Kate Ferdinand loves nothing better than being outside walking, so it’s only natural that she created a parent group focused on that same activity. The wife of Rio Ferdinand shared a video of herself wearing black yoga pants and a matching crop top, walking through London with her new group of friends. “Our first Blended x Happy Steps ‘step together’ walking event yesterday was just everything ✨ It was a reminder of exactly why I created blended, many of the women that came along were talking about how isolating becoming a step parent and not knowing where to turn and who to talk to can be. So to see everyone chatting, laughing, sharing tears and experiences was a very special & proud moment. Everyone was nervous before they arrived (including me) but by the end we left on a high & many of you said how much lighter you felt 🥹,” she captioned the post. Here’s how the 32-year-old stays fit and happy while juggling her family and career.
Ferdinand would go to the gym with her mother before school. “I fell in love with swimming and training in the gym, and it’s something I’ve done the rest of my life,” she told Women’s Fitness. “I like the effects exercise has on my body, but I love the effects it has on my mind. I suffer with anxiety, and feel overwhelmed at times, but exercise is a time for me to think of nothing else other than what I’m doing. And, for me, that doesn’t really happen often during the day with lots of kids. I’m always thinking about something!”
Ferdinand says she enjoys the challenge of using a reformer and never skips a rep. “At the moment I am really into reformer Pilates,” she told Health & Wellbeing. “I’ve been doing it for over a year now and I love it so much. I really look forward to going and try to prioritize that as I notice it if I miss a session. It’s really good for my mind and I feel strong when I leave.”
Pilates and strength training complement each other, Ferdinand says. “I love the contrast between Pilates and weight training,” she told Women’s Fitness. “I lift heavy, so it’s really intense and quick, whereas Pilates is calming, especially now I’ve learnt about the breathing. I like the way it’s changing my body, too. I like feeling the pain of Pilates if I’m honest. I like to push myself and I like feeling that ache that lets you know something is working. I’m not someone who likes to miss a rep!”
Ferdinand sticks to a whole foods diet with limited carbohydrates. “For breakfast I have homemade granola with some yogurt, honey and berries,” she told Health & Wellbeing. “I’m a creature of habit and will have it every day until I’m sick of it and won’t have it again! I tend to have a form of protein with veg for lunch. I try to limit carbs slightly, I know I need them to work out and have energy for the kids so it’s all in moderation. So with dinner I do similar to lunch but with carbs, and I have that pretty much every day.”
Ferdinand loves being outside just taking a walk in nature. “I hate running and fast-paced cardio, but I love walking,” she told Women’s Fitness. “I know a lot of people don’t see walking as cardio but I think it’s amazing. I love being in the outdoors and being surrounded by nature. It calms me a lot, so I often head out with my dog and the baby in the pram – hopefully when she’s asleep, as it’s never fun when she’s screaming!”