ARTAH Founder & Psycle CEO Rhian's top tips to keeping fit

Exercise is a core part of my daily regime. It helps me feel strong, energised, and is the most effective way of keeping my mind focused and stress free. I think it’s one of the most important habits to cultivate for anyone who wants to achieve a lot and still feel great, so here are my top tips about how to make it work for you.

Get it done first thing

Working out first thing in the morning is transformational and also ensures you can always get it done. I have so often booked evening classes and had to cancel because of meetings or calls, so getting a class in first thing in the morning guarantees a much needed hour of ‘me-time’ not to mention allows me to start the day with energy and a feeling of mental clarity that I don’t get if I skip it.

Join a community

The community spirit at Psycle is second to none - I find it a lot easier to get motivated when surrounded by like-minded people who are working equally as hard. Signing up for a class like ride at Psycle not only holds you accountable for showing up, but also drives you to work harder as an individual - it’s an amazing pack mentality and can really inspire you to push your mental and physical boundaries. It’s also been great to develop friendships and gives you an extra reason to go to class.

Make it non-negotiable

The busier you get, the more important exercise is. Frustratingly, these are the days and weeks when you’re most overwhelmed are probably when you need movement the most, so if you can’t work out try and do some gentle yoga or stretching upon waking - even if just for 20 minutes. It’s really common to let stress get on top of you and the more that happens, the less productive or clear headed you become. If you don’t have time for a class - the most important thing is just to move, even if it’s a 20 minute hiit session at home, 30 minutes of yoga or walking home from work. The important thing is to just MOVE - phone free - and focus on your breath.

Keep it balanced

It’s amazing when exercise becomes an integral part of your daily routine but sticking to the same thing every day can get a little monotonous and doesn’t give you a balanced blend of hormonal benefits. Cardio is my favourite but I always feel better when I’m balanced so, in addition to my riding, I also do barre and strength classes at Psycle. I have the hardest time incorporating yoga, but when I do manage to do it I feel the best! So it’s a big goal for me in 2020 to hit the mat more.

Go for a walk

Just 30 minutes can make a difference. We spend so much of our time stuck at our desks and staring at screens that we forget to move in the way we were made to! Take some time at lunch to step away from your emails and walk outside or surprise your colleagues by proposing a walking meeting. Not only do you get your steps in but it’s been proven that walking in nature can ease anxiety and boost creativity.

Go on retreat

My absolute favourite way of staying on top of body and mind is by doing yearly retreats, which was a big driver in why I started ARTAH in the first place. Dedicating the time and space to yourself, every year, is something that I’ve done for the last 10 years and really value, not just for the physical benefits but also for the mental clarity and space.

We’ve designed ARTAH to be the perfect balance of physical work and mental restoration - intense hikes in the beautiful surroundings paired with dynamic and restorative yoga leave you feeling completely recharged, and the time away from work and normal life to focus entirely on yourself is transformational. The food is detoxifying but also feels luxurious, and the treatments - massage, facials, LED, sauna - are combined in a way to promote detoxification and restoration.

We also provide pre and post retreat guidelines which outline how to build up your fitness so that you can make the most of your time on retreat, and how to sustain it afterwards. Whether it’s a full week transformation on our Signature Reset or a quick Recharge programme, I find that having something like that to look forward to really keeps me motivated and makes me more passionate and appreciative of what my body is capable of.

ARTAH was founded by Rhian Stephenson – nutritionist, naturopath and CEO of Psycle London. Born out of her passion for health and energy, Rhian’s vision was to create a sanctuary where people could nourish the body, clear the mind and uncover a new level of health. Combining over a decade of clinical experience with her wealth of knowledge from the fitness world, ARTAH is a modern retreat that provides guests with a challenging, invigorating experience that is truly transformative. For information on their 4 and 7 day programmes please visit www.artah.co. You can also get an exclusive 15% discount when booking with the code 'DETOX15'.