My Health Rules: Constance Jablonski

I can’t get through the day without yoga. When I first moved to New York ten years ago, I only used to do high-intensity cardio – boxing, running and Barry’s Bootcamp were my regulars. But during the pandemic, we all had to slow down, and I discovered a new love for Pilates and yoga, especially yin yoga. When I wake up, I always stretch for five or ten minutes, and then use the Down Dog app to find an online yoga class. If I want to go to a studio, I’ll visit Yoga Vida in NYC, and when I’m travelling, I love YUJ in Paris. For Pilates, the SLT studios in the US are great, as are the Snake and Twist studios in Paris. Yin yoga is particularly powerful – the deep stretches release so much tension.

My favourite forms of cardio are tennis and running. I try to do one of these every other day, but that doesn’t always happen. Having a dog always gets me out of the house for an hour every day. I recently discovered Dhru Purohit’s podcast, too, which I can’t get enough of – I often tune into an episode when walking. He interviews doctors and the most interesting health experts, covering topics such as eating to beat inflammation, hormone imbalances, fasting and anxiety. 

You can’t beat a savoury breakfast. I often crave salty things in the morning – bread and butter is my staple breakfast, although occasionally I’ll have a pastry or honey tartine. Some form of caffeine is also essential – either a cup of tea or an almond milk latte.

The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest ways to live. Emphasising the consumption of foods high in omega-3 and healthy fats – like fish, olive oil, nuts, grains, legumes, fruits and veggies – is my preferred way of eating. One of my favourite dinners when cooking for friends is fish ‘en papillotte’ – it’s so simple and a crowd-pleaser. Salmon works well – wrap it in aluminium foil with lots of lemon, spices and vegetables. Just add a side of steamed rice and you’re good to go. I am conscious of my animal protein consumption though, so I try to alternate between animal and vegetarian sources of protein where possible. My favourite WFH lunch is a quick and easy salad made with lentils and tuna. 

In my fridge, you’ll find lots of cheese. I could easily survive on cheese alone – I can eat it at any time of the day. Weekly staples also include almond milk, eggs, mushrooms and buckwheat bread  (organic where possible). 

For me, healthy eating is all about inclusion. I don’t believe in cheat days and don’t deprive myself of a sugary treat if that’s what I fancy. My only rule is that ingredients need to be real and not processed – McDonald’s is not real food and I’d far rather have a delicious burger from a local restaurant that uses grass-fed meat.