Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2015 i Women's Fitness

How much are you prepared to pay for fitness? According to a recent survey, the average Brit spends £500 a year on gym membership and exercise classes. But, with the explosion in fitness fashion, boutique gyms and celebrity trainers, many women are spending thousands to stay in shape. Whether it’s the latest pair of luxe leggings at £200 a pop or a post-workout smoothie for £5, the costs can quickly add up. But do you need to flash the cash to stay fit? No! While the occasional splurge can give you the perfect workout boost, we firmly believe you don’t need to spend much to stay in shape. Turn to ‘How much would you pay for this?’ (page 66), to discover the best ways to get fit on a budget.…

MUSCLE HELPER Made for endurance athletes, SiS Whey Protein (£29.99 for 1kg; scienceinsport.com) contains amino acids that support lean muscle growth. If it’s good enough for Sir Chris Hoy… IMMUNE BOOSTER Intense exercise can affect the gut’s balance of healthy flora. Wild Nutrition Multi-Strain Biotic (£35 for 100g; wildnutrition.com) contains good bacteria that helps counteract this. ENERGY BUILDER Guilty of skipping your five-a-day? PhD Woman Greens & Berries (£29.99 for 300g; phd-woman.co. uk) contains 24 vitamins and minerals, including energy-boosting iron.…

Q: What weight-training techniques reap the greatest rewards for muscle definition? A: ‘Do whatever you feel is best, but always keep it varied. There are elements of all methods in a programme. Rest-pause might come into your training – when you rest before forcing another rep out. Many people perform a pyramid set during a warm-up. There’s no right or wrong strategy, and no one programme that works for everybody. Variety is key. ‘Gain as much knowledge as you can about weight training, or go on a course and get qualified – then you can train yourself. Or, find a trainer who already has the know-how.’…

1. CHOCOLATE-DIPPED STRAWBERRIES Use large, sweet strawberries and melted dark chocolate (at least 65 per cent cocoa). Half dip the strawberries and eat while the chocolate is still warm and liquid, or leave to set in the fridge before tucking in. 2. CHOCOLATE-COATED POPCORN Marks & Spencer Guilt Free Snacking Chocolate & Pecan popcorn contains just 130 calories in a 27g bag, and popcorn is a whole grain. 3. FROZEN CHOCOLATEY BANANAS Freeze a peeled halved banana and, when solid, take out and roll in melted dark chocolate and chopped hazelnuts. Return to the freezer until the chocolate is set (at least an hour). Enjoy!…

UNCLE REG’S With a higher vegetable to fruit ratio, these cold-pressed fruit and vegetable juices pack in the nutrients and taste great too. £3 for 250ml; unclereg.com. PLENISH With an emphasis on balancing the body’s pH, Plenish juices contain generous amounts of detoxifying greens and antioxidant-packed fruit. £5.95 for 250ml; ocado.com. B. FRESH JUICE Bursting with nutrition and flavour, the B.Juice range is pulp-free, cold-pressed and mainly made using produce grown on its own farm in Shropshire. £15 for six x 250ml bottles; b-fresh.co.uk. VEGESENTIALS These tasty smoothie and juice blends are half vegetable and half fruit, and entirely pure, raw and unpasteurised to maintain a high nutritional value. £1.99 for 250ml; vegesentials.co.uk. BOBO’S JUICERY Made from home-grown produce, BoBo Juicery’s smoothies and juices pack in superfoods such as maca,…

BREAKFAST ‘I usually start my day with a glass of warm water to gently wake up my stomach. I work out early, before breakfast. Post workout, I prefer to eat a light meal, so I’ll probably have a latte with full-fat milk or green tea with either a banana or a small portion of quinoa porridge with fresh berries. I have a later start on a Sunday and love making breakfast at home. Scrambled eggs with rocket, avocado and salmon are favourites. My metabolism is on the slower side and eating a carb-rich breakfast doesn’t work for me as my energy levels drop instantly.’ LUNCH ‘I often have tuna sashimi or brown rice sushi with a miso soup. I’m never home at this time of day, so it needs to…

THE MAKE YOUR OWN RULES DIET  by Tara Stiles (Hay House, £18.99) Written by renowned US yoga instructor Tara Stiles, the Make Your Own Rules diet is based around you and the way you feel, not a prescriptive eating plan. In many ways it’s a journey in intuitive eating, with the focus on finding what you need to eat to improve your wellbeing and feel better in your body. Stiles offers help in tailoring your own plan and shares some of her favourite health foods, which include kale, pumpkin, lima beans, safflower oil and barley. In the Seven Days to Radiate kick-start section, there’s a sample seven-day routine that consists of meals, snacks and exercises so you can get an idea of how to create your own rules. Unsurprisingly, you’re…

Professor Mark Whiteley of The Whiteley Clinic (thewhiteleyclinic.co.uk) identifies these deskbound dangers and how to avoid them… VARICOSE VEINS ‘A sedentary desk job can worsen varicose veins. To keep your leg muscles in working form, stand up every half an hour and pump your calves by rising onto your toes for 60 seconds.’ POOR POSTURE ‘Sitting in one position without moving is not good for the spine, spinal muscles or shoulders. Every time you venture into the office kitchen to make a cup of tea, bend down and touch your toes 10 times. Then, stretch your arms out to the sides, overhead and behind you.’ POOR HEART FUNCTION ‘Sitting at your desk all day can lead to your heart not being able to pump blood efficiently when needed. Every hour,…

It’s easy to look to more exotic places for something special in beauty, but the UK’s own country garden is home to a huge number of plants, herbs and botanicals, used to make some exceptional skincare products. ‘Spring is always a beautiful time of year for us, as we grow herbs including calendula, verbena, St John’s wort and roses, as well as wild nettles, elderflower and meadowsweet to make organic herbal tinctures,’ says Susan Curtis, director of natural health at Neal’s Yard Remedies. The British beauty and wellbeing company grows, harvests and formulates its award-winning products at an eco-factory in Dorset. ‘The eight-acre site was specifically built over a decade ago to truly embody the concept of home-grown,’ she says. For Neal’s Yard, sourcing what can’t be grown at the…

Do this workout after or during a run, twice a week, to become fitter and stronger. Make sure it doesn’t fall on the same day as, or the day after, a hard run. Do each of the 10 repetitions continuously before moving straight on to the next exercise. If you need to, take 30 seconds’ recovery between exercises. 10 x squats10 x lunges10 x triceps dips10 x press-ups If you’re able to, repeat the circuit three times with a 30-second recovery between each circuit. If you have dumbbells and want to increase the effort, hold them while doing the squats and lunges and add 10 x biceps curls after the press-ups.…

Can a woman put a price on her fitness? Thirty pounds per month? Four hundred pounds a year? Actually, data from Money Dashboard reports that the average Brit spends around £550 a year on gym memberships and exercise classes. Sure, that doesn’t sound like a lot, but what about the growing number of people who are forking out on luxury workout studios, designer fitness fashion and exclusive nutrition regimes? With boutique gyms charging as much as £30 per class and high-end fashion apparel costing up to hundreds of pounds per item, the expense can soon mount up. In fact, anecdotal evidence shows that some women are spending thousands of pounds on their health and fitness each year. But is it worth it? Fitness splurging comes in many forms, from wearing…

Fitness fashion has never been so hot. But while we covet the luxe looks, we know splashing out £120 on a pair of leggings or £80 on a crop top isn’t easy on the purse strings. Thankfully many high-street labels have risen to the challenge and created loads of truly stylish kit at more affordable prices. If you’re after some new workout clothes for spring that won’t cost the earth, read on for our round-up of this season’s biggest trends and find out where to snap them up. Happy shopping! THE DARK SIDE Bold colours have taken centre stage in fitness apparel, but you can’t go wrong with the classic LBG* (*little black gymwear) BEST FOR STYLE & SUBSTANCE. designs H&M’s give stylish their more expensive counterparts a run for…

• Inghams (inghams.co.uk) has 15 properties in Obergurgl, including the four-star Hotel Edelweiss & Gurgl. A week’s half-board starts from £839pp, including flights from Gatwick to Innsbruck and transfers. A ‘first-time’ ski/board package includes a six-day lift pass and equipment hire, plus five days’ tuition (four hours daily) from £404. • The Go Ski Go Board (goskigoboard.org.uk) programme includes six hours of instruction or slope time and is available at over 30 UK slopes. Run by Snowsport England and supported by the Tirol Tourist Board, it costs £188.…

BARBELL ARM CURL Reps: 15 Sets: 3 Benefits: Helps you develop biceps strength, plus works your core, forearms and shoulders. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, holding a barbell with your palms facing away from you (A). Keep your shoulders locked down and back while you pull the barbell up to the top of your chest. Squeeze your biceps and pause for two seconds at the top of the movement (B). Lower the bar with control to the starting position. BARBELL ROW Reps: 15 Sets: 3 Benefits: Develops a strong back and improves your posture. Grab a barbell with an overhand grip, your hands about shoulder-width apart. Hold the bar at arm’s length, then bend at your hips and lower your torso until it’s almost parallel to the floor. Your…

Muscle mass, or lean mass, is important if you want to get strong, toned and healthy. Muscle mass makes you structurally sound, keeps your metabolic rate ramped up and will give you that sought-after lean, athletic look. Don’t worry, we’re not talking bodybuilder proportions, but just enough – in all the right places – to allow you to look good and go faster for longer. Here’s how to have stronger muscles. 1.INCREASE THE VOLUME Simply lifting heavy weights is not the key to building muscle. It’s the total volume, or tension, that you expose your muscles to that’s actually the key. You should do more reps and more sets if you want to build muscle, using weights that challenge you. Try combining some lower reps of heavy weights with more…

When was the last time you went trainer shopping? Last year? Last month? Experts say runners should change their trainers every six months or 400-500 miles, whichever comes first. Better yet, buy several shoes and rotate them. According to a study in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, runners who train in multiple trainer models are 39 per cent less likely to get injured than those who run in the same shoes. It’s important to match the shoe you’re wearing to the type of run you’re doing and the terrain you’re running on – time to splash out on several pairs! Here’s everything you need to know about which running trainers to wear next. THE ROADS Think: Cushioned trainers with a flexible forefoot. Need to know: There’s…

WIN! TOUGH MUDDER TICKETS FOR YOU AND FOUR FRIENDS! Hot on the heels of announcing all-new obstacles for 2015, Tough Mudder (toughmudder.co.uk) is inviting you and four friends to take part in the Mudder madness. Events consist of 10-12-mile-long obstacle courses, designed to test all-around strength, stamina, mental grit and camaraderie. Try the 10 exhilarating new obstacles, including King of the Swingers, a pendulum swing off a 12-foot platform and Cry Baby, a tunnel crawl through a tear-gas-like substance… while old favourites, including Arctic Enema and Everest, have been reinvented to keep you on your toes and get you and your team mates working closely together. TO ENTER, tweet @ToughMudder an image of you and your team (five in total) with the hashtag #TMUKMates GettingMuddy by April 7, 2015, when…

How do you stay fit? ‘I’m really good nowadays; it’s a recent thing – I’m not going to pretend it’s always been the case. Last year, I cycled across India and I’ve carried on my training. I do HIIT, weight sessions, then hot yoga on a Sunday. I’m also going to start doing something fun with a friend like Barry’s Bootcamp (barrysbootcamp.com) or Skinny Bitch Collective (thesbcollective.com)!’ What’s a typical day’s diet like? ‘I start the day with a coffee, then rye bread with avocado, chilli, maybe some coriander with loads of lemon and salt. I’ll have a green juice on the way to work. Because of what I do for a living, it’s sometimes hard to sit down for lunch and eat and I often taste a lot of…

* STAR LETTER FROM ZERO TO HERO H&F has changed my life! A year ago I was overweight, a smoker and did zero exercise. Then my amazing Nan was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and I wanted to raise money for the charity that has helped my family so much. So on a whim one day, I signed up to climb Ben Nevis for the Alzheimer’s Society. I had a lot of training to do and weight to lose, so I quit smoking and started buying H&F to help me get healthy. I followed your exercises and recipes and the weight started to drop off. By August, I had lost three stone and managed to climb Ben Nevis. I kept buying H&F and now, a year later, I love exercising so…

Want to crank up your stamina? The solution could be as simple as working out with a happy crowd. Researchers at Bangor University and the University of Kent recently got 13 exercisers to cycle to exhaustion while a screen in front of them flashed images of either happy or sad faces. The cyclists who were shown the happy faces rode for three minutes longer than those exposed to sad faces. According to the researchers, visual information reaches the brain even when we’re not aware of it, and the negative sort could thwart our efforts. Now, where’s the happy gym?…

Goblet squat Reps: 15 Works: Thighs, bottom, core and upper back Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell vertically in front of your chest (A). Keeping your chest up and your core tight, sit your hips back and squat as low as you can (B). Press through your heels and squeeze your bottom as you return to standing. Dumbbell swing Reps: 20 Works: Thighs, bottom, core, back, arms and shoulders Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in an overhand grip. Keeping your knees slightly bent, push your hips back and lower your chest to bring the dumbbell between your legs (A). Keeping your abs tight and back straight, push your hips forward and swing the dumbbell up to shoulder height (B). Reverse the movement,…

From supermodels such as Miranda Kerr and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley to celeb trainers and actresses – they’re all at it. And all credit their super-slim figure, glowing skin and wrinkle-free looks to the daily ritual of chugging back a glass of fresh juice. Green juices are the latest thing to be papped with, whizzed up for a smug Instagram selfie or bought as a raw bottled version – there are new varieties constantly popping up in shops and cafes. But before you down your next concoction, wouldn’t you like to know which of these intriguing liquids is best for you and why? ‘Juicing is a quick and easy way of getting all the nutrients your body needs,’ explains Sarah Cadji, founder of London’s first cold-pressed juice bar Roots & Bulbs and…

MINDY FOX’S WARM CHICKEN & BARLEY SALAD Serves: 4 1 tsp coarse sea salt150g pearl barley60ml plus 3½ tbsp extravirgin olive oil150g shiitake mushrooms, stemsdiscarded and caps halved, if large225g button mushrooms, stemstrimmed and mushrooms halvedor quartered, if large1 large garlic clove, finely chopped225g large shreds roast chicken4 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped2 tbsp chives, finely chopped2 tbsp mint, finely chopped115g rocket1 tbsp red wine vinegarSalt and freshly ground black pepper 1 Add the sea salt to 2l of water. Boil. Remove from the heat, add the barley and return to a low boil. Cook for 40-45 minutes until tender. 2 About 20 minutes before the barley’s done, heat the 60ml of oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add a third of the mushrooms, stir and let…

‘Working in the fitness industry, Jess understands the need to take care of her body and ensure it gets the nutrition it needs to fuel her active lifestyle. Quinoa porridge is a good alternative to oats if you want to eat more protein and fewer carbs at breakfast. Sushi and miso soup can be quite high in salt, but as Jess likes to cook her evening meal from scratch, she can control the amount of salt she uses in this meal. Her diet would benefit from a bit more calcium – she could snack on a pot of yoghurt or a handful of almonds.’ SCORE…

If you’re trying to lose weight to get healthy, it helps to be sociable, says a Northwestern University study. According to the research, online dieters who regularly logged in, recorded results and interacted with the online community in their social network, shifted more weight than those who didn’t. Those who engaged with at least 10 users lost around eight per cent of their body weight in just six months, demonstrating that social support and self-monitoring are two huge factors in successful weight loss.…

So you go to the gym at least three times a week and run at the weekends? Good for you! But while your exercise regime may be finely honed and paying dividends, the chances are you’re still not moving anywhere near as much – or as effectively – as you should be for optimum health. That’s the view of US biomechanist Katy Bowman, who outlines her theory in her new book, Move Your DNA (Lotus Publishing, £16.99). Bowman believes our bodies have a deep cellular need for regular natural movement. Without it, we’re prone to illness and injury. Our bodies contain 600 skeletal muscle groups that are designed to move, lift, squat and bend, in a myriad of ways, in order for us to survive and thrive. The problem?…

Often wake in the night, with anxieties running through your mind? Or find you can’t fully concentrate on anything – from work to social nights out with friends – because there’s an undercurrent of worry pulling at you? The Worry Watch app (iTunes, £1.49) could help. It’s based on the brilliantly simple theory that the majority of our worries come to nothing, or have outcomes we can cope with. It’s designed to help you gradually learn this for yourself, so you can ‘turn down’ the volume on your fears. You log your worries, then record the outcome, and the app stores the data so you can look back on your ‘worry trends’ and start putting current concerns into perspective. Brilliant.…

When Nell McAndrew clocked two hours and 54 minutes at the London Marathon in 2012, she broke the three-hour barrier for the first time despite being a busy mum. Now, three years on, the 41-year-old is still juggling work with keeping fit and being a mum-of-two to Devon, eight, and Anya, one. Just how does she do it? ‘I don’t always!’ admits the runner, fitness model and presenter. ‘Sometimes, I have to miss doing a run if it doesn’t fit around family commitments. I try to be realistic by aiming to run two to three times a week but, often, running to school and back with a jogging buggy is the only way I can fit exercise into my day.’ But despite struggling to squeeze running miles into her packed…

PUREGYM From £9.99 monthly; puregym.com This nationwide gym chain offers membership for less than a tenner per month. Members have access to over 70 classes, oodles of kit and great instructors. XERCISE4LESS From £9.99 monthly; xercise4less.co.uk The clue is in the name – Xercise4less gyms boast all of the latest kit and over 40 classes per week. The club also offers a personal training service. SPORTS DIRECT From £5 monthly; sportsdirectfitness.com The new budget gym company launched in Aintree last year, and has plans to open 200 clubs nationwide. Expect the latest kit, classes and even a boxing section at select centres. THE HOT HOUSE £8 per class; fiercegracenorth.com For Londoners, this no-frills yoga studio from the founders of Fierce Grace Yoga…

The Wellicious SS15 Bright Power Shade Collection; wellicious.com Step into spring with the Wellicious Bright Power shade Collection. As well as being luxuriously soft (you won’t want to take them off), the tops and bottoms, made from organic fabrics, come in a variety of nude and muted hues, with pops of orange, lavender, lime and corals – adding some zest to your yoga classes! On top of the usual leggings and tees, the collection includes oversized jumpers and jackets to take your look from workout to day wear.…

H&F writer Abigail Butcher treats her weathered skin. What? QMS Pure Oxygen Facial, £150 for 90 minutes. Where? QMS Medicosmetics Spa, 43 Cadogan Gardens, London (qms-medicosmetics.com/spa). ‘QMS was founded in the 1980s by German trauma and cosmetic surgeon Dr Erich Schulte, to reintroduce natural soluble collagens topically and boost skin regeneration to reduce damage. My skin is dry and highly sensitive – worsening with age because I spend a lot of time outside. This facial begins with deep cleansing and a fabulous exfoliation tailored to your exact skin type. My therapist, Julianne, used QMS’s Med Dermabrasive Gel (a mild fruit acid peel for sensitive skin) followed by an algae mask to calm, rehydrate and moisturise. Julianne then blew 95 per cent oxygen very gently over my face using a ‘gun’…

When she was a PA to the Prince of Wales, Amelia Freer’s long work days would be fuelled by fast food and sugary snacks and culminate with binge eating and wine drinking in front of the TV. But after years of suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, acne and exhaustion, Freer realised that her health troubles might be related to her unhealthy diet. She saw a nutritionist and was immediately intrigued by the power of food. She decided to enrol at The Institute for Optimum Nutrition and received her diploma in nutritional therapy a few years later. Today, Freer has transformed her life with new eating habits and is a top dietary consultant. She recently helped Boy George shed his last few stones and runs a popular lifestyle blog, ameliafreer.com. Now,…

SQUATS: A must for helping increase lean mass, as long as you don’t have any major weaknesses or imbalances. Start out with three sets of 10, and increase the volume as your conditioning improves. CHIN-UPS: Often referred to as the squat of the upper body, these are also good for core training. They’re a great marker of relative strength, too – and you need to be strong as well as lean. Once you can do one in good form, start to increase the volume, aiming for 10 reps. INTERVAL TRAINING: This form of cardio doesn’t sap muscle and strength the way long, slow runs can. Try 20 seconds flat out then 40 seconds rest, 10 times on a stationary bike – or anything else you can maintain your work rate…

Q Should I apply ice or heat to an injury? A Ice has long been the recommended treatment for sports injuries – it forms part of the RICE acronym: rest, ice, compression and elevation. Why ice? It calms down the pain associated with damaged or inflamed tissues and is best used for acute injuries such as strains and sprains where there’s swelling, tenderness, redness or bruising. These symptoms are a result of the body’s inflammatory response, which is designed to protect the injured tissues to allow healing. Many sport scientists believe that for evolutionary reasons this response tends to be ‘overzealous’, causing unnecessary lockdown. Applying ice dampens this inflammatory response so you can get back on the road quicker. However, some experts say the inflammatory process is there for a…

NEAL’S YARD SEAWEED & ARNICA FOAMING BATH £15 for 200ml; johnlewis.com ‘The combination of seaweed, comfrey and arnica, with lemon, pine, juniper and lavender essential oils, in this soothing, aromatic, organic blend is designed to detox you and pep you up if you’re really tired. After an exhausting treadmill class, this eased away my aches and pains, while the scent was incredibly revitalising and fresh.’ SCENT EFFECTIVENESS WORK IT OUT BATH & MASSAGE OIL £24 for 100ml; templespa.com ‘Sesame, avocado, jojoba, kukui, soybean, grapeseed and coconut oils culminate in a deliciously scented product. It promises to ease muscle tension, encourage lymphatic drainage, eliminate toxins and stimulate circulation – and I wasn’t disappointed. After a soak, my limbs felt relaxed, and post-workout tension was eased. Used as a massage oil, it’s…

Who’s your favourite female athlete and why? ‘Ooh, toughie... toss up between the Williams sisters (see what I did there?!) & Jess Ennis-Hill :)’ @coolbanansblog ‘Serena Williams is the grittiest and most all round female performer ever!’ @r10ska ‘Jo Pavey is an incredible sports woman and a role model!’ - Emma Phillips ‘@LouiseHazel was amazing on The Jump on Channel 4. Seems such a likeable, witty and definitely fiesty athlete #loveit’ @RiannaJobling ‘Lindsey Vonn killed it this year! Such respect for her abilities’ - Shannon Lucy…

SWEAT BUDDIES We all know it’s hard to work out alone. Now science shows that exercising with your partner could help you stay on top of your fitness goals. According to the latest research by University College London and Cancer Research UK, men and women are more capable of making a healthy change if their partner makes the change as well, so much so that 50 per cent of smokers managed to kick the habit when their other half gave up at the same time. Scientists argue that the same goes for losing weight, eating healthily or starting an exercise routine. Time to buddy up! CELEBRITY QUOTE ‘Sometimes when I get home and I’m not feeling so great, I make myself go to the gym. Then I take a shower,…

“ Here’s a surprising statistic – one in four women lifts heavy weights in the gym. That’s according to a UK-wide study by Wild Planet Bootcamps, which also reports that 55 per cent of us train with free weights and bars. What a relief that there’s an army of fitness-savvy women laying to rest the myth that girls ‘bulk up’ if they pump iron – because bulging muscles are not easy things to build, especially for females. In fact, according to data, women have around 10-30 times less of hormones, such as testosterone, associated with muscle growth. So, if you want to gain lean muscle definition, you have to do more than shift heavy weights – you must push your muscles hard. KEEP IT VARIED With this strategy – and…

PUT OUT THE FLAMES Tackling low-grade, long-term inflammation in the body could be the key to better health. Chronic inflammation is linked with changes to arteries that increase heart disease risk. It has also been linked to Crohns disease, arthritis, Alzheimers and the adverse health effects of excess weight, such as insulin resistance – a precursor to diabetes. The good news – borne out by a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition – is that the correct diet can help. In the study, the activity of genes associated with inflammation was reduced in the abdominal fat of people who ate a diet including wholegrains, vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy products, rapeseed oil and three servings of fish a week. IT'S A DATE Looking for a sugar alternative…

HERBAL RETREAT Herbs help break down fats formed from sugar. Juice handfuls of mint, Thai basil, coriander and tarragon with a thumb-sized piece of unpeeled root ginger and 3 unpeeled cucumbers. Add the juice of 1 lemon and a pinch of cayenne pepper to finish. KALE POWER Kale is bursting with vitamins. Juice 2 handfuls of kale and 1.5 unpeeled cucumbers. Add a handful of coriander, 1 celery stick and a tiny piece of jalapeño pepper. Top off with juice of 1 lime. SPINACH DYNAMO Spinach cleanses your body by stimulating peristaltic motion. Juice 1 unpeeled cucumber, 1 unpeeled green apple and 2 handfuls of spinach. Add a thumb-sized piece of unpeeled root ginger, 1 handful of parsley and juice of 1 lemon. Garnish with a pinch of cayenne pepper.…

“ Have you had your cholesterol levels tested lately? Having them checked periodically if you’re over 40, or with a family history of early heart disease, is what the charity Heart UK recommends. A cholesterol level of five or less is ideal, but if you find yours creeping up, there’s a lot you can do to get it back in check without resorting to medication. CHOLESTEROL IN FOOD RARELY MATTERS You’d think the obvious thing would be to eat fewer of the top cholesterol-containing foods such as prawns, organ meats and eggs. But, for most people, the amount of cholesterol in the diet has very little impact on the amount of cholesterol circulating in your blood, because your liver is generally very effective at cutting down on making internal cholesterol…

SCALE UP YOUR DIET SUCCESS Whether you should step on the scales or just measure how tight your waistband feels to monitor your weight has always been a matter of debate. But for slimming success, the scientific evidence is increasingly coming down on the side of the scales with a study at Tempere University of Technology in Finland showing that the more often dieters weighed themselves, the more weight they lost. In fact, if weight-watchers went for more than a week without stepping on the scales, they gained pounds rather than lost them. Choose the same time of day (preferably as soon as you get up) and same day of the week to weigh yourself. Be aware that fat-measuring scales with foot electrodes can underestimate body fat in fatter people.…

SIT, SQUAT, STAND... Yes, sitting all the time is bad for you – but so is standing. The key is to avoid the repetitive use of a single pose. Obliged to spend your working day at a desk? Try sitting on the floor to eat your dinner when you get home. MIX UP YOUR MILEAGE & TERRAIN The average hunter-gatherer walked 1,000 miles a year. Introduce more short bursts of activity to your day and vary the miles you cover on foot from day to day to keep your body used to adapting to different situations. Experiment with different terrains and gradients, too. CHOOSE BETTER SHOES OK, our ancestors went barefoot – but that’s a tad extreme. Try swapping heels for flats and pick everyday footwear that gives your toes…

CLEAR SKIN SOLUTIONS Did you know that ‘how to get rid of acne?’ is one of the most popular beauty questions asked on Google? As 80 per cent of the adults affected are women, we’re excited about new Oxygenetix Acne Control Foundation (£45.83 for 15ml, beautyisskindeep.com). The formula, which contains two per cent salicylic acid and an oxygen-attracting, aloe-vera gel base, cleverly camouflages breakouts and treats skin, without aggravating. Pre-make-up, try Murad Blemish Clearing Solution (£39.50 for 50ml; murad.co.uk) and Pai Perfect Balance Blemish Serum (£42 for 30ml; paiskincare.com), which target inflammation, irritation and control bacteria. Happy skin, happy you. CELEBRITY FAVOURITE ‘This new foundation is so lightweight it’s like you’re not even wearing it’ – Fearne Cotton, TV Presenter WE LOVE: Sophie La Girafe Cosmetics – a natural and…

Squeezing some cross training into your running plan can do wonders for your race times. ‘If, like me, you like to do different types of exercise, you don’t need to sacrifice this for running. Every bit of exercise you do counts towards making your body stronger, fitter and healthier, which will enhance your athletic ability,’ says Nell. ‘Activities such as swimming and cycling are great as they give your body a break from the impact of running.’…

When A-listers need health advice, they turn to wellness guru Frank Lipman. Celebrities Gwyneth Paltrow and Arianna Huffington swear by Lipman’s Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York City and, luckily for us, his latest book The New Health Rules (Artisan, £14.99) gives a glimpse into their daily wellbeing routines. The self-help book is stocked with 175 eating, exercising and living tips to help you feel inspired, engaged and energised. Here’s some of his wellbeing wisdom. 1 RESPECT YOUR INTERNAL CLOCK ‘Not that life will always cooperate, but when you understand your patterns of appetite and energy, you can hack in there and help yourself. If you know, for instance, there’s a sweets craving coming at 4pm that drives you, zombie-like, to the office vending machine, get some fresh air…

1 LOG ON, SLIM DOWN Some of our favourite freebie workouts can be found online. Log onto the Tone It Up girls (toneitup.com) and Yoga With Adriene (yogawithadriene.com). And you can even get free A-list workouts on the net – visit Icelandic trainer Svava Sigbertsdottir’s Viking Method YouTube channel to find out how Nicole Scherzinger works out. 2 IN-STORE CLASSES Specialist classes don’t have to cost a penny. Earlier this year, Sweaty Betty launched a ‘Get Fit 4 Free’ campaign that gave fitbies access to in-store classes, recipes and online videos. And all UK Sweaty Betty boutiques offer free classes to members all year long. London-bound? Lululemon Covent Garden and King’s Road stores offer complimentary yoga and running clubs every week. 3 RACE YOUR DOG Turn your furry friend into…

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Supplements. Taking supplements blindly can do more harm than good. If you think your diet is lacking in Vitamin D or your bones aren’t getting enough calcium, see a certified nutritional therapist to find out what your body really needs. And remember, supplements can’t undo the harmful effects of an unhealthy lifestyle. Food that tries to sell itself. You don’t see avocados labelled ‘high in good fat! Good for your heart!’. The best, natural food doesn’t need advertising. Be suspicious of labels with too many claims. Caffeine. For many, giving up coffee is out of the question. But switching out that third cup of the day for less concentrated green tea is better. Bring a batch of frozen-fruit ice cubes to work and pop them into your water to help…

MERMAID BENEFITS This gentle, elegant stretch helps lengthen and strengthen your lateral obliques, the muscles that help define your waistline. Use it as a gentle warm-up or as a more intense stretch later in your routine, to help target those ‘love handles’ and open up each side of your body. HOW TO DO IT • Sit cross-legged on a mat with your hands in your lap, your spine straight and your shoulders back. • Keeping your left leg where it is, straighten your right leg in front of you with your foot flexed, then bend your right leg and gently swing your right foot behind your bottom. • Straighten your arms to your sides, then bend your right arm at the elbow and, with your palm facing up, align your…

1 INOV-8 RACE ULTRA 270 £99; wiggle.co.uk Weighing in at a mere 270g, this long-distance shoe builds on the success of its predecessor to bring ultra-runners a super-fast ride. It even attaches to the Race Ultra Gaiter to keep debris at bay. 2 ULTRA SPORT TOESOX £8.50; fitness-mad.com These unique sweat-wicking sports socks boast a five-toe design that will allow your tootsies to separate as you run, which is said to improve balance and agility. Nifty. 3 BROOKS RUNNING VIVID From £110; sweatshop.co.uk We can’t get enough of Brooks’ bold collection of spring trainers. The amazing limited-edition colours are available in Brooks’ iconic Ghost 7, Adrenaline GTS 15 and Glycerin 12 trainers.…

‘It was a running joke with my friends that I obviously enjoyed my university days. I was so unfit and my diet consisted of cheese on toast and beer! On top of this, I used to suffer from back pain and muscle tightness due to scoliosis (a curvature of the spine). My father has it really badly, so it’s something I was always aware of growing up.’ FINDING MY FITNESS FEET ‘My work held a Pilates class, so I thought I’d give it a go. The teacher was great and I was immediately hooked. Within a couple of sessions, I was starting to feel the benefits, and after just a few months, I felt stronger and was more flexible and toned. For the first time in my life, I was…