Women's Fitness February 2021

Research has found that around half of all adults make New Year Resolutions, yet only ten per cent manage to stick to them. If this strikes a chord, don’t beat yourself up. Often, it’s the nature of the resolution that can set us up to fail – deciding to lose a certain amount of weight in a few short weeks or vowing to fit into that smaller size by a certain date can bring with it stress as we focus on restriction, avoidance and the need to cut out foods and calories. Instead, this year why not have a more positive goal? Instead of focusing solely on weight loss or body shape, why not make a resolution to form positive, healthy habits that are easy to stick to and that…

Christine Bailey Christine is a performance nutritionist, chef, author and keen runner. She runs online programmes and works with athletes.christinebailey.co.uk Elle Fox Elle is a Naturopath, a College of Naturopathic Medicine graduate and microbiome specialist with 30 years’ experience in complementary medicine.naturopathy-uk.com Stuart Mailer Stuart is a consultant physiotherapist who graduated in Physiotherapy and Sports Therapy. He specialises in knee, foot and ankle injuries.stuartmailerphysio.com Eve Boggenpoel Eve has practised yoga and meditation for 25 years. She trained as a yoga teacher at Triyoga and is a qualified homeopath. She also practises tai chi. Gemma Hurditch Gemma is a Naturopath and lecturer at the College of Naturopathic Medicine. Gemma is also a Medical Herbalist and Nutritional Therapist. Naturopathy-uk. com Josephine Perry Josephine is a sport psychologist. She educates those who want…

DAILY TARGET During Lockdown 2.0 I set myself a target to run every day to keep my mindset positive and not be depressed about what has been going on in the world. I surprised myself and managed to go through November without missing a running session, even when it was cold and dark outside, and I felt tempted to stay indoors. I kept it up through December and now intend to commit to running every day until the end of the pandemic restrictions in the spring. Some days I do short runs of two miles, other days when I feel good I run for longer. I have already lost half a stone and I feel so much healthier. It’s really given me a focus and renewed enthusiasm for my fitness.…

‘Yes, I run outside and wear long leggings, a long sleeve top, jacket and hat! You can do it – it’s the cycling I’m having trouble with though, as my feet and hands get very numb.’ Sheila Chatterley ‘I still do. In shorts. The jacket is usually off by mile two. I really feel the cold when not running, but I think it’s great for the circulation.’ Andrea Kingdon ‘Yes, as long as it’s not icy. Fleece running tights, under shorts and compression top under a t-shirt are ideal – plus my running jacket and gloves.’ Faye Andrews…

PRETTY POWERFUL Calling all girls who lift! If you’re fed up with suffering from scrapes and bruises when training with a barbell, the new sportswear brand Blue Elvin (blueelvin. com) has a solution. Created specifically for women, its debut collection features a Sports Bra, £85, Leggings, £120, and Shin Sleeves, £55, with integrated impact panels that intelligently strengthen when subjected to force to protect collarbones and shins, so you get all the empowerment from weightlifting without the discomfort. • When lifting heavy weights, choose trainers with a solid, flat sole to distribute weight evenly through the feet and increase stability. • If you don’t like wearing gloves, use chalk to dry out the moisture on your hands, improve your grip and prevent blisters. • Wearing a mouthguard protects your teeth…

Q TELL US HOW YOU WOULD TYPICALLY START YOUR DAY. A typical day starts with coaching my Zoom Room workouts from 7:30am. It’s a 40-minute class mixing cardio, strength, HIIT and mobility. I have around 25 people training with me in each Zoom session, it’s a brilliant way to start the day – I soak up so much energy from every single person. I find a good balance of coaching and watching technique, while keeping energy high and training alongside my members to push them through to the final buzzer. It’s a workout in itself when I’m coaching others, and that’s how I like it! Q WHAT DO YOU EAT IN A TYPICAL DAY? I always prep overnight oats to eat a small amount before my class – almond milk,…