7 Questions with Tone Raft
Movement is one of the most direct pathways into transformation—and few embody this truth as deeply as Tone Raft, the classically certified Pilates instructor known for her slow, controlled, organ-supportive approach to movement. Working at Lanserhof and guiding clients with real bodies and real lives, Tone teaches Pilates as functional medicine: a practice that recalibrates strength, breath, and physiological balance from the inside out. Her philosophy mirrors our own at neoNutritions®—that true vitality begins in the subtle layers, where nourishment, breath, and intentional movement meet. In this conversation, Tone shares how movement became her medicine, why feeling over form is her guiding principle, and how Neo supports her ability to teach, recover, and live from a place of embodied integrity.
NN: Tone, your journey into movement is described as a ritual and a path into community rather than just ‘work-out’. Can you share the moment when movement shifted for you — from exercise to a transformational practice?
TR: My practice changed when my aim with movement shifted from how my body looks to how it feels. This aim has become essential in my movement practice, not only for my own body but also for what I teach my clients.
NN: At neoNutritions, we believe that movement, mind-body connection, and nutrition form a triad of transformation.
From your experience teaching Pilates, how do you see movement influence not only the physical body but also the mental, emotional, and energetic layers of wellbeing?
TR: It centers around how your body feels. For me, movement is not only a physical experience but medicine for the body. It heals all layers, not just the external ones, and for me, that's why I love to practice: I can help others learn to use movement as medicine.
NN: In your work, you emphasise ritual—small repeated practices that embed movement into daily life.
Now you have created an entirely new movement class for your community by combining Neo's triangle of philosophies and weaving together Pilates, Breath, and organ-supporting movement.
What can your community expect, and how will it be when we start to honor different aspects of movement?
TR: For me, movement is a whole-body experience, and the deeper we move into our bodies, the deeper we will be able to heal and recover, not only physically but in all aspects. And I hope I can help people to use movement as a tool to make recovery part of their daily routine.
NN: When teaching or guiding people, many come with 'real bodies, real lives'—families, jobs, stress, change.
How does your movement space become a transformation arena for them? And how might nutritional support (like what neoNutritions offers) amplify that process?
TR: I always approach my client from the view that it is not about how their body looks but rather how it feels, meaning that not only their physical but also their mental and emotional state is essential for a good pilates practice. That is why I always say that breathing is half the practice: the Pilates breath helps people feel their bodies, their organs, and their minds, and it is such a simple tool. For me, keeping my routines simple is essential; therefore, the neoNutritions®Ultimate Foundation has become an essential in my routine because it contains all the nutrients needed to cover my body's needs for optimal performance and recovery.
NN: From a movement teacher's perspective: what are the three most common blocks you see in people who want to transform via movement—whether it's mobility, consistency, mindset or nutrition? And how do you invite them to move beyond those?
TR: In my experience, people are so focused on how their bodies look that they limit their movement. The aim in my practice is to shift the concentration from how the body looks to how it feels. Often, people worry that they do not have the strength for Pilates, but a good teacher can help people feel strong in their bodies, because we all have strength within. People have a preconception of Pilates as a Practice, especially now, because there is so much focus on the “Pilates body” that many don't think the practice is for them. Still, this conception is far from the true meaning behind Pilates; its rehabilitative movements are meant to be a practice that follows you through all stages of your life and can be practiced by any type of body at any age, which is why I was drawn to it.
NN: Given your own evolution: as you continue to grow your practice and evolve the work you do, what new form of movement are you drawn to?
How do you see movement evolving for you and your students in the next 1-3 years? And how does nutrition/lifestyle factor into that future vision?
TR: Having worked with Lanserhof for a long time now, the medical aspect of movement has become a central part of my practice. I have spend a lot of time learning about how movement can have medicinal effect on the body, breath as lung training, the core movements impact on the digestion etc. and I think this type of movement will grow, focusing not only on strengthening muscles but on strengthening all physiological aspects of the body as part of your movement, the more we can learn about our own body the better which is also why bloodwork has become an essential part of my routine, it allows me to know exactly what nutrients my body is lacking and supplement accordingly.
NN: For someone just beginning—maybe someone who feels stuck, hasn't moved in months, or wants to rethink how they move and nourish their body—what would be your first invitation to them?
And what role does movement + mindful nutrition play in that first step?
TR: Pilates is about how the body feels. When they step out of the practice, the movement becomes functional medicine in their life that they can use to nourish and heal their body, no matter how it feels to begin with. It only takes one class to feel the difference.
NN: What feels different about Neo, and why did you decide to implement Neo into your daily routine, but also into your work?
TR: To me, Neo feels deeply connected to my body. I can feel how my body responds to the products, as well as to movement; it's a feeling of nourishment. It's a way to support my body in teaching at the high level I maintain in my classes without depleting it of nutrients, and therefore support my healing, which goes hand in hand with movement. For me, my body is the center of my work, so taking care of it is the essence of my routine. I can't expect my clients to trust me with their bodies if I don't take care of my own.
For me, the act of supplementing becomes an act of taking care of my body, noticing its needs down to the micro level, to feel good in my whole body.