Women's Fitness February 2016

Happy New Year! Have you finished the last of the Christmas chocolates and vowed this is the year you’ll finally shape up/slimdown/get healthy? Well, whatever your goals for 2016, think of H&F as your ticket for success! Whether you want to kickstart your motivation, burn off that belly or be your fittest ever, we’ll be at your side every month helping you turn dreams into reality. First, kick back and get inspired as we reveal the exciting new ways to eat and exercise this year. In ‘H&F’s Fitness Radar’ (page 52), you can discover the fun fitness trends and classes coming your way – from exercise raves and group treadmill classes to boxing for women and yoga (or ‘broga’) for men. Then, turn to ‘How to eat in 2016’ (page…

STAR LETTER ANTI-CANCER DIET TIPS I was pleased to read your feature ‘Eat To Beat Breast Cancer’ (Healthy Start issue). My brother had prostate cancer and made big changes to his diet to take back control and give himself the best possible chance of survival. He’s now free from cancer. But when he had a stay in hospital, he was shocked at the food served in the cancer ward. It was mostly things cancer sufferers shouldn’t be eating. I now realise how important it is to boost my defences with powerful, protective foods and they’re on my shopping list. So I drink green tea now and buy more nuts, oily fish, veg and turmeric. I’ve bought the book you recommended too, Take Breast Cancer Off Your Menu by Hilda Glickman…

1 SATISFY A SWEET TOOTH Show him how much you love him this Valentine’s Day with Pana Chocolate’s new raw, organic, handmade chocolate range. The Happy Valentine’s Day and I Love You gift packs (£13.90 for 180g; panachocolate.com) are free from refined sugar, and contain four, guilt-free bars – Coconut & Goji; Mint; Rose; and Sour Cherry & Vanilla – plus a notecard, perfect for sharing those sweet nothings! 2 MEET JESSIE – FOR FREE! International fitness expert Jessie Pavelka is touring the UK in February. Come and learn about his four elements of health, and why he thinks strong is the new sexy. We have two free tickets to give away. To enter, simply email your details to competitions@iris-uk.com , with ‘JESSIE’ in the subject title,…

‘I started in 2003 from my kitchen and used local ingredients’ ‘One of my first clients was a Michelin-starred chef. I had to hide the food outside his door!’ ‘Having four daughters, I don’t need an alarm clock – Violet (15 months), wakes me up! I have breakfast with the girls. We keep chickens at our house in Surrey, so we have poached eggs, or I make us smoothies. I get the girls ready for school, and change, then head off to my office in London.’ THE EARLY DAYS ‘I grew up on a self-sufficient farm in Ireland – that’s why I’m passionate about where food comes from, and making sure it’s clean, natural food. The idea that you could eat delicious, nutritious food, prepared by a chef and delivered…

Barefoot running may be causing a little less buzz in running circles than it used to, but that doesn’t mean you should toss those minimalist shoes aside. Research from Ithaca College’s School of Health Sciences and Human Performance shows that barefoot exercise is important for all-round fitness. Thick soles could dampen brain-to-foot muscle communication but, by improving neuromuscular feedback, barefoot walking helps strengthen muscles in the feet – improving stability, balance and posture. Go on, kick your shoes off!…

3 OF THE BEST… FIT FABRICS Don’t be baffled by fit-kit jargon – here’s a guide to the latest materials POLYGIENE Produced from recycled silver, polygiene fabric inhibits the growth of bacteria, fungus and mildew – so your fitness gear stays fresher for longer. No more mountains of washing! From £25, cotswoldoutdoor.com . GORE-TEX ACTIVE The latest in waterproof technology, Gore-Tex Active is a lighter fabric that's more breathable and quicker drying than before. It can be machine washed too; gore-tex.co.uk . ROXY x BIOTHERM Roxy and beauty brand Biotherm have created activewear that releases moisturising molecules to protect skin from cold weather. Roxy Flicker Jacket (£275; roxy-uk.co.uk ). NEVER FORGET New data published in the journal Brain Plasticity shows that…