Work out because you love your body not because you hate it..

Why is this sentence so difficult to process?

For me it’s because I was brought up in a time where being thin was the ultimate goal. People were openly citicised on the front of a newspaper for having cellulite and the Kate moss “heroin chic” look was to be aspired to.

Difficult if you are not naturally built that way.

So for years I thought “working out” was getting a sweat on and punishing yourself with a gruelling routine. I remember a PT in London making me do endless burpees in the mud in the rain and I thought “good, I deserve this”..

When I retrained to be a Personal Trainer, age 40, I continued with endless bootcamps, relentlessly driving myself to burn out. Yes I was slim and toned but I was also exhausted and sadly had a miscarriage age 43 which I think my intense exercise regime may have contributed to...

It was when I discovered Pilates aged 46 that my attitude to working out and self acceptance started to change. I genuinely LOVE how my body and mind feels when i’m doing Pilates and teaching a class. I have to be in the present. Pilates require focus which pushes all other noise away.

My body can now do incredible things. I feel strong, empowered and rather fabulous when doing a Teaser or long scissors!

So now I enjoy my workouts. And i love how I feel afterwards. I still have variety, I enjoy a couple of short runs a week, I enjoy the PT work with a couple of clients, the horse riding on my sweet young horse in the woods, bike riding.. and I LOVE PILATES… did i mention that yet?

Do I work out because I love my body? Yes. My body deserves to be loved, not punished. And yours deserves that too.