Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2019 i Women's Fitness

Are you a dedicated gym-goer? Does your workout wear tussle for space with your regular wardrobe? Are avocados and almond milk top of your shopping list? And do you care about the environment? If you’re anything like us, it’s a yes to all of these. But did you also know that your favourite healthy habits are taking a toll on the planet? From exercise bikes and gym kit to yoga mats and the latest health-food trends, the very things that keep us well also guzzle the world’s resources. For instance, did you realise it takes 72 gallons of water to produce a pound of avocados or that our craving for quinoa is leaving Peruvian famers hungry? In this month’s 16-page special section, ‘Get eco fit’ (page 49), we share the…

GREEN CUISINE ‘There’s definitely no need to worry that a healthy, sustainable diet will be boring’ I love tucking into a variety of greens, but have sometimes worried about the effect my favourite big salad might be having on the environment. So I was pleased to discover kale, spinach, beet greens, watercress and red cabbage are among foods that fit the US Food and Agriculture Organization’s definition of ‘sustainable’, while also being affordable, highly nutritious and easily incorporated into a number of international diets. The new comprehensive list of ‘50 foods to eat more of’ – ticking all of these boxes – was researched and compiled by the Center for Public Health Nutrition at the University of Washington, in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund and Knorr. Other leafy vegetables…

‘Busy people, which Dr Rupy clearly is, often see food simply as fuel, and don’t really think about the nutrition or balance of the food they are eating. But Dr R’s diet very clearly illustrates that busy people can find time to eat a healthy and delicious diet. His food philosophy is spot on – a healthy diet has to be about enjoyment as well a balance, and with treats and foods that aren’t healthy, portion size and frequency of eating are key. It’s a good strategy to aim to get least two servings or fruit and/or vegetables in your first meal of the day, because that makes reaching the target of at least five a day much easier.’…

Q How can I treat Hayfever naturally? If hayfever is homeopathically addressed in winter, it will lessen in severity. For acute relief in the season: ◆ Dab coconut oil or shea butter around your nostrils to trap pollen and reduce itching and sneezing ◆ Close windows in the day to stop pollen getting trapped in the house ◆ Avoid anti-histamines and decongestants: they suppress symptoms which simply return once the medicine wears off ◆ Eat local raw honey and/or take a pollen supplement ◆ Drink nettle tea ◆ Make an appointment to your homeopath in the autumn During the season, try ‘Schuessler Tissue Salts Combination H’ or the homeopathic remedy ‘Mixed pollens and grasses’ from homeopathic pharmacies. Start taking remedies six weeks before onset and continue during the season. Always…

FEED YOUR SKIN You know the benefits of eating 5 A Day, but did you know your skin can benefit from a similar regime? ‘You need to keep skin’s barrier (a natural blend of oils and water) and acid mantle (it’s first line of defence) healthy,’ says natural beauty guru Jane Scrivner (janescrivner.com). ‘Feeding, restoring, nourishing and replenishing will allow skin to self-repair and glow with health.’ The first course in Scrivner’s Skincare 5 A Day system is her Nourishing Cleanser (£33 for 50ml), using nine essential oils; second course is Skinfoliate (£26 for 150ml), with organic AHA & BHA acids for cell renewal. Next up, moisturise with plant-based hyaluronic acid in Bioluronic Buzz (£32 for 50g), then fortify the skin barrier with essential fatty acids in Skin Elixir (£29…

Have you thought about the environmental footprint of the food you eat? Whether you’re a practising reductarian, follow a plant-based diet or are trying to reduce food waste, most of us are becoming more conscious of the impact our food choices have on the planet as well as our health. Most elements of a healthy diet are aligned with environmental concerns – eating fewer processed foods, more fruits and veg, and choosing organic. The health food shop is where you’re most likely to see Fair Trade produce and pick up eco-friendly toiletries and cleaning products alongside your dinner. But, occasionally, a trend for a new superfood will skyrocket, demand increases and consumers might not think about food miles and the impact on local workers and the environment until the negative…

GET IN THE RING The Andi Bag, £150; mygymwardrobe.com SEEING STARS Fabienne Chapot Silver Star Boxing Gloves, £69; fashercise.com IT’S A KNOCKOUT Lucas Hugh Satin Bomber, £265; lucashugh.com FANCY FOOTWORK Adidas Speedex 18 Shoes, £129.95; adidas.co.uk FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY UA HeatGear Armour High Support Sports Bra, £45; underarmour.co.uk ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES RingMasterUK Boxing Head Guard, £24.99; amazon.co.uk BELOW THE BELT Suzi Wong Blue Butler Boxing Shorts, £55; suziwong.co.uk WE LOVE Mixing comfort and technical features with serious style credentials, these gloves really pack a punch.…

‘Natural whole foods are the most advanced “drugs” you could ever imagine.’ No, that’s not the voice of a well-meaning blogger or idealistic health food fanatic – these words come straight from the mouth of an NHS GP. In his new book, The Doctor’s Kitchen: Eat to Beat Illness (Thorsons, £16.99), Dr Rupy Aujla, explains how the future of your health lies in the food on your table. ‘As a doctor, it’s my responsibility to deliver credible, evidence-based information,’ says Aujla, ‘which is why I’m comfortable talking about the medicinal effects of eating well.’ His principles for a healthy diet are simple: eat whole, colourful, mostly plant-based foods, including quality fats and plenty of fibre, and treat meat and fish as luxury items, rather than staples. In the book, Aujla…

ABS Deepen the contraction in your abdominals as you draw your chin towards your knees. SHOULDERS Maintain the lift in your upper back, and keep your shoulders away from your ears. LOWER BACK Press your lower back into the mat at all times. DOUBLE LEG STRETCH BENEFITS This Pilates move is a great exercise to help target your entire core and those hard-to-reach lower abs. It requires strength and stamina, as your core has to work super hard to keep your torso stable while switching from the straight to tucked position. It’s also great for control, coordination and concentration. HOW TO DO IT • Start by lying on your back with your knees bent at 90º and hands holding your shins. • Your lower back should be pressed against the…

‘I started struggling with mental ill-health in my teens, in the form of anxiety, depression and bulimia. Bulimia was my coping mechanism for handling the intense emotions I was feeling. My parents had already separated, but my dad moved to another country when I was in my early teens and I started questioning my identity, comparing myself to my peers and battling with self-esteem. This may have been the initial trigger, as I was feeling things on a very intense level, as you do as a teenager.’ KEEPING CONTROL ‘I used bulimia to help me cope with my feelings until about the age of 19. My mum had tried to put me into therapy, but I was really resistant to getting better. I went to one therapy session and refused…

CREATING CLUBS I found the article ‘I started a fitness club!’ (May issue) very inspiring. What a great idea from the three women to start their own running, fitness and outdoor swimming groups. Some areas just don’t have the exercise opportunities you need, so why shouldn’t people create them themselves? My husband started a diving club after becoming an instructor. He now has 20 members who regularly go diving at the weekends, after teaching them to dive in a local swimming pool. These women are providing a club for locals that wouldn’t be there if they hadn’t had the get-up-and-go to do it. Well done to them. Jessika Cooper, Devon HOT DEBATE Thank you for your article, ‘Nutrition myths busted!’ (May issue). I sometimes feel overwhelmed and confused by all…

‘I wake at 6am to dedicate an hour to myself before anyone else gets up. After a glass of warm lemon water, I walk my dog Saffie through the surrounding woodland where we regularly see deer and pheasants, using this time to plan and focus on my day ahead. Afterwards, I make fresh juices and green smoothies for the family before heading into the office. Green People employs almost 30 staff, and we’re a very close-knit team. I exercise the “octopus principle”, trying to oversee the smooth running of things from design and financial matters to marketing issues. I still love being involved in new product development, alongside our cosmetic scientist, Ian Taylor. Taking a product from an initial idea to seeing it on a store shelf is a very…

ASICS METARIDE £225, asics.com Worth investing in, these long-awaited trainers have been designed to make distance running easier, by reducing energy lost at the ankle joint by almost a fifth. Wow. ON CLOUDSWIFT £135, on-running.com Made with Helion superfoam, this new trainer from On boasts more rebound than its predecessors, without sacrificing cushioning. Perfect for long road runs. ADIDAS ULTRABOOST  19 £159.95, adidas.co.uk This iconic trainer has been reinvented into a lighter and more responsive model. With 20 per cent more Boost technology in the sole, it returns extra energy to every step.…

1| DON’T OVERTRAIN If you get your training plan wrong and push into harmful overreaching syndrome due to too much volume or intensity (or both), a dramatic rise in pro-inflammatory cytokines and macrophages occurs in a dose-response relationship. At a deeper genetic level, your genome accumulates mutations that will compromise the efficiency of aerobic energy production. It is established that harmful overreaching or overtraining is associated with the rapid onset of fatigue, and the inability to maintain speed and intensity of effort. 2| MODERATE SPORTS DRINKS Endurance athletes consume a lot of simple sugars when training and during competition, but over the long term this takes a heavy toll on the gut. Too many simple sugars feed renegade ‘bad’ gut bacteria, leading to inflammation and elevated levels of oxygen in…

SOUND BITE ‘I eat reasonably healthy. I try not to eat carbs at night, but I am a restauranteur so I do have a passion for wine, and I can’t help that.’Lisa Vanderpump GET ON TRACK Keeping an online food diary such as MyFitnessPal or nutracheck.co.uk may seem a chore, but really does improve your weight-loss results and isn’t that time-consuming, says new research. In a study at the University of Vermont, participants used a web-based programme to record the calories and fat in their diet, along with the quantity consumed and cooking method used. The researchers measured how long this took (15-23 minutes a day) and how successful dieters were. Those recording their food intake at least three times per day were the most successful slimmers, losing 10 per…

THAI SWEET POTATO NOODLES Serves: 4 4 large US sweet potatoes 1 garlic clove 20g of fresh ginger 1 small onion 1 red chilli 150g mangetout 200g cherry tomatoes 200g baby corn 1 tbsp olive oil 100g frozen peas 1 tsp curry powder 300ml coconut milk 200ml vegetable stock 4 spring onions Salt and pepper, to taste Small bunch Thai basil, leaves picked 1 Peel and spiralise the sweet potatoes to make the noodles. Next, finely chop the garlic, ginger and onion. Slice the chilli into rings and cut the mange tout and tomatoes into halves. Cut the baby corn and spring onion into slices. 2 Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the ginger, chilli, onion and garlic, then add the curry powder and fry for…

A’KIN MOISTURE RICH WHEAT PROTEIN SHAMPOO, £12 for 225ml; akinbeauty.co.uk Hydrate and smooth your tresses with vitamin E and provitamin B5 (pantothenic acid). Strengthening wheat proteins nourish and repair. ARBONNE TRUE HAIR DAILY SHAMPOO, £24 for 237ml; arbonne.com Pea protein moisturises while sustainably sourced baobab increases hair strength and repairs damage. Ashwagandha root conditions. YOPE OAT MILK NATURAL SHAMPOO, £6.49 for 300ml; natureshealthbox.co.uk With organic lime, avocado, fenugreek, fig and melon extracts, this shampoo soothes and cares for the scalp. Nourishing oat milk hydrates and replenishes.…

Fancy becoming an eco-adventurer? Ness is offering one lucky H&F reader the chance to join her for a weekend on her State of Our Seas expedition. You’ll get to stay on the sailing boat with Ness and her crew, and witness their marine research work first hand. To be in with a chance, send your answer to the question below, to hf.letters@kelsey.co.uk, by May 7, 2019. Question: What was the name of Ness's 2016 Namibia expedition? T&Cs Ness will confirm dates for weekend prize (mid-June to mid-September) with the winner.…

• Look for the colours: eat at least two different types of vegetables every mealtime, varying them throughout the week and complementing them with spices. Good-quality fats: are vital for immunity, skin health and inflammation pathways. Choose whole sources from nuts and seeds, and quality cold-pressed oils, such as olive oil. Vary the types throughout the week and invest in airtight containers to store different nuts and seeds. Fibre: feeds your mitochondria (powerhouse cells). Plant-based meals provide plenty of fibre, but key sources include pulses, legumes, nuts and seeds. Timing: As a general principle, aim to keep your eating hours within a 10-12 hour window. Numerous studies show this will have benefits on sleep, inflammation and metabolic control.…

MERRELL MQM FLEX MID GTX £125; cotswoldoutdoor.com ‘If you need an all-round boot for active outdoor adventures, these are a great choice. Comfy and versatile, plus a little cheaper than the others, these have a trainer-boot feel. Designed to deal with hiking, trail running and scrambling, these are waterproof and breathable, thanks to the GORE-TEX membrane. They also boast FLEXconnect grooves in the EVA midsole that align with the bones of your foot, helping the boot bend and boosting agility and stability. The M-Select GRIP outsole works well on all surfaces, and these boots are antimicrobial, too, to help keep them fresh. Your heels and ankles feel nicely supported, and the boots feel pretty light (640g) and well cushioned.’ BEST FOR: All rounders INOV8 ROCLITE 345 GTX £155; inov-8.com ‘Choose…

This month, Jessika wins a striking sports bra and legging set in a print of her choice*, from Tikiboo. With unrivalled patterns and incredible fit, award-winning activewear brand, Tikiboo, offers colourful and unique activewear that helps you to reach optimal performance in the gym, on a run or cycle ride or at a yoga class. The sports bras, available in a variety of styles, ensure a snug but comfy fit for all body shapes with their moisture-wicking fabric and flat-lock seams. The leggings feature a comfy drawstring waist to keep them securely in place, whatever you’re doing; to find out more, visit tikiboo.co.uk.…

Dyl Salamon, yoga instructor at Levelsix (levelsixstudios. co.uk) How can yoga improve my gym performance? Yoga has too many benefits for gym-goers to count! The most well-known is injury prevention. By increasing mobility across your spine, hips and shoulders, yoga will help you to exercise unhindered for years at a time – more effective than training between bouts of injury. Imagine lifting weights while being pain free – youʼll feel awesome and lift to your full potential. Go to a yoga class and enjoy the results.ʼ…

Complete this circuit four times through, starting with 20 reps for round one, 15 for round two, 10 for round three and five for round four. KETTLEBELL SWINGS Reps: 20, 15, 10, 5 Works: Legs, glutes, back, shoulders and core Stand with feet wider than hip-width apart, toes pointing out, a kettlebell in both hands in front of hips (A). Keeping your back flat and abs engaged, squat slightly, bringing the kettlebell down between your legs (B). As you inhale, explode upwards, then, straightening your legs, swing the kettlebell in front of you so your hands are in line with your shoulders. With control, come back to the starting position (B). PUSH PRESSES Reps: 20, 15, 10, 5 (complete on the right side in round one, left side in round…

CAULI MASH Whether you swap your potato mash for 100 per cent cauliflower mash, or go 50:50 spuds and cauli, you’re cutting carbs and upping your vitamin C (boiled cauliflower has more than three times the amount as potato mash). To make your cauliflower mash zing, add a little cream cheese and a handful of chives. PARSNIP MASH Parsnip (12.5 per cent carb) makes a lower-carb mash than potato (20 per cent carb) and its sweeter taste is a hit with a rich and savoury lamb or beef casserole. CARROT MASH Mashed into a sweet and velvety purée, carrot tastes great with nutmeg, pepper and a touch of orange zest, and served with some good quality meat or vegetarian sausages. Or mix half-and-half with spuds for a yummy vitamin A-rich…

BREAKFAST ‘I start my day with a quick, one-pan meal such the Cajun Scramble in my book*, made with marinated tofu, red onion, black beans, greens and spices. It’s an easy way to get healthy fats and lots of colours and fibre into your diet. I top it with avocado and coriander, and dig in. It’s done in 10 minutes and you’ve already got a couple of your five-a-day.’ DRINKS ‘Water, water, water! I developed a hack as a junior doctor where I’d have 500-800ml water first thing because, on a busy ward, I wouldn’t be drinking until afternoon.’ LUNCH ‘If I’m in A&E or on a GP shift, I have leftovers from dinner. If I make something first thing, I’ll do roast veggies with olive oil, cumin seeds, fennel…

KEEP BRUSHING Your mouth is a hotbed of bacteria, but mouthwashes containing chlorhexidine (found in some popular brands) increase your risk of high blood pressure, says new research. Scientists from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, US, monitored the saliva of volunteers using a chlorhexidine-based mouthwash twice daily for one week and recorded their blood pressure before and after the study. Results showed a significant increase in systolic blood pressure after one week’s use. The best way to keep your mouth fresh is to brush, floss and scrape your tongue twice a day. 19.9% the rise in oxytocin levels after receiving a gift of flowers. Give a friend some today and make them smile. SNIFF GOODBYE TO STRESS If you find lavender essential oil helpful for nodding off at night,…

This month, we look at The Polymath by Waqas Ahmed (Wiley, £18.99). In a nutshell: Have you ever felt you were missing out by not having found your one true purpose in life? Fret not, specialisation is an outdated system, believes neuroscientist and art curator Ahmed. We are all born with multifarious potential (a polymath excels in multiple areas) and here Ahmed offers a blueprint for how to unlock your many-sided potential. A nugget: ‘If you started to count the interconnections in your brain at the rate of one a second, you would still be counting 30 million years from now.’ Impressive.…

Triathlon is the sport of the moment, and the growing public appetite for its individual activities (swimming, cycling and running) is only serving to skyrocket its support. Brands are on board – statistics from the Triathlon Industry Association show that the UK’s triathlon business increased by 57 per cent between the past two Olympic events in 2012 and 2016 – and last year, approximately 19,000 people took part in one of England’s triathlon races. More women than ever are taking up the sport, with experts expecting participation levels to rise again this triathlon season. Of course, triathlon is so much more than a trendy sport – it’s great for the body, providing a whole-body workout that will not only improve health markers such as blood pressure, but also reduce injury…

We all know about the mind and body benefits of an active lifestyle. But what impact are your workouts and gym life having on the planet’s resources? From the energy used to power gyms and produce fitness kit, to snacks packaged in single-use plastic, changes need to be made. Greenpeace estimates that 12.7 million tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans each year, and a report by the Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme reveals the UK’s sports and recreation buildings spend £700 million on energy every year, resulting in annual emissions of 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide – the principal contributor to climate change. But how can you make your workouts more eco-friendly? Read on to discover how you can green your fitness regime. HOW GREEN IS YOUR…

Convinced that yoga won’t give you a ‘real workout’? Think again. Not only will yoga teach you mental strength, but this workout developed by Yoga Girl London’s Hannah Barrett (@yoga_girl_london) will make you work (and sweat) just as much as a gym workout . How? ‘Because it works the deep small muscles as well as the larger superficial muscles,’ explains Barrett, who began her yoga journey when she was pregnant with her first born, in 2014. HOW IT WORKS ‘With no fancy equipment needed – just you and your yoga mat – this workout based around eight yoga moves will not only help improve joint mobility, but also stretch those everyday muscles that typically get tight, while strengthening and toning all of your main muscle groups,’ says Barrett. Each move…

TIP-TOE PLIÉ SQUAT Reps: 10 Benefits: Works your thighs, calves and core. Begin with your feet just over shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly, core engaged and upper body standing tall. Place a light barbell on your shoulders and hold it tightly to help contract your core and upper body muscles (A). Rise onto your toes, get your balance, then slowly push your hips back so you lower into a squat (B). At the bottom on the move, hold for a couple of seconds, then push back up through your toes and squeeze your bottom as you stand. Repeat. LUNGE Reps: 20 (10 each leg) Benefits: Builds the strength of each leg individually, correcting imbalances, improving sports performance and preventing injury. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and a…

CRAFT NANOWEIGHT SINGLET £35; craftsportswear.co.uk Perfect for those who like to run fast or far in warm conditions, this great-looking top is so featherweight (a mere 40g), it feels barely there. Go break some PBs! BROOKS GLYCERIN 17 £135; brooksrunning.com Love plenty of cushioning, or just starting out with running? These are for you. Featuring DNA Loft (a blend of EVA foam, rubber and air), plus a new Ortholite sock liner, these shoes (out May 1) are soooo comfy! JACK WOLFSKIN STARRY NIGHT JACKET £90; jack-wolfshkin.co.uk Keep light wind and showers at bay with this ultralight shell that feels comfy next to the skin. Thanks to the stretch fabric, it’ll move with you, and it packs into a pocket.…

1. HOW’S YOUR TRAINING GOING? ‘It’s been seven years since my last marathon, and this is the first year I felt I had the time and energy to commit to the training since having my daughter, Anya in 2013. I was following a training programme, but getting ’flu took out a big chunk of training, and life has got in the way so I’ve had be flexible. I’ve always kept up my running, doing The Great North Run half marathon last year, but I’d forgotten how hard the long runs are. I’m definitely feeling all the miles right now. The build-up is the hardest part so I’m counting down the days!’ 2. HOW DO YOU POWER YOUR WORKOUTS? ‘I eat as simply as I can with lots of raw veg…