How A Top PT Stays In Shape
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@MOVEWITHMILLIEPT
My morning rituals help to keep my anxiety at bay. I’m a morning person and love the peace and quiet – there’s something so restful about slowly starting your day while the world is waking up. Even if I only have ten minutes, a quick guided meditation, journalling and gratitude practice make all the difference. If I only have time for one, it would be meditation. Journalling, meanwhile, has been game-changing, especially when it comes to soothing anxiety – I also like to do it before bed. I’ve recently started with affirmations, too. One that currently resonates with me is ‘I am in the right place at the right time doing the right thing.’
I train my first client at 7am. During the week the schedule is full on, so fitting in quality nutrition when I can matters. I always start the day with a protein shake, using Form Superblend Protein powder as the base and adding spinach, banana, apple, pineapple and rice milk. Around 11am, I’ll have a couple of eggs and avocado on toast or smoked salmon and half an avocado. I’ll sometimes add in a spoonful of smoked kimchi – it’s great for gut health.
Protein keeps me full and aids muscle health. I don’t snack much throughout the day, but if I do, you can’t beat a bowl of full fat Greek yoghurt with raspberries, blueberries and mixed seeds. If I have time on the weekend, I’ll make a batch of protein chocolate muffins, using Form’s unflavoured Pure Blend protein powder.
I couldn’t live without my steamer. I eat a rounded, balanced diet and am always conscious of getting a good balance across all three macros – protein, carbs and fats. My go-to evening meal is salmon or cod with vegetables, brown rice and sweet potato, all of which I cook in my steamer. It’s so easy to put everything in and it’s a much healthier way of cooking. I’ll often batch cook at the start of the week, whether it’s a tomato and lentil soup which I then top with feta or halloumi; or a salad of quinoa, lentils and mixed beans.
Plant-based food doesn’t need to be boring. My vegan coconut curry is always a real hit with friends. I use sweet potato, chickpeas, aubergine and make my own spice paste. Melissa Hemsley also has some great recipes that are always crowd-pleasers – her mac and cauliflower cheese is a favourite.
@WORKSHOPGYMNASIUM; @BUNSFROMHOME
@DAYLESFORDFARM
Nothing beats a lazy Saturday lunch. I eat healthy 80% of the time, leaving 20% for treats at the weekend. I tend to work on a Saturday morning but love a late lunch with friends – it doesn’t get better than bowls of pasta at Zuma. On a Sunday morning, I’ll pick up a cinnamon bun from Buns at Home in Notting Hill. If I’m entertaining at home, I’ll make harissa baked eggs for brunch.
Where possible, I buy organic. I love to go to my local farmer’s market in Notting Hill Gate on a Saturday morning. They have an amazing selection of fresh produce from a range of buyers. Buying at a farmer’s market also helps me eat what’s in season – this month it’s all about warming root vegetables. I’ll also pick up a bunch of seasonal flowers from Grange Nursery and a jar of local honey from Bee Friendly. On the way home, I pick up Daylesford organic eggs, bananas, organic Greek yoghurt, avocados and spinach from Bens Grocers on Westbourne Grove. If I’m making soup, I’ll also pick up a pack of Daylesford’s chicken bone broth – there’s nothing else like it.
Having freedom around food choices is important to me. Eating out is one of life’s great pleasures, as is a takeaway enjoyed at home with friends. I love my local Italian – Mediterraneo on Kensington Park Road. My go-to dish is the ricotta tortellini with a rocket salad. Gold on Portobello Road is another of my local favourites – I always order the cauliflower dish and the mushrooms on toast. Sumi on Westbourne Grove is also great for sushi. When it comes to takeaways, Holy Cow is great for Indian and Rosa’s Thai does the best Thai green curry with coconut rice.
I try to avoid inflammatory oils. I steer clear of anything made with rapeseed or vegetable oils – they can be inflammatory for the body. Check that your nut butter doesn’t contain these oils – it can be a hidden source, especially peanut butter. I also don’t eat red meat.
Every day, I have a couple of squares of dark chocolate. I love 80% origin chocolate and find just a small amount gives me the hit of sweet I need. On the weekend, though, I’ll treat myself to a bar of Ombar Coco Milk and Hazelnut Truffle, and a few glasses of wine – ideally a malbec, primitivo or pinot noir.
@MOVEWITHMOLLIEPT
Three times a year, I do a seasonal cleanse. Detox with Alana is great – she provides full support through the seven days and though it can be challenging, the results are worth it. I always feel like a new woman after – my skin is glowing, my eyes are brighter and I feel less sluggish. I’m currently in the process of organising a retreat at The LifeCo Wellness in Phuket – it’ll be my first retreat of 2023 and I’m so excited.
Supplements are essential. Altrient is my go-to brand – they have an impressive bioavailability (meaning they are absorbed quickly and efficiently by the body) and are clinically proven. I take their liposomal vitamins B and C daily, and have noticed a difference in my immunity and skin, which is brighter and clearer. I have also recently discovered the benefits of supplementing with glutathione – the body’s master antioxidant – which helps detox the liver and kidneys as well as playing an essential role in muscle fatigue and recovery.
I do reformer Pilates five days a week. When I was a model, I used to do hours of cardio and was always trying the latest fad diet, then restricting, and then overeating. Today, I don’t put pressure on myself to move every day and instead listen to what my body needs, which means I won’t hesitate to take a rest day if I need it. During my workouts, I’ll do exercises on the reformer as well as lifting weights and conditioning. I tend to do a ‘push’ and ‘pull’ split so I am working the body evenly and not overtraining. I also walk and cycle around London to get to my clients.
Self-care is essential for quality sleep. How you sleep starts from the moment you wake up, so I try to keep this in mind throughout the day. For example, I’ll only ever do HIIT in the morning, not the evening and always have an infrared sauna after lifting weights to kickstart the recovery process. A few hours before bed, I ensure all screens are switched off; I run a bath using Neal’s Yard lavender oil and get lost in a good book. I am currently reading Freedom by Johnathan Franzen.
The right treatments help me unwind. For sports recovery and lymphatic drainage, I love Re Place. It also has an incredible meditation pod, which makes meditation much easier and infinitely more relaxing. For massage, I rate Koia in Notting Hill Gate and OM on Ledbury Road, and I have regular acupuncture at Pricc for tension headaches and migraines. For a day off, it doesn’t get better than Bath House in Belgravia, and for at-home relaxation, Higher Dose’s infrared sauna blanket instantly gets rid of toxins and leaves you glowing and full of energy.
For more information & wellness inspiration follow @MoveWithMilliePT on Instagram.
@MOVEWITHMOLLIEPT
SHOP MILLIE'S EDIT
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