Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2024 i Women's Fitness

...and it’s a new year! How did that happen? Time flies, and this will be my penultimate Women’s Fitness before handing back the reigns to Sarah Sellens, who has still been working while on maternity leave I might add – compiling the fab mama news pages for one; I don’t know how she does it with now three little ones in tow! And Sarah has been getting right back into her fitness – unlike me after the birth of my son, as it took me six months to do anything more strenuous than a walk to the shops, and when I did exercise it was only once a week doing a one-to-one ballroom and Latin class, which was exhausting! Sarah, in complete contrast to me, is back at the gym…

COVER INTERVIEW There’s no doubt about it: Davina McCall is officially one of the UK’s most beloved national treasures. When she’s not entertaining the nation with hit TV shows including My Mum, Your Dad, Long Lost Family and The Masked Singer, she’s educating us with critically acclaimed documentaries such as Sex, Mind and the Menopause and Davina McCall’s Pill Revolution, along with her latest book, Menopausing, which scooped the top prize at the British Book Awards last year. Then, of course, there’s her successful fitness empire, which has seen the exercise guru, presenter and mum of three release no less than 15 workout DVDs, with sales of more than 1.4 million, as well as the popular online fitness platform, Own Your Goals (ownyourgoalsdavina.com). In fact, Davina has been extolling the…

BEST-OF-BOTH-WORLDS BROOKIES These brookies are the perfect example of the best of both worlds: all the gooey ‘chocolateyness’ of a brownie, topped with crumbly vanilla cookie in every bite. Makes 16 squares Ingredients For the brownies: • 100g cacao powder• 150g Medjool dates• 125ml oat milk• 220g pure maple syrup• 120g cashew butter• 50g ground almonds• 70g coconut oil For the cookies: • 100g porridge oats• 100g ground almonds• Pinch of Himalayan salt• 120g cashew butter• 160g pure maple syrup• 70g coconut oil, melted• 70g chocolate chips Method 1. Pre-heat the oven to 150°C/gas mark 2. 2. For the brownies, simply combine the ingredients in a food processor and whizz for around a minute or so until you have a smooth, gooey batter. Spoon this into a lined 20cm square…

Carifit+ £225 for Carifit+ & 12-month app subscription, getcarifit.com Offering something completely unique, the Carifit+ is a baby carrier that combines with the parenting Carifit App. Founded by ante and postnatal fitness expert and dad-of-two, Vern Hill, Carifit began as an in-person exercise class for fun workouts that provide parents with the support they need to get stronger with baby. It is an investment buy, but the carrier itself can support a little one from birth to two years, so it’s a piece of kit that will last. When you open the box, you’ll get a QR code to unlock the 12-month app subscription, which will take you straight to the Posture+ fitness advice, ensuring a comfortable fit from the off. You’ll also find on-demand baby wearing workouts for every…

STAR LETTER ‘I’m feeling motivated by Kelly Hoppen’s fitness advice’ ‘I was inspired by former Dragon’s Den star Kelly Hoppen in your feature ‘Fitness for me is not so much about the body as the mind’ (November issue). I think she’s right. Regular activity is an investment in your mind, body and soul. When it becomes the norm, it can foster your own self-worth and make you feel strong and powerful. It makes you feel better about your appearance, and even the smallest of exercise goals gives you a sense of achievement. I welcomed her advice about nutrition and skin secrets. I too find hiking gives me a buzz. I regularly do 10-mile walks across the mountain ranges, and feel I use different muscles from when I’m at the gym.…

NOLAN SUNNASSEE Nolan is a professional strength and conditioning coach, specialist personal trainer, fitness writer and consultant. Find him at evo-fit.co.uk Q: I’m struggling with gym anxiety. What can I do to feel more confident at the gym as a beginner? A: Having worked in health and fitness for more than 25 years, I know first-hand this is an extremely common reaction for beginners who are going to a gym for the first time. In fact, I have the utmost respect for anyone joining a gym and trying to change their health, as the first step is always the hardest. The first thing you need to know is anxiety is a completely normal reaction, and the vast majority of people who have never done structured exercise before probably feel very…

THE WORKOUT Set your timer and work your way through the exercises below, repeating each one for the amount of time specified STANDARD PRESS-UP Press-ups are a fantastic exercise for strengthening the upper body, particularly the chest, shoulders and triceps. • Start in a high plank position. Place your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, with shoulders stacked directly above your wrists. Maintain a straight line from head to heels. Your body should be level and flat throughout (A). • Begin to lower your body towards the floor, keeping your elbows close to your body. Aim to touch the floor with your chest, not your face (B). • Push your body up, returning to the starting position. Make sure to keep your body straight and avoid sagging or…

Immune booster Supporting your immunity throughout the colder months is a must, and that’s where Arbonne MushroomPowder Daily Defence (£41, arbonne.com) delivers. Mix this powerful blend of medicinal mushrooms into shakes, smoothies, porridge or hot drinks for a natural boost. Contains organic mushroom extracts with standardised bioactive beta-glucans from chaga, lion’s mane, maitake, reishi and shiitake. Free from fillers, binders and additives. Beat Christmas bloat If festive nibbling is taking a toll on your tummy, try Wassen Digest + Balance (£16.99, wassen.com) to improve digestive health. The tasty lemon and ginger drink contains digestive enzymes from DigeZyme to help break down food, plus fibre and calcium to help digestive function. It also has three probiotic strains, Bacillus coagulans, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum to strengthen your gut health. Mix the…

Sleep soundly Got a little one who likes to stay up all hours? Bedtime yoga poses can really help kids to wind down and go to sleep. And for an extra snooze-boosting trick, we recommend trying the Spritz Wellness London Aromatherapy Eye Pillow (£25, spritzwellness.com) while in savasana. With a kid-friendly animal print, the eye pillow is filled with ultra-relaxing lavender and chamomile – it’s totally suitable for kids, as there aren’t any oils or additives. Simply pop over eyes and let the chilled vibes roll. Strike a pose Adults love Liforme yoga mats for the brand’s AlignForMe system – markings that help with correct foot and hand positioning – and now kids can benefit from the power of perfectly aligned poses, too. Smaller in size than Liforme’s regular mats,…

As a youngster, I was a Brownie, Guide, Ranger and Adventure Scout, so I enjoyed many outdoor adventures. But as a professional cyclist, I was banned from doing most sports and outdoor pursuits. I wasn’t even allowed to run in case I picked up an injury, so I was very much stuck in the gym, in the lab, on a bike and nothing else. Unsurprisingly, I spent my entire time as an athlete dreaming of being up in the mountains. These days, I’m enjoying getting back to doing all the things I loved before cycling. After following such a strict training regime for many years, having the freedom to pick and choose what activities I want to do based on how I’m feeling has made a huge difference to me.…

RUNNING ‘The stresses people face today mean it can be almost impossible to switch off, but running boasts its own path to mindfulness’ Mindful movement – aka tuning into your thoughts and surroundings as you exercise – is a workout worth trying. Science reports its benefits include less stress and anxiety, as well as improved sleep, mood and general wellbeing. Mindful moves have already taken the world by storm, with the NHS recommending practices such as yoga and t’ai chi for mental wellbeing. And now running boasts its own path to mindfulness through the increasingly popular form of mindful running. ‘The levels of stress that people face today mean that it can be almost impossible to really switch off, relax and unwind,’ says Melissa Weldon, personal trainer and instructor at…

Has your wellbeing been impacted by your profession? ‘Being a professional athlete is an emotional rollercoaster. Winning my first world title in 2021 was the highlight of my career, but I’ve sustained quite a few injuries since then. It can be mentally hard to trust your body after injury, but returning to win the Ironman World Champs – while setting a new course record and being the first woman to lead from start to finish – is testament to the self-love I’ve been showing myself to keep going and never give up.’ How do you deal with setbacks? ‘When you’re told you can’t train anymore due to injury, it can be difficult not to spiral into a negative state because your whole livelihood feels like it’s over. Recently, I’ve heard…

Look good for less Elevate your gym attire effortlessly with the re-launched F&F ACTIVE collection. Designed to help you look and feel good for less, there are two core trends to choose from: a classic range of activewear made from premium performance fabrics for total comfort, and a versatile lifestyle capsule featuring looser silhouettes, sports-luxe looks, and next-to-skin softness to take you from the Pilates studio to coffee with your friends in style. Available to shop in Tesco stores from Boxing Day, prices start from as little as £10. WEAR THIS… Get in gear Le Col has launched a second collection of cycling kit in collaboration with long-time ambassador, Victoria Pendleton. The Le Col x Pendleton range (from £17, lecol.cc) mixes performance-driven designs with the former Olympian and World Champion’s…

VEGAN PROTEIN ‘There are plenty of ways to consume enough high-quality, plant-based protein’ There can be many obstacles when trying to meet your nutrition goals, no matter what type of nutrition plan you follow. For vegans, or someone considering a vegan lifestyle, a particular concern is that it’s difficult to consume adequate protein. They say the challenge comes with finding enough variety, as well as discovering options that aren’t too heavy on carbs and fat. However, the truth is there are plenty of ways to consume enough high-quality, plant-based protein, making it readily achievable for vegans to maintain and gain lean muscle mass. IMPORTANCE OF PROTEIN By the time you hit the age of 30, you start to lose lean muscle mass at a rate of one-to-three per cent per…