Women's Fitness November 2017

Hands up who loves peeking in other people’s shopping baskets when you’re queueing in the supermarket? From checking out the junk-food hoarder to spotting the health-food purist, it’s a strangely guilty pleasure to see how others eat and compare their habits with our own. This month, we’ve persuaded some of the UK’s top nutrition experts to open their food cupboards and reveal the secrets of their daily diets. Do they practise what they preach? What are their must-have foods and forbidden pleasures? Find out by turning to ‘What nutritionists really eat’ (page 64) and see how your diet matches up to the pros’. Some of their essentials – from baked beans to jelly and cream – may surprise you! It’s just one great read in our ‘Get Diet Savvy’ special…

STAR LETTER FINDING FLEXIBILITY As a 45-year-old runner and weightlifter, I’ve prided myself on keeping fit and active, taking care of myself inside and out and inspiring my daughters, eight and 19, to keep fit and take care of themselves, too. After suffering a few minor injuries and taking a break from weights, I thought I’d try your ‘Flexibility Sequence’ (September issue). I was shocked at how inflexible I was! A yoga mat is now by the side of my bed and I aim to stretch daily and increase my flexibility. Thanks for highlighting a problem I didn’t know I had! Lou, via email FIGHTING FIT Thank you for your recent article ‘Fuel your workouts’ (October issue). Earlier this summer, I took up boxing as I have a really stressful…

1 RUN LONDON Brave the elements and do your bit for Cancer Research UK by signing up for the London Winter 10k Run. Sending you off with a blast of snow in Trafalgar Square on Sunday 4 February 2018, you’ll follow a route through central London where you’ll see many landmarks. This year’s run saw 16,500 runners take to the streets, joined by celebs such as newsreader Sophie Raworth, spurred on by live music. Earlybird registration starts from £37 at londonwinterrun.co.uk. 2 STEP INTO THE RING Love boxing? Or perhaps you’ve been dying to try it and not got round to it? Smart new boxing club 12x3 in London’s East End is the place to be. It offers training from knowledgable and humble professionals (male and female) who have…

We rowed 24 hours a day in two-hour shifts across the Pacific ‘I love seeing people realise their dreams and knowing I’ve played a role’ ‘For the past 56 days, my day has started at 3:15am. I’m the physiotherapist and performance manager for cyclist Mark Beaumont, who’s attempting to ride 18,000 miles around the world in 80 days (artemisworldcycle.com). We’re currently in Alberta, Canada. ‘I prepare Mark’s breakfast, set out his kit, then wake him at 3:30am. We do the necessary physical checks — weight, saliva swabs — then get him on the bike for 4am. Myself and the other crew live on the RV that follows Mark. Every 30 minutes, I’ll hand out fuel or hydration. Every four hours, he comes into the van for a 30-minute break. Today,…

With our busy lives, sometimes it can be hard to fit in a workout or make sure we’re physically active enough. In a new study by Stanford University, it was found that women took over 1,000 less steps than men a day in Britain and women who take the fewest steps have a 200 per cent increased risk of becoming obese. The data was collected from smartphone fitness apps from 55,110 participants. The research also showed that women were 36 per cent more likely than men to be considered physically inactive. So leave your car keys at home and walk wherever you can, whether it’s to work or the shops. Just make sure you get those steps in……

Want a stronger body? There’s no need to log hours of exercise to boost your bones. New research from the Universities of Exeter and Leicester shows that brief bursts of high-intensity and weight-bearing activity, such as running, could be the key to better bone health. In fact, the scientists found that just one to two minutes of running a day could be all that’s needed to increase bone density by as much as six per cent. And if you’re not a runner, they recommend including a few speedier steps in your daily walk. It’s a smart way to reduce the risk of getting osteoporosis and fractures when you’re older. 62% of Brits post their workouts on social media* HAVE A LIFT Here’s another reason to weight train. New research shows…