Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2025 i Women's Fitness

There’s an oft-used saying that ‘you can’t outrun a bad diet’ or – as I like to put it – an active lifestyle shouldn’t replace a good diet nor should a good diet replace an active lifestyle, they must go together. This is something I’ve become more acutely aware of as I’ve gotten older: I don’t ‘bounce back’ from hard exercise like I used to and I really notice when I’ve not been eating a balanced diet because my recovery period lasts longer. It’s not fun. Perhaps you’ve noticed it, too, in which case you’re in good hands with this issue of Women’s Fitness. On top of our normal mix of the latest food and drink products to support your fitness goals, we’ve spoken to the experts about how to…

You’re covered Gymshark has launched a new modest activewear range with Muslim fitness content creator Leana Deeb. Designed to empower women who dress modestly to embrace fitness and fashion without compromise, the collection follows research by Gymshark that found 84 per cent of 13,147 respondents reported challenges in finding modest gym clothing that met their needs, with 78 per cent resorting to shopping in the men’s section for better options. Pieces in the gym-ready, street-inspired range include oversized t-shirts and hoodies, jackets, joggers, tunics and a hybrid wrap hijab made from lightweight performance materials to ensure supreme comfort and a secure fit. Prices start from £25, gymshark.com BUY THIS... Hot to trot Whether you’re hitting the slopes or hiking in chilly temperatures, YETI Rambler 12oz Bottle with Hotshot Cap (£25,…

Former Winter Olympian and World Cup Alpine ski racer, Chemmy Alcott is always on the road. She recently returned to Flaine in the French Alps to spend time at the resort where she first learned to ski, and to enjoy Christmas with her family. Straight after the new year, Alcott drove to Klagenfurt in Austria’s Carinthia region to host The Big Air competition for the opening programme of Ski Sunday, which airs on BBC2 from January 5. After Austria, she travelled to Italy for the next competition: the men’s night-time slalom race in Madonna di Campiglio, where Dave Ryding (a British slalom racer) competed, before heading home for a short break with her kids. Then it was back on the road as Ski Sunday followed the FIS World Cup Circuit,…

Sleep saviours The causes of insomnia can often be complex, which is why we welcome the arrival of Australian Bush Essences organic Sleep Essence Space Mist (£12, ausflowers.co.uk). Seven key flower essences – black-eyed Susan, boronia, bottlebrush, bush iris, crowea, fringed violet and paw paw – help on many levels, calming a busy mind, easing anxiety and overwhelm, releasing repetitive thoughts, assimilating and integrating new information, and supporting you to contact your deeper self. Fragranced with lavender, cedarwood and warm cinnamon, simply spray around your pillow before bed. Softly, softly When you’re a light sleeper the slightest niggle can prevent you from relaxing enough to fall asleep – think a change in light levels, a hairband that pulls on your scalp or even a rough pillowcase. Optimise your chance of…

BAM Cocoon Fleece Gilet (£85, bambooclothing.co.uk) Long, warm and snuggly, this is the perfect layer for early springtime hikes. The Organic Protein Company Cookies & Cream Whey Powder (£28, theorganicproteincompany.co.uk) I love this new indulgent flavour from one of my favourite whey brands. It uses real-food ingredients and is yum! Mizuno Neo Zen (£130, mizuno.com) With the bounciest midsole foam I’ve come across, these road runners are quite simply awesome.…

SARAH CAMPUS Campus is a highly qualified women’s PT, nutrition coach, mum of three and founder of LDN MUMS FITNESS (ldnmumsfitness.com). Q I’ve heard that you should eat protein within 45-minutes of exercising to help your muscles recover and grow. Is this true? Also, can I just eat a quick protein bar or do I need to make a larger protein-rich meal? A The idea that you must consume protein within 45 minutes of finishing exercising is known as the anabolic window: the post-workout period often considered the most critical part of nutrient timing, which is suggested to be the optimal time to enhance muscular gains and recovery through nutrition. This time has been somewhat overstated. Yes, protein after exercise helps. Consuming protein after you finish your workout does support…

Milk with more Top up your daily protein intake with SuperNutrio (£2.50, supernutrio.co.uk) a high-protein milk drink that provides double the protein and 80 per cent more calcium than regular milk, with absolutely zero additives or artificial flavourings. Made by passing two whole litres of everyday cow’s milk through smart filters, nutrients are concentrated into one litre of rich and creamy goodness – perfect for drinks, smoothies, cereal and protein shakes. Also available from Sainsbury’s and Tesco. Workout boosters Holland & Barrett’s new TriActive range (from £2.50, hollandandbarrett.com) features a first-to-market blend of clinically studied ingredients to boost your performance, speed up recovery, and keep you focused. Developed by leading scientists, the range includes performance smoothies, super greens with added benefits, pre-workout drinks, and energy and focus bars, all packed…

Whether you’re hitting the gym and don’t have the energy left to whip up a healthy meal or you simply don’t like cooking, creating nutritionally-balanced meals is well worth the effort – so much so that celebrity personal trainer and nutrition expert Scott Harrison, founder of acclaimed fitness programme The Six Pack Revolution (thesixpackrevolution.com), says eating well is one of the biggest contributing factors to the success of your exercise regime. ‘The nutrition side is 90 per cent of the puzzle,’ says Harrison. ‘You can exercise 50 times a week, but if you don’t sort out the food and you’re still eating rubbish, the inflammation stays, the anxiety stays, the sleepless nights stay, the fat stays. You’ve probably heard the 80/20 exercise-to-nutrition ratio, but I say 90/10 to really drill…

If you do a quick search of ‘menopause and exercise’ you’ll be inundated with information. It’s a hot topic, with plenty of personal trainers offering the ‘best workouts for menopause belly’. There’s a lot of information to process. The good thing is that people are now talking more openly than ever about ‘the change’, meaning you’re more likely to understand what to expect and feel better equipped. And you can certainly feel energised and empowered by using exercise when entering either the peri-menopause or menopause stages. ‘At a time when we are losing muscle mass and bone density, and experiencing a wide range of menopause symptoms, the exercise we do needs to reflect what our bodies need,’ explains personal trainer Emma Simarro, founder of Building Body Confidence (emmasimarro.com). ‘Strength training…

‘YOGA ALLOWS ME TO FEEL WHAT TRULY NOURISHES ME’ Esther Ekhart As one of the original founders of EkhartYoga (now YogaEasy), Ekhart has thousands of students following her online classes. She teaches dynamic and slower practices which allow for deeper connection with body and mind. To join her retreats, visit estherekhart.com Yoga is a journey of self-awareness. It’s about becoming a more conscious human being. I believe what we eat plays a crucial role in supporting our physical and mental wellbeing. By nurturing the body using wholesome, plant-based foods that are low in simple carbohydrates and sugar, and by being mindful of our choices, we can create a foundation of vitality, clarity and peace. This, in turn, complements our practice and enhances our overall quality of life. I mostly practise…

Eve Boggenpoel Eve has a background in yoga, meditation and homeopathy. She is passionate about helping people find and live their authentic selves, and is happiest swimming, being in nature and spending time with loved ones. @eveboggenpoel Emma Simarro Emma is a personal trainer and women’s health coach who specialises in supporting women through the menopause. She loves helping women enhance their body confidence through strength training and holistic health approaches. @emmasimarropt Lily Smith Lily is a health and wellness writer and qualified yoga teacher, specialising in prenatal and postnatal yoga. She loves helping people feel more grounded and present, both on and off the mat. @lilythewordsmith Lucy Miller Lucy is a fitness journalist, ex-national gymnast and qualified Level 3 PT. She is also a nutritionist and life coach who…

When Women’s Fitness last interviewed Sarah Jayne Dunn back in 2019, it was to catch up on the results of her strength training journey with Ultimate Performance (UP; ultimateperformance.com). Using UP’s LiveUP online coaching platform, she’d just completed one of the personal training specialist’s famous 12-week Transformation Programmes – a second for Dunn, since she had also finished one of the programmes in 2018 to get in shape for her nuptials after the birth of her son Stanley 18 months earlier – and she was feeling stronger, healthier and happier than ever. Much has changed for the actress in the five years since we last spoke, including a well-publicised career shift that sparked a media frenzy after her Hollyoaks bosses issued her an ultimatum in 2021: to delete her newly…

Starting your day with some gentle movement can be an empowering way to wake up and feel more refreshed and energised for the day ahead. This is because exercise boosts the release of neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, as well as histamine, which are linked to feeling more energised, more alert and happier generally. In fact, researchers from Western University in Canada found that moving first thing can raise mood and cognition more quickly than a dose of caffeine! Don’t believe us? Give this revitalising workout a try. It will only take 20 minutes but the effects should last all day. HOW TO DO IT After a few dynamic stretches, such as squat-to-reach and a few rounds of sun salutations, begin the workout below with the first exercise. Once complete,…

Research shows children and adolescents have some of the poorest diets – more than 65 per cent of the food they consume is ultra-processed, while busy schedules and the influence of social media can have a negative impact on food choices, too. In his latest cookbook, Unprocess Your Family Life, award-winning registered nutritionist Rob Hobson addresses common challenges faced by families, such as dealing with different diets and how to make quick and healthy meals on a busy schedule. He also looks at the weak spots in the day where convenience leads the charge – from rushed breakfasts to grab-and-go snacks – empowering the whole family to make healthier decisions. Here, we’ve picked out our favourite fun, flavourful and nutritious recipes that the whole family will love. CHICKEN AND BARLEY…

Stretch away pain When you’re living with pain or injury, keeping active can be a challenge. Enter new app Y4P (aka Yoga for Pain), the first yoga app designed specifically for the chronic pain community. With more than 200 classes sequenced for those living with pain, it includes a range of styles including Slow Flow, Restorative and Yogility – a fusion of yoga and mobility exercises to help enhance range of motion – plus breathwork, meditation and a supportive community. See the App Store for a free seven-day trial, then sign up for £7.99 a month. FEMCARE FOCUS Pack away the pads Whether you’ve had kids, are menopausal or love high-impact exercise – think running and box jumps – if you’re one of the 42 per cent of UK women…

Not all massage guns are built equally. Having tested many percussive therapy devices over the years, I know only too well how variables such as vibrations per minute, charging capabilities, ergonomics and attachments can make all the difference when seeking effective relief from post-workout aches and pains. So, it’s no small thing when I say that the new Theragun Prime Plus (£379, theragun.com) is possibly the best massage gun I’ve tried to date. Ridiculously powerful for its compact size, this surprisingly lightweight device comes with four attachments: a Standard Ball to relieve tension and activate muscles, a Dampner for use on tender or sensitive areas, a Wedge to scrape and flush muscles around the shoulder blades and IT bands, and the new Heated Percussive Plus attachment, which combines science-backed heat…

After reading law in Trinity, I qualified as a barrister before heading to New York to work as an attorney. I had a glamorous few years there, living in a loft in Soho and working in a swanky firm on Park Avenue. Then, 911 happened and I felt the call for home, so I returned to Dublin to work as a barrister. I found triathlons in my mid-30’s and quickly became obsessed. I regularly got up at 5am to swim before work, trained in the evenings after a long day in court and spent weekends on the bike – I was hooked. The training paid off in 2012, when I became an Irish National Champion Triathlete in the age group 35-40. I won some great races including the iconic Hell…