Women's Fitness

Thank you for the inspiring interview with Lucy Mecklenburgh and her PT Cecilia Harris, ‘I’ll get you beach body happy!’ (July issue). It’s so motivating to see two women of different ages looking equally glowing with health and fitness. Lucy and Cec

If you love running and enjoy the odd glass of vino, you may like the Bacchus Marathon & Half Marathon, with a new 10K option this year. Grab your fancy dress and friends, and head to Denbies Wine Estate, Dorking, Surrey, on Sunday September 8. You’l

As an early bird, I’m always up by 7am. After a good cup of coffee, I exercise, often doing a 40-minute Zwift workout on my turbo trainer at home. It’s harder when I’m on location, but I always feel better for training. I’m away with work for a third

Big day ahead? Start your morning with a bout of HIIT to boost mental performance later. An Australian study reveals that a short session of high-intensity exercise first thing improves cognitive performance and decision-making. The Brain Breaks stud

Tempted to splash out on the latest anti-ageing elixir? Are your shelves packed with supplements that promise to ease aches and pains? You’re not the only one. According to data, British women spend £70,294 on their appearance in their lifetime. And

Benefits: Inner thighs, glutes, shoulders, chest and arms. Reps: 30 Stand with your feet together and hold a resistance band with both hands, arms extended overhead (A). Step your feet wider than hip-distance apart, toes turned out and bend your knee

Forget improving your memory or staving off cognitive decline, the latest brain training game targets a part of your brain that inhibits impulses, shows a study, published in the Journal of Behavioural Medicine. Scientists developed a game in which p

Are you keen to try a low-carb diet but not sure where to start? Whether you want to lose weight or boost your gym results, cutting down on refined carbohydrates can help you meet your goals. But, to get the best results, it’s important to do it as p

Having a weekly treat day, or just a simple 24 hours off, now and then, is a common strategy slimmers use to stay motivated on restrictive diet plans. But while this can often work well to keep you on track, recent research suggests it may not be the

Big Brother winner Josie Gibson lost two stone and went from a size 18 to a size 12 following the birth of her baby boy, by using Musclefood’s Do The Unthinkable (DTU) diet and exercise programme. The plan aims to transform your body and lifestyle in

The contraceptive Pill usually hits the headlines due to health scares, but new research has linked it to a lower risk of knee injuries. A team from Brown University, US, compared anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in 82,874 women aged 15 to 4

Many years ago, I went to hear the inspirational Maya Angelou speak. She walked on stage without saying a word and sang one of her poems in a rich and resonant voice that exuded wisdom, authority, compassion and humour, bringing goose bumps to my arm

1. Anastasia Beverly Hills Shimmer Body Oil, £39 for 45ml; selfridges.com Give your skin a sun-kissed glow with this superfine mist blending sweet almond and jojoba seed oil with a coconut and vanilla scent. 2. Saint Iris Adriatica Everybody Vita

It’s a sunny spring morning when we catch up with Dame Jessica Ennis Hill to hear all about her latest project – an exciting new fitness app and website for busy women, called jennis. Last time we met Jessica, three years ago, the heptathlete was at

How do you start your day? Do you spring out of bed, raring to go for a run? Or do you groggily hit the snooze button, ending up late to work for the sake of a few extra minutes in bed? If it’s the latter, you’re missing out on what many wellbeing ex

What does your ideal day look like? Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Now imagine waking up to your ideal morning. What does it feel like? Where are you? Imagine what it looks like as the morning light enters through the window. Do the curtains fl

You’ve worked hard all year, saved your money and the holiday you booked months ago is finally in sight. If all goes to plan, it’ll be a time to relax, spend time with friends or family or meet new people. You might want an active break, or time to w

• A.Vogel Stress Relief Daytime , £10.50 for 50ml, health stores and pharmacies. A herbal tincture of fresh valerian and hops, proven to help relieve stress. It works by increasing levels of calming neurotransmitters, allowing you to relax and enjoy

You’ve worked hard for your fabulous bikini body, so why let all your training go to waste once you arrive at your sunshine destination? ‘Exercise should be a part of your lifestyle, so you shouldn’t stop working out just because you’re on holiday,’

As you drag yourself out of bed early to do laps of the local pool, it may provide comfort to know that swimming doesn’t only benefit your body – a bank of science shows it also boosts mental health. In fact, a 2018 YouGov poll, commissioned by Swim

Remember the excitement of seeing the sea for the first time as a child? For most of us, that thrill never goes away. From the exhilaration of playing in the surf to the soothing sound of the waves, there’s nothing like being beside the sea to lift y

I’m hanging onto the edge of my dinghy in a choppy Greek sea, desperately trying to climb back in but, try as I might, I can’t lift myself out of the water. I’d jumped into the sea as soon as the boat lurched to the point of no return, terrified of g

‘Hiking around Jezzine, an impressive waterfall cuts through the centre of the town, spilling down into the lush valley below. I walk through thick pine forests and across meadows strewn with purple irises, pink orchids, red poppies and white geraniu

Tiffiny Hall might just change your life. A PT, Australian TV personality and founder of health and fitness program TIFFXO, she shot to fame when she became the main expert trainer on hit Australian show The Biggest Loser, and is now the HIIT/HIRT an

Begin by standing with your feet together, and holding the dumbbells by your sides. Bend your knees and lean your body forward to approximately a 30-degree angle. Raise the dumbbells so your upper arms and elbows are in line with your body, and your

This move is not only tough on your arms, core and shoulders, but it will stretch your hamstrings and give you instant relief from the physical and mental tension that builds up from long hours of sitting or standing. Turning your body upside down an

QI recently had a baby and am keen to return to running as soon as I can. What guidelines should I follow? A Never will your body have changed so quickly and worked so hard as it does during pregnancy and childbirth. It takes time to grow a baby and