Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2024 i Women's Fitness

Love swimming? Then you’re not alone. I recently learnt that swimming is one of the most popular activities in the country, with as many as 4.7 million people swimming at least twice a month*. Perhaps it’s a no-brainer, as not only is swimming a great cardio workout but it also boosts muscle strength in a low-impact way, while being a life skill and, let’s face it, quite a lot of fun (flume, anyone?!). The latest news, however, extols cold-water swimming’s mental-health boosting benefits. As we discover on page 88, a slightly chillier dip is emerging from the science labs as one of the prevailing ways to remedy the mind by easing depression, anxiety and stress, not to mention providing an endorphin high. And with participation in outdoor swimming growing in…

MICHAEL FATICA Fatica is a consultant osteopath for The Back in Shape Program (backinshapeprogram. com), an online rehabilitation program for treating back pain. He has been treating and advising patients for 10 years, specialising in the spine and spinal mechanics. Q: I recently pulled a muscle in my lower back while lifting weights. How can I aid recovery and prevent lower-back strain going forward? A: Resistance training is great for long-term back health, especially when done well. However, sometimes accidents like this do happen, and often we find that it’s a case of imperfect form aggravating the lower back. It is highly likely that it is a strain of the joints in your lower back that has resulted in the ‘pulled muscle’ feeling you’re experiencing. Short-term, we want the back…

You’ve heard it before: food is fuel. It might sound like just another overused phrase lauded by health and fitness evangelists, but the truth is, what you put into your body will help you get through your gym session without holding you back, whilst providing you with the nutrients needed for a speedy post-workout recovery. Whether you’re just starting out or are a regular in the gym, eating the right foods, at the right times and in the correct quantities, will help to complement your training plan so that you feel stronger, leaner and more energised. Over the next three pages, we’ve put together a nutritionally-focused seven-day diet plan which is tailored to your workout needs. We’ve assumed that you’ll be exercising on three out of the seven days with…

If walking up the stairs feels like hard work but you want to stay active, pregnancy appropriate mobility work can provide a much needed boost while easing aches and helping prepare your body for labour. ‘Mobility exercise during the third trimester, especially for the pelvic floor and lower back, can be helpful in preparing for birth by relaxing and lengthening the pelvic floor muscles,’ explains Cara Forrester, director of education at The MINT Prjct (themintprjct.com). ‘Mobility for the upper body in the chest, and the upper back, is also important to help relieve all the extra weight on the front of the body caused by growing breast tissue. Plus, having mobile ankles can help with labour for mums who prefer to be in a deep squat, and wrist mobility is…

For such simple bits of kit, good gym shorts and tops can be hard to find. I’ve got a wardrobe full of options, but I’ll only wear a select few to my gym sessions. Why? Because I don’t want my shorts riding up mid-row, or my tummy popping out while I pull down on the SkiErg. I don’t want inner thigh rub at the end of a run, or sweat patches under my arms whilst I’m doing a dead hang. For me, gym kit and running apparel are different. For running, I’ll wear a loose short, which doesn’t work in the gym because they ‘blow up’ above my thighs when I’m rowing or box jumping – something closer fitting is required. For running, I’ll wear a baggier t-shirt, but for…

STAR LETTER ‘GLADIATORS IS INSPIRING ME TO TAKE MY FITNESS TO A HIGHER LEVEL’ ‘I enjoyed your feature Gladiators ready! (March issue) about the gladiators who are taking the revived series by storm, with one of them, Athena (Karenjeet Kaur Bains), featured on your front page. More than three decades since it first launched, Gladiators is back with a brand-new group of superhuman-like athletes challenging members of the public to take them on. My parents watched it religiously when they were younger, and now it’s inspiring me to take my fitness to a higher level. I’d love to have the feeling of more confidence in my body, like the gladiators – the feeling of strength inside and out, more energy, being able to sleep well at night, and having an…

I don’t think there’s been a day in my life during which I haven’t done something active. I did gymnastics from a young age and started athletics and cross country at the age of 11, but I only heard about CrossFit from a friend at school when I was 14. He explained how CrossFit combines many fitness elements such as gymnastics and athletics with skills work, and I thought it sounded like so much fun. So, I went along to my first kid’s class on a Sunday at the CrossFit IOM [Isle of Man] gym with my two best friends and, 10 years later, I’m still doing it. I can’t say I touched a barbell when I started doing CrossFit a few times a week. It was more about kids…

Whether you work out in a gym or at home, dumbbells should be a top kit choice. They will challenge your muscles more than bodyweight exercises alone, and are a great tool for building total-body strength. If you’re a home gym-body, dumbbells don’t take up much space and yet can be used for lots of exercises. Wondering what weight to select? Pick something that feels hard (but still doable) to lift by your last two to three reps. You can increase or decrease the weight (or number of reps if you don’t have a selection to choose from), so long as you’re hitting that sticky point toward the end of every set. Ready to get sweating? These dumbbell exercises make for a great total-body workout that you can do practically…

Sandwiched between work commitments, hurried errands and endless to-do lists, lunch is often the most rushed meal of the day for many people. This perceived lack of time often leads to a hastily prepared or purchased meal, which does little to satisfy your cravings or nutritional needs. Enter Healthy Made Simple by Ella Mills. These speedy lunchtime recipes can all be made in just 15 minutes and promise to pack a scrumptious and nutritious punch. The vegan-friendly meals also contain a good helping of protein, all from plant-based sources, to help give your post-workout recovery a boost, too. WARM MEDITERRANEAN AUBERGINE AND BASIL ORZO SALAD This recipe pushes the 15- to 20-minute mark; essentially the length of time it takes will depend on how quickly you chop your veg. It’s…

The truth is your first run is always the hardest. For me, it was the sheer effort that was stopping me. First of all, I lived in a third-floor flat in Hyndland in Glasgow. It was autumn and already bitterly cold outside. If I wanted to run, I’d have to get dressed, get down three flights of stairs, lock up and go out into the freezing cold. Who could be bothered with that? Then there were all the practical questions. What should I wear? Where do I go? Should I go in the morning or the afternoon? Where the hell do I put my keys?! But more than anything, I procrastinated because I didn’t know what would happen when I got out there. I thought my body would wobble when…

BEAUTY KIT Garnier Ultimate Blends Supercharged Hair Food (£8.99, boots.com) Garnier’s best-selling hair masks have had an upgrade – not only are they powered by their usual superfoods, but they now also offer the addition of super vitamins! There’s vitamin C for shine, E for moisture, and F for strengthening locks. They are still available in their iconic original scents such as coconut, banana and exotic pineapple – just super powered by vits. A great addition to your post-workout haircare regime! Bubble Water Slide Hydration Boosting Serum (£18, beautybay.com) While you strengthen your body, why not also strengthen your skin barrier? This super skincare serum will work wonders over the spring months to balance hydration levels in the skin, thanks to glycerin and squalene – natural humectants that draw water…

Leaving behind her career in London’s media industry, 36-year-old Chapman embarked on a soul-searching trip across Australia to find a new hobby. Her journey led her to Melbourne where she joined a local running club. ‘I went to a standard inner city state school and we didn’t have a huge amount of access to sports, so running wasn’t something I developed as a hobby until I went to Australia,’ says Chapman. ‘I decided to take up long-distance running on my trip seven years ago and loved it so much I ended up staying and joining a running club.’ Chapman’s experience echoes findings from holiday company First Choice, that ‘hobbi-days’ (combining holidays with new hobbies) are trending. With the support of her new-found running companions, Chapman took on her first challenge:…

Colour me happy New research from purposeful activewear brand BAM reveals the majority of UK women believe colourful activewear boosts their mood and makes their workouts more enjoyable, while 45 per cent say wearing bright colours helps to improve their performance. With luscious lilac set to be the standout shade this spring, there’s never been a better time to update your workout wardrobe with some of BAM’s pastel pieces, including everything from sleek leggings and breathable workout tops to slouchy sweats and lightweight running jackets. Versatile enough to elevate your look and mood, while boasting unrivalled breathability, unbeatable softness and sweat-wicking properties, prices start from £20; bambooclothing.co.uk TRY THIS… Making great strides Looking for a safe, sweaty and supportive sisterhood to elevate your running game? These Girls Run (TGR) is…

Grains of goodness The possibilities for using grains in the kitchen are pretty much endless, but if you’re looking for fresh inspiration, Aduna Fonio Super-grain (£3.99, aduna.com) is a good place to start. An ancient pantry staple from West Africa, fonio is a gluten-free grain belonging to the millet family, which is rich in iron, zinc and B vitamins. Prized for its fluffy texture and mild, nutty flavour, it’s the perfect addition to poke bowls, spring salads and a rice substitute alongside a spicy curry. Oh, and did we mention that it cooks in 90 seconds flat? Stock up We’re all for brands that promise a head start in the kitchen, and Stocked Food Blocks (from £44 for four packs of eight Blocks, stockedfood.com) offer a fuss-free way to outsource…

Sleep, often considered the elixir of life, plays a crucial role in our overall wellbeing. Yet, in a world that is constantly buzzing with activity and demands, sleep is often the first thing to suffer – but not when you have the right mattress! Recognising the importance of a restful night’s sleep on your training and lifestyle is mattress and bed brand Sleepeezee, which has teamed up with Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill to create a collection of mattresses aptly named the Jessica range. The collection has been designed to encourage the very best of sleep, whilst supporting your weary muscles and mind. If it’s good enough for an Olympian, it’s good enough for us! The Jessica collection is perfect for those with an active lifestyle who rely on their sleep to…