A day in the life of pilates instructor Bryony Basse

I wake between 6am and 7am. I have a nine-month-old baby, so I’ve learnt to embrace flexibility. I use an alarm, but keep my phone away from the bed and never snooze.

The first thing I do is tongue scrape and brush my teeth. Then I make something warm to drink. I am a fan of Chinese medicine and avoid cold drinks.

I journal most mornings, looking back at the previous day and writing down what I’m visualising, plus one thing I’ll do for my mind and one thing I’m going to do for my body.

I don’t fast or follow a restrictive diet. When I’m at home, I love eating quite monotonously during the day because it removes some of the decision-making. I’m then much more flexible at dinner. I don’t really believe in foods being “off limits” and I have dark chocolate every day.

My movement is quite scheduled because I’m fitting it around a baby and running a business. I do four Pilates by Bryony classes each week and two weight-training sessions in the gym.

Movement is my number-one tool for managing stress

Movement is my number-one tool for managing stress and mental fatigue. If I’m very in my head, getting into my body changes my state incredibly quickly.

Pilates gives me strength, control, mobility and mind-body connection, while gym sessions allow me to work with heavier loads. I’m also a big believer in rest.

I love saunas and cold water, although I don’t think recovery has to involve lots of expensive tools. Walking, sleep, gentle movement and taking a proper rest day are the foundations. I also love sea swimming when I can. Cold water makes me feel mentally clear.

Since having my daughter, I’ve become more interested in understanding how my energy and mood change throughout my cycle. I recently did a DUTCH hormone test to explore that, and it’s made me more curious about recognising patterns.

Pilates instructor Bryony Basse

Meditation is a huge part of my life and I meditate daily, but I’m particularly interested in visualisation. I use it like a mental rehearsal. If I have something coming up that makes me nervous, I’ll mentally walk myself through it beforehand.

I take five grams of creatine daily. I became interested in it for strength and recovery, but there’s emerging research around creatine and cognitive function too.

I’m also fascinated by research around the Blue Zones. Wellness can become complicated and commercialised, but many of the fundamentals associated with healthy ageing are remarkably simple: movement, food, purpose, connection and a sense of belonging.

I start winding down at around 10pm and try to fall asleep soon after. We’ll dim the lights, light candles and put on a calming playlist. I might have mint tea and read. I try to stay off my phone for 30 to 60 minutes before bed, and take magnesium too.

I don’t believe transformation comes from reinventing yourself

I don’t believe transformation comes from reinventing yourself. I think it comes from building trust with yourself through small things you say you will do and then actually do.

Most people don’t need a complete life overhaul. They need one or two promises to themselves that are small enough to keep. That could be 10 minutes of Pilates in your pyjamas before work or putting your phone away for the first 20 minutes of the morning. Once that becomes something you trust yourself to do, build from there. Consistency builds evidence, and that evidence builds self-belief.