Meet You At the Barre

10/11/2024

Want to get your sweat on whilst being kind to your joints?

Low-impact cardio means no jumping, but you really won’t compromise on getting a proper heart-busting workout.

Grab yourself a pair of medium-light weights (I’m using 3kg here) and a water bottle. Set a timer for 45 seconds and have a 15 second rest between exercises.

Take a 2 minute break and then do the whole thing again. If you’ve got a third round in you then go for it.

This is time extremely well-spent. You don’t need me to tell you the importance of looking after your heart ❤️.

24/10/2024

Never going to be an easy post to write. I’ll be taking a bit of time off from work for a bit, and you can almost guarantee that when I come back I won’t want to talk about it.

My dad was an excellent human. Extraordinary in fact. Larger than life and 100% completely himself at all times. He leaves a gigantic hole behind in mine and my sister’s lives.

Things I’ve learned in the last few months:

1. We should all be throwing our weight behind the euthanasia bill. Nobody deserves to suffer.

2. The world really is completely upside down. Care workers, nurses and all those connected to end-of-life care in all its hideousness should be paid like investment bankers. This is proper work. They are real-life angels.

3. We might come into the world and die alone, but it’s a privilege to be able to be with someone on that final stretch, however hard that road is. It’s been a long few months but I feel immensely grateful to have been able to share them with him and my family.

I can’t think of a polite way of saying this but I won’t be replying to any messages, I’m so grateful to all of you for being the nicest community on the internet but I haven’t got the space right now. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

09/10/2024

All you need is a band and 5 minutes - this is proper torture 😂. If you want to know what the barre burn is all about here you go 🔥

Perform each move 10 times, complete the sequence and then repeat on the other leg.

Form tips:
💫 hip bones pointing towards the floor
💫 don’t sag or arch the back
💫 lengthen through the neck, not allowing the chin to drop
💫 keep tension on the band throughout
💫keep the working foot flexed
💫 try to keep the movements slow and controlled

No band? No problem. The whole series can be done without the band, just double the number of reps.

Save for days when you want to cry / be humbled / need to forget everything and everyone.

27/09/2024

19/09/2024

A very brief (re) introduction.

Thank you to the lovely for all the new faces around here, and to CJ for the inspo… imitation is fhe highest form of flattery and all that.

Please tell me something about you as frankly I feel a little exposed 🫣

22/11/2023

Hola 👋, I’m going Live with Caroline for a cuppa and another chat about Project: Me this Thursday at 12.45pm. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​If you’ve had, “Get healthy” or, “Sort myself out” on your to-do list for a while then tune in and find out how we will make the seemingly-impossible really pretty simple.

We will explain how small changes will add up to huge benefits over time, and also include all the usual info on who the course is for / how much it costs / how it is structured.

Caroline and I will keep it brief - another 10 minute wonder 😍. It’ll be saved on my grid again for you to catch up if you can’t join us live.

Anything else you’d like to know? Ask away ⬇️

15/06/2023

Gut health is sexy innit? Not really but my-oh-my it’s important.

30 is a bit of random number but researches at the University of Bergen found that eating this number or more can add up to a decade of healthy living to your life.

And there it is - that key word - healthy. Nobody wants 10 extra years if they’re terribly quality do they? This is what Project: Me is all about.

Preparation for tomorrow is well underway. Three new salads on the menu, all of which will be in my newsletter this weekend, plus my top tips on how to make that 30 a genuinely realistic target. You’re welcome.

Please sign up via my bio ###

16/05/2023

48 hours in Corfu…. My god HOW MUCH FUN - feels like it’s been at least a week. Love me a mini break - how is that you do more in 2 days than you do in a fortnight?

Have eaten, drunken, wept with laughter, changed dresses at least 100 times and loved every single second.

This isn’t an ad (I feel like I have to preface this!) but I’ve come away with a couple of gorgeous girlfriends, (all the dresses are - we’ve been riddled 🤫) and goodness me - women are GOOD FOR THE SOUL. I could stay here for ever.

We are staying in the heavenly which is nestled in the hills with incredible views out over the sea. It’s tranquil and full of delightful little nooks and crannies. (It’s just become available to rent so if you’re interested get there asap).

Last night we walked down to the sea last night (and stumbled back 😉) and had dinner at The White House, former home of the Durrells and now the most glorious restaurant.

I’m definitely coming back - the house sleeps 8 - hurray - and I can’t wait. I’m not sure I’ll be so well dressed next time though 😜. Back to reality tomorrow 😭 Special times indeed. ###

03/05/2023

I don’t know what to say about Jamie from @52.lives - she is honestly one of the kindest people I have ever met, and radiates goodness 🌞🌞🌞🌞. If I could bottle her vibe I’d be an overnight millionaire.

We’ve never met in person before, but I came across her charity in lockdown. They take on one new case a week and raise the necessary funds to help transform their circumstances. Nearly all of their cases are harrowing and desperate, and it’s unbelievable how someone who deals in so much despair all of their working day is just so gorgeous.

She drove all the way over to West Sussex today - I felt completely different after our lunch and determined to try and slow down and enjoy the abundance of goodness all around me.

The charity sector has taken an absolute pounding in the cost of living crisis. I love @52.lives as I know everything I give goes 100% to helping an individual. There are wishlists but also requests for letters of support and encouragement - stuff that costs nothing but can be invaluable in helping people’s mindset and mental health.

is Jamie’s new venture, helping to foster resilience in 8-13 year olds. The results and reviews of the courses they have run are incredible. I’m signing my troop up asap as these are real skills for life.

Please do give both accounts a follow. We go on in Project: Me about having a purpose in life. Jamie is living proof of the benefits of knowing how incredibly empowering and satisfying it is to help others. I am in awe 😍😍😍😍. Also had lunch outside for the first time this year. Think I’m sunburnt! X###

18/04/2023

I love the idea of an upward spiral. I also love rewriting the script on exercise.

So often thought of as a chore or a punishment but in fact - when you find your thing - a source of exhilaration, joy and happiness.

Move your body any way YOU like and you’ll reap the rewards, and they’ll last waaaaaaay longer than the time you’re moving for.

If you’ve been doing the barre snacks have you noticed a shift in your mood?

meet_you_at_the_barre

10/04/2023

It’s hard to believe it’s already been a month since launching Project: Me - a day all about helping you match your health span to your lifespan.

We want everyone to live free of disease and disability for as long as possible. Science suggests that genetic factors play far less of a role than lifestyle choices, and we are here to help you learn how you can help yourself - both in the now and for the future.

The day consisted of so much laughter, joy and education (and of course a barre class 😉). Feedback has been absolutely wonderful (keep swiping)

We are already very excited for our next in-person day, to be held on 28th April.

Please feel free to ask any questions below ###

26/03/2023

My mission is to get you moving in a way that makes you feel good.

If you want to form a new habit you need to create that habit in the first place.

There’s no point saying you’ll go to the gym 5x a week for an hour each time. You will fail. Start small. Set yourself up for success.

With this in mind I want 3-4 MINUTES of your time each day. I’m going to release one barre track daily and you are going to do it. That’s it.

It’s a month long challenge starting on 1st April. 3-4 minutes a day. That’s all. Commit to that and then see where you are at the beginning of May.

You’ll need a hip height support (high-backed chair or similar), 2 water bottles for weights and a slightly deflated kids ball or similar.

I promise you’ll be surprised by the difference this will make to you. 3-4 minutes. Nothing more. Please tag friends who you’d like to move with (or get moving 😂).

I’m in the process of planning it out so any banging tunes you want to move to drop those in the comments too 😍😍😍