Autumn smoothie

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We’re a little obsessed with the Autumn colours at the moment which was the inspiration for this smoothie! Its a powerful one with tons of goodness in it. We’ve used the juicer AND the blender so a little washing up to do, but you could just take out the sweet potatoes and whizz up the rest in a powerful blender.

Juice the following :

  • 2 apples
  • 3 beetroots
  • 1 sweet potato
  • a handful of red grapes
  • a handful of cherry tomatoes

Put the juice into the blender and add the following :

  • a large handful of your favourite berries
  • 1 banana
  • a glass of almond milk
  • a sprinkling of bee pollen

Enjoy! x

Ready. Set. Craft.

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leaves

Autumn is in full swing and isn’t she beautiful!! The combination of sunny weather and gorgeous colours of the trees are getting us right in the mood for Autumn. And in preparation for our Urban Day retreat in Walthamstow, we’ve been  been getting our craft on and making some samples of the macrame plant holders, which we will be making on the day…which I have to say are looking amazing dotted around my house now!!  I guess this would be a good point to mention why we add a crafting element to our weekend and day retreats. We feel that adding something fun and crafty, that gets you using your mind and body in a creative way is not only incredibly satisfying and useful  we think, it plays an important role in the tuning out process. Its completely optional on our weekends retreats, but its great fun if you do. You learn a new skill and take something home that can be gifted or kept as a memory in your home of your time with us. You never know, perhaps you’ll find a new passion along the way…

Onto today’s post. Did we hear someone mention Christmas?? Its true, its just around the corner and it got us thinking…GIFTS! Nothing beats a homemade gift. If you’re short on time then there’s loads of options that don’t take so long (scrubs, flavoured booze, fudge) and most of these are really cheap to make too! Much quicker and easier than that mad dash around the shops buying stuff for your loved ones that they don’t even like! So here’s our round up of our favourite homemade gifts for this year. Click for the links for how to make and yes family/friends you can expect these in your stockings this year!

So our top 10 homemade gifts to get cracking on with are…

terrariums1. HOMEMADE TERRARIUM

IMG_61972. PLANT HOLDERS.

finishedscrub3. HOMEMADE SUGAR SCRUB.

tye-dyesocks4. TYE DYE SOCKS.

b1d5da0a46a7f691e66e6eb4b21f122a5. CHOCOLATE SLABS.

bathfizzes6. BATH FIZZES.

4c7da117cca52cf21ee2aac4e3c5d0e07. FLAVOURED BOOZE.

lemon_curd_68499_16x98. LEMON CURD.

woolyhat9. KNITTED WOOLY HATS.

candles10. HOMEMADE CANDLES.

IMG_5033(Squeezing in a last one..) 11. FUDGE, TRUFFLES and OTHER TREATS!

Our favourite nourishing soups for Autumn.

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The weather is treating us kindly this week so we’re making the most of the last rays of sunshine and getting out at every opportunity! But you can feel the cooler snap in the wind and its making us get ready for a little hibernation, roaring fires, crispy leaves and cosy homemade soups. We’re slightly obsessed with the Hemsley+Hemsley cook book at the moment, and we’re reminded how good a bone broth is for us. It really should be the basis of every soup you make and its surprisingly simple and cheap to make. Bone broth is so good for us as the bones are super rich in proteins and minerals. It supports detoxification and digestive health and is an all round winner when it comes to health and well being.

HOW TO MAKE BONE BROTH.

  • Reserve the carcass from your roast chicken (preferably organic) or ask your local butcher for a load of bones and carcasses.
  • Chuck in a pot with any leftover veg, use up your ends and unwanted parts or anything you’ve got lying around in the fridge. Onions, leeks, carrots, celery.
  • Add a  bunch of herbs plus a lemon cut in half.
  • Cover with water and cook for at least 6 hours for chicken and even up to 12.
  • Use in the below recipes in place of stock cubes or freeze in batches for use later.

OUR FAVOURITE NOURISHING SOUPS FOR AUTUMN.

redeeming-green-soup-with-lemon-and-cayenne-recipe-1

‘REDEEMING GREEN SOUP WITH LEMON AND CAYENNE’ from Cookie & Kate

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‘LENTIL, TOMATO AND SPINACH SOUP’ from Jamie Oliver

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‘RESTORATIVE CHICKEN SOUP’ from Hemsley + Hemsley

Why everyone should try retreating…

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collectmomentsnotthings

This time 2 weeks ago myself and Katherine took ourselves on a weekend Yoga retreat. What a treat! We figured, how can we preach why its so good to go on a retreat if we don’t sample it ourselves, right? It was great to be on the other side of hosting and be hosted for a change. And our hosts did not disappoint. We went to, of course relax and restore after a busy summer but the weekend also offered up lots of inspiration plus we got to check out some exciting new venues for the Tune Out Retreats on the way, more on that another time.  It really set in stone for us why everyone needs a little retreating in there lives for time to time. It doesn’t have to be for a long time, expensive or luxurious. There are so many different types of retreats out there these days its really about finding something that suits your budget, time, and what you want out of it. Watch out for those ‘retreat’ labels which could end up costing thousands…a retreat could be a simple as taking a day off and turning your phone off.

So whilst we’re still daydreaming about our weekend and trying to hang on to the retreat feeling, we thought it would be a good time put down on paper why we went and why we’ll be  giving ourselves a retreat again next year. For sure!

You reconnect with your body. When you spend a weekend tuning into your body, different things can come up, some things feel easier and maybe some things feel harder. But you get an over all sense of connection to your body and your feelings when all the other ‘stuff’ is stripped away and that can feel pretty empowering.

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You get to sit still. Can you honestly say you still and do nothing at any point in your day? (Not when your sleeping?!) Being on a retreat, in whatever version you choose, allows you to have the opportunity to do that. Whether its in one of the relaxation sessions, curled up on a sofa with a book, or taking in the gorgeous view for a moment. In a world that you get praised for doing more stuff in less time, its not often that we are forced to do nothing and its feels great!

You get to be creative.  Being creative isn’t just being arty or good at making stuff. Change inspires creativity in lots of ways and retreats can offer up a whole load of new things to try out. Maybe a new Pilates exercise or Yoga posture or eating different foods or getting a little craft on. We kind of got addicted to the colouring in books on our retreat, inspired by Anna’s love of them, we were able to colour as we wished in our free time, and we got hooked!

colouriung

Someone takes care of YOU for a change. Not having to think about what we were eating for more than 2 whole days and being greeted at every meal with wholesome, hearty, healthy food was such a treat. Knowing that you’re nourishing our bodies feels good but when its someone else doing the thinking and cooking for you, then that’s a real treat!

You get to be someone else for a little while. We all have roles to play and schedules to follow in our day to day. Those things are stripped away on a retreat, if only for a short time, and you have the choice to spend your weekend how you like. You can either fully engaged with the group and surroundings and do all the activities OR you can retreat to a corner with a book, go for a walk and/or be on your own. No questions asked.

 

Thank you so much to our lovely hosts Anna and Monique. You can check out their  super Yoga retreats here.

xx

 

3 moves to make you… STRONG

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recite-30785-2004902132-hi824y

As Pilates teachers, its important for us to keep up our self practice. In a bid to get a little stronger, I’ve recently been trying out lots of different classes at studios near to where I live. And it got me thinking about how much variation there is out there. Not only the type of Pilates (there are loads!) but the style in which they are taught, the individual style of the teacher that day, the class plan, the equipment used, etc etc. Personally, I think its a good thing to keep mixing things up in terms of exercise. Not only trying out new things that will keep you fit, healthy (and interested)  but when it comes to say a Pilates class, not to stick with the same exercises all the time, and in my classes I like to throw in different variations, combinations and keep things fresh. It not only challenges a different part of the body (that maybe hasn’t been woken up for a while!) but also focuses the brain and therefore allows some time to switch off from your normal thought patterns. BUT sometimes Pilates can get a little over complicated. I experienced this recently at a class, when being told to ‘hold this piece of equipment, whilst doing a squat on 1 leg and twist around to the side.’ WOW! What am I actually getting from this apart from twisted up like a bad pretzel. Which brings us on to today’s post. Don’t forget the basics. These exercises are classics because they just work and do a good job. That’s why teachers go back to them time and time again. Like me.

So some advice for anyone trying to stay fit and healthy. Keep it simple, Get sweaty a few times a week, and add the below exercises into your routine to build strength. They just work!

PS. Thanks to East of Eden studio for allowing us to do some filming. I can be found  teaching there Tuesday nights and Thursday mornings. Check out their online timetable for more classes.

Remember to take your time (the video are sped up!), and connect with your core and breath throughout. People working with an injury/condition should visit your local teacher first before trying these out.

The Hundreds. Kick start your breath and lungs, make your core hot and stretch your spine. WIN WIN. Keep looking down, keep curling in and up and lengthen your tail bone towards the ground.

Leg Kicks. (variation) Keep moving your hips to the ground during the kicks and don’t lift the head too high. Think of length throughout. This ones going to make your back and bum strong! Plus stretching your hips and torso.

Side Lift. Working the obliques (waist) as well as lengthening and stretching the other side. You’ll get strong arms and a tight waist. Remember to keep moving the front ribs to the hips.

 

 

 

 

Autumn is coming…are you ready?

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warmsocks

Its true! Its on its way. How you feeling about that? Personally, we’re suckers for a season change, especially Autumn. Everyone comes back to their Pilates classes…yay, and we do love to get all organised in a back to school kind of way. But more seriously, the cold, wet and darker days can have a REAL impact on our health and well being. After all we are a part of nature ourselves and therefore we’re going to celebrate the turning of the seasons with a little tuneout guide to preparing for the Autumn.

Are you suffering from post summer burn out? Yep we’re feeling it too. Its great to enjoy the summer and lets face it, its pretty short lived in this country so we’ve got to make the most of it! But all those late summer nights, after work drinks and festivals can take their toll on our bodies leaving us needing a little pick me up. So here goes…

  • Be boring. In our ‘do it all‘ culture and constant updates on other peoples lives via our smart phones the pressure is always on to get more stuff done and be a better version of you. And that’s great, its always good to be inspired and strive to be your best but when taken to the extreme that can have the opposite effect on our health creating a bit of a multi tasking monster!!! So maybe for a little while could you try doing LESS stuff? It might just be a couple for days or even a week, until you feel less wired and more tuned in to YOU. Try eating simple, uncomplicated, clean foods, go out less, drink less, exercise slowly with some Yoga, Pilates or Tai Chi, finish work on time, turn your technology off, read and potter. And once doing so hopefully allowing some space not only in the body but mentally too for the start of a lovely new season…
  • Mix it up. Could you change your daily routine? We love doing this as its stimulates the brain, leaving us feeling revived and refreshed.

Could you…

  • Get to bed earlier. With the darker nights, we’re not going to feel bad about sneaking off to bed at 9:30pm. Nope. If you struggle with getting off to sleep you could try our recently posted ‘How to Tune Out…last thing at night’
  • If you’re getting to bed a little earlier, could you get up earlier in the morning? Try re-setting your alarm to allow for an extra 15 minutes, which might allow some time for the following – a 10 minute Headspace meditation. A morning stretch. A hot water and lemon. A mindful breakfast.
  • See sunlight. Whatever you’re day entails, try to get outside. In your lunch break or hopping off your commute a stop early and walking the rest of the way.
  • Make some plans. Sit down and think about who you’d like to see over the next few months, things you’d like to do and see. Life can move so fast sometimes we get caught up in the day to day and those special moments can pass us by. Catch up with some old friends, book a retreat (!) workshop or start a new project.
  • Bring your green inside. The garden might be on the turn but there’s still loads of homegrown veggies that you can plant up in your container garden just now. Or you could buy some indoor plants and help to detoxify the air with these species.
  • Mix up your midweek meals. Have you been eating the same things for a while? What about cooking some new recipes or checking out your local farmers market for some inspiration and the best fresh seasonal food.

hellosept

 

Super power beetroot juice..

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Beetroot juiceOk so the title might be a slight exaggeration BUT this juice DOES pack a punch and will make you feel super duper. Try ditching your morning or afternoon coffee and have this instead? We make big batches of this to drink through the week. Feel free to play around with the quantities to suit your taste. We do enjoy a juice or a smoothie here at Tune Out and we like to treat all our retreaters to some of our concoctions!! Hope you like this one…

  • Raw beetroot, carrot and apple (we used around 5 of each)
  • Ginger (a thumbs worth)
  • Red grapes (a handful)
  • Lemon juice (we used 1)
  • Apple cider vinegar (a splash)

Put all the ingredients, except the lemon juice and cider vinegar, through the juicer, then add the rest. Stir and enjoy!

 

Urban Day Retreats in London

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This morning we wanted to share an exciting new side of TUNEOUT that we launched earlier this year. Every couple of months, when we’re not retreating somewhere in the countryside with you guys, we’re going to be running day and half day urban retreats based around London. We realise, for everyone its not always possible to give up the time and money to attend a full weekend retreat but its still super important to our health and well being to take that much needed ‘you time’ even more so when you live in this crazy old city called London! This is really cool for us as it allows us to indulge in all our passions (one of those being helping you to feel better!) The idea is you join us for either a few hours or the full day, we move, we make and we definitely relax. We add in loads of little tuneout treats throughout the day to make you feel extra special and you leave feeling pretty damn fine! No experience is required in either Pilates or craft, and EVERYONE is welcome, you just turn up, as with our retreats and let us guide you through the day. So first of all make sure you subscribe to hear about it first as spaces are limited, then you book yourself in and turn up. Easy peasy. You can find the details of our next one (in November) below, and really we hope to see you there for some good quality tuneout time….

Laura and Katherine x

move,make.mend

M O V E. M A K E. M E N D.

SUNDAY 8th NOVEMBER 2-5PM

Hosted by Laura Hogg & Katherine Pentecost

Venue : East of Eden Walthamstow. London E17

We’re heading back to the lovely East of Eden studio for a breezy autumn afternoon of Pilates, crafting and relaxation. You’ll get all the best bits of one of our weekend retreats squeezed into an afternoon.

Starting the afternoon with an energising and cleansing juice/smoothie, followed by a class designed to get you to MOVE around lots and allow the creative juices to flow. The class is suitable for all levels. Then after a little break it will be time to MAKE. We’ll be getting our craft on and this time making a super cool macrame plant holder. (Similar to the one below) with of course tea and cake (of the healthy variety) Then to finish, time to MEND. A deep relaxation, stretch and mini massages.

Nice yes? We hope to see you there…

To book contact tuneoutpilatesretreats@gmail.com or call 07817604846
Cost £35 per person including all teas/juice and craft material

macrame

How To Tune Out…..last thing at night

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sleep

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morning all…feeling ‘fresh as a daisy’ this morning? No? Did you sleep well last night? Did you get your 7-8 hours of uninterrupted, deep, nourishing kip? If the answer is no then don’t worry, you’re not alone.

We’re always reading and being told that getting enough sleep is really important for good health and general well being. We know we always feel better after a good nights rest, but for a lot of us, getting to sleep and staying asleep can be a frustrating and exhausting process.

Being a new(ish) mum I’m pretty obsessed with sleeping. Not only for my daughter but also for myself! I used to be a great sleeper, but then half way through my pregnancy it all started to go down hill, and I’ve never quite regained that lovely perfect nights sleep. And although I realise perfect sleeping might be a thing of the past  for me, there’s a ton of external factors that have a huge impact on how many zzzz’s we’re clocking up at night.  So if you’re in the same boat then this could help you too. Below are some tips. You don’t have to do them all (that would take ages), but perhaps making a few subtle changes might help you out. Good luck.

So lets talk about diet and exercise first. They both play a huge part in how well we sleep. We already know that what we put into our bodies directly affects how we feel. Sugar makes us hyper, alcohol makes us tipsy, bread can make us bloated etc etc and if you think of it that way then of course what you eat in your day is going to influence your night’s sleep. So here are a few things to remember.

  • Eat well. Whatever your diet/nutritional choices are. Eat natural, wholesome food. Eat slowly, chew your food properly, and be mindful whilst you eat
  • Don’t eat late at night. Your body needs time to digest and break down what you’ve eaten and therefore will be trying to do it whilst you sleep!
  • Be mindful of your caffeine intake
  • Be sensible with alcohol, sure it might help to get us to sleep, but the sleep you get won’t be great and you’re more than likely to wake up during the night and find it difficult to get back to sleep

Then onto exercise. Its a very simple one. I see it all the time with my 2 year old. We go out playing all morning, running around the park, climbing, jumping and she then sleeps like a log afterwards. Its the same for us, but you have to find what type of exercise YOUR body needs and also what you enjoy doing.

The other things you can try at night are…

  • Meditation. You could try meditating when you go to bed, but if you’re new to it you’re more than likely going to fall asleep and not reap the benefits. If you’ve followed us for a while then you’ll know we love the Headspace app. Bonus – they also have a whole section on SLEEP. Meditating for just 10 minutes a day would make a massive difference
  • Have a ritual. Similar to sleep training a baby, us adults also thrive on routine, and we form habits. So select what works for you from this list and then try to repeat your ritual every night in the same order. That way by the time you get to the last one your body knows the next thing to happen will be zzzzzz
  • Keep a set bedtime and wake up time
  • Take a bath or a shower. Throw some Epsom salts in there, a couple of drops of lavender oil and/or your favourite bubble bath
  • Stretch. Doesn’t have to be anything crazy or long. A simple side reach, a roll down or a neck roll.
  • Take a few deep breaths. In through the nose and out through the mouth
  • Get some good PJs. Hey we’re throwing this one in, not entirely that important but everyone loves a set of silk pajamas!
  • Open a window and let the air flow, even in the winter, if you’re cold pop an extra cover on
  • Keep your reading light low and invest in some decent curtains/blinds that block out the light. Or just wear an eye mask
  • Look after your mattress, maybe its time to buy a new one or just turn it over and round to balance out the springs and support your body better
  • Add a few drops of lavender to your pillow. They’ll help to relax you
  • TURN OFF YOUR TECHNOLOGY!! One of the most important points on this list! Laptops, tablets, smartphones – whatever it is you use. Its stimulating and therefore NOT relaxing and if you’re on it in bed and you can’t sleep. Voila!
  • Get a great book…I tend to go for something pretty chilled and read until I can’t quite keep my eyes open…..

neverland

Sleep well tonight xxx

A beautiful match.

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We woke up to this sky this morning. Whoop whoop! Summer’s back in London. Phew. Really thought that might have been our lot this year!

This week we’re getting a little geeky and talking about the beautiful connection between swimming and Pilates, and why? Well in this kind of weather,  nothing beats a spot of outdoor swimming. And who would of thought that we’re actually pretty spoiled for choice right here in London. You’ve got the lovely (and at times busy!) London Fields Lido, mostly lane swimming, but heated all year round, which of course wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Broadway market for a little post swim coffee/smoothie/juice.  Then there’s the Hampstead Ponds for a true – all natural swimming experience.  Can be pretty bracing but a beautiful place to take a dip. There’s a pop up beach in the Olympic Park for the summer – Beach East is very much kiddy friendly and has a decent sized splash pool and man made beach for all your sand castle needs! Plus if you’re up for travelling a little further afield just over an hours drive from East London you could go for the real deal with some swimming in the sea at the delightful town of Whitstable. Very much a chilly experience and definitely one for the more experienced swimmers.

swimyourheartout

So not only is it super fun to be outdoors and splashing around in the pool, swimming is obviously a great way to exercise and keep fit and healthy,  but just like Pilates its supported and safe so anyone can do it. Take the breast stroke, for example, its allows your spine to be in an extended position,  something that lots of us are loosing through poor posture from being desk bound all day or over connection to our smart phones or laptops.  The breast stroke helps us to open up the chest, extend the upper spine and strengthen the back, arms and legs, and therefore creating B A L A N C E in the body. Its a win win!! Plus for those of us who find extension difficult to achieve (think cobra or swan positions)  its a very safe and sensible way to move your spine in this direction.

And it seems Joseph was inspired too. In the classical Pilates matwork you’ll find an exercise called ‘swimming’ its a great exercise which allows for many variations at different levels, and again just like the swimming breaststroke its strengthens your whole body, whilst working your core. Plus in the classical Reformer there’s also ‘breaststroke’ and ‘backstroke’ exercises and then also ‘butterfly’ on the Cadillac. Sounds fun, no?!

swimming

Why not head down to one of our local classes and give it a go…or to your local pool for a dip.  Happy swimming…

Enjoy!