KATE HUDSON has been DEVOTED to PILATES for 18 YEARS

Actress and creator of exercise line Fabletics Kate Hudson recently revealed all her health & fitness secrets to Shape magazine! A couple of things are very apparent from this interview: this girl is head over heels for PILATES and works bloody hard to keep her figure. 

As the June cover model of US Shape magazine, Hudson cuts a very toned figure as she splashes around in the water in some designs from her fitness line. The trim star credits Pilates as her body breakthrough. 

"I was 19 when I discovered Pilates, and I'm still doing it. It's the workout my body really responds to. It's all about alignment, elongating your spine, and strengthening your core. It makes me feel my strongest. Pilates is always challenging. The advanced moves are amazing, but so hard. I also love TRX because it's similar to Pilates in that you use your own body weight. But for me, Pilates is the best."

When Hudson cannot get to a Pilates studio she makes sure to keep her Pilates up by using an online Pilates workout series. The famous actress also loves working out outdoors whenever she can. "I'm a nature girl. I grew up in Colorado and was always outside. I still am, even when I'm in the city. If I'm in Amsterdam, I get on a bike, ride everywhere, and really see the place. I love that freedom, which you can't get in a car. In New York City, if I'm staying downtown and have a meeting uptown, I'll put on my earphones, listen to great music, and just walk. There is nothing better than walking in Manhattan."

Kate reveals that she only stays in 'tip-top shape' by consistently working out. She uses exercise as a form of meditation. "When I exercise, I need to connect to myself and see how I'm feeling at the moment, because my mood is constantly changing," explains Kate. The gorgeous actress goes on to say that she has a very happy and healthy relationship with her body. "I love my shape because I work really hard at it! I honour my body by working out and seeing what it can do." 

We love Kate's attitude towards exercise, especially her commitment to Pilates!! Exercise should be something that you consistently work hard at and that you dedicate yourself to and you should be proud of the body that you create! At Premium Pilates Studio we have a range of Pilates classes for you to try, including Reformer, Matwork, Barre and Stretch. Visit our homepage by clicking here! If you cant make it to the studio, try our 10 Week Pilates online series by clicking here!

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Hudson follows a mostly vegetarian alkaline diet and does Pilates workouts to stay in top shape.

“I’ve pretty much cut meat out,” Kate told Shape. “I don’t remember the last time I ate a steak.”

Hudson eats 5 small plant-based meals a day, including a protein shake for breakfast and a salad for lunch

http://www.shape.com/celebrities/interviews/kate-hudson-shares-her-secret-killer-workout

ROAST VEGETABLE SALAD

This colourful vegetable salad was inspired by a roast salad my beautiful cousin made for me whilst I was visiting her in Perth. Her salad was similar to this one and was paired with tender lamb and a divine homemade dressing. You are the inspiration for this meal Anne! This is also the ONLY way that I can get my fussy husband to eat a 'salad'- by roasting vegetables and serving it alongside a big hunk of meat. I have made this salad numerous times since and love eating it by itself. You can use any vegetables that you have on hand to roast as well, so its a wonderful way to clean out your fridge! 

INGREDIENTS

Salad

• 700g sweet potato, peeled & cut into 4cm pieces 
• 2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 medium garlic cloves, 1 unpeeled, the other peeled & finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground paprika
• ground black pepper & sea salt
• 2 zucchini, ends removed and chopped into 3-4cm rounds
• 1 head of broccoli, florets & stalk cut into even sided pieces
• 1 medium red onion, finely sliced
• several stems of fresh thyme, leaves removed & stems discarded, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 100g sliced mushrooms
• 3 large handfuls of baby spinach or mixed salad leaves 

Dressing

• 1 medium roasted garlic clove (see step 2. of cooking)
• 1 heaped tablespoon seeded mustard
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• the juice of 1 medium lemon or lime
• water 

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan force oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. 

2. Combine the sweet potato, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, a pinch of sea salt & pepper and the unpeeled garlic clove in a large bowl and toss well. Using as little of the tray as possible, place the sweet potato and garlic clove in a single layer. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. 

3. Whilst the potato is cooking, use the same large bowl to combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, the zucchini, broccoli and red onion and toss well. 

4. Depending on how much time you have this step could be done before or after Step 5 - Heat the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil in a small to medium frying pan over medium-low heat and swirl to coat. Add the chopped garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the mushrooms, reducing the heat down to low. Cook the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes or until wilted. Remove from heat. 

5. Once the 15 minutes are up, remove the sweet potato tray from the oven and lower the heat to 180. Add the zucchini, broccoli & onion to the tray alongside the sweet potato, trying to keep the vegetables in a single tight layer if you can. If not you may need to use another oven tray. Return the tray to the oven and cook for another 15 minutes, then remove. The sweet potato, zucchini and onion should be tender but not mushy and the broccoli should be just slightly firm and charred.

6. Make the dressing. Remove the roast garlic clove from the oven tray and carefully squeeze the garlic out of the peel and mash it. In a screw top jar combine all the dressing ingredients including a splash of water and shake well to combine. I like to add a little more water to thin out the dressing and make it last. 

Place the roast vegetables in a large serving bowl and add the spinach leaves, tossing well to combine. Drizzle the dressing on to your liking. 

Serves / 6-8 as a side / 3- 4 as a main 
Total Preparation time / 15-20 minutes 
Total Cooking time / around 35 minutes 

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HOW TO BE AWESOME AT PILATES - OUR ONLINE SERIES EXPLAINED

Premium Pilates is now available ONLINE! 

We have designed a 10 week Pilates program that you can do in the privacy, comfort and convenience of your own home. We break down what this program features, who it is for and why we created it below: 

Why we created this online workout series: 

We want to spread Pilates to as many people as possible and we knew that we could not achieve this with one little (but awesome!) studio in Brisbane. We have seen the amazing benefits that Pilates provides clients and ourselves with everyday and we want to share this with the world. Hence the idea for a easy to follow, online Pilates workout series was born. 

What is included in the video series: 

*3 Pilates Matwork workouts each week for 10 weeks.

*Each workout is around 30 minutes in duration and is divided into three sections to ensure an all over toning experience: Abdominals, Arms and Legs, which includes stretches. 

*More than 100 different exercises feature in this series.

*Each exercise is explained in detail, with step-by-step instructions that include the repetition count, options to make the exercise easier or more challenging, technique tips and injury modifications. Each exercise is also demonstrated, so that you are provided with both visual and auditory learning tools. This makes each exercise easy to follow along with as well as being more interactive than just following instructions on paper! 

*The difficulty of the exercises and the number of repetitions increase over the 10 week period. The workouts are designed in blocks of two weeks, that is, the same exercises that are featured in Week 1, repeated in Week 2. Then new exercises appear in Week 3 which are repeated in Week 4, and so on. This is designed to give you familiarity with the exercises, and to improve your strength, flexibility and technique with each, before you move on to the more challenging exercises of the next fortnight’s set of workout videos.

*And the MOST important feature: You have access to this online workout series FOREVER! There is no timeframe that you have to complete the series in 10 weeks which is often the case for other fitness challenges. You can continue to go back to this series and complete it as many times as you like! 

Who is this video series for? 

*Anyone who has ever thought of trying Pilates, but has not known where or how to start,

*Anyone who is looking for an affordable addition to their exercise regime,

*Anyone who is a lover of Pilates and wants to add to their practice,

*Anyone who has not regularly exercised for a while, and wants to try something low-impact in the comfort of their own home,

*Anyone who is travelling and wants an easy to follow exercise regime that they can do on their hotel floor!

*Anyone who isn't a big fan of exercise - I have countless clients who were never able to stick to an exercise regime until they found Pilates!

*Anyone who wants a fun, motivating exercise challenge!!

What's with the name of the series? 

We wanted to pick a name that was fun, energetic and motivating! Our lovely behind the scenes director, camera man, editor, creator of Velo College and all around good dude suggested 'How to be Awesome at Pilates' as a title and it really appealed to us! 

What are the benefits of Pilates:

They are NUMEROUS! In fact, we could be here all day listing them. Here are some of the most noticeable benefits that we and our clients have discovered with regular Pilates: 

*Increased muscle tone & strength,

*Improved posture & flexibility,

*Weight and / or measurement loss,

*Flatter stomaches,

*Enhanced core and pelvic floor strength,

*Lean, long muscles,

*Improvement in physical fitness,

*Better balance,

*Greater body awareness and coordination,

*Increased self-esteem,

*A fun and awesome way to workout!! 

How to get on board: 

Go to www.velocollege.com by clicking here to start your 10 week Pilates journey with us!! All you have to do is sign up to Velo College by creating a username and password and then click on our course to purchase! Velo College is a website that supports fast, easy-to-follow online learning with a large variety of 'How to' videos. We are very excited to be a part of their team! 

Not entirely sold? Go to our Facebook page by clicking here to see some examples of exercises that are performed in the online series. You can also go to www.velocollege.com (click here) to watch our promo video! 

We hope to see you on the mat soon! 

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BUCKWHEAT PORRIDGE

I love oat porridge, however my body does not always like it early in the morning. As a result of this I've had to investigate alternative ways to make porridge, because going a winter without porridge is NOT an option. Hence I've been fooling around in my kitchen and have make a couple very tasty gluten-free porridge recipes. Below is my buckwheat porridge recipe; super simple and actually does not contain wheat, despite its name. Buckwheat surprisingly is a fruit seed that is related to rhubarb and sorrel (a type of spinach) and is therefore an excellent substitute for gluten-intolerant people. It has a rich, nutty flavour and can be used for a variety of recipes for example; buckwheat groats as I use in the recipe below can be used to make porridge, they can be a wholesome addition to soup, buckwheat flour is often used to make pancakes & crepes and soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour and wheat flour.

As there are numerous new 'superfoods' appearing in our faces everyday, I wanted to do my research on what makes buckwheat so special. Here are some of the nutritional benefits that I discovered about this little seed:

- It is very high in protein (second highest only to oats),

- It is rich in polyunsaturated essential fatty acids,

- Contains a high amount of soluble fibre,

- It is a great source of vitamin B1, C & E,

- Comprises of higher levels of manganese, copper & zinc than other cereal grains,

- It is loaded with carbohydrates (the good kind!),

- It contains rutin, a bioflavanoid with several antioxidant properties, including the controlling of blood pressure. 

and it is gluten-free (as mentioned above)

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup raw buckwheat groats / kernels, available at good supermarkets and health food stores.
• 1 1/2 cups water 
• 1/4 reduced-fat cows milk (or substitute for unsweetened almond milk, lactose-free milk, etc), plus extra, to serve
• a small handful of chopped fresh fruit (I used peaches and strawberries)
• 1 teaspoon of natural sweetener, such as organic honey or maple syrup, coconut sugar, stevia, etc. 
• Optional- toppings, such as coconut flakes, chia seeds, goji berries. 

COOKING 

1. Bring the buckwheat groats and the water to the boil in a medium saucepan, covered. Once boiled, remove the lid and lower to a simmer, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. 

2. Add the 1/4 cup milk to the pan and stir for 1-2 minutes or until all combined. Remove from the stove and add another 1/4 cup of milk, if desired. Add your fresh fruit, natural sweetener and topping/s, if using, and stir well to combine. 

Divide into 2 bowls and serve warm. 

Serves / 2 

Total Prep & Cooking time / under 20 minutes 

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Information from http://www.glnc.org.au/grains/types-of-grains/buckwheat/

JENNIFER LAWRENCE DOES PILATES EVERY SINGLE DAY

We cannot help but secretly love when we hear celebrities say that they workout to maintain their figures! Movie star Jennifer Lawrence is no exception. The 25-year-old has time and time again been categorised as an actress with a "normal" body type, however in a recent interview with Harper's Bazzar Jennifer decided to reveal how hard she actually works out to keep her body awarded this offensive title. 

"I would like us to make a new normal-body type," she told the magazine. "Everybody says, 'We love that there is somebody with a normal body!' And I'm like, 'I don't feel like I have a normal body.' I do Pilates every day. I eat, but I work out a lot more than a normal person. I think we've gotten so used to underweight that when you are a normal weight it's like, 'Oh, my God, she's curvy.' Which is crazy."

The slim star is committed to her daily Pilates workouts, as well as several walks a week with her dog. Lawrence wants all of Hollywood and especially all of her fans to know that she works very hard to look the way she does. Here's her schedule: "Wake up. I take Pippi [her dog] on a running hike. I'll probably do Pilates as well. Then I'll hang out with a friend to count down the hours of my wasteful life. Then I watch TV, and then I'll go to bed. There's my day."

The very down to earth actress has no problem showing the body she works hard for, however she likes to wear whatever she feels comfortable in. The gorgeous actress admits that she picked her Oscars dress this year because it was slightly loose-fitting so she didn't "have to worry about sucking anything in", because "awards season is synced with my menstrual cycle! The other dress was really tight, and I'm not going to suck in my uterus. I don't have to do that." No you certainly don't!

Want to do a form of exercise that is so low-impact on your joints that you can do it everyday? Call Premium Pilates Studio on 0402 680 724, visit us online at premiumpilatesstudio.com or email us at inquiries@premiumpilatesstudio.com today! 

x The Premium Pilates team

images and content adapted by http://www.refinery29.com/2016/04/107838/jennifer-lawrence-normal-body-type, http://www.bing.com/images/

COCONUT & RASPBERRY SQUARES

This delicious yet healthier version of a treat has been adapted from a recipe I found in a rather old edition of a Woolworths Fresh magazine. I have been cleaning out my office and trying to de-clutter my life when I found this gem. I have adapted the original to make my version healthier as well as gluten and dairy free. My only issue with this sweet treat is how incredibly moreish it is!

INGREDIENTS

• baking paper
• 1 cup coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (gluten-free if intolerant or allergic)
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• the juice and zest of 1 medium lemon
• 4 eggs, preferably free range
• 1 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or reduced fat cows milk if not intolerant or allergic to dairy)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, plus extra, to grease
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 3 tablespoons natural maple syrup
• 1 heaped cup frozen raspberries 

BAKING 

1. Remove the 1 cup of frozen raspberries from the freezer and leave to thaw. 

2. Preheat a fan forced oven to 190 degrees celsius. Line a 'loaf' tin with a diameter around 27cm x 14 cm with baking paper and grease lightly with coconut oil. 

3. Combine the dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, desiccated coconut and zest of the lemon in a mixing bowl. Stir well to combine. 

4. In a separate mixing bowl, pour in the wet ingredients: lemon juice, eggs, milk, oil, vanilla and maple syrup. Whisk well. 

5. Pour the wet ingredients in the dry ingredients and stir well. Do not worry if the mixture becomes quite thick as the coconut flour will absorb the liquid. Carefully fold in the raspberries. 

6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tin and pat to even out the surface with a wet spatula. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until the loaf is cooked. (Use the skewer or knife test: at the 50 minute mark, insert a skewer / knife into the middle of the loaf. If the skewer / knife comes out sticky, the loaf needs to continue baking). 

7. Once cooked, remove the tin from the oven and leave to cool completely before cutting into squares. NB: as this loaf is basically only held together by coconut flour and eggs it is very fragile and will crumble easily. 

Total Prep time / 15 minutes 

Total Baking time / 50 minutes to 1 hour 

HEALTHIER CHOICES FOR EASTER

As I am not immune to desiring some mouth watering chocolate around Easter time I hardly expect anyone else to be! There's something about Easter chocolate that just makes it taste so much better than regular chocolate. Whilst I am realistic that I and most of you will have a chocolate egg or two around this holiday season, I am going to work really hard not to binge or overindulge. I want to enjoy my Easter treats and be able to stop at one, or two or three at the most! Here are my little tips for not overdoing it over the next few days: 

1. Get some Dark Chocolate into you

Whilst I'm still getting used to this acquired rich taste, I will be aiming to buy mostly dark chocolate Easter treats. In an effort to make Easter more healthy, I told my mum several years ago to only buy me and my husband dark chocolate for Easter and she has dutifully stuck to this! If your loved ones want to buy you chocolate, go dark. 70 % or higher dark chocolate is not filled with any of the nasty sugars, syrups or preservatives that milk and white chocolate contain. In addition, cacao (the main ingredient in dark chocolate) has been proven to decrease blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease. Look for a dark chocolate egg, bunny or carrot that has simple and few ingredients, that is, cacao being the primary ingredient, sugar, vanilla and just a little bit of milk. You won't be able to eat as much dark chocolate as you can milk or white and your body will thank you for it! 

2. Swap Eggs for Chocolate Covered Fruit or Nuts

This is a great and fun exercise for the whole family! Melt your chocolate (try to make a percentage if not all of the chocolate dark!) in a pan over low heat and chop up fresh fruit; think strawberries, banana, pear etc. Dip the fruit in the chocolate and voila, you have a healthier desert! You can also do this little trick with nuts. I have done this several times when I have a chocolate craving and I find that using fruit with melted dark chocolate cuts the bitterness of strong dark chocolate! 

3. Buy all Individually-wrapped gifts

This is a good one! I use this rule throughout the year, not just for Easter. When I crave chocolate something ridiculous, I buy myself a small fun-size bar (such as a little Freddo frog) instead of going for the block of chocolate. Therefore I am not left with any form of temptation to eat more (as I do not have anymore!) and I feel like I got my chocolate fix. Give the gift of little eggs to friends and family and to yourself, so that each time they and you have to unwrap another chocolate you have time to think about what you are doing and to think if you really want/need another egg. 

4. Drink Tea 

I often drink peppermint, green or lemon infused tea when I have a craving for anything sugary. It has the effect of filling me up with warmth and energy as well as decreasing my appetite for sugar. After having an easter treat, brew some tea for yourself and enjoy sipping it. 

5. Exercise does not stop over the holidays

Just because you are holiday does not mean that you can stop all forms of exercising! If anything, you should be exercising just as much, if not MORE than you do during your usual week as you are not working! Whilst your usual workout haunt may not be open over Easter (we need a break too!) there are many other options for you. A walk feels so much nicer when you do not have to hurry to work or rush the kids to school straight after. Some Pilates or Yoga on a mat makes your body feel so much better when it is done! Incidental exercise, that is, playing in the backyard or park with your dogs or kids, is so much easier to fit in when you aren't running around town during your work week. 

Have a very safe, happy and healthy Easter everyone!! We will be back in the studio from Tuesday the 29th of March to work off the small amount of treats you consumed! 

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image by http://www.mytrainer.com.au/files/nrteUploadFiles/32F102F201283A323A02PM.jpg