and more optimistic for the future. I feel less like I am running to stand still and more like I can start to plan things to look forward to. It is never an easy thing to do, but if your lines are so blurred you don’t ever have time to yourself, time to relax or be open to plans and feel as though you exist for everyone else you may need to do the same.

Remember

  1. You are entitled to boundaries both in your private and work life. You are not here to look after everyone else at the expense of your own health.
  2. Not everyone will like it.
  3. You don’t control how anyone else reacts or views your decision.
  4. You may lose some people from your personal or professional life and not understand why.
  5. It is still worth setting the boundaries, once through the process of doing so your life will improve as a result. Likely your relationships will benefit due to this.

If you would like a female personal trainer in Alnwick Northumberland who is well versed in different types of training including working with health issues please get in touch.

I am also a qualified yoga teacher and Pilates instructor.

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Last picked for every team


Some people excel at sport and athleticism from an early age, it is woven into their DNA. They take to any physical activity they try with ease and grace. The kind of people who won every race at sports day and captained every team. Then there’s those like me who were quite literally picked last for every team in PE, I swear to god if my classmates could have chosen the school bench over me they would. To be fair it would have probably done a better job at the time.

I was skinny, knock kneed, had an undiagnosed hypermobility spectrum disorder and the serious lack of muscle tone that goes with it. As is often the case when we are awful at something I avoided it like the plague, I don’t know if things have changed but in my day PE teachers had no interest in those without natural athleticism never mind the reasons why.

To be entirely honest my experiences at school with regard to fitness were not just negative they were actually traumatic. I was openly bullied for my lack of physicality and knock knees and viciously name called. I’m not sure though out of the laughter or the pity clap I would sometimes get coming in dead last for something…again which one was worse. I still won’t even so much as take part in a 5k race in public as a result, the idea of any type of competition fills me with horror to the point where I actually feel physically sick.

Why am I telling you this? It’s not for pity or sympathy, I am honestly quite fine. The past is the past. I want you to read this if you like me had no natural ability and let you know that it does not and never did exclude you from looking after yourself physically. No matter how rubbish you were at PE you can still benefit from various forms of movement. Heck you might even enjoy it. I certainly do, in fact I can’t imagine a life where I don’t get up and exercise pretty much every day. I am so grateful that I discovered first yoga and Pilates in my 20s which I found I actually quite naturally built for and being the antithesis of competitive sports allowed me to tune in with my body and learn to love moving it. It was this love of movement I took into CrossFit and strength training, the difference being in that situation I was pretty rubbish to begin with. However many years later of keeping at it I am actually

pretty strong and certainly fit.

That for me is the important aspect, being fit and healthy, being strong enough to squat down to the ground with a heavy back pack and stand back up, being able to walk briskly up hills without losing my breath, being limber enough to fold into my legs with no discomfort, being able to lift heavy suitcases over head for other passengers on trains. These are the things that matter to me. That and the sheer love of movement, oh heavens it is simply glorious to just move, there is a delight in using your body that is with language almost inexpressible. As though different movements all have their own flavor and to engage in more than one is like a banquet for the body. Plus as a result I honestly feel better at nearly 50 than I did my entire adult life.

Don’t let a perceived idea of not being athletic dictate to you that exercise isn’t for you, it is for everyone from those like my husband who are naturally talented in a particular field (running) and thrive in competition to those like myself who myself who had to work at it. In fact I think those of us who are not naturals potentially benefit even more as there are often underlying conditions that make us that way which are improved by movement.

Exercise is for all of us and is certainly one of the keys to health and longevity.

If you would like to work with a personal trainer in a quiet setting in Alnwick Northumberland get in touch!

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Why I am walking a minimum of 15000 steps a day for a year

And I would walk 15000 steps, and I would walk 15000 more…Just to be the one who walked 15000 steps a day or more. You are very welcome for the brain worm I’ve implanted, now lets get on.

Photo by Tatiana Syrikova

As I mentioned in my post on Blue Zones aside from eating a diet devoid of processed food and high in vegetables plus fruit the centenarians moved a huge amount throughout their entire lives. In fact they on average only rest for 8 to 9 hours a day and that includes sleep, most of it is low intensity gardening, walking place to place with distances of 7 to 9 miles not being uncommon. Compare that to the UK where the average step count is a paltry 3000 to 4000 a day[1]

Photo by Alex Azabache

Movement throughout the day or Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) has a huge impact on weight, insulin sensitivity and metabolic health.[2] But I exercise I hear you cry, the question then is if we go to the gym a few times a week does that actually make up for spending the rest of the time sitting? Apparently not, if after a bout of exercise, the rest of the day is spent sitting or driving you are still losing out on your primary method of thermogenesis (calorie burning) and as a result are still at risk of a number of metabolic diseases[3]. In fact even in elite athletes sedeantary time outside of training leads to increased abdominal adiposity[4] leading the researchers to conclude

“These findings indicate that athletes with higher amounts of sedentary behaviour presented higher levels of total and trunk fatness, regardless of age, weekly training time, and residual mass. Therefore, even high moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels do not mitigate the associations between sedentary behaviour and body fatness in highly trained athletes.”[5]

As the average age of the cohort researched was 22 this is a little concerning!

It’s not a huge surprise, then that as a nation we are getting bigger, and we are also in general getting sicker.

As hunter gatherers we would have averaged around 16 to 17000 steps a day, we would also have carried chopped and engaged in other physical activities, there are tribes who still live like this although they are becoming a rarity, when moving this much and this often-cardiovascular disease is rare[6] Perhaps it is not the type of exercise or movement we engage in that matters but how often we move, it will come as good news to those who don’t enjoy exercise that you don’t need to engage in vigorous activity either to benefit, you just need to move often. Although I would always recommend both strength training and mobility training for optimal aging.

Photo by SHVETS production

In more recent times such as the 1950s women were estimated to burn around 1000 calories on top of their basal metabolic rate (the calories needed just to exist) through walking, cleaning, cycling and other activities.[7]  While men depending upon their profession could burn more through their work and commute to and from work. Few people had cars, most lived close enough to their place of occupation to walk to and from work and children would be unlikely to get to school any other way than by foot.

Now I am not suggesting we relinquish cars, washing machines and all return to working as Shepherds (though it does sound pretty idyllic) but it is clear we move less than we ever have and the truth is it is not doing anyone any good.

Photo by Rachel Claire

I came to the realisation that I was not immune from this sedentary behaviour, I like to think I am relatively fit for my age, I strength train, use a stationary bike 4 or 5 times a week, CrossFit regularly, practice yoga and walk the dog. But the truth is that although I exercise daily and walk the dog on top the rest of the day I am sat down, I am working towards my PhD which is of course desk work and I now teach and train people primarily from home.

Like a lot of people then my movement has dropped. I want to stay as healthy as I can for as long as I can and do what I can to promote a long healthy life. I decided then mid October to walk a minimum of 15000 steps a day. This is based on research on postal workers that found 15000 steps was optimal for blood pressure reduction, cholesterol reduction and many other health benefits[8] I decided initially on a period of 9 months which would take me to my 50th birthday. I then changed that to a year. I believe that to fully appreciate the benefits of any change we have to commit to a reasonable period of time as these types of changes don’t happen quickly. I am particularly interested in changes to my blood pressure, since surgical menopause it sometimes creeps higher than I would like. Not high enough for a doctor to be concerned they reassure me, but outside of the bounds I would be comfortable with. According to the American College of Cardiology a higher step count is linked to lower blood pressure.[9] I would also like to see a reduction in cholesterol, on my last check my levels were at the upper end of ok.

The rules I set myself were as follows:-

  1. Any “steps” count for example if I cycle 15k on my bike erg my watch will register around 5 to 6000 steps. This is helpful as due to caring responsibilities I cannot always leave the house. It is important that any goal we set is achievable and fits into the life the live not the life we would like to live. Equally all steps around the house, shopping etc count. It is simply the total step count at the end of a day.
  2. I am aiming for 90% compliance across the year, as with everything consistency is more important than perfection. There will be times I have responsibilities to others or it might be inappropriate to go for a walk, or when I am too unwell.
  3. I will continue to exercise and eat pretty much as I was, this for the year is the adjustment I am making.
  4. Each day has a target of over 15000 regardless of the previous day, I am not averaging across the week. So, for example if one day is 22000 steps it is irrelevant to the following days activity, I still aim for the 15000 steps. My logic on this is that if I lived in pre-industrial environment I would still need to fetch water and food that day regardless of what I had done the previous day.

I am currently at the end of 4 months and on average have exceeded my target with an average of 17000 to 18000 steps a day and within the 14 weeks have missed only one day.

That day was the day we were traveling on holiday and although I was at 11000 steps it was way too late when we arrived at our accommodation to try explore a new place. Still 1 day missed in 14 weeks is pretty good if you ask me. Things I have learned during this time trying to get over 15000 steps:-

November, December and January
  1. Some days it’s really easy, I will be on the bike in the morning, walk the dog, train a couple of clients, run some errands and before I’m at 1 pm I have already hit the target.
  2. Other days it’s really hard, as in oh my word how many more do I have to do today, how am I not there already and do I really need to go back outside? Really?
  3. For me it is important to be entertained, to fit in the bike and/or walking it is part of my relaxing time, what this means is when I am on the bike I watch tv. I particularly enjoy shows with subtitles as being on the bike means I am captive in my focus, currently I’m working through a selection of Korean sci fi/supernatural dramas. Walking it’s podcasts or books, I will only listen to those books or watch those shows when I’m biking or walking. That way I actively look forward to getting back into my book and the walking is almost subsidiary. If you walk occasionally in the countryside on a beautiful day it may well be enough to just listen to the sounds of nature, if you are planning on walking every single day, in the rain, in the dark, in the snow often next to noisy dirty roads in order to fit it in the sounds around you may seem less attractive. Find something to entertain you!
  4. Having this challenge has meant I have walked on days I would not have otherwise, when I am tired or under the weather. In the past I would have asked someone else to walk the dog, but I remind myself that if I lived in a hunter gatherer community or was a shepherdess I would only take days off if I literally could not move. You would not just stop for feeling a little under the weather. Granted those days are not dynamic walking but I am up and moving. This week for example I have a nasty sinus thing going on, I am not well enough to train or do much really but walking is so much of a neutral activity now I have been able to slowly shuffle around and get my steps in.
  5. I don’t actually weigh myself as it’s  not a metric I am particularly interested in but I have lost weight, some clothes have become looser and snug waist bands now are somewhat baggy.
  6. My cardio has improved significantly, I walk brisker than ever with little effort and don’t feel at all breathless up hills

I am leaving measuring blood pressure etc till much later in the experiment, I will be getting I believe a full MOT at 50 which will be a good time to check over all my health stats and as it will be 9 months since I started this experiment will be a good time to assess how I am doing!

If you are reading this, start tracking your day to day movement with phone, watch or pedometer and find out how active you are outside of formal exercise.

If you would like to work with a personal trainer in a quiet setting in Alnwick Northumberland get in touch!

[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33154510

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6058072/

[3] https://journals.lww.com/acsm-essr/Fulltext/2010/07000/Too_Much_Sitting__The_Population_Health_Science_of.3.aspx

[4] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02640414.2014.926382

[5] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02640414.2014.926382

[6] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42978-020-00091-0#:~:text=Male%20and%20female%20hunter%2Dgatherers,in%20the%20tribe%20%5B29%5D.

[7] https://metro.co.uk/2022/06/15/this-is-what-diets-and-lifestyles-were-like-in-the-1950s-16826401/

[8] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28138134/

[9] https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2020/03/18/15/42/step-it-up-higher-daily-step-counts-linked-with-lower-blood-pressure-acc-2020?fbclid=IwAR1Aoh0MT2d7VxdfDfubRKRL8RDAUTCfJBW_JcXFI2y8NAkOjYWt0kV6-2s

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Breathe and let go

I struggle with the meditative side of mind body practices. I always have done, my mind is like a pinball machine bouncing around. Never still, never quiet. But when I do take the time for that side of it, oh it’s glorious. There’s something incredibly powerful in the quiet moments of just breathing. You don’t need to make it complicated just sit close your eyes and breathe, focus on your breath aim to stay focused on the breath. Your mind will wander, thoughts will intrude. That’s ok, when it does gently lovingly bring it back. Give it try let me know how it goes

💚If you would like to work with a personal trainer in a quiet setting in Alnwick Northumberland get in touch!

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Rebellious aging

A few thoughts on rebellious aging

– Wear whatever you want. Clothes are fun they don’t have to stop being fun because your birthday cake now has enough candles to start a small house fire.
– Go grey, don’t go grey, shave your head, dye your hair purple, ignore whatever the “hair for over 40s/50s” pages say and wear it however you want.
– Keep being fearless, go where you want to, dance when you feel like it, travel, find new adventures we are NEVER too old for new adventures.
– Re-invent yourself, if it was good enough for Bowie it’s good enough for us. Take a degree, learn a new skill, take up an instrument. We live at an amazing time where we can change and learn at any time.
– Ignore anyone who tells you you’re too old for this that or the other, unless it’s soft play, we probably aren’t allowed in soft play areas for good reasons.
– Move and enjoy it, bodies love to move remember how amazing it was as a kid just to taste different shapes with your body? Find a type of movement you enjoy and indulge in the sheer sensory experience of it!
– Most of all have fun, yes there are things in life we have to do but don’t let your days become so crowded you lose all time for fun. You matter too.
– Finally be proud of your age, you have achieved so much and come so far. The last time someone called me old (as an insult) I replied “yes I’m old as f**k and that’s neither the revelation nor the insult you think it is!”

Here’s to rebellious aging! My dress reads “I didn’t wear this for you” especially for all the people who think nearly 50s/ over 50s shouldn’t wear short dresses

If you would like to work with a personal trainer in a quiet setting in Alnwick Northumberland get in touch!

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Getting moving

Firstly don’t over complicate it, find something you either enjoy or at least feel comfortable with and do that activity. Doesn’t matter what it is, if you enjoy it and it gets you moving it’s perfect.

This simple act of choosing something you enjoy is really important you can’t commit to something if you feel dread every time you have a session planned.

You might manage to force yourself to run or lift for a few months but if you hate it you’ll quit, guaranteed. Then you’ll be telling everyone you “just don’t like exercise” which isn’t true, you didn’t like that exercise.

In short stop doing xyz because you think it’s good for you, do something you actually like which can be as simple as walking a bit more.

Secondly give yourself a bit of external motivation. This can be anything from a target weight to lift, an extra few seconds off a 5k or a virtual steps challenge.

At the moment one of my external motivations is a step challenge. I’m virtually walking the Pacific Crest Trail with The Conqueror Challenges For me this has huge significance. When my daughter had cancer I read a book called Wild by Cheryl Strayed it was hugely inspirational and an idea from it became my mantra.

While walking the PCT each and every day Cheryl would get up put on her huge back pack she nicknamed “monster” and simply put one step in front of the other. This became a metaphor to me each day I’d get up and put one foot in front of the other while carrying the weight of what was happening in our lives.

Some days just keeping and getting the basics done was a struggle but I committed to every day to keep moving forward. I finished my postgraduate law conversion during the year after her cancer for me that was part of moving forwards.

Because of this to finish the PCT myself albeit virtually will be a huge achievement, quite an emotional one actually. This of course makes getting there important and motivates me to get a few extra steps in. Each of us will find a different why, but I find it really helps to have that extra why.

I personally try to avoid aesthetic or weight loss motivations as they feed into more negative feelings I have but they do work for many.

That’s it, find something you enjoy, give yourself external motivation in some form and have fun with it.

As much as I’d love to have you take up Pilates or yoga I’d be just as happy for you to take up hiking or go to any of the other wonderful classes/ gyms around and find the movement you enjoy. Just get moving 💚

If you would like to work with a personal trainer in a quiet setting in Alnwick Northumberland get in touch!

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The joy of spring!

I love teaching any time of the year but Spring is my favourite, especially at Alnwick Gardens where we are surrounded by glass walls that allow you to feel like you are in the middle of the first burst of spring while in a class. The ducks are back, it won’t be long till they have duckings who do seem to enjoy walking through the class! It’s unbelievably cute!

If you would like to work with a personal trainer in a quiet setting in Alnwick get in touch!