Alison Hammond is better than ever thanks to 'incredible' reformer Pilates

Alison Hammond on the set of This Morning in an animal print dress — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

From her first appearance on Big Brother back in 2002 to becoming a fixture of British TV - including This Morning and The Great British Bake Off - Alison Hammond is one of the nation’s most beloved TV stars.

And it’s not just her transition from Big Brother housemate to cultural icon that fans have witnessed, the TV favourite has gone through a transformation over the years that’s left her in one of the best places she’s ever been - both physically and mentally.

Having dropped an estimated 11 stone over the last few years, Alison’s actively pursued a healthier lifestyle, which has seen her take on everything from old-school gym classes to trendy reformer Pilates.

Speaking to Closer, Alison said she feels better than ever after finding the exercises that work for her. “I’ve just started doing reformer Pilates and, oh my God, it’s so good.”

“You feel absolutely incredible after it. I really need a good stretch - I’m stiff as a board - so reformer Pilates has been brilliant for me.”

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Alison’s transformation isn’t down to Pilates alone - she praises some classic, old-school exercise classes for keeping her feeling at her best.

She said, "I also do this early-morning circuit class from the brilliant Steve Hensel at Blue Zone. I’ll go at 6.30am and do a full hour. It’s a proper old-school gym - a bit rough around the edges, not polished, not glamorous - but it’s brilliant."

"You go in, you work hard and you leave feeling amazing. I love that."

Despite her focus on feeling great, Alison isn’t on board with every wellness trend. And there’s one that she said "absolutely not" to after her first try.

She revealed, "I did try one of those cold plunge pools once - and absolutely not! It lasted about a minute. I was like, 'Why am I literally trying to kill myself?!'"

As it turns out, Alison might be on to something with her chilly attitude to cold plunges. Ice baths might not be as good for women as they’re often made out to be.

Dr Stacey Sims, an exercise physiologist, nutrition scientist, and longevity expert, has previously said on a podcast, "When women get into ice, it is such a strong stress and a severe vasoconstriction that the body goes into that sympathetic drive, and women don't start to shiver… they just have this incredible stress".

"So, from a physiological and metabolic standpoint, there is no benefit to being in cold. Like ice cold," she says.

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Curious about achieving similar results? There are ways to try reformer Pilates at home, or you could consider a Pilates board. woman&home previously caught up with an instructor Rebecca Dadoun, who revealed the best 15-minute Pilates workout anyone can do at home.

"Time is one of the biggest barriers to movement, especially for busy women and parents. A short, 15-minute class removes that pressure and makes it far more realistic to stick with consistently," explains Rebecca, a certified Pilates instructor and the founder of Pilates Prescription. "You can squeeze it in before work, during nap time, or while dinner’s in the oven."

What's more, "You don't have to do it all at once," she explains. "You can do 15 minutes of Pilates in the morning and 15 minutes later in the day, and suddenly, you've done a solid half hour without needing a one-hour slot in your day."

Committing to a Pilates workout every day for just two weeks can lead to benefits such as increased strength, improved flexibility, better posture, and weight loss.

Jack Slater is not the Last Action Hero, but that's what comes up first when you Google him. Preferring a much more sedentary life, Jack gets his thrills by covering news, entertainment, celebrity, film and culture for woman&home, and other digital publications.

Having written for various print and online publications—ranging from national syndicates to niche magazines—Jack has written about nearly everything there is to write about, covering LGBTQ+ news, celebrity features, TV and film scoops, reviewing the latest theatre shows lighting up London’s West End and the most pressing of SEO based stories.

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