Women's Fitness October 2016

The moment has arrived – holidays are over, your tan is fading and summer BBQs are a distant memory. Yes, autumn is officially here. But look on the bright side! Now’s the time – free of distractions – to focus on your health and fitness goals and get in the shape of your life. Ready to go? Turn to our 12-page ‘Back to the gym’ special (page 62) and get inspired. In ‘Secrets of the PTs’ (page 70), some of the world’s top fitness pros share the insights and expertise their clients pay a fortune for. Discover the products, classes and tips that will help you max your workouts in ‘Are you gym ready?’ (page 64). Then follow our four-week plan, ‘Reclaim your fitness!’ (page 102) to melt away any…

STAR LETTER WORKOUTS WITH A BUMP Thank you for your brilliant and reassuring article ‘Stronger for Baby’ (September issue). I’m pregnant and had been unsure about how far I could take my fitness and knew I wasn’t alone with this worry. I’d been told if a woman was having a normal pregnancy, she could continue to exercise. But I really didn’t know how much. Having read all your good advice, I feel more confident about exercising right through to the 3rd trimester. Doing the right kinds of exercise will be the key to staying fit, healthy and happy during my pregnancy – it’s OK for me to walk, swim, work out with light weights and stretch if I’m feeling OK and the benefits will be worth it for me and…

1 CHEER, CHEW & DANCE! It’s half-marathon season, and Royal Parks’ is one of London’s most scenic, taking in Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Green Park and St James’s, along with Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament. Places are full but why not head along to watch? There are plenty of activities to enjoy. Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon is hosting a ‘Food and Fitness Festival’ with lots of sporting and creative events, plus a food market, live music and entertainment; visit royalparkshalf.com. 2 GO DOWNHILL – FAST! Love mountain biking? Test your wits and technical know-how against world downhill racing champ, Rachel Atherton. The innovative Red Bull Foxhunt reverses traditional foxhunting rules so, instead of being pursued herself, the ‘fox’, Atherton, will chase up to 200 MBTers as they…

‘I miss the rush of competing – the goals to work towards’ ‘My vision was to create a team environment as professional as the athletes’ ‘My home is in the Dolomites in northern Italy and, if I’m there, my day typically starts around 6.30am. Breakfast will be a mix of two or three different cereals with a chocolate protein shake provided by our sponsor, High5 (highfive.co.uk), poured over the top. If I have the time, I’ll get on the bike and do three hours – descend for 25km, go along the flat valley, then ride back up. It’s quite steep and the scenery is beautiful. As a retired athlete (and now owner and manager of world number one women’s pro cycling team Wiggle High5; wigglehighfive.com), I like to maintain enough…

Like to start your day with an early morning workout? According to a new study by DW Fitness clubs, you’re one of a growing number of exercise larks. While over half of people still prefer to exercise at the end of the day, one in three now chooses to get their workouts done at the crack of dawn. ‘In the morning, you’re using a fresh, repaired body,’ says PT Carly Tierney. ‘A morning workout jump-starts your metabolism – the thermal effect lasts for at least four hours afterwards, which increases the total calorie expenditure.’ Just be sure to get enough sleep so you’re refreshed and ready to go, and always eat and rehydrate after your workout.…

CYCLISTS ARE SLIMMER Want to lose weight? Ditch your drive to work and start cycling. New research confirms that drivers are generally heavier than cyclists. In an on-going EU-funded study of 11,000 volunteers across seven European cities, researchers are studying the effects of transport on people’s health and fitness. So far, results show that those who use a car as their main mode of transport are, on average, 4kg heavier than those using a bike. The team is hoping to recruit a total 14,000 adults to continue their research; to find out more and sign up, visit survey.pastaproject.eu. £3 WHAT WE’D LOVE YOU TO DONATE TO BRAIN TUMOUR RESEARCH, IN MEMORY OF CELEB PT NICKI WATERMAN. JUST POST A #SWEATYSELFIE AND TEXT SNAP53 TO 707070 TO DONATE PROMOTION JOIN THE…