Why I love to . . . do Pilates

Lots of my life is spent inside boxes – the house, tour van, aeroplanes, theatres and radio stations. After the birth of my second child, I was desperate to explore something outside of my comfort zone and I stumbled upon Pilates. Even though it takes place in a room, it’s my time to take a moment for myself, to breathe and soften.

Balancing “me time” with motherhood, work commitments with childcare along with a partner whose work takes him away from home for weeks at a time isn’t easy, but once I started to go to a physio-led Pilates class once a week I found that for that entire hour I didn’t think about anything else apart from breathing and moving my body. I try to get to a class at least once a week and I practise for 15 minutes at home most days.

Stronger

Apart from giving my brain a rest, it’s made me stronger physically and mentally and, after a class, I feel as though I have been ironed out and have grown two inches! It’s built me back up after pregnancy and helped me recognise when I need to check in on my anxiety, especially when it builds up it feels like a monkey sitting heavily on my shoulders.

Whether it’s getting on stage to perform or doing the school run, Pilates has helped me find balance.