Latest News from Little Mis-Fit - Exercise Classes in Consett, Stanley Durham

Benefits of Pilates

Pilates is one of my busiest classes on the timetable. More and more people are recognising the benefits, and with a host of celebrities showcasing their Pilates honed bodies, its becoming ever more Popular, but aside from the aesthetic side – think long lean bodies, there is a whole host of benefits of Pilates that work the body from the inside , out.

However I still get people who say, Ah I need to feel I’ve worked so I don’t think its for me . Haha I think the people who come to my Pilates class would beg to differ, especially if we do some PIIT – Pilates intense interval style training. Pilates maybe more low impact but its still provides a challenging workout, which works brilliantly alongside your HIIT, running and other cardio workouts.

So Here are just a few Benefits of incorporating a regular Pilates session into your workouts:-

Strengthens your Core . A lot of people tend to think of their core as just their abdominals, but actually your major Core muscles consists of your Pelvic floor muscles, Transversus abdominus, Multifidus , internal and external obliques, rectus abdominis, the Erector Spinae and your Diaphram . Also the Gluteus maximus, latissimus dorsi and trapezius muscles are also classed as minor Core muscles. In actual fact , pretty much the whole trunk of the body. Joseph Pilates classed this as the powerhouse of your body and when strong , creates the foundation for all movement.

Improved Bone density – Bone like muscle responds to Resistance and weight bearing exercises. Pilates can help strengthen our bones , reducing the risk of Osteoporosis , a condition which causes bones to become brittle and weak.

Can ease Back pain . Pilates can help relieve pressure and stress on the lower back and increase mobility in your spine, which can help reduce Back pain. The Journal of Orthopedic & Sports Physical therapy did a study and found that those with lower back pain, experienced a significant pain relief after a 4 week Pilates programme , kept up for a year long period.

4. Improves Flexibility, balance and increases strength. Pilates moves work to lengthen and strengthen muscles, improve Muscle elasticity and joint mobility. All of this combined helps lower the risk of injury . For example being able to improve Hamstring flexibility , lowers your risk of hurting your lower back, if you bend down to pick something up.

5. Its a fantastic cross training work out and will actually help condition the body and strengthen the Core to improve performance in higher impact workouts such as running and HIIT workouts.

Low impact but no less effective . Smaller moves and targeting some of the smaller muscles , which help support bigger muscles all help you see improvements in Strength . I find a lot of my class put more effort in to the Pilates class then they do in the High impact classes, maybe because they feel they can , you get out what you put in, so the greater the effort, the better the results!.

Improves Posture . Good Posture will help you instantly stand taller which is turn helps boost confidence levels and makes you look slimmer. In this day and age of hunching over laptops/mobiles and tablets, we are defiantly more rounded through the shoulders , giving us a more hunch back appearance!. We want to stand tall and proud!! . Good posture also leads us to the next benefit….

Helps improve breathing – learning to take full deep breaths helps oxygenate the blood and dispel carbon Dioxide from the body. Deep breathing helps stimulate the internal organs and helps the heart circulate fresh oxygenated blood throughout the body – a natural body cleanse!. When we are stressed or panicked or angry/upset, you notice your breath gets much shallower. Taking time out to just take deep breathes , will help calm your mind and deepen your breath to help you refocus and calm down.

Want that 6 pack?? – Great abs are definatly made in the kitchen , however Pilates will help to strengthen the Rectus Abdominis , the muscle responsible for that 6 pack. So eating healthy and working your core properly will defiantly help with defining those abs!.

Helps you connect mind, body and soul . The mental focus and controlled Breathing , help lower stress levels and as you flow through the moves, it helps you clear your mind of everything bar what you are doing in the present moment. When stressed , we are more likely to store fat around our tummies, so by doing a workout that helps us destress, can help shift that stress fat around our middles!.

Strengthens the pelvic floor muscles – (the muscles in your pelvis that support the bladder and uterus) this can help reduce stress incontinence – A lot of new mammies suffer from weak bladder after giving birth. and Strong Pelvic floor muscles also lead to more intense Orgasms leading to even hotter sex!. and for mammas to be – can defiantly help push that baby right out!

Girlboss meet up

This last week I met up with two of my Girlboss favourites – Jayne from Lulu Charles Jewellery and Lauren from Print in house for a little Girlboss inspiration and planning meeting over lunch.

The entrepreneurial journey can get a little lonely sometimes, especially if you work alone , so joining forces with other Girlboss entrepreneurs, is a brilliant way of learning to look outside the box and help push you further outside of your comfort zone , which is after all where all the best things happen! .

With Jayne and Lauren, aswell as being friends, we are also each other’s client, so we can offer one another insights from a customer point of view aswell as a girlboss one , plus lets face it , lunch with friends is always a fabulous way to spend a Monday afternoon!.

We armed ourselves with our notebooks and diaries and set ourselves some goals to smash this month and we’re meeting again next month to see how we all get on and keep each other accountable .

So if you are on your own girlboss journey , make sure you spend time with your fellow dreamers and doers , who will help inspire, motivate and support you to always always shoot for the moon – after all as Del Boy would say – she who dares wins! .

You can follow all three of us on Instagram as our Girlboss story unfolds :-

@Littlemisfitjojo

@lulucharlesjewellery

@theprintinhouseladies

April Reads – Books I’ve been loving this month

I am Currently in Book worm heaven . It was my Birthday this week, and I got a couple books which I’m super excited to read and I also have a couple scheduled for delivery on my Kindle in the next week or so , as they are released. Plenty reading to keep me out of mischief ……….. .

These are the books though I’ve been reading and loving the past month.

She Means Business by Carrie Green. I love Carrie. A fellow Brit and Girlboss. Carrie set up FEA – The Female Entrepreneur Association of which I am now a member. This book honestly is one of the best Girlboss books I have ever read. Carrie tells her story of how she started her own business whilst at Uni and from there was inspired to set up a community for fellow Girlbosses to motivate, inspire and support one another on the Entrepreneurial journey. She Means Business is Carrie’s own story from barely being able to afford Christmas presents for her family but having faith in herself,that it would all work out with plenty of hard work, and sheer determination . Carrie is so lovely and really down to earth , I found her story so inspiring . The Female Enrepreneur Association is now global and brings women all over the world together to unite in supporting and encouringing one another in running their own business’ . For all my fellow Girlbosses who have yet to read this book – go check it out Now!. It is wrote in a way that makes it so easy to pick up and read , even in bite size chucks , so even once you have read it through, you can simply refer back quickly to chapters you wish to return back to for reference. Get ready to super charge your small business after reading this!

A revisit to an old favourite – Take a look at me now by Miranda Dickinson.

A chick Lit book to curl up with when you just want a little escape . I’ve read this one a few times now . You know I love Miranda’s books. I read them over and over. This one is the story of Nell who is the kind of girl who plans her whole life out. However out of the blue she gets made redundant and her on/off relationship is defiantly off , so she throws caution to the wind and acts on a whim . A brilliant read that backs up the theory that the Universe always has your back and that sometimes in life, everything has to be shaken upside down , for it all to fall into place and lead you right to where you are meant to be. Plus it always makes me want to jump on a plane to San Francisco!.

Always the Bridesmaid for hire by Jen Glantz. I read an article on Jen in Cosmo and loved her story. So when I saw her book , I downloaded it on my kindle to read. I’ve only just started it, but already I’m laughing out loud , I’m hooked. A fellow Girlboss who having endured Cruella De Ville like bosses and jobs that just did not excite her, accidently stumbled upon a fun, profitable career where she gets paid to drink champagne, eat cake and dance all night long at Weddings and make friends along the way.

The Things you can see only when you slow down – by Haemin Sunim . I was in Edinburgh recently for the day and had a little wander into Waterstones. I spied this book and started reading it in the shop. I ended up buying it or I would have been there all day!. Haemin Sunim is a Buddhist monk, who offers advice on slowing down in our frantically busy modern world, to experience the joy, calm and strength we can find if we just slow down.

The Life Changing Magic Of Not Giving a F**k – by Sarah Knight . I’ve been dying to read this one for ages! . I have the Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo on my Kindle , which is for tidying up and decluttering your personal space. The life changing magic of not giving a f**k however is based on tidying your mental clutter. I had it on my wish list, However I saw my friend Katy reading it when we went away a couple months ago, and she very kindly loaned me it. Again I’ve just started it , defiantly hoping to learn some tips on not taking too much on at one time! , so guilty on doing that despite my best efforts not to. I’ll report back when I’ve finished the book.

Comment below with the books you guys have been reading . I love hearing from you and its a great way to discover new reads!.

Mis Fitters Healthy Snack Ideas!

I often get asked for healthy snack ideas. My Small Group girls are brilliant and reading through their food diaries, I often find my mouth watering!. So I asked some of them for their favourite go to healthy snack ideas to share with you all so here we go :-

Kathryn Hunter – Kathryn is a full time working mam with two young boys under 8.

Peanut butter/almond milk dip

1 tablespoon of peanut butter, 6 teaspoons of almond milk and 2 tablespoons of flax seed powder (optional) then use celery/carrot sticks etc to dip.

Rocket, with Beetroot and Feta Cheese

Fresh Rocket , topped with Beetroot and Feta cheese and sprinkled with Cracked black pepper on top served with Oatcakes or just on its own.

” also Corn cakes with avocado and cottage cheese. Cottage cheese with some chopped up grapes and pieces of walnuts”

Daneka Mcguigan – Mammy of 6 year old twin boys and juggling University and work .

Sliced apple, spread with Almond Butter

Berries with Full fat Natural or Greek Yogurt

Handful of Natural or slightly salted Popcorn

Hopefully this has given you some inspiration! . A handful of Almonds or walnuts also make a great snack. Oatcakes or Vegetable crudites with Hummus . Boiled eggs too, easy to prep in advance and take along with you.

Comment below with your favourite healthy snacks , lets share the inspiration! .

Kids Mini Yoga Routine!

Today marks the Second annual kids international yoga dayhttp://kidsyogaday.com/! . I’m so proud to be a UK ambassador! . We are hosting an event tomorrow in honour of the day, but in the meantime, here is a little routine you can do with mini Yogis!.

Candle Pose. Kneeling down , hands in prayer position in front of the heart center. This pose helps children find some calm through their breath and stillness.

Downward Dog , This yoga poses helps stretch out calves and hamstrings, while strengthening the shoulders and back. start on all fours, and then push your butt right up toward the ceiling, and try and push the heels down to the floor, like an upside down triangle.

Frog – kids LOVE this one! Especially shouting Ribbit as they jump up – definatly draws a smile this one! . Surprisingly the adults don’t like it quite so much haha. but this is a brilliant pose for opening up the hips and strengthing and toning the legs. Squat down low and then jump!

Cat Stretch – a lovely stretch for the spine. Kids really do love to make the animal noises so get them to meow as they do this one. On all fours , drop the head down , as you arch your back toward the ceiling, like a cat.

Cow Pose – stretches and strengthens the spine, hips, core and back. staying on all fours, this time drop your tummy toward the floor as you look up at the ceiling.

Cobra pose – an awesome stress reliever, opens the chest and lower spine, its also helps improve liver function.

Tree Pose – Standing tall, take one foot and place it on the inside of the supporting leg either below or above the knee – never on the knee joint. This helps aid focus and concetration and improves balance, aswell as opeing up the hip flexors and lengthening through the spine. don’t forget to do both sides!.

I hope you all enjoy! let me know if you would love some more Kids Yoga routines!

Namaste xoxo

Hydration Hydration Hydration!

So we all know we need to drink lots of water each day right?. But do you know why it’s so important? And how on earth do you hit that 2-3litre quota each day????.

The skin is the largest organ in our bodies and its vital we keep it hydrated, in order that our bodies can function properly. Over half our body is made up water, and throughout the day, we lose a lot of it through perspiration, peeing and even breathing, so it’s super important to keep those water levels topped up. Staying hydrated helps our body function at its best. It helps balance our body temperature, keeps our minds focused, flushes out toxins from our bodies , helps relieve headaches and hangovers and keeps our energy levels up. An easy way of seeing how hydrated you are, is to notice how clear your pee is , the clearer it is more hydrated you are!.

Some days though , it can be really tough to get those 2 litres in . It’s one of the tasks , some of my small group guys struggle with the most , so here are some of my top tips for hitting that 2-3 litres of water.

start the day with a cup of hot water and lemon. This will kick start your digestion, help remove toxins from your body and get your internal organs prepared for the day!. Lime makes a great alternative too. Try adding ginger too if you have a cold or sore throat. Ginger is a natural antiseptic.
Use a pretty glass – I use a large plastic glass as I have it on my desk with me throughout the day. I have Rainauds diisease, so touching cold things can make my fingers go all white especially in winter, so plastic works better for me. Its also large enough that it can hold 500ml of water. This means I know that as long as I drink 4 – 5 of these throughout the day, I know I got my 2 .5 litres in and 4 large glasses doesnt seem quite so overwhelming. You can use any kind of glass though, if you want to use your largest wine glass – go for it!!. Heck through in a funky straw and even an umbrella too! .
Add fruit for flavour and detox – A lot of people avoid water as they find it really boring, but it really doesn’t have to be!. Get yourself on Pintrest where there a ton of ideas for adding fruit and mint to your water to jazz it up and act as a mini detox , just like when we add the lemon to our morning cup of hot water. Adding lemon and limes can help flush out toxins, adding Mint will aid digestion . Adding Ginger which is a natural antiseptic and pain reliever, Cucumber contains anti- flammatory properties . one of my favourites is Lemon, Lime and strawberries! . Go wild and experiment with different variations, to make your own favourite!.
use an app – there are a ton of them such as water tracker which can help remind you to keep drinking that water!, you could even also set the alarm on your phone every hour.
Keep it close by! – keep your water near to hand, and try and get in the habit of taking regular sips. Out and about for the day? , take a bottle with you, or invest in a funky water bottle you can use when you go workout and when you are out and about!. Out of sight , out of mind , – so keep that water close to hand and eyesight!!.

6. Do you love being a spot of competition?, get yourself a 2 litre bottle of water and challenge yourself to a task of finishing that bottle by the end of the day!

If you have any other tips , please do share, your tip might just help,someone else! or if you try any of these tips and they help you, please do comment below and/or come follow us on Facebook- lilmisfit1 and Instagram- .@littlemisfitjojo. I’d also love to hear or see your water creations so definitely tag me in those pictures too!. Try getting your 2-3 litres in every day for a week and see how much better you feel and how quickly it becomes a habit!.

Joanne xoxo

February favourites

Wow can you believe its March!, I mean seriously, I thought 2016 whizzed by, 2017 is doing the exact same thing. I’m so happy that little hints of spring are appearing though, lighter mornings and evenings , tulips , (slightly) milder weather, yippeeeee.

February was a really crazy busy month.So I thought I would do a little round up of things I was loving in February so here we go!

Weekends Away!

I actually had a couple trips away this month, me and my little Moo Cow suitcase were loving being on our travels.

First off I travelled down to Manchester to do a live workshop day as part of my Orthopaedic Pilates course. The course is on going but I’m hoping to finish and qualify by the summer, so I’ll have my nose in my text books for the next couple months.

Last weekend, I also travelled to Liverpool for my friend Lauren’s hen do. We had a blast! . I think I could probably write a whole blog post just on the Hen weekend – we did a Murder Mystery night, cocktail making and of course we visited the Cavern club!. There were loads of Live music bars which were just amazing. I definatly need to go back to Liverpool though and see more of the city. I’ve been twice now but both times were for hen do’s and I would really like to see the City itself and walk around the docks.

Books, Books , Books!

So by now you guys know I’m a bit of a book worm. These days I often have a couple on the go at the same time. Usually a Text book as I try and arm myself with knowledge that will help me develop as a fitness instructor and help my clients., Then of course I need a Book I can curl up and lose myself in and often a Girlboss book to inspire me to keep building the Mis-Fit empire . I just thought I could maybe share the books I love each month and if you guys do the same, we can discover new reads!.

Last year my sister introduced me to the blind date book company- https://theblinddatebookcompany.co.uk.

They are a fellow small business and they sell books , that are wrapped in brown paper and with just 4 words on the front to give you a teeny clue about the book. The aim is to not judge a book by its cover, and therefore maybe try a book, you might not otherwise have read. I have a few book worm friends , and I have gotten a couple of them a blind date book for their birthdays and they both loved the books they received- phew! . I just think it’s a BRILLIANT idea!. They post regular on their Instagram site. This is not a sponsorship pose, I genuinely just love the idea behind it and found it a fab present for my fellow book worm friends.

The books I read for fun in February were Ellie Dean’s – Until you come home . My sister and I are loving the Beach View Boarding house series from Ellie Dean. Its based during the second world war and the residents of a boarding house in Cliffehaven, located in the South Coast of England . The boarding house is ran by Peggy Reilly and her family. The First book in the series is there’ll be Blue Skies which starts us at the very beginning of World War 2 and as the series unfolds , we meet various characters who come to take refuge at beach View amid life in a country at war . Ellie publishes two books throughout they year – January and August . Its now up to book 12, which is the one I just read, definitely check them out .

Now please don’t judge but my guilty pleasure is Danielle Steel books – they are just so easy to read and I can just curl up and completly lose myself in the story. I used to pinch my mam’s copies when I was younger, now it’s the other way round ha. This Month The Apartment came out in Paperback , and I just finished reading it, it was so good plus it had the bonus of being set it one of my favourite cities – New York! . This was based on a group of girls, who started out as flat mates but became best friends and navigating their way through life as a twenty something .

I’m also still working my way through the Universe has your back by Gabby Bernstien. It’s one of those books you can pick up and work through at your own pace. I have a few of Gabby’s books and I love them. This one is based on , that if you want something and everything is aligned , then you just need to ask the universe and if it’s meant for you, it will not pass you by.

Netflix favourites

The Client List – OMG , does anyone else watch this?. I am totally hooked on this show.

Beauty Favourites .

I can while away many a happy hour watching Make up and Beauty tutorials on Youtube and one of my current favourite vlogger/bloggers is Lydia Elise Millen. She was talking about a fake tan she had been using called Bondi Sands. Boots sell it, so off I went armed with my Boots Advantage points and I bought the gradual tanner to give it a whirl. Guys I’m really loving it. it has, Aloe Vera, Vitamin E and cocoa butter in it so though it has a faint hint of that fake tan smell , its more the Cocoa butter you can smell, and it is really moisturising. I’ve been going in the shower, using exfoliating gloves, then once I get out the shower , and dry off, I then apply the lotion with a mitt in circular motions. I’ve been using it a couple weeks now and so far no streaks and its a really natural tan. I actually just applied it this morning as I write this and all I can smell is Cocoa Butter!. it has me dreaming of summer days :-).

Cinema Trips

I also went to see LaLa land at the cinema and I actually really enjoyed it. I love old movies though and I think if you do too, you probably would love the it too. Have you guys seen it?, did you like it or was it not your cup of tea?.

What have you guys been reading /watching/loving this month? . Do let me know in the comments below , I love hearing from you guys.

Joanne xoxo

February Self Love ❤️ – Day 28 – Self Care Tuesday

Thank you so much for taking this journey to Self Love and care alongside me, this Month. I really hope you have enjoyed the mini tasks and take some of them away with you to continue. I love this quote , and it seems a perfect note on which to wrap our month of Self Love – no matter how busy life gets, always aim for a little balance – make your own Rules – this is your very own Journey , live it, love it every single day.

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February Self Love – Day 27 – ME Monday

So I was on one of my Pintrest pinning sprees, when I came across a website – https://www.futureme.org/.

Its a website where you can write yourself a letter to be delivered to your email sometime in the future!. You chose what date you would like it delivered on. I’ve just wrote myself one to be delivered on New Years Eve , with the goals and wishes I hope to have achieved by then. I also wrote myself one for the Autumn time to remind myself not to overload the diary too much at Christmas again haha , to remind myself to take some time out to chill amongst the chaos of the festivities.

Maybe write a letter to yourself with a wish as to where you will be on your life journey by the time you read it.

I’m a big fan of Gabby Bernstein and have several of her books. Her latest one – The universe has your back is one of my favourite ones. if you have never read any of her books, definatly check them out, you can also follow her on social media. the book teaches you everything you are looking for is also looking for you, you just have to trust the process and the universe, ask for what you would like and if its meant for you, it will happen. so go on write a letter to yourself with your wildest hopes and wishes and put them out there for the Universe to start working on them for you! .

Do let me know how you get on – tag me on Instagram @littlemisfitjojo #FeelgoodFebruary or Facebook lilmisfit1.

Love
Joanne xoxo

February Self Love ❤️ – Day 26 – Warrior Sunday

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Is there something you have been wanting to learn or try for ages, but maybe a little bit scared of trying?. Embace your inner warrior and take a step towards trying something new – it maybe a new class, or learning a new skill , or even trying out a new recipe. just take a little step outside your comfort zone , it’s often where the magic happens!.

Let me know what brave step you take – email me or tag me on Instagram @littlemisfitjojo.

Joanne xoxo