Women's Fitness February 2023

Downright dreary can often seem like the ‘mood of the month’ during February, as we’re through the throes of festive excitement and yet still in the depths of winter. But if there’s one thing pretty much all health and fitness experts agree on it’s that a good workout can power-up a person’s positivity. And who better to inspire and motivate than this month’s cover model, super-star trainer Krissy Cela! Strong in both body and mind, the passionate fitness entrepreneur reminds us that building physical strength can help with growing mental strength. ‘Try to see moving your body as a celebration of what it can do, not as a chore’ she advises in her in-depth interview on page 18. And as you turn the page to this February issue, we can’t…

Suzanne Baum Suzanne is a celebrity interviewer and lifestyle editor. She has written on fitness and wellbeing for over two decades and also reviews beauty products. @suzanne_baum Eve Boggenpoel Eve is a yoga teacher, counsellor 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 Leona Gerrard Leona is an editor and journalist, who is very passionate about cycling. She travels all around the world in pursuit of incredible places to ride. Christine Bailey Christine is a performance nutritionist, chef, author and keen runner. She runs online programmes…

STAR LETTER GO FOR GOAL Smash Your Goals! (January 2023 issue) inspired and motivated me to get fitter than ever this year. I've heard of Ai Lee Syarief and STRONG Nation’s high-intensity bootcamp-style class, and I love her ‘move more, move smart, move with purpose’ way of thinking. I also like the thought of exercising to music, as this can help with motor skills and movement coordination. When the body is in sync with the music, you can experience a boost in self-confidence, which then creates a positive association with exercise. Ai Lee’s favourite exercises – the push-up, the cross punch, the swivel kick and the hook – were explained thoroughly, and I'm incorporating them, and more of Ai Lee's suggestions, into my exercise routine. Here's to a fitter me…

Thrive in nature Winter-proof your walks wearing the fabulous range of thermals and water-resistant layers from women’s outdoor clothing brand ACAI (acaioutdoorwear.com). Designed to look good and perform well, you’ll find everything from base layers and jackets to hats, socks and gloves to protect you from the elements. Available in sizes 6 to 22, our favourites include the Performance Full-Zip Mid Layer, £69 (seen left), the Outdoor Fleece Hoodie, £75 (seen right), and ACAI’s best-selling, super-stretchy Thermal Skinny Outdoor Trousers, £99, that mimic the look of skinny jeans but have a shower-resistant coating, a fleece lining and come in an array of stylish colours. DO THIS… Feel-good festival Relax, reflect and reboot at The Big Retreat, the UK’s fastest-growing wellbeing festival, hosted at Lawrenny Park Estate in the Pembrokeshire Coast…

COVER INTERVIEW If you want to achieve anything in life, you’ve got to work hard for it. That’s the message from fitness entrepreneur Krissy Cela. And she should know. As the co-founder of two multi-million pound brands – women’s gymwear company Oner Active (uk.oneractive. com) and leading female fitness app EvolveYou (evolveyou.app) – Cela has channelled her determination, gritty attitude and resilience into becoming a leader in the fit-tech industry, amassing more than 5.5 million followers across Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. Pretty impressive for a woman who only decided to follow a fitness career after she began posting about her strength training workouts on social media – and attracted interest from women worldwide! Of course, it would be easy to attribute Cela’s success to her good looks, toned physique, media-savvy…

TRAINING TIPS Q How should a woman start working out to gain muscle? Joey Bull says: ‘Getting started is key, so any start is positive, but getting a good foundation to build on is preferable. That means taking the body through some basic actions: pushing, pulling, rotating, double-leg bends, single-leg bends, and bending and extending from the hips. These moves are important as they will mean good mobility and symmetry of power. For instance, if you have overpowered front thighs and underpowered backs of thighs, your posture and alignment get into trouble over time. ‘Example moves for starting out can be: pushing for the chest – push-ups with knees down or chest presses with light weights; pulling for the back – drawing a strong band towards you, lat pull-downs or…