17 September 2015
As a young woman, balancing a life oozing with all things health must be a wonderful one, not to mention an engagement, a wonderful website, and days filled with Pilates, and so if you hadn’t guessed already, our newest inspiration is the wonderful Lottie Murphy. As the undisputed queen of all things Pilates, an inspiringly healthy recipe creator, a YouTube sensation and a genuinely lovely person, is there anything Lottie Murphy can’t do? We speak to her to find out more!
LOTTIE’S DAY ON A PLATE
BREAKFAST
Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day and I try to vary it regularly. It’s usually a smoothie, porridge or eggs and avocado on toast.
LUNCH
Lunch is normally leftovers from dinner the night before if I’ve been organised or rye bread with smashed avocado and tomatoes.
DINNER
My favourite dinner is a stir fry with lots of yummy vegetables and a tahini and coconut sauce. I love adding quinoa and salmon too.
SNACKS
I snack a lot to keep my energy levels up throughout the day as I’m teaching and always on the go. I love making my own cookies and bliss balls. I could also eat tubs of hummus! And I have dark chocolate pretty much every day, I’m definitely a chocoholic!
YOU WENT TO BALLET SCHOOL THOUGH PILATES APPEARS TO BE YOUR ‘THING’; HOW DID YOU DISCOVER PILATES AND WHEN DID YOU KNOW IT WAS SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO PURSUE AS A CAREER?
I loved Pilates at Ballet school, we had to do it every day and I feel it was my dedication to Pilates that allowed me to remain uninjured, fit and healthy for a whole 3 years of intense training. I then continued to practice Pilates after ballet college and especially became hooked on Reformer Pilates which made me feel stronger and more flexible than in my dancing days. In 2012, I trained with the respected Body Control Pilates and haven’t looked back since.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE TO SOMEONE WHO WANTED TO TRY PILATES BUT WASN’T SURE WHERE OR HOW TO START?
I would say start with mat Pilates to learn the basic principles and be patient with it. If you are used to high intensity training then Pilates might feel like you aren’t really doing much at first until learn to work the deeper intrinsic muscles. Breathing and slowing down the body is key and learning to control your movements. There’s Pilates in most towns now but make sure you find a good level 3 qualified instructor.
ASIDE FROM PILATES, WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE WAYS TO WORK OUT?
I love yoga as it’s a little more flowing then Pilates so makes a nice change and I love that I can practice and not be in teacher mode. I’m enjoying going to Barry’s Bootcamp once a week too as it get’s my heart rate up and definitely makes me feel the burn for a couple of days. Other than that I do my Pilates and walk a lot.
JUST LIKE US, YOU’RE TOTALLY OBSESSED WITH ACTIVE WEAR, WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE BRANDS, AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO YOU TO WEAR GOOD QUALITY WORKOUT GEAR?
I love Sweaty Betty. Sweaty Betty was my first active wear love and I am now an ambassador for them so get to try out all the lovely new kit. As well as having great designs and stylish cuts, the quality is very good and this is an important way to make you feel confident and comfortable when working out. I also love Adidas and Nike to feel a little more empowered when doing higher intensity training. It’s funny I associate brands with my mood and what type of workout I’m doing.
YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL IS OUR GO-TO WHEN WE NEED A WORKOUT SESH! HOW HAVE YOU FOUND YOUTUBE DIFFERS FROM BLOGGING IN TERMS OF ENGAGING WITH YOUR READERS?
YouTube allows me to show a little bit more of my personality and I think my readers feel more engaged with me through a video. I get lovely feedback from my videos and it just makes me so happy that people are able to get 10 minutes of Pilates or some healthy lifestyle advice in during a busy day, and feel inspired.
DESPITE WORKING IN SUCH A HECTIC AND COMPETITIVE INDUSTRY, YOU ALWAYS SEEM TO HAVE A SMILE ON YOUR FACE! HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO STAY POSITIVE?
Aww thank you. I’m so grateful for everything I have in my life: my family, friends, career, home, and lifestyle. I also just try not to get stressed out by things that don’t really matter. Taking a few deep breaths throughout my day really helps my mood too.
YOU HAVE BECOME A HUGE INSPIRATION TO SO MANY IN THE HEALTH WORLD, BUT WHO INSPIRES YOU IN YOUR DAY-TO-DAY LIFE?
So many health and fitness bloggers and influences inspire me daily. I love the online community. However, it’s my mum who inspires me daily. My mum is so kind, positive and fun every single day, I honesty don’t know how she does it! I often think “what would Mum do?”
BALANCING A PRETTY BUSY LIFESTYLE, YOU MUST HAVE TO RELY ON LONDON’S ARRAY OF HEALTH STORES OCCASIONALLY… WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE HEALTH SPOTS?
I work really near a Planet Organic so I often go there for a Matcha Latte pick me up or a veggie bowl. My favourite place to eat for lunch or dinner for a treat is Le Pain Quotidian.
WE LOVE THAT YOU’RE ALL ABOUT BALANCE, SO WE WOULD LOVE TO KNOW, DO YOU HAVE ANY GUILTY PLEASURES?
I do love a drink with my friends. I try to stick to a couple of glasses of red wine but I love bubbles and can never resist champagne or Prosecco. Instead of a greasy kebab at the end of the night though, you’ll find me with a big bowl of healthy granola- the best midnight munchies!
LETS SAY YOU HAVE TO JET OFF TO A DESERT ISLAND AND CAN ONLY TAKE THREE THINGS WITH YOU. WHAT WOULD YOU PICK?
A good book, coconut oil and my fiancée.
WE COULDN’T POSSIBLY NOT CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR ENGAGEMENT, SO CONGRATULATIONS! HOW WILL YOU BE PREPARING FOR THE BIG DAY?
Thank you so much. It was such a lovely surprise. We aren’t rushing preparations but I’ll definitely be spending a lot more time of Pinterest!
AND LASTLY, WHAT’S NEXT IN THE PIPELINE FOR LOTTIE MURPHY?
In a couple of weeks I am jetting off on a retreat with Neal’s Yard Remedies which I am so excited for and I will also be graduating as a holistic health coach from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition so I’m really excited to start coaching clients before Christmas. I am also planning on doing lots more The Body events, which are such a fun and lovely way of getting like-minded people together to do Pilates and eat yummy homemade food! I love making new friends!
To see more on all things Lottie Murphy, check out her wonderful website here: http://www.lottiemurphy.com
Photo credit – Gary Morrisroe www.garymorrisroephotography.co.uk Instagram : @garymorrisroe
