Giving birth to her precious little boy was an incredibly empowering experience for Chloe Caustin, a hot pilates teacher from Methlick who is set to represent Great Britain at the European Middle Distance Triathlon Championships in Belgium.
Despite having a lifelong love of everything health, fitness and wellbeing related, it wasn’t until the 25-year-old went through what she describes as a “difficult” birth with her son Aubie that her life changed forever.
“I actually had a difficult birth with him, I lost a lot of blood so I was very unwell after I had him,” says Chloe.
“But I think that made me realise that if you want to do something you have to do it now.
“Everything that I’m doing is to show Aubie that having dedication and commitment to something is important to keep your mind and body well.”
Having my son changed my perspective
As a fan of pilates ever since trying her first class at the age of 16, Chloe, who has worked in dentistry, as a phlebotomist and in retail, had always flirted with the idea of becoming an instructor but didn’t quite have the confidence to go for it.
“I had always wanted to do it but you know when you’re young and it’s quite a big thing as you’re putting your money into it and there’re so much competition so I didn’t really have the confidence in myself at that time,” says Chloe.
“But once I had Aubie I knew I had to do it because if I didn’t do it then I knew I might never do it.”
Just as Chloe started to make moves to become a pilates teacher – a form of exercise that focuses on balance, posture, strength and flexibility – Covid hit.
“My initial idea was to teach in local village halls,” says Chloe.
“So I got in contact with all these places and then Covid happened and I couldn’t teach.
“So I kind of just put it to bed and thought once Covid has settled I’ll come back to it.”
Patience paid off for Chloe though as once restrictions eased she found some incredible locations to teach her classes including at CalmSpace, a family run smallholding with an 18ft yurt situated in the heart of rural Buchan in Aberdeenshire.
“I started teaching pilates in a yurt there on a Tuesday,” says Chloe.
“It’s a great space as they have a small holding with sheep, geese, duck and pigs and it’s surrounded by trees – it’s a beautiful venue.”
Hot pilates in Aberdeenshire
Keen to try something new, Chloe came up with the idea of hot pilates.
“I approached Lindsay, the owner of CalmSpace, and asked if there was any way I could try to heat the yurt so it could be classed as hot pilates,” says Chloe.
“Lindsay was willing to try so we used a log burner and it worked very well.”
Open to people of all ages and abilities, Chloe says the 60-minute sessions in the yurt aim to get you to sweat, stretch and detox.
“The temperature inside the yurt ranges between 35 and 40C,” says Chloe.
“I can open the stable doors and let the air in though.
“I absolutely love teaching it and it’s great to see people of all ages enjoying the benefits.
“I have one lady who is nearly 80 who comes along as well as mums and daughters and men too which is great as it shows that pilates is for everyone.”
Physical and mental benefits
From improved mobility and posture to better mental health, Chloe says the benefits of pilates are endless.
“Anything nowadays where you’re taking time for yourself and slowing down is good for your mental and physical health as we all live such busy lives,” says Chloe.
“The main reason I do pilates and triathlon is because if you are well within yourself then your mind is going to be better.
“Pilates also has a huge element of breath work so using your breath as you move makes you think about something other than everything else that is going on in your brain.
“So many feel that they want to go to sleep after a class so I think we need more of that in our lives because the only time we get pure rest is when we go to bed.”
GB triathlete
Word of mouth about Chloe’s pilates classes soon spread and she now teaches at Beaton Hall in Methlick as well as at The Barn at Barra Castle in Inverurie and Kalyach Yoga & Wellness in Ellon.
It wasn’t just her new career that was inspired by her son though as Chloe says Aubie also motivated her to take her talent for triathlon to the next level.
Supported by her partner Jason Edge, himself a distance cyclist, Chloe is set to compete at the European Middle Distance Triathlon Championships in Belgium in August.
“I actually did my first triathlon at 14 so I knew I enjoyed triathlon from early on,” says Chloe who is a member of TrYthan, an Ellon based triathlon club.
“I only got into doing longer distance after I had Aubie and I recently qualified to represent Great Britain in my age group at the European Championships in August which is in Belgium.
“It’s a half Ironman distance so it’s a 1.9k swim, a 90k bike and a half marathon run.
“Eventually I would like to do a full Ironman but it takes a lot of hours in the week and at the moment I don’t have that.”
Travelling the world
As a devoted mum, pilates teacher and triathlete, Chloe has never been happier in life.
Looking further into the future, Chloe has some other goals in her sights.
“I’m not going to be sending Aubie to school , I’ll be home educating him and we want to travel,” says Chloe.
“You learn so much by travelling that you can’t in a classroom.
“That’s long term though, that’s not anytime soon.”
And as much as Chloe loves to move, she also enjoys that precious time when she can wind down.
“I love to walk along the coast, that’s my favourite way to switch off as there’s something so calming about the water,” says Chloe.
“I also love reading as it’s the time where I can zone out and be in someone else’s world rather than my own.”
For more information about Aurora Fitness, check out the Facebook page or Instagram: @aurorafitness.chloe
Wellbeing check-in with Chloe Caustin
What is your favourite way to relax?
To take a walk with my family by the coast, hike a local hill for the views and tranquility or get stuck into a good book by the fire. I love to keep active and moving, it makes a huge difference to my mental health and wellbeing.
What are your top four tips for health and wellbeing?
- To have a regular exercise routine
- Reading for escapism
- Time for meditation even if it is only five minutes
- Keeping hydrated by drinking plenty of water
Do you incorporate health and wellbeing into your diet?
I love to bake and found that incorporating vegetables into my bakes is a delicious way to boost your intake of veggie goodness. Two of my favourites are beetroot brownies or parsnip and maple cake. I also always have homemade soup in the fridge to add to lunches or dinners. My other favourite way to make sure I am keeping up my vitamin levels is to have big fruity salads.
What are the main benefits of pilates?
The are so many fantastic benefits of the pilates method. The main benefits are:
- Core strength
- Joint stability
- Improves mobility
- Improved posture
- Encourages relaxation
- Gentle and non impact exercise
- Improves flexibility
Pilates really is suitable for people of all ages and abilities and is a great form of rehabilitation for injuries or to help pain management.
Do you have any other wellbeing wisdom you can share?
Always make sure that you take even five to ten minutes a day in the fresh air. Whether that be going for a short walk or just taking time out to have a cuppa in the garden. No matter the weather, try to prioritise spending a little time each day outdoors.
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