LIFE: YOUR IDEAL FIT RETREAT, WEST LEXHAM

I went on my first retreat in 2018 and loved it. But for my next one, I was looking for something a little closer to him. I stumbled upon Your Ideal Fit Pilates retreats online and signing up is one of the best decisions I have ever made.

I attended my first Conscious Living Pilates retreat with Lucy from Your Ideal Fit last June, and loved it so much I went back again in the autumn.

West Lexham is a great venue which is covered with wildflowers, home to a boating lake for wild swimming, acres of grounds to wander around and lots of nooks and crannies to explore. We spent most of our time in the main barn, which was super cosy with beams, fireplaces and huge communal areas for chilling and chatting. There was a separate space for Pilates classes and workshops.

The ethos of the weekend focused on conscious living, sustainability, and living a life which is kinder to yourself and the planet. This theme ran through everything we did from the exercise to the food (all locally-sourced and plant-based) to the goodie bags (which were packed with natural treats and a Neom oil, which I loved). We also had workshops on natural make up by Sjaniel and her husband, Dale, who is a barefoot running coach spoke to us about alignment and how to protect our bodies and stay injury free when exercising. I was fascinated by this (and he ran a 3.30 London marathon in Barefoot shoes!)

The best part was, of course, the Pilates. We had two classes a day and Lucy is an excellent teacher. I had never been to her classes before, but they were very challenging, and you could really feel the burn the next day. If I lived in London, I would definitely attend her classes. I’d not done a lot of Pilates prior to the retreat but the classes were suitable for everything and the other ladies who attended were so lovely.

The food was all plant-based and prepared in-house by Lauren and Maddie. The food was very adventurous for me – my usual prawn stir frys were replaced by charcoal infused focaccia bread and lots of fermented foods. The culinary highlight for me was sushi, which we had the chance to prepare ourselves. 

I left feeling fitter, stronger and a lot more focused. Due to COVID-19, Lucy’s retreats have been cancelled this year, but she’s running some online. Take a look here.