Julia Restoin Roitfeld talks fitness, hating diets and single motherhood to new Fitness and Lifestyle Blog, The New Jock.
A couple weeks ago, I was interviewed by new fitness and lifestyle online destination The New Jock ,founded by Aimee Cho, Stephanie Tran.
They asked me everything about my fitness and health tips to how to juggle single motherhood with being an entrepreneur.
Find out all my answers below and don’t forget to check out The New Jock for many more inspiring features.
Hi Julia! What’s your official title, because you do a lot more than just Romy & the Bunnies…
Creative Director, Model, Founder and Editor of Romy & the Bunnies.
How long have you been doing Ballet Beautiful with Mary Helen?
I started working out at Ballet Beautiful about a year after having my daughter. I started in the spring of 2013 and worked out 2/3 times a week. I had my first class with Mary Helen, but then trained with other teachers in both private and group classes up to now.
What is it that you like about Ballet Beautiful as a workout? What do you get out of it that you don’t get from other workouts?
I like that it works out my muscles but also my posture. Also, a great thing is that I don’t sweat when I do ballet so I don’t have to shower after, which can be time consuming after a work out. I can go straight into a meeting after Ballet Beautiful. I have been doing it from home when the weather is very bad or when I’m traveling, but I prefer to do it in the studio. I disconnect better.
If you go straight to a meeting from Ballet Beautiful or another workout, what do you wear to feminize your workout gear? What do you think of the athleisure trend? Do you see it as a disservice to style and femininity?
I think work out clothes can be very feminine. Look at what I am wearing while doing ballet. Or look at models in sports bras, spandex and cropped tops doing boxing. Work out clothes doesn’t have to mean slouchy. I am actually wearing leggings now as I am going from a work out session straight to work. But I mix them with high boots, and a leather trench coat. However, you will rarely see me in sweat pants!
Are you doing anything other than Ballet Beautiful to stay in shape? We know you had previously been boxing – loved all the photos and videos! Did it help you get back into pre-baby shape quickly?
I love boxing. I actually want to start again. It’s an amazing cardio workout, stress reliever and muscle developer. Will Torres from Will Space approached me as he was looking for a new mom to train and put back in shape. I actually just started working out with him again recently. But you have to know, it took me a year to get back in shape. I didn’t even really care about getting back in shape until I stopped breast feeding. I started gently with Pilates class and then started working out both with Will at Will Space and at Ballet Beautiful. Now I’ve added SoulCycle to the mix because you can book last minute! I train around 4/5 times a week and rotate around all those work outs.
Many women say breast-feeding and running after their toddlers also helps with losing the pregnancy weight. Did you find that it helped you too?
Breast feeding….no! Thats a total myth! Running after a toddler and having zero time to eat (unless it’s my daughter’s left overs or when I am out for dinner and can eat with my two hands and with no toddler attached to my legs or lap) definitely helped!
And what about before you had Romy? Did you have any sort of fitness routine?
I used to do Pilates at Re:Ab Pilates when I lived in Soho. Then I moved to Chelsea and started working out at Equinox and did a few yoga classes. I work out way more today than before.
How was the pregnancy experience?
I loved it but I didn’t care so much about staying in shape or my weight. I did a lot of swimming to relieve my back and legs. And a bit of yoga, but I hate yoga – I get bored. And it never changed my body as much as ballet, spinning or boxing did. I need intense sports.
How did having Romy change your body? Or your perception of your body? Especially as a model and often being in the spotlight – did it make you more body-aware?
I loved my bump. I could not wait to show it unlike a lot of moms I know who were so proud of not showing until the 7th month…. I was the opposite!!!! I wore super tight clothes so it could show as early as the 4th month! And my boobs were huge. What’s not to love about that?!
And what about now? Does having a child continue to change your awareness of your body?
My stomach is better now than before my pregnancy. I like my hourglass shape and my super tiny waist. I don’t like my thighs so much, but I don’t know many women who like theirs….
Do you co-sleep with Romy or does she sleep in her own bed?
She sleeps in her own room and crawls in my bed early mornings for cuddles which is the best.
How much sleep do you get a night?
I need 8 hours to function. I have to wake up at 7 am to take her to school so I try to go to bed early on week nights. But I have always liked going to bed early and have always been an early riser. However I can function with much less sleep now that I am a mom, simply because I have to.
What does health and wellness mean to you, especially now that you’re a mom?
It’s so subjective. For me, it’s to feel good and happy in your own body and mind. You need to listen to yourself and your body. Don’t over do it working out if you are tired. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
And then there’s diet. What is your diet like?
I don’t diet. I hate diets. Some mornings I will have granola with kefir and a green juice, and another morning a skim latte with a doughnut or a croissant. And some other mornings I forget to eat as I am too caught up getting my daughter and myself ready to leave the house.
How about vices…do you drink? Smoke? Did any of this change because of Romy?
I never smoke. I drink socially and I like a glass of wine in the evening. I didn’t
really feel like drinking when I was pregnant, which was easy for me.
How has your life changed since having a child?
It has definitely changed for the better. The only thing I miss is the lack of flexibility which is hard in a spontaneous city like NY, but if you are well organized then it’s not that difficult! I have a few babysitters I love, including one living in my building which helps a bit being more flexible.
How do you balance having a child, work, and social life? Do you have a lot of support? Or are you doing this on your own?
I have to give myself some credit – I do a lot on my own. Of course, I have a nanny and Romy spends every other weekend with her dad. But I don’t have my family living here with me, so it’s still a lot of work. When back home after a long workday, it’s like starting a second full-time job. But the love you receive makes it all worth it.
And surely the same could be said for all the hard work you put into Romy & the Bunnies. Where do you see it going in the next year? 2? 5?
I really want it to become a brand. I love designing, and product collaborations are my favorite things to do! I recently collaborated with LoveShackFancy on a summer collection for little girls and I am now working with a British brand on a new collection.
Photos by Skye Parrot, shot at the Ballet Beautiful Studio in Soho.
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