Lady Catalina: Burlesque Body Diaries

Welcome to the second installment of Burlesque Body Diaries!

Recently I posted an interview with Lady Catalina which has proved a huge hit with you all. You may have noticed from her pictures she really does take care of her body and work hard to keep her toned shape. I wanted to know exactly what it takes to keep a shape like hers. From what I have learnt it does take a healthy diet, regular Pilates, and a general awareness of keeping your body at its best. Below is a full week’s food diary from Lady Catalina to show you what a normal week looks like. This is what works for her but if you can take anything from this, any ideas, food options you want to try for yourself then by all means feel free to take what you can to help yourself. Lady Catalina has also provided her exercise regime for you in detail so that you can give some of her moves a try yourself. Again different things work for different people but if this is something you want to try, our lady here is very much into exercise at home and the use of DVD’s so feel free to try this and see if it helps you.

Monday	7am Coffee 10am 2-3 tbsp of oatbran, made with skimmed milk. 1pm 2 riveeta’s with weight watchers ham & marmite, and a bag of chutney snack’a’jacks. 3pm 2 Caxtons pink’n’whites. 7pm Char siu pork & udon noodles. Goks spicy cucumber & spring onion salad. I also had my usual 3 frappes made with skimmed milk, which I make at home with Zuma powder brought online. Plus I start every day with a shot of wheat grass. If I’m feeling run down, I may increase it to two shots.
Tuesday	8am Coffee 9am Oatbran made with skimmed milk 2pm Courgette slices cooked on the griddle for 5mins, with dry toasted sesame seeds and light soy sauce. 5pm Toffee Muller light yoghurt. 8pm Chilli sausages & roasted vegetables. 10pm Chocolate iced gems
Wednesday	7am Coffee 10am Oatbran made with skimmed milk 2pm 1 slice of Burgen Soya & Linseed toast with Marmite. 5pm 2 Caxtons pink’n’whites. 10pm (late tonight due to rehearsing) Half a butternut squash with roasted vegetables. 12am A little Cadburys fudge bar.
Thursday	8am Coffee 11am 2 Caxtons pink’n’whites 2pm Ham omelette 8pm Chilli chicken and udon noodles. Goks spicy cucumber & spring onion salad. 10pm Chocolate iced gems.
Friday	7am Coffee 9.30am Oatbran made with skimmed milk                  2pm 1 slice of Burgen soya & Linseed toast & Marmite. 5pm Muller light toffee yoghurt. 12am Toasted ham sandwich & chutney snack’a’jacks. 1am 2 co-op (big) chocolate chip cookies. Bad day I know. But I had a gig this evening and always have my treat food afterwards. Toasted sarnies and cookies are my favourites!!
Saturday	7am Coffee. 9am Coffee & Oatbran 2pm Courgette slices cooked on the griddle. With dry toasted sesame seeds, haloumi and chilli dip. And some vegetable crisps. 6pm 1 slice of Burgen toast with Marmite, and some grapes 12pm Plate of honey roasted ham, cheddar cheese, olives, sundried tomatoes, and riveetas. Late again tonight due to rehearsing and choreographing until late.
Sunday	8am Coffee 10am Oatbran 2pm Yummy cheesy bread roll with cheese and Marmite and a bag of chutney snack’a’jacks 6pm Sunday roast, with roasted vegetables and a gammon joint. 9pm 2 co-op chocolate chip cookies & a Cadburys fudge bar. (Well it is Sunday treat day).

Exercise Routine:

Pilates Ab section: These are my staple exercises that I love to do. A mixture from classes and my favourite Pilates dvd.

The hundred-  (variation) Head and shoulders lifted slightly off the floor, to engage the abs. Arms out straight in line with the shoulders, pulsing the arms (keeping them taught) feet hip width apart, knees together (mermaid legs) lift the right leg to point to the ceiling, breathe in for 5 counts, out for 5 counts, whilst pulsing arms. Switch to left leg. Continue until 100 breaths have been performed. 5 sets on each leg basically.

10 curl ups- Legs in mermaid position, hands placed behind your head, elbows wide. I perform 10 slow curl ups, holding at the top for a few sections. Just to warm up the abs.

Curl up with 3 x twists to the rights, return to centre, lower. Repeat to the left. Both sides X 4. Aim to touch the floor at the side with your elbow, but it’s not vital.

Criss cross with leg extension- Elbow to opposite knee X 3. Hold position and do 3 leg lifts on the opposite (straight) leg. Repeat to the left. Both sides X 4

Double leg stretch x 8. Pull your abdominal muscles in and curl yourself in, resting your forehead on your chins. Simultaneously reach both arms and legs out in opposite directions. Keeping abs tight and your lower back on the floor.

Roll up X 5- Lay out straight, arms by your ears and using your abs pull yourself up, keeping the back straight, reach towards your toes, feeling a lovely stretch. Sit up nice and tall and roll back down slowly, engaging all the tummy muscles. Work towards keeping your arms by your ears not using them to help you up.

Roll over X 5- A bit tricky to explain, but actually my favourite.

A 1 minute plank

The incredible grass hopper x 5- laying on your tummy, spread the knees apart and place your feet together, toes pointing upwards. Head on your hands. Aim to lift the knees a few inches off of the floor. Some people find this alone challenging, so I would aim for 10-20 lifts. If you don’t find it too hard….. I do, 1 lift, criss cross the feet 4 times, place toes back together, lower the kness. X 5

Shoulder stand with leg lifts- I like to do a shoulder stand for a good 1-2 minutes, and really, really squeeze the glutes. But I’ll also do 5 leg lifts on each leg. Once in shoulder stand position, (knees together) straighten out one leg, lift it up to align with your hip, and lower back to meet the supporting leg. You can also just straighten out the leg, holding it there for a couple of rounds of breaths, without performing the lift.

After this short bums & tums section, I’ll always have a good stretch. I love stretching as it makes me feel so relaxed.

I do this workout 4 times a week, and always in the evening, when I’ve got the days jobs completed. Unless I’m performing, and on those days I’ll either do it in the morning (if I’m prepared) or I’ll do a few exercises in the dressing room. I do hate to miss out on a day, and 4 times a week seems to suit me perfectly.

I don’t really work my thighs or arms. My thighs are very muscly from dancing for so many years, and so I don’t like to build them up. It’s a pain really, as I love skipping, cycling, but everything bulks me up. That’s why I LOVE Pilates  as it elongates the muscles. If I feel I need a bit extra at any time, I will add in some kettle bell work. I really enjoy the kettle bell.

I’ve always exercised regularly and I have to be honest that I don’t really find it a chore, as I really enjoy it. I enjoy setting myself targets, and I love how you can sculpt and change parts of your body that you aren’t happy with. If I feel something about my body that I’m uncomfortable with, I’ll find more exercises and work on that area a bit harder.

I've never really been one for the gym and would much rather exercise at home on my own to be honest. It’s my thing I do to switch off and relax and I love it.  When the show started to get busy, I was struggling a little to find time to exercise, and I wasn't happy with my tummy or bum, but I came across the Pilates 10 minutes solutions dvd, and it’s actually given me exactly what I wanted. I really think those dvds are an amazing idea, as everybody can find 10 minutes a day. And you can choose to work on different areas of the body each evening. I just happen to love the abs work. But the leg and bum workout is quite brutal haha.

At the moment I’m managing to keep my weight at a weight that I’m happy with. But I think that’s because I’m too busy most of the time to pig out. I’m not currently on a diet, but I have struggled with my weight in the past, and whenever I need to loose weight I always go on a high protein diet. I lost a stone before on the Dukan diet, and I think it’s a very good, easy to follow diet. Once you reach your target weight you can go back to normal, sensible eating, with just one protein only day a week. Much healthier than the Atkins, which I also lost a lot on once. You can also have dairy on the Dukan, so it’s less restrictive. I still stick to having oatbran a lot now, and muller lights, as I had them a lot on the Dukan. I know some people don’t rate high protein diets, but I think it’s down to the individual. And I feel my best when I’m eating a lot of protein.

I do take effico tonic if I’m run down, but I think the wheat grass shots make me feel great. There’s always some debate about their benefits, and whether they actually work. But I feel that they do, for me.

I don’t think anybody is ever truly happy with their body. And even though I’m at the most comfortable weight I’ve ever been, I definitely wouldn’t say I’m 100% happy. I have good and bad days, and days where water retention gets me down. And you think “how can I possibly be 3 pounds heavier than yesterday!!!!!”

I also think majority of us don’t see ourselves as others do. I feel different at different points in the months, and have days where I feel really uncomfortable and bloated, but to others, we just look the same really.

Having danced my whole life, I’ve had to keep a close eye on my weight, and if I were brutally honest…do I think I’m a bit obsessed with it. Probably. I know I am prone to not being aware when I have lost too much, but at least I can see that now and be wary of it.

And although I don’t think I’ll ever be completely happy with myself, I have worked hard to be, at least accepting of what I’ve been given. Which thank the lord is a healthy, functioning body. 

There you have it, all the info from the Lady herself! Keep us up to date with any changes you take from the Burlesque Body Diaries on Twitter and Facebook! 

xoxo