Women's Fitness March 2017

Is this the year you’re planning to be your fittest ever? We’ve got you covered! Whatever your level or goal, the key to success is having a fun, achievable training plan. So this month, we’ve asked some of the world’s top experts to share their own plans with you. Need to lose weight and get healthy? All you need to do is start walking! Don’t believe us? Just follow the high-intensity walking plan in ‘Stride in style’ (page 56). ‘In six weeks, you’ll have a fitter body and a new-found love for the outdoors!’ says its creator, athlete Lizzie Webb. Want to start running? You’re in luck. Britain’s favourite athlete, Jess Ennis, is training for her first 10K and, alongside our exclusive interview, ‘I just want to be healthy, fit…

STAR LETTER SWEET DREAMS Thank you for your excellent article, ‘Sleep tight’ (Jan/ Feb issue). I’ve slept poorly and felt tired for a few years, and it’s always worse in the winter. I’ve tried many ways to get more sleep, but all to no avail. Your feature included lots of helpful ideas I’d never tried before, such as increasing the amount of time I spend exposed to daylight, particularly first thing in the morning. I now get up every morning before work and go for a run. I slept for six hours last night and that’s a great improvement already. I’m making other changes you suggested, too. Dee Colworth, Cambridgeshire GOING VEGAN ‘I’ve wanted to go vegan for some time, so I was really pleased to see your feature ‘The…

1 SUPPORT A GOOD CAUSE TV presenter and actress Denise van Outen is leading a team of celebrities on a 187-mile India bike ride in March to help raise funds for the charity Brain Tumour Research. Denise launched the Nicki Waterman Kerala Challenge (#NWKC2017) in memory of her close friend and fitness trainer to the stars, Nicki Waterman, who died in August after a 15-month battle with an aggressive brain tumour. To donate, go to the following link: justgiving.com/fundraising/ nicki-waterman-foundation. 2 BUY HOT NEW KIT We’re excited about the latest Rosie for Autograph Active collection at M&S. The fourteen pieces, with modern, minimalist looks designed in conjunction with model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, have been created for high-intensity activities. Look out for extra-high-impact bras, plus jackets, leggings and vests with accent colours…

‘Most clients come via word of mouth and are seeking rapid body transformation’ ‘We’ve created luxurious gyms that feel like home’ ‘I get up between 6.30 and 7.30am, enjoy a cup of coffee and check my emails (I only eat two meals a day and prefer to brunch around 11am on yoghurt, nuts and berries or poached eggs with avocado). Then I walk my dog and head to work at our most recently opened, award-winning gym, The Clock (theclock.com), in Marylebone, where I’m trying to get everything running smoothly so eventually it won’t need my help. I currently see around eight clients a day for consultations, while managing the 25 staff across our three gyms and still squeezing in client training sessions. My working life is full-on, very varied and…

If you have an activity tracker that’s gathering dust, read on. A study at the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington monitored 172 people and found combining using an activity tracker with wellness coaching helped participants get the most out of their gadget. The subjects, who were given a Fitbit activity tracker, also had 10 weeks of coaching sessions to help them gradually increase their goals and therefore their daily movement. At the end of the trial, 90 per cent said the combination of coaching and tracker helped them sustain their health goals after the coaching ended. Time to get a PT?…

DITCHTHETREADMILL Sure, it’s warm and inviting in the gym, but treadmill running doesn’t offer half the benefits of an outdoor jog. That’s according to the latest study from St Mary’s University in London*, which shows that running in cool conditions can be far kinder on the body than running in balmy temperatures. Researchers monitored exercisers running in a climate-controlled room at 22.3ºC and 8ºC and discovered cooler conditions put less of a cardiovascular strain on the body, including a 6 per cent average lower heart rate and 38 per cent difference in sweat loss. Time to brave the elements! 24% HOW MUCH THE PERSONAL TRAINING INDUSTRY HAS GROWN BY SINCE 2010** COOL KIT WITH A CONSCIENCE Meet a fitness collection that it’s wrong not to buy. The Ellesse recycled capsule…