New Season, New Routines: Pilates Specialist, Jo Tuffrey, on the Autumn Reset

Summer is winding down and suddenly everyone's back to school runs and packed diaries – as a pilates, strength and posture specialist, what shifts do you notice in how your clients feel at this time of year?

It’s always one of two extremes. My clients are either exhausted from the school holidays and the wonderful pandemonium that often comes with them, or they’re incredibly relaxed because they’ve had some time away from everyday life.

Either way, September brings a shift. The pace changes almost overnight. Diaries fill up, routines return, we’re back behind desks, in the car more, and suddenly those little aches, stiffness and tiredness begin to creep back in.

Our bodies are incredibly good at reflecting how we’re living. That’s why I always say this is the perfect time not to punish yourself, but to reconnect with movement in a way that feels good.

Is there a particular moment each September when you can feel the collective mood change in the studio?

Definitely. I don’t teach from a studio, but across my online community and the people I work with, I always say September is the new January.

Once the holidays are over, or at least once the schools go back, people naturally begin thinking about the months ahead. Autumn has this wonderful feeling of fresh beginnings. There’s a real desire to look after ourselves again, build healthy habits and create a routine before winter arrives.

I love that energy because it isn’t about chasing perfection. It’s about creating consistency that lasts.

Why do you think so many of us find it hard to get back into healthy routines after a holiday? What holds us back, and how can we overcome it?

I think we’ve all been guilty of falling into the “Oh bugger it…” mentality.

We miss a workout, have a few indulgent meals, enjoy a holiday, and suddenly convince ourselves we’ve failed. So instead of getting straight back into our routine, we leave it another day… then another week.

Life is for living. Holidays, weekends, celebrations… they’re all part of life and should be enjoyed without guilt. The trick is not to aim for perfection but consistency.

Eat well most of the time. Move your body regularly. Sleep well where you can. But don’t let a few days off become a reason to give up altogether. Tomorrow is another day. Life is far too short not to enjoy it.

How can movement help with managing stress and energy levels when life suddenly speeds up again after summertime, holidays and time off from work or school?

I always say motion is lotion, and exercise is food for the soul. Movement nourishes us mentally and physically. It doesn’t matter whether it’s ten minutes or an hour. Every time you move, you’re increasing circulation, releasing endorphins (our wonderful happy hormones) and reminding your body what it’s designed to do.

So often people tell me they’re too tired to exercise, but the irony is that movement is often exactly what gives them their energy back. You finish feeling stronger, clearer and happier than when you started.

Are there particular types of movement you'd recommend leaning into during this seasonal shift, versus others that might add to the overwhelm?

Honestly? The best exercise is the one you’ll actually do. I don’t believe there’s one perfect form of movement. I simply want people to move.

Whether that’s Pilates, strength training, yoga, walking, swimming, dancing around the kitchen or gardening, it all counts. Find movement that makes you smile because if you enjoy it, you’ll keep doing it. And consistency will always outperform intensity.

What does a realistic ‘back to routine’ movement regimen look like (not the slick, Pinterest version, the actual achievable one)?

Forget the perfect Instagram routine. A realistic routine is one that fits your life. Some days you’ll have thirty minutes. Other days you’ll have ten. Both count. Build movement into your week in a way that’s enjoyable so it becomes part of your lifestyle rather than another job on the to-do list.

When movement becomes something you look forward to instead of something you have to tick off, that’s when it becomes a lifelong habit.

How do you help clients avoid the all-or-nothing trap, where they either overhaul everything or give up entirely?

Consistency is at the heart of everything I teach. Over the past 35 years I’ve developed what I call ‘My Method’. A blend of Pilates, strength training, yoga, Callanetics, mobility and posture education.

It’s designed for real life and real bodies. One thing I’ve always been passionate about is making movement enjoyable. In all my years of teaching, I’ve genuinely never taught the same class twice because I don’t want people getting bored.

When people enjoy moving, they want to come back. That’s where long term results come from not punishing workouts, but movement that leaves you feeling stronger, more capable and excited to do it again.

Do you have any go-to rituals, for yourself or clients, that help you feel grounded as the seasons change?

I love the change in seasons. As soon as autumn arrives, my slow cooker comes out, the cosy evenings begin… and I swap rosé wine for white… and then eventually red!

But on a more serious note, I think our routines naturally change with the seasons, and that’s something we should embrace rather than resist.

I continue making time for movement every day, even if it’s only a short session and I try to get outside whenever I can. Nature has an incredible way of helping us slow down and reset.

If you could give your clients one piece of permission going into autumn, what would it be?

Be kinder to yourself. We spend so much of our lives beating ourselves up over what we haven’t done instead of celebrating what we have.

Be proud of every little thing you achieve because those small wins soon become big ones. Enjoy the changing seasons. Slow down when you need to. Look after yourself without feeling guilty.

You don’t have to earn rest, and you certainly don’t have to earn the right to prioritise your own wellbeing.

How does your Morning & Night supplement support your wellness routine, and how do you think nutrition can work alongside movement in keeping us well?

For me, movement and nutrition go hand in hand. We spend so much time thinking about how we look on the outside, but we also need to nourish what’s happening on the inside.

I’m genuinely the biggest fan of Lumity Morning & Night supplements and have taken them for years. Ironically, I’ve always been notoriously bad at sticking to supplement routines, but Lumity makes it so easy. The morning pot, the evening pot and the travel pots fit effortlessly into my day.

They’ve become such an important part of my wellbeing routine. Alongside regular movement, eating nourishing food, sleeping well and taking time to recover, they help me feel my absolute best.

There isn’t one magic answer to health. It’s the combination of small, consistent habits that makes the biggest difference and that’s exactly what I try to help people discover through My Method every single day.

What advice would you give to a woman who feels like she doesn't have the time, energy, or ‘body’ for movement?

I would say this, very gently… You don’t need more time. You don’t need more energy. And you absolutely do not need a different body. You need a different starting point.

So many women think movement has to be an hour-long class, a sweaty gym session, the “right” outfit, the “right” weight, the “right” mindset. And if they don’t have all of that, they tell themselves they can’t begin. But that’s just not true.

If you have two minutes, you have enough time to roll your shoulders, take five deep breaths, stretch your spine. If you’re exhausted, that’s even more reason to move gently not to punish yourself.

Just start. You will always feel better. Start small. Five minutes. Ten minutes. A short mobility flow before bed. A beginner session where no one’s judging you. Consistency over intensity. Kindness over criticism.

You don’t have to overhaul your life. You just have to start where you are.

And I promise you the woman who thinks she has no time, no energy, no body for movement? She’s exactly the woman who will feel the biggest shift when she gives herself permission to begin. I always say to my online workout family: its always on the days you don’t want to do it but you have pressed play – these are the days that you are going to feel your best both physically and mentally.

Wellness looks very different across generations. How has your understanding of what it means to truly care for yourself evolved – and who, across different stages of your life, has shaped that?

Wellness has looked completely different at every stage of my life. When I was younger, if I’m honest, it was far more about appearance. I was bigger at university, very aware of my body, very aware of how I compared. PE teachers, comments, the general tone around women’s bodies back then shaped that slightly critical inner voice. And then of course, the men in my life at different stages were sometimes supportive, sometimes unintentionally reinforcing those old narratives about how women “should” look.

Now? It means acceptance and enjoying the body I am in right now.

University was a huge chapter for me because I remember feeling uncomfortable in my body but also beginning to realise that I was more than it. That shift didn’t happen overnight. It came with life experience, heartbreak, growth, early menopause, career building, all of it. And as we age, we gain wisdom!

From observing much heartache and illness, I know that growing older is a privilege denied to many, so that’s why I enjoy my life and don’t strive for perfection. Who said, “I wish I had more green juice?!” Balance is the key. As is laughter and love and I have that in spades.

What's next for you? Is there a community, project or vision you're working toward that you're excited to share?

Honestly… more of this. I just want to keep filming for my workout family (my online club), my clients, the women who press play in their living rooms, in their kitchens, in between work and life. That community means everything to me. It’s not numbers on a screen. It’s real women trusting me with their bodies and their time.

I want to keep spreading the word that fitness isn’t about aesthetics, it’s about feeling good in the body you have. Mobility is medicine. Strength is insurance for your future. Balance is confidence. And none of that has an age limit.

If there’s a “vision”, it’s simply this: that more women understand how powerful they are when they move consistently. That they stop waiting. That they realise they don’t have to overhaul their lives; they just have to begin. It’s truly always been about the person on the other side of the mat. I respond to the emails. I read the messages. I care about the injuries, the wins, the wobbles. I want every single woman to feel seen.

I feel incredibly fortunate that 35 years on, I still love what I do. That’s not something I take lightly. The enthusiasm is real. The care is real.

So what’s next? Just continuing. Showing up. Filming. Teaching. Encouraging. Reminding women that their bodies are worth investing in. And doing it with the same heart I started with.

Jo x