Tag Archives: retreats

Processed Meat Causes Cancer

Processed meat causes cancer

Processed Meat Causes Cancer

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So the news is out. The grapevine has been full of rumours that appear to be based in truth: that The World Health Organisation is reportedly planning to declare that bacon, sausages and other processed meat cause cancer. Red meat is also expected to be listed as being “probably carcinogenic to humans”. Carcinogenic means “having the potential to cause cancer”.

Another health scare story? One would hope not as it is coming from the WHO. This announcement is expected to be made today which will put processed meat in the same category as cigarettes, alcohol and asbestos. Yes, you read that right.

It was suggested to me by a contact at the WHO that this classification in the highest risk group doesn’t necessarily mean that processed meat is as dangerous as smoking or asbestos, but it does mean that there is as strong scientific proof that it can cause cancer.

The UK NHS Choices website says that “evidence shows that there is probably a link between eating red and processed meat and the risk of bowel cancer. People who eat a lot of these meats are at higher risk of bowel cancer than those who eat small amounts.”

However, it also says that beef, lamb and pork “can form part of a healthy diet” and that red meat is “a good source of protein and provides vitamins and minerals, such as iron and zinc”.

The World Cancer Research Fund says: “There is strong evidence that eating a lot of these foods [red and processed meat] increases your risk of bowel cancer.”

So the consensus of opinion is that processed meat causes cancer.

Naturally farmers and the meat industry have expressed concern about the impact on sales if the WHO lists processed meat as a carcinogen. Betsy Booren, of the North American Meat Institute, said recently: “If they determine that red and processed meat causes cancer – and I think they will – that moniker will stick … It could take decades and billions of dollars to change that.” Don’t worry Betsy, the sugar industry can testify that spending billions buys scientists and people in high places.

The UK Government previously warned the public in 2011 about the dangers of excessive amounts of red meat, and over the past week it is coming under increasing pressure to release the findings or a report that it is suggested recommends a Sugar Tax.

So once again what we eat is making the front pages of newspapers, but does it really come as any surprise to us that processed meat is not good for us? Surely not.

Chris Hunt is a Pilates and functional training presenter and educator based in London and Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also created Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. He organises Pilates events, mind and body retreats, fitness holidays and sports holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza. For more information about training with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris Hunt, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.

Chris Hunt pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntwellness.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.

Man Utd star loves Pilates for men

Pilates EVO London Educations

Man Utd star loves Pilates for Men

Man Utd star loves Pilates for men
www.chrishuntpilates.com

Daley Blind reveals how he is preparing for the new season.

Man Utd star loves Pilates for men. A headline to warm the cockles of my heart. Regular readers of my blog will know that there is very little I like more than a good Pilates for men type story. My opinion is that more men should be doing Pilates, so any reason to get guys thinking about Pilates is a good thing, and a Premier League Footballer is as good a story as any other to get some headlines.

Daley Blind will return to Manchester United’s Carrington training complex tomorrow having already hit the ground running. The Dutch international enjoyed a short beach break after the season ended, but last week Blind got down to serious solo training, working out at home and pushing himself to the limit on long, gruelling runs.

Blind also turned to his favourite pastime of Pilates for men to make sure he passes all the fitness tests ordered by Man Utd boss Louis van Gaal when his squad starts preparing for the new campaign in earnest this morning. He’s confident he’ll pass the tale of the tape and get down to even harder work before heading off with the rest of the squad for United’s pre-season US mini tour.

Blind said: “The club gave me three weeks off and I’m cautious with what I eat and drink. I make sure I’m responsible. For me, the summer holidays are about letting everything go and spending quality time with my family and friends. I like to relax on the beach, play some tennis or have a kickabout with my mates. My mindset changes so I can recharge my body and mind after a long, hard season. During the last week of my holiday, I started running and stretching to get my body going again”.

“I worked out at home or outside, focusing on Pilates. This helps with stability and agility. And I focused on eating healthy food like fruit and veg. Bad food makes you feel lethargic and bloated and who wants to feel like that?”

Blind is not the only footballer or sports professional to use Pilates as part of their training program. I have written before about other stars including Steven Gerrard and Landon Donovan. I am really pleased to see more and more men attending my PilatesEVO educations and sessions, and there is a growing demand here in Barcelona for fitness and wellness based retreats for specific sports, not only the traditional wellness retreats (see www.barcelonabienestar.com for more)  .

As for writing about celebrities, I have said before that even if one man tries Pilates for the first time as a result of reading about a footballer doing it, then that is a success.

So we will keep championing the Pilates cause among men, and wish Daley Blind good luck next season in the English Premier League. But not too much success as I am an Arsenal supporter!

Chris Hunt is a Pilates and functional training presenter and educator based in London and Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also created Pilates Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. He organises Pilates events, retreats, fitness holidays and sports holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza. For more information about training with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris Hunt, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.

Chris Hunt pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntpilates.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.

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You want to be the best you can be? Mind and body is a 2-way street

Mind and Body Chris Hunt BlogYou want to be the best you can be? Mind and body is a 2-way street

My regular readers will know that I have a great interest in the link between mind and body. I have always been interested in this topic, but my interest was heightened following the death of my father from Alzheimer’s (please read Dementia, I lost my father, don’t lose yours).

Here in Barcelona I organise wellness retreats that treat our healt holistically, a real mind and body experience.

It is common to think that our mind is in control and telling our body what to do. But there is a lot of scientific evidence that shows the chatter between mind and body goes two ways, and the body is an integral part of how we think. I was therefore very interested to read a new book How the Body Knows Its Mind, by Prof. Sian Beilock, who provides the latest scientific evidence about the body’s influence on our psyche, drawing on work from her own laboratory and from colleagues around the world.

On my PilatesEVO© and bodyFUNC© fitness educations, I encourage my students to open their minds to the fact that the body and the mind are to all intents and purposes one and the same. A significant part of my training is about the psychological level, whereas I find that the vast majority of training educations focus only on the physical which is my opinion a big mistake. So I give my student the tools and techniques they can use everyday in their training for themselves and their clients.

I give similar talks to senior management when acting as a consultant to business. Until we accept this fact, it is my contention that we can never be the best teacher we can be, or the best manager we can be. There are still many people who operate in the physical plane only, and there is growing scientific evidence that supports my teachings that to do so is seriously and critically impacting on our ability to achieve the results we want, both physical and psychological.
Beilock, a leading expert on the brain science behind human performance, believes the body-mind connection starts early.

“Movement matters with everyone, but it is especially important for babies and young children,” said Beilock. “Mobile kids hit cognitive milestones faster.” She said that simple steps like allowing babies to run around naked — when appropriate — can help them explore their worlds. Beilock said wearing diapers and using baby walkers can limit a baby’s ability to interact with the world and hinder the process of learning how to walk. The more quickly children learn how to walk and explore, the faster their cognitive development.

Incorporating physical activity into more subjects can help kids learn in school, according to Beilock.

“We can’t just keep students confined to their chairs — we have to get them up, out and moving,” Beilock said. “When the subjects are math or physics, getting students to actually physically experience some of the concepts they’re learning about changes how their brains process the information and can lead to better performance on a test.” Movement also helps explain the connection between music and math. Why do kids tend to excel in both? It’s because the brain areas controlling finger dexterity and number largely overlap. Beilock unpacks the latest research showing that when kids exercise their fingers through regular piano play, their grasp of numbers improves.
An area of particular interest to me that the idea that exercise can aid mental health as well as academic achievement. According to Beilock. “The research shows that getting kids moving is important not only for their physical well-being, but for their mental well-being, too.” She said schools need to emphasize “the “4 Rs” — reading, (w)riting, (a)rithmetic and recess. Boys’ academic achievement may especially benefit from recess, she added.

Exercise is equally important for older adults, as it can promote healthy aging mentally and physically. “There are clear differences in brain health in fit, older adults compared with their more sedentary counterparts,” said Beilock. “And these differences carry consequences for thinking and reasoning as well as for memory.” Beilock stressed that aerobic exercise, which can alter the structure and functioning of the brain, is key for improving mental health. Activities like swimming, running, cycling, walking briskly or even doing household chores at a vigorous pace can benefit the brain, in addition to keeping the body fit.

There are some simple mind and body ideas that you can incorporate into your training, or you everyday life:

• Take active breaks from work or vexing problems to give your brain a chance to regroup and reboot. Physically walking away from the problem for a few minutes may help you solve it.
• Your body’s posture and expressions are not just reflections of your mind — they can influence your mood. Stand tall to help give yourself confidence and to send a signal to those around you that you have brought your “A” game to the table. And be mindful of your facial expressions. Your brain uses your expressions as cues to feel emotions. Smiling can actually make you feel happier.
• Practice in the real conditions under which you will have to perform — whether it’s public speaking, a test or an important match. It’s also good to practice in front of others so when all eyes are on you, it’s nothing new.
• Write it out. Journaling can help you deal with the stress of a test or your worries in daily life. Physically downloading worries from your mind (by putting pen to paper) has positive performance outcomes and reducing that stress affects your health in good ways, too.
• Spend time in nature as often as you can, and find time to meditate. New science shows that a walk in the woods rejuvenates our minds and improves our ability to pay attention and focus. Meditation for even a few minutes a day can help alleviate anxiety and chronic pain. It also can help with self-control that may be helpful for working to break bad habits, like smoking.
“Little things we do can have a big effect,” said Beilock.
We do not have to spend hours every day in order to improve our physical and mental health. By applying some simple techniques, we can begin to make a major shift in our life.

Chris Hunt is a Pilates and functional training presenter and educator based in London and Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also created Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. He organises Pilates events, mind and body retreats, fitness holidays and sports holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza. For more information about training with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris Hunt, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.

Chris Hunt pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntwellness.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.

Pilates Training: Are you faithful or adulterous?

Pilates Training: Are you faithful or adulterous?

www.chrishuntpilates.com

Pilates Training: Are you faithful or adulterous?

Is being faithful to your Pilates system for life a good thing or not? I think this is an interesting question, but why am I asking it today?

Let me rewind a little. I was checking my emails on Sunday evening after the end of another successful Wellness Retreat here in Barcelona. My inbox was full of the usual spam emails that none of us like getting, but I accept that if we put ourselves out there in the virtual world of social media, websites, blogs etc, then we can hardly complain too loudly when someone picks up our details and contacts us can we? On the contrary, it means that our advertising is working! When it happens to me (and it does around 100 times everyday), I really do not let it spoil my day, in the same way I do not let junk post spoil my day, or TV adverts spoil my day, or phone calls trying to sell me something I do not want or need spoil my day, or leaflets that fall out of the magazines I buy spoil my day… Spamming (did you know the phrase “spam” comes from the Monty Python sketch first published in 1970? If you haven’t seen it then CLICK HERE to watch it. English sense of humour is required!) has been going on for ever just in different forms. I reply if think it’s worthy, or I simply lift my finger and press the delete button. My blood pressure doesn’t change and neither does my mood.

Ok, I digress, let me get back to the title of my blog, Pilates Training. But the purpose for this foray into cyberland etiquette is that in my inbox (amoung the spam) was a message from one of my PilatesEVO master-trainers from Europe. Whilst promoting a PilatesEVO© education, she was in contact with a Pilates teacher in London. I decided to write this article not so much because the Pilates teacher in question wrote back to a perfectly polite email in an incredibly rude and disingenuous way (and they did not even use salutation which is really just either lazy or bad form, or both), it was more about what she said. Her words were that didn’t my colleague realise who she was, and that she had been affiliated to the same school of Pilates for more than 15 years and she would never ever even think about learning any other form of Pilates.

Whilst I wonder how any one who can write such an email can possibly be a good, professional teacher, we all know there are many systems of Pilates, and no doubt we have our favourite which is probably the one we studied first. But the purpose of my article today is to ask the question is being totally faithful to your Pilates system for life a good thing or not?

My opinion is that it absolutely is not. Whether you like my PilatesEVO© system or any other system that is not your “usual” system, I totally respect your opinion. This article is not about the rights or wrongs of different systems. But to never try anything else is like saying that Ford is the best manufacturer of cars when all you have owned is a Ford. How can you even have an opinion? Even if you do not buy another car, at least take a few test drives!

I believe that diversity in training and experience is what makes the best teachers, and those who have an insular attitude are missing out on potentially interesting and informative ideas that could complement or even add to their favourite way of teaching. I know Pilates schools that actively discourage their pupils from going over to the “dark side” and trying another school. What exactly are they afraid of? Are they so insecure about their method, or just afraid that one of their disciples might find a different system a revelation? I cannot see any negative reason for not being open minded about how and what other people teach. At the very least it might confirm to you that your system is the best one for you, but there is also a very high chance that you might just learn something new that will make you a better teacher.

I always try to keep an open mind. I always except that I do not know everything (you should avoid at all costs anyone who ever tells you that they do because they are fools) and there is always room for new experiences and knowledge. But what’s your opinion? Have you always only practised one form of Pilates training? Who out there can speak of positive experiences from trying other types? I’d love you opinions and thoughts.

As for me, I’ll have spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, egg and chips please. 🙂

Chris Hunt is a Pilates and functional training presenter and educator based in London and Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also created Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. He organises Pilates events, retreats, fitness holidays and sports holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza. For more information about training with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris Hunt, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.

Chris Hunt pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntwellness.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.

For the latest news about PilatesEVO training and educations, click here.

 

Monty Python Spam Sketch


Chris Hunt is a Pilates and functional training presenter and educator based in London and Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also created Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. He organises Pilates events, retreats, fitness holidays and sports holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza. For more information about training with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris Hunt, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.

Chris Hunt pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntwellness.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.

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Noisy Pilates? Alessandra Ambrosio doesn’t mind

Alessandra Ambrosia Pilates evo

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Noisy Pilates? Alessandra Ambrosio doesn’t mind

I have featured the model Alessandra Ambrosio before on my blog. Maybe you have heard of her; she is a Victoria’s Secret model, she’s 34 and has two children. She also has a passion for Pilates, which is why I have an interest in her.

Last week, pictures were released in the press of Alessandra at a Pilates session in the US, having returned from a job in Paris. What got me thinking was not the colour or pattern of her leggings (as the press seem to be obsessed with) but the nature of the Pilates class she was attending. You will see from the picture below that the class is in the middle of a large gym (in Brentwood), and the instructor is mic’d-up. Whilst I am not directly criticising the gym or instructor, this is not the way or the environment that I teach Pilates, nor is it the way I think Pilates should be taught.

Alessandra Ambrosio Pilates

One of the reasons why I created PilatesEVO was because I saw how many teachers ignored the mind/body connection, the awareness of body movement, the focus on proprioception. This is why I stress mindfulness meditation to my students. So my question for you today is this, can Pilates be taught properly and effectively in an open gym environment, with presumably the talking, grunting and groaning of other gym users, with music, and the noise of equipment, that necessitates the instructor using a microphone?

Please whisper your answers to me via this blog, or of course if you want to chat privately then email me.

Chris Hunt is a Pilates and functional training presenter and educator based in London and Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also created Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. He organises Pilates events, retreats, fitness holidays and sports holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza. For more information about training with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris Hunt, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.

Chris Hunt pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntwellness.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.

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Rebecca Judd: Pilates, Pilates, Pilates!

Rebecca Judd Pilates Chris Hunt Pilates

www.chrishuntpilates.com

Rebecca Judd: Pilates, Pilates, Pilates!

It was only six months ago that Rebecca Judd caused a backlash on social media after she posted a super skinny bikini selfie. See my previous post Rebecca Judd: Skinny on Pilates. This post received so much feedback from the Pilates community that I thought it appropriate to write again about Rebecca today.

Some would say that she certainly cut a somewhat healthier figure as she attended the opening day of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia on Monday in Sydney.

The model, mother and business entrepreneur, 31, is married to AFL player Chris Judd, who she revealed is also a Pilates fan. The fashion savvy clotheshorse and blogger also revealed she’s busy juggling her a slew of priorities, including presenting, her rug line, website and being a mother: ‘I’m working 7 days a week at the moment. It’s a juggle, they’re not full days but its about putting time aside for the kids.’

Speaking about her figure, she said “It’s all about Pilates, Pilates, Pilates, Pilates. I wish I could run but I just don’t have time. And I just work out on (husband) Chris’ reformer equipment all the time, in his man cave. And there’s a spin bike down there I use… it’s all about being fit and strong and toned.’

Bec gave birth to her daughter Billie Kate in January 2014 and son Oscar three years before.

I suspect that the new pictures will not create the intense feedback that her previous pictures did, but as always it is a matter of opinion as to what is right or wrong, don’t you agree?

Chris Hunt is a Pilates and functional training presenter and educator based in London and Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also created Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. He organises Pilates events, retreats, fitness holidays and sports holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza. For more information about training with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris Hunt, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.

Chris Hunt pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntwellness.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.

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Health Retreats Barcelona are in fashion

health retreats barcelona

Health Retreats Barcelona are in fashion

Recent surveys show that more and more people are choosing a healthy holiday

The Great British Public are, finally, changing their holiday habits. New research we are studying at Barcelona Bienestar, a health, fitness and sport holiday business based in Catalunya, shows that the number of British people planning a fitness holiday has doubled in the past year, with around one in two people considering an activity-based break as opposed to the traditional ‘fly and flop’ vacation.

The survey found that one in the three people wanted to ‘tone up’ whilst on holiday and a quarter of people surveyed said they would like to lose weight. In contrast, only one out of twenty people said they would want to go on a group drinking holiday. Separate research by a travel company found that staying active while on vacation is now important for 82 percent of people.

Most popular activiites included Pilates, yoga, boot camp, walking and cycling.

More and more people are saying no thanks to over indulging on holiday, and instead they are choosing much healthier pursuits. It’s way too early to think that this could be the demise of the boozy Brits abroad stereotype, but it is a very positive step in the right direction.

health retreats barcelona

At Barcelona Bienestar fitness, sport and wellbeing holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza, we give people the chance to get away from their normal life with all the associated stresses and strains on a health retreat Barcelona, and spend quality time in beautiful locations whilst also refreshing their body and mind. We have a wide range of holidays. On our detox, yoga and meditation retreats, clients immerse themselves into programs designed to make mind and body healthier. Our fitness holidays feature many different activities in both personal training and group training, such as boot camp, Pilates, boxing, HIIT and TRX. These are designed for all levels of fitness, and we work closely with you to achieve all your goals. We also offer sport holidays where you can try new sports such as SUP, surfing, snowboarding, beach volleyball, cycling, hiking, golf, kite surfing and many more.

All of our fitness professionals you will meet on Health Retreat Barcelona are fully qualified in everything they teach. Most countries are not as regulated as the UK when it comes to fitness and health instruction, so be careful when abroad. You can trust Health Retreat Barcelona with you health and fitness.

Health Retreats Barcelona can be designed to meet all requirements, so for example you can have a mixture of fitness sessions and trying different sports. Also do not forget that you are on holiday in beautiful locations, so the full holiday experience can also include day trips, city tours, time to relax on beautiful beaches, and also entry to the best restaurants and clubs.

The attitude that a holiday should be over-indulging and going over the top are long gone. We know that you can return from a holiday feeling refreshed, fitter, healthier and having tried and learnt new training techniques and sports. You can also have a personally designed health and fitness plan to continue to follow.

Pilates makes you taller: Just a tall story?


Chris Hunt Pilates makes you taller Miss World

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Pilates: A tall story?

Regular readers of my blog will know that I am happy to talk about how Pilates in being reported and represented in the International Press, and I think it is important that we all know what is being said.

As some of the world celebrated Women’s Day yesterday, I was reading during my flight from London home to Barcelona an interview with Rosanna Davison, the former Miss World and daughter of the aging singer Chris de Burgh (admit it, you have sung Lady in Red into the mirror using your hairbrush as a microphone….)

Rosanna, who is now 30, won Miss World in 2003. She did an interview with an Irish newspaper and told them that she has been doing Pilates since she was 18, and she says she has added a half-an-inch to her own height since she became a devotee. She told the Sunday Independent: “I’ve stretched out about half-an-inch through Pilates – I was 5ft 9 and now I am 5ft 9-and-a-half inches.
“It’s a known effect from practising it regularly. Pilates helps to elongate and lengthen muscles, improves posture and plumps up the cushioning discs of our spine.”

Apparently it runs in the family, as her mother Diane – who encouraged her model daughter to take up Pilates in the first place – also insists she has grown taller by practising the exercises. Diane took it up as part of her fitness regime after she broke her neck in a horse-riding accident in the mid 90s.
Rosanna added: “My mum really noticed these benefits too. We’ve been going to two-three classes a week for 13 years, so it does need to be consistent. I have been doing it since the early 2000s, so I suppose my mum and I were a bit ahead of the curve.”

She also said that Pilates has helped her cope with stress, boost her confidence and improve her posture.

“It is so important to feel you are doing the best you can at your level of ability. Then you will always feel confident in yourself. Back when I wasn’t quite so into fitness and nutrition, I would have felt less confident in myself. I think it’s about knowing you are pushing your own limits and achieving your own personal goals. I am competitive. But these days, I only compete with myself.”

Three hours of Pilates at a local studio is now her weekly routine, which also includes two hours of gym-training and another hour of running or time on the cross-trainer. She also follows a strict dairy and gluten-free vegan diet.

Rosanna is not the only person who says that they have “grown” due to Pilates. Jennifer Aniston has said Pilates “makes me feel taller”, while singer Belinda Carlisle claims to have grown over two inches after practising it for eight years.

Today I want to ask you what is your experience and opinion about this topic of getting taller. What do you tell your clients? Of course “getting taller” is something that a lot of people associate with Pilates, and I have even heard some suggest that Pilates machines stretch the body is a similar way to ancient torture equipment! Of course we all know that the reality is that Pilates certainly makes people feel taller, and it can also add some physical “height” as the posture improves and people stand up more.

Rosanna’s comments in my opinion do nothing to help the credibility of Pilates, but as I have said before, no news is bad news? Now where is my hairbrush and mirror…. “Lady in Red, is dancing with me……”

The next PilatesEVO educations will be in Jordan in April, and in Minsk, London and Barcelona on May. Please click on PilatesEVO Educations for more information.

Chris Hunt is a Pilates and functional training presenter and educator based in London and Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also created Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. He organises Pilates events, retreats, fitness holidays and sports holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza. For more information about training with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris Hunt, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.

Chris Hunt pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntwellness.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.

Madonna falls for Pilates

Madonna Chris Hunt Pilates www.chrishuntpilates.com

Madonna Falls for Pilates

I have explained before that I am not obsessed with celebrity. Honestly. I have never bought Hello Magazine. What I am obsessed with is Pilates. And whilst not every one agrees, it’s my opinion that if someone starts Pilates because their friend, neighbour, sporting hero or favourite celebrity does Pilates, then why not?

I’ve had comments about glamorising Pilates, about how privileged celebrities are, about creating false hope, even about living on a different planet. But I am sure that I live on planet Earth (most of the time) and so whilst I always respect everyone’s opinion, it is my humble opinion that these people are missing the point of my posts and they are taking everything a little too seriously. All I am doing is raising the awareness of Pilates. If you do not or can not understand that, then it is your choice not to read my blog today! 🙂

I am sure we have all now seen Madonna’s fall at the 2015 Brit Awards at the London o2 arena.  It has been all over the internet and social media. We also all know that Madonna has been practising Pilates for many years and in my blog I have had some tongue-in-cheek fun with posts about her in the past, see my blogs:

Madonna Queen of Pilates,

Madonna Showers after Pilates,

Madonna’s Crotch.

This weekend,  the UK television channel ITV will screen an interview with Madonna on the Jonathon Ross Show, and when asked about why she was not more seriously injured by her recent fall, Madge says that it’s because she knows how to fall having fallen of her horse many times, but that also she has a strong core.

So we can thank Pilates for ensuring that the show goes on for the Queen of Pop!

Chris Hunt is a Pilates and functional training presenter and educator based in London and Barcelona, Spain. He is the creator of Pilates EVO©, bodyFUNC©, and CEO of Pilates Rehab Limited and Sport Core Strength.  He also created Pilates Carnival and Fitness Carnival, conventions where all profits go to local children’s charities. He organises Pilates events, retreats, fitness holidays and sports holidays in Barcelona and Ibiza. For more information about training with Chris in Barcelona, please click on Barcelona Bienestar. To learn more about Chris Hunt, please read Just who is Chris Hunt anyway? You can also subscribe by completing the form on the this BLOG to receive articles and special offers straight to your inbox.

Chris Hunt pays all profits made from this BLOG to his charity partners. More details can be found by clicking on www.chrishuntwellness.com and selecting the “charity partners” tab.