Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2016 i Women's Fitness

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…

‘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…

Simon Whitnall, co-founder of GetPTFit getfitpt.com ‘New data shows almost 50 per cent of people want more from their personal trainer. Why? Because there’s so much information on the internet, people question whether they’d be better off buying an online plan. However, PTs personalise information and deliver it face-to-face. You’re not simply paying for an hour – you’re buying the motivation and lifestyle coaching that come with long-term change. What’s important is to know what you’re paying for and the results to expect.’…

Do each move for the stated number of reps, then rest for 60 seconds and repeat for a total of 10 minutes. Side lean Reps: 30 (15 each side) Works: Core, abs, obliques and shoulders Stand up straight with your core engaged and feet hip-width apart. Holding the end of one dumbbell in each hand, lift your arms so they’re directly overhead and your elbows are slightly bent. Slowly lean over to your left (A). Stop when you feel a stretch in your right side and you can’t go any further without losing form. Return to the start. Do 15 reps, then repeat on the other side (B). Plank slide Reps: 10 Works: Abs, core and shoulders Get into a press-up position, with your hands under your shoulders and your…

Eating a big handful of walnuts every day could lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a new study in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care. Participants who were given 57g walnuts every day for six months saw improvements in their blood vessel flexibility and function, and reductions in their levels of ›bad’ (LDL) cholesterol. Both these physiological improvements are known to reduce the risk of diabetes (as well as heart disease). For those participants who were told to reduce calories at the same time as including walnuts in their diet, waist size also significantly decreased.…

SERVES: 2 PER SERVING: 191 CALORIES 40g small peeled and chopped shallots 1 mashed garlic clove 2 tsp olive oil or rapeseed oil 375g frozen peas 400ml vegetable stock 20g coriander 1 Sweat the shallots and garlic in the oil until soft. Add the frozen peas and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 2 Remove half the soup, add the coriander to it and whizz with a hand blender. Add this half back to the non-blended half and serve. TOP TIP When you make a soup, divide it up immediately into the two or three equal portions as indicated by the recipe. This way you’re not guessing how much to pour into your bowl.…

‘The odds of developing diabetes are a fifth lower if you eat a Mediterranean diet’ BALANCE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR ‘Raised blood-sugar levels are linked to diabetes, heart disease, cancer and impaired memory, so knowing how to keep them lower is important. That’s why I was intrigued to read that Israeli researchers have found a “high variability” in individual blood glucose responses for the same food, with some people having a bigger glucose response after sushi than ice cream for example, and vice versa. Knowing which foods have what effect on an individual’s blood sugar could pave the way for personalised nutrition, say the researchers. In the meantime, try my top tips for keeping your blood sugar healthy. 1 Eat a Mediterranean diet. Studies suggest the odds of developing diabetes are…

3 WAYS TO…. A HEALTHY HEART February is National Heart Month. Here’s how to keep your ticker on top form… SUPERB SUPPLEMENTS Coenzyme Q10 is very heart healthy, preventing the build-up of plaques in the blood vessels. Try Ubiquinol Qu10 by Quest Vitamins (£23.15; revital.co.uk ). DITCH THE SALT Love your heart. The British Heart Foundation* suggests removing the salt shaker from your table and flavouring food with pepper, herbs, garlic, spices or lemon juice, instead. Have an MOT If you’re over 40, take up your free NHS health check. It will test and assess you for all the risk factors which could be increasing your chances of coronary heart disease and stroke. CAT POWER Do you sometimes find yourself whiling away the odd 20 minutes watching…

This month, we look at The Chimp Paradox by Prof Steve Peters (Vermilion, £12.99) In a nutshell: We may be living in the 21st century, but we still have an ‘inner chimp’ – a fast-thinking, emotional part of the brain that responds instinctively to situations, even if the rational, ‘human’ part of the brain says something else. This book takes a scientific look at the structure of the brain, then explains how it affects your thoughts and feelings – and how you can manage them. A nugget: ‘You’re not responsible for the nature of your Chimp, but you are for managing it.’…

It’s official – food is the new fashion. We update our wardrobes with new threads when the seasons change, so why not rethink your eating habits too? In 2015, we guzzled green juices, nibbled on avo toast and chowed down on courgetti. And now we’re into the New Year, a host of healthy ingredients and food trends is ready for us to try! ‘Expect to find organic miso paste in the office fridge for quick, low-calorie probiotic lunches. Look out for savoury yoghurts – think avocado and parmesan (live of course). Super-healthy, digestion-aiding samphire will go mainstream. And there’s a renaissance of high protein, low-fat shellfish, rich in immune-boosting selenium and zinc,’ says health chef and food futurologist Lyndon Gee (lyndongee.blogspot.co.uk). Read on to discover more trends coming your way…

Has your fitness hit a plateau? Sounds like you need a challenge! Thanks to the recent boom in mass-participation events, there’s something out there to suit everyone, whatever fitness level you’re at or style of challenge you’re looking for. And we’re taking on bigger and bolder feats all the time. Take marathon running for example. It has increased by almost 15 per cent since 2009, according to research from RunRepeat.com, with women’s participation growing by over 25 per cent. Whether you want to smash some goals in 2016, or just need the motivation to get fit, here are the best events and fun challenges we’ve found. Go on, join the masses! TEST YOUR STAMINA Want to find out just how fit you really are? Judgment Day events cover all bases…

Want to get body confident? Here’s how the H&F team banish insecurities when they’re exercising. ‘When I’ve had time out from exercise and feel less confident, I remind myself that athleticism isn’t only about what I can physically do, it’s mental too. When my body isn’t at its fittest, my mind can still be super strong – and that gives me confidence.’ Sarah Ivory, fitness editor ‘I’ve worked hard to get to where I am and know how to push my body to its limits. But if I feel I can’t complete a set or run, I remember how I felt the last time I did it and that spurs me on. And a bright pair of trainers always puts a spring in my step!’ Lucy Pinto, art director ‘I…

Back in the day, gym inductions involved a quick Q&A and a lesson on how to work the treadmill. Now, you can find out whether you’re primed for marathons or bodybuilding, thanks to a DNA workout plan. Think your arms are holding onto blubber? A body-composition-expert trainer can explain that. Customised fitness programmes, tailor-made to your unique genetic, biomarker or body data, are the future. And it’s no wonder, given that research recently revealed dieters using genetic data lost a third more weight than uninformed comrades. If it works for foodies, it could work for the fitness world. Here are the plans that know more about your body than you do! BIOAGE Fitness First gyms The plan: What’s your fitness age? BioAge is an exercise and lifestyle assessment that measures…

What is life without a little spice? Former head of production at BBC Bristol, Kalpna Woolf lives by this mantra, having grown up in Southall, London, on a diet of Indian spices and wholesome, home-cooked food. However, like so many others, she strayed away from healthy eating after leaving home. ‘When I moved out, I moved away from my “food roots” too, and was tempted by the growing proliferation of fast food,’ says Woolf. Choosing to learn more about what she wanted from food led to Woolf’s discovery of spices that help slim the body. ‘I wanted to eat food with lots of flavour. I discovered that when I balanced spices with healthy foods, my weight reduced and then stayed down.’ Recent studies confirm her experience. Some spices can curb…

ARMS Keep the bar as close to your shins as possible. FEET Plant your feet firmly on the ground and push through your heels throughout the move. BACK Make sure you maintain a natural arch in your spine. Don’t round your shoulders or over-arch your back. LEGS Feel a stretch in your hamstrings as you push your bottom out on the downward motion of the move. DEADLIFT Reps: 15 Benefits: A great exercise for adding definition to your bottom, hamstrings and lower-back muscles, it also helps strengthen your pelvic floor. Hold a barbell in front of your thighs, with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent (A). Bend at your hips to lower your torso until it’s almost parallel to the floor, keeping the bar close to your…

Your forties is still a time when you can make big improvements to your strength and fitness levels, but you’ll have to work at it! Muscle and bone mass start to decline more readily in this decade – it’s now a case of use it or lose it. It also gets harder to maintain your peak cardiovascular fitness, but you can still keep yourself in impressive shape, and look and feel younger than you actually are. In fact, many women make their most significant fitness progress when they get into their forties, as they realise that what they bank now will have a huge impact later in life. LOOK YOUNGER This is the time when you start to see a big difference between the fit and the unfit. And you’ll…

‘I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when I was four months old, after being born 10 weeks’ premature. Growing up, I was on loads of medication and had to have regular physiotherapy, but I felt like a normal person and did a lot of fitness and sports. For me, fitness was key. When I was four months old, my parents had been told by doctors that I might not make it to my teens, but when I got to that age, I felt fitter than most of my friends. The doctors said, “Wow, we’re not sure what you’re doing, but it’s obviously working!”’ A SETBACK ‘When I was 19 years old, I became unwell and went through a stressful period in my life. My lungs were working at 50 per…

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…

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!…

MATT ROBERTS BODY.NETWORK £15 per month; body.network The Netflix of the workout world, Body Network boasts a holistic mix of health and fitness videos from some of the UK’s leading experts. Not just workouts, the network also provides rehabilitation programmes, a tri-part introduction to mindfulness and meditation, and nutritional programmes too. OUTDOOR FRIENDLY Unlike other on-demand services, this network caters for outdoor exercisers too. The 10K training plan from running expert Charlie Webster is designed to help you hit a 6.2-mile goal, including interval workout audio sessions you can take on your run. The Get Fit for Cycling series aims to improve cycling performance, a great option for off-season bike training. And there’s a host of popular gym and home workouts, too, such as Pilates, yoga, postnatal exercise and boxing…

Time to ditch unhealthy snacks! A new report in the The FASEB Journal reveals that, for some people, just one high-fat milkshake could worsen their symptoms of metabolic syndrome (diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity). Even in healthy people, short periods of unhealthy eating cause subtle negative health effects. ‘Even one unhealthy snack has consequences far beyond the pleasure it brings,’ says Gerald Weissmann, FASEB editor-in-chief.…

Even if you haven’t tried it yourself, the chances are you know someone who’s done the 5:2 diet. Whether it’s to shed just a few extra pounds or tackle several stone, the secret to 5:2’s huge success is that people find it more ‘doable’ than other diets. The 5:2 diet is an intermittent fasting diet where you eat normally for five days a week and eat 500-600 calories on the other two days. It can be fitted around most lifestyles and – best of all – means you don’t need to worry too much about what you eat for five whole days every week. Clinical research shows that, aside from being an effective way to lose weight – and keep it off – the 5:2 can help prevent diabetes, high…

BREAKFAST ‘When I have time, I make banana pancakes with one banana, two eggs and a few oats, topped with protein yoghurt, or Nutrii quark (eatnutrii.co.uk), almond butter and hot blueberries. This is also perfect as brunch on a lazy Sunday. If I’m in a rush, I’ll eat a bowl of porridge or yoghurt with fruit.’ SNACKS ‘I snack on vegetables, rice cakes, fruit and nuts. I have two Nutrii quarks a day; one with breakfast and one after training. I’m not a huge fan of juices – I’d rather eat the raw ingredients – I find it more filling.’ LUNCH ‘Lunch is quick and easy to have on the go. I usually take a box up the mountain filled with a base of sweet potato or quinoa, some sort…

If you want to get in top shape for 2016, don’t forget about your feet! It’s easy to take them for granted, but they’re the foundation of a fit body, and foot injuries or problems can be devastating for your fitness goals. We asked top podiatrist Emma Supple, clinical director of Supplefeet footcare clinic (supplefeet.com) and fellow of the College of Podiatry, for her top tips on how to enjoy beautiful, healthy feet, whatever you’re putting them through. 1 DO use butterfly lacing on your trainers – it prevents heel slippage and releases the pressure on the top of your foot, helping prevent pain and blisters. Pick up your shoe and take out the laces from the top two holes on each side. Lace straight from…

SAY IT WITH ROSES It’s the most expensive essential oil – could it be the most powerful, too? Rose oil helps reduce redness and skin inflammation, and a recent study has proven burning the oil can aid relaxation. Stock up on Lavera Organic Wild Rose Body Wash (£6.45 for 200ml; soorganic.com) as a moisturising shower treat; nourish your skin with new Odylique Rose Velvet Body Lotion (£29 for 100ml; odylique.co.uk) and light an earth-friendly Malin & Goetz Otto Candle (£37 for 260g; liberty.co.uk). Roses – not just for Valentine’s Day after all. CELEBRITY FAVOURITE ‘This is my desert island product, because you don’t need to plug it in!’ Sam Faiers, reality TV personality EXPERT TIP ‘When the weather turns cold, I like to layer a facial oil on top of…

Emer Delaney, dietician ( myprivatediet.com ) ‘I’m definitely going to eat more lentils and pulses. They’re rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre.’ Christine Bailey, TV chef and nutritionist ( christinebailey.co.uk ) ‘I’ll be supercharging my health with key superfoods, such as spirulina, as it’s high in protein, and matcha green tea powder, as it has high antioxidant levels that support your focus and concentration.’ Nichola Whitehead, registered dietician for Breakfast Week 2016 ( shakeupyourwakeup.  com/breakfast week/) ‘I plan to try one new healthy recipe every week. I own a lot of cookbooks, yet find myself reverting to recipes I know or meals I can just throw together. My New Year’s resolution is to try new recipes so that when it comes to entertaining, I…

‘When I’m on court, I can go full throttle into points knowing that my Asics Gel-Resolution 6 trainers will give me the stability needed when changing direction quickly.’ – Johanna Konta, tennis player ‘Most of us have a little black number that makes us feel unstoppable. For me, it’s my Helly Hansen Pace Tights. They fit to perfection, support my every move and make me feel strong – and are made for rain, mud and sweat!’ – Avril Copeland, adventure racer ‘I trust my adidas Ultra Boost trainers. Off the track, it’s lovely to train and relax in them. They give me great support, whether in the gym or away from training, and are so comfy. It’s like having two pillows under my feet!’ – Jodie Williams, sprinter…

LEGS AHEAD Vie Active 7/8 Tight, £70; activeinstyle.co.uk CROP CIRCLE Marie Meili Sports Bra, £18; figleaves.com SHOE ZONE Puma Pulse XT Core Trainers, £65; dwsports.com BAG IT Under Armour Universal Duffle Bag, £65; underarmour.co.uk WARM UP New Balance Long Sleeve Top, £65; stylepb.com HEADS UP Superdry Gym Running Zip Hoodie, £65; superdry.com WE LOVE With a removable mesh pouch for dirty kit and interior pockets to help you organise all your stuff, this is a high-functioning gym bag.…

What? Cosmecutis Prescription Skin Treatment, £195 for 85 mins. Where? Gemma Clare facials available at Triyoga and Cosmecutis Advanced Skin Treatments available at The Food Doctor; thefooddoctor.com. ‘This advanced skin treatment promises to be a safe and noninvasive, anti-ageing, regenerating facial that instantly improves your skin’s appearance and texture. After a thorough consultation from Gemma Clare, the mood was set and the treatment started with a soft cleanse to loosen any dead skin cells. After that, I was given a microdermabrasion treatment. This involves using a tool with a diamond-encrusted tip, which exfoliates your skin and stimulates its renewal process. It also claims to help reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation, plump out fine lines and brighten your skin. It doesn’t hurt – there’s just a small stimulation from the probe.…

Cinnamon has many health properties: it’s high in antioxidants, is an antiseptic and keeps your digestion working well. Chilli will get your metabolism moving after lunch and is packed with vitamins and minerals, while garlic will help with blood circulation. If you’re gluten intolerant, you can buy gluten-free couscous made from millet, or use quinoa. Ginger has a warming, or thermogenic, effect on the body, which means it can boost metabolism. Drinking a glass of warm water infused with sliced ginger is a great way of staying healthy and keeping bugs away. Roasted and ground, cumin is fragrant and earthy. It’s delicious in salads and is a lovely addition to an average dish, for example, roast beetroot sprinkled with roast cumin is magnificent!…

Bad news – Christmas is officially over and you’re about to enter the depths of winter. The mornings are dark, the weather is terrible and summer bikinis seem an Ice Age away. These are the months that make it really tough to muster up the motivation to get fit. What you need is a plan that will pull you together and keep you fit until spring arrives. Enter The Viking Method Full Body Reset programme. Created by The Viking Method founder Svava Sigbertsdottir – the trainer who got Nicole Scherzinger in shape – this exclusive three-month plan will help you sweat away the fitness cobwebs! ‘A set programme like this will give you the boost you need to start again and work towards a goal,’ says Svava. ‘The hard exercises…

HIT THE WEIGHTS I’m not talking high-octane circuit training with questionable form here. Now it’s about quality strength training, done in good form, working your joints through their full range of movement. Try to do two or three 45-60-minute full-body resistance-training sessions each week. This should give you all you need to keep strong. DO SOME YOGA Mobility and flexibility are also really important to maintain, and will underpin everything else. We all have different areas of our body that get tight and we need to focus on, but one or two weekly yoga sessions should do the trick. And if you can’t make a yoga class, add some mobility work and stretching at the beginning and end of your gym workouts. WALK DAILY Unless you have specific fitness goals,…

Q I’m new to running, and while my legs feel fine, I have to slow down because I’m so breathless. Can I train my lungs? A It’s very common for new runners to have a ‘legs and lungs’ mismatch when they start out. Some complain that their breathing feels fine but their legs ‘give out’ while for others, like you, it’s the reverse. The first thing to say is that it’s very unlikely that it’s your lungs that are the weak link here (unless you have an undiagnosed respiratory problem, such as exercise-induced asthma, which may be worth looking into) – it’s much more likely to be an efficiency problem. Healthy lungs do a good job of bringing oxygen into the body. However, the key thing as far as running…

WIN! A YEAR’S WORTH OF ONLINE BARRE CLASSES, WORTH £2,190 Barreworks is a studio dedicated to ballet and barre workouts, designed to benefit your whole body with low-impact, high-intensity movements that help to lift bottoms, tone thighs and define arms. If you can’t make it to the beautiful studio in Richmond, you can enjoy online classes at barreworks.co.uk. Every Barreworks class will work your entire body. With exercises involving static and dynamic movements, isometric holds and core strengthening, this fun, fast-paced workout is deceptively challenging. One lucky winner will receive a year of unlimited Barreworks online classes and a Barreworks Home Workout kit including a soft ball, grippy socks and resistance band. With online Barreworks classes from £4, there’s no excuse not to stick to your new year’s fitness resolutions!…

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…

‘Reformer Pilates will help counteract all the time you spend at your desk’ THE POWER OF PILATES Grab your grippy socks – something’s afoot in the Pilates world. Despite being more than a century old, the fitness system is going through a boom in the UK. And the place where it’s at is not on the mat but on the reformer machine. At the end of 2015, Heartcore (heartcore.co.uk), the London studio that’s renowned for its Reformer Pilates programme, announced the opening of its 8th studio, cementing its popularity as a boutique class with a growing fan-base. Meanwhile, Form Studios (formstudios.co.uk), an up-tempo form of reformer Pilates that uses a portable machine called a MOTR, is introducing a 35-minute Lunchtime Body Blitz class. And Hollywood’s Studio Lagree (studiolagree.com), known to…

SOUND BITE ‘I love vegan and raw food and I’ll eat whatever I have to so I can get into shape for a particular role’ Angela Bassett SHOP TACTICS Watch out if you’ve been sneaking chocolate bars or crisps into your basket – Tesco has been monitoring the nutritional profile of your shopping choices. A pilot study of two million baskets has identified Londoners, older adults and online shoppers as making the healthiest purchases, while young families with children have the least healthy baskets. The top five per cent of baskets are half fruit and veg, while the unhealthiest are one third snack products and soft drinks. Feeling spooked? Tesco says it only intends to use the data for product development and to find out who they need to be…

FAST DAY BREAKFAST: 100g 0% Greek yoghurt with 100g raspberries LUNCH 1 serving of homemade soup (try the recipe below) DINNER 1 serving of homemade soup 3 table water biscuits spread with 30g spreadable soft goats cheese NORMAL DAY BREAKFAST: Porridge made with 50g oats and 300ml semi-skimmed milk topped with 1 tsp raisins LUNCH 1 serving of soup 80g olive ciabatta Handful cherry tomatoes 100g grapes DINNER Prawn and spinach curry (see overleaf), 200g boiled brown basmati rice 1 x 175ml glass red wine SNACK 100g Greek yoghurt (full or 0% fat) with chopped or sliced fruit…

EGG AND AVOCADO BREAKFAST BURRITOS Serves: 4 6 large eggs 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil ¼ medium red onion, finely diced (about 45g) 4 x 15cm wholewheat tortillas 4 tbsp salsa 2 small avocados, peeled, stoned and sliced Fresh coriander, to garnish (optional) 1 In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs. Set aside. 2 In a frying pan over a medium-low heat, add the oil and sauté the red onion for one to two minutes, or until softening. 3 Pour the eggs into the frying pan, and scramble for four to five minutes, or until the eggs are cooked through. 4 Evenly divide the egg mixture between the four tortillas, and top each serving with one tablespoon of salsa and a few slices of avocado (about half an avocado…

On top of reaping the benefits of a beautiful garden, green-fingered people might also be better off physically and mentally. The latest findings from researchers at the Universities of Westminster and Essex show that just half an hour in the allotment or garden can boost self-esteem and mood. The study also found that as well as enjoying significant improvements in mental wellbeing, the allotment gardeners had a significantly lower BMI (body mass index) than those who didn’t do gardening. Time to start sowing!…

RICHARD WARD CLEANSE & CONDITION HOLISTIC SHAMPOO £5.99 for 250ml; waitrose.com Great if you’re on a budget and want to trial the co-washing trend (cleansing conditioners). With aloe vera and geranium. SACHAJUAN HAIR CLEANSING CREAM £32 for 500ml; cultbeauty.co.uk Vegetable oils cleanse hair while marine ingredients help to strengthen it and add shine. AVEDA BE CURLY CO-WASH SHAMPOO £20.50 for 250ml; aveda.co.uk Deep hydration for Afro, curly, coiled or textured hair with babassu, cassava and baobab oils.…

STUDIO LAGREE (studiolagreeuk.com) Loved by Jennifer Aniston, Michelle Obama and Nicole Kidman, this Hollywood workout uses reformer-esque machines called Megaformers to shape your body. It’s already a huge hit in LA and is now available in the UK at London and Guildford studios. CIZE (beachbody.com) Cize is the new dance workout from Insanity creator Shaun T and it has been rolling out across the US since July 2015. Is it set to launch in the UK? We don’t want to make any promises but (hint, hint) watch this space! KOBOX (koboxlondon.com) Master trainer at Barry’s Bootcamp London, Shane Collins, launched Kobox boxing studio in December. Each 60-minute class is split evenly between punching a heavy bag and strength training. It’s the perfect space for all you combat fans. CLEAN &…

Adria Wu, head chef and owner of healthy eatery and juice bar Maple&Fitz (mapleandfitz.com). ‘Liven up vegetables with unusual ingredients that pack in nutrition and flavour. I love seaweed as it’s full of iodine, calcium and vitamin A and C to boost energy and reduce fatigue.’ Julie Montagu, nutritionist and author (juliemontagu.com). ‘Don’t stress out about eating healthily or not eating healthily – it wreaks more havoc on your body than not eating well! So, as much as possible, eat fresh food in its whole form, but don’t stress out when you don’t.’ Lisa Roukin, chef and author, (myrelationshipwithfood.com). ‘Taking it slowly and steadily is the key to long-term weight loss. Nothing happens overnight. Making a change is a lifestyle choice and not a quick fix, so be patient and…

Clearly, women worldwide want to get fit-body confidence. But if you still feel too self-conscious to exercise, know this – you’re not alone. ‘However much you imagine other people are judging you, you’re most likely wrong,’ says Hooton. ‘Fit is not about being a work in progress, as though there’s something more you need to be. You’re in control to define what “fit” means to you.’ Body insecurity gets the best of us all from time to time. Read on to find out how Hooton quashes it. USE WISE WORDS ‘Be mindful of negative self-talk and make a conscious effort to replace disempowering words such as “I have fat thighs” with something that lifts you up such as “I have powerful legs”,’ says Hooton. ‘The WIFE campaign #AWomansWord seeks to…

‘Some people don’t have the body type to be really thin but they can still have amazing fitness.’ Serena Williams is statistically the greatest female tennis player of all time. But despite her athleticism, she hasn’t always been body confident. Now, as her reportedly unretouched semi-nude photo on Pirelli’s 2016 calendar of real women affirms, Williams is keen to project a positive body image. H&F’s Emma Lewis caught up with the tennis pro at the launch of underwear company Berlei’s (berlei.com) exciting new sports bra range to talk body confidence, supportive bras and gearing up for a match. You’ve admitted to feeling self-conscious about your body shape before – do you have any body issues now? ‘My body type is in style! People get surgery to look like this, so…

We’re all well aware of the power of a good tune, and now it seems that singing could do wonders for your social skills, too. New research from the University of Oxford has shown that singing is a great icebreaker, and allows people to bond more quickly compared to other group activities. Study leader, Dr Eiluned Pearce, said, ‘Really close relationships still depend on interactions between individuals or much smaller groups, but this study shows singing can kickstart the bonding process.’…

Dale Pinnock – aka the Medicinal Chef (he has qualifications in human nutrition, nutritional medicine and herbal medicine) – knows how tricky it is to stay on top of the nutrition game. ‘The one thing everyone wants to know is “what is the right diet?”’ he muses. ‘I’d love to come up with a single, one-sentence answer that could finally put this to bed. Sadly, that just isn’t possible.’ Today’s techie age has led to constant and ever-changing information about nutrition and what’s best for us, but Pinnock narrows it down to three key factors of a good diet. These he calls ‘the power of three’: blood-sugar balance, fatty-acid balance and nutrient density. In his new book, The Power of Three (Quadrille, £20.99), Pinnock offers simple, everyday recipes that are…

Vowed to overhaul your body in 2016? Don’t do it on your own! We all need a helping hand from time to time, especially when we’re trying to hit a new workout goal after weeks of sloth-like behaviour (goodbye Christmas). The problem is that the world of expert advice is an increasingly baffling one, with websites, bloggers, celebrity trainers and über-fit friends all sharing their views. It can be hard to know what works, what doesn’t and who to turn to for inspiration. We’ve delved into some of the most popular fitness titles, mind-boosting books and inspiring stories around. So whether you swipe screens on your iPad or flick pages of a paperback, here are the books worth your time and money. Now to find out which one is right…

EYE OF THE NEEDLE POSE/SUCIRANDHRASANA BENEFITS This yoga move is a great way to help stretch out tight hips, glutes and your lower back before or after a workout. HOW TO DO IT • Lie comfortably on your back. • Bend your knees and place the soles of your feet flat on the mat, about hip-distance apart. • Place your left ankle on your right thigh, just above your knee, keeping your left foot flexed so the toes are pointing towards your right knee. Press your left knee away from your body. • Thread your left arm through the space created between your legs, and interlace your fingers around the front of your right shin, or the back of your right thigh. Use your hands to gently draw your left…

ADIDAS STELLASPORT HOODIE £55; adidas.co.uk ‘Designed in collaboration with Stella McCartney, this top is meant to be oversized and baggy, and has some nice design touches such as the big, round zip pulls. It’s super soft and made from French terry Climalite® fabric that wicks away moisture, but there’s no stretch in it. The hood can zip off to leave an American college-style collar, but I preferred the hood-on look. For me, it was just too baggy and a little heavy for doing serious sport in though (I wish I’d tried a size smaller as size 8 to 10 was unflattering on my small frame). I found it best to sling on pre- and post-exercise or for lounging.’ LOOKS PRACTICALITY ODLO ENDURBAN RUNNING HOODIE MIDLAYER £70; odlo.com ‘This is an…

With an average weight loss of 7-14 lbs a month for clients and hundreds of hand written testimonials, Rachel’s results speak for themselves Having had a weight problem for 35 years, Rachel was desperate to find a way of being able to lose weight once and for all. ‘I had just about resigned myself to the fact that I would be overweight for the rest of my life, when I came across the principles of the Metabolic Weight Loss Programme. I followed these and to my amazement, I lost 3 stone in just over 3 months and then went on to successfully maintain my weight. The relief was enormous to have found something that finally worked for me.’ Rachel became passionate about wanting to help as many people as possible…