Life can be pretty chaotic, as co-founder of P.volve Rachel Katzman knows.
P.volve, if you didn’t know already, is the fitness method taking the world by storm.
Helping to connect mind to muscle, the resistance-based, high-intensity, low-impact movements strengthen, sculpt and energise the entire body.
With studios in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, the P.volve team migrated their workouts to keep its community working out from home.
Here, Rachel describes why moving her body is a priority and how she manages her stress when she has a million things on her plate.
What does your fridge/plate look like?
“My fridge is always filled with fresh fruits (especially berries), coconut yogurt, lettuce (romaine, spinach and arugula) avocados and zucchini.
“From a meat perspective, I always have boiled, shredded chicken cooked and stored in the fridge to easily add to my salads (and my cat Matsu loves it too) and from an herbs perspective – cilantro [that’s coriander in the UK], dill, parsley and basil are my go-tos!”
“For breakfast, my plate is full of fruit with yoghurt or I whip up a smoothie. Lunch and dinner consists of mostly veggies with a protein or a carb on the side.
“I try to always make a majority of my meals vegetables and use a carb like quinoa/rice or animal protein like chicken/fish as the side.”
What are your go-tos for a healthy snack?
I’m not a big snacker, but if I do have a craving, I tend to go more the dark chocolate route. I love baking and making healthy treats, such as my vegan gluten free chocolate Rice Krispies and if I’m hungry during the day, I tend to lean towards a sweet pick me up.
“I also love having steamed veggies in the fridge too (carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes) so I can easily snack on those if I get a little hungry.”
How do you like to start your morning?
“I tend to wake up without an alarm between 5-6am. I splash cold water on my face and spend the next 30 minutes feeding and playing with my cats, while drinking hot water and lemon and checking emails and catching up with social on my phone.
“Around 7am, I sit down at my computer and get ready for the day. I typically take an 8am virtual class and eat breakfast after. Most meetings/calls start at 9am.”
What inspired you to start your P.volve business?
“After I left home, I began to experience weight gain and my body started dramatically changing in ways I couldn’t understand.
“I tried every workout in NYC, but wound up running myself into the ground. Not only was I uncomfortable and unhappy, but I was dealing with constant back pain, too.
“I saw a specialist and learned I had scoliosis. I had no choice but to re-evaluate everything. All I wanted was to wake up feeling good (and have a great butt!).
“When I met Stephen Pasterino, a top trainer in NYC, my entire perspective on fitness changed. He showed me a completely different way to move my body, and helped me better understand how it worked.
“I learned how to stop fighting against myself and work with my body’s natural movements. I started seeing the results I’d been trying to get for so long, and ones I never thought I could get because of my back issues.
“I wasn’t just noticing my own results; I was seeing how happy and strong the rest of Stephen’s clients seemed, too, who were women of all different ages, body types and prior injuries.
“Together, we were a community who finally felt seen. That’s when the lightbulb went off. I had to share this method and these results with the whole world. I grew up in an entrepreneurial home, so even though I was scared to take that leap, I knew this was what I was meant to do.”
How do you manage your stress?
“I try to only look at my calendar week to week, and focus on the day ahead. I’m all about priority – there are only so many hours in the day and I try to prioritise what has to get done that day and that week.
“Making sure my calendar is clean, nothing double booked and dividing and conquering with my amazing team. I try to always find time to move my body and not look at my phone during the workout and zone out.
“Cooking always helps me relax, and at the end of the day if I’m over whelmed, I go for the bath, steam, or sauna blanket. And a glass of red wine will always do the trick on those extra crazy days!”
Do you have any tips for productivity?
“My calendar is like my bible. I schedule almost everything so I have a compass throughout the day to keep me on track.
“I schedule personal and professional obligations, and I keep it updated in real time. I love a good written out to do list of top things that need immediate action because there’s no better feeling than crossing it off.
“I also know that I’m a morning person – it’s when I have all my energy and my mind is the sharpest so I tend to schedule all my decision-making meetings in the morning hours.”
How do you find time to exercise?
“Like everything else, I love scheduling my workouts. At the weekend, I look at my work schedule and find time and block it on my calendar.
“I like to workout in the morning before the day starts. Moving my body daily is such a priority for me, even if it’s not a 55 minute workout, I need to do some light movement even stretching for 20 minutes a day.
“Putting it in my calendar reminds me to treat that time as important as any meeting. It’s not about finding time, for me it’s about making the time.”
Fancy trying the P.volve method for yourself?
This 30-minute workout from P.volve trainer Cecily McCullough is a great way to strengthen and sculpt your body. Plus, there’s no equipment required!
