BESTFIT Magazine Issue 44

#44

REWIND YOUR BODY CLOCK

+ WHAT.

WHY. WHEN.

10 TIPS TO MAKE YOU LOOK/FEEL YOUNGER

FUEL UP AND CHOW DOWN BEFORE/AFTER YOUR WORKOUT

BOND IS BACK!

DANIEL CRAIG IS 007 ONE LAST TIME

N I G N SPRI YOU PGRADE U O T S Y 5 WA

P E T S YOUR

W! IGHT NO R . ..

G IN LBE AND WEL H T L A E H R

PLUS! BEN COOMBER | MARK LAWS | KURTIS STACEY | YOGA | NUTRITION | WORKOUTS | RECIPES | TRANSFORMATION | BESTFIT TV | AIMEE FULLER

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WELCOME

CONTENTS

Blue skies are a great motivator when it comes to health and fitness. Lighter evenings and mornings, too.. just makes you want to get outside, or dragging your ass to the gym that little bit easier.

So, this issue is all about seizing the moment and doing what you can to achieve the best version of yourself. From five tweaks to make the most of spring, to the reasons you might not be making the gains you want, or how to rewind your body clock with 10 simple life hacks, we’re hoping that by making little changes with our help, you’ll be feeling fitter and healthier in no time.

Then there’s our exclusive interview with Daniel Craig. We’ve probably all dreamed of being Bond at some stage, but he’s actually been able to live the dream. It hasn’t come without hard work though; read what’s involved with playing 007.

And if you’re after further motivation this month, follow Ruth Garbutt’s transformation. She’s more than halfway through now and she’s feeling great, and also in need of a new wardrobe.

You can also follow her updates every week on BESTFIT TV. There are still a few episodes of series 2 to go, so don’t miss it!

What else you gonna do on a Monday night!

Enjoy the mag, and the TV series.

DANIEL CRAIG

It’s time for the latest incumbent to play Bond one more time, which means hitting the gym

LATEST HEALTH & FITNESS NEWS PUT A SPRING IN YOUR STEP THE MOTOR RACING WORKOUT RECIPES OF THE MONTH ZACHARY LEVI WHAT TO EAT AND WHEN

W www.bestfitmagazine.co.uk @bestfitmagazine

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EDITOR

AIMEE FULLER REWIND YOUR BODY CLOCK

nick@bestfitmagazine.co.uk

MARKETING mike@bestfitmagazine.co.uk

DISTRIBUTION info@bestfitmagazine.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS Andy Thompson (design), Will Hughes (sub), Ben Coomber, Jess Davies, Richard Edwards, RF123, Mark Laws, Alexandra Legouix, The Lean Machines, Leigh Purves, Claire Bloomfield, Rex Images, Shutterstock, Kurtis Stacey

TEL 0113 322 4400

BESTFIT is published in the UK by BESTFIT Media.

Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. While every endeavour has been made to maintain accuracy in the magazine, BestFit can take no responsibility for errors. All opinions expressed are the opinions of the writer expressing them, where stated.

TRANSFORMATION: PT 2 Ruth Garbutt crosses halfway in her 10-week transformation, and she’s feeling the benefits

NEWS

MEAL PREP LIKE A PRO

On Sundays, we do anything we can to forget that Monday is around the corner. However, according to a recent study, more of us are now choosing to meal prep. A survey of 1,009 UK adults by AppliancesDirect. co.uk revealed that more than half (56%) of Brits will spend time to prepare their meals for the week ahead. Why? To save ourselves on average around £27 and three hours’ worth of time each week. Not too shabby, especially if you tally that up over the year. The study also showed that about a third of us choose to meal prep as a way to eat healthier during the week, to help us reach our fitness goals. If that isn’t enough to convince you, 19% of respondents also suggested meal prep helped them waste less food. Every little helps!

Brits save ourselves on average around £27 and three hours’ worth of time each money by prepping meals.

THE PERFECT WORKOUT

PLAYLIST

WORKING MUMS

STRESSED OUT

Working parents are the ultimate multitaskers, juggling career success with the most important job of all – parenthood.

So why are mums so much more stressed out than dads? According to new research, working mums are 18% more stressed than other people. If you’re a mum with two little ones, you’re more likely to be 40% more stressed than others. So how can we reduce the stress and help mums out? Charlie Rosier, co-founder of Cuckooz Nest – a London based, flexible workspace with an integrated crèche – suggests companies must invest in things like subsidised childcare, alongside flexible working. We couldn’t agree more.

If you’re a mum with two little ones, you’re likely to be 40% more stressed than others.

Have you got to the gym and realised your headphones are at home, and felt like your world was ending? Yeah, us too. Music can make or break your workout, and can be the motivation you need to work out at all. A recent study by MINDBODY revealed that 25% of us use ‘general lack of motivation’ as the main reason we might not hit our fitness goals this year, so music is important. Making the right playlist can be a nightmare, though. If you’re looking for energetic, pumpinducing beats, why not try Pinnacles by Four Tet, Freaks by Timmy Trumpet, Run Boy Run by Woodkid or Play by Jaz Jones.

Other good additions include Losing It by Fisher, Differentology

by Bunji Garlin and Old Friend by Elderbrook. You’re welcome!

MINDBODY revealed that 25% of us use ‘general lack of motivation’ as the main reason we might not hit our fitness goals this year.

SEPARATE WORKOUTS

We’re certainly not a nation of hopeless romantics, especially when we work out. A new study from MoneySavingHeroes.co.uk discovered that two thirds (66%) of us don’t want to use the same gym as our partner. When asked why, 61% said they felt too self-conscious to work out in front of our other half. Even more disheartening perhaps, is that 40% admitted they went to a separate gym so they could check out other people without worrying about their partner catching them. Overall, most of those who responded to the survey agreed that the gym was a great place to meet new people, with 34% even suggesting people could meet potential love interests. We won’t suggest trying to find a new partner at the gym, but having a few pals to work out with makes sticking to your fitness plans a lot easier.

61% of us said they felt too self-conscious to work out in front of our other half.

RUN ON AN INCLINE

We’re not all built to run. If flat-running doesn’t interest you, have you considered running on an incline? We spoke to Fight City Gym to find out why it needs to be part of our routine. A big reason for us is building strength – running uphill changes the behaviour of muscle engagement, and needs a lot of strength to maintain. The more you do it, the stronger you get. You’ll also get faster, by developing the explosive power in your leg muscles. High-speed interval sprints are perfect for this. Added bonuses include burning more calories, and reducing your risk of injury – increasing treadmill incline by 3% reduces the impact on your legs by 24%. And finally, incline running lets you workout for less time, because you get twice the benefits than flat-running offers.

We’re in!

Increasing treadmill incline by 3% reduces the impact on your legs by 24%

SHORT-LIVED LUNCH BREAKS

FLY RIGHT

We love going on holiday, but we hate flying. What makes it worse are all the potential risks to our health. Blood flow can be restricted causing Deep Vein Thombosis, and our blood can absorb less oxygen leaving us with headaches, sleepiness and anxiety. How can we tackle this? Simply by moving our body. FRAME fitness shared with us their top tips on making the best use of your time and space. Before you make a bee-line for the bar, try doing a few laps of the terminal before you fly. Stretching is also a must, so find a seat and do some seated hip-openers, seated twists and even a meditative seated savasana. The most important thing to remember? Stay hydrated – the cabin environment can be up to three-times dryer than the Sahara desert, meaning caffeine and alcohol and probably off the menu too.

Happy travelling!

In Britain, we see ourselves as hard workers, whether our job is labour-intensive or desk-based. But recently we’ve been taking this too literally. A study by Sodexo and UKActive found the average lunch break has fallen to just 22 minutes, with one in five employees not leaving their desk at all during lunchtime. When asked why, people blamed their workload and the uninspiring lunch options available to them. If you’re vegan, there are typically even less tasty options for lunch time.

Thankfully, the team at Itsu have been working on their vegan offering. Their newest bento box includes edamame beans, avocado, rainbow veggies and sushi rice, meaning you get everything you need to avoid the 3pm slump and power on until home time. Who said being vegan had to be hard?

WE’VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU

DANIEL CRAIG, SET TO BE BOND FOR ONE LAST TIME LATER THIS YEAR, TALKS TO BESTFIT’S PAUL DARGAN ABOUT BULKING UP, PIGGING OUT, AND HIS FAVOURITE BOND MOVIE…

It is hard to separate Daniel Craig from his alter-ego James Bond. Both possess a steely, buttoned-up charm, and neither lets his guard down for a second. The epitome of discretion, Craig exemplifies Bond’s stoic approach to pain and, crucially, loves a Martini or two. “If you can find a good one – there’s nothing better. I know how to make a good one from working in bars years ago. I’m quite particular.”

The actor has finally agreed to don his tux for the fifth and final time in the 25th Bond film. It’s a final farewell for the actor who, despite not being the obvious choice to take the baton from Pierce Brosnan back in 2006, defied critics with his rather cruel, cold-blooded portrayal of the iconic spy, who made his opening bow in Casino Royale.

Stepping into 007’s shoes also made Daniel Craig an overnight pin-up. He grimaces, recalling the famous Ursula Andress-inspired beach scene. “I’m not going to put those trunks on ever again!”

How has the Bond journey been?

I have thoroughly enjoyed it. As a child I imagined being James Bond but when I was offered it I was against it at first. Some of my friends told me I’d never be able to do anything else. What if I wanted to go off and do Gay Bikers on Acid – how would Sony feel about that?

Yes, it may take away some of my ambition and directors may think twice about employing me. But it also has benefits.

A director may want to do a smaller film that has trouble getting financing – I might be able to make up that deficit.

If you’re not in this game for doing something like Bond, then what are you in the game for? If an opportunity doesn’t arise to become famous, wealthy and successful, then why are you doing it? If you’re going to take on Bond, you’ve got to be able to enjoy the ride.

What training schedules have you been through during your time as Bond?

Well, I had strangely developed this sex symbol status, for a start, and it wasn’t something I was going for at all. I had to get fit to be able to do stunts. When Bond takes his shirt off, it should look like he could kill someone, not that he’s been out in the pub for the last two months!

For example, in my preparation for Casino Royale, I bulked up quickly, to make Bond look like he’s just dropped out of the army. So that meant that I got myself a personal trainer and that, in turn, involved lifting a lot of weights, and a lot of high-protein diets.

But for the next movie after that Quantum of Solace, the emphasis was on fitness. I had an awful lot of physical activity to do, and I had to get myself fit in a more cardiovascular way. Each movie has had a different ambition and look, and I have to fit that too.

It’s an incredibly physical role, so do you need a different mindset for that role more than others?

There aren’t that many roles I’ve taken where I didn’t feel the need to really step it up physically. Perhaps it’s just

something you do as an actor because you want to look your best on screen, but generally speaking, whether it’s a physical role or not, I will always begin a pretty intensive gym programme.

I think the other reality of entering a long period of work, such as a film project, is you need to be at your peak in terms of strength, energy and athleticism. Shooting can entail long days and sometimes that extra bit of bite at the end of a long stretch can make all the difference to the final cut.

Bond has always been something incredibly physical in my mind. Sean Connery’s movies were dynamic and almost balletic in the way the violence and the action was done. When I first got Bond, I wanted to be involved with that on every level. It’s crucially important to have that; it’s what people want to go to the movies to watch.

The most intensive bulking up I did was probably for Casino Royale. The idea with that was that Bond had just

dropped out of the army, both in terms of physical guile and the mental approach he took to things. So I was really hitting it with the PT, doing bits by myself, including lots of running for core stamina, plus free weights, stretching programmes, swimming and, of course, a pretty strict high-protein diet. I have to say it was worth it in the end, but it was a lot of hard work.

I think that routine prepared me for those I did afterwards. On each Bond since I have fallen back into the same sort of mindset. To play Bond these days you have to be at your physical peak – it’s just the way the character is perceived. That’s very different to some of those who have played Bond in the past.

My gym mentality is to accept it and move on. Of course, I crave the buzz like everyone else, but I only get that at the end. For the time I am there going through the process I am thinking about the next thing. I think that’s the way I’ve learned to deal with the physical pain of working out – to lose myself in something else, ultimately.

The Bond movies are known for their stunning locations and death-defying stunts, amongst other things. What drives the writing of each film behind the scenes?

It’s the story. Any of the big set pieces in Bond, they evolve and you kind of have to trust that will because you have got to get the story right. If the story doesn’t hold together and it doesn’t have any proper through-line, then you can have the best stunt sequences in the world, but it’s not going to make much difference.

That’s where most of the hard work is done, at the beginning. Then the creatives are brought in and that’s the production designers who are just as important as the stunt coordinator and the special effects guys.

They are there to say: ‘What can we do? How can we top the last one? How can we top any action movie that is out there at the moment?’ There always seems to be so many mountains to climb, but those people are brilliant… you kind of wind them up and off they go.

You also are afraid of heights; how does that work with some of the aforementioned stunts?

I still get nervous and wound up, but I have a less of a problem now than I did. I look down now. They always say don’t look down, but what’s the point of being up there if you don’t look down?

How do you keep making Bond fresh?

When the James Bond franchise began, this was the only movie of its type out and now every year there are about 15 movies. But that just means that it’s a competitive industry and a competitive movie industry is certainly a healthy one.

Movies are being made and they trickle down, then you can make the smaller movies and I know that it doesn’t always work like that. But it is good to be in a little competition and it’s good to have a situation where we are making the best movies that we can.

What’s your favourite Bond movie?

It’s none of mine! [Laughs]. Mine would have to be From Russia with Love, particularly because it’s with Robert Shaw. He plays the Bond villain Red Grant and he’s blonde! You know, the blond thing…

How do you relax away from film?

I’ve never been one of those suffering, artistic types. But once during filming, I had one night a week where I drank myself stupid; otherwise I don’t think I could have got through it. I had to separate myself from the movie at least once a week and eat anything, cream cakes, just pig out.

New Carb Killa range

REVIEWS

The iconic Carb Killa® bar now comes in two new flavours, Salted Peanut and Dark Chocolate & Raspberry. High in protein and low in sugar, they offer guilt-free indulgence and are perfect for a post-workout pick me up, a midday treat or an on-the-go-snack. £29.98 for 12 bars www.grenade.com/uk

FEATURED

Timberland NBA Collection Whether you’re a US national, a diehard basketball fan or just someone that loves sporting rivalry, the new collection from Timberland will have you jumping. The new series includes four totally unique designs, all with the same high-quality features you’d expect from any Timberland classic. Choose either the Philadelphia 76ers field boot, the Houston Rockets 6-inch boot or the New York Knicks 6-inch boot. If you just appreciate the rivalry, go for the 6-inch boot with the East vs West team logo. All boots are made to be waterproof, but each comes with a custom fit for ultimate comfort. The 6-inchers feature leather linings, padded collars and rustproof hardware. The field boot comes with Primaloft insulation, anti-fatigue footbeds and rubber lug outsoles. Either way, your feet will thank you, and your fellow NBA fans will envy you.

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Rejuvenation water The world’s first Amino Acid water, Rejuvenation Water contains glutamine, an amino acid that helps to speed up your recovery process and fuel your white blood cells to protect against illness. The glutamine can also provide a calming effect to the nervous system, so reduce levels of depression, anxiety and irritability. Also, when drank before and after alcohol, Rejuvenation Water can aid your sleep and recovery. It’s available in three delicious flavours: Apple & Mint, Spanish Orange and Ginger & Lime. www.rejuvenationwater.co.uk

SMART Peak Flow An intelligent new way to know what’s happening with your Asthma at anytime. This peak flow meter sends data to the smartphone app using sensor technology, allowing you to keep an asthma diary.

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Oatein

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Low sugar, high protein bars made using home-baked classic flavours and packed with an essential blend of proteins, including whey and soy. They also include slow-release carbohydrates for that perfect pre- or postworkout snack. Flavours include Chocolate PB, Cherry Bakewell and Strawberry Cheesecake. £14.95 (10 bars) www.oatein.com

The pinnacle of indoor bike training, the Tacx NEO Smart offers immersive features like Road feel, Dynamic Inertia and Descent simulation, plus a new direct drive that also features Pedal stroke analysis. It is without question the most silent, realistic and accurate bike trainer available.

From £1,199 www.amazon.co.uk

Thriva An at-home finger-prick blood test that allows you to take health tracking to a new level. This personalised testing kit can catch any small issues before they become big problems. You can expect results within 48 hours, personalised online reports and evidence-based advice.

From £24 www.thriva.com

Mio Liquid Yoga spray MEN-U Wash A high-performance, ultraconcentrate facial wash product that uses only the finest active ingredients as recommended and used by the top professional salons.

The high concentration means a little goes a long way, reducing waste and plastic. £9.95 – £10.95 www.men-u.com

FEATURED

Genius Craft Lager

In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a craft beer revolution taking over the UK. In every city, and most towns, you’ll come across at least one crafty brewed beverage that tastes weird and wonderful, but sits heavy on your stomach. There’s no shortage of calories in craft beer, which led to the creation of Genius Craft Lager. With only 3% alcohol and 72 calories, you can enjoy more than a couple before things get a little wobbly.

Crafted from the finest pilsner malts and Styrian Golding hops, Genius is matured with Australian Galaxy and Ella hops for a subtle citrus aroma. If all of that confuses you, trust us when we say it tastes delicious. Each can has less than one unit of alcohol, and less calories than an apple, although you can’t count it towards your five-aday. This is smart drinking at its finest.

Price: £1.90 per can / £22.80 12 cans www.geniusbrewing.com

Packed with essential oils to calm, de-stress and rebalance, Liquid Yoga can be spritzed on pulse points, the room around you, pillows or yoga mats, for instant zen. It uses lemon to invigorate the senses, cypress to help you to rebalance and Mentha Arvensis for a burst of freshness. It also uses Lavandin to relax and calm.

This relaxing spray is clean too, so free from parabens, petrolatum, colourants, xenoestrogens, PEGs, glycol and phthalates. £19.50 www.mioskincare.co.uk

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SPRING CLEAN YOUR HEALTH RIGHT, PUT YOUR COATS/WELLIES AWAY, IT’S TIME TO SPRING INTO A NEW AND HEALTHIER YOU NOW THAT THE SUNSHINE’S ON ITS WAY. OUR EXPERTS TELL YOU HOW YOU CAN LIVE BETTER WITH SOME SMALL ADJUSTMENTS…

SWITCH UP YOUR WORKOUT The promise of an improvement in the weather should encourage you to take your workout outside, or try something new. “For example, if your 5k runs are going well, consider signing up for a 10k. Working towards a new goal will motivate you to train harder and improve your fitness further. You’ll be surprised at how easy the 5k seems after that!” says nutritionist and fitness instructor Cassandra Barns. As well as this, if you’ve been participating in a HIIT class since the New Year Cassandra explains how to boost this. “HIIT classes and cardio-type exercise such as cycling can be great for your cardiovascular health, and for burning lots of calories, but incorporating weight training or a strength training class into your workouts too can have other benefits. First, it can be better than cardio exercise for boosting metabolism outside your workout, making it the ideal complement to HIIT classes for fat loss or weight control.”

WELCOME YOUTHFUL SPRING SKIN If your skin has felt the effects of a harsh winter you could improve its wellbeing by tweaking what you eat. Dr Marilyn Glenville, the UK’s leading nutritionist and author of Natural Alternatives to Sugar (www.glenvillenutrition.com) explains, “what we eat has an effect on the mechanisms that are associated with the ageing of the body and these benefits will be reflected not only in terms of good health, but also in the condition of the skin. Vitamin C is the most important nutrient, as this vitamin helps in the manufacturing of collagen. So a good intake of fruits and vegetables is important and should be eaten daily. Our skin regenerates every twofour weeks so changes may be seen after this time.”

7 WAYS TO A

HEALTHY HEART Nutritionist Lily Soutter lists seven top tips to help your ticker

1. POLYPHENOLS

Whilst all fruit and veg contains an array of polyphenols, berries contain a high content of anthocyanin, an polyphenol thought to have heart protective effects.

PUT A SPRING IN YOUR STEP WITH SEAWEED Seaweed has multiple health benefits and there are a range of snacks ideal for healthy living. “Seaweed can support your metabolism, where the body uses iodine – a mineral that’s particularly abundant in seaweed, to make thyroid hormones,” says nutritional therapist Fiona Lawson. “As well as influencing growth and cell repair, these important hormones control your metabolism. It can also help your gut, by dry weight; the amount of fibre in seaweed is higher than most fruit and vegetables. Fibre is essential not only for ensuring smooth digestion, but it can also help to feed the good bacteria in your gut. Further to this, seaweed can help to combat stress! Whenever we feel stressed (emotionally or physically), our body uses B vitamins. It’s therefore important that we eat enough B vitamins to support our stress resilience.

Seaweed can help: it contains good amounts of many of the B-complex vitamins, including vitamin B2, vitamin B6 and folate.”

JUMP ON THE CBD TREND CBD (Cannabidiol) products have become increasingly popular and this is set to continue throughout 2019. There are now a number of dietary supplements, beauty products, beverages and even foods, which have incorporated the CBD health benefits. “We’re living in an age of wellness awareness,” says Lawson. “People are both interested in maintaining health, and are more inclined to choose a natural approach – so the popularity of CBD will no doubt increase.”

GET YOUR GUT IN GEAR The gut has been described as the second brain and for good reason – its health can have numerous effects on your overall wellbeing. “Our stomach is made up of good and bad bacteria, called gut flora, which have a controlling influence over many bodily functions, including metabolism and fat reduction,” explains Barns. “However, our lifestyle habits (taking antibiotics, having a diet high in sugar, feeling stressed) can contribute to damaging our gut bacteria, so it’s important to limit the bad bacteria and encourage the good bacteria to grow. Feed the good bacteria with fibrous foods and probiotics, which you can find in fermented foods or support your gut health this spring with a supplement, such as Natures Plus GI Natural Powder (£32.95 www.naturesplus.co.uk).

2. VITAMIN E

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant, which may help to prevent the development of atherosclerosis. Vitamin E-rich foods can also help to minimise blood clots and may play a role in maintaining healthy blood pressure.

3. HIGH-FIBRE FOODS

If you’re suffering with high cholesterol then soluble fibre is just too important to go amiss. Berries such as raspberries come with a whopping 7g fibre per 100g, so add them to your morning porridge or smoothie.

4. VITAMIN C

People who have a higher intake of fruit have been shown to have higher blood levels of vitamin C, which has been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

5. OILY FISH

All fish has been shown to support heart health, however oily fish is extra special as it’s a potent source of omega-3 fats. Consume two portions of fish a week, one of which is oily.

6. POLY AND MONOUNSATURATED FATS

Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats – think olive oil, avocado – can help to maintain levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol and decrease levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol.

7. HERBS AND SPICES

Excess salt within the diet can cause high blood pressure, which increases the risk of stroke. Ditch the table salt and get experimenting in the kitchen with flavoursome herbs and spices!

COLUMNIST YOU’VE BEEN EATING HEALTHILY, WORKING OUT REGULARLY, DRINKING PLENTY OF WATER, STAYING WITHIN YOUR CALORIE LIMIT, BUT STILL DON’T SEEM TO BE LOSING WEIGHT. SOUND FAMILIAR? TERRI-ANN NUNNS MAY KNOW THE ANSWER…

ARE YOU A SECRET EATER?

H

ere are five scenarios that suggest you are a secret eater. If you find yourself agreeing to more than two or three of these, follow my advice to combat them: DO YOU FINISH YOUR CHILDREN’S TEA AND SNACKS IF THEY DON’T? It can be a little annoying to see food go to waste, but eating leftovers still contains calories and could be adding enough to bump you over your daily calorie limit.

If you think about it, the average bag of crisps contains around 200 calories and if your kids decide half way through they no longer want them and you finish them off – that’s an extra 100 calories you’ll be adding and these usually go unaccounted for. If you’re finishing their dinner on top of this – of course it will all add up!

DO YOU HAVE A STASH OF SNACKS JUST FOR YOU THAT ARE HIDDEN FROM YOUR FAMILY? Sometimes we all like to keep a little something to ourselves, but if you find that you’re buying everyday snacks such as biscuits, sweet treats and crisps, and are hiding them from your family without even thinking about it, such as in your car or in your bedside table, or you’re taking a detour on your way home to grab a treat when no one will know – then you could definitely say you’re in the secret eater category!

WHEN YOU’RE BY YOURSELF, DO YOU FIND THAT YOUR PORTION SIZES OR THE AMOUNT YOU EAT INCREASES? Portion control is a huge problem for so many people and often the famous saying applies – our eyes are bigger than our bellies. When we’re with others or when serving up a meal that needs to be split, say four ways, we tend to limit our portion sizes because we simply have to so that everyone gets the same amount or because we don’t want to overindulge in front of others. So the temptation to add extra when we’re alone and can’t be held accountable is real.

DO YOU FIND YOURSELF SNEAKING OFF OR HIDING FROM YOUR CHILDREN TO HAVE A SNACK? We all sometimes feel like we deserve a treat after a long day at work or a stressful morning with the kids, but if your treat means sneaking off and hiding in the bathroom with the door locked whilst you inhale a biscuit or chocolate bar behind your family’s back, something isn’t quite right.

Don’t ever feel guilty for treating yourself, but also don’t keep sneaking off for snacks thinking it doesn’t count if no one knows…

WHEN YOU’RE CHECKING YOUR CHILDREN’S FOOD IS COOL ENOUGH, DO YOU END UP

EATING A SPOONFUL? Of course this is something that needs to be done with young children, but do you ever find yourself sneaking a spoonful of their food instead of just testing it with your tongue? If so and you’re doing this a few times throughout each meal – you could be adding additional calories into your own intake.

TIPS TO COMBAT BEING A SECRET EATER AND KEEP THOSE EXTRA CALORIES AT BAY: • Serve your children smaller portions to start with at meal times and if they want more top up their plates.

• Set aside a ‘spare’ 100/200 calories a day in your daily allowance so you can allow for extra calories that would usually go unaccounted for.

• If your children don’t finish their evening meal, save it for them for tomorrow or freeze it (if safe to do so) instead of eating it yourself.

• Stick to giving your children snacks that are around or under 100 calories, such as a pot of yoghurt or a cereal bar, so that if they don’t finish them you know you’ll be eating a very small amount of calories if you do decide to finish it.

• Stock up on super tasty, but healthy, snacks so that you won’t be tempted to stash away your unhealthy ones – better for you and the family!

• Simply test young children’s food with your tongue – you can tell it’s too hot or just right from doing that.

• Be strict with your portions.

• Keep your snacks in a place that everyone has access to so that you can’t get away with eating them on the sly.

• Remember that everything has calories, even an extra spoonful, so try to be mindful when you’re eating.

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RACINGFIT!

MOTOR RACING DRIVERS ARE AMONG SOME OF THE FITTEST ATHLETES ON THE PLANET, WHICH IS WHY WE ASKED RISING STAR SEB MORRIS TO SHOW US HOW TO GET A BODY FOR ANY CIRCUIT You need to be extremely fit to be a motor racing driver, a well-rounded athlete. And if you’re into endurance racing, like Seb Morris, which can involve driving in races that last anywhere between six and 24 hours, then you have to be at the top of your game mentally and physically. Racing in a high-intensity environment for several hours can take its toll on mind and body, particularly when you consider you’re working under considerable G-Forces.

“I’ve spent a lot of the last year bulking up,” explains Morris. “Previously I used to do a lot of cardio work, but I was finding that after an hour I was getting muscle

fatigue. I’ve put on 10kg in that time and I feel better for it. It means that I’ve got more fat stores during the race.

We have to be careful, though, because like jockeys, we have to be careful how much we weigh.

“The workout I’ve created provides us with strength without putting on too much weight, and also takes into consideration the position that drivers are when they’re racing. Often our feet are raised and we’re turning while activating the core. Our upper bodies tend to be quite hunched and front loaded, which is why you’ll see both pushing and pulling exercises; the idea being that it should help you reset your posture.”

JAMMER PRESS

Sets 5 Reps 10 This focuses on explosive power. Weight gain is a critical factor for any racing driver, so we need to get as much strength without putting on too much weight, and this should give us that. Push up from the hips as quickly as you can and then return slowly. This will activate your shoulders, hips and core, three of the most key areas for us.

CLOSE GRIP INVERTED ROW

Sets 5 Reps 10 This is an exercise that will balance out your body and isolate your back muscles, which is good for your overall wellbeing. Get your chest directly underneath the bar and engage your core. Pull yourself up with an explosive movement then take 5 or 6 seconds to return. This isolates your back muscles.

THE PROWLER PUSH

Sets 5 Reps 10 This exercise is very important and works your hamstrings, calves and glutes. When pushing, you want to be on the balls of your feet at all times and take long strides. When we’re braking we hit the brakes at about 140kg of pressure, so this exercise is fantastic endurance for the legs.

AB ROTATION WALL PRO

Sets 5 Reps 10 each side Core is massively important, so we need to get it burning. Get a wall ball and, in a lying position facing a wall, come up and throw the ball against the wall. Rotate with the ball once on either side, then return to lying position, and repeat.

BAND AND NECK EXTENSION

Sets 3 Reps 8 The neck is the most important part of a racing driver’s body, so it’s important we work it hard. However, you should never work this body part alone, so make sure you use a PT to show you correct form. With your hips down, bend forward and lean so that you’re stretching to grip the bar. Engage your core and, taking your time, slowly raise your neck and return. Then, after 5 reps, raise and hold for three seconds, then return.

ABOUT SEB MORRIS Morris was once the youngest ever podium finisher in Ginetta Juniors, and in 2011 he was was awarded the WRDA Welsh Young Driver of the Year award. Since then, he’s gone from strength to strength, driving for Sunoco at the Daytona 24-hour race in Florida in 2016 and winning the British GT Championship a year later, thanks to three wins on tour and setting a lap record at Spa-Francorchamps.

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CHOW DOWN

POWER UP!

YOU’RE WORKING HARD ON YOUR FITNESS BUT ARE YOU EATING THE RIGHTS THINGS AT THE RIGHT TIME? LET BESTFIT POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION…

A

s we begin to turn our attentions to our summer holidays, there’s very little that will get in the way of our workout regime.

Yet what we eat before training (preworkout nutrition) and what we eat after (post-workout nutrition) can have an impact on our training session and our overall progress. Technically, it should be easier than ever to get the food we need

to fuel our habits, for pre- and post-workout meals, shakes and bars are increasingly available. Sales of functional nutrition bars alone have increased by almost 400% since 2010.

But just what should we be eating before and after we get down to business? Sophie Thurner, a registered nutritionist and qualified personal trainer, explains…

POST-WORKOUT PRE-WORKOUT “If you have a meal before you work out, it should consist of carbohydrates, to increase muscle glycogen and allow time to fatigue, and protein, to reduce muscle protein break down when working out.

Whether you have this in liquid form or as a solid meal/snack depends on your personal preference and how much time you have before your workout.

If you have an hour or less, it is advisable to have a shake (sip it, don’t drink it all in one go, otherwise you will run the risk of gastro-intestinal discomfort. If you have more time, you may prefer a meal/snack, ideally to be taken two-three hours prior to the workout.

“There are some supplements that will improve your performance when taken before your session.

The most commonly researched and consumed is coffee; a cup of coffee before your workout or as part of a pre-workout shake can enhance the way our muscles use energy – sparing glycogen reserves – can temporarily increase strength, and speed up recovery post-workout, if taken in combination with carbohydrates as it accelerates the rate of glycogen replenishment (important if you work out frequently).

“Another useful supplement is magnesium; this is involved in many different aspects of muscle function and exercise including energy productions, oxygen uptake, muscle contraction, muscle relaxation and electrolyte balance. Some of us do not get enough magnesium in our diets and low levels may impair physical performances and exercise capacity, and this is associated with muscle damage and cramps.”

“Any food consumed after you’ve worked out should ideally consist of carbohydrates (to replenish muscle glycogen thereby enhancing recovery) and protein (to enhance muscle recovery and muscle protein synthesis post-exercise). Think 20-25g of high-quality protein, which would be sufficient to stimulate maximal protein synthesis; high quality means easily absorbed protein that contains all essential amino acids. Generally speaking, animal-based protein, such as dairy, eggs, meat and fish, covers that more easily, however a vegan protein shake or a meal containing beans, legumes, pulses and wholegrains will get you there too.

“The post-workout meal should ideally be eaten within two hours of the workout; maximal recovery and repair would be achieved if eating within 30-45 minutes of finishing your workout. Having a balanced meal is always preferred.

This is because you take in additional micro-nutrients and other important components. Fibre is essential, not only to feed the good bacteria in your gut, but also to provide roughage to encourage bowel movements. It has also been shown to increase feelings of satiety. A solid meal digests more slowly, meaning it will keep you feeling full for longer, while eating regular solid meals encourages healthy eating patterns; sitting down to have a proper meal has shown results in high meal satisfaction than consuming an on-the-go shake. The act of chewing is part of a well-functioning digestion process and releases important digestive enzymes such as amylase.

“It’s therefore advisable to opt for solid food rather than a shake. If you are unable to have a meal post-workout due to time and convenience, it is possible to wait longer. As long as daily caloric needs are met across the 24-hour day period, your body will get everything it needs to perform as optimally as you can.”

RECIPES

CHAMPION

DINNERS DAME JESSICA ENNIS-HILL HAS TEAMED UP WITH MINDFUL CHEF TO SELECT SOME DELICIOUS RECIPES FOR BUSY MUMS AND DADS AND PARENTS-TO-BE. EACH MEAL PROVIDES GREAT-TASTING FOOD THAT IS NUTRITIONALLY BALANCED. WITH THE AIM OF MAKING HEALTHY EATING EASY IN 2019, EACH DISH HAS NO MORE THAN 10 FRESH INGREDIENTS THAT CAN BE PREPARED EFFORTLESSLY.

METHOD 1. Dice the red onion and roughly chop the coriander.

2. Heat a medium-sized frying pan with 1 tsp oil on a medium heat, add half of the red onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft and slightly coloured. Then add the rice, spinach and half of the coriander, cook for 3 minutes then leave in the pan to keep warm. Season with sea salt and black pepper.

MEXICAN-STYLE STEAK, AVOCADO SALSA & BROWN RICE Our tender flat iron steaks come from heritage breeds of cattle raised in Yorkshire.

They’re seasoned with our signature Mexican spice blend, seared, then served with an avocado relish and generous portion of spinach rice.

INGREDIENTS FOR TWO 2 x 150g flat iron steak, 120g cherry tomatoes, 40g spinach, 1 avocado, 1 lime, 1 red onion, 1 tbsp Mindful Chef Mexican Spice mix, medium handful of fresh coriander, 250g steamed brown, Basmati rice, sea salt & black pepper, coconut oil / olive oil

3. Rub the steaks with the Mexican spice mix, a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Heat a second frying pan with 1 tsp oil on a medium-high heat. Cook the steaks until golden brown, 2-3 minutes each side for medium rare or 4-5 minutes each side for well done. Cover and rest until serving.

4. Meanwhile, to make the avocado salsa; cut the cherry tomatoes into quarters.

Peel and de-stone the avocado, cut into small cubes. In a small bowl mix the tomatoes, avocado, remaining chopped red onion and the remaining chopped coriander, season with sea salt and black pepper. Squeeze over half of the juice from the lime.

5. Thinly slice the steaks. Spoon the rice onto two warm plates, top with the sliced steak and serve the avocado salsa alongside.

RECIPES

RED THAI AUBERGINE & CHICKPEA CURRY This creamy fragrant red Thai curry is simmered with protein-packed chickpeas, soft chunks of aubergine and red pepper, alongside nutty black rice and crispy green beans fried with coconut.

INGREDIENTS FOR TWO 240g chickpeas (drained), 80g green beans, 30g creamed coconut (sulphites), 1 aubergine, 1 lime, 2 tbsp red Thai curry paste, 2 tomatoes, 2 tsp desiccated coconut (sulphites), 4cm fresh ginger, 100g black rice, sea salt & black pepper, coconut oil / olive oil METHOD 1. Boil a kettle. Rinse the black rice and place in a saucepan with 500ml boiling water and a pinch of sea salt. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until cooked.

2. Peel and finely chop or grate the ginger. Cut the aubergine into 2cm pieces and roughly chop the tomatoes.

Trim the green beans and slice in half widthways.

3. Drain the chickpeas. Dissolve the creamed coconut in a jug with 200ml boiling water.

4. Heat a large pan with 2 tsp oil on a medium heat, fry the aubergine for 5 minutes, then stir in the ginger and the red Thai curry paste. Cook for a further 2 minutes until the aubergine has softened. Add the creamed coconut, chickpeas and tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Season with a pinch of sea salt.

5. Heat a frying pan with 1 tsp oil on a medium heat and add the green beans, cook for 5 minutes, turning frequently.

Then add the desiccated coconut and cook for a further 2 minutes.

6. Drain the black rice.

7. Serve the red Thai aubergine and chickpea curry on two warm plates alongside the black rice and the coconut green beans. Squeeze over the juice from the lime, to taste.

COLUMNIST

BEN COOMBER EXPLAINS THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE BALANCE BETWEEN PERFORMANCE AND RECOVERY

FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE

A

s a performance nutritionist, I am always testing new theories on myself and experimenting before doing so with my clients. For me, there are only so many roads you can truly walk down with a client if you have not been down that road yourself.

For example, in the worlds of bodybuilding or triathlon, many will argue that you cannot truly prep someone for a competition without having done one yourself.

Of course, science is science, but part of the battle with coaching others isn’t the science itself, but the application of it. Coaching is all about listening and finding a way to get a successful outcome, and the key point is experimentation with the strategies we use. I don’t often work with high-level individuals in sports I haven’t competed in or experienced myself. This serves two purposes: first, I can’t really be passionate about a sport I’m not familiar with. And secondly, if I can’t identify with where the client is at and how they feel in the environment we’re trying to optimise through coaching, what use am I when my client is struggling?

So, in that vein, are you testing and applying your work to yourself?

Over the last 18 months I have accelerated this journey of experimentation and if I was to single out the biggest area of

contention right now, it’s the balance between recovery and performance.

We are all looking to train as hard as we can, but everyone has a set recovery capacity, whether that is genetic or environmentally driven.

Many try and exercise intensely for many hours a week, but their recovery capacity doesn’t allow it.

How do we know this? Because it’s affecting daily energy levels, DOMS and overall feelings of wellbeing.

It’s hard to argue against the idea that sleep is the #1 integral factor for exercise recovery. This means that if a person’s environment doesn’t allow them to always sleep well, they are not going to be able to push their training.

This is because a decline in sleep quality or duration causes a decline in central nervous system (CNS) activity, and thus our ability to apply force and effort – and this is compounded by impaired CNS recovery from hard training. So, if we sleep badly, then can’t train effectively, should we exercise at all in that state?

What we must appreciate here is the context that person lives in every day. Are they elite? Are they pushing for the 1% edge over the competition? Do they need to push hard today, or can they do it tomorrow when they are feeling more rested?

The reality for most of us is that we like to keep fit, we like to challenge

our body, and we like to get the best out of this life. But if you don’t get the balance right then it can deregulate your sleep, you might get tired during the day, you might not be able to concentrate on work… you’re just not as good a human outside of the gym.

With many clients I see that there is an element of anxiety around reducing training volume. Some feel they won’t be as fit, some feel they will put on weight, and others worry they’ll lose part of their identity.

These are all mental battles that are fixed with functional strategies and an alignment with the science of nutrition.

This is then a broader conversation around physical and mental health and having lots of things in our lives that stimulate us, that we enjoy, and that allow us to grow as people. And sometimes this is part of the coaching process, helping your clients get back in touch with these things if training intensity and frequency needs to drop.

WORK OUT

THE NEW WAY! WITH A VIRTUAL

SPRING IN YOUR STEP.

More choice, more classes, more moves…

THE DAYS ARE GETTING LIGHTER AND WE’RE ON A MISSION TO GET LEANER, FEEL FITTER AND LOOK FABULOUS IN TIME TO EMBRACE AN ‘ALL-NEW’ WARMER WEATHER WARDROBE. AND WHAT BETTER WAY THAN ENJOYING A WIDE VARIETY OF VIRTUAL CLASSES WHICH ALLOW YOU TO WORK OUT AT YOUR OWN PACE AT DAVID LLOYD? A fusion of exercise with technology, demand for more choice of virtual workouts are soaring with members asking for more options of both class styles and timings. Designed for ease and convenience to suit your own schedule and needs, they’re the perfect way to work out exactly how you want.

“Whether it’s Les Mills RPM cycling or the more recent addition of the Les Mills BODYBALANCE holistic virtual class, we’ve listened to our members needs and scheduled more of these

virtual classes to the timetable in the run up to Spring,” reveals Jo Blenkinsopp, Group Exercise coordinator.

The virtual work outs are played in gyms on the big screen – and are scheduled to take place at various handy times throughout the day ranging from breakfast time

to evening. Jo adds: “It’s really all about the flexibility of being able to work out using the best facilities whenever works best for members.

For some people, they want to avoid rush hour, or are busy mums who want to work out whilst the kids are in the creche. For many members they may work long shifts and need to exercise around a demanding

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profession or simply for some people, just choose to work out in a relaxed atmosphere and yet enjoy being around other people.”

And of course, they’re perfect for any level. “Virtual classes typically attract smaller numbers and you can work out at your own pace which makes them perfect for all abilities,” Jo adds.

Recent research also reveals that ‘group fitness’ has reams of benefits including overall improved techniques and performance.

Jo explain: “Some members enjoy using the virtual classes as they feel less pressure than in an instructorled class – members returning to exercise or new to exercise often say that the virtual classes are a great way to start as they feel they can go at their own pace and achieve their workout goals. And we love it when we know our members have achieved their own goals!” So what are you waiting for?

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IS ON OUR 10-EPISODE SER EVERY MONDAY NIG

10 new episodes to keep the nation

Presenter Faris Fisher is joined by guest presenters each week who reveal health/fitness hacks and explore the many ways and places we can stay active.

Available via Channel 422

channel 64

Channel 533

YOUR SCREENS! RIES IS ON TV GHT. DON’T MISS IT! active!

Watch as we try new activities and places to train, or BESTFIT magazine columnist Ben Coomber as he shows us how to eat better with his expert nutrition advice.

Mother of two Ruth Garbutt takes on a 10-week transformation, while 10 celebrities and sports stars – including Jordan Nobbs, Aimee Fuller, Seb Morris and Carly Booth – reveal their training secrets in our ‘Train With…’ series.

EVERY MONDAY ON FREESPORTS

Aimee Fuller The two-time Olympic snowboarder wants to keep pushing the boundaries in her sport Aimee, the PyeongChang Winter Games were last year and we have three years until Beijing 2022, so what does a Winter Olympian do in between Games?

So, about a year to a year-and-a-half before each Olympic Games you compete on the FIS World Cup tour in attempt to qualify for the Olympics.

This tour consists of around 12 competitions. Prior to PyeongChang I competed in about eight or nine events, which was enough for me to finish fifth in Slopestyle and third in Big Air, and that secured my qualification. That’s pretty much perfect prep.

How do you reflect on last year’s Winter Olympics; you do all that preparation and then face mega windy conditions…

It was a real shame. They ran us in the worst ever possible conditions known to man! It was pretty

dangerous and there was a lot of politics around whether or not it should have been run. It was pot luck whether or not you were going to be affected by the wind. It’s not the way I imagined the event going, but that’s what can happen at the top level of any sport. It’s about keeping your head held high and rising for the next event.

What’s your favourite trick to perform?

My favourite trick to perform has to be a backflip purely because it’s not scary for me anymore, it used to be, and it feels amazing. It’s the trick I always dreamed of doing when I was younger, so to be able to do it now feels awesome. It’s such an amazing feeling of freedom when you’re pulling it off because there’s no fear.

Which snowboarders or athletes do you look up to?

My peers. I have a lot of respect for people who push the boundaries in my sport. Anna Gasser is a great example; she’s a phenomenal athlete and her approach is amazing, like no one else. She got it going on!

What do you want to achieve in snowboarding?

The ultimate goal was to be the first person to double in a contest, and I did that in the X Games in 2013.

Now, my goal is to be able to keep my snowboarding going for as long as possible by keeping my mind and body healthy. I’ve got two Olympic Games under my belt and I’ve already surpassed what I thought a girl from Kent using dry slopes could achieve!

Where’s your favourite place to go snowboarding?

Absolut Park, Flachauwinkl, and in the UK The Snow Centre at Hemel Hempstead.

You’ve spent most of your life snowboarding or doing motorcross… what is it you love about highoctane sports specifically?

I love speed! That has to be part of the addiction. I used to love going fast and trying to find the lines and transitions in motorcross, which then of course transitioned into snowboarding and, in particular, finding the right transition with the right landing. When I discovered that you could also do tricks… that attracted me to snowboarding. I like pushing my body into different shapes and going hard.

You obviously require high levels of fitness for snowboarding, but what about motorcross? Were you into health and fitness growing up?

Growing up, I could say I wasn’t into health and fitness so much, but it was just about being active.

And because I was always moving, I guess that’s what kept me fit and healthy and gave me a good grounding for snowboarding. I did motorcross between the ages of eight and 12, and again from 14-16.

I was snowboarding from 12, but

also doing basketball, gymnastics, lacrosse, rollerblading… you name it, I played it. I spent most of my childhood dripping in sweat doing some form of sport!

You’ve done loads of other things, like cycling a leg of the Giro D’Italia… is there anything else you’d like to tackle?

I’m doing the London Marathon this year with Tag Heuer for Cancer Research UK. Coming from a sport that requires explosive strength and fast-twitch fibres, I’m having to completely transform my training until the marathon. I have been working with biomechanics specialist Anthony Fletcher at Equinox, London. It’s different, and I am enjoying the fresh perspective on learning new techniques.

10

TRACKS TO WORKOUT TO ALL I DO IS WIN – (FEAT T-PAIN, LUDACRIS) DJ KHALED GOIN’ CRAZY – DIZZEE RASCAL, ROBBIE WILLIAMS ECHO HOTEL – THE ECHOCENTRICS HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE – CALVIN HARRIS, DISCIPLES OOH LA LA – HI-LO HOW’S YOUR BODY – CALIPPO KERALA – BONOBO MAN WITH THE RED FACE – MAERK KNIGHT, FUNKAGENDA MUSIC IS MY LIFE ‑ ADAM F TELL ME WHY – MARCUS SCHOSSOW

How intense is your training when you’re gearing up for a snowboarding event? Give us an example of a typical day?

A typical day would involve being on snow. I’d have a big breakfast to start, then maybe ride from 9am-1pm. That’ll be a pretty intense session, so I’ll be hammering out as many tricks as I can, then focusing on perhaps one major trick that I want to learn or execute. We’ll then come back down for lunch, maybe do some yoga and stretching. You might then focus on your strength in the afternoon in the gym. Generally speaking, it’s about keeping your body as fresh as possible for that snowboarding morning session.

You do a lot of HIIT training, but also yoga. Give us an idea of the range of training regimes you follow…

I do a real mixture! I do one cardio session a week to build a base for my recovery. When I’m in the gym I do a lot of explosive movements, developing my power and strength but also focusing on my mobility, agility and stability. Yoga is my time to chill out and focus on my weaknesses; it’s my prehab tool to sort any niggles.

I prefer yoga to boring gym rehab.

I like to work on my flexibility, which obviously helps my snowboarding.

Everything I do is intense, so I use my yoga time to chill.

What’s the one must-do exercise for anyone looking to prepare for the slopes?

I would say glute activation and stabilising through your core. If your glutes and core are firing, they’re your protector muscles to help you take any knocks.

Give us an idea what a typical day’s nutrition looks like when training?

I’d have a big breakfast, C Press Super porridge is my go to.

On the slopes, I always have a Barebells bar in my pocket to keep my energy up throughout the day, and I hydrate with Coco Fuzion Coconut water; its higher potassium content [than water] is essential for my performance.

YOU GOT YOURSELF TO LOVE

SUPERHERO ZACHARY LEVI SPENT HOURS IN THE GYM PREPARING FOR HIS ROLE IN SHAZAM! HERE, HE EXPLAINS HOW HE DID IT, HOW IT CHANGED HIS LIFE AND HOW, IF HE CAN DO IT, EVERYBODY ELSE CAN TOO. MOSTLY KNOWN AS FOR HIS PERFORMANCES IN CHUCK AS LEAD CHARACTER CHUCK BARTOWSKI, GEEKBOY-TURNED-SUPERHERO ZACHARY LEVI IS ABOUT TO IMPRESS AS THE MAIN CHARACTER IN SHAZAM ! THE AMERICAN ACTOR’S OWN ELEVATION FROM ACTION HERO NEARLY MAN TO BOX OFFICE STAR IS INDEED LIKE SOMETHING FROM A FANTASY ARCADE GAME, THOUGH AS THE 38-YEAR-OLD EXPLAINS TO BESTFIT. Where does Shazam! come from, then?

I am the product of two demi-gods, a titan and a man of God and Solomon. So, I have bags of power at my disposal and a lot of those happen to be mystical, magical powers. Superman is still really within the realm of science fiction, you know what I mean?

Super strong… but I am magic.

Let’s talk about Big because that’s the movie that you have compared Shazam! to. In effect, it’s ‘ Big meets Superman…’ Those are some, umm, big shoes to fill, so did you find that to be a challenge?

Look, Tom Hanks is legendary, and he is one of my idols and the movie Big is perfect to me and one of the best movies ever made. Since I was a kid – obviously I loved it then, but it still holds up and it’s just really good storytelling.

But I think at the end of the day whether you’re a writer, director or actor you’re also going to be giving homage to or emulating some of the actors that helped shape some of the movies that helped shape you.

We were not trying to make a film to fill the shoes of Big or try to fill the shoes of Superman, we’re creating something that is equal parts both, with little dashes of other things. Bringing our own experiences and hearts and minds and Shazam as a character is so different to other characters in the DC Universe.

Did you really have to work out that much, given that in the film you’re playing a 14-year-old version of yourself?

Sure, I was ripped when I was 14 [laughs]. The truth is everything in this film is off the scale – it’s beefed up and a dream world, so we had to big up everything in there, including myself.

What was your preparation like then?

From the day I was told I had got the lead role in Shazam!, I got straight in the gym. I was there at least five times a week and was eating about 3-4,000 calories every day. That was to help me bulk up to the necessary weight I needed to be to have the energy to go to the gym that amount of time. Then, I began shredding until I got down to about 215 pounds.

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Are you strict in your routine?

No, I can’t be. I’ve always found it’s a fine line between structure and boredom. You have to listen to your body and be sensible in mixing it up if that’s the way to keep it fresh and functioning. If you don’t do that you’ll find ways to cut corners because the training is too mechanical – perhaps you’ll cry off ill from training, or won’t extend properly on stretches.

I have been around that weight ever since and I have to say I have never been so happy with my health and weight, the shape I am in and my strength is so great for my mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health. And it’s the mental health side that has pleased me the most – especially living in today’s society.

So this is superhero becoming reality?

I think the point is, if I can do this, then anyone can. You got to love yourself, man. You really do. And doing this is my part of what as many people who can do, should be doing for themselves, not for anyone else, but just for their own mental health.

What sort of routine have you been doing?

The exercises that I have been doing to help me get to the shape and size required… well they are pretty tough, let me tell you that.

I will start with a seated shoulder press (four sets x 12 reps) for real upperbody extension. I’ll then move to Lateral to Front Raises, and Arnold Press into a French Press.

Then, for my triceps, it’s a combination of cable triceps extensions, triceps dips and barbell biceps dips. Most of that stuff after the seated shoulder press is three sets x 10 reps, and man, I can tell you when you’re done with all that you really feel like you’ve been putting the hard stuff in.

The beautiful thing about repetition is it’s the only real way of showing you how far you’ve come; but on the other side there is always that real threat of boredom.

Had you let go of the dream of being the superhero? Did Shazam! come at a time when you were still hoping to do something like this?

No, no, no. Actually, quite the opposite. There had been some near misses and this business is a pretty gnarly one – it can really beat you up if you’re not careful about it.

I’d like to think you build mental strength out of physical strength and that gives you the resilience to bounce back, no matter what you do or what you go through in life.

I have certainly sweated out a lot of frustration over the years, so looking after myself has helped me work a lot of stuff out, definitely.

COLUMNIST

IF YOU’VE EVER HAD ANY OF THE BELOW THOUGHTS DURING YOGA THEN YOU’RE NOT ALONE, SAYS ALEXANDRA LEGOUIX…

CONFESSIONS FROM THE MAT 9.50am: Its GREEN! The light is green Madam Peugeot driver... Go, go, go damn you! I am so late! Ok... moving... I will make it... I can be five minutes late at a push and they’ll still let me in if I’m quiet I’m sure...

goooooood. Yes, yes, yes. Grrr.

Flying. Woop. Gosh, I love yoga.

10.02am: Morning! Sorry, sorry, is it ok? I promise I’ll sneak in quietly.

Thank you, thank you!

10.04am: Hmm, okay, I want to be near the mirror... I wonder if I can squeeze in there... No I won’t go there, she’s too good... Ok there is good... Ok let’s do this... Sorry, sorry... Quick, relax... Oh god they are already moving...

10.22am: Oh come on body, wakey, wakey. Why are you so stiff today?!

Grrr...

10.30am: OK, this is good. A few sun salutations down and I am on a roll.

I’m floooowing, my energy is up, I feel good... I’m actually quite good at this yoga malarkey... yeah, look at me...

And I don’t look too porky either.

10.35am: Holy crap. Why can’t I balance? What is wrong with me?!

Jeez, I am wobbling so much more than everyone else. Look how good everyone else looks!

10.42am: You’re not breathing. C’mon ujjayi breath, work your magic...

10.50am: Oh, I feel good. This feels

11.12am: Wild thing. Yes, I agree Lynette. Such a good teacher you are. I am ‘embracing my wild thing’.

Damn, I am on fire today. Go me...

This year is going to be a good year. Things are going to change...

I can really feel it...

11.15am: What. Is. That? My back.

Ouch. No, please don’t go... Stay with me, body... We can do this...

Breathe, breathe... 11.15... Already?

Ok, almost at the end. Awesome...

Lying down time soon... God, I really am ready to lie down...

11.18am: Another THREE vinyasas???

Jeez...

11.21am: Ok I am actually dying...

10.53am: I love this pose...

11.22am: Please can we lie down now?

10.54am: I hate this pose...

11.23: SWEAT... I actually can’t see...

10.55am: I have definitely put weight on... Yep... they are new love handles... maybe I can tuck my top in a bit... Not sure about this top actually... Damn, how is it possible to sweat this much...

11.26am: Aaaaand lie down... yes, yes, yes... quick, relax...

11.02am: ‘Mula Bandha?’ Which one is that one again?

11.32am: Huh? What? What’s that?

Oh! Yes, sorry, namaste! Gosh, I was in such a deep sleep! Ok, c’mon. Up we get.... Ah yes, heaven. First yoga of 2019. I feel good. Ah well done body...

Gosh I feel proud of doing that... That felt gooood... well done me... ok I am definitely going every day... This is my year... 2019, I got this... Boom.

11.06am: Oh god. I am so rubbish today. I wish I had done more yoga in January. Why didn’t I do more yoga? I swear I wouldn’t be so bad if I had just done more.

11.09am: Stop thinking. Breathe, breathe... Focus on your breath...

11.27am: Relax... your body... breathe... Relax... Do that ‘sinking through the floor thing’...

Namaste yogi pals

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“PAIN, BUT IN A GOOD WAY!” RUTH GARBUTT CROSSES THE HALF-WAY POINT OF HER 10-WEEK TRANSFORMATION, AND THE RESULTS SO FAR ARE PROMISING, PARTICULARLY IF HER NEED FOR A NEW WADROBE IS ANYTHING TO GO BY! Those of you who have been following the progress of our transformation either from our previous issue of the magazine or on BESTFIT TV will know that Ruth Garbutt, our transformee, has sailed through the first half of her 10-week schedule.

Ruth has worked hard throughout the first five weeks in her quest to regain her pre-pregnancy body, and is on course to reach her goals as she now enters the second phase under the watchful eye of PT Adam Haines.

SO FAR, SO GOOD “She’s been doing really well,” says Adam. “She lost 5kg of her total bodyweight after five weeks and dropped 2.5% of her body fat percentage while maintaining her muscle mass, which is exactly what we wanted to achieve. She has been very consistent, which is key. She loves the sessions and when she’s with me she comes in and gets the work done, and I know that she’s working hard at home too.”

“I’ve been going well and I’m feeling really good,” says Ruth. “I’ve started to notice little things about my body.

For example, my clothes are starting to fit differently to the extent that anything I was wearing at the start of the year is now hanging off me.

I’m feeling more energetic, too. I have more energy in the day and by night I’m tired and sore, definitely in pain – but in a good way, if you know what I mean! I have time to do more things. Before I started this process, I might have used an excuse

to not go to the gym. However, being part of an actual process makes you accountable and so now I’m just fitting it into my life. Just having something to train for really helps you commit to the process. For me, I’m doing this transformation, but I can imagine training for an event would prove just as good a motivator.

“Weeks 3 and 4 were really positive for me,” continues Ruth. “Obviously, I know where I am making losses now, which acts as a great motivator, plus I’ve really enjoyed the training. In particular, I have loved training with weights, and training my legs, that’s been a load of fun.”

NUTRITION AND MOTIVATION “I’m eating three planned meals a day, all roughly around 500 calories each, and I’m still able to have things like eggs on toast when some of my meals perhaps don’t provide the necessary calories I need. I’m amazed how great I’ve felt just by switching my diet up. I’ve been lucky in that my meals have all been supplied to me by Lean Lunch throughout this process, and I will miss them when this is over; continuing to eat the right things and having the time to cook those meals will be a real challenge, but eating well is definitely something I’m definitely keen to continue doing.

“The supplements have been amazing and they could be a big help when the supply of planned meals stop! I’ve been getting through a tub of the XTEND®

HydraSport™ BCAAs a month. I’m definitely going to need to keep that coming in my life because it really helps aid my recovery. They’re just amazing, and they definitely keep me out of the cookie jar! They keep me hydrated, full and they’ve definitely helped me go hard again the next day. One thing I’ve noticed is that they stop me reaching for the Twix or whatever, I have no real hunger for the sweet things I used to eat.

“I’ve been checking into Shapewatch to check my body shape, too. The idea is that I can track where I’m gaining/losing weight/fat and see how my body is changing. I do this consistently every week, at the same time of the same day, to ensure I get the most accurate results. Seeing the difference on a weekly basis is a very good motivator, so that has been really helpful. I know I’m on track to lose 1kg each week, which was the aim, but I can also see it in my shape that I’m getting leaner, smoother, and there are less ripples! Ultimately, my aim is to get my strength back, so I’m really keen to develop my core and strengthen my back.”

THE HARD BITS “The biggest thing for me has been the organisation involved to get out to the gym, largely because I have two kids. And, of course there have been moments where I’ve had doubts about the whole process, where I’ve wondered whether it would be too hard to fit everything in but you know what, it has been a lot easier than I thought. I think

“THE SUPPLEMENTS HAVE BEEN AMAZING AND THEY COULD BE A BIG HELP WHEN THE SUPPLY OF PLANNED MEALS STOP! it helps to have someone help you through that. I’ve had Adam offer a lot of nutrition advice and who’s pushed me in my sessions, and I would wholeheartedly recommend you using a PT to get you on the right path for your own journey. You can use all the info you’re given to work out smarter when you’re on your own.

“The hardest part is spending more time away from my family. I’m having to train in the evening and so that cuts into the time I usually spend with my husband, though we have trained together at times when I’m due to train on my own. There are also times when I’m going to the gym in the day where I would usually be with the kids, but that’s a sacrifice I knew I was going to have to make when I started. It is what it is. I’ve also had a bit of flu, so I had to take a week to recover. On the whole, it’s been a great experience.”

THE NEXT PHASE “Weeks 4 and 5 were the last phase of back and lower body specialisation and week 6 has been all about the shoulders,” says Adam.

“Ruth’s schedule continues to include two workouts a week, and then we add in cardio as well. When we get to week 8, we’ll see where Ruth’s at and switch it up with either high intensity training, or we switch to a different body part.”

Channel 422

channel 65

Channel 533

Watch the 10-week journey over 10 episodes on BESTFIT TV

THE WORKOUT THE WARM UP Do 5 minutes on any piece of CV equipment followed by a bodyweight warm up of 10 squats, 10 lunges, 10 push ups and 5 walk outs for 2 rounds.

A1: LEG PRESS

Reps

Weight

Tempo

Sets

10

100kg

3010

n/a

A2: DUMBBELL STIFF LEG DEADLIFT

Reps

Weight

Tempo

Sets

10

20kg

3010

5

B2: KINESIS MACHINE STEP UPS

B2: KINESIS MACHINE STEP UPS

Reps

Weight

Tempo

Sets

10,10,10

30, 20, 10kg

2010

n/a

Reps

Weight

Tempo

Sets

12

15kg

n/a

3

C1: CALF PRESS

Reps

Weight

Tempo

Sets

15

80kg

3011

3

C2: STANDING CALF RAISE

Reps

Weight

Tempo

Sets

15

7kg

2011

3

THESUPPLEMENTS “RUTH IS USING, AND LOVING, THE XTEND® HYDRASPORT™ BCAAs,” SAYS ADAM.

increases the wastage on the muscle. She’s finding these have really been aiding her recovery, She’s finding these have really been aiding her and curing her sweet tooth fix!and curing her sweet tooth fix! recovery,

THE SUPPLEMENTS

WIN!

“She’s taking these throughout the day to top her electrolytes and THE “Ruth doesn’t use the“Ruth Cellucor® doesn’t use the C4 Pre-Workout every day, but “RUTH IS up USING, AND LOVING, SCIVATION to maintain her hydration levels.

C4® Sport every day, but if struggling she’s if she’s forShapewatch, energy – shevisit: might have had a XTEND HYDRASPORT BCAAS,” She’s not a huge fan of drinking struggling for energylong – she might www.shapewatch.com day with the kids – she can take this 45 minutes SAYS ADAM. water and because these are have had a long daybefore with the – To order the supplements, visit: her herkids session and that helps push her through flavoured, they’re helping her get she can take this 25 sessions,” minutes before www.hollandandbarrett.com adds Adam.

“She’sshe taking these throughout the day to up herand that helps push her what needs.

These are really hertop session For more information about Lean electrolytes andshe’s to maintain her hydration levels. handy because in a calorific through herShe’s sessions,” Foradds moreAdam. informationLunch, aboutvisit: the www.leanlunch.co.uk Shapewatch, visit: not a huge of drinking water and because these deficit, and fan so the BCAAs increase Fitness Space gyms are UK-wide. www.shapewatch.com are protein flavoured, they’re which helping her get what she needs. her synthesis, For more information about the Visit: www.fitnessspace.com For more information about Lean Lunch, visit: These are really handy because she’s in aby calorific www.leanlunch.co.uk We’ve got 10 of the stacks used Ruth, of the Xtend HydraSport®, to give away, thanks to deficit, and so the BCAAs increase her protein Fitness Space gyms are is UK-wide. the kind folk at XTEND®. All you need to do to be in with a chance, tag both Visit: www.fitnessspace.com synthesis, which increases the wastage on the muscle.

@Xtend_uk and @bestfitmagazine on twitter using the hashtag #bestfittransformation

FASHION

WHETHER YOU’RE A GYM REGULAR OR JUST STARTING OUT ON YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY, YOU’LL WANT TO LOOK THE PART. WE LIKE TO INJECT A BIT OF COLOUR INTO OUR FITNESS WEAR, SO FROM T-SHIRTS AND TOPS, TO LEGGINGS AND OUTDOOR WEAR, HERE’S OUR TAKE ON SOME OF THE HOTTEST TRAINING GEAR RIGHT NOW. PERFECT FOR THE GYM AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS…

GYM WEAR

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<<MEN’S 1.66 North Stadarfell Polartec® NeoShell® Jacket Slim-fitted sports jacket designed for optimum performance. £225 2.HUUB Weekend Backpack Lightweight, water-resistant Weekend Backpack designed to blend in. £49.99 3.Certified Inuyama Tee Green Slim-fit curved t-shirt with Certified logo across chest. £20 4.Men’s UA Vanish Hybrid Jacket Stretchy fabrics to give you protection and comfort while you train. £65 5.Beachbody Go To Hoodie Features a central kangaroo pocket and split side seams for unrestricted movement. £65 6.Men’s UA Vanish Seamless ¾ Sleeve The mesh offers incredible ventilation, plus the comfort of fewer seams. £42 7.HUUB DS training hoodie Perfect for all conditions of training or race morning transition. £99.99

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WOMEN’S>>

1.Fabletics High-waisted Printed Power Hold High-rise waist with a power mesh lining and sweat-wicking fabric to stay fresh. £77 2.Odlo Short Sleeve rew Incredibly soft to the touch and has a cool-looking burnout effect. £55 3.Beachbody Zone Mesh Ombre Tank Lightweight and breathable tank with superior wicking properties. £50 4.Craft Nonoweight Singlet Extremely thin and lightweight high-tech fabric. £35 5.Mountain Warehouse Hebridean Fleece Supersoft fleece fabric with brushed inner to keep you warm. £19.99 6.Domyos 520 Women’s Reversible Tank Top Light and breathable, wicks away moisture to help you stay dry. £7.99 7.Domyos 500 Women’s Cardio Fitness Leggings These leggings have a second-skin effect and ankle zips for easy dressing. £12.99

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5GAINING MUSCLE REASONS YOU’RE NOT

GOING TO THE GYM BUT NOT GETTING THE GAINS YOU’RE AFTER? IT COULD BE YOU’RE MAKING ONE OF FIVE SIMPLE MISTAKES… For the majority of people going to the gym, the end goal is to build muscle and tone up. While you may have done your research and watched plenty of workout videos online, many people still make a variety of common mistakes that can lead to hampering gains and slowing down their progress. London-based Fight City Gym reveal the five reasons you’re not gaining muscle.

1. YOU’RE NOT EATING ENOUGH One of the main causes of not being able to build muscle is not eating enough and, more importantly, not eating enough of the right food. Everyone bangs on about the importance of protein, but carbs and fats are just as important when it comes to growing muscle. You should aim for 2.2g of protein, 5.5g carbs and 0.9g fats per kg of body weight per day in order to see real results.

2. YOU’RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH REST

3. TOO MUCH CARDIO

You may think that it’s all about the training, but getting enough rest is often overlooked by gymgoers. Everyone has a busy lifestyle nowadays, leading to less sleep and not giving our bodies enough time to recover. In order to effectively recharge, you should aim for at least eight hours of sleep per night, but just generally listen to your body!

If you feel like you need a rest and a day off from training, then take a day off and relax those muscles.

Many people dream of cutting fat alongside building muscle, which involves including a lot of cardio-focused workouts. While they burn fat, they can actually slow down the development of muscle mass too. If you are looking to cut and gain, it’s best to integrate HIIT cardio sessions into your workout. The short and intense exercises get your heart rate up and help maintain and continue muscle growth.

4. NO CONSISTENCY If you don’t stick to a solid workout regime, your body will not respond to your exercises. You need to work every body part at least once a week, every week. Similarly, being consistent with your diet and rest patterns will lead to your body developing in the ways you wish. Regularly taking a week off or going out and binge drinking will only set you back on your fitness journey.

5. WRONG TECHNIQUE If you want to build muscle, there’s no point in getting the lightest weight possible and maxing out on your reps. The hypertrophy rep range is between 8-12 reps, so you should be consistently pushing yourself to lift heavier not more. Set yourself targets to achieve, and when you can easily do three sets at a certain weight, increase it by 5% to give yourself a true challenge.

COLUMNIST

MARK LAWS LISTS FIVE REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD TRY ‘SEMIPRIVATE’ OR ‘SMALL GROUP’ COACHING

GO PRIVATE!

F

irst of all, what the hell are ‘Semi-Private’ and ‘Small Group’ coaching sessions, and how do they work?

Semi-Private Coaching sees between two and four clients all training at the same time.

Each with their own individual programme and paying around 40-60% of a normal 1-2-1 PT rate.

Small Group Coaching sees between five and eight clients all training at the same time. Each with their own individual programme again and paying around 20-40% of a normal 1-2-1 PT rate.

You might think that you prefer 1-2-1 PT the most, but read this column to the end before making your mind up.

1. It has been well documented and scientifically proven for many years

that human beings are more likely to adhere to something if they are part of a group. This means that by training with other people you are less likely to cancel sessions, less likely to be late, less likely to turn up in the wrong frame of mind – therefore the chances of you achieving goals and succeeding will be dramatically increased immediately.

2. 1-2-1 personal training can be quite awkward at times, for both parties.

I’ve delivered tens of thousands of these sessions and almost every single one will have had an awkward moment where either I (the PT) has run out of small talk or they (the client) has had a shitty day and just doesn’t want to talk about things. Being part of a group means that if you want to be a bit quieter some days then you can be, if you want to be more chatty you can be, and if you want to meet

new people and make new friends then you certainly can. Being closely connected to a few more people makes the gym a much more fun place to be.

3. It is nice to have a personal trainer because they tell you exactly what to do and when to do it. But there will be times when you go on holiday, times when they go on holiday, times when you are working away and times when they/you are ill and cannot get to the gym. If you rely on them 100% then during the 5-10% of the year when they are not there you will be screwed. A poor PT teaches you to be completely dependant on them. A great coach teaches you to be self-sufficient, so you can spread your wings and cope by yourself… just in case. Being part of a small group gives you a little bit more independence, whilst improving your competence and confidence around the gym.

4. A busy personal trainer might be doing 30 sessions per week. If they are good they will have clients doing three sessions per week which means they can usually only help 10 people at once. Also, if they really are good they will be able to keep their clients for years.

A PT that is worth giving your money to will be able to count how long their clients have been with them in years and will probably have a waiting list.

5. There is an elephant in the room here…1-2-1 personal training is expensive. £30-40 per session soon adds up. Let us not forget that you should be doing three sessions per week to stand a chance of making any real improvements. At £40 a session you could soon be £500 a month out of pocket which is a fair chunk of cash for anyone. You could be saving a fortune, getting more sessions in, improving your independence, increasing the likelihood of success and allowing more of your friends/family/ colleagues to benefit from their expertise too.

Seems like a no-brainer to me.

COLUMNIST WE’RE ALL GUILTY OF GYM FAILS, EVEN THE LEAN MACHINES BOYS. HERE, THEY REVEAL THEIR SIX BIGGEST MISTAKES, AND WHAT THEY LEARNED (SO YOU CAN TOO!)

HAIL THE FAILS! 1. LOW-CARB DIETS Both of us were on very low-carb diets for a long time. We weren’t doing it for any other reason than we felt it was the right thing to do to get lean! Yes, we got lean, but it had nothing to do with reducing carbs, it was because we were reducing the amount of calories in our diet. And it was a really miserable experience!

Every single diet works because of a calorie deficit, no matter how it’s manifested. It’s easy to get confused by this kind of stuff, and we clearly did.

2. JUMPING FROM PLAN TO PLAN Everyone needs a plan. And when you have one, stick to it! I remember going to the gym and seeing what others were doing and then copying them, ditching my plan – which was tailored for me, my body and my needs – for something else because I thought it looked good. I’m sure we’re all guilty of this one, right? Yet you need to give your plan time to work, then analyse the merits and the downfalls before you move onto something else. If you stick to a plan and it’s terrible and doesn’t work for you, then it can still be a success because you’ve learned what doesn’t work for your body.

3. MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY I used to think that my way was the only way. I used to stick my head in the sand and believe I knew the best ways to train but I soon found there are lots of different ways to do it. I used to be surrounded by a bodybuilding culture and so that’s what I knew, but now I like Crossfit

stuff too, and indoor climbing, and gymnastics, yoga… I used to be so one-dimensional and not open to trying new things. Big mistake!

4. THINKING THAT MAKING MISTAKES IS WRONG Nobody aims to make mistakes, obviously, but everything I’ve learned has come from making one.

If things are going well for you, you’ll stay on that path. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right path.

Somebody might have spent their whole life doing something the same way and they might have had a degree of success doing it like that, but someone else might have failed a few times and had more success.

Failure isn’t something to seek, but it’s sometimes the only way to learn.

5. CARING WHAT OTHERS THINK I went to a commercial gym for

the first time the other week and I forgot how those places can sometimes make you feel insecure.

But they shouldn’t! I was using the bench press and I had two huge dudes watching over me, whether it was because they were waiting to use it or they were checking out my form, I don’t know. I’m sure they didn’t care what I was doing, and I didn’t really care what they thought, but there was a small part of me that wondered what they were thinking. I’m sure people don’t judge, but it can feel like that… so it’s important to switch off those self-conscious thoughts!

6. ASPIRING TO BE THE WRONG PEOPLE When I first got into training, I based all of my motivation and my training on someone I saw in a magazine who looked absolutely amazing. You see it all the time now; celebrity or pro workouts or ways to train, and you copy those sessions. I’ve been lucky enough to meet a lot of people in those said magazines and one thing I’ve learned is that some people are genetic freaks, others might use substances, or they might not live the same sort of lifestyle as we do, i.e. they might have all the money and time in the world to train. You simply cannot compare your situation to others because you don’t know the back story, or their situation.

REWIND

YOUR

BODYCLOCK WORLD LEADING NATURAL YOUTH EXPERT JAYNEY GODDARD SHARES HER TOP TEN TIPS TO BE HEALTHIER, HAPPIER AND YOUNGER – NOW! You really can get younger – biologically – by making just a few small, easy adjustments which, science proves, really work. But first, what do we mean by getting ‘biologically younger’? Biological age is a measure of our age physically, and unsurprisingly, biologically. Chronological age is just the number of birthdays we have had. Our biological age can

be older than our chronological age – and conversely, it can also be younger – depending upon a variety of factors such as how well we eat, the amount and type of exercise we take and how effectively we deal with stressors.

By making the following simple lifestyle adjustments, we can prevent, halt and even reverse the

diseases that we associate with an inevitable part of ageing.

These are my top ten tips that you can use, right now, to become healthier, happier and biologically younger. Remember, mindset is everything – and the decisions and choices you make on a daily basis dictate your future health, happiness and vibrant wellbeing!

EAT PLANTS The World Health Organisation, Harvard Medical School, The British Medical Association, and The Complementary Medical Association all agree that eating a plant-based whole food diet is the best way of ensuring our health in general – disease resistance, and maintenance of a desirable body composition, with a healthy ratio of fat to muscle.

DRINK Adequate hydration is key to looking and feeling great – it is also vital for the optimum function of your brain. If we are even slightly dehydrated our cognitive function really takes a hit – making us functionally ‘older’ than our years!

Cut out caffeine and drink pure water. You’ll know when you are properly hydrated as your pee will be a light straw colour – any darker than that, you need to get fluids on board right away.

SLEEP Getting a good night’s sleep is vital for maintaining health, in mind and body – and to become biologically younger. When we miss out on sleep, we make poorer decisions, are more likely to be aggressive, and gain toxic visceral fat in and around the middle which promotes chronic disease. Set your alarm clock for the same time every morning and this will soon re-set your body clock if you’ve been experiencing insomnia or other sleep difficulties.

DARKNESS Sleep in total darkness so that your body and brain can rest and repair themselves properly.

Adequate sleep also establishes healthy hormonal balance and compromised sleep, as a result of light exposure is dangerous! Studies have shown that women are more likely to develop breast cancer if they are exposed to light during sleeping hours. Don’t use screens of any sort for an hour before bed as they emit a blue light that stops the production of the sleep-inducing hormone, melatonin.

INFLAMMATION Underlying every dangerous chronic disease is the process of uncontrolled, chronic inflammation.

In order to get fully healthy – and rewind your biological age – you need to get inflammation under control. All of the elements in this top ten are geared to do just that – they all contribute to quelling runaway inflammatory processes.

WALKING We humans are built to walk. I encourage all my clients to walk for at least 30 minutes for a minimum of five days a week. This is a gentle form of exercise that packs a powerful punch! Steady state cardio of this kind is a potent fat burner, is gentle on the joints, dramatically contributes to better metabolism and reduces toxic, inflammation-producing, visceral fat that sits around our belly – and also surrounds our internal organs.

WEIGHTS AND RESISTANCE TRAINING To maintain a healthy and youthful body composition it is essential to incorporate heavier weight training into our exercise routines. Learn safe ways of lifting heavier weights for fewer repetitions. This is what makes muscle grow, fires up our metabolism and increases the production of ‘youthifying’ hormones, including the most potent youth substance of all; Human Growth Hormone (HGH).

MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION Becoming resilient to stress is crucial and responding to stressors poorly easily adds over ten years to your biological age. One of the most potent age-rewind techniques that has been proven to make us measurably younger is a form of meditation called the ‘Relaxation Response’. I have a free instructional recording for you on my website at JayneyGoddard.org.

HAPPINESS The power of happiness cannot be overestimated when it comes to getting biologically younger. You can actually ‘rewire’ your brain to increase your own capacity for happiness by creating a gratitude practice. Before bedtime note down three things you are grateful for that happened during that day. Really put colour into them.

Describe how they made you feel, what was so wonderful about them and more. The more you practise this happier you get!

NATURE Getting out into nature improves our health on all levels. Physically, it is best for us to exercise in natural surroundings, emotionally, being in nature makes us happier, and it also helps us to foster a spiritual connection with our natural environment. All of this contributes dramatically to becoming biologically younger.

MINDSET Potentially, over 95% of what we believe about ageing is responsible for how we age. So, if you follow all

my advice here, but still believe that you are ageing or old, then that’s exactly what will happen! Psychoneurological research shows that our bodies and brains believe everything that we tell them and respond accordingly! Happily, all the practices above will dramatically contribute to a more positive mindset. Do whatever it takes to cultivate kindness towards yourself – particularly with the language you silently use. If your message to yourself is that you are worthy, loved, happy, fit, well and youthful, your body will respond in kind, to reflect exactly that.

ABOUT JAYNEY Jayney Goddard is a broadcaster, author, lecturer and journalist and an acknowledged thought leader in the health care arena. Jayney is passionate about working with people suffering from chronic lifestyle-related conditions, as she herself experienced a lifethreatening auto-immune illness that left her fully wheelchairbound for ten years. Using the techniques she teaches in her new book “Rewind Your Body Clock; The Complete Natural Guide to a Happier, Healthier, Younger You”, Jayney was able to recover and return to vibrant health. Not only that, Jayney has rewound her own biological age to a super-fit equivalent of 27 years old – whereas her chronological age is 55.

OUT&ABOUT WINGS FOR LIFE CHISWICK, LONDON 5 May

If you want to race with purpose, what better reason than to find a cure for spinal cord injury? By joining Wings for Life, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing. On 5 May, groups all over the world will be setting off in a race to raise some much needed cash for a very good cause. All of the donations and entry fees will go towards spinal cord research projects.

Whether you’re able-bodied or in a wheelchair, you can take part in this organised app event in Chiswick alongside many others. You’ll be racing at exactly the same time as hundreds of thousands of people across the world. Instead of racing towards a finish line, you’ll be chased by the virtual Chaser Car via the Wings for Life smartphone app, a moving finish line that sets off half an hour after the race begins. The race will finish when the last athletes have been caught, and at the end of it, your name will show up on the Global Results List. This is a one-of-a-kind event.

BIG RETREAT FESTIVAL PEMBROKESHIRE, WALES

24–27 May If the rat race is proving too much, book yourself in for the Big Retreat Festival, nestled in the beautiful Pembrokeshire countryside. You’ll find rolling green hills, actual fresh air and lots of happy faces. This festival puts balance at its heart, making it equal parts relaxing and energising.

The main stage will provide incredible evening entertainment, from names including Rusty Shackle, Matthew Frederick, Sock and HMS Morris. During the day, you can choose from a wide selection of activities. There’ll be arts and crafts, like watercolour painting and jewellery-making, and outdoor activities like firemaking and foraging. For the fitness junkies and wellness warriors, there’ll be many classes to choose from, including Zumba, HIIT and Clubbercise, and several different forms of yoga and breath work. You can bring the kids along to this one too. They’ll get to join in on creative and learning activities, fairground rides and fitness classes, and arts and crafts. Food and drink will be provided by a delicious line-up of vendors, including vegan Cafe Pura, Magical Youth pizza and Little Peppercorn burgers. Village pub landlord Steve will be running the pop-up bar, making sure you never go thirsty. This event is set to be a great, family-friendly all-rounder. Book your tickets asap!

ALSO THIS MONTH...

EVENTS LISTINGS Mind Body Spirit Wellbeing Show Cheltenham, 6 July

Find peace, harmony and balance at this wellness festival. You’ll receive guidance, wisdom, positive energy and ideas from professionals trained in everything from spirituality and self-help to dance yoga, astrology and mindfulness.

Selkie Henley Classic Henley, 30 June

A 2.1km endurance upstream River Thames swimming event, held over the Henley Royal Regatta course. It’s your chance to swim one of the most famous and beautiful stretches of open water, at dawn. You’ll arrive at the event in darkness, and walk until sunrise before jumping in.

Redbull Quicksand Margate, Kent, May 18

A brutal one-mile beach race that will make runners battle across sand dunes and a series of obstacles to make it to the finish line. The course will include trenches, rollers and possibly a sandcastle the size of two double-decker buses. You keen?

See you on the beach.

Rabble Various locations, Various dates

Sign up for an hour-long immersive team game, designed to include high-intensity intervals for an effective, all-body workout. Find your nearest Rabble group – they’re UK wide. This is good, healthy and sociable fun.

FAMILY Roald Dahl and the imagination Seekers London, 30 March

Roald Dahl and the Imagination Seekers is a theatrical and interactive experience, especially made for all the family to enjoy. It’s a thrilling story delivered through performance,

games and creative play that explores Roald Dahl’s extraordinary stories, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG and The Twits, along the way.

Manchester Day 2019 23 June

Manchester Day is an annual event that celebrates everything great about the city. It is a day for families, residents and visitors to get together and celebrate all things Mancunian that have made Manchester one of the world’s most iconic cities.

RESTAURANTS What the Pitta London

Veganuary is gone but if you’re keen to go meat-free in the capital, head to this delicious Turkish-inspired 100% vegan and plant-based restaurant.

Try the famous Vegan Doner kebabs – the falafel wraps and mixed meze plates are also top notch.

Kettlebell Kitchen Manchester

Looking to refuel after a training session? Kettlebell Kitchen have recently refurbished their flagship restaurant, meaning you can simply. Grab a booth and catch up with friends while tucking into some nutritious, clean and proteinpacked food.

T N E V E S !

S R E A E Y N E T H I T F OF THE

W W W. B O DY P O W E R . C O M / F E AT U R E S 10

TH

- 1 2 T H M AY, 2 0 1 9 | N E C , B I R M I N G H A M , U K

THE

KITCHEN 5 GY M S 5 WO R KO U T S NUTRITION

THE STRENGTH LAB

HEALTH CHECKS POWER

INTERVAL INSANITY

FITNESS TESTING

FUNCTIONAL FUN

CARDIO CITY

PRACTICAL AND THEORY WORKSHOPS

DEMONSTRATIONS | TASTERS | RECIPIES

THE

COLUMNIST

KURTIS STACEY ON THE ONE BODY PART MEN LOVE TO WORK THE MOST…

PECTORAL PUNISHMENT

I’

ve been training and working in the fitness industry for over 10 years now and there is one body part that is mentioned to me more than any other (in men): the chest.

We all want more size, width and more shape. I believe with muscle groups like the pectorals we have to absolutely punish them, hitting the muscle group from all angles and exercises from pressing movements, such as heavy weight pyramid sets, to slow controlled cable crossovers, working that specific muscle group twice – if not three – times a week!

If you enjoy working out to your complete maximum then this month’s workout is definitely for you. I have designed a workout just for the chest that will rapidly increase hypertrophy while increasing upper body strength. I consider these to be the two fundamentals of rapid muscle growth (along with the correct nutrition, of course).

I know more than most what it is like to struggle gaining size and definition in the chest. Being naturally slim, it wasn’t until I started training with former Mr England, Mr Germany & Mr Europe that I was able to develop the physique I aspired to achieve. This was achieved with punishing sets and reps, alternating sets, different training principles and nutrition.

The workout (right) is one I would do twice weekly paired with a decent biceps workout. Give it a try and let us know your thoughts!

Exercise

Sets & Reps

Incline Bench Press

12/10/8/6/4

Pyramid set

Flat bench Press

12/10/8/6/4

Pyramid set

Horizontal Bar Dips

5 sets x 8-10 reps

Multiset

Cable Cross Over’s

5 sets x 8-10 reps

Multiset

Dumbbell Fly

5 sets x 8-10 reps

Multiset

Press Ups

5 sets x until failure

Multiset

FUEL &

RECOVER

available exclusively at

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