Women's Fitness

A lot of the time I find my fitness training is doing me good, but it’s not helping me to lose weight… That is why I was so pleased to read Get Fit and Burn Fat (March issue) to help me with this problem. I’m looking to improve my overall health and

There are many reasons to start an exercise plan, from boosting energy levels to losing pesky pounds, but if you’ve been working towards a body-sculpting goal, you may find that at some point your results start to stagnate. The experts call this ‘hit

When you’re putting in the miles, you need clothing that will keep you feeling comfy, dry and chafe-free every step of the way. Enter New Balance’s Q Speed Fuel Collection, with every piece designed to give you total confidence. We love this sleek Q

‘Being a Parkour athlete is like being a skateboarder: you get better by going out and practising. That said, I’m 31 and I’ve had a few injuries, so now I look after my body with a strength and cardio regime that 90 per cent of freerunners wouldn’t c

• ‘I find freerunning to be very empowering. I’m a naturally introverted person but Parkour has really helped build my confidence. It’s also very liberating because there are so few rules.’ • ‘It’s satisfying to find challenges and work on them – som

We all know that exercise is good for our mental health but new research shows a strong link between low physical fitness and the risk of depression, anxiety or both. The study, published in the journal BMC Medicine, assessed data from more than 150,

With warmer weather on the horizon, working out from your garden is a great way to stay fit and well. In fact, looking out into the garden as you work or make your morning coffee is a permanent reminder that you can get active outside without a gym.

When did you start personal training? Have you always been fit? ‘I’ve always been active. In school, I was one of the fittest in my whole year and I loved activities such as long jump, hurdles and distance running. But I got into personal training w

Been banging out regular runs in the hope of losing a bit of jiggle around your middle? Well done on your commitment. But if the fat’s not dropping off as fast as you’d hoped, try strength training, too. Why? ‘While cardiovascular exercise helps the

Jennie Brown’s barre classes in her garden studio have gone international since the pandemic hit ‘I qualified as a PT after the birth of my first child 12 years ago and quickly focused on pre- and postnatal fitness. As my life has progressed, so has

Recently, I discovered a quote that spoke volumes to me: ‘Motivation is what gets you started; habit is what keeps you going’. It conveys why it’s been so hard for so many of us to truly attack an exercise goal during the recent lockdowns – because w

In recent times, running has been a comfort for many of us. Figures from Sport England show that the number of Brits running outside increased by 731,000 during the first lockdown, while data from Asics’ Runkeeper app revealed a 44 per cent rise in m

‘Invest in a decent pair of trainers to support your running gait and the high-impact nature of the sport,’ says Rumble. Try having an online or in-store gait analysis to map your running style to your footwear. It’s no wonder so many of us started r

Ever since Eliud Kipchoge broke the two-hour marathon barrier in October 2019 wearing a prototype of Nike’s Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% – a trainer built with carbon fibre plates to boost stability and propulsion – the race to create the fastest running

Music and podcasts are set to be replaced by audio workouts as the new in-ear running buddy of choice. Check out platforms such as Auro (auro.fit) and WithU (withutraining.com) for guided running sessions and training plans led by motivational coache

Want to follow a training regime that teams running workouts with resistance sessions? Beachbody Super Trainer, Idalis Velazquez (beachbodyondemand.com) has you covered with strength workouts and interval runs that will push you to the next level, wh

It’s a no-brainer that you need to rehydrate after a workout, especially if you’ve left a little pool of sweat on the floor. But are you drinking enough? Not according to the latest data from hydration powder company Vidrate (vidrate.co.uk), which sh

Since our lives slowed down with ongoing lockdown restrictions, the spotlight has been on our diet and fitness routines – and many of us are feeling more pressure than ever to be the ideal weight. Maybe you’ve jumped on the fad diet bandwagon, or per

1 Master a meal that you absolutely love and know you can cook any time, anywhere; a meal you don’t really have to think about and could essentially make in your sleep. 2 Decide upon a selection of 3-2-1 meals that you know you can fall back on. Min

Whether you don’t have time to cook or don’t like doing the dishes, one-pan recipes have a lot to offer – so much so that medical doctor and bestselling author Dr Rupy Aujla, of Doctor’s Kitchen, says they’re the solution to your healthy eating woes.

There are no quick fixes when it comes to fat loss. While exercise burns calories, and the right type of exercise will also promote muscle growth and fat burn, it won’t specifically burn fat from any particular area. And when it comes to tackling wei

BREAKFAST: 4 small Heck chicken or veggie sausages (or similar) with grilled tomatoes and mushrooms LUNCH: 150g canned tuna or salmon with a large colourful salad, 1 tbsp mayo and a drizzle of lemon juice DINNER: Turkey chilli: Cook 150g turkey min

If you want a greater feel-good factor, head to a green space without your phone. That’s the latest advice from Anglia Ruskin University, which reports that more time spent outdoors and switching off devices was associated with a higher level of happ

Whether it’s burpees in the bedroom or conference calls in the kitchen, the yo-yo closure of gyms and offices during the pandemic means we’re all spending more time working and exercising at home. Which might explain why more than one-third of Brits

What does your ideal morning look like? An energising workout or calming yoga flow followed by a healthy breakfast that sets you up for the day? Or perhaps you like to meditate, reflect on the week ahead and set your intentions? The pandemic has chan

• Increase oxygen to the brain with a quick downward dog or headstand. • Focus your energy with an affirmation, such as ‘I listen to my body and give it what it needs’. Repeat three times. • List three things that you feel grateful for, then, if ap

When you’re stretching out tense muscles, chances are you’re either warming up, working on your flexibility or trying to reduce the risk of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), but the benefits of stretching go far beyond prepping for a tough workou

To enhance the calming benefits of stretching, try incorporating breathing techniques into your stretch workouts. ‘The vagus nerve runs down through the respiratory diaphragm, so engaging in slow deep breathing – and making your exhale longer than yo

Calm anxiety and boost resilience with these moves based on yin yoga, which focuses on stretching tissues that are often neglected in normal stretch routines, such as tendons, ligaments and fascia. The poses in this sequence will open your back, shou

Personal trainer Lisa Lanceford (@Lisafiitt), founder of the Strong and Sxy app (strongandsxy.com), launched her Instagram page to document her fitness journey. Today, she has more than 2.3 million followers. ‘It feels really rewarding to be able to

• Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands either on your hips or clasped in front of your chest. • Take a large step back with your right foot, landing on the ball of the foot and keeping your heel off the ground. Bend both knee

Want perfect posture, a reduced risk of back pain and other injuries, plus greater strength for daily living? Look no further than core training. While, of course, core exercises will help you to sculpt coveted flat abs, working the core muscle group

Studio or no studio, this ballet-inspired circuit will improve your posture while burning a tonne of calories, combining elements of Pilates, yoga and traditional fitness to streamline your body. The workout, designed by Rhea Sheedy, founder of Balle

The humble running bra has come a long way since its 1979 beginning, when it was simply two jockstraps sewn together and known as the ‘Jockbra’. Understated? Sure, but for women sprinting sans support it was a performance-enhancing revelation. Fast f

A smart watch is a great way to monitor all aspects of keeping fit, from how many steps you take each day, to your resting heart rate (the lower, the better) and how much faster you’re running a 5K. We love the new Suunto 3 (£199; suunto.com), which