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Contents
68
April 2013
SHAPE up
17 Fitness news Make sure your PT is qualified.
18 Do you have the fit gene? Discover how to YOUR ACTIVE
work out to suit your genetic make-up. PREGNANCY
22 Fitness expert How to cope with HIIT sessions.
24 10-minute tone-up Fix muscle imbalances.

EAT smart
31 Food news Eat berries to boost your heart health.
33 Beat diet depression Happy-hormone boosters.
34 Recipe revamp Lighter banana bread.
36 Nutrition expert Get your 5-a-day for less.
38 Diet diary TV presenter Julia Bradbury takes us
through a typical day’s eating.
40 Weight loss The Manhattan Diet reviewed.

HEALTHY you
45 Health news Reduce your diabetes risk.
46 Is stress killing your libido? How to reignite
your sex life.

74
48 The secrets of deep sleep Get more from
your slumber.
51 Psychology Revive flagging resolutions.
53 Beauty news Natural Botox alternative.
54 Beauty Wrinkle-busting products. WORK OUT
LIKE THE
CELEBS

On this month’s cover

Page 104
Page 54

96
DELICIOUS
VEGETARIAN
Page 48 RECIPES

Page 62

Page 33

Page 102

Page 74 Page 46
Photography: Ian Derry Hair & make-up: Jen Fletcher @ Era
Management Clothing: Lorna Jane Edelina Crop Top, £39
(activeinstyle.co.uk). Nike Pro Core Compression Shorts,
£20 (nike.com)

Health & Fitness 3

 76
EMOTIONAL
SPRING
FEATURES
58 The world’s best beauty secrets
GYM style
82 Fashion A new way with colour.
Pick up the best tips from women round 89 Fashion news Cutting-edge sporty kit.
CLEAN the globe.
62 Eat, fast, get healthy Diet just YOU time
two days a week for tiptop health. 93 Spa Luxury Dukan weightloss in Italy.
68 Pregnant? You can stay in shape! 94 Travel Norwegian northern lights.
Workout advice and kit to keep you and 96 Recipes Mouthwatering veggie meals.
your bump on top form.
74 Top five celebrity workout trends
Try the stars’ favourite ways to keep fit. REGULARS
76 Change your life in six steps Give 6 Editor’s letter
yourself an emotional overhaul, without 8 About you Letters, the latest
the therapy. reader poll and more.
10 Hot topic Do you work out purely to
look better?
13 Hot kit Spring running jacket.
27 Exclusive H&F competition Win

82
0a week at a bootcamp, worth £1,000.
122 Offers Win running kit worth £225.
130 We’re talking to… Zoë Ball, TV and
radio presenter.

COLOURFUL
GYM KIT

SUBS
OFFER!
Become a subscriber this month
and receive a free Pepperfit
Relax Body Lotion, worth £20.40. e,
19 pages of expert advice,
You’ll also receive your first instruction and top tips
three issues of H&F for just £1!
See page 56 102 Target zone Sculpt shapely
pely arms.
104 Barbell workout Use heavier weightsgh
for great results.
110 How to beat the men Our tips on how
to close the gender performance gap.
111 The H&F challenge Find out how the
team’s getting on with training.
112 Matt Roberts’ masterclass
Reap the benefits of split sessions.
113 Move of the month Plank with
knee bend.
114 Running knowledge Try swimming to

94
boost your marathon training.
117 My workout Good Vibes’ owner Nahid
de Belgeonne.
118 Success story ‘I changed my body in
12 weeks.’
12 Kit test Find the best sports bra for you.
120
NORWEGIAN
ADVENTURE

4 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

“I know this milk has
worked for me.”
“ It was fantastic to discover a2. It’s entirely natural,
tastes great and I’m able to enjoy it without
experiencing any of the yucky symptoms that
I used to get. Choosing to just have a2 Milk in
the fridge means I can provide the important
nutrients my family and I need.”

Dannii Minogue

a2 Milk is available in whole and semi-skimmed. To find your nearest stockist go to www.a2Milk.co.uk

Milk contains a number of different types of proteins to which people can be allergic/intolerant including the A1 protein. a2 Milk does not contain the A1 protein so is suitable for anyone
with an A1 milk protein intolerance. a2 Milk is not suitable for anyone medically diagnosed with galactosaemia, lactose intolerance, a milk allergy or other milk protein intolerances.
welcome

Editor’s
letter
Dennis Publishing Ltd, 30 Cleveland Street, London W1T 4JD
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EDITORIAL
EDITOR MARY COMBER, mary_comber@dennis.co.uk
CHIEF SUB-EDITOR EMMA LEWIS, emma_lewis@dennis.co.uk

R
FITNESS EDITOR SARAH IVORY, sarah_ivory@dennis.co.uk
STAFF WRITER SIAN LEWIS, sian_lewis@dennis.co.uk
ACTING ART EDITOR LAURA PASSMORE
emember the healthy resolutions you made at the DESIGNERS FANNI WILLIAMS, KATHRYN SIGGLEKOW

start of the year? If they’re now a distant memory, PUBLISHER NICOLA BATES
GROUP PUBLISHER RUSSELL BLACKMAN
don’t worry! Statistics show spring is the best time GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR IAN WESTWOOD
ADVERTISING
to make changes. Gone are the cold, dark days that GROUP ADVERTISING MANAGER CLAUDIA NICOLETTI-DOWD,
020 7907 6702
leave us craving comfort food and skipping the gym. ADVERTISING MANAGER LUCY PALMER, 020 7907 6678,
lucy_palmer@dennis.co.uk
ACCOUNT MANAGER NIN VIRDI, 020 7907 6581,
Instead, the promise of summer provides the boost we need to nin_virdi@dennis.co.uk
CLASSIFIED SALES EXECUTIVE KATHRYN MCCABE, 020 7907 6557,
ditch bad habits and commit to healthy new goals. And this month’s kathryn_mccabe@dennis.co.uk
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING JULIAN LLOYD-EVANS,
H&F is packed with ideas to get you started. 020 7907 6608
REGIONAL ADVERTISING SALES The Media Consultants Ltd, 01423 569553
Do you struggle to stick to a healthy diet? If so, the new two-day MARKETING
MARKETING COORDINATOR JAMES YOUNG, 020 7907 6424
diet could be for you. It may sound like a fad, but science is showing PARTNERSHIPS & MOBILE MANAGER SOPHIE GEORGE, 020 7907 6858
NETWORK PRODUCTION MANAGER KERRY LAMBIRD, 020 7907 6177
it offers impressive health benefits as well as weight-loss. Turn to SENIOR PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE MIKE HILLS, 020 7907 6116
NEWSTRADE DIRECTOR DAVID BARKER, 020 7907 6489
‘Eat, fast, get healthy’ (page 62) to learn more. NEWSTRADE MANAGER JAMES MANGAN, 020 7429 4058
COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR DMS ANTHONY WHITE, 020 7907 6472
Not seeing results at the gym? Revolutionise your workouts by SENIOR SYNDICATION MANAGER ANJ DOSAJ-HALAI, 020 7907 6132
LICENSING MANAGER CARLOTTA SERANTONI, 020 7907 6550
ditching those light dumbbells and pumping some iron. New SENIOR DIRECT MARKETING EXECUTIVE HOLLY MILLS, 020 7907 6158
SENIOR MANAGEMENT
research shows women who lift heavy weights burn twice as many CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER BRETT REYNOLDS
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER IAN LEGGETT
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER JAMES TYE
calories as those using lighter ones. Turn to ‘Lift weights, drop CHAIRMAN FELIX DENNIS

pounds’ (page 104) for a body-sculpting workout that’ll get you NEXT ISSUE ON SALE MARCH 27, 2013

strong and toned in time for summer! Printed in the UK by Polestar on behalf of Dennis Publishing Ltd.
Distribution by Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT.
Tel: 020 7429 4000
The health and fitness information presented in this magazine is intended as an
educational resource and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.

ED’S TIP
Consult your doctor before performing any of the exercises in this book or any
other exercise programme, particularly if you are pregnant, elderly or have
chronic or recurring medical conditions. Do not attempt any of the exercises
while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Discontinue any exercise that
causes you pain or discomfort and consult a medical expert. Neither the author
Does dieting give
ED’S TIP
of the information nor the producer nor distributors make any warranty of any
kind in regard to the content of the information presented in this magazine.
you the blues? Health & Fitness, copyright 2011 by Dennis Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.
Mary Comber, Editor Top up your levels of happy Health & Fitness is a trademark and may not be used or reproduced in the UK
or Republic of Ireland without the permission of Dennis Publishing Ltd. Health
hormone, dopamine, by eating & Fitness is published in the UK and Republic of Ireland by Dennis Publishing
ple
plenty of fish, almonds and Ltd and is sold subject to the following terms: namely that it shall not without
bananas. the written consent of the Publishers first given be lent, resold, hired out or
otherwise disposed of by way of Trade at more than the recommended selling
price shown on the cover and that it shall not be lent, resold or hired out in a
mutilated condition or in any unauthorised cover by way of Trade or affixed to or
as part of any publication or advertising, literary or pictorial matter whatsoever.

This month FOR ALL LICENSING & SYNDICATION QUERIES, PLEASE CONTACT
NICOLE ADAMS nicole_adams@dennis.co.uk, +44 (0)20 7907 6134

COMPETITION AND PRIZE DRAW RULES:

On completing and submitting this competition, you will automatically be entered
into a draw for one of these prizes. No correspondence will be entered into and
the winners will be notified by post or email within 28 days of the closing date.
The competition is not open to employees of Dennis Publishing or participating
companies. No cash alternative will be offered. The prize (s) described are
available at the date of publication. Events may occur that render the promotion or
the awarding of the prize impossible due to reasons beyond Dennis Publishing’s
(publisher of the relevant magazine) control, which may at its discretion vary or
amend the promotion and the reader agrees that no liability shall be attached to
Siân gets Dennis Publishing as a result thereof. Proof of emailing will not be accepted as proof
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eighties-style a competition, the Editor reserves the right to request entrants to take part in an
dance class eliminating contest (or ‘tie breaker’). Where for any reason there are more winners
than prizes on offer, the Editor reserves the right to conduct a simple draw to
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be available on receipt of a request enclosing a stamped self-addressed envelope to:
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winner of a competition is unable to take up a prize for any reason, the Editor reserves
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will not be eligible for any share of the prize whatsoever. The Editor’s decision is final
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are final. No purchase of the magazine is necessary and no more than one entry
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The text paper in this magazine is totally chlorine free.The paper

Lucy makes friends with Sarah with cyclist manufacturer has been independently certified in accordance
a husky in icy Norway, Dani King at the with the rules of the Forest Stewardship Council.
see page 94 for more Wiggle Honda Pro
Cycling women’s
team launch

6 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

interactive

About you This month you’re becoming

more health-aware and
running into shape

Running fit STAR Back on the bike

I really enjoyed your recent LETTER Your feature ‘Join the H&F
running special (March Challenge!’ (March issue) was
issue). I’m a keen runner, but
ut just the motivation I needed to
found it difficult to make get my fitness back. I used to
progress as I tend to plod love Spinning, but let my gym
along at the same pace. membership lapse last year.
I’d heard about interval After reading H&F, I’ve taken getting fitter than ever. Thanks
training but didn’t know my bike out of the garage and for the inspiration!
how to do it until your started going out for rides at Penny Knight, via email
article gave me specific weekends. I don’t think I’m up
instructions. I’ve now to the 86K London to Brighton Inspiring read
added faster intervals into ride, but a friend told me about H&F has squashed my
my training and push Cycletta, a 40K women-only bike preconceptions of ‘health
myself harder to overload my system. Hopefully, I’ll see the ride that’s perfect for newbies magazines’. It’s informative,
benefits in this year’s Kilomathon Scotland (kilomathon.com). like me. So, like all of you, I’m helpful and inspirational. My
going to be training hard and friends always assumed that
Louise Muir, Edinburgh
‘health-conscious’ magazines
were only for fitness freaks or
people trying to lose weight, but
I’ve shown them they can enjoy
WRITE IN AND WIN! TALK TO US! a magazine that highlights the
This month, Louise wins a selection of 12 We love hearing fro
naked haircare products, worth more than m you. health benefits of keeping fit,
Send an email to
£50! The prize includes everything from hf_letters@ gives information on new
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ite to research, and helps you perfect
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et, giving me new topics to discuss
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online at nakedbodycare.co.uk. with my now-addicted friends!
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SPECIALR

Get your perfect

READENT
DISCOU Reader poll
Wh
What fitness challenge have
yo
you set yourself for 2013?
bridal body with H&F!!
A run (not marathon)
Recently engaged? Planning your big day? Then 68%
the team at Health & Fitness would like to say A walk/trek
‘Congratulations!’ Our gift to you is the new Shape 14%
Up For Your Wedding magbook, designed to help
A cycle
you shape up, slim down and be bride-beautiful in
next to no time. Inside you’ll find all the expert 10%
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Find your copy at WHSmith for £7.99, or buy online Th month’s reader poll question: What is your
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stories, training advice and event pictures

TAKE PART Inspire others by sending your fitness
readers at facebook.com/HandFMagazine
to us at hf_letters@dennis.co.uk or talk to us and other

8 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

hot topic
We’re talking about...
Are we
too vain?
Getting that beach body is a great reason
to hit the gym, but are we becoming too
fixated on looks and disregarding the more
important reasons to exercise?
A
s the promise of warm
weather gets tantalisingly
close, it’s only natural that
our thoughts turn to getting
our bodies beach ready.
Alongside the general beauty preparation,
now’s the time we consider ramping up our
fitness regimes to tackle those wobbly bits
– and perhaps make this the year we finally
achieve our dream bikini bod.
The prospect of owning a figure to rival
a Victoria’s Secret model is enough to get
us picking up a new gym class timetable
and planning workouts for the next three
months. But here’s the rub: when it comes
to fitness, are we becoming too focused on
how exercise will help us look, rather than the
fabulous health benefits it offers for a happier
and longer life? Are we wrong to feel more
excited about losing two inches off our waists
and looking fabulous in a pair of designer
jeans than lowering our risk of heart disease,
high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes?
Hunger gains
‘We all need to find the right motivation to
exercise or have a personal goal to achieve,
and aiming to look better is no less a goal
than training for a fitness event,’ says personal
trainer and The Biggest Loser fitness expert,
Richard Callender (richardcallender.com).
‘Decades ago, fitness icons like Arnold
Schwarzenegger and Jane Fonda were
all about helping us build the body beautiful,
and the fitness industry does the same
now, which is fine, if it encourages people
get up and moving.
‘However, with Department of Health
figures showing UK obesity levels have more
than tripled in the last 25 years, you have to
10 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk
wonder whether a looks-based
approach is the most helpful
way to motivate us,’ says Callender. ‘Why is
it we’ve never had better knowledge about
exercise and nutrition, yet more people than
ever are dying of weight-related diseases?’
Inspire others by
explaining the
benefits of your
fitness regime
Skin deep
The problem is partly due to our ‘quick-fix’
society,’ he says. We want amazing results
and we want them fast, meaning we often
treat the ‘effect’ of a not-so-great lifestyle
rather than the getting to the ‘cause’ of it.
Consequently, we pay more attention to
what scales and mirrors tell us about our
workout efforts, than improvements in our
lung capacity, flexibility, stamina, strength
and mental health. But it’s not just us as
individuals who lose out with this approach.
The more self-absorbed we become
about our shape-up efforts, the less we’re
able to help impact healthier changes on
those around us.
‘It might sound extreme, but we all need
to take increased individual responsibility for
helping to save lives through better fitness
and health,’ explains Callender. ‘We need to
be thinking about everyone in our homes,
rather than just ourselves, by promoting the
benefits of increased activity and healthy,
nutritious food to friends and loved-ones.’
Are you exercising
simply too boost
your looks?
So why not lead by example and become
an inspiration to others by explaining the
great health benefits you enjoy from
keeping fit, rather than simply enjoying the
compliments you get about how great
you look? It might prove more rewarding than
finally earning a ‘bodylicious’ beach body.
SPREAD THE
MESSAGE
■ Inspire and encourage others to
get active and try new activities.
Swap a run or gym session for a
chatty power walk with friends,
or a ball game with your children.
■ Focus on the healthy benefits you
get from your fitness regime when
you talk to others. Tell them how
much easier it is to run for a bus now,
for example, rather than how much
better you look in clothes.
■ Make good food fun by educating
friends and family (children especially)
about your nutritious food choices
and cooking healthy – yet delicious
WORDS: Joanna Ebsworth PHOTOGRAPHY: Corbis.com
– meals for them to try.
Tell us what
you think
Got an opinion? Have your say on
our Facebook site, facebook.com/
HandFMagazine.
 Your
trail
starts
here

Your Best ride starts at

a speCialized ConCept store.
Whatever you need, our highly trained staff have the knowledge and experience to
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 hot kit

We’re loving this...

Running jacket
Add this lightweight layer to your kit list for spring

Asics Fuji Packable

Jacket, £60
Be prepared for showers with this
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WORDS: Siân Lewis PHOTOGRAPHY: Danny Bird

Health & Fitness 13

 maintain your

intestinal
comfort

At Bimuno® we understand that when you want to get on with your life,
good digestive health is important.
Live life on your terms with Bimuno IBAID, a unique patented formulation,
specially developed by international experts in digestive health.
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 Fitness news //Workout fixes // Expert advice

#TRIM
TWEETS
You might be
encouraging others
to work out, without

SHAPE UP
even knowing it. After studying
the impact motivational tweets
had on those wanting to lose
weight, researchers from the
University of South Carolina
discovered that the more exercise-
related status updates people
read, the more weight they were
likely to lose. The social network
proved such a hit among dieters
that, for every 10 tweets read,
participants lost an average of
0.5 per cent of their bodyweight!
That’s (hash tag) amazing –
keep tweeting!

Fitness news p17

WORDS: Sarah Ivory PHOTOGRAPHY: Corbis

Workouts to suit your genes p18

Coping with HIIT sessions p22
In association
associ
associati
ociation
ation with
with 10-minute tone-up p24

Health & Fitness 15

 fitness news

Is your trainer
dangerous?
Looking for someone to whip you into
shape? Don’t pick the first personal trainer
you see. The Register of Exercise
Professionals (REPs) has launched a
campaign called ‘Ask the question’
to encourage you to check a
trainer’s credentials before signing
up. ‘Lots of exercisers are endangering
themselves by putting their trust in
the hands of rogue fitness staff
FITNESS BULLETIN
➜ WEB WORKOUT
Want to save money and stay fit?
You’re not the only one! According
to InstructorLive (instructorlive.com),
14 per cent of exercisers are planning
to cancel their gym membership to
reduce spending. The provider of
on-demand exercise classes claims
that people are logging on to get
their fitness fix, instead. It’s time
to start streaming!
➜ STEP UP
Pull on your walking boots for a
scenic 10- or 20-mile Pink
Ribbonwalk during May and June.

who’ve had no training,’ warns
Jean-Ann Marnoch, registrar for
REPs. Log on to exerciseregister.
org to find a qualified trainer.
SHAPE UP
Taking place in Oxfordshire,
Perthshire, Sussex, Kent and London,
Ribbonwalk events begin at
magnificent manors and wind
through beautiful countryside. Entries
cost £30 and walkers must raise a
minimum of £175 for Breast Cancer
Care. Visit pinkribbonwalk.org.uk.

FITNESS
➜ GYM GROOVES
Have you got round to making up a
motivational playlist for working out

news
to yet? To create a playlist that’s
made up of cutting-edge tracks, log
on to shazam.com and search for
workout music – easy! We love
listening to Chained by The xx on
a long run…

Promotion

Warm
PREGNANT up well
CELEB TALK POSES Chilly weather is no reason to stop
‘I like to do a couple Pregnancy is a great time to practise yoga, exercising, but be prepared if you go
*According to research commissioned by Virgin Active, based on a poll of 1,000 women

of yoga classes
during the week,
mixed in with weight
training sessions for
strength. I hike and
walk my dogs a lot.’
Jessica Biel
WORDS: Sarah Ivory PHOTOGRAPHY: Shutterstock
says leading yoga teacher, Tara Lee. You’ll
learn breathing techniques, visualisations and
birth positions. The Bump mat (pictured) is
super-thick for added comfort, plus there’s
extra grip. Get yours for £38 from
theyogashop.co.uk.
outside to work out. ‘Warming up
properly is particularly important
during cooler months,’ says Charlotte
Ord, fitness expert for Maxitone.
‘Cold muscles and connective tissues
are less pliable and much more
prone to injury, so it pays to do a
thorough warm-up before you start

moving.’ Rather than attempt static

stretches, try doing dynamic

41 The number of extra

movements before every session.’
Charlotte Ord swears by Maxitone
protein products to give women the
nutrition they need to keep fit, healthy

calories you’ll burn if you hit the

and toned. Visit maxitone.com for more
nutrition and fitness advice.

gym with a pal, rather than train alone*

Health & Fitness 17
 W?
U KNO
DID YO t few years,
ex
In the n that allows
olo gy
techn t to kno
w
u ge etic make-
s to
y’s gen
our bod ll be widely
up wi le.
availab
PHOTOGRAPHY:Corbis.com and Superstock

18 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk


DO YOU HAVE
the fitness gene?
With the growing trend for personalised workouts, will
– and should – your exercise regime soon be tailored to
your genetic make-up? We look at what the future holds
P
arents pass down a lot of stuff –
secondhand cars, family heirlooms,
bad skin – but now science suggests
our folks are handing down their
athletic ability, too.
OK, so this doesn’t sound particularly
groundbreaking. After all, experts have
been saying for eons that some people
are genetically wired to be Olympic
superpowers. But today’s scientists aren’t
talking about whether you’re going to be
on the global sports podium or not – they
claim that your DNA determines whether
or not aerobic training, such as running or
cycling, will boost your VO² max (your
maximal oxygen uptake, which is a good
marker of aerobic fitness), reduce your
risk of heart disease and battle other
chronic illnesses.
In a landmark study, Jamie Timmons,
a professor of systems biology at
Loughborough University, showed that
although aerobic exercise can increase VO²
max, it varies according to genetic make-up.
Timmons and his colleagues put a large
group of people on the same endurance-
training plan for 20 weeks. Results revealed
that some people experienced little or no
increase in VO² max (non-responders), while
others showed a huge aerobic benefit
(high-responders). Intrigued to find out
why results vary so much, the researchers
examined muscle tissue from each
participant and concluded that genetic
expression has a significant effect on how
fit people can become.
‘There are many genes involved in the
response to exercise, and each person has a
different code within each gene that makes
it function better or worse than normal,’
Words: Sarah Ivory
explains Timmons. ‘The key point is that the
average exercise plan will not give the best
results to everyone and some people may
even experience a negative response to it.’
Amazingly, the scientists claim that a
whopping 20 per cent of the population are
low- or non-responders to aerobic exercise,
and a fifth of us will gain a disappointing 0-3
The average
fitness plan does not
give the best results
to everyone
per cent in aerobic capacity after following
a 10-week cardio regime. Don’t think that
sounds too bad? Timmons notes that the
lucky 80 per cent boasting ‘high responder’
genes could increase their aerobic fitness
by an impressive 40 per cent over the same
10-week period.
CAN YOU OUTSMART YOUR
GENETIC DESTINY?
So should you throw in the gym towel
and hang up your trainers? No, actually.
There are plenty of things that an aerobic
response test won’t tell you. It won’t, for
example, tell you whether or not you’ll lose
weight through aerobic activity. Nor will it
tell you how cardiovascular exercise will
influence other health factors, such as
insulin levels or blood pressure.
Most importantly, being a low responder
to aerobic exercise does not mean that you
won’t reap strength gains from resistance
work or speed improvements from
future fitness
SHAPE UP
anaerobic exercise. ‘While we know that
around 60 per cent of aerobic capacity is
based on DNA differences, we don’t know
how much anaerobic ability is genetic,’
explains Timmons. ‘You can be a low
responder for aerobic fitness but still grow
big muscles or improve your blood pressure.’
Experts from the University of Jyvaskyla,
Finland, however, suggest that this theory
works the other way around, too – you can
be a high responder to aerobic exercise and
a low responder to weight training. Writing
in Medicine and Science in Sports and
Exercise, the Finnish researchers explained
how 175 sedentary adults followed a
strength, endurance, or strength and
endurance, training programme for 21
weeks. The results were mixed – some
volunteers improved their strength
enormously; others didn’t boost their
strength at all. Some exercisers became
aerobically fitter but not stronger, while
others showed no improvements in either
area. A few lucky exercisers became both
stronger and fitter.
Controversially, there’s also a growing
body of evidence that suggests you can
outsmart your DNA destiny. Scientific
breakthroughs are showing that a complex
chemical code called the epigenome has
the power to turn genes on or off.
Epigenetics, the study of that code, shows
that your genetic future isn’t set in stone –
in fact, lifestyle and environmental factors
can change the way your DNA acts.
Admittedly, eating different foods or
reducing your exposure to chemicals won’t
turn your brown eyes blue or make you 6ft
tall – there are some inherited traits you
can’t change – but it may decrease your ➤
Health & Fitness 19
 risk of disease or increase your life span.
Researchers at Vanderbuilt University, for
instance, found that just 12 servings of
cruciferous vegetables reduced the risk of
cancer reoccurrence among breast cancer
survivors by 21 per cent. Beyond diet,
another study discovered that when mice
exercised regularly, some of their cells that
could have turned into fat were more likely
to turn into bone. So, there’s certainly hope
that one day you may be able to turn off
the genes that hamper your health.
TAILORED TRAINING
Are genetically targeted workout plans the
future? Timmons suggests that the current
Government guidelines don’t take into
account the variation in individual response
to activity, and future exercise regimes
could be targeted to your particular
genome or physiology.
‘Tailored exercise advice is crucial when
deciding what might make a good goal for
someone,’ he explains, ‘But the only way
to determine how you’ll respond to
cardiovascular exercise is to take a DNA
test for aerobic fitness response.’
These tests aren’t widely available in
You could take a
DNA test for aerobic
fitness response
the UK yet but, with access to the right
information in the future, experts expect
that low responders to endurance exercise
will concentrate on resistance training,
rather than harbour marathon running
hopes, or re-focus how they measure
workout progress.
And it’s not just genetic information
that we can look forward to basing future
exercise plans around. ‘In the next five
years, we’ll see a swathe of new systems
based on today’s technological and
biological discoveries,’ explains Stephen
Davies, digital health specialist and blogger
at bionic.ly, ‘These won’t be limited to
genetic analysis.’
Instead, bioanalytics (the measurement
of biological systems) will provide real-time
data of blood biomarkers. In layman’s
terms, this means you’ll be able to instantly
know whether you’re deficient in a whole
host of nutrients. Feeling lethargic at the
gym? At the touch of a button, you’ll be
able to check whether that’s down to a
vitamin B12 deficiency or low blood
sugar levels.
‘We know how much oil, petrol and water
we have in our car, yet we don’t know how
much glucose, magnesium and potassium
we have running through our body,’ says
Davies. ‘But this will change and soon
bioanalytical information will be available
to us on a digital dashboard of data
illustrations.’ Smart stuff, isn’t it? ■

NEW-AGE
TRAINING
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Are you a non-, low- or high-
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If you’re struggling to lose weight,
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From a swab test, the hi-tech
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20 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 promotion

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WEIGHT
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W
hen you want to lose weight, the best
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The more muscle you have, the more effective
your body will be at burning calories and
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Eating quality protein with each meal can be
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Health & Fitness 21

 fitness Q&A
xxxxxx

FITNESS
expert
P
Power through
those tough
w
workouts with
Lu
Lucy Wyndham-
Re
Read and beat
th
the burn!

T here’s a fine line

between good
pa when it comes to
and bad pain,
working ouout. While you should
never exer
exercise through a sharp,
SHAPE UP

th
sudden or throbbing pain
(especially, if it’s near a joint), it’s
normal to experience
expe a slight burning
sensation. This is lactic acid, a waste
product of exercis
exercise, coursing through
your muscles – and it’s a sign you’re
working hard. To gget results, you need to
push your body to the right intensity and,
as Jane Fonda once said, feel the burn!
Here’s how to work out hard enough
to reap results without
wi going too far.

WHE TO STOP
KNOW WHEN
Pict this – you’re
Picture ’r do
doing some squats. The
first 10 are easy, but the next few start to feel
challenging. This is the time to push through
the pain, as it’s when your muscles make the
changes they need to grow stronger. Stop at
10 squats and you won’t gain strength results.
However, struggle on to 30 and you may start
to exercise with poor technique, which could
lead to injury. The rule with any exercise is to
work out until you feel the burn and then do
a maximum of six more repetitions.
TAKE THE RIGHT HIIT
The same rule applies to aerobic exercise –
train hard enough to reap fitness rewards, but
not so hard you hurt yourself. For instance, it’s
never a good idea to exercise until you feel
sick. This particularly applies to High Intensity
Interval Training (HIIT), as it’s easy to take this
form of exercise one step too far. To ensure
you’re exercising at the right intensity, do ‘the
talk test’ (see right) mid-workout.
Q+A
THE TALK TEST
Are you exercising at the right intensity?
Get chatting to find out…
Try harder!
If you can easily hold a full conversation,
it means you’re not challenging your body
hard enough.
Keep going!
If you can only manage a short answer
such as ‘yes’ or ‘no’ or a few words, you’re
exercising in the optimal fat-burning zone.
Slow down!
If you can’t say a word, you’re training
too hard. Super-high intensity training is
only recommended for seasoned athletes.
THE GOING GETS TOUGH
If you want to torch fat, you must feel the burn
but, when it kicks in, you may want to give up.
To take your mind off the fact you’re gasping
for air or your legs are aching, count backwards.
For example, when you get to squat number
10, count back from six. If you’re running hard,
or doing some other form of aerobic work, take
your mind off the pain by setting yourself a
challenge, such as keep running hard
until you’ve raced past four red cars.
Lucy Wyndham-Read is the author of The No Gym
Workout designed to motivate busy women and get
results fast. Lucy produces women’s fitness albums
and apps from running workouts to postnatal plans.
Visit lwrfitness.com. For more fitness tips, follow
Lucy on Twitter @lucywyndhamread

I recently read that morning exercise ng

in the morning before eating. Exercising first thing
is best for weight loss – is this true? may be great for your mind and body, but it’s nott a
OGRAPHY: Corbis, Shutterstock

good idea on an empty stomach. Have a small

There have been plenty of studies suggesting that
those who work out before breakfast burn more
calories than those who exercise later in the day.
SET YOUR
snack, such as a banana, before exercising to ALARM FOR AN
ensure you have the energy needed to work out. t. A.M. WORKOUT
That way, a morning workout is a great way to
PHOTOGRAPHY:

One, by researchers at Northumbria University, stabilise blood sugar, increase natural In association
ociati wit
withh
went as far to say that exercisers might burn a calorie burn for the next few hours,
whopping 20 per cent more body fat when training and boost feelings of positivity.

22 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

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 10-minute tone-up

STAY
CENTRED
Improve your balance, work your core
and fight off muscle imbalances Too easy?
Hold a dumbb

D
ell in
oes one side of your body each hand. To
feel stronger than the other?
o hard?
Hold onto the
Flexibility, strength and range back
of motion differences between of a chair.
each side of our body is common. If not
addressed, this imbalance can result in
an injury. We’ll work each leg and arm
independently to improve your balance,
co-ordination and correct any muscle
imbalances to improve your posture,
protect you from injuries and create
symmetry in your body.

HOW TO DO THIS
Warm up with a minute of marching
on the spot, then a minute of kicking
your heels back to your bottom while
swinging your arms. These moves will
get the blood pumping around your
body and prepare you for the workout.
Do all repetitions (reps) and sets of
each move before taking a 90-second
break, then moving on to the next move.
Once you’ve done all four moves, cool
down with some light stretches.

1. Single-leg deadlift
Reps: 10 each leg
Sets: 2 each leg
Benefits: Tones your hamstrings,
legs and bottom, while testing
your core balance.
● Balance on your right foot, making sure
the knee is soft (a).
● With your left leg lifted behind you and
your abs tight and back straight, hinge
forward from your hips, while lowering
your left hand towards your right foot (b).
● Pause, then squeeze your bottom and
return to standing.
● Do all the reps on your right leg, then
switch sides.

24 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 home workout

2. Single-leg
triceps extension
Reps: 10 each arm
Sets: 2 each arm
Benefits: You’ll strengthen
your abs, back of your arms
(your triceps) and shoulders.
● Standing with your back straight,
abs tight and arms holding
dumbbells straight above your
head, bend your left leg, then cross
your right leg over it (a).
● Keeping your arms close to your
ears, bend your arms behind you
(b), then straighten them back up by
squeezing your triceps and driving

SHAPE UP
your weight into your heel.

3. Side plank
with leg lift
Reps: 5 each side
Sets: 2 each side
Benefits: Improves your
balance and tones your
waist, outer thighs
and bottom.
● Lie on your left side, then lift up on
your left forearm and foot so your
WORDS: Lucy Miller PHOTOGRAPHY: Will Ireland HAIR & MAKE-UP: Claire Portman MODEL: Shaundra @ W Athletic. CLOTHING: Stella McCartney

body forms a straight line (a).

● Once you feel balanced, extend
Graphic tank; £45 and Adidas Clima Cool Freestride trainers; £80 (both adidas.co.uk). NoBalls Vivacious Gathered shorts; £34 (noballs.co.uk)

your top leg up a few inches (b), then

lower it back down slowly.
● Don’t forget to keep your body
straight – no piking at the waist or
rolling forwards or backwards!

4. Arabesque
Reps: 30 seconds each leg
Sets: 1
Benefits: Works your entire
lower body, especially your
bottom, and teaches you
to focus when the going
gets tough.
● Stand with feet shoulder-width,
left arm straight up in the air (a).
● Keeping your chest up,
lift one leg behind you as high as
possible as you tilt forwards from
the hip (b).
● Hold for 30 seconds, making sure
both hips are square to the ground
and your back’s straight, not arched.

Health & Fitness 25

 competition

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ant to get a head start on honing a bikini body
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Health & Fitness 27

 Nutrition tips //Diet advice // Food facts

EAT SMART
CHEERFUL
SOLUTION
STORY
Feel energised, happy,
and calm simply by
HEAD
eating more fruit and
Story intro
vegetables. Psychologists at the
Story bodyof Otago in New Zealand
University
have found that getting around eight
servings of fruit and veg each day can
have a positive effect on your mood.
Danny Bird

Over 21 days, participants were asked

heartpxx
Eat berries for a healthyXxxx
Suuperstock

to rate their mood. By the end of the

p31
PHOTOGRAPHY:

Xxxx pxx
How to beat diet depression p33
study, those who ate the most fruit
PHOTOGRAPHY:

and vegetables felt more positive. Make healthier bananaXxxx breadpxx

p34
Xxxx pxx
Get your 5-a-day on a budget p36
LewisBartlett.

Snack on fruit and fill half your plate

at mealtimes with nutritious veggies What Julia Bradbury eatspxx
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Margaret

to reap the benefits. Xxxx pxx

WORDS:Siân

Try The Manhattan Diet p40

WORDS:

Health & Fitness 29

promotion

Inspire and motivate!

The fitness industry needs you – sign up to become a personal trainer now

I
f there’s one legacy to be taken from
the recent summer of sport, it’s that
fit and fabulous women are now role
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With a career in personal training, your
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30 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 nutrition news

Berry healthy
Eat three or more servings of blueberries and
strawberries per week to reduce your risk of
heart attack by a third. This new finding by
the University of East Anglia, in collaboration
with the Harvard School of Public Health,
comes after an 18-year study of more than
93,000 women, and suggests that eating
berries every other day could reduce your
risk by 32 per cent. Experts believe the
benefits come from the berries’ high level of
antioxidants called anthocyanins, a type of
flavonoid. These are found in the fruits’ skin

EAT SMART
and appear to prevent arteries from blocking,
among other cardiovascular benefits.

FOOD
DIET BULLETIN

news
➜ FIND THE BALANCE
Most of us consume more omega-6
fatty acids than heart-healthy
omega-3s, found in oily fish and
seeds. But a study published in the
British Journal of Nutrition suggests
simply increasing omega-3 intake
could worsen inflammation in your
body. Rather, reduce omega 6-rich
foods such as sunflower and sesame
oils and margarine.
REPORTED!
➜ ANTI-AGEING ALKALINE Snack on the new Multipower Fit ‘I eat a lot of
Eat fewer acid-forming foods, found green vegetables.
in meat, grains and legumes, to I don’t eat red
stave off signs of ageing including Protein Flapjack after a workout. meat or bread,
muscle loss, bone weakening and and I don’t
wrinkles. A report published in Each bar contains 18g of proteinin
n drink alcohol.’
Today’s Dietician explains that once Beyoncé
30, the average adult will gain 1lb
in weight and lose ½lb of muscle
to help your muscles repair andd
every year. The report suggest an
acidic diet could be the cause and
recover; £1.49, multipower.co.uk.k.
may increase osteoporosis risk. Fill
up instead on alkalising foods such
as vegetables, tofu and most fruits.
WORDS: Sian Lewis PHOTOGRAPHY: Ian Hooton, Corbis

➜ MUSCLE GAINS
Are you using whey protein to help
sculpt lean muscles? Researchers at
the University of Texas have found
that a blend of soy, whey and casein
protein promotes muscle growth
most effectively. Compared with
whey protein, a mix of 25 per cent
each of soy, whey and casein
protein was more effective for
muscle protein synthesis.
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Visit our website for tasty and heart-healthy berry recipes, tinyurl.com/HFberries

Health & Fitness 31


Beat diet depre
s
Is cutting calories making you feel down?
Here’s how to boost your happy hormones
and still lose weight
F
eeling deprived and depressed
is common when you’re on a
diet. When you restrict what
you eat, the levels of ‘happy’
neurotransmitters in your brain fall.
These include the hormones serotonin and
dopamine, which are most easily produced
when we eat foods containing fat and sugar.
No wonder we commit diet sabotage when
we see cake!
Serotonin is essential for feeling happy,
content and calm. It also controls appetite.
‘Low serotonin affects sleep, makes us feel
depressed and turns us into chocoholics,’
says Lowri Turner, author of The S Factor
Diet (Duncan Baird, £10.99). Dopamine
controls our willpower, and low levels leave
us susceptible to overeating, she adds.
New research by the University of
Montreal suggests that abstaining from
fatty and sugary foods can have the same
WORDS: Siân Lewis PHOTOGRAPHY: Corbis
effect on the body as drug withdrawal.
Feelings of low energy, anxiety and hunger,
or even the urge to burst into tears, are not
uncommon when following faddy diets.
When you restrict your food intake, you
also restrict the essential nutrients (such as
protein and fibre) you’re putting into your
body, which affects your mood, says Patrick
Holford, nutrition expert and author of The
Optimum Nutrition Bible (Piatkus; £14.99).
‘Depression can be caused by sub-optimum
nutrition, resulting in poor mental and
physical energy.’ So to stick to a diet, fill
your shopping basket with healthy,
mood-boosting food. Here’s what to pick.
GOOD-MOOD FATS
While fat – saturated and trans fat in particular
– is notoriously bad for your waistline, make
sure your diet is still bursting with omega-3
fats. Found in foods such as oily fish, flaxseed
and nuts, these fatty acids are needed
for your body and brain to work properly.
Serotonin can’t be found in food, but your
body makes it when you eat foods rich
in tryptophan, such as those containing
omega-3. A study of women suffering
post-natal depression, by the University of
Montreal, found omega-3 fatty acids helped
increase serotonin levels in the brain.
CARRY ON WITH CARBS
Tryptophan is also found in high-protein
foods such as eggs, chicken and beans.
However, this doesn’t mean that people
healthier
healthiereating
eating
sio
n
EAT SMART
following high-protein diets are the happiest
slimmers. Once tryptophan is converted to
serotonin, it has to be absorbed by the brain
to give you an emotional boost, says Turner.
Insulin, released when you eat carbs, helps
the brain absorb serotonin, but while bread,
cakes and pasta made with white flour
are on the naughty list if you want to lose
pounds, eating wholegrains and slow-
releasing carbohydrates such as sweet
potatoes and brown rice are diet-friendly
options. These will fill you up and keep you
smiling for longer.
MOTIVATION EQUATION
High-sugar and high-fat foods, along with
caffeine and alcohol, are best at stimulating
dopamine production, says Turner. But
when we eat these, our dopamine receptors
are overstimulated and it’s harder to control
cravings. When you’re trying to lose weight,
eating healthy food high in tyrosine, the
precursor to dopamine, is the best way to
keep your willpower intact and dopamine
stable. Tyrosine-rich foods include almonds,
bananas, fish and soy. Plus, exercise regularly
and have lots of sex to keep your dopamine
receptors stimulated, the healthy way.
Health & Fitness 33
 fast food

Guilt-free tea! CHEF ’S TIP

If you have ba
going over-r
them and pu
nanas
ipe, peel
t in a bag
and freeze u
ntil you
have time to
Low in fat and sweetened only make
• Bananas Really banana brea
with dried fruit, this is far d.
ripe bananas contain
healthier than a pastry or cake higher levels of
antioxidants than
BANANA BREAD under-ripe bananas.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 45-55 minutes
Serves: 5-10

1) Add 4 very ripe bananas, an

egg, 100ml of sunflower oil, 2
EAT SMART

teaspoons of mixed spice, 100g

of raisins and 100g of chopped
dates to a food processor and
blend until smooth.

2) Add to a bowl and stir in 150g

of wholemeal flour and 1 heaped
teaspoon of baking powder.

3) Pour the mixture into a large

(900g) lightly oiled loaf tin
and sprinkle the top with a
tablespoon of sunflower seeds.

4) Bake in a preheated oven

at 180ºC (Gas Mark 4) for
15 minutes. Place some foil
on top and bake for a further
30-40 minutes. • Sunflower seeds are
• Wholemeal flour
rich in vitamin E, which
contains far more
keeps skin healthy and
fibre and nutrients
helps protect it against
than bleached
UV damage.
white flour.

3 HIGH-PROTEIN FLOURS
Nutri tip
The potassium in Neal’s Yard Wholefoods Damiano Organic Raw TIANA Organic Fair
Soya Flour (£1.85 Peeled Almond Flour Trade Pure Low Carb
bananas can reduce per 500g; hollandand (£3.49 for 180g; Coconut Flour (£6.39 for
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disease and stroke and Made from crushed Made from finely ground Follow recipes specific for
RECIPE: Lyndon Gee PHOTOGRAPHY: Gareth Sambidge

soyabeans, this flour is almonds, this is packed this flour as it soaks up

reduce blood pressure,
good combined with with monounsaturated ‘wet’ ingredients. This
ADDITIONAL WORDS: Siân Lewis and Emma Lewis

while their vitamin plain flour for fat so is filling and

fats, blood-sugar-
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Looking for more low-calorie recipe ideas? Visit tinyurl.com/HFhealthyrecipes

34 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 IN ACTION & IN-STORE
Sheena Kerr Sheena Kerr
Past All-Ireland Running Champion Store manager, Intersport Armagh
Like all of our store managers, Sheena is a sports
enthusiast. As a teenager she regularly ran at
national level and still finds time to compete in local
runs now. And that’s the difference at Intersport -
our people have real life experience which means
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SPORTS STORES
 nutrition Q&A

NUTRITION
expert
Amanda
Hamilton shows
you how to get
your five-a-day
on a budget

I
the ri
th
t’s no secret the
cost of food is on
rise, and has been for
some time. Since 2007,
UK households
h have Barter
our
been cutting back on with y d veg
EAT SMART

ruit an
brea meat, fish and
bread,
local f wner to
alco
alcohol as well as stall o ices
r
frui and vegetables,
fruit drive p .
ac
according to the do n
w
Go
Government’s annual
Fami Food Survey.
Family
Ap
Apparently we’ve saved
6.88 per cent on our
shop
sh
shopping bills by buying
ch
cheaper, and in many
ca
cases, less healthy
fo
foods. Across all or ‘local’ Tesco and Sainsbury’s stores types of cancer. Canned foods have a long
households, regardless of wealth, we’ve charged almost a third more for veg such shelf life because the food is cooked in the
bought 10 per cent less fruit and veg as broccoli, compared to their superstores. can, locking all the nutrition inside without
since 2007. Plus, buying fruit and vegetables loose the need for preservatives. It’s a myth that
The financial crisis is causing what rather than pre-packed is usually cheaper canned foods are all high in salt, fat or
experts call the ‘nutritional recession’. And – sometimes half the price. Browsing the sugar. Many foods are now preserved in
these survey findings confirm this. One in reduced aisle for goods past their ‘best water rather than brine or fruit juice
six people say rising food prices make it before’ date is another clever trick. These instead of syrup. If in doubt, rinse them
difficult for them to eat healthily. So what aisles are piled high on a Monday morning with water before you use them.
can you do to still get your 5-a-day but or a Friday evening when the shelves are
stay within your budget? A lot actually. rotated. Use this cheap produce to make Be box clever
soup, ratatouille, stews or fruit compôtes, Register for a veg box scheme with your
Make simple swaps which can be frozen. ‘Best before’ foods local farmer to eat seasonal produce at
Snack on fruit and vegetables to reach are still edible, but foods past their ‘use by’ a fraction of the cost of the supermarket.
your 5-a-day and save money. An apple date should be binned. For example, Riverford Organic (riverford.
from a market stall costs on average 25 co.uk) supplies organic fruit, veg and meat
pence, compared to a chocolate bar Try tinned boxes across the UK. Their Seasons Vegbox
at 60 pence or a packet of crisps at 50 Did you know canned or frozen fruit and costs £13.45 and contains eight to 10
pence. Keep fruit and vegetables to hand, veg are nutritionally similar to fresh varieties of fruit and veg, which
PHOTOGRAPHY: Superstock

so you don’t buy unhealthy snacks.
Seek out bargains
A recent survey conducted by a Channel
4 Dispatches programme found ‘express’
produce? In some cases they can be even
healthier! For example, canned tomatoes
and tomato soup are the best sources of
the antioxidant lycopene, which has been
linked to a reduced incidence of some
caters for three adults for a week.
Amanda Hamilton is a nutritionist, health expert and author
of three wellbeing books, who regularly features on BBC
television and radio, GMTV and UKTV. She’s the founder and
director of a retreat company. See amandahamilton.co.uk

Nutrition
Sian Lewis

H&F’s Siân Lewis is studying to be higher than the recommended daily allowance. Government

TIP! a nutrition and weight management

advisor with Future Fit Training
(futurefit.co.uk).
guidelines say you should consume no more than 6g of salt and
70g of total fat each day (saturated fat should be no more than
20g). As a rule, look for foods that contain less than 3g of fat
‘Food labels are a minefield. Understanding per 100g, because these foods can legally claim to be low in
the phrases used and the nutritional vitals of your food helps you fat. Only 10 per cent of your energy intake should come from
become more mindful of what you’re eating. Words such ‘reduced sugar, which for the average adult female, is 49g.’
fat’, ‘less sugar’ or ‘less salt’ are often used to convince us a food
is a healthy choice, when it just contains less fat or salt than the
Follow Siân’s progress online at tinyurl.com/HFnutritionblog3
original item. This means it may still contain amounts that are

36 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

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 diet diary

‘What I ate today’

JULIA BRADBURY
The TV presenter, 42, describes a typical
day’s food intake during filming
JULIA SAYS:
Skinless
‘When we’re filming Countryfile, we
chicken
start early. I have breakfast at home
Removing the skin from
with my little boy, Zephyr. At 6am,
chicken saves on average 100
I’ll have a Rooibos tea with milk and
calories per chicken breast.
sugar and one of Zephyr’s rusks
EAT SMART

A skinlessss breast
for dipping. Frozen peas
round 3g of
contains around
‘I then go to the train station This vegetable is a great
fat; the skinn contains
and have a Starbucks coffee frozen staple. One serving
11g of fat.
and a muesli bar with a contains 45 per cent of your
banana or an apple. If I’m at daily requirement of vitamin K,
home, it’ll be beans or egg on which is essential for bone
brown toast. health and treating the
‘When we’re on location with symptoms of PMS.
Countryfile, we usually find
a pub for lunch. I eat a Rooibos tea
lot when we’re filming Usually enjoyed as a
because my energy dips. refreshing cuppa,
cup this South
I normally have a chicken n African plant ca
can also be used
and mushroom or a steak as an ingredient
ingred in recipes,
and kidney pie. I like to eat from ste
stews to cakes.
organic and locally sourced meat. You may also find it
‘The production team providess in beauty
snacks for us, including crisps and nd pr
products.
chocolate, but I ask them for
seeded biscuits or popcorn to
make it slightly healthier. I drink a lot
of water and sip stewed tea all day.
‘If we stay overnight, we’ll crash at a DIETICIAN FIONA HUNTER
local pub or hotel and then you’re at ‘Although Julia’s diet is quite healthy when she’s at
the mercy of the menu. I’m drawn to home and in control of what she’s eating, there’s
the healthy and hearty dishes and a lot of room for improvement when she’s filming.
always ask for a side dish of seasonal Pies, crisps and chocolate are all high in saturated fat and/or
vegetables. Pudding is my downfall; salt. Julia could try having soup and a sandwich instead of pies
I have to have it. I love apple, for lunch, and fresh or dried fruit and nuts or oatcakes with
rhubarb or gooseberry peanut butter for snacks. Popcorn can be good, but may
crumble with custard, but contain a lot of salt or sugar. She drinks plenty of water,
I’m just as happy with a scoop which helps keep her brain sharp. Muesli bars can
of vanilla ice cream. I’d contain lots of sugar and fat, and are not always very 5/10
rather have a pudding than a starter.’ healthy, so she should check the ingredients.’
WORDS: Siân Lewis PHOTOGRAPHY: Countryfile, Shutterstock

Julia’s guilty pleasure...

asure... Rhubarb and
Custard Nâkd
The sugar in this
bar is naturally
‘There’s always a packet of
Bar (£13.99 for 18 occurring, from
chocolate mini rolls in my
bars; naturalbalancedates and raisins,
house – not just for me!’ says Julia.
ia.
foods.co.uk) and the bar’s made
PER 35G: with just four
Cadbury’s Milk Chocolate LESS THAN
ingredients – dates,
Mini Rolls contain: 1G SATURATED
12.5G OF SUGAR PER 26G ROLL FAT, 18G SUGAR raisins, cashews and
3.1G OF SATURATED FAT natural flavouring.
AND135 INGREDIENTS! SWAP THIS FOR...
Tyrrell’s Spicy Coated Peanuts

38 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

Make Your Workout
Workout
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 weight loss
Pomegranate
power
Curb your hunger pangs with
pomegranate juice. In a study
by Queen Margaret University,
Edinburgh, participants who
took a daily pomegranate
supplement for three weeks
felt less hungry and ate 22 per
cent less at mealtimes than
those who hadn’t taken the
supplement. Test the theory
with Holland & Barrett’s
EAT SMART
Pomegranate capsules
(£11.55 for 60 capsules) or
Superfruits Super Antioxidant
Pomegranate Juice (£7.99
for 500ml), also available at
Holland & Barrett.
DIET
news
Got a weight-
loss tip to share?
Email us at
hf_weightloss@
dennis.co.uk
Enjoy a sweet treat without
compromising your waistline with Yeo
Valley’s 0% Fat Lemon & Poppy Seed
o.uk))..
yoghurt (£1.50 for 450g; yeovalley.co.uk
BOOK
REVIEW…
The Manhattan
Diet by Eileen
Daspin (£7.99; Quercus)
Discover the diet secrets of Manhattan
women such as Sex and the City star Sarah
Jessica Parker and Vogue editor Anna
Wintour. American journalist Daspin
penned this book to reveal how New
40 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk
Yorkers like herself stay trim and slim.
Celebrities reveal what they really think
about dieting, how they exercise and how
they shop for food. Their tips include
eating well, but not too much; walking
like a maniac; cooking at home; eating
wholefoods and not eating anything
with the word ‘diet’ in the name.
Not all the advice in this book would
necessarily be offered by a nutritionist
– for example, while Daspin advises you
stick to a healthy 1,600 calories each day,
the 28-day meal plan includes wine or a
CELEB TIP
‘I have pasta and
takeaways – just
not every day. I’m
not one of those
people who can be
on a diet all the time
– it’s so boring.’
Kimberley Walsh lsh
Detox choccies
h ccies
We love The Detox Kitchen diet
delivery service (detoxkitchen.co.uk).
The daily boxes contain fresh
meals, free from wheat, sugar,
caffeine, red meat and dairy. Whip
up their tasty chocolate truffles for
a super healthy treat!
INGREDIENTS: Two tbsp raw
cacao powder, 2 tbsp cashews
ashews
(soaked for two hours),
1 tbsp agave nectar,r,
1 tsp vanilla extract,t,
1/2 tsp cinnamon,
1/4 tsp salt, 1 tbsp
each cacao butter
and coconut oil
(melted in a bowl over hot water)
ater)
METHOD: Blend everything except
the cacao butter and coconut oil,
then slowly add and blend until
combined. Refrigerate until firm,
then roll into small balls using your
hands and roll in cacao nibs.
cocktail on most days. That said, you’ll find
WORDS: Siân Lewis PHOTOGRAPHY: Corbis, PA Photos, Shutterstock
useful tips for getting more active, how to
order sensibly in restaurants and how to
avoid overeating. Daspin suggests using a
scale of one to 10 to gauge if you’re really
hungry. With one ‘insatiably hungry’ and
10 ‘in actual pain from overeating’, she
recommends staying between three and
seven. There are also 68 delicious recipes,
from breakfast frittatas to hearty soups
and a delicious lemony hummus. It’s an
amusing and interesting read, and useful
if not taken too literally.
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 Health news //Ask the doctor // Mind and body

HEALTHY
HOLIDAY

X X X X YOU
HEALTH
Feeling the drag of your
9-to-5? Book a holiday to
give your health a boost.
According to a new study by travel
operator Kuoni and Nuffield Health,
jetting off and escaping the rat race
gives you more than just the feel-good
factor. In the experiment, people who
holidayed had lower blood pressure,
better sleep quality and improved
stress management for at least two
weeks after they returned home. Blood
pressure dropped by six per cent for
those who travelled and rose by two
per cent for those who did not.
Time you booked a few days off?

Lower your diabetes risk p45

WORDS: Siân Lewis PHOTOGRAPHY: Nigel Riches

Too stressed for sex? p46

Get better-quality sleep p48
Revamp your resolutions p51
Nature’s answer to Botox p53
Wrinkle-busting make-up p54

Health & Fitness 43

 ity
th e C y c le tta commun
Join a
.com/Cyclett
W O M E N O N LY @ facebook
@ twitter.co
m/Cycletta

o n W h eels
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 health news

Down with diabetes!

Could you be at risk of type 2 diabetes? If you’re
over 40, with a family history of the disease and
have a tendency to carry weight around your
middle, you could become resistant to insulin.
A new study by supermarket Asda found that
over half of Brits don’t consider type 2 diabetes
to be a health concern. In fact, according to the
NHS, there are 850,000 people in the UK who
are living undiagnosed with diabetes. However,
you can prevent it with a few simple lifestyle
changes; and Asda Pharmacy is offering a free

HEALTHY YOU
blood glucose test in store so you can find
out if you could be at risk. Find out more
at your.asda.com.

TH
HEALTH BULLETIN
➜ QUIT NOW!

HEAL
news
Still a smoker? You could die 10 years
younger than non-smokers, according
to a study at the University of Toronto
in Canada. Researchers found that
persistent lifetime smokers lost an
average of about a decade of life
compared to those who’d never
smoked. However, smokers who quit
by the age of 40 avoided nearly all of
the excess smoking-related risk of
death from lung cancer and chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease. So
go on, bin those cigarettes for good! Every hour, someone in the UK is
➜ BEAT THE SNORE told they have Parkinson’s disease.
Snoring could be a warning sign for
heart disease. Researchers at the Help raise vital funds to find a cure
Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit found
that snorers are more likely to have
a thicker lining of their main vascular
during Parkinson’s awareness week,
arteries, a precurser for heart disease.
If snoring is keeping you or your partner April 15-21; parkinsons.org.uk.
awake at night, consult your GP.

➜ PROTECT YOUR BREASTS

WORDS: Siân Lewis PHOTOGRAPHY: Corbis, Shutterstock

A new study confirms a possible link

between low vitamin D levels and
breast cancer. Researchers at the
University of California found women
who had the lowest vitamin D levels
were three times more likely to be
diagnosed with the disease. During
the three months prior to diagnosis,
vitamin D levels were at their lowest,
suggesting supplementation may
reduce or slow the growth of tumours.
BIG CHEER FOR BERGAMOT!
Statins, used to lower blood pressure,
cation
are the most prescribed medication
tudy
in the world, according to a study
in the journal Exercise & Sport
Sciences Reviews. However,
side effects include muscle
pain and weakness. New
research to be published in
the International Journal of
Cardiology shows the Italian fruit Calabrian
Ber
Citrus Bergamot also helps lower levels of bad
(LDL cholesterol, without the side effects.
(LDL)
Pa
Patients taking 1,000mg of bergamot
extract saw a 31 per cent reduction
in LDL. If your GP gives you the
go-ahead, buy natural supplement
BergaMet at bergamet.co.uk; £42
fo a month’s supply.
for

Health & Fitness 45

 Is stress killing
your libido?
Feeling worried about sex, or rather, your lack of interest in it? You’re not alone.
Here’s how to understand this modern phenomenon – and relight your fire
B 3
e honest – sometimes, sex can
feel like just another item on
your to-do list. ‘Recent
statistics from the Kinsey
Institute in the US suggest that our
grandmothers had more sex than we
do,’ says Nicci Talbot, author of Good
Sex: A Couple’s Guide (Need2know,
£9.99). Up to half of women are
thought to suffer from low libido.
And the biggest cause? Stress.
‘Lack of sex drive is extremely
common among my clients,’ says women’s
nutritional health specialist Marilyn
Glenville (marilynglenville.com). ‘And it’s on
the increase due to the stresses of modern
life – work, family, money and relationship
worries.’ The good news, she says, is the
problem can usually be solved by taking an
informed approach.
SO WHAT’S THE STRESS LINK?
Stress can act on your sex drive in several
ways. ‘Emotionally, if you’re overworked,
tired or have relationship issues, sex is not
going to be a priority,’ says Talbot. ‘While
men can often use sex to de-stress, women
need to feel everything’s right in order
to fully relax and let go.’
‘Physically, if you’re stressed, you’ll have
higher levels of the stress hormones cortisol
and adrenaline,’ says Glenville. ‘This messes
with your body’s ability to produce the male
hormones, androgens, responsible for your
Herbal boosts
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46 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk
Words: Hannah Ebelthite
sex drive. It’s also a survival mechanism.
If the body perceives you’re under threat
(because levels of stress hormones are high),
it can “switch off” libido because it’s not
a good time to get pregnant.’
Research shows
our grandmothers
had more sex than
we do today
THE ACTION PLAN
1 Try to address stress. OK, it’s easier
said than done – we can’t just quit work,
solve our money problems or find more
hours in the day. But recognising the hold
stress has over your life is the first step to
reducing it. ‘Make time for you and whatever
you find relaxing,’ says Talbot.
2 Rule out other reasons ‘Certain
medical conditions, such as depression
and thyroid problems, can affect libido,’
says Glenville. ‘So can medications such as
antidepressants and the Pill.’ See your GP if
you want to rule these out. ‘Remember, too,
that women’s hormones fluctuate (some
women are most aroused around ovulation,
others pre-menstrually), during and post
pregnancy and with the menopause.
➜ Wellwoman Plus Omega 3, 6, 9
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56 capsules;
vitabiotics.com
Eat right ‘Stress hormones are released
according to your pattern of eating,’
says Glenville. ‘If you skip meals, or rely on
sweet treats and caffeine to pep you up,
your blood-sugar levels will fluctuate. Not
only will this have a negative effect on your
mood and energy, it’ll increase cortisol levels,
too.’ The solution? ‘Eat little and often, always
have breakfast, choose low-GI, wholegrain
carbohydrates, and avoid sugary snacks and
drinks, and caffeine and alcohol,’ she says.
4 Get the right nutrients B vitamins
are important nutrients for a healthy
sex drive. ‘These support mood and energy
and are needed for making sex hormones,’
says Glenville. ‘So is zinc, which also helps
optimise blood flow to the sex organs.’
Find both in meat, poultry, dairy, pulses,
wholegrains and nuts. ‘Also important is
magnesium, nature’s tranquilliser, and
omega-3 essential fatty acids, which help
to lubricate all our soft tissues and are also
involved in the production of sex hormones.
Taking them, along with a good daily
multivitamin and mineral complex or
a female nutrient formulation, will ensure
you’re getting what you need.’
5 Keep exercising ‘Exercise is a good
way to release stress hormones, so they
don’t interfere with libido,’ says Glenville. It’s
also a natural antidepressant and proven to
boost self-esteem, confidence and body
➜ NHP Tranquil Woman Support
is a specially formulated, stress-
busting combination of B vitamins,
Siberian ginseng, magnesium and
L-theanine, with
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control sugar
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PHOTOGRAPHY: Corbis
for 90 capsules;
naturalhealth
practice.com
 sex life

TOP TIP
A change o !
f scen
can remove e
inhibitions.
S
yours by go hed
ing off
for a spa –
an
– break wit d sex
h your
partner.

image. ‘Anything that lets you be in the moment

and get in touch with your body is good – such

HEALTHY YOU
as yoga or dance,’ says Talbot.

Sex is like exercise

– the more you do
it, the more you
appreciate it

6 Try supplements ‘Adaptogenic herbs

help the body adapt to stress,’ explains
Glenville. ‘They include Siberian ginseng, good
for stress; American ginseng, for energy and
stamina, and agnus castus, which helps regulate
the menstrual cycle and reduce PMS (don’t take
it if you’re on the Pill). Damiana is another herb
that has been linked with improved sex drive in
women. And L-theanine is an amino acid proven
to help reduce anxiety, which can be useful.’

7 Consider counselling ‘All the diet and

supplements in the world can’t help if the
root cause of your stress and low libido is your
relationship,’ says Glenville. So don’t be shy
about seeking therapy from a service such as
Relate (relate.org.uk) or the College of Sexual
and Relationship Therapists (cosrt.org.uk).
‘Often, the problem didn’t start as a
relationship issue, but becomes one because
anger and resentment builds when sex drives
are mismatched,’ adds Talbot. ‘Remember, you
can always try therapy on your own at first.’

8 Be sexual ‘There’s an element of “use it or

lose it” when it comes to libido,’ says Talbot.
‘With your partner, take the focus off sex and
get back to kissing, massage and touch, and
dates. And take a holiday if you can. Then invest
time in reawakening your sexuality by yourself.
This may involve reading erotica, watching films,
buying new lingerie or toys, fantasising and
masturbating more. You probably won’t feel like
it at first, but it’s a bit like exercise, you have to
schedule it in and stick to it – and soon you’ll
wonder why you don’t do it more often!’

Health & Fitness 47

 health Q&A
xxxxxx
deep sleep
The secrets of
HEALTHY YOU
New research shows quality sleep can help stave off age-related
memory loss. So how can we get more of the good stuff?
W
e all know that lack of sleep can leave
us groggy and forgetful, and now new
research helps explain why.
Neuroscientists from the University of California
have found that missing out on deep ‘slow wave’
sleep can prevent our experiences from moving
into long-term memory – instead leaving them
stuck in the hippocampus section of the brain.
Deep sleep helps the brain process and store new
experiences and information. As
we age, the quality of our sleep
deteriorates and can prevent
The search for elite
memories from being saved sleep is giving rise
during the night – instead they
are overwritten by new to sleep spas
information. ‘Studies show sleep
deprivation can lead to all sorts of cognitive,
physical and psychological disorders such as poor
concentration, lowered immunity and even
obesity,’ says Dr Irshaad Ebrahim, a neuropsychiatrist
specialising in sleep disorders at the London
Sleep Centre.
Healthy adults usually need seven to eight hours’
sleep a night and the mind and body go through
different stages of sleeping. About three quarters of
the night is spent in non-rapid eye movement (REM)
sleep and a quarter in the deeper regenerative REM
sleep when dreaming occurs. The latter is critical for
mental clarity and peak cognitive performance and
the average adult experiences as many as six deep
sleep REM cycles in a night.
Scientists haven’t worked out how to engineer
sleep to increase REM, but there are ways you can
increase your chances of achieving more of it.
48 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk
According to Professor Colin Espie, clinical and
scientific director of sleepio.com, psychological How to get elite sleep
approaches are crucial. Espie’s pioneering Impose a gadget curfew
programme uses cognitive behavioural therapy in the one and a half hours
(CBT) to encourage poor sleepers to adopt a before bedtime. Studies show
confident, relaxed attitude to sleep, rather than the light emitted by laptops and
a neurotic one – and to see sleep as a biological iPads can reduce your body’s
inevitability rather than a luxury you do battle with. melatonin production and keep
With our 24/7 lifestyles meaning insomnia and you awake.
disrupted sleep patterns are Induce sleep with yoga.
becoming more the norm, the
search for ‘elite sleep’ is giving
Try the upside-down pose: lie
on your back with your bottom
rise to sleep management almost touching the wall and
programmes and sleep spas. your legs extended up against
The new five-day sleep the wall. Try relaxation CD Yoga
programme at Lefay Resort on Sleep by The Sleep Guru (£10.95;
Lake Garda (lefayresorts.com) helps combat thesleepguru.co.uk).
psychological and physical barriers to sleep and Drink cherry juice. A study in
combines Western and Chinese medicine. the European Journal of Nutrition
Treatments include massage, aroma-hydrotherapy, shows Montmorency cherry juice
yoga and nutrition. ‘In Classical Chinese Medicine, can significantly increase levels of
insomnia is seen as an imbalance of energy the sleep-regulating hormone
concentrated in the head and our treatments, such melatonin in your body.
as massage, stimulate the body’s energy lines,’ says Add a few drops of Dormeasan
spokesperson Tiggy Dean. Sleep Valerian & Hops oral drops
WORDS: Liz Hollis PHOTOGRAPHY: Superstock
You could also try the new breed of sleep gadgets (£9.15 for 50ml; avogel.co.uk) to
and online programmes. Sleepio (sleepio.com) is your bedtime drink.
a six-week online sleep-improvement course, Go to bed and get up at
founded by Professor Espie, that offers personalised roughly the same time each day.
CBT-based advice. Zeo Sleep Manager (myzeo. Avoid stimulants such as
com) helps you monitor which lifestyle factors are alcohol, exercise, caffeine or a
disturbing you, using a headband and a smartphone heavy meal just before bed.
app. Whichever method you try, good sleep should
help improve your energy, mood and all-round health.
Tired of not
sleeping?
D o you find yourself waking at 3am, unable to get back
to sleep, leaving you feeling tired all day long, or simply
worrying about not getting enough sleep?

Why not consider Dormeasan® Sleep Valerian Hops oral drops

- a traditional herbal medicinal product for use in the temporary
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Taken just half an hour before bed, it can help encourage a more
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Dormeasan® is not a sleeping pill, it is a liquid herbal tincture
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acts of
Made with extr
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Dormeasan®
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Always read the leaflet.

Available from health stores, pharmacies, Available at larger

we’re good for you & boots.com
2921

For further information please visit www.avogel.co.uk or call our helpline on 0845 608 5858.
 psychology

Make
a fresh
start
Haven’t stuck to the
resolutions you made at
the beginning of the year?

Don’t worry – spring’s
a far better time to put
new plans in place, says
Charlotte Haigh-MacNeil
Remember those healthy new-you plans you
made in January? Have you kept to them? If
the answer’s ‘no’, you’re not alone. We’ve all
read the statistics showing that the majority of
New Year’s resolutions will fail within weeks. It’s
not surprising – January’s cold, dark days leave
us feeling tired, drained, low and in need of
comfort food, so it’s just about the toughest
time to go on a diet/start running/save money.
But spring is here – and the longer, lighter
days have a positive effect on our mood and
energy. That makes it a much better time to
set resolutions, so go back over what you
for failure. Instead, break your goal down into
small, specific steps. So, for example, rather
than thinking, ‘I want a new job this year’, break
your aim down into more manageable parts
to get you there, such as, ‘I will enrol on a
weekend college course to learn those skills
I need’ or ‘I’ll update my CV by next month’.
Once you’ve
achieved a goal,
HEALTHY YOU
forward to a treat helps you on your way, but
be sensible,’ says Pine. ‘List things you enjoy
as treats and link them to your healthier
behaviours. So if you love a particular
magazine, promise yourself a subscription
when you’ve reached a significant goal. Even
simple things, like putting off the next cup of
tea until after you’ve exercised can work. Don’t
forget that helping others is also rewarding,
so why not volunteer to be a hospital visitor
or help out a charity, so you can pass on some
of the new behaviour you’ve adopted?’

hoped to achieve this year. It’s never too late
to start again – and here are some tips to help
you succeed this time around.
GO OUTSIDE
When a sunny spring day comes, harness that
positive energy by spending time outdoors.
Research from the University of Michigan, US,
found that warmer, sunnier weather makes
you more open to ideas as well as boosting
your mood – but you need to be outside for
at least 30 minutes to benefit. A regular pep-up
is likely to help you feel more optimistic and
committed to your resolutions.
SET THE RIGHT GOALS
Don’t rely on willpower, visualising your
success or simply suppressing cravings –
studies reveal all these techniques are recipes
give yourself a
small reward
MONITOR YOUR PROGRESS
It’s motivating to see how far you’ve come,
so keep a daily journal in which you record
three positive things you did that day and
how they made you feel. ‘Looking back at it
will provide extra motivation and give you a
boost when you’re flagging,’ says Professor
Karen J Pine, who specialises in the psychology
of behavioural change.
TREAT YOURSELF
Once you’ve achieved a goal, give yourself a
small reward, such as a trip to the cinema or
a meal at your favourite restaurant. ‘Looking
ENLIST YOUR FRIENDS
Get your friends and family on your side. They
don’t have to join in your exercise or healthy
eating regime – but just letting them know
what you’re doing can help you stay on track.
‘They can be supportive if you’re struggling,
and encouraging when you’re doing well – and
knowing that others know what you’re trying
to do can be motivating,’ says Pine.
KEEP BEGINNING AGAIN
Slipped up or lost motivation? You can begin
again at any time – even on the same day. So if
you had a fat-laden, diet-busting breakfast, you
don’t have to abandon your healthy eating
plan for the day – that way of thinking stops
many of us giving ourselves an overhaul. Have
a nutritious lunch and evening meal. The same
goes for any setback – simply start again.

HOW TO SURVIVE REDUNDANCY

PHOTOGRAPHY: Superstock

Redundancy can leave you stressed,
isolated and lacking confidence – but
if it’s happened to you, anxiety king
Dr Robert Leahy is here to help. In
Keeping Your Head After Losing Your
Job (Piatkus, £13.99), Leahy looks at
the emotional side of unemployment.
He offers lots of simple cognitive
behaviour therapy-based tricks to help
you avoid sinking into negativity, and
cautions against black-and-white
thinking, such as ‘I’ve lost my job so
I can’t afford to do anything’. Is that
really true? This is a must-read for
anyone who’s newly redundant.

Health & Fitness 51

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Health & Fitness 53

 beauty

Age-defying
beauty tricks
Turn your make-up bag into a time machine
with these wrinkle-busting must-haves

Pucker up Double benefit

HEALTHY YOU

Beat lip lines with Lancôme’s L’Absolu
Rouge lipstick. With its secret ingredient
Pro-Xylane, a sugar molecule from
beech trees, it will hydrate your lips for
up to eight hours. £21; lancome.co.uk.
Use Clinique’s Age Defense BB Cream
SPF 30 daily to soften your skin and
even out your complexion. Silica
reflects light, minimising wrinkles.
£25 for 40ml; clinique.co.uk.

Prime perfection Rosy complexion

The BareMinerals Prime Time Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Cream
Primer Shadow is anti-inflammatory, Blush doesn’t just give you a dewy
soothing and perfect for nurturing glow. Ceramide is a moisturising
the delicate skin around your eyes. fatty acid that works all day.
£16; bareminerals.co.uk. Vitamins A, C and E plump and heal
your skin. £21.25; feelunique.com.

Long lashes
Nurture your lashes with Dr. Hauschka
WORDS: Siân Lewis PHOTOGRAPHY: Corbis, Shutterstock

Dear Eyes Volume Mascara. Its organic

plant extracts protect the skin around
your eyes.
yes. £21; drhauschka.co.uk.

Smoother skin
The Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched
Face Base contains moisturising shea
butter, plus antioxidant vitamins A
and C to fight ageing and fine lines.
£36 for 50ml; bobbibrown.co.uk.

54 Health & Fitness

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Xxxxxxx

world’s b
e
Th

est
Greece
France

Ghana
India
Korea

ea
New
Zealand Iceland

u t y secre
b

ts
Japan

We've scoured the globe for the ultimate tips and

treats to help you look your cosmopolitan best
WORDS:Yanar Alkayat ILLUSTRATOR: Katie Mac

58 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 global beauty

O nce upon a time, we had to take a

holiday or rely on globe-trotting
friends if we wanted to get our
hands on the best and latest jet-set beauty
finds. But now the world is smaller and our
GREECE
Use olive oil to remove
your eye make-up
move
omega-9 fat), which is excellent for restoring
and moisturising damaged skin.

Try it at home: Massage a few drops of olive

beauty cupboards are bigger, thanks to the
availability of skincare secrets from faraway
places. From Japanese women’s tips for
porcelain skin to the secret of Indian
women’s glossy hair, we’ve found the top
beauty rules and hero products from around
the world so you can enjoy the best of
everything on offer – no passport needed.
The hot climate, abundant native ti plants
lant andd
a landscape that’s 80 per cent mountains
and hills make Greece a haven for natural
beauty ingredients. For centuries, olive groves
have been harvested for olive oil – and not
just for culinary uses. Thanks to its rich source
of essential fatty acids, olive oil is a natural
skin-softener. It’s also rich in oleic acid (an
oil into your eyelids to melt away your eye
make-up. Follow by rinsing with warm water
and patting dry. You can also nourish dry skin
by adding a few tablespoons of olive oil to
your hot bath, or if you don’t want your
cooking oil in the bathroom, try The Body
Shop’s Olive Beautifying Oil, £9 for 100ml;
thebodyshop.co.uk.

JAPAN
Double-cleanse for a
clearer complexion
It may sound too simple to be true, but
the reward for cleansing skin thoroughly is
a healthier, clearer complexion, which is
why double-cleansing is the norm in Japan.
Women usually cleanse once to sweep
away the day’s make-up and then again to
deep-clean pores and avoid bacteria build-up.
Scientific expertise in skincare is also highly
valued in Japan, with brands hotly competing
for the latest beauty breakthrough.
Try it at home: Massage an oil-based
cleanser, such as Dermalogica’s Precleanse
(£31.50 for 150ml; dermalogica.co.uk),
containing natural olive, apricot and kukui
nut oils, into your skin, then follow with
a facial wash or gentle scrub. A gentle
fingertip massage as you apply each
product will encourage blood flow and
a fresher appearance.
GHANA
Moisturise with shea butter
er
Women across west and sub-Saharan
Africa have been using shea butter as a
daily body ritual for thousands of years.
Extracted from the nut of the African shea
tree, shea butter protects
and strengthens skin
without being greasy. It's
also used as an ingredient
in soap, to heal minor
cuts, soothe sunburn, stylee
nal
hair, as a base for medicinal
ointments, in candles and even
for cooking.
Try it at home: Soften dry spots,
moisturise cuticles or even set your
eyebrows with L’Occitane Shea Honey
Butter; it’s limited edition so be quick!
(£7 for 8ml; uk.loccitane.com).

INDIA because of its ability to reach the hair shaft

Japanese women Use coconut oil as
a hair conditioner
cleanse once to sweep Hair is the number one beauty obsession
of Indian women, and coconut oil is used
away the day's make- extensively as a natural hair conditioner
up, then again to and scalp massage oil for richer, shinier hair.
According to a study published in the Journal
deep-clean pores of Cosmetic Science, coconut oil is better at
preventing protein loss than other oils, when
used as a pre- or post-wash treatment
and repel water. It’s also used as an anti-
dandruff remedy.
Try it at home: Melt a pea-sized amount
of coconut oil between your palms, massage
into your hair and scalp and rinse out after
15 minutes or leave overnight for an extra
nourishing treat. Alternatively, try The Body
Shop Coconut Oil Hair Shine (£5.50 for 50g;
thebodyshop.co.uk) for a handy sized tin to
smooth your hair and add shine on the go.

Health & Fitness 59

global beauty

CAPITAL BEAUTY
Try these hero products from
the world’s beauty capitals.
Tokyo, Japan
Astalift is one of Japan’s
leading luxury skincare
brands, and every beauty
insider has become hooked
since it launched in the UK
a year ago. Try the new
Intense Replumping Mask
(£10 for one facial sheet
mask; astalift.co.uk) soaked
with the naturally powerful antioxidant
astaxanthin, sourced from red marine
algae, for fresher, stronger skin.
ICELAND
De-stress your skin
Hot springs, glaciers and steaming geysers are
part of Iceland’s breathtaking landscape, but
the environment also drives women’s beauty
concerns: moisturisation and hydration. Luckily,
geothermal waters and marine algae are close
to hand to enrich beauty products and help
combat the effects of harsh weather.
Try it at home: Skyn Iceland is a beauty brand
born from the belief that a beautiful complexion
starts with stress-free skin. If you have dull, oily,
reddened or irritated skin, try Skyn Iceland Pure
Cloud Cream (£41 for 50g; marksandspencer.
com), with therapeutic mineral water, aloe
extract and almond oil to calm and relax skin.

Athens, Greece
Apivita was founded in
Athens in 1979 by two
pharmacists with a passion
for nature, honey bees and
Greek beauty heritage. We
love Energizing Body Milk
with Orange and Ginger
(£12 for 200ml; marksand
spencer.com), with almond
and olive oils and honey.
Wellington, New Zealand
Comvita is New Zealand’s largest
manufacturer of manuka honey,
with skincare that harnesses
manuka honey’s anti-ageing
properties. Try its Replenishing
Night Moisturiser (£25 for 50ml;
comvita.co.uk) to plump your skin
and support its natural elasticity.
KOREA
Reduce inflammation
It may sound weird and not very wonderful, but
snail secretion is currently one of the most
sought-after beauty ingredients in South Korea.
It’s known to be highly effective at reducing skin
inflammation, being deeply hydrating and
calming irritation. A nation obsessed with beauty
products, South Korea has fast become a popular
destination for other Asian women looking for
the next big thing in beauty.
Try it at home: A goo-free option is Dr.Jart+
Regenerating Beauty Balm (£14 for 50ml; boots.
com), which uses snail secretion, plus macadamia
and jojoba oils, to intensely hydrate skin and
even heal scars, concealing imperfections
rfections as it
PF 30.
gets to work. It also contains SPF

Cape Town, South Africa

Africology products use native
African potato, marula oil,
rooibos tea and essential
oils. Try its Body Balm
(£14.60 for 125ml;
africology-sa.com) to
enliven the spirit and
stimulate skin.
Santa Barbara, US
Earth Science Naturals has
been championing natural
ingredients for more than 30
years. Try Apricot Gentle
Facial Scrub (£6.53 for
118ml; vitamingrocer.co.uk)
for an irritant-free way to
smooth skin.
NEW ZEALAND
ND
Use manuka honey
for problem skin
Honey from bees that have fed off the native
manuka plant boasts biological properties
(measured as a Unique Manuka Factor) that is
scientifically proven to heal and protect skin;
the higher the UMF number, the more potent
the active antibacterial ingredients.
Try it at home: For an at-home facial, Charlotte
Vohtz, founder of Green People and author of
Naturally Gorgeous (Ebury Press, £9.99), says
mash half a small organic banana, a teaspoon of
hemp or olive oil and a teaspoon of manuka
honey to help dry or problem skin. Smooth onto
skin and leave for 10 minutes before rinsing off.
FRANCE
Prevention is better than cure
Understated, polished and timeless is the
universal image of French women’s beauty and
it’s not just a rumour that they’re serious about
skincare. Most women start early on with an
anti-ageing regime designed to prevent and
protect. Mineral water sprays, innovative serums,
protective antioxidants and regular facials are a
French woman’s best beauty friend.
Try it at home: Use a dry oil as a body
moisturiser to keep skin scale-free. Try Caudalíe
Divine Oil (£27 for 100ml; uk.caudalie.com) with
natural antioxidants from grape seed and sesame
seed oil. For every product bought, a tree is
planted in the Amazon. ■

60 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

fasting diet

62 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 fasting diet

Eat, FAST
get healthy
You’ve probably heard about intermittent fasting – experts say
by reducing your calories two days a week you’ll slim your waist
and reduce your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Finally, is this a diet that delivers?
WORDS: Siân Lewis

M ost diets don’t work,

but could this one be
an exception? Intermittent
fasting – popularly known as the 2-day
diet or 5:2 diet – has created a storm of
interest, not just in the media, but in the
science world too. A diet plan where
you simply restrict your intake to 500
calories (600 for men) a couple of days
a week sounds amazing – and there’s
compelling evidence that it works.
theory that restricting calories a few
days per week could reduce the risk
of age-related illnesses. ‘Our two-day
dieters had a 25 per cent greater
improvement in their insulin function,
the root of many weight-related
diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart
disease, some cancers and possibly
dementia,’ says Harvie.
Interest in intermittent fasting was
piqued following Dr Michael Mosley’s
to multiply and grow. Levels of
IGF-1 increase in our blood, cell
maintenance is neglected and damaged
cells accumulate, which can lead to
cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
But when the body is fasting, it goes
into ‘clean-up’ mode. ‘Levels of insulin
and leptin fall quickly when we eat less,’
says Harvie. ‘Cells can put more effort
into staying in top condition, repairing
damage and removing waste.’ This
reduces the risk of disease.

THE EVIDENCE Two-day dieters CRUISE CONTROL

A 2006 study by the Genesis Breast
Cancer Prevention Centre in Manchester
found that two-day dieters lost an
average of 7.7kg (6kg of fat) over six
months, by eating just 650 calories
two days a week and following a
normal diet for the rest of it. People
who followed a daily calorie-restricted
diet for six months lost 1.4kg less.
But it’s the health benefits associated
with intermittent fasting that are most
intriguing. ‘Research shows that losing
even a small amount of excess weight
– five to 10 per cent of your body
weight – can help reduce your risk of
diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart
disease and some cancers,’ says Dr
Michelle Harvie, of the Genesis Breast
Cancer Prevention Centre, and author
of The 2 Day Diet (Vermilion, £10.99).
But the process of fasting appears to
deliver these health benefits even faster.
In 2006, the Centre began testing the
lost an average 7.7kg Fasting may also be beneficial for
weight maintenance and better health
over six months in the long term. Mosley explains that,
having reached his goal weight, he
now fasts one day a week and continues
BBC 2 Horizon documentary, Eat, Fast
to reap the health benefits. ‘My weight
and Live Longer, last summer. For two,
has stayed steady at 12 stone and my
non-consecutive days a week, Mosley
bloods remain in good shape,’ he says.
limited his intake to just 600 calories.
This was also the case in Harvie’s study.
After three months, Mosley had lost
8.6kg in weight, and he had also
reduced his blood glucose levels from
the pre-diabetic risk category to normal,
lowered his LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol levels
from dangerously high to normal and
reduced levels of insulin-like growth
factor 1 (IGF-1), a marker for cancer
risk, in his blood.
So how to explain these benefits?
Research shows that overeating causes
levels of the hormones insulin and leptin There are already plenty of expert
to soar in the body, sending a barrage books to help you achieve results if you
of messages to our cells, telling them decide to go on a fasting diet

Health & Fitness 63

fasting diet
The two-day dieters kept their weight
off for 15 months by fasting once a
week, and maintained lower insulin
and cholesterol levels.
BUT HANG ON…
Obviously this is an area of science
that’s in its early stages, and as with any
diet plan, intermittent fasting already
has its critics. ‘The science is young and
is largely based on animal studies so
how well the diet can translate to
humans is difficult to know,’ says Dale
Rees, registered
dietician
(mydietaim.
com). ‘As the
research isn't
robust
enough, we
need more
human
studies
before this
type of diet
can be
universally
accepted.’ There are
also a lot of unanswered
questions: is fasting every
other day or just twice a
week enough? Should it be a
water-only fast or restricted to
25 per cent of your total calories
for one day? Should you fast for
24 hours or 36? Would a juice fast
be better? ‘I have supported clients
following an intermittent fasting
plan and it can be quite tough for
some,’ says Rees. ‘They report back
that they’ve been snappy and grumpy.
While some people can cope well
consuming just 500 calories, others
can’t handle the drastic mood changes.
You might feel sluggish and less
productive than normal. While the
body can adapt quite well to stresses
and strains such as fasting, you would
need to be quite motivated to follow
this for the long haul.’ Still, it’s hard
to ignore that intermittent fasting is
growing in popularity and people
are seeing results – and undeniable
health benefits.
64 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk
The benefits high blood pressure and high
cholesterol. Most of the research shows
that fasting can quickly reduce high
LESS INFLAMMATION levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and fatty
‘High levels of body fat are associated triglycerides in the blood, says Hamilton.
with increases in inflammatory markers,’ For example, a study in the Journal
says H&F’s nutrition expert Amanda of Nutrition & Metabolism in 2012,
Hamilton, in her new book Eat Slim Fast suggests intermittent fasting with
(Duncan Baird, £8.99; out 9 May). calorie restriction on non-fasting days,
Inflammation in the body can present can lower LDL cholesterol by almost
itself in a number of ways, from eczema, 20 per cent and triglyceride levels by
arthritis and asthma to Alzheimer’s, 17 per cent in 10 weeks. And Johnson
osteoporosis, Parkinson’s disease and found that levels of nitrotyrosine –
cancer. Studies of varied fasting diets high levels of which are associated with
show inflammatory markers reduce a pending heart attack – dropped by
during periods of fasting, she says. In his 90 per cent when people fasted on
own study Dr James Johnson, author of alternate days for an eight-week period,
The Alternate-Day Diet (Michael Joseph, with most changes occurring in the
£14.99), found inflammation reduced first 30 days. The decrease was
maintained even when participants
indulged on their non-fasting days.
Fasting encourages
the brain to grow new A NIMBLE BRAIN
cells, aiding cognition While fasting might leave you hungry
and affect your concentration, there’s
faster with intermittent fasting evidence that it can boost your brain
compared to any other weight loss cells. The link between obesity and
study. Levels of uric acid increased, impaired cognitive function has already
which is the body’s antioxidant been widely researched, but advocates
response, while the inflammatory say intermittent fasting could prevent
hormone leptin decreased. the onset of memory loss and age-
Johnson studied the effect of fasting related diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
on asthma. Within three weeks of Researchers from the National Institute
alternate-day fasting, participants felt on Aging discovered that by not eating
more energised, and by the end of the anything for one or two days a week,
eight-week study, their peak expiratory the risk of lab rats developing dementia
flow (the amount of air someone can was greatly reduced and their lifespan
blow out in a single breath) had was increased by 40 per cent. Professor
significantly increased. Mark Mattson, the study’s lead scientist,
says the shock of fasting encourages the
brain to grow new cells, making memory
HEALTHIER HEART and cognition sharper. ‘There’s an
Cardiovascular disease has a number of increase in adaptive stress responses
contributing factors, including obesity, when people intermittently fast that is
Q Is it safe for me to fast?
A Not if you are pregnant, have type 1 or type 2
diabetes, have had an eating disorder, or if
you exercise regularly more than an hour a day,
says H&F nutrition expert Amanda Hamilton.

good for maintaining the brain,’ he says.
While fasting is not recommended for
the elderly, it may be beneficial if
you have a history of Alzheimer’s
or dementia in your family.
IT BATTLES DIABETES
Increased type 2 diabetes is one of the
most worrying consequences of the
obesity epidemic. Diabetes UK estimates
that by 2025, 5m people in the UK will
have diabetes. While it’s not advised
that people who have type 1 diabetes
fast (it would be too hard to maintain
blood sugar control), there’s evidence
intermittent fasting can reduce blood
glucose levels, which could improve
insulin sensitivity for people at risk of
type 2 diabetes. Harvie’s study found
insulin levels dropped by a further 40
per cent when participants followed the
two-day diet, compared to a standard
calorie-restricted diet. If your fasting
blood glucose levels are above 5.8mmol/l
you could be at risk of pre-diabetes. Ask
your GP for a free blood sugar test.
IT MAY FIGHT CANCER
Fasting as a method of cancer prevention
and assisting cancer treatment is an
exciting area of research, says Hamilton.
Human studies are ethically tricky, so
most of the research has been done
with mice. For example, a French study
testing mice genetically predisposed to
develop cancer, found that alternate-
day fasting offered protection against
the disease. After four months, 33 per
cent of the mice who had not been
fasting developed cancer, whereas none
of the fasting mice did.
Another lab study by the University
of Southern California found fasting
protected healthy cells but not cancer
cells against chemotherapy, which
could make treatment more effective.
Clinical trials with humans would be
needed to confirm this, but high levels
of the hormone IGF-1 in the blood,
which studies show rise when you
overeat, are linked to both prostate
cancer and post-menopausal breast
cancer, according to Cancer Research UK.
'It worked for me!'
Luella Charles, 31, from
London, has fasted twice
a week since September ’12
‘I watched Dr Michael Mosley’s
Horizon programme Eat, Fast
and Live Longer. My husband
and I decided to give it a go
to lose some weight for our
wedding. We were also
interested in the health benefits
associated with the diet, as we
have Alzheimer’s in our families.
‘When I started the diet, I
weighed 59kg (9st 4lbs), heavy
for my height; I’m only 5ft 1!
I’ve always exercised but have
never followed a specific diet.
We fast on Mondays and
Wednesdays, leaving the
weekend free to socialise and
eat out. I have a banana for
breakfast and then a portion of
vegetable soup for lunch and
dinner. My husband has eggs for
breakfast. This works for us
because we’re still having three
meals a day. We plan our menu
and make our soup at the
weekend. I also drink lots of tea
and water through the day.
‘Since starting the diet I’ve
lost 8.5kg (19lbs) and my
The top low-calorie foods
(Per 100g)
Broccoli = 32 calories
Celery = 8 calories
Apricots = 32 calories
Blackberries = 26 calories
Grapefruit = 30 calories
Tomatoes = 20 calories
Kale = 33 calories
Mushrooms = 16 calories
Red peppers = 30 calories
Satsumas = 31 calories
fasting diet
digestive system is much
happier. I feel less bloated and
I don’t need to eat as much to
satisfy my hunger. In fact after
the weekend, we crave our fast
day, especially if we’ve eaten
out or not exercised much.
‘I’ve never been tempted
to overeat on non-fast days. I
always say I’m going to have
a big cooked breakfast but it
doesn’t happen. Usually I’ll have
a few slices of gluten-free toast.
We always have healthy foods
in the house, so non-fast days
are still healthy eating days.
My exercise routine has had to
change a bit. I do Tempo Pilates
on Mondays because I still have
a little energy in the tank from
the weekend, but otherwise
I avoid cardio on fast days.
‘On our honeymoon, I put on
2kg, but when I returned to my
fasting routine, I lost the weight
again in a couple of weeks.
We’re happy to carry on fasting
twice a week. We’ve seen results
and find it easy to maintain.’
Strawberries = 28 calories
Cod = 80 calories
Egg whites = 50 calories
Tofu = 70 calories
Low-fat cottage cheese
= 72 calories
Low-fat live yoghurt = 66 calories
Prawns = 69 calories
Baked beans = 83 calories
Lean ham = 105 calories
Health & Fitness 65
fasting diet

YOUR 500-CALORIE MEAL PLANNER

If the health benefits of intermittent fasting have caught your attention, why not give it a go? Research
suggests the easiest way to incorporate fasting into your lifestyle and still gain health benefits, is to
restrict your food intake to 500 calories (600 for men) two days a week.

What does 500 calories look like? Follow Dr Michael Mosley’s simple guide

Breakfast Breakfast
Porridge (40g oats) Yoghurt (small pot
and blueberries natural fat-free),
(145g). A tangerine blueberries (70g)
and ham (40g)

Dinner Dinner
Chicken stir-fry (one Feta Niçoise salad (1 egg,
chicken fillet, handful handful lettuce, handful
sugar snap peas, 100g green beans, 100g
cabbage, 2 carrots, chopped cucumber,
ginger, coriander, 90g feta cheese,
garlic, soy sauce) 6 black olives)

Breakfast Breakfast
1 Boiled egg and Smoked salmon,
half a grapefruit a cracker and light
cream cheese

Dinner
Veggie chilli (1 large Dinner
mushroom, half tin Thai prawn salad
chopped tomatoes, half (handful of cooked
tin of kidney beans, prawns, grated
garlic, half a chopped red cucumber and
chilli) with brown rice carrot, sesame seeds)
(80g cooked)
Taken from The Fast Diet by Michael Mosley (Short Books, £7.99) PHOTOGRAPHY: Shutterstock

Breakfast Breakfast
Smoked salmon Strawberry smoothie (1
(50g) and 2 banana 100g, pot fat-free
scrambled eggs natural yoghurt 150g, large
handful strawberries 50g)

Dinner Dinner
Oven-baked
Roasted vegetable smoked haddock
salad (10 cherry (fillet smoked
tomatoes, ½ cougette, haddock (200g),
½ aubergine, 1 poached egg, 100g
1 red pepper. steamed broccoli)
Two tangerines

66 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

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www.yogabellies.co.uk
fit maternity
Pregnant?
You CAN stay in shape!
It’s official: the days of taking it easy in pregnancy are over!
Read on to discover the new rules for prenatal exercise
and how to reap the benefits
W
hen news broke that Kim
Kardashian had hired top
A-list personal trainer Tracy
Anderson to keep her in
shape through her new pregnancy, it was no
surprise given the fact she’s built her fortune
on her figure. But it’s not just body-conscious
celebrities who should exercise throughout
their pregnancy. The latest research shows
there are many mind and body benefits to be
had from staying active during pregnancy – for
you and your baby.
The new rules
Gone are the days of ‘eating for two’ and
‘putting your feet up’ during pregnancy. ‘In
the 1950s, eating clean and going to the gym
were not the norm, even for non-pregnant
women,’ says US-based prenatal fitness expert
Sara Haley (sarahaley.com). ‘The woman of
the Millennium is different, thus the pregnant
woman has progressed as well.
‘Today’s pregnant woman usually works and
68 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk
WORDS: Joanna Ebsworth
juggles many challenges. She knows she needs
good nutrition and regular exercise to help
her stay on top of her game,’ says Haley. Every
pregnancy is different, so you have to listen
to your body, she says. Giving in to cravings
and taking things easier is natural, but you
should also take care of your body.
Today’s pregnant
woman usually works and
juggles many challenges
According to the American Congress of
Obstetricians, excessive weight gain in
pregnancy – caused by over-eating and being
sedentary – can increase your risk of
gestational diabetes, back pain, and high
blood pressure. Yet lack of education means
that many pregnant women are still confused
about their fitness and diet needs, says
prenatal expert and Pilates guru Caroline
Sandry (carolinesandry.com), whose new
Prenatal Pilates – Strengthen and Sculpt
DVD, is about to launch in the UK.
‘Many pregnant women think they can eat
whatever they want,’ says Sandry, who’s due
to give birth to her first child this month.
‘During your first trimester, you’re not eating
for two because the foetus is around the size
of a pea. From the second trimester onwards
however, you’re actually growing a baby.
While it depends on how thin or overweight
you are to start with, you should only be
eating around an extra 300 calories per day at
this stage, and possibly more (but still not over
500 calories extra per day) during the third
trimester.’ The key, says Sandry, is quality of
food, not quantity. ‘Your body's working hard,
so good nutrition is important,’ she says.
‘Use those extra calories to fill yourself with
healthy, nutritious food, such as a bowl of
porridge with a banana.’
Haley, who gained just 30 to 35 pounds
during her pregnancy, agrees. ‘The weight you
gain will depend on your eating habits and
exercise, just like when you’re not pregnant.’
fit maternity

Q I haven’t been active lately.

Can I start now?

Why working out works

The benefits of exercising during pregnancy
are many. Evidence suggests you’re likely to
experience an easier pregnancy by preventing
excess weight gain and back pain, and keeping
your blood pressure stable. You’ll sleep better,
improve your posture, stay toned and also
help prevent varicose veins by keeping blood
pumping around your body, especially to the
lower extremities where extra fluids can collect.
Mentally, you’ll feel more energised and
confident and less stressed, knowing you’re
A ‘Pregnancy is not the time to start an intense exercise regime,
whatever your previous fitness level, but that doesn’t mean you
should avoid trying exercise,’ says Sandry. ‘Assuming you have no
contraindications and you’ve been approved for exercise by your doctor, all
prenatal classes, including aqua exercise, yoga and Pilates, will be suitable. If
you’ve been active, always do a little less than before. If you were already a
runner, reduce your miles, intensity and speed. If you’re used to aerobics, go
to a beginner’s or prenatal aerobics class instead. Listen to your body, and if
something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. Avoid risky activities such as horse
riding, martial arts, contact sports and ball games – basically anything where
you can lose balance or go off to the side and get your pelvis into difficulties.’

Q Q
taking positive steps to make your return to
shape, post-baby, much easier by exercising Is it okay to Can crunches
during the prenatal phase.
lift weights? damage my
Regular exercise will also help prepare your
body for labour and reduce your need for
baby?

painkillers. ‘Labour is physically demanding,’
says Sandry. ‘Lying on your back isn’t going to
help the baby out, but if you have the strength
and endurance to move around, squat, crouch
over a gym ball, or get on your hands and
knees and wiggle around, you’ll be able to help
move things along. If you have really weak
Regular exercise will
help prepare your
body for labour
arms, shoulders, thighs and glutes, you’re
more likely to struggle.’
The Royal College of Obstetricians and
Gynaecologists says new evidence suggests
foetuses of exercising women may also
tolerate labour better than those of non-
exercisers. Sandry agrees. ‘If your baby is used
to your heart rate going up and down at least
three times a week, it won’t be a sudden
shock for it when you go into the labour, your
heart rate goes up and everything in your
body starts changing. Lots of Caesareans
A A
Yes, if you’re sensible,
says Sandry. ‘You need to
reduce the load, using
only light weights, or performing
simple bodyweight exercises such as
squats and press-ups. Avoid any kind
of plyometrics (such as burpees) and
moves that open your legs too wide,
such as walking lunges. This
is because the hormone relaxin –
which is released into your body
during your second trimester to
relax your joints and allow your
pelvis to open for delivery – can
cause your body to become unstable,
increasing your chance of injury.
For the same reason, you should
take care when stretching during
pregnancy. Prenatal yoga and
Pilates classes will strengthen your
body and promote mobility and
flexibility without pushing you
beyond your limits.’
‘In your first trimester,
you can pretty much
carry on with your
abdominal work as normal, but
once you reach your second
trimester, you should stop doing
crunches completely,’ says Sandry.
‘You should never lie on your back
once you’re in the second trimester
as the weight of the baby, the
surrounding fluids and your internal
organs press against one of your
main arteries which can reduce
blood flow to the baby. Your
abdominals need to stretch and
open up during pregnancy, so you
don’t want to tighten them. You
can, however, keep your core
strong by doing exercises such as
getting onto all fours and pulling
your navel up towards your spine,
then releasing.’

Q
happen when the baby’s heart rate drops
or it gets in distress.’
Studies conducted by Dr. James F. Clapp, How often should I exercise?
author of Exercising Through Your Pregnancy

(Overseas Editions New, £16.99), show that if
you exercise through pregnancy, your baby is
also more likely to be healthier, calmer and
more intelligent than babies of mothers who
don’t exercise.
Who needs more incentive to stay fit than
that? We’ve asked the experts to answer your
queries and explain the safest workout
options for you and your baby.
A
‘Train as often as you can for as long as you can,’ says Haley. ‘There
are going to be many days, particularly in your first trimester (if you
have morning sickness), and third trimester (when you’re carrying the
most weight), when you can't or won't feel like working out. So when you have
lots of energy (hello second trimester!), take advantage. Mix cardio, strength
training and flexibility for overall fitness, but make sure you can talk and never
lose your breath. Get warm and sweaty but avoid over-heating, which can be
harmful to your baby.’

70 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 Xxxxxxxxxxx

Avoid risky activities such as horse Celebs staying fit

riding and martial arts p g y
in pregnancy
Hilary Duff
was spotted
attending
yoga and Pilates
studios throughout
her pregnancy.

Natalie
Portman
swam regularly
while pregnant,
hoping her sessions
in the water would
also help her
baby feel peaceful.

Jessica Alba
worked with a
personal trainer to
safely modify her
workouts for every stage
of her second pregnancy,
with core work being the
main focus.

Adriana Lima
worked out with boxing-
style workouts twice a
week during her second
trimester, but took
things easy in the first
and third trimesters.

Kate Middleton
has apparently turned
to tri-weekly prenatal
Pilates sessions – and
walks with her dog
Lupo – to keep her fit
and healthy.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Corbis, Superstock, PA Photos, Splash News

The best nationwide prenatal classes

January Jones
YogaBellies (yogabellies.co.uk) provides a relaxation techniques, helping mums-to-be was regulary seen
range of prenatal courses, classes and therapies to get fit for the birth, and alleviate pregnancy attending prenatal
including Yoga for Pregnancy, Aquanatal, and back ache and pelvic issues. yoga classes to
Birth ROCKS – an inspirational birth preparation YogaBirth classes (yogabirth.org) teach keep up her strength
course that teaches relaxation techniques positions to build strength, tone and and flexibility, plus
including self hypnosis, breathing and positions suppleness, address postural and circulation help her relax and
for giving birth. issues, and enhance pelvic floor strength learn breathing
Lazy Daisy (thelazydaisychain.co.uk) offers and awareness, as well as ‘hypnobreathing’ techniques to prepare
six-week Daisy Birthing courses teaching gentle to help soothe, steady and guide you for the birth.
yoga-inspired movement, plus breathing and through birthing contractions.

Health & Fitness 71

fit maternity

Active pregnancy kit Tracy Anderson’s pregnancy project

Here’s our pick of the best items to help you Words: Emma Bussey
work out in comfort and feel great.
The Tracy Anderson Method With nine workouts (covering

1
Swimming/aqua aerobics has become the go-to workout
Aqua Sphere Naiad Isis Nero programme for many super-fit
Milkshake Maternity swimsuit, Hollywood stars. Now, the
£39.99 aquaphereswim.com/uk/ infamous LA celebrity trainer has
There’s an internal bra shelf and the straps are launched The Pregnancy Project
adjustable. Expanding seams allow room for a DVD series that’s attracted the likes
growing bump, plus a Criss-Cross lining gives of Kim Kardashian and Mollie Sims.
support in the tummy area and the hips. After training with Tracy through
her first trimester, expectant Kim
feels in great shape and is singing her
trainer’s praises. Striving to get back
each of the nine months) plus
interviews with doctors, pregnancy
experts and Tracy’s client mums, the
DVD series ensures you can turn to
something that works for you every
step of the way. ‘It’s important to
listen to your body as it changes and
expands,’ says Tracy. ‘I don’t focus
on cardio, for example, as during my
pregnancy, jumping around didn’t
feel right for me. It’s not about

2 Pregnancy fitness/yoga classes

Sport Support top, £49.99;
and Mamma capris, £44.99;
es into shape after the birth of her baby
daughter, Penelope, Anderson has
put her own experience into the
winning a fitness contest, it’s about
taking care, feeling healthy and staying
in tune, especially during the first
Fittamamma.com DVD series. Not only does it aid post- trimester when you may feel tired and
This top is designed for high-impact exercisee pregnancy weight loss, it’s designed sick and also worry about miscarriage.
with stretchy, moisture-wicking material and nd phy
to support women physically y and y should take more
This is when you
a support panel to spread the weight of your ur ough pregnancy.
mentally through exe
care with your exercises.
bump to your back and shoulders. There’s nancy Project tones
‘The Pregnancy sec
In the second trimester when
also a built-in bra. The very comfy, flatteringg and works out the body, but it’s growi it’s important
you’re growing,
and.
leggings have a roll-over or -under bump band. gentle,’ says the 40-year-old focu
to stay focused and to keep
mother of two o Anderson-devotee inten
up the intensity. I expand on
row.
Gwyneth Paltrow. moveme for the arms,
movements
ears ago, Tracy
Thirteen years butt and legs. Then in

3
Speed walking/ was strugglingng to get back in the third trimester, as
jogging/cycling shape having gained yo baby grows, I
your
New York Jumper, weight following ng the birth fo on working
focus
£119.95; wellicious.com of her son. ‘I gained around the belly
Everyone needs a cosy top to throw ys. Falling
60lbs,’ she says. and to prepare for
on after a class or if you’re exercising pregnant again in last year, th birth. I aim to
the
in the great outdoors. This is pricey, uru didn’t
the exercise guru build up strength and
but you’ll end up wearing it all the time want to take any ny keep the body supple
– it’s soooo comfy! chances. She also felt withou compromising
without
driven to sharee her your baby that will be
xercise and
pregnancy, exercise grow fast.’ See tracy
growing

4
Cycling nces with
diet experiences anders
andersonmethod.com. ■
Specialized Vita Sport 2013 St
Step other women. ‘Women
Through Womens Hybrid Bike, aren’t supported ed enough during
£500, evanscycles.com pregnancy,’ shee says. ‘Your body
Struggling to swing your leg over changes so much uch and every
your usual bike’s crossbar? Try month you need ed something
this light bike with lots of elp your body
different to help
gears to help you get around. through it all. Also, most of
us are busy so it’s often
ercise in.’
hard to fit exercise

5
Sports bras
Front-opening bras are
easier to get on and off, and for
breastfeeding before or after exercise. Tracy’s top tips
For smaller busts: Sportjock Action
Sports Bra With Zip Front, £25; Listen to your body. You fat. I eat avocados and I love
boobiemilk.co.uk. Comes in sizes A-C, know more than anyone what poached eggs.
or C-F (called Super Sports Bra). feels good or bad. Stay strong and connected.
For bigger busts: Sportjock D3 Front Try to move on the days that Don’t diet! Your baby
Fastening Sports Bra, £33.50; you think you can. needs calories!
boobydoo.co.uk. Available in cup DD-G Try to eat from all the food Enjoy every step of the ride
with high-impact support, plus hook-and- groups and remember you need because it goes by quickly!
eye fastenings inside.

Find a more in-depth review of the products, plus other brands to try online at tinyurl.com/HFmaternity

72 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 ™
C O L L E C T I O N
··········································

swimwear
for the day to day athlete

Amanda Beard
Four-time Olympian
Seven-time Olympic medallist
1st time mother
 TOP 5 o r k o u t t r e n d s
3. TRX SUSPENSION TRAINING
WHO LOVES IT Gisele Bündchen, Gwen
Stefani, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Lopez.
WHAT IT IS Developed by US Navy Seals,
this strap and handle weight-training system
works every muscle group by using hundreds of

celebrity w
different exercises. It also improves balance and
flexibility. You use the system of ropes and
webbing to work against your own body weight.
and
’s doing what
The ropes support your body, so you can work
Find out who through a wider range of movement than you’d
otherwise be able to do. Exercises such as
tr y it too…
how you can
crunches and push-ups are key.

Words: Emma Bussey

1. FLYWHEEL STADIUM CYCLING

WHO LOVES IT Sofia Vergara and Jessica Alba.
WHAT IT IS An hour-long class, set to music
from an in-housese DJ, that involves climbs and
descents, while sculpting your upper body
with a weighted bar called the Flybarre.
WHY THEY LOVE OVE IT ‘Celebs like Flywheel
classes because they promote weight loss,
ook lean, athletic and
and make you look
toned from head d to toe,’ says lead US
instructor, Laceyy Stone. ‘Plus, it creates
an endorphin rush
ush that lasts long
nds!’ According
after the ride ends!’
to Flywheel stats,s, participants lose 2. FREE RUNNING
R NING
10-100lbs using the method, and it’s
ost fun and effective
said to be the most WHO LOVE LOVES IT Jennifer
ennifer Lawrence,
Lawrence Colin Farrell,
lass ever created.
indoor cycling class Jake Gyllenhal
Gyllenhall, Mireille
lle Enos.
WHERE YOU CAN TRY IT Available WHAT IT IS Freerunning, unning, or Parkour, developed
rre is coming to the UK
in the US, Flybarre from military obstacle le course training, and aims
soon. Meanwhile, e, try BodyBOOM! a to boost you
your fitness by getting from point A to
London studio cycling class that uses point B, as fafast as youu can. It has evolved into a
oommybody.com.
handweights; boommybody.com. graceful activ olving athletic moves which
activity, involving
build overall body strength.
ength. The key moves are
vaulting over obstacles, les, or jumping from one
PHOTOGRAPHY: AKM-GSI, Shutterstock, Bar Refaeli /Twitter @BarRefaeli

to another, ru running, climbing and flips.

WHY THEY LOVE IT Parkour is growing in
popularity w with celebsbs because it’s a lot of
fun. ‘I think of it as playing.
laying. It’s like being a
kid again and you gett an amazing workout at
the same time.
tim It alsoso allows for a lot of
creativity!’ say Steel’ Romberg, who used
says Luci ‘Steel’
parkour to helhelp train Jennifer Lawrence for The
Hunger Games.
Gam ‘She enjoyed it because it was a
challenge anand it helpsps boost your overall body
strength by us using onlyly your own body.’
WHERE YO YOU CAN TRY IT Look for classes at
your local gym ee parkourgenerations.com.
gym, or see
JESSICA ALBA
JENNIFER LAWRENCE

74 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 workout trends

..
GISELE BUNDCHEN

WHY THEY LOVE IT Supermodel ermodel Bar Refaeli

loves TRX so much that she has tweeted
pictures of herself doing it. ‘It really tones
ve it,' she says. The
your body. I really, really love
body workout has
buzz surrounding this total-body
ients can do classes
grown because celebrity clients
where they like.
or train by themselves anywhere
It elevates your heart rate for fat burning,
eases endurance.’
builds a solid core and increases
WHERE YOU CAN TRY IT Your local gym.
Buy the kit to use at home or in the park, at
trxfitness.co.uk

5. PHYSIQUE 57
4. PILOXING
WHO LOVES IT Demi Moore, Reese
WHO LOVES IT Vanessa ssa Hudgens, Heather Witherspoon, Emm Emmy Rossum, Denise
en Dunst.
Morris, Hilary Duff, Kirsten Richards, Ashley Greene
G and Erin Andrews.
WHAT IT IS This high-impact impact group class WHAT IT IS A 57-minute
57 class that uses
box
oxing. According to
combines Pilates and boxing. strength
stre training, ccardio and a ballet barre
LA-based founder Viveca Jensen, it can burn to improve flexibility
flexibili and endurance, while
up to 900 calories an hour.
hour
ur. ‘It works every stre
rengthening, lengt
strengthening, lengthening and sculpting
ody,’ she says. ‘To
muscle in your body,’ ‘T maintain muscles.
mu les. Using
Usi your bodyweight as
your balance and throw punches in the resistance,
resi ance, plus hand weights
class, all muscles have to work together and a playground ball, it
in unison. Two keyey moves include the “jab, focu s on interval training
focuses
cross shuffle” and the “serve the platter” to burn calories.
– simultaneous arm rm and leg swings. WHY
WH THEY LOVE IT
WHY THEY LOVE OVE IT ‘It provides a ficient, fun and gets
‘It’s efficient,
total-body intervall workout in an hour,’ says resu you didn’t think
results
Jensen, ‘It’s great for toning the butt, abs we possible!’
were ossible!’ says
and thighs, good for balance, flexibility and De Moore.
Demi
alignment. Hilary Duff kept up her piloxing WH E YOU CAN
WHERE
even while she was as pregnant, with a modified TR IT Go to
TRY
regime well into herer third trimester. phys ue57.eu to
physique57.eu
WHERE YOU CAN TRY IT Gymbox in do an online
London offers it, or ask at your local gym. wo out or to
workout
You could also try the new 60-day plan DVD, buy a DVD.
available soon from m piloxing.com.

KIRSTEN DUNST

REESE WITHERSPOON

Health & Fitness 75

 6
DIY therapy

Change your life

in steps
The NHS is now offering self-help books on prescription. If you want to
give yourself an emotional overhaul without therapy sessions, we’ve
cherry-picked the best nuggets of wisdom from the classic titles...
WORDS: Charlotte Haigh MacNeil

punish yourself and put yourself down.

1. A shortcut ‘There I am messing up my life again. I’m

B
ooks really can change
to confidence hopeless. When will I ever learn?’ This,
In Feel the Fear and do it again, is not taking responsibility for
your life – and now
Anyway (Vermilion, £7.99), your experience of life. It’s important
there’s proof. A recent
Susan Jeffers advocates a way to understand that you’ve always done
study found that reading
to stop yourself falling into victim mode and the best you possibly could, given the
a self-help book based around CBT
feel more confident. ‘Taking responsibility person you were at any particular time.
(cognitive behavioural therapy)
means not blaming yourself. I know that Now that you’re learning a new way of
helped people with depression
sounds contradictory, but it’s not. Anything thinking, you can begin to perceive things
more than the standard care
that takes away your power or your pleasure differently and possibly change many of
package involving antidepressant
makes you a victim. Don’t make yourself a your actions. There’s absolutely no need
medication and psychological
victim of yourself! For some, this is more to be upset with your past, present or
interventions. As a result, the NHS
difficult than not blaming others. Once you’ve future behaviour. It is all simply part of
is now rolling out a ‘books on
become aware that you’ve created much of the learning process – the process of
prescription’ scheme.
your unhappiness, you have a tendency to moving yourself from pain to power.’
It stands to reason, then, that
picking up a self-help tome tailored
to your most pressing issue might
help turn things around for you. Feel the Fear and do it Anyway is full of genuine
But with so many on the market,
pearls of wisdom to make life easier. The main thing
PHOTOGRAPHY: Shutterstock

how do you know which to

choose? We’ve read the classics
and filtered out the best advice
from each.
I took away was to trust my instincts. And if things
don’t go to plan, you can always change direction
Emily Anderson, 36

76 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 Self-help books
are proven to
ease depression
 2. Turn negatives
into positives
Question your beliefs about Make it
yourself, says Louise L Hay in her
mega-selling book You Can Heal
interactive –
Your Life (Hay House, £10.99). For example, keep a journal to
if you used to be shy as a teenager, maybe reflect on how you
it’s time to re-evaluate how you feel now. Are
you really still so retiring, or are you just not as
can use your
practised in social situations? ‘If as a child you new-found knowledge
were taught the world is frightening, you in ever yday life –
accept that as true. On the other hand, if you
were taught the world is a safe place, you then note down
hold other beliefs, such as that people are what worked!
friendly and you have what you need.’
Hay encourages us to develop positive
self-talk. ‘Stop for a moment and catch your
thought. If you express negative words, stop
mid-sentence. Either rephrase the sentence
or just drop it.’ Rather than get up and say,
‘What a lousy day!’ realise it’s only a rainy day.
If you wear the right clothing and change your
attitude, you can have a lot fun on a rainy day.

3. A surefire
strategy to
find love
The Single Trap (Bloomsbury,
£7.99), by qualified relationship
therapist, Andrew G Marshall,
proffers tried-and-tested advice on how to
find a partner. One of Marshall’s top tips is to
try what he calls ‘bridging’ social activities:
‘Lots of single people have “bonding” social
activities – for example, a Sunday lunch with
a good friend – but you need to add in
“bridging” activities, such as a cycling holiday
with people you don’t know or a creative
writing course, which will introduce you to
new people. Some of them may be potential
partners, or they may introduce you to
potential partners.’ The advantage of mixing
and bridging, rather than internet dating, is
that you’ll be ‘in the flow’, enjoying what
you’re doing and acting naturally rather than
feeling pressurised. And when you find
someone you like? ‘Do approach a man if you
feel attracted to him – many men find it hard
to make the first move, so don’t be afraid to
suggest a drink or a movie.’

4. The solution 5. A way to gain

for stress
Stop ‘doing’, start ‘being’ and
listen to what your body is telling
you, urges Jon Kabat-Zinn in Full
Catastrophe Living (Piatkus,
£24). ‘When your mind is dissatisfied and
unaware, it’s difficult to feel relaxed. You may
barely be in touch with your body or unaware
of how it’s feeling, but listening to your body
is vital to improving your health and your life.’
The way to do that, he says, is to pay close
attention to the feelings that come and go in
each moment. The following eating
meditation is a good introduction to doing
this. Take three raisins and eat them one at
a time, paying attention to every moment:
‘Observe each raisin as if you’ve never seen
it before. Feel its texture, notice its colours
and surfaces, being aware of any thoughts
arising. Smell it, then finally, with awareness,
bring it to your lips, being aware of your
movements and if you are salivating as you
taste it. Notice the impulse to swallow, so
that is also “conscious”, and even “sense”
your body being one raisin heavier.’
peace of mind
Eckhart Tolle’s classic The
Power of Now (Hodder, £8.99)
explains that the first step
to inner calm is to separate
yourself from your mind and realise you are
not your thoughts. Here’s why: ‘Identification
with your mind… causes thought to become
compulsive, which prevents you from finding
inner stillness. It also creates a false mind-
made self that casts a shadow of suffering.’
So how do you step back from mental

78 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk


chatter? ‘Listen to the voice in your head,
paying attention to repetitive patterns,’ Tolle
advises. ‘You’ll soon realise: there is the voice,
It had never occurred to
me before that my thoughts
were just mental chatter
Hayley Lock, 46
and here I am listening to it. This “I am”
awareness, this sense of your presence, isn’t
a thought, it arises from beyond your mind.’
6. How to change
negative patterns
Always drawn to unreliable
partners or ending up in jobs
that make you miserable?
Whatever your pattern, it’s all
down to your lifetrap – a set of beliefs that
keep you stuck, says Jeffrey E Young in
Reinventing Your Life (Penguin Putnam,
£12.95), which blends psychoanalytic
techniques and CBT. ‘To disprove your
lifetrap, list all the evidence for your belief.
For example, if you feel socially undesirable,
DIY therapy
BEST OF
THE REST...
Getting Things Done by David
Allen (Piatkus, £12.99) is a
masterclass in time management.
Top tip If there’s anything you
must do that you can do right now
in two minutes or less, do it now,
thus freeing up your time and
mind tenfold over the long term.
How to Win Friends and
Influence People by Dale
Carnegie (Vermilion, £8.99)
was published in 1936 and has
been much parodied, but its
influence in building positive
relationships has been far-reaching.
Top tip Learn someone’s name
and use it frequently. To them, it’s
the sweetest sound in the world.
The Seven Habits of Highly
Effective People by Stephen
R Covey (Simon & Schuster,
£14.99) is a classic read for
career success.
Top tip Listen empathically to
the person you’re talking to and
be genuinely influenced by what
they’re saying – they will feel
compelled to reciprocate.
list the evidence you are undesirable, then
the evidence that you are desirable. In most
cases, the lists will show your lifetrap is false
– you’re not a failure or doomed to be
abused. But sometimes the lifetrap is true.
For instance, you may have been so rejected
in life you failed to develop social skills and
so really are disadvantaged.’ Next, look at
the part you play in keeping yourself stuck,
and find new ways to behave, says Young.
‘For example, if you feel hurt when a friend
doesn’t return a call, find a different response
– such as, “I can give my friends space
without feeling threatened if they’re busy”.’ ■
Health & Fitness 79
 Fit fashion //Cool kit // Style advice

GYM
X XST
X XYLE
SEE OFF
CELLULITE
Keen runners rarely
complain of orange peel.
Cardio exercise improves
your circulation and stimulates lymphatic
drainage, which reduces the appearance of
WORDS: Siân Lewis PHOTOGRAPHY: Brooks (brooksrunning.co.uk)

dimply skin. If unsightly cellulite is stopping

you baring your legs this spring, preen your
pins by running and exfoliating regularly,
giving your skin a deep massage with body
oil and drinking plenty of water to help
eliminate toxins. You’ll soon be parading
The latest way to wear workout kit p82
your svelte limbs in a pair of teeny tiny Must-have shoes for sporty types p89
running shorts! Visit brooksrunning.co.uk
for a selection of summery styles.

Health & Fitness 81

50 HADES
EXPERIMENT WITH YOUR WORKOUT KIT BY WEARING ONE BOLD COLOUR
IN SEVERAL TONES AND TEXTURES
PHOTOGRAPHER: Glen Burrows
STYLIST: Siân Lewis
 Lorna Jane Macy Excel
Tank, £38; Sweaty Betty
Finalist Workout Tee, £34;
LuluLemon Wunder Under
Pant *Reversible, £82
USA Pro Sports
Bra Top, £9.99;
Sweaty Betty
Ballerina Yoga
Cami, £39;
Bodyism Nathalie
Leggings, £75
Sweaty Betty
Upbeat Padded
Sports Bra, £37;
Casall Strap
Tank, £34.95;
Asics Ay Rouche
Tights, £45
Sweaty Betty
Stamina Sports
Bra, £33; Casall
Essential Loose
Cuff Tee, £39.95;
Le Coq Sportif
Cousenon
Shorts, £25
 Adidas Women’s Supernova
Racer Bra, £28; Sweaty Betty
Freestyle Vest, £45; Casall
Shine Shorts, £39.95

STOCKISTS
Adidas adidas.co.uk
Asics asics.co.uk
Bodyism storeuk.bodyism.com
Casall casall.com
Le Coq Sportif
lecoqsportif.com/uk-en/
Lorna Jane activeinstyle.co.uk
Lulu Lemon lululemon.co.uk
Sweaty Betty sweatybetty.com
USA Pro store.usapro.co.uk

Model: Hannah Frankson @ W Athletic

Hair & Make-up: Claire Portman
 fashionxxxxxx
news

Love your look!

Keep your eyes peeled for Lexie, the new
fashion-forward sportswear brand for
women. The British brand won investment
from Richard Reed, co-founder of Innocent
Smoothies, when it was featured on the
BBC3 programme Be Your Own Boss at the
end of 2012, and is set to go far. In the
range, you’ll find athletic tees, leggings,
sweatshirts and shorts. We love the glitter
panelling on The Veronica Shorts (£30;
lexiesport.co.uk). The shorts are perfect
for any activity, from running to yoga.

GYM ST YLE
RIT
R
CELEBR Y
ITY

HION
E CRIME!
STYLE

FAS
news
We love Jools Oliver and
her quirky fashion on
sense, but when she
runs, she works no
style at all.
In place of her dull grey
tank top, we’d recommend
ecommend
this Striders Edge ge Visibility
tridersedge.
Vest (£45; stridersedge.
com) It’s bright,
com).
stretchy and the
stretchy
material has a
material
ch sheen
chic,
Sports bra sales at
ef
effect. supermarket Sainsbury’s
sup
rose a staggering 95 per
ros
cent in January. Try this black and pink
moulded cup bra, just £12! Sainsburys.co.uk.
mould
3 MUST-
HAVE
SHOES
Gold Digger TevaSphere Trail eVent
Rollasoles £110; COTSWOLDOUTDOOR.COM
Bjorn Borg Annique £7.95; ROLLASOLE.COM This shoe has support pods on
Mid Wedges With celeb fans including the mid-foot to increase your
WORDS: Siân Lewis PHOTOGRAPHY: Wenn

£99; BJORNBORG.COM
We love the sporty trend for
wedge trainer-look kicks. This
comfortable pair in suede and
leather would look great with
skinny jeans – just don’t
run, jump or do
a dance class
in them!
Heidi Klum and Hayden stability on uneven terrain and
Panettiere, these golden improve your stride if you have
slippers are the perfect a tendency to overpronate.
handbag accessories. The rounded heel is
They’re ideal for when designed to
your dancing feet are reduce
tired and sore, and impact as
are available in lots of you run
colours and patterns. downhill.

Health & Fitness 89

 Love Yourself
5 reasons why every home should have a high quality juicer

Complete
Nutrition -
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fruit and vegetable juice is
a living food, brimming with Healthy Digestion - Freshly
vitamins, enzymes and minerals made vegetable and fruit juices
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pasteurised juice products. the digestive system, promote the
elimination of toxins and help to fast-track
Natural Vitality - People who juice regularly essential nutrients into the bloodstream.
with their own juicer report that they experience
higher energy levels, suffer fewer illnesses and find Vibrant Health - If you’re still not juicing at home
it easier to maintain optimum body weight. and want to experience the fantastic health benefits it
has to offer, check out the range of specialist household
Great Skin - Juicing promotes vibrant health at a cellular juicers on offer at www.ukjuicers.com - chosen by the
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10% OFF ALL Fruit & Vegetable Juicers
Use voucher code HF02 when you place your order online

www.ukjuicers.com
 YOU time
Recipes //Offers //Spa // Travel

YOU TIME
TAKE TIME
TO RELAX
Two lumberjacks were
working in the forest,
but the most successful
one stopped to sharpen and oil his
saw from time to time. This story
is told in the popular self-help
book The Seven Habits of Highly
Effective People (Simon &
Schuster, £14.99) by the author
Steven Covey. The message behind
the words is that you should
WORDS: Emma Lewis PHOTOGRAPHY: Shutterstock

balance and renew your resources,

energy and health to create a
sustainable, long-term, effective Luxury Italian weight-loss spa p93
lifestyle. So take time out without
Winter adventure in Norway p94
feeling guilty, and pick up where
you left off – with renewed vigour! Tasty vegetarian recipes p96

Health & Fitness 91

promotion
Relax &
re-energise Take time out to pamper your mind and body,
on a unique beach getaway
G
et more than a tan on holiday this
year by visiting five-star, luxury resort
The BodyHoliday, St Lucia. So much
more than just an all-inclusive beach break,
The BodyHoliday makes a promise: ‘give us
your body for a week and we’ll give you
back your mind’.
Sounds appealing? If you struggle to find
time to read a good book or are dying to
try water-skiing or sailing, this could be the
perfect getaway for you. At the BodyHoliday,
you can customise your stay to be as active
or as relaxing as you desire. Simply choose
from a menu of wellness options, sports and
gourmet delights to create your perfect trip.
After a fun-packed day of activities
including tennis, sailing, waterskiing, beach
and pool volleyball, scuba and snorkelling,
hiking, fitness classes, golf, fencing, a personal
training session and a swim in the stunning
Caribbean Sea, you can quench your thirst
at the beachside Blue Bar or treat yourself to
some pampering at the resort’s world-class
spa. Indulge your senses by enjoying your
daily inclusive one-hour treatment. Choose
from everything from Thalgo and ayurvedic
treatments to reiki and skin consultations and
emerge feeling rejuvenated and refreshed.
Good food is important here too, with two
92 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk
restaurants to cater to your moods. Dress for
dinner and tuck into lobster at the formal Tao
restaurant, or grab a sandwich between
activities at the beachside Deli.
Enjoy the new facilities
The 155-room wellness resort, set in 42 acres
of lush St Lucian vegetation, has recently
undergone a $20 million renovation, including
upgrades to the award-winning 30,000
square-foot Wellness Centre, plus a new
Scuba school and Tree House fitness studio.
This luxurious 360o glass-enclosed facility
offers Spinning programmes, personal training
and Pilates. You can also try yoga, t’ai chi,
meditation and archery on the Tree House’s
rooftop, aptly named the Zen Deck, with
views that will take your breath away.
How to book
For more information
or to book your stay, call
0845 004 7553 or visit
thebodyholiday.com.

SPA
time
SPA OF THE MONTH
RESORT VALLE
-
DELL’ ERICA
WEIGHT THALASSO & SPA,
LOSS
SPA SARDINIA, ITALY
I needed help to lose
a fe
few extra
tr pounds,
ds so what better way than
staying in a luxury resort while trying a
high-protein, low-carb regime where I could
eat as much as I liked? The Silhouette in
Sardinia slimming programme is based on
Dr Pierre Dukan’s best-selling book, The
Dukan Diet (Hodder, £8.99).
THE SETTING: I was blown away by the
beauty of the surroundings. The resort
borders the National Park of the Archipelago
of La Maddalena and looks out over crystal
clear waters, white sandy beaches and rockyy
coastline. Mediterranean herbs such as
jasmine, lavender and juniper scent the air
– and flavour local food produce.
THE HOTEL: The 140 recently refurbished rooms
sit 100-200m from the sea, and all are on the
ground floor – I loved taking in the views from
my private hammock outside! With a choice
of three restaurants, a plaza offering
entertainment, an 18-hole golf course,
numerous pools, and impressive nursery and
kid’s club, you’d be forgiven for thinking this
5-star resort could feel overcrowded. But it’s so
sprawling, you can’t fail to relax.
THE PACKAGE: The weekly programme is
gn to aid quick,
designed qu k, easyy and sustainable
spa secrets
YOU TIME
n
weight loss
weig Dukaneers missed the crunch of veg after a few
(betwe 5 and
(between days and craved carbs. But if you can manage to
10lbs in seven
sev days) by get through the cravings, the results are worth
following the Dukan diet*, enjoying 18 detoxing, it. I lost 7lbs during my stay and a further 9lbs in
slimming and toning spa treatments, and doing the months after I left.
some light exercise. With a chef on hand to PRICE: A seven-night, full-board stay in a
prepare all meals and dedicated staff offering Standard Room with sea view and 18 Thalasso
support (including cookery classes with & Spa treatments starts from £1,875;
award-winning chef Nando Rossi), the ‘dieting’ hotelvalledellerica.com.
WORDS: Joanna Ebsworth. *For more information on the diet or to create your free personal weight-loss plan, visit
dukandiet.co.uk. The Complete Dukan Cookbook provides over 300 new recipes for all stages of the diet.There’s also
process was enjoyable and educational. After a
medical assessment on arrival, my ‘True Weight’
was calculated (surprisingly realistic and
a range of Dukan-friendly food products; available from mydukandietshop.co.uk and Holland & Barrett.
achievable), and I was put on the ‘Attack’ phase THE COMFORTER
for two days to kick-start my weight-loss (you
If you love massage and chocolate, you
eat from 68 protein-rich foods) before moving
must try Lush’s The Comforter. You’re
onto the ‘Cruise’ phase that includes vegetables.
immersed in a warm duvet and your body
THE SPA: The 1,600sqm Wellness Centre ‘Le
is gently exfoliated with a warm
Thermae’ boasts four external Thalasso Circuit
chocolate scrub that feels as good as
sea-
sea-water swimming pools, hammam, sauna,
it smells. While it soothes your skin,
card
cardio fitness and relaxation areas, plus 15
rose-scented bubbles waft around the
cabi
cabins for thalassotherapy, massage and
room and upbeat nostalgic music lifts
beau
beauty treatments. I enjoyed a body scrub,
your mood, then a hot body serum is
hydr
hydro bath massages, jet showers, anti-
massaged all over to
ce
cellulite massages and detoxifying seaweed
nourish your skin. Enjoy
bo wrap, plus daily aquagym sessions, all
body
a candyfloss cocktail to
of which left me feeling energised, pampered
complete the Willy
an
and more toned by the end of the week.
Wonka-esque
TH
THE FOOD: I never felt hungry, and often
experience. £65 for an
st
struggled to finish the huge plates of local
hour; lush.co.uk/spa.
pr
produce (think lots of lovely seafood, fish,
po
poultry and lean meat). You can eat as much
of the foods on offer as you like. Admittedly,
wh I thrived on my high-protein diet, some
while
Health & Fitness 93
 NORWAY’S
HEAVENLY
LIGHT SHOW
With this year’s displays set to be especially
spectacular, Lucy Miller ventured to the
Vesterålen Islands in search of the aurora borealis

I
’m lying on a frozen lake in northern
Norway, as snug as a bug in a sleep suit
(imagine a sleeping bag with legs). Above
me
me, the northern lights are dancing around
th
the sky like a green trail of smoke. I’m
sp
speechless – the spectacle is extraordinary.
A few days before, we’d landed on the
Ve
Vesterålen Islands, deep within the Arctic
Circle and, minutes after arriving at The
Sortland Hotel, our guides whisked us off
and up to the dark, snowy mountains
for our first glimpse of the lights. The
phenomenon is famously elusive, but how
in the
us kies are a m an’s best friend up lucky were we? Our first night here and the
H Circle aurora borealis were on display.
wilds of the Arctic Actually, anyone hoping to see the
northern lights over the next year would
be particularly unlucky to come home
disappointed. The aurora borealis forms
when solar particles react with the earth’s
magnetic field and, right now, solar activity
is at a high. So it’s a great time to go aurora
hunting – and experts say 2013’s displays
will be the brightest for 50 years.
Why go to the
Vesterålen Islands?
Sortland, on the Vesterålen Islands, is one of
the world’s best – and most expensive –
places to see the lights. It’s fair to say that
with £7 sandwiches and £40 bottles of wine,
it’s not the budget traveller’s destination of
choice, but with Exodus (exodus.co.uk),
your breakfast and lunch is included, so

94 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk


Mush! Now
where did I leave th
at whip?
there isn’t much paying out
to do. And the stunning location certainly
makes up for the expense. This place is pure
exhilaration. The landscape is so clean and
PHOTOGRAPHY: Paul Goldstein: Exodus
untouched, and the absence of light pollution
makes this a fantastic place to see the lights.
That said, if the skies aren’t clear, there is
no guarantee you’ll see the lights. You could
have all the money in the world and still leave
without managing to see them. Which is
why this eight-day adventure isn’t just all
about the aurora borealis.
Beyond the lights
There’s a lot more to see on the
Vesterålen Islands than the
northern lights – and that’s how
I find myself hopping from An al fresco lunch of fresh gri
foot to foot in the mountains, vegetables provides a welcome lled moose and
wearing snowshoes. As the
ground crunches beneath my
feet, I strip off layers of clothes as
I get hot, despite the freezing conditions. As
suggested by our guides, we all have backpacks
to carry the essentials, plus we have Kyla, a
husky dog,
with us too, to carry our water on her back.
Snowshoeing is easy to get the hang of.
The big, wide surfaces of the snowshoes
attached to your boots help distribute your
weight, so you don’t sink into the snow as you
hike. It’s not easy on the cardiovascular system
though, especially in deep snow. I feel my legs
and hip flexors getting a great workout, while
the poles work my
shoulder and back
muscles. I estimate I’m This landscape is
bu
burning around
600 calories an stunning – it’s clean
hour, so when
we arrive at a
and untouched
small lodge in the
fo
forest, I’m grateful for the moose and
ve
vegetables cooking for us over an open
fi
fire. Next day, we go cross-country
sk
skiing, which is also exhausting – but
th
then the breathtaking scenery makes
the effort worthwhile.
D
Dog sledding – every
gir dream?
girl’s
Our nenext adventure is on solid ground,
travel
travelling at speed through the wilds of
Vik. We’re
W husky dog sledding – which
I’ve dreamed
d of doing since I was a girl.
We hear the dogs before we see them,
yowling and yapping eagerly. They are smaller
than your usual husky dogs, but tougher than
they look. With 10 dogs to each sled of three
adults, we learn that these doughty creatures
often tour for 500 miles at a time, with the
most intelligent dogs at the front, responding
to every command from the driver.
We spend the next few hours ploughing
through snow-filled forests before tethering
the dogs and enjoying a hot drink in the lavo –
a tepee-type building used by the people of
active travel
energy boost
YOU TIME
northern Scandinavia. The whole day was
every bit as magical as I’d hoped it would be.
Reindeer, anyone?
It would be a shame to visit these islands and
not see a local Sami reindeer farm. The Sami
are Norway’s indigenous people, and here we
learn about the culture of reindeer-herding,
before embarking on a reindeer and moose
safari, in search of the roaming animals. We
then warm up around a roaring fire in a lavo,
with a bowl of steaming hot
reindeer soup, a delicacy
which tastes somewhere
between beef and lamb.
Our guides say it’s rich in
antioxidants and has
a high vitamin and mineral
content because the reindeer
eat only lichen, heather, herbs and berries. All
very well, but I can’t say this makes me a fan
– the thought of eating Rudolph leaves a bitter
taste in my mouth.
My trip to the fascinating Vesterålen Islands
is something I won’t forget. With so much to
do in the day and the excitement of chasing
the lights by night, Norway is now one of my
favourite places, thanks to the scenery, the
wildlife, the welcoming people – and of course,
the aurora borealis. One final tip though: if you
meet a Sami, don’t ask him how many reindeer
he has – it’s like asking someone how much
money they have in the bank. Oops!
Travel essentials
Prices on Exodus Travel’s Arctic Circle
Adventure to Norway’s Vesterålen Islands
start from £2,389 for eight days,
including return flights with Scandinavian
Airlines (flysas.co.uk), transfers,
accommodation, activities and most
meals. To book, visit exodustravels.com,
or call 0845 863 9601.
Health & Fitness 95
 TIP
CHEF’S is a
c
Celeria e of
rc
rich sou , iron
K
vitamin horus.
sp
and pho

Vegetarian
GOODNESS
Go meat-free and enliven your taste buds with
inspiration from an exciting new cookbook
hether you’re a veggie looking for fresh
and modern recipes, or a meat-eater
interested in trying a new cuisine,
The Vegetarian Pantry, by Chloe Coker
and Jane Montgomery (Ryland Peters,
£16.99), could be the new cookbook for you. Packed with
fresh and vibrant recipes, this book aims to shake off
outdated preconceptions that vegetarian food is dull,
heavy and unappealing.
WORDS: Siân Lewis PHOTOGRAPHY: William Reavell,
‘Our recipes are designed to be both accessible and
flexible,’ says Coker. ‘Our aim is to encourage the reader
to experiment and adapt recipes to their own taste and
store cupboard, without needing too many hard-to-find or
expensive ingredients or lots of experience in the kitchen.’
copyright Ryland Peters & Small
As occasional meat-eaters, Coker and Montgomery try
to eat vegetarian food three or four times a week. ‘We
believe everyone’s diet could benefit from including a
couple of meat-free meals each week,’ says Coker. If you
want to cut down on meat for health or budget reasons,
there are plenty of ideas here to tantalise your taste buds,
QUICK TIP ‘Let the ingredients speak for themselves, and take as much care in
cooking them as you would an expensive piece of meat or fish.’
Beetroot, celeriac and
apple remoulade
Serve this deliciously crunchy remoulade with creamy goat’s
cheese toasts, or as a side dish to any savoury quiche or tart.
Serves: 4
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Per serving: 483 calories; 14g protein; 26g fat (7g saturated
fat); 49g carbohydrate (11g sugar); 8g fibre; 2g salt
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
5 tbsp mayonnaise
2 apples, unpeeled and grated
1/4 celeriac, peeled and grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp fresh dill, finely chopped, plus extra to serve
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp horseradish cream
2 small beetroots, peeled and grated
A handful of chopped walnuts (optional)
recipes
YOU TIME
so you won’t even notice you’re not eating fish or meat.
‘Gradually build vegetarian food into your diet, keeping
it seasonal and simple,’ says Coker. If you already like Thai,
Mexican, or Indian cuisine, think of ways to still enjoy these
flavours but without meat. The trick to vegetarian cooking
is to bring your dishes to life with colour, flavour and texture,
says Coker. ‘Use dried spices to add base flavour to a dish
and fresh herbs for colour and fragrance,’ she says.
Finding good protein sources when following a
vegetarian diet can be tricky, especially without relying
heavily on cheese and eggs. But Coker and Montgomery
have sought to showcase a range of proteins in this book,
such as quinoa and tofu, plus high-protein vegetables such
as broccoli, spinach, corn, artichokes and peas. ‘A sprinkling
of nuts and seeds is another easy way to add extra protein
to any dish,’ says Coker.
We’ll certainly be trying the veggie brunch ideas, including
the Potato and celeriac rösti and the Chickpea pancakes
with halloumi and red pepper salsa. Our mouths are
watering with anticipation.
Goat’s cheese toasts
1 crusty baguette
100g goat’s cheese
A drizzle of olive oil
To make the remoulade, put the lemon zest and most
1 of its juice in a bowl with the mayonnaise. Add the
remaining lemon juice to a bowl of cold water and put the
apple and celeriac in the water so it doesn’t discolour.
Add the garlic, dill, mustard and horseradish cream
2 to the mayonnaise and season to taste with salt and
pepper. Drain the celeriac and apple and stir them through
the mayonnaise mixture, together with the grated beetroot.
To make the goat’s cheese toasts, cut the baguette into
3 slices on an angle, spread one side with the goat’s cheese,
then drizzle with olive oil. Toast under the grill until golden.
Serve the remoulade scattered with chopped walnuts and
4 sprigs of dill, and the goat’s cheese toasts on the side.
Health & Fitness 97

Chicory leaves stuffed 2 tsp fennel seeds
with beetroot, cumin 100g canned chickpeas, strained and rinsed well
Grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 2 limes
and mixed grains Small handful of fresh coriander leaves, finely
chopped, plus extra to serve
This tasty and colourful salad makes a great ½ raw beetroot
addition to any buffet. The chicory leaf gives 70g pistachios, plus extra to serve
a bitter edge to cut through the sweetness 2 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of sugar
of the beetroot.
15 middle/outer chicory leaves, washed and dried
Makes: 15 Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cooking time: 30 minutes, plus cooling
Per serving: 178 calories; 6g protein; 10g fat Wash the rice well and put it in a large
(5g saturated fat); 49g carbohydrate (7g sugar); 1 saucepan with boiling salted water and the
5g fibre; 2.7g salt cardamom pods. Cook according to the packet
instructions until soft but still with a bite. Strain
50g basmati rice well, spread on a tray to cool down and set aside.
5 cardamom pods
50g quinoa Meanwhile, cook the quinoa in boiling
2 tsp cumin seeds 2 salted water – just enough to cover the
98 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk
TIP
CHEF’S lours
t co
Beetroo ng, so
i
everyth herbs
the
sprinkle s on at
t
and nu inute.
m
the last
grains by 5mm. Gently simmer for about 10
minutes, until softened but retaining a bite. Strain
well, spread on a tray to cool, and set aside.
Lightly toast the cumin and fennel seeds
3 in a dry frying pan set over medium heat –
just until you can smell the aromas of the seeds
releasing – then turn off the heat, remove from
the pan and set aside.
In a bowl, combine the chickpeas, rice,
4 quinoa, lime zest, coriander, cumin and
fennel seeds, beetroot, pistachios, salt and pepper,
and mix well.
Taste the mixture and season with the olive
5 oil, lime juice, sugar, salt and pepper. Then
fill the chicory leaves generously and sprinkle with
coriander and the remaining pistachios.
 recipes

YOU TIME
TIP
CHEF’S , swap
iety
For var iac for
r
the cele nion,
,o
parsnip or
carrot
...
beetroot

Potato and celeriac rösti 2

Boil the potatoes for six minutes, then drain
with a poached egg and set aside to cool. Next, boil the celeriac
for five minutes, then drain and cool.
Rösti are like hash browns, and make a Grate the potatoes and celeriac with a
fantastic brunch topped with a poached egg. 3 coarse grater, stir in two tablespoons of
Simply omit the egg if you are vegan. olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.
Serves: 2 Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a frying
4 pan. Add a large spoonful of the rösti
Per serving: 474 calories; 15g protein; 37g fat mixture and flatten to 1cm. Cook on a medium
(6g saturated fat); 20g carbohydrate (3.5g sugar); heat for two to three minutes on each side until
10g fibre; 0.6g salt crisp and golden. Repeat until the mixture is used
up. Transfer to the oven and bake for five minutes.
200g potatoes, scrubbed and halved
200g celeriac, peeled and cut into large chunks Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a
5 tbsp olive oil 5 frying pan. Add the mushrooms and garlic
320g chestnut or portobello mushrooms, sliced and cook until golden. Season and add the spinach.
1 garlic clove, crushed
100g baby spinach, finely chopped When the rösti are ready, poach the eggs
2 eggs, chilled 6 for three minutes, until the white is set but
Truffle oil (optional) the yolk is still runny.
Salt and black pepper
Serve the rösti topped with the mushrooms,
Preheat the oven to 7 spinach and poached egg. Add a drizzle of
1 180oC/Gas mark 4. truffle oil, if liked, and season to taste.
CHLOE COKER’S
VEGETARIAN
STORE-CUPBOARD
ESSENTIALS
Mustard – this adds depth of flavour to
stews and casseroles, and is great for salad
dressings and simple marinades.
Lemons – both the zest and juice add
colour, flavour and freshness to many dishes.
They’re a great source of vitamin C, which
helps your body absorb iron.
Flavoured oils – nut, sesame, truffle,
chilli or just a good extra virgin olive oil. Use
them for cooking or finishing off dishes to
build layers of flavour.
A variety of grains and pulses – there
are so many out there, so try to branch
out from your standard staple. Use them
in salads, stews, stuffings and soups for
flavour and texture.

Reader offer
Recipes taken from The Vegetarian Pantry (Ryland Peters, £16.99). To receive your copy for the special price of £14.99
(including free p&p ), call Macmillan Direct on 01256 302699 and quote the reference GLR 7YO.

Health & Fitness 99

 TIME TO GET
INTO SHAPE!
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 focus on...

CTION AND TOP TIPS

OF EXPERT ADVICE, INSTRU
18 PAGES

WORKOUT HANDBOOK
102 TARGET ZONE
WORKOUT
Get amazing arms

WORKOUT
104 WORTH THE WEIGHT
Drop pounds with our
exclusive barbell workout
110 FIT KNOWLEDGE
How to beat the men

HANDBOOK
111 H&F CHALLENGE
Find out how the team is
getting on with training
112 MATT ROBERTS’
MASTERCLASS
The benefits of
split sessions
113 MOVE OFTHE MONTH
CITY JOGGER? Tone up with the ultimate
core strengthener
What’s not to love about jogging outside?
114 RUN KNOWLEDGE
Actually, there is one thing – new research Boost your marathon
suggests jogging in high-pollution areas blocks training with swimming
the brain-boosting benefits of exercise. After
117 MY WORKOUT
studying two groups of exercisers – one trained
We talk to Good Vibes’
outdoors in the city and the other exercised in owner Nahid de Belgeonne
a rural area – scientists from Vrije Universiteit,
Brussels, found city joggers scored lower on 118 SUCCESS STORY
‘I changed my body
WORDS: Sarah Ivory PHOTOGRAPHY: Corbis

cognitive tests. But don’t just head for the in 12 weeks’

treadmill – running outside is one of the best
ways to bolster fitness, battle boredom, boost 120 KIT TEST
levels of vitamin D, improve bone density and Find the best sports
bra for you
elevate mood. Just avoid busy roads and plot
routes that stick to green areas. Easy.

Health & Fitness 101

 BEAUTIFUL BICEPS
Get shapely, toned arms in no time with these simple exercises
Toned, defined upper arms can look so sexy; but to
19%
is the inc
get the definition that turns heads, biceps exercises rease in a
strength rm
yo
are a must. Working these muscles can make your performin u’ll see by
gc
life so much easier too – you’ll be able to carry your lifting we ardio after
shopping with ease, hit a tennis ball harder and, of ights, inst
of before!* ead
course, look amazing in your strappy summer tops.
WORKOUT HANDBOOK

NECK
Keep your neck long – imagine
SHOULDERS someone’s pulling you up by
Pull your shoulders down and the crown of your head.
back and hold them this way
throughout the whole move.

CHEST
Keep your
chest up high.
ARMS
Don’t move your
upper arms.

ELBOWS
Keep your elbows close
to your body at all times. HANDS
Your palms should be
facing your shoulders.

1. BICEPS CURL If you ha

ve to
rock your
back and body
REPS: 15 forth to li
the weigh ft
BENEFITS: Biceps curls also target your t, the weig
are too h h ts
upper back and rear shoulder muscles as eavy and
you’ll hur
they help to keep your shoulders stable. t your
back.
HOW TO DO IT:
*According to the Journal of Applied Physiology

● Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your

arms at your sides and palms facing up.
● Without moving your upper arms, bend your
elbows and raise both dumbbells at the same MAKE IT EASIER
time towards your shoulders. ● Do medicine ball curls – because you need
● Pause, then inhale slowly as you lower the to hold the ball with two hands, your biceps
dumbbells back to the starting position. can work together as a pair.

102 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 focus on...
2. WARRIOR
TWO BICEPS
CURL
REPS: 10 each leg
BENEFITS: This also works
your glutes, hamstrings,
thighs and shoulders.
● Stand with your feet in a wide
stance, light dumbbells in your
hands, arms at your sides.
● Turn your left foot out 90° and,
keeping your hips and shoulders
facing forward, bend your left
knee 90° and lift your arms to
shoulder height, palms up (a).

WORKOUT HANDBOOK
● Do a biceps curl, bringing the
dumbbells to your shoulders (b).
● Slowly return to the start. a b

3. ROTATING ● Exhale and raise the dumbbells

BICEPS towards your shoulders by

CURLS bringing your forearms up,

REPS: 15
BENEFITS: This also works
your forearms, boosting
your grip strength.
● Stand with your feet
shoulder-width apart, a dumbbell
in each hand, arms by your sides
and palms facing your thighs (a).
rotating them so your thumb
turns towards the outside of
your body (b).
● Your palms should be directly
in front of your shoulders in the
lifted position (c).
● Pause with the dumbbells in
front of your shoulders, then slowly
lower the dumbbells, twisting them
back to the starting position.

a b c

4. BOSU draw your belly button in towards

your spine).
BICEPS CURLS ● Stand tall with your head up
and your legs nearly straight.
WORDS: Lucy Miller PHOTOGRAPHY: Will Ireland MODEL: Halla @ W Athletic CLOTHING: Hey Jo Cassini leggings

REPS: 15 ● Start with the dumbbells in

BENEFITS: This also helps front of your thighs, your palms
in Antares, £130 (hey-jo.co), Sweaty Betty AnandaYogaTank, £34 (sweatybetty.com).Trainers, model’s own

develop your balance facing forwards (a).

a b
and co-ordination.
● Step onto the Bosu and
balance yourself, making sure
your legs are soft and your core
is switched on (imagine you’re
c trying to stop yourself peeing and
● Curl the dumbbells up towards
your shoulders (b).
● Don’t swing them or move
your elbows from your sides.
● Pause at the top (c), then lower
back down with control.

STRETCH IT OUT!

BICEPS EXTENSION
Doing a simple biceps-extension
stretch will help increase
flexibility and reduce soreness
in your arms after your workout.
● Extend one arm straight out at
shoulder level, with palm facing up.
● Use your other hand to pull down
on the fingers of the extended arm.
● Hold the stretch for 10 to 15
seconds, breathing in through your
nose and out through your mouth.
● Repeat, swapping arms.

Visit the H&F website for more arm toning moves, tinyurl.com/HFsexyarms

Health & Fitness 103

 xxxxxxx

LIFT
WEIGHTS
WORKOUT HANDBOOK

DROP
POUNDS
X
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx’

Put down those light dumbbells! It’s time

to boost your strength and blast some fat
with this muscle-building workout

If you’re training like a trouper and reaping zero results,

it’s time to stop lifting 2.5kg dumbbells umpteen times and
start pumping some iron. Here’s why: more weight builds
more muscle, and greater muscle blasts hoards of
calories all day long.
If your workout consists of 10 reps or more, aim to
increase the weight, drop the number of reps and do more
sets. Those in the weights world call this ‘progressive
overload’, and it’s crucial for sculpting muscle. In fact,
one study published in the Medicine & Science in Sports
& Exercise found that women who lifted heavy dumbbells
for eight reps burned nearly twice as many calories as
those who blitzed through 15 reps with light weights.
Want to try it? This workout, by trainer Katarina
Berceliova, health mentor at Nuffield Health
(nuffieldhealth.com), is designed to make you stronger
and slimmer. Based around compound exercises, such as
squats, deadlifts, presses and rows, the circuit promotes
fast muscle and strength gains, as well as great fat loss.
‘These exercises will increase your strength, boost
your metabolism at rest and make you look good,’ says
Berceliova. ‘And, when you finish the workout, you won’t
be able to do another rep!’ You have been warned.

104 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 workout
Getting started THE WORKOUT
For each exercise, Too complicated? Opt for
estimate your one-rep a weight you think you 1. DEADLIFT ◆ Looking ahead, bend at the hips and
max (1RM) – the most can lift a few more knees to grab the bar with an overhand
weight you can lift for times than the specified REPS: 6 AT 75% 1RM grip. Your hands are shoulder-width
one repetition – and train number of reps. SETS: 3 apart and arms are straight (a).
with 75 per cent of that YOU NEED: A barbell, ◆ Without allowing your lower back
weight (75% 1RM). resistance band and ◆ Stand with your feet hip-width to round, stand up with the barbell (b).
skipping rope. apart and the balls of your feet directly Pause momentarily and then lower
under the bar. back to the floor.

WORKOUT HANDBOOK
WARM-UP
◆ Grab a rope and get
skipping to prepare your
body for exercise. Skip
vigorously for 90 seconds,
rest for 30 seconds and
repeat three times.
a b

2. CLEAN ◆ Stand with feet hip-width apart; balls of your
feet under the bar. Squat down to grab the
REPS: 3 AT 75% 1RM barbell with a shoulder-width grip (a).
SETS: 6 ◆ Quickly straighten your legs and push your
hips forward to stand up, keeping the bar close
to your body as you rise (b).
◆ Shrug your shoulders and lift the barbell to
shoulder height. Simultaneously, drop your
elbows and bend your knees to bring your arms
under the bar. Stand up (c). Reverse the process
to lower; repeat.

a b c ➤

Health & Fitness 105

 TOP TIP!
Keep your
elbows raised as
high as possible,
to avoid falling
forward.
WORKOUT HANDBOOK

3. FRONT SQUAT
REPS: 6 AT 75% 1RM
SETS: 3

◆ Start in the ‘clean’ end position with feet

shoulder-width apart and the bar resting on your
upper pectoral muscles (a).
◆ Take a deep breath, arch your back slightly and
bend at the knees to squat down. Push through
your heels to maintain form (b).
◆ Breathe out and return to the start position.

b a

106 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 workout

4. PUSH PRESS
REPS: 3 AT 75% 1RM
SETS: 6

◆ Perform the clean move, as in exercise 2 (a).

◆ Bend at the knees (b) before pressing
the bar straight overhead (c). Keep your
core engaged.
◆ Return the barbell to your shoulders and
repeat three times to complete one set.

WORKOUT HANDBOOK
a

b c
➤

Health & Fitness 107

 workout

5. BARBELL ROW
TO PRESS-UP
REPS: 5 (OF EACH EXERCISE)
AT 75% 1RM
SETS: 3
◆ With feet hip-width, grab the barbell
and get into bent-over row position (a).
◆ Stick your chest out, flatten your
lower back and pull the weight into your
upper abdomen, sending your elbows
back (b). Repeat this five times.
WORKOUT HANDBOOK
◆ Immediately, put the barbell on the
floor and grab a resistance band. Wrap POST-WORKOUT
the band around your upper torso, put
a handle in each hand and get into a STRETCHES
press-up position (c).
◆ Engage your core, bend your elbows
and lower your chest until it’s nearly
touching the floor (d). Pause and push
yourself back up. Do five press-ups.
◆ This whole sequence is one ‘superset’.
Complete three supersets, increasing
the weight for each round. Don’t rest
between exercises; rest for 30 seconds
between sets.

1. STANDING
CHEST STRETCH
◆ Stand tall and straighten
both arms behind your back.
◆ Place the back of one hand
on the palm of the other
– don’t interlock your fingers!
◆ Lift your arms up until you
can feel a stretch across your
chest. Hold for 15 seconds.

a b 2. KNEELING QUAD STRETCH

◆ Put one knee on the floor and bend the other leg
out in front with the foot flat on the floor. Rest your
hand on the front leg.
◆ Grasp the ankle of the back leg behind you.
◆ You should be able to feel a stretch in you quad.
Lean forwards from the hips to increase the stretch.
Hold for 15 seconds and repeat on the other leg. ■

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c
Barbell: Physical 30mm Pump Set, £71.50 (physicalcompany.co.uk)

Step your workout up a gear with our tips for revving up your cardio. Visit tinyurl.com/HFbetterresults

108 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 fitness knowledge

HOW TO
BEAT
THE MEN
WORKOUT HANDBOOK

Tired of doing modified press-ups while men tackle

the full exercise? Here’s how to take on the real deal!

Y
ou’re lean. You’re strong. You’re in the cent of the distance that boys do. By the age
shape of your life. So how come that of 14-18, girls throw just 39 per cent as far as
PULL OFF PULL-UPS
bloke just did more pull-ups than you? the lads. Do ‘you throw like a girl!’ taunts stop Data confirms what we suspected – women
Relax. Scientific studies show that even fit us playing ball at an early age? Perhaps, but fare worse in pull-up tests! The University of
women struggle to do some exercises. It’s experts also claim that guys – with their wider Dayton recently put 17 women on a three-
time to hone your technique, build strength shoulders and greater muscle mass – are built day-per-week training programme for three
and get even (or a little bit better at least!).to throw well. months, focusing on exercises that strengthen
SKILL BOOSTER: Don’t turn your hips and muscles used during a pull-up. Despite a 36
shoulders in unison. Step into the throw with per cent increase in upper-body strength,
SPRINT TO SUCCESS the opposite leg to the arm you throw with, only four of the 17 women could do a single
Typically, the first runner home in a short- rotate (hips first, then shoulders) and fling the pull-up! Critics argue that, while upper body
distance race will be male. This is because men ball, putting your whole body into it. strength helps pull-up pros, the best form of
naturally have more power and muscle mass, training is to do the exercise itself.
plus higher levels of haemoglobin (the IMPRESS WITH SKILL BOOSTER: The pull-up is a total-body
substance that carries oxygen around the move, so practise activating your core – abs,
body), than women. However, a study in the
PRESS-UPS back and glutes – plus your arms, to pull up.
journal Nature looked at Olympic 100m results You know the drill – men do press-ups in the
over the past century and discovered that prone position, while women push up from the
women are speeding up. In fact, women may knees. But will our arms really buckle under the
ZAP THAT FAT
out-sprint men within the next 150 years! pressure of our own body weight? If a study When it comes to losing weight through
SKILL BOOSTER: Do lots of plyometric by researchers at East Carolina University is aerobic exercise, the odds are stacked against
exercises (explosive jumping movements) anything to go by, the answer may be yes. us. In fact, a recent study says women have
to boost your leg power. Researchers discovered that three quarters of to do nearly 20 per cent more exercise to
girls, compared to half of the boys, failed to reap the same weight-loss benefits as men!
pass a push-up test. In fact, to pass the RAF Researchers at the University of Missouri put
THROW LIKE A BOY fitness test, a 30-year old woman only need do obese men and women on the same cardio
WORDS: Sarah Ivory PHOTOGRAPHY: Corbis

As much as the expression gets on our nerves, nine press-ups, while men must do 19! Why? plan and discovered that the guys shed more
science suggests that women are inclined to Women naturally have a higher body fat weight than the girls. It may be because men
throw ‘like a girl’. According to data from the percentage, less lean muscle mass and less naturally have greater muscle mass, meaning
University of North Texas, women fall short of strength per unit of body weight than men. they burn more calories while exercising.
men in two key skills – throwing velocity and SKILL BOOSTER: Do a mix of knee and full SKILL BOOSTER: Lift weights to increase
distance. Studies of overhand ball throwing push-ups until you can do complete sets of your muscle mass; and up your exercise
found that pre-teen girls throw 51-69 per the full variation. intensity, so you burn more calories faster.

For tough exercises to impress yourf man in the gym, visit tinyurl.com/HFbeatyourboyfriend

110 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 event training

The H&F
Challenge
update
This month, Siân Lewis shares her
training plan ahead of the Virgin
London Marathon

Race day is looming, and my
training has stepped up several
notches. I’ve signed up to two
half-marathon races, one to run at race
pace and another simply to keep my
mileage up. So if any of you H&F readers are
running the adidas Silverstone Half Marathon on
March 3 (adidashalfmarathon.co.uk), I may see
you en route. If I look as red as a beetroot and
I’m huffing and puffing, this is quite normal!
As well as doing several short and one long
run each week, I’ve been hitting the gym hard to
strengthen my core and lower body. This
worked for me in 2012, and kept me
injury-free, so fingers crossed it’ll
work this time round, too! My
favourite exercises include
dynamic lunges, single leg squats
and bridges with a medicine ball.
I do 12 of each, followed by two
minutes of skipping, and repeat this
WORKOUT HANDBOOK
five times. The foam roller is also my new bestt
friend. There’s no feeling quite as satisfying – or
as painful – as rolling out your quads. Simply lie ie
on the floor in the plank position with the foam am
roller under your quads and roll yourself forward ard
and backwards to massage your deep tissues.
Get into a side plank position with the roller
under the side of your leg to target your
iliotibial (IT) band, as it’s notoriously hard to
stretch out. If it’s tight, it can be the cause of
knee pain for runners. Visit the H&F website for
our guide to foam
foa rolling – tinyurl.com/
HFfoam
HFfoamrolling.
My next in-mag report will be
post-marathon, but in the
meantime, keep up to date
with my progress via the H&F
Facebook page, facebook.
com/HandFmagazine, and
please feel free to share
yo training tips!
your

My race-day tips
To make race day as stress-free as possible,
familiarise yourself with the course you’re
doing, or at least replicate the conditions you’ll
be racing in, including the time of day and the
terrain you'll be running on.
Practise with energy drinks and gels, if you
plan on using them. Loading up on sugary
sports drinks that you’re not used to on race
day could play havoc with your insides.
Make sure you wear your race outfit at least
once in training – wearing a new sports bra or
a brand new pair of trainers is a recipe for
chafing and blisters – ouch!
Taper your training. In the few weeks leading
up to the marathon, reduce your mileage; this
way your body has a chance to recover and
feel in tiptop condition on the big day.
On race day, eat a breakfast you know
won’t give you tummy troubles. My faves are
porridge or muesli with fruit and nuts, or
wholemeal toast with peanut butter and fruit
juice. I also pack a carton of coconut water
and some malt loaf to eat once I cross the
finish line!

Emma’s cycle challenge update

On June16, Emma will be taking part in the British Heart Foundation’s London to Brighton Bike Ride (bhf.org.uk)

This month I’ve been… Cycle Doing speed intervals Wearing my new Pearl
commuting six-and-a-half miles to and using my Polar Izumi Elite Thermal
from work on my Halfords RCX3 GPS watch Jersey (£69.99;
PHOTOGRAPHY: Danny Bird

Pendleton Dalby hybrid id (£259.50; polar.com),, pearlizumi.co.uk).

bike (£249.99; while measuring It has back pockets,
halfords.com). my real-time reflective strips
I pedal as hard an
and average and keeps me
as I can! pedalling rate. sweat-free.

Health & Fitness 111

 lass
Matt Roberts’ masterc

TRY
WORKOUT HANDBOOK

TRAINING
SPLITS
Want to get more results
from your gym sessions?
It’s all in the planning…
‘Training split’ refers to how you design
your workout programme. You may work
your whole body during each session,
specific body parts on certain days, or
have a programme where there are no
constraints or repeated pattern, but you
adapt to how your body feels. Read on to
discover which type of split suits you best.

1 BASIC SPLITS
This is where you do full-body sessions
on particular days of the week. For
example: Monday, Wednesday and Friday
TRY WORKING YOUR UPPER
BODY IN ONE SESSION, THEN
LOWER BODY THE NEXT

are your training days, with recovery days

in between. This training pattern is good
if you’re a beginner or want to maintain
your fitness level as it allows you to train all
body parts during each session and then
have time for your muscles to repair and
recover before doing the next session.
2
MORE ADVANCED SPLITS
For more advanced exercisers or
long or tough run scheduled, an upper-body
routine the following day will allow your legs
time to recover, for example. It’s also good
Fit split
for time management – working just one or sessions into
two muscle groups during a session means your busy life
you can do a shorter session and work your working out by
mo
muscles to fatigue, allowing you to fit more
often but for re
training sessions into a hectic life. If you’re
lifting for strength, your muscles can become shorter perio
ds.
PHOTOGRAPHY:Tom Warry MODEL: Anna Barradice-French @ W Athletic

anyone wanting to focus their
training on a specific body part, you can
use a four-day split pattern where you work
your upper body on a Monday and Thursday
and do a lower-body session on a Tuesday
and Friday. Focusing on a specific body part
means you can work those muscles harder
and more intensely, and then rest them for
longer between workouts. In the example
above, you get two rest days before your
sore and tired during full-body workout
sessions; and when you focus on one or
just a few muscles in a training session, you
can even focus on subdivisions of a muscle
– for example, your quadriceps are made
up of four sections (two in the centre, one
on the outside and one on the inside). This
will lead to greater definition and a more
uniformed balance within that body part.
day; chest, deltoids and back another and
chest in isolation on a further day. You work
muscles according to how fatigued they feel
so you don’t overtrain or undertrain them.
This method is, however, used mainly by very
experienced, sports-specific or bodybuilding

next upper- or lower-body session. This
means your muscles have longer to recover
and adapt so you can work them really hard
again the next time you focus on that area
of the body. If you’re a runner and have a
3
EXPERT SPLITS
You can also do splits where you have
no constraints or repeated pattern
to your schedule. Each workout is unique,
so you may train your chest and triceps one
gym goers, who know their bodies well.
Matt Roberts is the UK’s leading celebrity personal
trainer, with clients including David Cameron and
Mel C. To find out more, go to mattroberts.co.uk.

112 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 stretch and strengthen

STRONG TO
THE CORE
Improve your balance and work your abs
harder than ever with this plank variation

WORKOUT HANDBOOK
SHOULDERS BACK
Don’t arch your back or
Keep your shoulders
bring your bottom
back and down.
towards the ceiling.
Keep your torso still.

ABS
To activate your core and
protect your back, pull your belly
button towards your spine.

HANDS
Press your hands firmly
into the ground to
provide a strong base.
CLOTHING: ChaturangaYoga Cami, £55, sweatybetty.com; Urban Lucy Long Legging, £52, urbanlucy.com.

PLANK WITH KNEE BEND

WORDS: Lucy Miller PHOTOGRAPHY: Will Ireland MODEL: Shaundra @ Nevs

BENEFITS
All plank exercises are great for strengthening
your abs and core, but when you draw your
knee into your chest, you’ll feel your abs
engage even more because your body’s
less stable as you balance on one leg.
HOW TO DO IT
• Start in push-up position with your hands
on the floor directly beneath your
shoulders and legs behind you so you’re
balancing on the balls of your feet.
• Keeping your body in a straight line,
contract your abdominal muscles, then
slowly draw your right knee forward as
far as is comfortably possible.
• Return to the start; repeat with the left leg.
• Continue, alternating legs, for 45 seconds.
MAKE IT HARDER
Bend your elbows (so you’re doing a
press-up) as you bring your right knee
out to the side and towards your elbow,
trying to touch it. Repeat with the other leg.
MAKE IT EASIER
If you can’t keep your body in a straight
line and start losing form, rest your hands
on a higher platform such as a bench or
chair to take some pressure off your abs
and shoulders.

Health & Fitness 113

 xxxxxxx

SWIM TO
marathon
WORKOUT HANDBOOK

fitness
As a low-impact, whole-body workout,
swimming is hard to beat. It’s also a great
form of cross-training for marathon runners

There are no real secrets when it comes to boosting

your marathon skills. To speed up over distance, you
run – a lot. But running is a high-impact sport and
we’re not all built to do it regularly. In fact, figures in
the American Journal of Sports Medicine show that
up to 56 per cent of runners get injured every year.
Luckily, there’s a loophole. For runners who want to
increase training volume, without upping their risk of
injury, cross-training – and swimming, in particular
– is key. ‘Swimming is great for runners,’ says former
Olympic swimmer and Speedo ambassador, Karen
Pickering (speedo.com). ‘It offers the same aerobic
benefits as jogging – without any of the negative
impact effects – plus it can be tailored to work
run-specific muscles.’
And that’s just the physical payoff. Pool sessions help
bust training boredom and bolster motivation, too.
Want to try it? Hit the pool once or twice a week, with
one of the three sessions below, or Pickering’s
six-week training plan (right).

1. ENDURANCE
BOOSTER
You don’t need to be a pro
swimmer to reap running rewards in the
water! To bolster endurance and calorie
burn, rather than increase muscle mass and
power, swim, kick or even doggy-paddle up
and down the pool at a moderate intensity.
‘Steady-state swimming is great for building
cardiovascular fitness,’ says Pickering. ‘This
doesn’t mean you don’t change pace or
vary strokes, but putting on an MP3 player
and doing continuous laps is great for
improving stamina.’ As a bonus, swimming
also boosts your lungs’ ability to deliver
oxygen to muscles. To give your lungs the
ultimate test, add in some underwater laps.
2. RECOVERY
HELPER
We know what you’re thinking –
‘How the heck am I going to fit another
training session into my marathon schedule?’
The short answer is ‘don’t’. Pickering
recommends marathoners swim the day
after a hard run or race, instead of going for
another jog. Why? Because research shows
that swimming is one of the best ways to
recover from a tough session. One study
published in the International Journal of
Sports Medicine found that swimming for
recovery is associated with lower levels of
c-reative protein, a marker of post-exercise
inflammation, 24 hours after an interval run.
Convinced yet?
3. STRENGTH
ENHANCER
One of the main benefits of
swimming is that it works your entire body,
but it can also target specific muscle groups.
‘If you can’t get out on the roads due to bad
weather, work your legs in the pool,’ says
Pickering. ‘Simply grab a kickboard and do
some lengths of kicking.’ Alternatively, aqua
jogging is one of the best running-replacement
activities. In fact, a University of Toledo study
revealed that runners on a water jogging
schedule showed no change in V02 max,
5K-race time, lactate threshold or running
economy, even after a month without land
running. To give your legs a rest, use a pull
buoy between your knees and do arm work.

114 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 cross-training

YOUR SIX-WEEK PLAN

KEY: FC – FRONT CRAWL, BKS – BACKSTROKE, BF – BUTTERFLY, BS – BREASTSTROKE, AS – ALL STROKES

WEEK ONE WEEK FOUR

HEADING: SWIM 1: SWIM 2: HEADING: SWIM 1 SWIM 2
WARM-UP 200m – AS 100m – Kick WARM-UP 200m – AS 200m – Any stroke
100m – Kick 200m – Any stroke 200m – Kick
100m – Kick MAIN SET 400m FC: 200m – Pull buoy arms
MAIN SET 2 x 100m – FC 12 x 100m: [50m – Kick (x 4)] 50m – Kick
2 x 100m – AS [2 x 100m – Pull buoy arms 200m – Pull buoy arms
2 x 100m – FC 1 x 100m – Any stroke 50m – Kick
2 x 100m – AS (X 4)] 200m – Pull buoy arms
2 x 100m – FC DRILLS 12 x 50m FC:
DRILLS 8 x 50m Counting (Count arm pulls on 1st length, [2 x 50m – breathing

WORKOUT HANDBOOK
and aim for 5 less pulls on 2nd length) every 5 arm pulls
1 x 50m – Steady
COOL DOWN 200m – BS 100m – Kick (X4)]
100m – Kick 100m – Any stroke
100m – Kick COOL DOWN 200m – AS 4 x 50m – Kick

WEEK TWO WEEK FIVE

HEADING: SWIM 1 SWIM 2 HEADING: SWIM 1 SWIM 2

WARM-UP [100m – AS 200m – Any stroke WARM-UP 100m – Any stroke 100m – Kick
50m – FC 100m – AS 200m – Any stroke
(x 2)] 100m – Any stroke

MAIN SET 15 x 50m – Kick 100m – Pull buoy arms MAIN SET 16 x 50m – Kick: 5 mins – Aqua jogging,
[1 x 50m – Easy 200m – FC [25m – Max effort 1 min – Rest;
1 x 50m – Steady 300m – Pull buoy arms 25m – Steady x16] 2 x 100m – Pull buoy
1 x 50m – Hard (x 5)] 200m – FC arms, 1 min – Rest
100m – Pull buoy arms (X4)
DRILLS 10 x 25m – AS 6 x 50m: DRILLS 8x 25m:
2 x 25m – Chicken wing [50m – Double-arm BKS [2 x 25m – Chicken wing
drills (thumbs in armpits) 50m – BS, 2 kicks to one 2 x 25m – Counting]
2 x 25m – Counting arm pull (x3)]
COOL DOWN 200m – BS 200m – AS COOL DOWN 100m – Any stroke 200m – Any stroke

WEEK THREE WEEK SIX

HEADING: SWIM 1 SWIM 2 HEADING: SWIM 1 SWIM 2
WARM-UP 200m – Any stroke 100m – Kick WARM-UP 100m – Any stroke 100m – Any stroke
5 mins – Gentle aqua 100m – Any stroke 4 x 25m – Increasing 100m – Kick
jogging 100m – Kick speed 100m – Any stroke
MAIN SET 12 x 50m: 16 x 50m:
[25m – BF kick [50m – FC kick
25m – Any stroke 50m – Double-arm BKS
MAIN SET 6 x 5 mins of: 16 x 100m:
(x12)] 50m – FC kick
1 min – Hard jog [3 x 100m – Pull buoy
50m – Double-arm BKS
1 min – Easy jog arms, 1 x 100m – Any
(x4)]
1 min – Hard jog stroke (x4)]
1 min – Easy jog DRILLS 6 x 50m: [25m – FC kick
1 min – Rest max effort, 25m – FC
steady kick (x6)]
COOL DOWN 200m – AS 200m – Kick COOL DOWN 200m – Any stroke 200m – Any stroke

POOL KIT Grab a kick board

and work your
legs by doing
Tie this aqua belt
around your waist
and run through
Don’t know your fin
lengths of kicking the water
from your flipper? Here’s
how to use some of the To get the aerobic
benefits of swimming
best pool equipment to while resting your
boost your workout. legs, use a pull buoy

For more marathon running tips, visit tinyurl.com/HFmarathonrunner

Health & Fitness 115

 xxxxxxx expert
running

RUNNING
EXPERT
H&F running expert Sam Murphy
answers your training questions
WORKOUT HANDBOOK

Q Will I burn more

calories running
with your pace, and don’t slack off
when the going gets tough, you
outside or training could end up getting a higher-
on the treadmill? intensity workout on the treadmill.
I often use the treadmill for a

A The intensity of a workout

determines how many
calories you burn during training.
In running, intensity is dictated
mostly by pace, but there are also
other factors to consider, such as
the terrain, inclines and declines
and the weather conditions.
Bearing that in mind, it’s easy
to see that running on a treadmill
– where there are no potholes or
puddles to contend with, no twists
and turns and zero chance of
running into a headwind – could
be the easier option. But it doesn’t
have to be. If you’re disciplined
focused session such as a tempo
run, where the goal is to sustain a
specific pace for 20-30 minutes.
It’s long been recommended to
set the gradient to a 1-2 per cent
incline, to compensate for the lack
of wind resistance, but that has
now been challenged. Instead,
experiment with your pace and
the incline button to find the
‘sweet spot’ where your effort
feels the same on the treadmill as
it does outdoors (or use a heart-
rate monitor). If you maintain that TREADMILL RUNNING
level, you’ll have no worries about DOESN’T HAVE TO
BE AN EASY OPTION
burning fewer calories.

NEW KIT
1) SALOMON SENSE 2
MANTRA
These snazzy off-road shoes
make trail runs a doddle!
Designed for mid-foot strikers,
the trainers boast enough
traction to grip muddy terrain,
but not so much they can’t 1
be worn on-road as well. The
lightweight feel is ideal when it THE ONE TO RUN
comes to keeping limbs feeling ENERGIZER NIGHT RUN
fresh on longer runs. London’s Battersea Park
£110, salomon.com April 13, 2013
3) BROOKS D’LITE Get your high-vis running kit
RACER SHORTS ready, and prepare to light up
ADDITIONAL WORDS: Sarah Ivory PHOTOGRAPHY: Corbis

2) ASICS CHALLENGE
RACE SERIES
Make fair-weather running a
thing of the past with Asics’ latest
training watches. Whether doing
400m efforts on a track, or mile
circuits on the road, the large
display comes in handy when
checking times at top speed. The
colourful range can also store
up to 100 laps. Impressive.
From £49, asics-watch.com
Glucose gels and bars may give
you an injection of energy
mid-marathon, but they’re not
the most convenient things
to take on long runs – and that’s
why we love these nifty shorts.
Ultra lightweight and super
handy, these shorts come
with energy loops for your gels
and mesh pockets to stash
other essentials.
£30, brooksrunning.co.uk
3 Saturday night at the UK’s first
Energizer Night Run! Taking
place at London’s Battersea
Park on April 13, this night event
gives racers the choice of
running a 5K or 10K route after
dark. The best bit? Participants
get a free Energizer LED
Headlight and, once you cross
the red carpet finish, there’s an
exclusive after-party tipple, too.
energizernightrun.co.uk

116 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 fitness icons

MY WORKOUTE B EL G E O N NE
NAHID Dner of Good Vibes fitness

WORKOUT HANDBOOK
d ow
Yoga teacher an her secrets to su
ccess
ios, 44, shares
stud

■ I’ve always enjoyed keeping fit. ■ I don’t have a work/life

The emotional benefit I get from exercise is balance, it’s more like a
what motivates me. When I was ready to leave work/life merge. I practise
home in my teens, I took up running; when I yoga every day, do Power Plate
separated from my first husband, I started four times a week, Spinning
kick-boxing; and I found solace in yoga when once a week and Pilates twice
work stress got too much. a week. I also have personal
clients, who I’ve been working
■ Yoga has been my passion for 12 years. with since I trained to be a
After a particularly stressful time at work, I yoga teacher. Every year
booked myself onto a Simon Low yoga retreat I book onto a yoga retreat.
in Turkey (simonlow.com) and the experience I also have a city break and
changed my life. It taught me a new way to be; travel a lot to seek out new
finally I felt at ease with my body. fitness trends and learn from
other teachers.
■ The opportunity arose for me to try
out a new fitness craze called Power ■ Our ethos is being happy
Plate, when I was freelancing in publishing. in your own skin. We have
Intrigued and looking for a solution to my clients of all shapes and sizes.
saggy bottom, I signed up for a trial. I Many people sign up to tone up,
immediately fell in love with it and after but you can easily lose a stone
a week my bottom was lifted! really quickly. We run a 25-minute
High Intensity Interval Training
■ I was so fired up with enthusiasm for (HIIT) class where you can burn
the Power Plate, that I drew up a business 300 calories, and carry on
plan and within four months I’d opened three burning afterwards.
fitness studios. Our first Good Vibes boutique
was in London’s Covent Garden – it was the ■ People with busy lives need
first independent Power Plate studio in the more mindful practices to
UK, and an instant hit. We were also the first give their lives balance.
TO
in Europe to offer yoga classes in a studio I’m the director of a busy ‘Don’t c P TIP!
heated by infra-red. These yoga sessions are company and I work long ompete
person with the
o n
therapeutic and designed to safely open up hours. So I don’t like to rev next to y the yoga mat
your body for each pose, help detoxify and myself up again by going ou – we
differen all brin
t g
ease muscle soreness. There are three Good for a run! I prefer walking
ability a physiologies,
Vibes studios in London, offering yoga, Pilates, outdoors in the fresh air nd cond
Power Plate and Spinning. and meditating every to the cla itioning
ss.’
day. It regenerates my
■ We have 3,000 members. I approached brain. This would be
the business as a client would. I was time- my secret to a happy
starved, willing to spend money on quality and and healthy life.
I wanted results quickly. I trained with yoga
WORDS: Siân Lewis

guru Simon Low and all my employees have See goodvibesfitness.co.uk for
the highest standard training. more information on classes.

Health & Fitness 117

 reader success

Success stor y
‘I changed my
body in 12 weeks!’
Long working hours meant Juliana Conci-Mitchell,
29, had very little energy or time to exercise
Fast results
WORKOUT HANDBOOK

Name: Juliana Conci-Mitchell
Age: 29
Weight before: 66.6kg (10 stone 7lbs)
Weight now: 60.6kg (9 stone 5lbs)
Height: 174cm (5ft 8 inches)
Body image rut
Ten years ago, my life was very different. I was
a contemporary dancer and had an athletic
body to match. Then I moved to the UK from
Brazil to focus on my studies and furthering
my career in accountancy. Sitting at a desk all
day meant I succumbed to grazing on crisps
and biscuits. As a result, I gained weight, and
working such long hours meant I had very
little energy to exercise.
Motivation mission
In August 2012, I decided I had to do
something to change my bad habits. Searching
the internet for inspiration, I stumbled upon
the USN Body Makeover Challenge (usn.
co.uk). It appealed to me because it was
a challenge that had a time frame, and
USN experts were on hand to answer any
questions I had. I started my new training
plan combining weights sessions and cardio
workouts, and incorporated the USN nutrition
products (USN Whey Protein, branched
chained amino acids (BCAAs), Protein Dessert
and EFA Triple Omegas) into my diet.
Within the first week I had lost inches, and
by week four, my clothes felt loose. After
six weeks, my friends were complimenting
me on my weight loss! In the past, I had
always wanted to look like a skinny fashion
model, but training with weights has
helped me to achieve a more feminine and
athletic look, which I love. My previously
saggy bottom is now much perkier! In 12
weeks, I lost over eight per cent body fat
and am now a clothes size eight to 10.
The new me
It’s not just my body that’s changed.
I now prioritise my health
and my fitness, and no
longer spend long hours at
work. I have more energy
and confidence, have beenn
shortlisted for the USN
ambassador of the year
competition and am
competing in the bikini classs
of the World Bodybuilding
& Fitness Federation
competition. So fingers
crossed I can break into
the world of fitness
modelling – it’ll certainly
be a welcome change
from accountancy!

I did it! Each month a reader tells us about

an event she’s competed in…
Jodie Tennant, 33, from Bexley,
Kent, came first in her local 5K!
lead man, but it was very hilly
and that’s my forte. I powered
DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that since 2007
there has been a 52 per cent
increase in women opting to
exercise outdoors?
HAIR & MAKE-UP: Danielle Ogilvie CLOTHING: Model’s own

‘In September 2012, I won my up the hills, beating him by

local 5K – even beating the
men! I’d been feeling very low,
two minutes! It was just what
Jod wins this
Jodie
I needed to give my confidence
WORDS: Siân Lewis PHOTOGRAPHY: Danny Bird

Sho Absorber
Shock
having just split up with my a massive boost, and make my Ultimate Gym
long-term partner, so this put a three- and six-year-old children Bra, worth £35
massive smile on my face and very proud of ‘Mummy’ and her
helped me believe in myself gold medal! It’s amazing what
again. It was a very close race to running can help to do for
begin with, between me and the your body and mind.’
m/handfm
.co
r
tte

ag

stories, training advice and event pictures

azine
twi

TAKE PART Inspire others by sending your fitness

readers at facebook.com/HandFMagazine.
to us at hf_letters@dennis.co.uk or talk to us and other

118 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 kit test

SPORTSBRAS
We trial the most fashion-forward
and supportive bras on the market
1

1. SPORTJOCK ACTION SPORTS BRA

£28; sportsbra.co.uk
This A-, B- and C-cup compression bra
WORKOUT HANDBOOK

offers maximum support for smaller

breasts. The ‘powerband’ sits under
your bust to offer the best support
for your assets for any exercise.
2
2. WACOAL SPORT UNDERWIRE BRA
£43; figleaves.com
Best for bigger-bosomed women, this
bra is available in sizes 32C to 40H. The 3
adjustable and multi-way straps mean
you can wear it with a racer-back or a
shoulder-strap vest top. Visit your local
Wacoal stockist for a free fitting.

3. MOVING COMFORT URBAN

X-OVER BRA
£30; movingcomfort.eu
A cross-over back makes this bra perfect
for wearing with racer-back tops. Made
mostly of mesh, it’s breathable for intense 4
exercise. You’ll find it in sizes A/B and C/D,
and in seven colour combinations. 5

4. CASALL PADDED MULTI SPORT

SPORTS BRA
£34.95; casall.com
This best seller wicks away moisture
really well and supports medium-impact ct
activities. Layer it with a vest top or wear
ar
it as a crop top to show off your abs! 6

5. SHOCK ABSORBER ULTIMATE

GYM BRA
£35; shockabsorber.co.uk
Hit the gym with determination wearing
this supportive, padded bra. It has a
racer-back style, comes in lots of sizes
and even has a headphone wire holder! 7

6. SWEATY BETTY UPBEAT

PADDED BRA
£37; sweatybetty.com
Enjoy yoga, Pilates and walking in this
low-impact, racer-back compression
bra. The removable pads give your
bust a great shape.

7. MARKS & SPENCER HIGH-IMPACT

FLEXIBLE UNDERWIRED PADDED
SPORTS BRA
ny Bird

£18; marksandspencer.com DID YOU KNOW? 56 per cent of women experience breast ast pain
8 out of 10 women wear the wrong size bra. when working out.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Danny

Great for busts big and small, this

The average 34D bust weighs 15-23lbs. You should replace your bra every six to 12
WORDS: Siân Lewis

underwired bra is silky smooth against

your skin. It offers firm support and the In one hour of intense exercise, the average months, depending on your exercise frequency.
padded straps won’t dig in. The price 34D bust moves more than 300 metres. You should get your bra size remeasured once
makes it a hot contender for top place a year, to account for fluctuations in your weight.
in our round-up.

120 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk

 Innovative
™ British
Comfortable & Organised Design

bags for an ac tive

& organised l
i fe
Fitness bags

The ‘Fleetfoot II’

‘Female fit’ running bag
Very light-weight
Versatile minimalist runners“carry-all”
Low bounce shape with easy adjustment
Stretch pocket for water bottle, gloves , hat , etc
Reflective trims for safety
Anti-scratch pockets for gadgets inside
“Low Noise’ keys / coins pocket to reduce jangle
You can even carry a jacket tucked in the back
Weighs 100g (approx)

Flexible, ergonomic
feminine fit

The ‘Gymwise II’

Gym & Travel Backpack
Ideal for “walk to work” use
“Female Fit” shaping
Includes:
• shoe compartment
• ‘Wash & Pamper’ bag
• laundry bag
Fits a small laptop
Comfortable fit Security/MP3 pocket
Reflect trims
Sternum strap with safety whistle
Size; 17 ltrs

The ‘Goddess II’

Weighs; 0.95kgs

The ideal “gym & travel” bag

Features seperate compartments for shoes, wash bag & swim kit
Compact & comfortably shaped to carry - “like a handbag”
Includes:
• wash bag • water bottle pocket
• laundry bag • locker coin pocket
• shoe bag • lots of stuff pockets
• wet compartment
Fits most gym lockers & flight ‘carry on board’
regulations
Size: 35ltrs
Weighs: 1.45kg
See ‘In Action’ Sportsister Magazine says
See our full range online... videos on 5 stars for the Goddess II
our website

Gym / Travel bags Backpacks Active packs

www.workplay-bags.com
E: hello@workplay-bags.com Tel: +44 (0)1793-791020
 offers

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loving my body
We’re talking to...
Zoë Ball
Do you have a personal trainer?
‘I had one to help me lose weight after
I had my daughter, Nelly (3). I gained
four stone during my pregnancy and
afterwards struggled to lose the weight.
Sleepless nights meant I had no energy
and I was in a rut. My trainer taught
me lots of bodyweight exercises and I
quickly returned to my pre-baby weight.
Now I maintain it with Tracy Anderson’s
Metamorphosis DVD (tracyandersonmethod.
com). Nelly dances with me and loves the
stretching exercises. I did it every day in the
run-up to the Baftas – and as a reward I went
home and ate cake! I have a treadmill and a
crosstrainer at home, so I use those too.’
Are you active as a family?
‘Norman and I take the kids on bike rides. Nelly
has a seat on my bike and Woody (12) has
great fun. I’ve also arranged for Woody and I
to have tennis lessons. He’ll probably be totally
embarrassed by his mum’s lack of skills.’
What are your diet rules?
‘Breakfast and lunch are my healthy meals of the
day. I normally have eggs or some porridge and
nuts in the morning, then I won’t eat until lunch.
I avoid sandwiches as much as possible, if I have
bread at lunchtime I want to sleep the rest of the
day, which isn’t good when you’re on early evening
TV! My trainer told me about the importance of
eating protein with every meal. I carry a tin of
California almonds* around in my handbag and in
my jacket pockets! It stopped me reaching for the
cakes when I was presenting It Takes Two.’
Zoë swears by
Tracy Anderson’s
Metamorphosis
workouts
ZOË
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130 Health & Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk
TheTV and radio presenter,
41, explains how giving up
booze helped change her life
How do you stay healthy?
‘Cutting out booze [in 2009] has made the biggest
change to my physical and mental health. I no longer
wake up in the morning full of self-loathing. I used to
laugh when people asked me if I’d donate my organs,
but I love the thought that my body has been able to
regenerate itself after all the abuse I put it through in
my 20s and early 30s. My attitude towards my body has
completely changed now; you have a responsibility to
yourself to make sure you stay as healthy as possible,
especially when you have children. Although when I’m
out with friends I love the occasional boozy dessert!’
Do you look after your skin?
‘Yes, because I’ve done a lot of damage to my skin over
the years. I used sunbeds and smoked for 10 years so
it’s about damage limitation now. The creases above my
top lip look like a moustache! I love facials by my beauty
guru Debbie Thomas (debbiethomas.co.uk). She uses red
light therapy and dermabrasion to help my prematurely
ageing skin. I tried Botox once on my forehead, but it
was pointless because I have a fringe so you couldn’t
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introduced me to SkinCeuticals’ Phloretin CF Gel (£150
for 30ml; dermacaredirect.co.uk), which is packed full of
antioxidants and I use it under my make-up.’
Which celebrity do you admire the most?
‘I saw Jennifer Lawrence at the Baftas and she is
gorgeous, but I prefer to aspire to women like Helen
different it makes them feel. If you’d like to take up the challenge, simply visit almondBoard.co.uk to sign up and receive
WORDS: Siân Lewis PHOTOGRAPHY: PA Photos, Shutterstock. *Zoe Ball has teamed up with California Almonds to
Mirren and Judi Dench. I want to be a classy woman launch the Snack Happy Challenge, to encourage women to snack on a handful of almonds for 21 days to see how
like them at their age. They’re great examples of older
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your challenge starter pack. Keep us updated with your progress on twitter using #snackhappy
Zoë snacks
on almonds
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