Women's Fitness October 2021

How’s your training going? As someone who loves a hard workout, I have to draw on a lot of discipline to recognise when it’s time to take a rest. I’ve got to the point at which I can feel it in my body – it’s a foggy-headed, heavy legs, all-encompassing exhaustion kind-of-feeling – but my body’s need for recovery activity still catches me off guard. I chalk this up to my ever-changing fitness level, which varies month-on-month and year-by-year, depending on whether I’m training for an event, or if one of my kids is ill, or perhaps I’ve just not had the energy to do all of my planned workouts. That’s why it’s smart to have a recovery plan, which for me, is a weekly restorative yoga session that really…

Nicki Petitt Nicki is an online fitness coach and workout writer. She brings energy via Zoom Room, which will challenge your body and create a stronger mindset. Find out more @nickipetitt Eve Boggenpoel Eve is a holistic healer, yoga teacher and author. Her work is grounded in a deep appreciation of inner stillness as a pathway to transformation. @eveboggenpoel Joanna Ebsworth A qualified Level 3 PT and fitness instructor, Jo has been combining her love of exercise and writing for 15 years, and is keen to inspire others to be active. @joglows Louise Pyne Louise is a qualified nutritionist and freelance health writer.›She specialises in women’s health and wellness, as well as children’s health.louisepynenutrition.com Christine Bailey Christine is a performance nutritionist, chef, author and keen runner. She runs online programmes…

HOME RUN I work for an airline and am very busy – I spend a lot of time in hotels! When I read Get Fit at Home (September issue) it got me thinking that I wasn’t making enough of my time at home. I may not have time to go to the gym but I could be doing more exercise with the right equipment. So, I made a shopping list – made easy thanks to your article – and then I moved things in my living room to create more room for exercise. I thought that stocking a home gym would be daunting but your expert picks for the best workout equipment were very handy. I’ll definitely be working out more! Arianna Taylor, Elgin, Scotland BIG BENEFITS Thank you for…

GYM CLASS HERO After watching a documentary about CrossFit, it was Sara Sigmundsdóttir that inspired me to join a CrossFit gym at the age of 50. To say it has changed my life is an understatement. I’m now 53 and I’ve never felt so good! I’ve gone from barely being able to walk up a flight of stairs to deadlifting 75kg and back squatting 50kg. This probably doesn’t sound much to seasoned gym-goers but CrossFit has given me a motivation and purpose I really had no idea was in me. I loved reading your Catch up with… Sara Sigmundsdóttir article (August issue) and wish we had more role models like her to inspire youngsters to take up sport. Clare Quinn, Sunderland Clare wins a pair of KEEN’s Tempo Flex WP,…

Strides ahead Hit the ground running in the New Balance Virgin Money London Marathon Race Range 2021. Featuring a graphic River Thames design, the stunning collection includes everything from jackets and leggings to this Printed Impact Tee, £40, and Printed Impact Run Short 3in, £45, plus the bold and bouncy New Balance FuelCell Rebelv2 London Edition Shoes, £130, which deliver explosive energy return and silky-smooth transitions. Check out the full range at newbalance.co.uk WEAR THIS… SUBSTANCE AND STYLE Anita Active is setting new standards in function and comfort this autumn with the launch of the PanAlp Wool Sports Bra, £73 (A-G cups; anita.com). Made from high-quality Merino wool, which has climate-regulating properties to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer, this firm-support style is also fast…

Honor Band 6 So much more than a fitness tracker (although there are 10 fitness modes, including running and cycling), the latest update of the Honor Band has a menstrual cycle calendar which allows you to view your estimated fertile window, a sleep monitor to detect snooze problems, plus 24-hour heart rate tracking. You’ll also find blood oxygen level monitoring – achieved via optical sensors combined with a smart algorithm – which can alert you to low blood oxygen levels, something that contributes to fatigue and lack of energy. Full of power, the Honor Band 6 can last up to 14 days on one 10-minute charge, and you get all of this for less than £50; amazon.co.uk…