Paola Langella is a Pilates instructor and nutritionist. She shares her expert advice on what it means to be healthy, how best to exercise and explains why we SHOULD include treats into our diet plans.
Shapes is my favorite exercise platform mainly because of the energy you bring to each video and the great range of classes available. What was your primary reason in launching Shapes?
Thank you, Poppy. I am so happy to hear that you enjoy SHAPES! I launched SHAPES three years ago — pre-pandemic. My aim was to build an online studio so that I could be with my clients anywhere they were in the world. I wanted to help my clients build consistency so that they could keep working out and following my nutrition tips, even when they were abroad or too busy to come into my studio in London. I believe that, when we exercise every day without extra stress like booking classes in advance, going to the studio, feeling rushed to squeeze everything with work and commitments, we can feel empowered. We can build consistency and see amazing results long term.
Why do you think pilates is a better workout than other exercise forms?
Pilates is a complete form of exercise. It strengthens and tones your body, increases flexibility, and you can include cardiovascular exercises for more advanced people. It also has a mindful element as everything starts from breathing, which means the mind benefits a lot from this technique; you need to be fully present and tune into your body in order to target the right muscles and to keep the right alignment through the body. Pilates helps to strengthen the deep layer of our abdominal muscles and this promotes not only a stronger back but also a better posture. Having good posture leads to many health benefits, from improved digestion to relief from joint pains.
How often should we be exercising each week?
I recommend exercising a minimum of three days a week. With SHAPES, I recommend doing something every day from Monday to Friday and to choose the class that suits you better that day in terms of duration, level of the class, equipment, and how you feel (whether you want to sweat, to tone, or to relax).
How would you describe a staple diet?
I will describe it as a varied and balanced diet that is sustainable for our lifestyle and our body. The general rule is having every meal with good grains (like quinoa, amaranth, millet, brown rice, buckwheat, couscous, and yes, also pasta - brown pasta is better as it is richer in fibre), proteins, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Add vegetables for lunch/dinner always. To have a good meal timing structure (breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, mid-afternoon snack, dinner). Opt always for whole foods and avoid any pre-packed meals, fried foods, high sugary products, and alcohol; to limit the amount of red meat and prefer lean protein if you can. A staple diet needs to be sustainable for us, so I always teach my client the 80/20 lifestyle rule: 80% of your diet should include home-cooked nutritious meals, avoiding everything I mentioned above; 20% should include your treats and restaurants, takeaways, and anything you fancy. I don’t believe in restrictions. That 20% of “freedom” is important to keep us consistent 80% of the time.
To help with healthy eating ideas I have recently published a book with my mum, available on Amazon, which has a great selection of soups and vegetables side recipes
How would you describe a staple diet?
I will describe it as a varied and balanced diet that is sustainable for our lifestyle and our body. The general rule is having every meal with good grains (like quinoa, amaranth, millet, brown rice, buckwheat, couscous, and yes, also pasta - brown pasta is better as it is richer in fibre), proteins, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Add vegetables for lunch/dinner always. To have a good meal timing structure (breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, mid-afternoon snack, dinner). Opt always for whole foods and avoid any pre-packed meals, fried foods, high sugary products, and alcohol; to limit the amount of red meat and prefer lean protein if you can. A staple diet needs to be sustainable for us, so I always teach my client the 80/20 lifestyle rule: 80% of your diet should include home-cooked nutritious meals, avoiding everything I mentioned above; 20% should include your treats and restaurants, takeaways, and anything you fancy. I don’t believe in restrictions. That 20% of “freedom” is important to keep us consistent 80% of the time.
To help with healthy eating ideas I have recently published a book with my mum, available on Amazon, which has a great selection of soups and vegetables side recipes (click here for the link to purchase).
Where do you see Shapes going in the future?
I see SHAPES being the go-to online wellness studio for many people around the world. I see collaborations with retreats around the world and getting to meet members in-person along the way.
How do you unwind at the end of the day?
I like cooking - it relaxes me - and after dinner, I like catching up with my reading and writing or watching a good movie. I love beauty rituals too, like a facial scrub and mask, and body cupping. I always take time to do them at least twice a week.
When will you be wearing your pyjamas e.g to sleep in / after a bath etc?
I will definitely wear them after my relaxing bath or shower and do my beauty rituals with them. I love wearing nice nightwear to set the tone for bedtime, especially when doing my relaxing activities feeling I am wearing a feel-good outfit. I think it’s important to feel good about ourselves in terms of the clothes we wear, and this includes pyjamas. It’s our way of showing respect to ourselves, even if no one is watching us. It’s part of our self-care routines and demonstrates a profound love we have for ourselves.
