Women's Fitness

For anyone looking to get fit, there’s never been a wider range of options. Home workouts have surged since lockdown (fitness tech firm Peloton reports a 172 per cent increase in sales of home kit). Last month, Apple announced the launch of its fitne

Thank you for your brilliant article, Get the most from the gym (issue 9). Now I’m allowed back in my gym, I really want to make more use of my time there. So I was very pleased your feature demonstrated game-changing tips to make my workout count. I

Every workout wardrobe should have a cool cover-up: this essential bit of kit helps you raise your body temperature during warm-ups and also retain heat during cooldowns, so your muscles stay flexible as you stretch. We recommend this super soft BAM

Tester: Sarah Sellens: ‘This is the jacket you need when it’s blowing a hooley! Despite being lightweight, it really keeps the wind out and this creates a surprisingly warm feeling. The Outdry is the only coat on trial to have fully taped seams, maki

Tester: Elsie McCormick: ‘When running on trails I found that the jacket was wind-resistant as well as breathable. It is lined so that you retain body heat and keep warm, and very lightweight. The material is stretchy, allowing you to move freely. I

Having trouble nodding off at night? Or perhaps you fall asleep easily but regularly find yourself wide awake at 4am. If life since lockdown has seen you missing out on shut-eye, you’re not alone. A study from Kings College London and Ipsos MORI show

Credentials: Winner of six World Cup titles and five Elite World Championships. ‘I train five days a week, but it’s all about quality over quantity. A typical downhill mountain bike race lasts between three to five minutes. It doesn’t sound long but

• ‘To women, I say it gives you so much confidence. Looking back up at a mountain that you’ve just tackled or going for a bike ride in the elements makes you feel strong, capable and like you can do anything.’ • ‘Every time I’ve taken someone out on

For some of us, working out is a part of our daily lives and comes as naturally as taking a shower in the morning. For others, it takes effort to make it a habit. However, more people are now leading active lives. Research provided by fitness app Fre

It can be intimidating to see perfectly posed fitness models on social media. With other women looking great and seemingly glowing with energy, it can affect our own confidence levels. A survey conducted by Dove in 2016, which interviewed 10,500 wom

Amy Hatch is a 37-year-old Creative Director & Stylist from London, who runs her own wedding stylist business, The Timeless Stylist (thetimelessstylist.co.uk). She admits she has struggled with body image for most of her life… ‘How I feel about my

Astrong back not only looks good, but also allows you to perform normal daily tasks with ease and protects you against injuries. The lower back supports your posture and the upper back provides a foundation for the shoulder girdle, as well as support

The lowdown: One of the first yoga balances you learn, tree pose strengthens your ankles, calves, thighs and spine. It stretches your inner thighs, groin and chest, and improves your physical balance. By teaching you to become more grounded, it also

Working out for short blocks of time can be a good thing, as it will make you more focused and dedicated to your session and you’ll be less likely to suffer from distractions. If you really focus, you can get more done in less time. This workout has

The forested mountains around Loch Ness, the UK’s most voluminous lake, will take your breath away for all the right reasons, especially if you enter the Etape Loch Ness, a 66-mile (106km) cyclosportive held on fully closed roads. The traffic-free, l

Now is the perfect time to pick up a ski-holiday bargain. Many resorts have dropped their prices due to the impact of the pandemic and the warmer winters are more welcoming than ever, especially to beginners and improvers. An all-in-one activity, sk

Like all sports, ski fitness has its own special requirements. To avoid serious pain after your first day on the slopes, work on your core, lower back and leg muscles before you hit the slopes. You might want to have some lessons on a dry ski slope

While trail running can be tougher and slower going than pavement pounding, your reward for the added effort is invariably a greater sense of excitement and escapism. Away from the traffic and the crowds, off-road outings are the perfect opportunity

Your current road or gym shoes are unlikely to cut it on the trails – particularly on hilly, muddy or rocky terrain. Ensure you have the right footwear to keep you secure, with the right grip for the right surface. 'Give yourself time to develop yo

Whether you’re a road cyclist or a mountain biker, riding a ‘fat bike’ for the first time will inject an exhilarating burst of fun into your two-wheeled adventures. These eye-catching off-road machines are fitted with giant tyres around 4.5 inches wi

'I advise people to begin by renting a bike in a fat biking centre, or attending a demo event,' says fat bike rider Gilles Morneau, who has written a book about the sport. 'That way you can see if it’s suitable for you before you spend a lot of money

Perfect both on- and off-road, and when the weather is more foul than fair, this waterproof cap does the job on a fat bike. It can be worn under your helmet, both up and down, and provides an ideal rain or snow shield for your head and face as you tr

One of the simplest and most effective ways of maintaining good immune function is to ensure sleep doesn’t become a low priority. During good quality sleep, we benefit from immune cells doing important patrolling work, to keep pathogens (viruses, bac

Want to lose weight? Try to steer clear of processed foods. Scientists have found that eating highly processed foods can make us gain weight in as little as two weeks. A spokesman for The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseas

Come Saturdays you’ll always find Helen Lewis on the hockey pitch. The university research director relishes the intense 75-minute run around, as well as the training sessions. After years of struggling with her weight, Helen has managed to lose five

Breakfast is supposed to be the most important meal of the day, and for some who have lost weight, it remains a constant in helping them stay slim. A 2016 US study found that it has a small but robust advantage for memory function, while a spokeswoma

Whether you’re a regular at the gym or fairly new to fitness, you’ll want to get the most out of your workout. But advice on what to eat before a workout varies tremendously, with some people preferring fasted workouts while others stress about the e

If you are working out first thing in the morning, you’re unlikely to have time to digest food prior to training. For early morning workouts, many people prefer fasted training. However, if you do feel a little sluggish, having a coffee or a liquid s

Q I’ve just been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I’m exercising, but is it OK to eat carbs or should I aim to cut them out as much as possible? Some people with Type 2 diabetes swear by a low-carb diet and achieve better blood glucose control this

Can’t get to sleep? Or maybe you’ve found you don’t sleep so well since the pandemic started. According to a new European healthy study from global healthcare group Thornton & Ross, some 70 per cent of Brits have suffered from insomnia at some point

Multiple surveys during lockdown showed that people in the UK were drinking more alcohol due to stress, boredom and anxiety. While some people have been able to cut back since lockdown restrictions have eased, others have found that their increased d

• Switch to low-alcohol or alcohol-free drinks. There are a wide range of tasty alternatives, such as low-alcohol wine or lager and ‘clean gin’. • Alternate your alcoholic drinks with soft drinks. • Use a smaller glass. Switch your 250ml wine glass f

Ever fancied being pulled by a kite at scary-as-hell speeds? Let’s be honest, kitesurfing can seem a little terrifying at times, so it’s easy to assume that it will elevate your anxiety levels. But it can do the exact opposite, says pro kitesurfer an

Women’s Fitness Editor Christina Neal never considered herself to be a risk-taker, until she stepped out of her comfort zone completely by learning to ride a motorbike. Six months later, she was the proud owner of a shiny new Harley… ‘I found ridin

Sticking to the same discipline can kill motivation and stall progress. ‘If you love running or cycling, combining it with weights and yoga can also really help your overall fitness. It also increases performance by strengthening your muscles,’ expla