Keep fit with Tom&cath!
Tom Pitfield on how he and wife, Coronation Street star Catherine Tyldesley, make healthy living a priority
Personal trainer Tom Pitfield knows all about the pressures of juggling family life and healthy living with hectic work schedules – he’s married to Catherine Tyldesley, who plays Eva Price in Coronation
Street. But as parents to Alfie, two, Tom and Catherine put fitness and eating well at the centre of family life.
‘I’ve been a personal trainer for more than 10 years – I met Catherine where I work! She and I are both so passionate about family fitness, we’ve started an Instagram account called The Pitfields to build up awareness and help other busy parents,’ says Tom, 30. ‘It’s about how we squeeze in exercise and get Alfie to interact with food and cooking. We’ve had a great response.’
All of which makes Tom an ideal contributor to ITV series Eat, Shop, Save, which continues this week with its mission to help families ditch junk food, step up their exercise and save a fortune. Here Tom tells us more…
This is your first TV job. Are you excited to see yourself on screen? I’ve enjoyed doing the show and we got great results. It’s hard to watch myself, but Catherine says it’s good experience should I want to do more. When Alfie spots her on Corrie he goes mad – it’s so funny. Eva’s a laugh in Corrie – and that’s the real deal. It’s Catherine being Catherine!
What’s the idea behind the series? It’s about showing families how to break patterns and put new routines in place. In the show, the other experts and I consult with families. We listen to what they’d like to do and where they struggle – then we help implement small lifestyle changes that make a big difference.
What are common bad habits?
In modern life it’s easy to put exercise and healthy food on the back burner. It must become a bigger priority – it’s not just about losing weight, it’s also about staying healthy. What are your recommended tips for a healthier lifestyle? Catherine and I try to pick a different activity to do with Alfie every week, like going for a walk or swimming at weekends. It’s really simple and all the little activities add up. Tracking activity levels is a great idea too, and most people can get free step-tracking on their phones. It really works because you’re trying to beat the previous day’s steps! What other healthy decisions can families make at home? Catherine and I each take a turn at cooking and meal planning. We get a big grocery shop over the weekend so there’s always food in the fridge. If not, you end up going for the fastest option like a takeaway. It’s best to decide what meals you’ll have each night and shop for them – that way there’s zero waste.
Tell us you have bad habits too! Don’t get me wrong; I don’t live a perfect life! I do fall into bad habits, but now I’m aware of them I make changes to get back on track. I work in a gym so I’ve no excuse not to exercise. I’m a big fan of chocolate. If I couldn’t drink for a year, it wouldn’t faze me, but giving up choccie biccies would be a different story!
Eva’s a laugh in Corrie
– and that’s the real deal. It’s Catherine being Catherine!
TOM PITFIELD