Turning my back on a successful career in television to become a Pilates instructor was definitely a leap of faith for me. But it looks like the change of lifestyle is starting to pay off as my Chiswick based Pilates classes have just been voted the Best Pilates Class in West London by the West London Mum Live.Love.Local Awards. I'm overwhelmed and thrilled all at the same time!
Thought for the New Year
Welcome to 2015 and what a wonderful year its going to be! May it be filled with happiness, health and goodwill for you all. Whilst we are all encouraged to set new goals for 2015, before we leap forward into the New year I think it's really important to take a moment to think about all the little things that when added up make life so much more meaningful.
Christmas Message
Well I have hung up my ballet shoes for 12 days, after the last ballet barre class of 2014!
I'll still be inhaling and exhaling for one more day doing my Pilates personal training with private clients keen to hone their bodies on Christmas Eve, as well as those who I have been working with remedially this year.
Have you got 'Text Neck' ? How technology is damaging your spine
Oh yes there is actually a word for it now. And not only that, scientific studies have been carried out to test the stress on your neck when constantly looking down at your technology device. With an average head weighing 12 pounds, the poundage increases with each degree of curvature in your neck. At a 15-degree angle the weight is about 27 pounds, at 30 degrees it’s 40 pounds and at 60 degrees it’s a whopping 60 pounds.
Stand up for health. It may lengthen your life
It’s official; it is now an actual fact that sitting for too long is bad for us. Whilst there is no doubt that sedentary behavior as a result of long hours sitting at the office desk, hunched over a computer is bad for you, scientists have found that standing for longer can actually help lengthen your life.
Fancy a Date? Smoothie that is....
Well, I had to get your attention somehow didn't I? I've been tinkering around my West London kitchen working on new healthy recipes for smoothies and absolutely love this one.
It has to be one of the simplest recipes as well as the most delicious. Putting dates into a smoothie is a great way to get some fibre into your body, as well as satisfying a sweet tooth. Using only three ingredients you'll get a delicious drink packed full of essential, vitamins, minerals and nutrients. And if you've ever been partial to a bit of butterscotch then this is for you! It's really healthy and tastes just like it!
Ingredients
15 Whole Dates
300 ml Coconut Milk
1 Ripe Banana
Make sure your dates are as squidgy as possible, de-stone them, chop in half then put into your blender along with the coconut milk and ripe banana. Whizz away until you get that lovely butterscotch colour and you're good to go. As always don't keep it to yourself, be generous and share the love around by giving a glass to a friend, family member or work colleague. Enjoy!
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?
My first online interview about the benefits of Pilates
Am very excited to announce that I was asked by local fitness organisation Urban Vitality to do an interview about Pilates and how it can improve sports performance.
Those of you that know me know how passionate I am about Pilates based exercise and its benefits- no matter what your age, gender or fitness background. So how could I refuse their request for a few words? Plus they are lovely people with a like-minded passion for what they do. It was my first 'Live' interview so slightly nervous but loved it!
Here it is in full!
What does a Pilates teacher eat?
Being healthy and happy (which is my mantra) is all about looking after your mind and body in a way that not only feeds you in a literal sense, but feeds those feelgood receptors that get treated when eating tasty food.
So whilst I’m mindful of eating lots of good stuff, it doesn’t come with the sacrifice of food with no flavour. Oh no. No blandiness (is that an actual word?) for me. It has to taste good as well as be healthy. So what does a Pilates teacher eat? Well, there are no set rules but teaching 20 plus hours of exercise a week I have to make sure I eat plenty of protein, as well as get a good shot of essential fats and fibre in each meal, so here was my lunch today. And I can tell you it sure was tasty! Recipe below. Why not try it and see if healthy tastes good to you too?!
Toasted Goats Cheese and Nectarine Salad drizzled in Orange Blossom Honey
100g Goats cheese of your choice (I used Chevre blanc)
Ripe Nectarine
Handful of Pumpkin Seeds
Handful of Walnuts
Generous handful of baby spinach leaves
2 teaspoons orange blossom honey
Salad dressing
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
½ cup Olive Oil.
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Assemble your spinach leaves on a plate, scatter the seeds and nuts over them, and add slices of nectarine. Slice your cheese into two pieces and grill on a greased baking sheet until bubbling and golden. While the cheese is toasting make up your salad dressing and pour a little (vary the amount to your taste) over the leaves. Remove the melted cheese very carefully from your baking sheet with a flat spatula and lay on top of your salad. Then comes the best bit, drizzle the honey over it, and eat. And for added va va voom, why not make my Summer Workout Smoothie to go with it. In previous post. Delicious!
Summer Workout Smoothie
Summer Workout Smoothie
So I came up with this recipe recently when the London weather hit 28 degrees celsius (or that’s 82 Fahrenheit for my US friends)- I thought I’d try and create a drink that can double up as a meal pre workout. My summer workout smoothie has got protein, vitamins and minerals and it packs a punch with antioxidants (great for combating the effects of all that sunshine on your skin). Oh, and it’ll give you a fab boost, of energy.
250 ml Unsweetened Almond Milk
2 whole cooked beetroots (diced)
2 handfuls of blueberries
1 banana
Nice and easy this one, put all the ingredients in your blender and whizz away until smooth- just don’t wear white whilst you’re making it if you’re prone to the odd spill as you’ll end up covered in purple spots! Enjoy!
What is Pilates? by Rachel Lawrence
What is Pilates? by Rachel Lawrence
‘If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, then you are old; if it is completely flexible at 60, you are young.’
(Joseph. H. Pilates, ‘Return to Life Through Contrology’ 1945)
Joseph Pilates designed his revolutionary system of exercises after years of study on his own body and that of his clients....
Everything you wanted to know about pilates but were afraid to ask!
I am very excited to announce I will be running my first Pilates workshop on Sunday June 1st. This is a new venture for me and the idea is to encourage those people who haven't tried Pilates before, or those who have tried it but wasn't sure it was for them to come and experience the great benefits, and the great workout you can get from a Pilates class.
I teach it California style. What does that mean I hear you ask!
Well, it's a little more dynamic than some of the more traditional Pilates you may have experienced, and a little more challenging. I believe we are all more capable than we think when it comes to fitness and wellbeing, and my teaching style is focused on helping you get the most out of your workout whilst also enjoying it. Exercise doesn't have to be a task after all, it can actually be fun too! Especially when you start to see, and feel the benefits in your body. Heres what some of my clients have been saying about classes:
We have been doing Pilates for years and have tried out various classes in Chiswick. Rachel’s classes are by far the best! You definitely work hard but you can see (and feel) the results: The backaches are gone and your body feels so much more toned. We highly recommend giving the classes a try! Anne and Peter
Rachel is a really creative teacher - her positive attitude inspires us to succeed with things we never thought possible! Janet
When I saw Rachel teaching Pilates, I knew straight away that she was a top professional and the teacher I was looking for. She is very clear with her instructions and does all the exercises with us, always checking that we are doing them right and focusing on us breathing correctly and engaging our core muscles throughout the class – all so indispensable for a great Pilates class. Carla
Please email if you'd like to book a place, I look forward to seeing you there!
