Women's Fitness March 2018

Want to smash your shape-up goals in 2018? What you need is a challenge! Whatever your fitness dreams, training for an event is the sure way to stick to those new year resolutions. Go from couch to 5K, get swim fit, tackle an obstacle race or take on an ultra marathon... this year, there’s a challenge out there for everyone. Find the perfect one for you, plus the training tips you need, in ‘Your 2018 Events Planner’ (page 61) and sign up now! Need to get fit fast? Turn to ‘No-Fail Fitness’ (page 96) for a four-week plan that will see you transformed by this time next month. Only got 10 minutes? No problem – tone every inch with PT Helle Hammonds’ ultra-speedy ‘Total Body Blitz’ (page 102) or help…

AB-SOLUTELY SUPER FIT Your article ‘Abs for Life’ (February issue) was just what I needed at the start of the new year. I love fitness but, lately, whatever I do, my abs aren’t as good as they used to be. So I enjoyed the workout based around supersets – I can do two moves back to back and sense the fat burning off! I found the woodchops workout very effective as it’s helping my lower back and shoulders. I’ve decided to stick with this plan for a few months and feel sure I’ll reap the benefits. Dee Hardy, by email PREGNANCY BOOST I was so grateful for your informative and helpful article ‘Swimming against the stream’ (February issue). I am 28 and my husband is 30 and, unfortunately, we’ve been…

‘I can’t wait to run off-road again! I’ve been sticking to well-lit pavements, but I much prefer trails.’ Jenni Thomas, Pembroke ‘We have an outdoor gym in our local park, so my boyfriend and I meet there after work twice a week and spend 30 minutes doing strength training in the fresh air. It’s so invigorating!’ Mala Jinski, London ‘I don’t like cycling in the dark as I live in the countryside (ie no streetlamps). Lighter evenings mean I don’t have to wait til the weekend to get the bike out!’ Melanie Henry, Wimbourne…

1 RUN A HALF MARATHON Is conquering the 13.1-mile distance on your to-do list for 2018? The Reading Half Marathon on March 18 is one of the fastest half-marathon events in the UK, plus you’ll finish in front of thousands of spectators in Reading FC’s Madejski Stadium – wow. That’s added incentive to get plenty of training runs in! Standard race entry costs £38, or VIP entry costs £60 including a post-race massage, meal, refreshments and more; visit readinghalfmarathon.com. 2 GET ACTIVE ON THE RIVIERA Now’s the perfect time of year to book a break, and we love an active one! That’s why Body Tonic Fitness Retreats in the French Riviera’s Lou Casteou chateau caught our eye. You’ll enjoy fun, energetic training, including kettlebells, TRX, Latin dance classes, treks, tennis…

‘I get up at 5.20am, arrive at the gym for 6am to train for an hour (if I don’t work out first thing, it doesn’t happen), then head home to shower and drink a smoothie made from bananas, blueberries, protein powder, oatmeal and cinnamon, so I’m ready for work by 8am. On a regular day, I’ll head out for a morning of meetings, stop for a lunch of salad, quinoa and butternut squash (I follow a plant-based diet), then go home to write a blog post, edit a video for my You Tube channel, create content for a brand, or tackle my inbox, before leaving home for the evening to lead a talk or workout at a #GirlGains event. What started as a hashtag three years ago to bring like-minded…

Want to boost your gut heath? Get moving! According to new research, it’s not just what you eat that influences your gut bacteria, but how much exercise you do. In a study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, a group of sedentary adults followed a six-week exercise programme before reverting to sedentary behaviour for six weeks. After the six weeks of exercise, participants had higher levels of gut microbes producing short-chain fatty acids, including butyrate, which helps reduce inflammation and promote gut health. Levels of these beneficial compounds fell when the group stopped exercising. Yet another reason to get off that sofa……