KILOZ Magazine Issue 1 by Emma Ford

KILOZ

THE FEMALE ONLY WEIGHT TRAINING MAGAZINE

LIFE Has Its

UPS & DOWNS

We Call Them

SQUATS!

EDITOR’S Note Welcome everyone to the first issue of KILOZ; the female only weight training magazine! Here at KILOZ we are all about sharing inspirational stories, spreading encouragement and helping you learn about the industry. Whether you are a beginner, a pro or even a bikini competitor, this magazine is for you! We believe in showing diverse bodies and abilities to help the industry feel more inclusive and loving. We also believe their is a strong stigma around female weight training and we hope to inspire and educate the world on the topic and show that anyone can get involved. If you have a strong passion for health & fitness or if you simply want to try something new, we have your back!

place to connect with others. As well as having an amazing monthly newsletter, annual giveaways and our amazing subscription service! We believe it is time to show young women that they are allowed to be strong! That they are allowed to lift weights and that they are allowed to be whoever they want to be! We are all about showing real women, real bodies and real lives and spreading the message that not everyone is perfect and not everyday looks the same. The fitness industry often has a negative image, especially for women that weight train but we hope to shed the light and show the world just how amazing it truly is! From the Editor...

We look forward to sharing our love and inspiration with you 4 times annually, as the seasons change, just when you may be in need of a little boost of motivation or inspiration. Not only do we offer you the magazine but we also have an online community too where we love to chat about all thing fitness while giving you a

Emma x 5

CONTENTS

Gym Bag Essentials GymTimidation Love or Loathe Never Give Up Self-Love & Self-Acceptance GymPowerment FullStop. Nutrition Truly Unstoppable Rise or Fall Day in the Life of a PT Mind Games Lookbook Fitness Frenzy

08 12 16 20 24 28 32 34 38 42 46 50 56

61 62 66 71 78 82 96 100 105 106 112 116 122

Subscribe to KILOZ Train like a Beauty The Truth Behind Overtraining Influencers on the Rise Topnotch Nutrition Healthy Recipes Esme Fitness Work Hard Play Hard KILOZ Competition Unlocking CBD Rest Day Guilt Gymshark x Whitney Simmons Covid Catastrophe 7

Photography - Emma Ford

GYM BAG Essentials

What do I really need to take to the gym? A question many of you may be asking yourselves constantly! Do I actually need this? Will I actually use that? To answer your questions, we have created a list of our top 12 gym bag essentials...

Knowing what to pack in your gym bag can be a tricky one! The essentials can be different for everyone. It all depends on the exercises you perform, how sweaty you get and how big your gym bag is! However, we have put together a guide of our top 12 gym bag essentials to give you one less thing to worry about... 1. Barbell Pad This little beauty is placed around the barbell to give you some extra padding when you perform moves such as: squats, lunges and hip thrusts. They give you that little extra comfort and encourages you to lift a little heavier! 2. Weight Training Belt This WWE style belt is used to protect your lower back and brace your core while doing heavy over-the-head lifts, squats, deadlifts and any other exercises that may cause strain to your lower back. Having one of these is essential for protecting your back and allows you to lift a little heavier while being protected.

3. Wrist Supports & Lifting Straps Whether you choose one or the other or you try both; they are equally as useful when lifting heavy weights. The wrist supports are amazing for keeping your wrists safe and straight when lifting, whereas the lifting straps wrap around the bar/handles of the weights and take some of the heavy pressure off of your finger joints. This means you can lift weights while being kinder to your joints. 4. Resistance & Booty Bands Resistance bands are great for warming up the muscles before lifting. They put tension on the muscles without the heavy weight which allows them to warm up. They are also a great essential to have during a lockdown while gyms are shut as they are so versatile and can be used to target most muscle groups in the body. Booty bands on the other hand are perfect for warming up and activating the glutes before a leg session. Like resistance bands, they are also perfect for an athome booty workout during the pandemic.

5. Ankle Weights

11. Towel

Ankle weights aren’t a popular gym bag essential but some girls love to use them on a leg day to give that little extra push. It adds more weight to your movements which allows you to feel a stronger burn.

If you are a bit of a Sweaty Betty at the gym then taking a small towel with you is perfect for wiping the sweat off your body as well as protecting the machine underneath you. 12. Water Bottle

6. Ankle Cable Attachment Again this may not be an essential to all but many gyms don’t provide the ankle strap attachment for the cable machine or they are always in use. These are so handy to have for cable kick backs or cable side kicks which are isolated movements for the glutes and hip flexors. 7. Knee and Elbow Supports Similar to the wrist supports these support your joints in heavy weighted exercises. If you are squatting heavy or using heavy weights on an arm day, these may be something you want to consider to stop any unwanted injuries. 8. Pre-Workout, BCAAs, Protein Powder & Creatine These sports supplements are the main choices for those that weight train. Pre-workout is a popular choice for many that want that boost before a workout. They usually contain caffeine which gives that extra energy kick. Some also choose to have BCAAs, protein powder/protein bars and/ or creatine. Some opt for all, some just pick one and some don’t have any. The choice is really up to you on whether you want to consume them and how intense your workouts are. However, they all help to repair/build muscle after a workout and help aid recovery. 9. Headphones Training in the gym without music is like going outside without clothes. It must never be done! The day you forget your headphones will be the day your session sucks, it’s just reality! 10. Deodorant This one is quite self-explanatory; we don’t need any horrible armpit smells distracting us from our workout! Of course the gym is the place to sweat but you have respect everyone else’s nostrils!

It’s so important to stay hydrated during your workout, especially if you get super sweaty. You don’t want to be getting any unwanted dizzy spells or dehydration! Make sure you sip on water throughout your sessions to ensure your body is thriving. So there you have it, our top 12 gym bag essentials here at KILOZ, but that’s not all. We also spoke to 12 of our readers to see what their top gym bag essentials were too: Lottie - Resistance deodorant

bands,

water

bottle,

Jade - Headphones, water bottle, deodorant, towel, protein shake, spare socks Tammy - Foam roller, wrist wraps, belt, booty band, air pods Sarah - Booty band, towel, pre workout, protein Chloe - Pre-workout, lifting belt, barbell pad, water bottle, bands, AirPods Rebecca - BCAAs, wrist straps, lifting belt, knee supports Lily - Protein bar, headphones, notebook & pen (to track my workouts), foam roller Jaz - Weight lifting belt, lifting straps, preworkout, protein powder Ella - Sports towel, deadlift shoes, pre-workout, lifting belt, lifting straps, knee supports Katie - Headphones, water, Fitbit, snacks, wrist straps Layla - Gym clothes, headphones, workout planner, water bottle, towel Rachel - Pre-workout, lifting belt & lifting straps

Photography - Emma Ford

Photography - Ella Mok

GYM Timidation Entering a gym environment can be ver y intimidating, especially if you choose to weight train. Ella Mok is a 27 year old Biochemist with a strong passion for health and fitness. She talks all things gym anxiety and how to gain confidence while working out…

Going to the gym for the first time or starting out weight training as a female can be very daunting. In fact, a survey by PureGym found that “18% of non-gym goes would rather stand at the top of a sky-scraper than go to the gym on their own!” You would never think to compare a sky scraper to the gym but it seems that a lot of people have such strong fears and anxiety around it they would rather go to the extreme than workout in public! Like anything new you try, going to the gym takes time and practice. You have to strengthen the connection for it to get stronger and easier. The more you push yourself and actually go, the easier it will be. Author Roy T. Bennett once said “You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.” But the real question if where to start and how exactly do you push past the feeling of dread? Ella started her fitness journey at the start of the year, January 2020, as she felt she was leading an unhealthy lifestyle as a graduate student. She wanted to feel good on a day-to day and have the energy to focus on her career goals.

She started her journey straight off the bat with weight training; “It makes me feel good, gives me confidence in my appearance and improves my mental wellbeing.” However, she didn’t always feel like this; at the start of her journey she “used to always feel intimidated by free weights and thought I would be judged by all men there if I tried.” This a common thought amongst many women, often feeling too scared to weight train as they feel that the males in the gym will be judging them or they feel intimidated by their presence. This may even be you? The gym can be intimidating at times due to the high testosterone floating about the atmosphere, but in reality men are simply focusing on themselves. They are often too self-obsessed to even notice what you are doing; they are too busy showing off or comparing their muscles. If they do notice you, they are often impressed by your hard work and dedication. However, if you do feel anxious in these settings and need a little boost of encouragement Ella recommends getting a personal trainer or workout buddy to help you gain confidence. “If you can afford, hire a personal

trainer to show you all the different machines/ weights/exercises you’ve been too afraid to approach. If not, bring a fitness knowledgeable friend with you or just a friend who will learn alongside you. I think having someone who is more knowledgeable and with experience (a friend, significant other, trainer, etc.) has been the most helpful for my confidence in the gym. If worse comes to worse, use Google to look up form/how-to and just try it. Watching Youtube videos or following your favourite fitness gurus can also boost your confidence. Then just plug in your earphones and pretend there is nobody around you.” As there is still a strong stigma behind women lifting weights it is important that, we as women, rise up to this and show men what we are made of! I mean, we can do everything they can do and more, right? But in order to feel and look more confident in the gym you need to “do exercises that are predominantly done by men - including free weights, bench press, deadlifts, etc.” This will help you build up strength and self-esteem and feel powerful in this setting.” It will also show men that you can perform these exercises just as well as them and it will help break the bridge between the stigma and reality. Not only is it important to do these exercises to show men that we can train the same way as them, but it will help to build up your personal confidence and encourage personal growth. Weight training gives you power, it gives you strength and it gives you a boost of confidence. If you start now, you wont regret it! Although, it is also important to feel prepared when training in order to feel more confident and it will also stop you aimlessly wondering around during each session. “If you prepare in advance you won’t waste your time walking around and deciding what your next move is. You will definitely feel more confident and will be less likely to back out of doing a new exercise move.” Not only will preparation help keep you feeling confident and ready to train but it will also encourage motivation as you will already have your days & sessions planned out; this means you are more likely to do them. Confidence is like a muscle; in order for it to grow you need to work on it regularly. The more you push yourself and actually train properly in the gym, the easier it will be to get over the

intimidation and anxiety you may be feeling. The more you do it, the easier it gets. Just remember that everyone has to start somewhere and everyone was a beginner at one stage. You won’t be a pro at the start but that’s the beauty of it, you get to learn and grow as you go along. Just keep smiling and go kick ass! Here are 6 steps to help you get prepared: 1. Schedule - Plan the days & times that you are going to workout in advance. That way you are more likely to go and less likely to chicken out! 2. Plan your workout - Write and plan your workout right down to the reps and sets. Know exactly what exercises you will do and how many reps and sets of each. Then you know exactly what exercise to do next while at the gym and you are less likely to give up and go home. 3. Research - If you are a beginner or want to feel more confident in the way you perform each exercise then do a little bit of research beforehand. Watch some videos on Youtube of professionals showing you how to perform each exercise. Not only is correct form important so you don’t get injured but it will make you feel less like a newbie and more like a pro which will help boost your confidence. 4. Pre-workout ritual - Create a little preworkout ritual for yourself to help you get in the zone before you workout. Doing this each time will help you build a habit and prepare you for each session. It will get you mentally and physically prepared to take on the gym. Play your favourite tunes, shake up that pre-workout and head to the gym. 5. Fake it till you make it - If you walk around hunched over looking shy and timid you are going to feel nervous. Hold your head up, shoulders back and feel that confidence floating in. Even if you have to fake it for a while, don’t let people see your nerves! 6. Workout time! - Now you’ve done the prep, you’re in the zone and looking confident it’s time to put all the hard work into action. Follow your plan, take your time and enjoy every moment. It’s time to go smash your goals! Check out Ella on Instagram - @ellamokfit

Photography - Ella Mok

Photographer & Stylist - Emma Ford

Model - Olivia Bamford

LOVE or

Loathe

Do men actually care if women have muscles or not? Are they really judging you for going into the weight section at the gym? Do they really loathe you for training like them? We asked them ourselves to find out what they really think...

After a long day at work all you want to do is hit the gym and get in a good muscle pump, right? You shake up your pre-workout, pull on your favourite gym leggings and head to the gym. The tunes are pumping, the caffeine if kicking in and you are ready to kill the workout. But them you suddenly have a wave of doubt. Are the men judging you for going in ‘their’ section of the gym? Should you go over to the cardio section and be with all the other women? Will you even find a lover that thinks your muscles are attractive or will they think you look too much like a man? These are all thoughts that a lot of female gym goers get when starting out weight training. It can be hard to switch your focus from loosing weight and trying to look slim, to wanting to put on size and gain some muscle. You not only have to switch up your training routines but your mindset too. You have to believe you are worthy of being in the weight sections. You should be proud of your progress and you shouldn’t let anyone get in your way of success and growth. If that means doing something that may seem masculine, then so be it!

We all know the male mind can be a wild one and it can be hard to understand them at times but we spoke to 12 males aged 20 - 29 to give you a better understanding of what guys really think about females in the gym… “I think that females in the gym show a sign of strength and independence. I think that when women have muscles it shows they have motivation and dedication because it is harder for them to actually build muscle. I personally like women with a muscular physiques because I find it more attractive than the average slim women.” - Tommy, 24 “It’s a concept that needs to be normalised! Way too many men think women can only do lowweight high-rep training. However, men also need to stop expecting women to lift the same amounts as them. Although the starting weight might be lower for women on the first instance, the margins of improvement are huge. We all have different anatomy’s so it’s always going to be different from person to person. To me, women need to be accepted in the gym!” - Alexander, 21

“It should be more normalised. People who workout do it to make themselves better and if growing muscle is one of those things then that should be fine. Plus a women would be ballsy to go against societies dream body so I applaud them for it.” - Darius, 20 “Well I think it’s great! I don’t think it’s any different from men to be honest, and like men, it depends on their goals, so I don’t judge at all. I think fitness overall says a lot about a persons character and ability to commit to something consistently. To me, it’s attractive both physically and mentally and in most cases they’re doing it for themselves more than anything which I always commend.” - Jesse, 25 “Personally I think women, just like men, should be able to have whatever body they want. We should be encouraging women to be strong both physically and mentally. There is nothing more attractive than confidence, and if a woman feels more confident with more muscles then good on her.” - Harry, 20 “I find it amazing to see more and more women seeing the benefits of applying weight training into their gym routines, no matter what goals they have. To see their confidence rise by getting stronger, leaner or shredding body fat is very cool to see!” - Dave, 27 “I’m all for women using weights to be honest. If that’s what they want to use at the gym and it’s their preferred method of training then I say go for it. I’d never discourage women from weight training as I think it’s great for everyone. I wouldn’t say I have a preference on a women with a more muscular body, but I wouldn’t say it’s a bad thing either. I think as long as they’re comfortable with what they’re doing and how they look then there’s nothing wrong with it. I know some people say weights are for men and women should be doing cardio, but I disagree with that entirely. I think that all forms of exercise are for everyone, and it’s up to the individual to decide what’s best for them and we shouldn’t be judging them for it based on gender.” - Taliesin, 22 “Personally women with muscles doesn’t bother me as I think that no exercise should be gender specific. If women want to train with weights then good for them. I’ll appreciate the work that anyone puts in if they enjoy it.” - Connor, 20

“I think it’s a good thing and I find it attractive because it shows that they take care of themselves and create healthy habits that they implement into their lifestyle.” - John, 29 “Depending on the size and amount of muscle mass (similarly to males) I have respect for the dedication it takes to naturally get to that stage. I think someone who keeps in shape/looks after themselves is attractive, including women who lift weights. To see that women aren’t afraid of the stigma around weight training is very promising and presents evidence that more people are becoming educated on the fact that lifting weights doesn’t make you instantly big or un-lady-like.” - Ethan, 21 “I think girls with ambitions and goals are attractive. In the world of fitness that’s the number one factor. I’ve noticed that girls that workout for themselves and their own goals always look the best; usually the ones that love the grind. Just because a girl has muscle doesn’t mean she’s unattractive, but the big chicks that are huge and taking testosterone are a little too much for me.” - Ivan, 24 “I believe that everyone should be able to do as they please, as long as it’s not hurting anyone else. If that means that girls want to lift weights then so be it! Lifting weights won’t always give women huge muscles anyway which I think is a misconception than a lot of people have. I do admire women that have strength and lean muscle as I know it takes hard work and dedication to get that, especially as a female; so I applaud any women that has that capability. It shows they are motivated and actually quite inspirational. Although, I don’t think women should just do it for looks and to get attention. I think they should want to do it for them and to reach goals they actually want to achieve. I think you can tell when women are doing it for attention and that’s when I don’t think it is right.” - Kyle, 22 “I personally think it’s attractive when a woman puts in the time and effort to better themselves. I can respect the hustle and grind of working out, especially lifting weights. I applaud women that put their minds to it. It’s like anything, if you can see that someone is really passionate about something then no one should have the ability to stop them.” - Clayton, 22

Photographer & Stylist - Emma Ford

Model - Olivia Bamford

Photography - Sarah Hauge

NEVER

Give Up

Finding the motivation to workout can sometimes be a struggle. But what if you had a chronic illness that effected your day-to-day life? How hard would it be to find the motivation then?

Sarah Hauge is a 22 year old from North Carolina and is battling chronic illness everyday. However, her spirits are always high and she is constantly thriving for successful. By simply taking a look at her social media you can see her strong positivity and dedication; a true inspiration to many. We spoke to Sarah about her journey and found out just how amazing she really is…

joints has helped so much! I also have GERD, and IBS which definitely affects my digestion, but working out helps!! It definitely causes a lot of pain and bloating. Lastly, I have Chronic Migraines and Vertigo; mostly triggered by my hormones and the bad weather. When I have bad migraines I can’t really get much done, so that’s definitely tough.”

Sarah tell us a little bit about your chronic illness and how it effects your day-to-day life.

How has fitness helped you deal with your illnesses?

“I have Autoimmune Pancreatitis Type 2 and was diagnosed on my 18th birthday. In the beginning I really struggled. I refused to do anything the doctors told me to do and continued to end up in the hospital having attacks. Four years later I’ve learned to manage it a lot better and as of today have not had a hospital visit for 11 months!! I also cannot drink any alcohol which is honestly tough in social situations because I hate explaining my disease to random people since it’s so complicated. I also have Fibromyalgia which effects my joints as well as Ehlers Danlos which causes my joints to be weak. Strengthening my

“Fitness has helped me with the anxiety that stems from being ill by giving me much needed endorphins. It also gives me something to be in control of when so much of my health feels out of my control.” When would you say you started your fitness journey? “I was a swimmer from the time I was 6 years old to 16 years old and it was basically my life. I stopped fitness all together when I injured my shoulder and got surgery; basically I was way too

afraid of injuring myself and stayed away from anything that had to do with exercise. When I got to college my Pancreatitis got really bad and I met my best friend who is also into fitness. We started going to the gym together & I fell in love with it! So it’s been about 4 consistent years of going to the gym.” That’s amazing! What do you love about fitness? “The main reason I love fitness so much is for both my mental and physical health. I have anxiety and exercising helps release endorphins and allows me to release that anxious energy in a healthy way. For my physical health, I have a TON of digestive and joint issues and exercising has helped me so much, especially my digestion.” Do you ever get scared to train at the gym? “When I started at the gym I would literally only do the elliptical for 45 mins and call it a day because I was so intimidated. I got over it eventually by picking a corner to do my workouts in. Now, I really don’t care what other people think because I’m exercising for myself and not anyone else.” Finally Sarah, do you have any tips or advice for those that may be struggling with chronic illness and want to start on their own fitness journey? “Start slowly and don’t compare yourself to other athletes. Just make a goal to move your body daily, it doesn’t have to be anything intense. Most importantly do it for YOU, not for anyone else. Definitely give yourself grace & be easy on yourself. When I started my fitness journey I started going to the gym only twice a week and slowly built up to more. Remember everyone is different and everyone’s bodies need different things so do what feels good to YOU. I started mindfulness & meditation practices so I could become more in tune to what my body tells me. I highly suggest that if you have chronic illness; because your body WILL tell you what you need!” With such dedication to not let her illness determine her life, Sarah is such an inspiration within in the fitness community. If she can do it, then so can you! Check out Sarah on Instagram: @fitnessbysar_

Photography - Sarah Hauge

Self-love &

Self-acceptance Fitness isn’t all about having abs, eating salads and training hard ever y day of the week. Fitness is about loving what you eat, loving the way you train, loving the way you look and having the confidence to rock whatever body you may have…

Many of you may know the feeling of getting sucked into a fitness worm hole on the internet. It starts off as a search for inspiration and motivation but ends up making you feel bad about your own body and your self-confidence gets buried under solid concrete! The internet is full of so many female fitness fanatics, many of which are showing off their solid abs and peachy booty; but is it really worth it? Instead of looking to those girls and feeling jealous, try looking at your own body and showing it some love and acceptance. Sometimes it can be easier said than done but once you switch your mindset then it’s hard to undo it! 25 year old Megan Frances is showing her followers just how easy it is to accept your body the way it is. After starting her fitness journey around 4 years ago she has been on a path towards health, peace and acceptance ever since. She started out her fitness journey with a personal trainer to see how it went and she ended up falling in love. “I thought to myself why not you may enjoy it, and turns out I did. Best thing I have done for myself. I feel empowered and genuinely feel like I can take on

the world when I lift a heavy weight. It is apart of my lifestyle now and I just couldn’t imagine life without it.” Starting out on a fitness journey is easy but having the right mindset towards it is another thing! From scrolling through Megan’s Instagram feed you may think she has always been a bubbly self-confident woman but the reality is different. Like most women, Megan started feeling very self-conscious about her body and the way she looked. “I haven’t always been self-confident or body positive. I used to hate everything about my body and used to spend so much time wishing I could be someone else. I used to cry myself to sleep because of the fat on my stomach. Fitness has helped me massively in over-coming this though. And I’ve realised it is just too much effort and time wasted on wanting to be someone else.” Although she may have struggled to accept herself in the past she no longer compares herself to other women. “I couldn’t say I do compare to other women because I realise that I will never be them so there isn’t any point in comparing! And I think it is an insult to your authentic self when

Photography - Megan Frances

Check out Megan on Instagram: @mb__positivefeels

Photography - Megan Frances

you do compare to others.” As young vulnerable women we often find it difficult not to compare ourselves to other women but it usually happens.

kind to myself and by also not caring what people think. They can have their opinions and keep them for themselves.”

The fitness culture is very vast and parts of it focus very heavily on the way you look. Selfconfidence is a very important aspect in ensuring you stay happy and well. Megan is using her platforms to express this to her followers. “I think self-confidence and body-confidence is important within the fitness industry because fitness isn’t just one size! It is important to show people this so that everyone knows that they can work out no matter what they look like. I try to show people, threw my Instagram, that bodies are normal in every shape and size and that just because you have cellulite or fat rolls doesn’t make you any less worthy of exercise. It also doesn’t make you unfit or unhealthy. I encourage body positivity for myself by just showing myself love and being

The way that Megan showcases real bodies and real thoughts is so inspiring to her followers, you can see their appreciation simply by looking at the comments she gets on her posts. Megan’s goal is to continue helping as many women as possible, “My goal is to help as many people as I can with their body confidence. And just to normalise bodies and make people feel good about themselves and appreciate who they are!” Being appreciative of your body can sometimes be a struggle but with her advice and influential social media posts, anyone can do it! “My advice would be just go for it! Set your goals and smash them. You can do whatever it is you put your mind too! Never give up on yourself and be kind to yourself always.”

Photography - Siobhan Porter

GYM Powerment Empower ment and feminism can sometimes be a hot topic, especially in the fitness industr y. However, one women is fighting the stigma and showing the world just how powerful women can be…

Siobhan Porter is a 29 year old feminist fitness fanatic and is using her social media to pave the way for many other women. We spoke to here to find out what she thinks about the stigma behind women lifting weights and how she got into fitness herself... So Siobhan, when did you start your fitness journey? “I guess my fitness journey started when I was about 25, although I’d say I’ve been committed to making fitness a lifestyle for about 3 years.” What made you fall in love with weight training? “I used to loath the gym and like many people, I thought that reaching my goals required endless hours of cardio on various machines. A friend of mine recommended going to Kettlebell classes and I tagged along. I soon realised that I loved this form of training and as a result, I started experimenting with lifting weights. I just love the way lifting weights makes you feel – I feel strong

and empowered. I love seeing changes in my body that I’ve worked hard to achieve.” Do you think there is a stigma behind women lifting weights & growing muscle? “Unfortunately yes. I all too often hear women say they want to train but they don’t want to become muscular. This is usually accompanied with a comment about wanting to become ‘toned’, which essentially is the process of growing muscle and losing body fat. There’s definitely still a fear of becoming ‘bulky’ or ‘manly’, however I think slowly women are becoming more educated as a result of access to information on the internet.” Do you think it is important that young females are educated on weight training to remove this stigma and create a more equal environment in the gym? “Absolutely! Weight training has so many health benefits, both physical and mental. It works for so many women out there so it’s a shame that some women are reluctant to experiment. I train in the

evening, at the busiest time in the gym, and I’d say 95% of the time I am the only woman in the weights section, if not one of 2 or 3.” How do you rock so much confidence and self love? “I believe confidence and self-love are taught, to a degree. Yes, there are people who are born with bags of confidence but for the most part, I think it’s something that comes with age. When you’re younger, you’re trying to work out who you are and you can be incredibly critical of the way you look. Accepting who you are and your body type for what it is takes time. In general and for me personally, I know that if I am taking good care of myself (training regularly, eating well, avoiding too many processed foods and alcohol), I feel 10 times more confident because I look and feel better in myself.” Do you have any amazing fitness goals for the future? “As the UK goes into a second lock down for four weeks, I’m having to switch up my routines and workouts. My focus now is to ramp up the cardio and get fitter, while using bodyweight and the limited equipment I have at home to maintain my strength as much as possible until gyms reopen.” Do you think that women get sexualised in the fitness industry? “Yes! I’ve had some disgusting comments on my Instagram for posting pictures in gym clothes. I even had one guy say I should be ashamed for wearing less than a prostitute! At the end of the day, if women weren’t so sexualised in the media in the first place, no one would bat an eyelid to a women in shorts or a sports bra in a gym. Women in professional sports wear the same if not less (e.g. Olympics runners). The clothing is made for sport! Men wear tiny vests with their nipples showing in the gym all the time – what is the difference?”

How do you think we can bring attention to the stigma and encourage change? “I think women just need to continue to speak up. For so many years, we have had this ‘ladylike’ ideology enforced on us whereby women should look and act in a certain way but times are changing. I try and use my social media to raise these issues as much as possible. I have a lot of male friends and I always try and voice how I feel on issues from a women’s perspective. The more we continue to speak up, the more society will have to listen.” What advice would you give to young women that are too scared to train with weights in a gym? “1. Book an introductory session with a PT. They’ll show you the ropes so you’re not wondering around not knowing what to use or how to use the equipment. 2. Plan ahead – Write down your workouts and plan your routines for each day. You want to know exactly what you’re doing so you can get in there, work hard and get it done. 3. Remember, no one cares what you’re doing! Gym goers are WAY more interested in watching themselves in the mirror, focussing on mind/ muscle connection, trying to stay motivated, or feeling self-conscious themselves! 4. Wear whatever you feel comfortable and confident in! If you feel confident in hot pants and a sport bra – great! If you feel comfortable in an oversize T and trackies – wear just that! There’s no dress code in the gym. 5. Don’t be intimidated if it’s predominantly men in the weights section. It’s just as much your section as it is theirs. The truth is, the vast majority of men don’t really care what you’re doing – they’re probably more intimidated by you than you are them. Or, they rate you for being there in the first place!”

Why do you like to call yourself a feminist? ‘I have been the brunt of sexist jokes. I have been told to be more feminine. I have received unwanted sexually explicit messages both personally and in the workplace and much more! I call myself a feminist because these are wrong.”

Fitness doesn’t have to be scary, nor should it just be for males. If you want to lift weights, go do it! Check out Siobhan on Instagram: @_siobhanporter

Photography - Siobhan Porter

FULLSTOP.

Nutrition

As a women it can sometimes be hard to find supplement brands that have natural ingredients and that target women’s health specifically. We spoke to the founder of the female supplement brand FULLSTOP. to find out why her products are the only ones you need...

The female body is structured differently to men’s meaning it requires different amounts of vitamins and minerals. FullStop. is a supplement brand targeted specifically towards women that need that little extra boost on a day-to-day…

made a contribution socially. We have partnered with Action Against Hunger and donate a packet of lifesaving food to a severely malnourished child for ever product purchased.” How do your products target women’s health?

What is FullStop. all about? “FullStop. is all about empowering women to truly nourish their bodies without the hassle or pressure of cooking/preparing food. I created the brand because I needed this product myself. After I had a baby, I lost the luxury of time for self-care including preparing nutritious meals, getting to the gym regularly, doing yoga and meditating. I tried other products on the market, but I needed something that provided 100% of my nutritional needs and also included real fruits & vegetables as well as superfoods and adaptogens to support my lifestyle.” Tell us about the charity work you do with FullStop.... “I always wanted to have a business that also

“FullStop. empowers women to show up in the world as their very best self, by truly nourishing their bodies and providing everything they need to thrive. For women looking to lose weight, FullStop. makes it easy by providing easy portion control, perfect nutritional balance of macronutrients and micronutrients, slow release carbs to stop snacking and reduce cravings and less than 1g sugar per serving.” How is your brand different to others? “I created this product for women specifically whereas other brands on the market are very masculine. I wanted this product to be something women WANT to use. In the formulation I have included superfoods, adaptogens and real fruit and vegetables because as a nutritionist I know

the importance of ‘eating the rainbow’ and getting micronutrients from food sources as much as possible. From a purpose perspective, I wanted to make it easy for women to truly nourish their bodies becuase recent research shows that up to 50% of women aged between 25 and 50 get an insufficient amount of a variety of micronutrients. On top of this, the majority of people in the UK do not eat enough fibre and this has far reaching impacts on gut health, inflammation, immunity and hormonal health. Likewise, it was important for me that we use any success of the business to make a positive social impact - which is why we have partnered with AAH.” 5. What are your future goals for the brand?

Photography - Jess

www.livefullstop.com

“Going forward, I’d love to build a community around the brand - to have a super engaged customer base and do community and online events. I would like to be the leading brand for complete nutrition for women and make a huge positive impact on not only our customers lives by empowering them to feel their very best, but also to donate hundreds of thousands of meals to children in need.”

Photography - Candice Sweeney

TRULY

Unstoppable Being able to workout and enjoy fitness is something we sometimes take forgranted. It’s often seen as an easy and accessible par t of day-to-day life; but what if you had a condition that reduced your movement ability meaning you struggled to perfor m daily tasks. Would you still see it as a simple aspect of life?

Candice Sweeney, a 32 year old fitness lover from London. She was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis around 8 years ago and has been adapting ever since. We spoke to her about how her condition has effected her fitness journey and what adaptations she has had to make...

the lining of the joints. It is an autoimmune disease and is incurable. Common symptoms are; weaker immune system, joint pain, swelling, fatigue, body stiffness, numbness and flu-like symptoms. There are more complicated symptoms that can develop also.”

So Candice, when did you first get into fitness?

How did it feel being diagnosed?

“I have been into fitness since I was about 21 but wasn’t always consistent with it. I have been consistent and more educated in training for about 5 years now. I got into it initially as I started to go to the gym with friends, I really loved the positive feelings it gave me and I knew it was something I enjoyed. Over the years, I have learnt more about training and how the body works and developed the style of training that I enjoy most and what works best for my goals.”

“I was 24 when I was diagnosed. I was having issues where my joints would be so swollen and there were days when I couldn’t move my hands as it was so painful. They did lots of tests and confirmed it was RA. It’s incurable so they gave me pills to take everyday for the rest of my life. It was scary because I had never had any health issues before and I was scared for how it may progress as I got older and how it would impact my day to day life.”

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

How have you adapted to life with RA?

“Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes joint inflammation and pain. It happens when the immune system doesn’t work properly and attacks

“Initially RA did affect my training as my body would be tired, swollen or sore often so I couldn’t be consistent with my training. A few

Photography - Candice Sweeney

years after being diagnosed, I became vegan for other reasons and almost immediately, my symptoms went away. I no longer had flare ups where my joints would be swollen and I had more energy than ever before. The doctors took me off the medicine as they recognised how my change in diet had cured me. Over the last 5/6 years, I have now learnt to manage the disease through diet, exercise and sleep. The lockdown made me start working out at home rather than in the gym, I was lucky that I had enough equipment already. It actually made me realise that your workouts can be just as effective at home as in the gym and I really learnt to enjoy the convenience of working out at home. I also started to change up my training by doing more HIIT workouts as I didn’t use to do a lot of cardio before and certainly didn’t enjoy it but I challenged myself and started to enjoy HIIT.” How does weight training make you feel? “Amazing!!! I love it, for my mental health it’s so important and always makes me feel so great, no matter what’s going on in my life. Physically, I like seeing the progress and keeping my joints strong which helps with my RA. I couldn’t imagine fitness not being a part of my life. Sometimes I am more motivated than others but I always know, it’s the best thing for me to do. It’s really important to find what fitness works for me and what I enjoy, so that it can become a part of my life and routine.” What advice would you give to those that may be struggling with Rheumatoid Arthritis? “Cut out/limit dairy and meat from your diet for the best impact, there is a lot of inflammation in dairy/meat which reacts badly with the disease. Exercise regularly as moving your body and building your strength is so important for RA otherwise your joints can become stiff. Learn to listen to your body, when you are tired, rest and make sure you get a good amount of sleep.” Finally, do you have any fitness goals for the future? “I want to continue to build my home gym and challenge myself with building my strength and continue to add more cardio into my routine.”

Check out Candice on Instagram: @candality

Photography - Abbey Willis

RISE or Fall Have you even wondered what it feels like being on stage at a bikini competition? Ever wondered what the preparation involves? We spoke to the UK’s Pro Champion Abbey Willis to find out...

Abbey Willis is a 23 year old Bikini Pro Champion. She is also a full-time fitness coach helping other females get the body of their dreams. Abbey’s fitness journey started way back in her early teenage years but hasn’t always involved weight training. “I have been a dancer all my life and when I was in my late teens I really lost my passion for it. I needed something to fill that space and the gym just fell into place!” By using her love for sports she found her new passion for the weight training. “I fell in love with fitness because it really showed me what my body was capable of; through eating to fuel and training for me. My confidence just bloomed. It makes me feel strong.” Like many other young females Abbey found herself feeling empowered and confident through lifting weights and wanted to push herself further in the field. This is when she decided to try something new and enter the world of bikini competitions. “In my last year of uni I went to see a bodybuilding show completely out the blue. I saw the girls on that stage and how confident and strong, yet still feminine they looked and I just knew I needed to give it a shot!”

The bikini competition world has never been highly in the spotlight and many think that it is just for muscular men. However, these competitions give women a place to feel confident within themselves too and become proud of the hard work and progress they have made throughout the past few months of prep. “Proud would be the easiest way to describe it. You have worked so hard for that one moment and regardless to the result you know you gave 110% to everything in the lead up.” We all want to feel proud and inspired and being on stage is a great way to achieve this. Achieving big goals is always a great feeling, “my proudest moment would probably be getting my first UK Pro win and be fully-funded to fly to the USA as the only female in 2018 to represent the UK and to then get a TOP 2 placing in the Atlas International.” You might want to try out bikini competitions yourself but just know it’s not just as easy as showing up and looking amazing on stage. It requires hard work and dedication beforehand to get the right physique for the show as well and mentally preparing yourself for what’s to come. “I

normally prep for around 12 weeks, I’ve done 17 shows now so my body seems to be more used to prepping and mentally you know what to expect more. Daily expenditure (training, neat, etc) goes up and calories go down when they need to. The more successful development season you’ve had means generally the easier the prep; though everyone is different. I’ve had a few where my body hadn’t seemed to respond for the first four weeks but then it all clicked into place. Consistency is the main factor when it comes to any weight loss journey. Mentally that can be the challenge and prep brain is definitely a thing! But having someone or a coach to be accountable too definitely helps keep you level headed!” As well as competing in the shows Abbey is also inspiring other women to give it a go and smash their own personal fitness goals. “I use Instagram mainly to share my journey, the good, the bad, the ugly. I really do try to appreciate the little things in life and think it’s important for everyone to do just that. Being able to eat nutritious food and train in a gym or at home is a privilege & a lot of people forget that. I also have my wonderful coaching business where I help others reach their goals; whether that’s stepping on stage, building some muscle or just dropping a few pounds. My team make me so proud - I give them the tools they need but they do the work.” Having the tools and the knowledge to start out on a fitness journey is one thing but actually achieving those goals is another. “Just start. That’s the hardest part. Once you get the ball rolling there maybe hurdles and no journey is 100% smooth but each step, however small, is a step closer to what you want!” Starting is the first step to any goal you want to achieve, you don’t have to be the best or make it perfect first time but its the start of the journey. In the future Abbey wants to continue to inspire others and help them achieve big dreams. “I want to keep helping people prove to themselves they can do it. See my coaching team grow and potentially step on stage again to win the Atlas.” Bikini competitions wont be for everyone but some may choose it as next step in their fitness journey. If are interested in learning more about it or want support then head over to Abbey’s pages: Instagram - @abbeeywillis Coaching - www.coachingwithabbey.com

Photography - Abbey Willis

Photography - Kennedi Monych

DAY

In the Life of a

Being a female personal trainer in a male-orientated world can seem strange to some but Kennedi Monych is showing us all just how it’s done...

The fitness industry can be quite a masculine place and seeing a female being a personal trainer and helping others build muscle can seem strange to some. However, Kennedi Monych, a 22 year old fitness coach from Canada, is breaking the stigma and helping many women around the globe reach their fitness potential. Being a female fitness coach in a male-dominated industry can be tough, but Kennedi is showing women just what they can do! We spoke to her to find out what it’s like to be a young female fitness coach and what a typical day-in-the-life looks like for her. So Kennedi, what made you want to become a fitness coach? “I became a PT in march of this year as I wanted to help others. I dealt with many stressful situations and realized fitness is a great way to cope with it. Now I’m trying to help others see it that way and reach their own goals.”

How does it feel being a young female coach? “It feels really good, I don’t see anything negative. I do get a lot of positive feedback because people see how much passion I have for fitness.” What’s a typical day in your life? “1. As soon as I wake up I take my daughter to school. 2. After she’s dropped off I hit the gym and get my own training session done. 3. After that I go home to eat, clean & shower. 4. Once all of that is done I sit down on my laptop and work on meal plans, workout plans, replying back to clients & people on social media. 5. I then pick up my daughter and hangout with

her until bedtime. 6. Once bedtime comes I usually get back on my computer & continue where I left off until my bedtime. 7. Then repeat the next day.” Amazing! What advice would you give to females that are wanting to get into weight lifting but don’t know where to start? “First of all I would tell them to get a coach, then I would tell them I am the coach they’ve been looking for! I would tell/teach them to be confident, eat healthy, to learn proper form, stick to compound movements, progressively overload, set goals, be consistent & don’t give up.” What advice would you give to young females that want to become a coach themselves? “I would tell them to just do it!! It leads to a healthier, happier lifestyle & it allows you to help others achieve a healthier, happier lifestyle which is very rewarding.” Finally, what does your coaching involve? “I mainly do online coaching. This involves me creating a workout plan for either 4, 6, or 12 weeks, a meal plan personalized to their body & access to an app that stores all my workout videos, tracks your progress and shows you all the information to help achieve your goals.” Kennedi is an inspiration in the fitness world and her ability to push away the stigma behind being a female personal trainer and instead pursuing a career she is passionate about is very inspirational. If you have a goal or a passion you want to pursue but are being put off by the stigmas behind it; just remind yourself that you are doing it for you and no one else. Go out there and get it because if you don’t, no one else will! Check out Kennedi on Instagram @myfitnesscoachkenn

Photography - Kennedi Monych

Photography - Rasha Hallak

MIND Games Mental health is a ver y impor tant par t of our overall wellbeing and one of the main reasons people choose to exercise. Not only does movement increase endor phins, but it also puts you in the right mindset to thrive in life!

Rasha Hallak is a 29 year old female fitness fanatic using exercise and training as a way to manage her mental health. Back in June 2019, Rasha started out on a fitness journey to help give her that little extra mood boost she was lacking on a day-to-day. “I started my fitness journey last year June & I did it because I wanted to feel better about myself as I wasn’t in the right state of mind.” With an increase in social media usage throughout the lockdown and being isolated from friends and family for so long the nation’s mental health is currently at an all time low. Young Minds reported that “80% of respondents agreed that the coronavirus pandemic had made their mental health worse.” To make matters worse we keep having the gym taken away from us. It can be hard to adjust to this new way of living and training but the benefits of regular movement will help decrease the risk of having low mental health. Rasha is a lover of weight training and really sees the benefits of incorporating it into her routine regularly. “It makes me feel stronger mentality and physically and made me realise what my body was capable of doing. It also makes me feel

empowered & mentally stronger. It’s the time I get to spend with myself caring for my body, mind and soul.” Whether you are training at home or at the gym, the mental benefits of weight training is like no other. Not only does it increase the endorphins but it also gives you that sense of empowerment and accomplishment. You will want to push harder to be able to lift heavier and you will work towards doing more reps and sets each time to increase the difficulty of each session. There is so much more to weight training than simply getting fit and healthy. “It’s a chance to reflect & helps me realise that I am so much stronger than my negative thoughts.” Although it can be difficult to find the motivation to train when you are stuck at home all day; it has too many benefits to ignore. “COVID helped me recognise the importance of fitness for mental health. I managed to build even better habits and practised positive thinking to overcome my negative thoughts.” Having the gym taken away from you and having to rethink your workouts can be tough but it gives you a new perspective on training. “Working out makes me feel so positive,

even on my worst days. When I don’t exercise for a while I start to feel like I’m letting my body down. My body does so much for me on a daily basis and part of self-love is to look after your mental and physical state.” The importance of good mental heath is such a big aspect of many peoples lives but sometimes it can be hard to know where to start. “I would say to always put yourself first and do it for you. Focus on YOUR goals and aspirations and forget about what everyone else is doing because that’s not your life to live. Never go into fitness because you want to look like a certain person or fit a body type because the truth is we are all different, hence we don’t look like each other, and that’s what makes us unique. Exercise helps lift your positive vibrations and with that you can uplift yourself and perhaps others. Focus on longevity rather than quick fixes and you will form good habits! It’s all about feeling good in your own skin.” Rasha is a keen believer of offering inspiration and encouragement to others to help them create a positive mindset towards life through fitness. “I like to spread positivity through sharing my experiences and helping others overcome negative body image the same way I did. During COVID it’s important to keep reminding others that we are truly in this together and we can use this time to better our habits and lifestyles. Fitness had SUCH an impact on my life as it helped me overcome my darkest moments, when I was in a place where I felt so alone. My experience taught me that I don’t want other women feeling that way and therefore it inspires me to always spread kindness and positivity through sharing exercise tips, daily quotes and reminding people not to compare themselves to others as it never leads to good outcomes.” Rasha is a great example of just how powerful exercise and weight training can be when it comes to helping with mental health. It can help change your mindset towards things that may have bothered you in the past, creating a more fulfilling life. By simply enjoying the way your body can move and grow is honestly the most powerful tool you can have when it comes to improving your mental health! Give it a go as it may even change your life forever! Check out Rasha on Instagram - @leanlioness

Photography - Rasha Hallak

Photographer & Stylist - Emma Ford

Model - Olivia Bamford

SPORTY Spice

BOSS Babe

Photographer & Stylist - Emma Ford

Model - Katrina Lazaro-Shaw

CUTE

Girly Photographer & Stylist - Emma Ford

Model - Katrina Lazaro-Shaw

Photographer & Stylist - Emma Ford

Model - Olivia Bamford

SPORTS Luxe

Photographer & Stylist - Emma Ford

Model - Olivia Bamford

KEEPIN It Casual

FLAMIN Hot

Photographer & Stylist - Emma Ford

Model - Katrina Lazaro-Shaw

Photography - Lizzy High

FITNESS Frenzy The fitness industr y can be a ver y controversial place. Some look at it as a way to thrive and get a boost of confidence but others see it as a ver y negative place full of self-conscious individuals that obsess over their looks. Some even go as far as saying fitness can rule our lives but is this really true?

Many young girls turn to fitness as a way to overcome their negative emotions towards their bodies, which can lead to obsession. Beat Eating Disorders estimates that “around 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder.” Many believe the fitness industry is to blame for these high figures due to the promotion of fat loss plans but in reality it can actually help aid recovery and promote healthy relationships with food and exercise. For example, people that choose to weight train, often eat more food as they need more fuel to help grow and build their muscles. For girls with disordered eating, this can help change their mindset and put them on a path to recovery. Lizzy is a 20 year old advocate for eating disorder awareness. From struggling herself in the past and recently relapsing last year, she now sees fitness as a way to improve her health, gain strength and feel good day-to-day. “I started my fitness journey about 3 years ago, mainly to work on my physical appearance. But from summer 2019 I got obsessed with fitness which led me down a slippery slope of relapsing from my eating

disorder. After recovering from this I changed my mindset around fitness and I now use it as a way to feel good, improve my strength and health. I changed my mindset by going to the gym not with the intention of losing weight and to burn off food but instead going to get stronger and to improve my health. I realised that when I just focused on changing how I physically look it never felt enough; I always had to improve even if I reached my goal. Now I’m focusing on my strength and fitness, I am not chasing unrealistic goals and the changes in my body so far are just an added bonus.” After switching her mindset towards exercise and swapping to weight training, she is now more confident in herself and her ability to inspire other women in a positive way. “I love weight training as it makes me feel strong, physically and mentally. Not only has my physical strength increased but my mental strength has also increased as I know I can do anything I put my mind too, which leads me to hitting new PBs.” Weight training is a great way to help both mentally and physically during recovery and can help when changing the focus behind exercise.

“Weight training has helped my recovery a lot as I now focus on getting stronger instead of chasing a physique goal. In a way it’s nice to see that I can grow mentally stronger which is reflected in my physical strength as I keep hitting new PBs. Also, I really enjoy it so I am not forcing myself to do it, which has brought back my love for exercise that I lost when I was struggling with an eating disorder.” After gaining back her confidence back and now sitting at a healthy body weight Lizzy is using her social media channels to help other young females that may be going through similar things. “I’m spreading awareness of eating disorders by talking about taboo topics such as things we shouldn’t normalise in the fitness industry like losing your period. This is actually a sign your body is shutting down. I also wrote an article which is on my page called the ugly truth of starvation where I highlight the symptoms and what it is actually like to suffer. I try to share a lot of body positivity stuff and do more ‘realistic’ pictures so my instagram isn’t a highlight reel, to remind people who are struggling not to compare themselves to others on social media. I like doing transformations pictures as it shows that recovery is possible, it doesn’t make you ‘fat’, and weight gain isn’t a bad thing.” Lizzy often outlines the truth behind weight loss and how damaging it can be for your body and your hormones. “I definitely think there needs to be more awareness so people can spot the signs, how to help others and actually get rid of fitness crap out there such as them saying it is okay to lose your period when dieting. If you do lose your period due to weight loss or over-exercising this is NOT normal. It’s a sign your body is shutting down as it doesn’t have enough energy to function properly. Please fuel your body and don’t risk your fertility to look a certain way, it isn’t worth it.” Fitness is and most likely will be a very controversial place as everyone has different thoughts/opinions and knowledge. We also all have different goals, bodies and lifestyles which play a part in the way we look. However, undereating and over-exercising is never something that should be done, especially just to look a certain way. If you find yourself comparing your body to those around you or those on social media it is time to stop! It’s time to start living your life again, focusing on your health, start getting stronger and starting to enjoy food again!

Lizzy’s 4 top tips for increasing food again: 1. Change your mindset. It’s been drilled into us that eating more is bad but it’s not true. We need to eat to live and eating more can give you more energy and help build strength. 2. If you are struggling to physically to eat more, try smoothies with ingredients to bomb up calories such as protein powder. 3. Eat calorie dense foods, it’s an easy way to up your calories without eating larger volumes such as peanut butter and nuts. 4.Remind yourself that the only person stopping you is you. You can do anything you put your mind too, even if its hard. After coming out the other side and now aiming to help others Lizzy’s advice to those that may be struggling is: “Tell someone! If someone is struggling they shouldn’t suffer alone, not only does it damage your mental health but your physical health too! If they don’t feel comfortable with that then they should used BEAT online eating disorder services which has free online support or they should go to the GP to get referred to a specialists. I would also say, remind yourself to not believe everything you think or that you see online; you deserve to eat and you need to eat to live.” It’s time to step back and really think about why you are no longer living your best life and enjoying all the wonderful foods! It’s time to stop worrying, stop comparing and focus on gaining and not loosing! If you or anyone you may know is struggling with an eating disorder then please tell someone you trust. If you don’t feel like you have anyone to talk to then here are some helplines you can call instead: Beat Eating Disorders - 0808 801 0677 Mind - 0300 123 3393 SEED - 01482 718130 Eating Disorder Support - 01494 793223 Check out Lizzy on Instagram - @liz.bitesback

Photography - Lizzy High

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Photography - Annie

TRAIN like a Beauty Annie is a 29 year old fitness & wellness coach from Toronto. We spoke to her to get an insight into the female body and how weight training can effect it differently to males...

Annie has always been into fitness but her real journey started around 5 years ago at the age of 24. “I’ve always liked being active, but I fell off especially after I finished university. However, 5 years ago I fell sick (where I almost died), and in the recovery process I decided to start with a clean slate by exercising again and eating cleaner.” After this traumatic event she decided to kickstart her journey and built a coaching business to go alongside. “After my near death experience, living that clean slate life truly saved my life and helped me heal much more quickly than I would have if I had not changed my lifestyle. I’ve been in the fitness and health industry for almost 4 years now and I chose to be a fitness and wellness coach because I LOVE helping and inspiring people of all ages, backgrounds and gender feel strong, fit, and most importantly healthy.” So Annie, how exactly is the female body different to males in terms of training? “The female body is different from a male’s body in a variety of ways. One being the concentration of hormones women and men have which affects

how women and men store and lose fat. Women are slow to burn fat and slow to build muscles in comparison to men. For example, for childbearing reasons, women have a hard time getting rid of fat in the stomach area in comparison to men. This is not is not to say that women can’t burn fat and build muscles because they can. After all, muscles (both in men and women) are formed by bundles of fibres so with diligent training and consistency women can also attain muscles and reduce overall body fat percentage.” People think that if women lift weights they will get ‘bulky and manly’, is this true or is it a perception people have? “This idea is a misconception, women do have the capacity to get “bulky” or “muscular” but that requires A LOT OF EFFORT, protein shakes, and hours of intense weightlifting training. Women who have achieved that “bulky” or “muscular” body type strive to look this way with a specific intense weight training and a special diet. It takes a lot of food and a lot of weight to get like that so people who train normally shouldn’t worry.”

As a female should our weight routines be different way to males?

training

“The answer to the question of whether females should train differently from males is, Yes and no. The reason is because males and females have different sexual dimorphism (physical differences between males and females) which does make us different and we need to remember that when weight training. Majority (but not all) of men weight train to build muscles and be muscular which is different for some women (but not all) and thus, this requires different methods of training. In my professional opinion, I believe it’s important for women to add resistance, flexibility and conditioning training to weight training. But it’s definitely important for women to strength train as every woman can benefit from weight training regardless of her age.” How often would you recommend weight training in a week and how long should each session last? “How often one should train depends on the individual’s own personal schedule, and what their personal goals are. For example, if you are new to training but want to stay active, I recommend you start doing two to three strength training workouts per week and two conditioning/ cardio workouts per week for about two months until your body gets used to training then you can gradually increase it. However, I will advise that one day of weight training be followed by at least one day of rest for beginners. In my professional opinion, I believe that a brief workout is better than no workout at all because even minimal training is highly beneficial for the body and muscle development. Beginner: 12- 20 minutes/per day then after a month or two increase the time to maybe 20-30 minutes. But an ideal workout time is between 45 minutes to an hour. That is all that you need. There is such a thing as over training, so train wisely.” Do you have any recommendations of good workout splits? “Training the entire body is important but trying to work the entire body in a single workout can be difficult at times. I would recommend breaking down your workouts, so you don’t feel overwhelmed and work the muscles efficiently.

For example, if you dedicate two days to strength training your workout plan should look something like this: Day One: Lower Body: Upper Body: Day Two: Lower Body: Upper Body:

Quadriceps and Glutes Abs and Back

Glutes and Hamstrings Abs and Shoulders”

What would be your top tips for females that are wanting to start weight training and working towards specific fitness goals? “My top advice will be, don’t be scared and just do it!. Weight training is not only rewarding but it’s also a great way to sculpt your body naturally to your liking. Do not be afraid to seek or ask for help. If you do not know how to get started, reach out to a fitness professional and learn as much as you can while training with them.” Check out Annie on Instagram @cleanslate_fitness.wellness

Photography - Annie

Photography - Samuel Girven

THE TRUTH

Behind Overtraining Over training, a word that many people in the fitness industr y tr y to ignore. Surely you can’t train too much, right? Wrong! We spoke to Justin Robinson to find out about the dangers of over training...

Although training too little can stop you seeing any real health benefits, training too much can actually cause negative health effects due to the lack of rest and recovery. The key is to find the right balance to ensure you are thriving and not depleting.

in fitness level and possibly injury. Everyone is at risk for OTS, so recognising the early signs and combating them can prevent detrimental fitness and health outcomes.”

Justin Robinson a registered Sports Dietitian and Strength and Conditioning Coach tells us all about the truth behind overtraining and the signs too look out for:

1.Decreased performance

“When it comes to exercise volume, there is a dose-response relationship, which means that the more you work out, the more benefits you will achieve, but there is a tipping point where the amount of exercise you perform can do more harm than good. This point can be reached by one or both of the following two ways: 1. Too much exercise without enough recover 2. Chronic underfueling This tipping point is known as overtraining syndrome (OTS) and in short leads to a decrement

Here are nine signs of overtraining to look out for:

“The tell-tale sign of overtraining is a lack of improved performance, despite an increase in training intensity or volume. Decreased agility, strength and endurance, such as slower reaction times and reduced running speeds are all common signs of overtraining.” 2. Increased perceived effort during workouts “Not only can overtraining decrease performance, it can also make seemingly effortless workouts feel unusually difficult. A clear sign of this is an abnormally elevated heart rate during exercise or throughout the day. If you are experiencing OTS, you may find that it takes longer for your heart rate to return to normal after a workout.”

3. Excessive fatigue “A few days of fatigue or ‘heavy legs’ is expected at times. But fatigue will accumulate in a body that never has a chance to fully recover from previous workouts. Further, chronic, negative energy expenditure leads to something called ‘low energy availability’, which means that the body is consistently pulling from its own energy stores (carbs, protein, fat). This can be the result of too much training or too little fueling.” 4. Agitation and moodiness “Overtraining significantly affects your stress hormones, including cortisol and epinephrine. This hormonal imbalance can cause mood swings, unusual irritability and an inability to concentrate.”

health and performance. Medical complications can also involve the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, endocrine, nervous or reproductive systems (e.g., menstrual cycle disturbances in women).” 9. Psychological stress and/or depression “Some people live for punishing workouts and gruelling competitions. If this sounds like you, the inability to train or race (combined with an imbalance of hormones and lack of quality sleep) can significantly affect your psyche.”

5. Insomnia or restless sleep

When you have a strong passion for fitness it can be hard to take rest days and not over-train but it is important to keep your body thriving and in tip-top shape to decrease the risk of getting ill or injured. All it takes is a few rest days each week, proper nutrition and quality sleep to decrease your risk of overtraining.

“Sleep ideally provides the body time to rest and repair itself. But overproduction of stress hormones, as mentioned above, may not allow you to wind down or completely relax, making sleep much less effective (which compounds chronic fatigue and moodiness).”

However, it is important to understand the signs and symptoms of overtraining and ensuring you are taking the required rest to allow your body to recover fully and get you back to tip-top health. If your symptoms are severe then it’s best to seek professional help.

6. Loss of appetite

Ways to avoid overtraining:

“A hormone imbalance can also affect hunger and satiety mechanisms. More training should stimulate more appetite, but the physiological exhaustion of OTS can actually lead to appetite suppression.”

1. Develop a training program that works for you

7. Chronic or nagging injuries

3. Set goals

“Overused muscles and joints can cause constant aches or joint pain. Pain that does not subside in two weeks (or so) should be considered a notable injury. Overtraining taxes all of the body’s systems and also makes it more difficult to ward off infections. Thus, frequent illnesses and upperrespiratory tract infections (URTIs) are signs as well. Medical complications may also include low bone mineral density and low testosterone.”

4. Keep a training log

2. Follow your own training plan not anyone else’s

5. Eat properly 6. Sleep well 7. Deal with non-training stress, e.g. work, family, etc. 8. Stretch, ice, massage

8. Metabolic imbalances “Long-term low energy availability may lead to nutrient deficiencies, such as iron deficiency Anaemia which have the potential to harm both

9.Get a physical and blood tests every six months 10. Rest. Take a lease one day off each week

Photography - Samuel Girven

INFLUENCERS on the

Rise

Social media is an ever-growing online world for fitness communities, especially over on Instagram. In the past, fitness influencers were all about diets and intense training but nowadays we can see a diverse range of fitness fanatics taking over the space. To give you all some inspo we have picked out our top 6 influencers that are on the rise...

@hebehiompt

@tarasbody

@tillyhulse_fit

@emmafituk_

@happily.hana

@hxhails

TOPNOTCH

Nutrition

At lot of people think that in order to stay fit and healthy you have to live off salads and protein bars but the reality is quite different! We spoke to Hattie Balzanelli to find out all things Vegan & spor ts nutrition...

Hattie Balzanelli is a 23 year old qualified Vegan nutritionist. She spreads her love for wholesome food over on her instagram @naturallyhattie and shows her followers just how easy it is to enjoy your favourite goodies while still keeping fit. Being a qualified nutritionist she gives out quality advice to her followers as well as showing them how easy it is to switch to a Vegan diet, especially when wanting to get leaner. There is often a misconception around lifting weights while being on a Vegan diet, due to the lack of knowledge around protein sources. The question that always gets asked is ‘how do you get enough protein on a Vegan diet? Surely you can’t lift weights and build muscle on a Vegan diet?’ However, it is just as easy as any carnivore (meat-eater) diet; the only difference is the source of protein you consume. Whether you choose to remain a carnivore or choose to switch to a Vegan/Vegetarian diet the principles remain the same. Ensuring you are getting in enough of your macro (protein, fats & carbs) and micro (vitamins & minerals) nutrients into your diet each day, it doesn’t matter where is comes from. “There are plenty of great protein supplements out there and these are necessary

for those wanting to ensure they’re getting enough protein in their diet, I do this through shakes and bars.” Protein shakes and bars are a great quick fix to increase your daily protein intake but these shouldn’t be relied on all the time. The artificial proteins may cause some upset to your gut if consumed all the time and to ensure you are getting enough of your micro nutrients in, opting for whole food protein sources is always a must. Hattie has always had a strong passion for food and nutrition but only recently started out on her own fitness journey. “I properly started my fitness journey at the beginning of the summer lockdown as I had so much spare time to focus on actually working towards my fitness goals.” It was during this time that she took up weight training at home and found that, like many other young women, it made her feel “strong and determined”. After spending time on her fitness throughout the lockdown she ended up falling in love with it. “I feel in love with wanting to create a better and healthier version of myself. I was tired of feeling the way I felt with my body which was mostly being unsatisfied and I was ready for

Photography - Hattie Balzanelli

the challenge.” Like many other young girls this was the first boost of motivation when it come to starting out on a fitness journey. However, Hattie also went through another change when she switched her diet from a carnivore one to plant-based. “Becoming Vegan made me want to understand more on the best types of plantbased foods out there for us.” There are so many alternatives out there on the market today that switching to a Vegan or Vegetarian diet makes sense to many. By simply switching up your protein and dairy sources it can be an easy shift to make. However, ensuring you are getting enough of the vital vitamins and minerals is essential. “Women usually lack calcium, iron, vitamin D and iodine” so ensuring you are consuming enough of these will help you on your journey. “Foods rich in vitamins such as fruits & vegetables” are the perfect way to get in these nutrients. After ensuring you are getting the right nutrients into your diet many want to know how they can gain lean muscle mass. “You need to be eating enough food in order to build muscle (calorie surplus) and plenty of proteins, fats and carbs.” Ensuring you are hitting your daily macros by tracking them may help (you can find macro calculators free online). Although you don’t want to get too consumed by the numbers so this should only be a shortterm solution to ensure you are getting the right micros/macros in to reach your goals. Another question that tends to be flung around the health and fitness world is whether eating at certain times affects your results. “This is false, although you should try to avoid eating just before going to sleep as it’ll be slightly harder for your body to digest your food but won’t be harmful.” Sticking to certain times to consume your food isn’t going to change your results. However, ensuring you are eating at quality times, ones that suit you best, will help you enjoy the process and enjoy the foods you are eating without having to worry. Food is about enjoyment and loving creating the meals you put together, while still nourishing your body and fuelling it for your workouts. There is no right or wrong when it comes you eating, you can eat In certain ways to help you achieve certain goals but doing what works for you and makes you happy is the best way to eat! Consume your food, don’t let it consume you!

CHOCOLATE ORANGE Protein Oats Ingredients:

Instructions:

40g Oats 50g Grated Courgette 200ml Unsweetened Almond Milk 20g Chocolate Orange Protein Vanilla Flavour Drops

1. Place all ingredients into a saucepan and heat on medium heat. 2. Stir until heated. 3. Pour the mixture in a bowl and add the toppings.

Toppings: 4. Enjoy! 50g Frozen Blueberries 10g Bourneville Orange Chocolate

Photography - @foodfitnesstreats

BLUEBERRY Protein Pancakes Ingredients:

Instructions:

20g Oats 1/2tsp Baking Powder 20g White Chocolate Protein 1 Ripe Banana 1 Egg 1/2tsp Sweetener 20g Frozen Blueberries

1. Blend oats into a flour.

Toppings: 100g Fat Free Greek Style Yogurt 30g Frozen Blueberries

2. Add banana, egg, protein powder, baking powder and sweetener and blend until smooth. 3. Stir through 20g frozen blueberries. 4. Spoon mixture into a hot frying pan, cover with a lid until the top starts to bubble then flip. 4. Stack the pancakes onto a place. 5. Top the pancakes with yogurt and blueberries. 6. Enjoy!

TUNA & SQUASH Salad Ingredients:

Instructions:

100g Butternut Squash Spinach 60g Tuna 30g Sweetcorn Baby Plum Tomatoes Cucumber 7ml Olive Oil 1tsp Balsamic Vinegar Frylight Spray Dried Oregano

1. Pre heat the over to 200C. 2. Chop up the butternut squash into cubes. 3. Place the butternut squash on a baking tray and spray with frylight and season with oregano. 4. Place the tray in the oven for 30 minutes until soft. 5. Chop up the salad and place into a bowl. Mix in the butternut squash and tuna and pour over the olive oil and balzamic vingegar. 6. Enjoy!

Photography - @foodfitnesstreats

TOMATO & HERB Orzotto Ingredients:

Instructions:

100g Orzo 1 Chicken Breast 1 Clove Garlic 25g Tomato Purée 1/2 Chicken OXO dissolved in 100ml Water Fresh Basil Fresh Chives 1/2 Lemon

1. Preheat oven to 200C. 2. Dice the chicken breast and cook in the oven for 15 minutes. 3. Fry the garlic. Then add in the orzo, stock and tomato puree, cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes, stir a few times throughout. 4. Check if the orzo is soft, if not leave for a couple more minutes (if it dries up just add a little more water). 5. Once the orzo is cooked stir in chives. 6. Serve the dish and top with lemon and basil leaves. 7. Enjoy!

BBQ CHICKEN Pasta Bake Ingredients:

Instructions:

80g Wholewheat Pasta 50g Courgette 1/2 Yellow Pepper 1/2 Tin Sweetcorn 5 Cherry Tomatoes 80g Broccoli 150g Passata 20g Heinz BBQ Sauce 1 Chicken Breast 1tsp BBQ Seasoning 25g Reduced Fat Cheese

1. Dice and season chicken with BBQ seasoning then fry until nearly cooked through. 2. Add courgette and pepper and fry until softened - Meanwhile cook the pasta and broccoli according to packet instructions. 3. Add the cherry tomatoes and sweetcorn and fry for a few more minutes. 4. Add in the passata and BBQ sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. 5. Add in the cooked pasta and broccoli and transfer to an oven-proof dish. 6. Top with cheese and bake in the oven until the cheese melts. 7. Enjoy!

Photography - @foodfitnesstreats

BBQ FLATBREAD Pizza Ingredients:

Instructions:

1 Flatbread 1 tbsp Heinz BBQ Sauce 1/2 tbsp Tomato Purée 1/2 Chicken Breast 1/4 Red Onion 1/4 Yellow Pepper 1/4 Tin of Sweetcorn 20g Reduced Fat Cheese Olive Oil Salt & Pepper

1. Preheat your oven to 200C. 2. Coat your chicken breast in olive oil and season with salt and pepper and then bake in the oven for 15 mins. 3. Meanwhile, mix together the BBQ sauce, tomato puree, salt and pepper to make the base of your pizza. 4. Once your chicken is out the oven, shred using two forks. 5. Now, build your pizza; BBQ base sauce first, then shredded chicken and then the rest of your toppings. 6. Bake your flatbread pizza for 10 mins. 7. Enjoy!

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Photography - Bex Howie

ESME Fitness Right now, more than ever, sustainability is a huge factor that should be considered when buying clothes. Although we have seen many changes in the fashion industr y already over the past few years, it has been less popular in the fitness industr y but Esme Fitness is working on making it happen...

ESME is a new gym wear brand on the market and it’s one you don’t want to miss! ESME Fitness is all about bright uplifting colours and sustainable, affordable clothing. We spoke to the founder Bex Howie, a 22 year old Law student, to give you all the insights on the brand and everything you will need to know... Bex, tell us about Esme Fitness... “Our Motto is simple, ‘be kind, in all that you think, say & do.’ There is so much emphasis on mental health & well-being right now, but it all starts with you. Here, at ESME, we want to embrace all that you are, share your stories with us, your fitness journeys and what brings you joy. We believe physical fitness is the foundation for a happy mind, and having gym wear that supports you is the first step!” When was Esme Fitness founded? “I created ESME in the summer 2019 at a local summer fate to test the products, logo

and ultimately to earn some extra money for university. However, ESME was officially founded as a limited company in February 2020.” Why did you decide to create ESME? “The brand was created due to some personal issues in my life. These issues pushed me into a corner and gave me the drive to make ESME work. I’ve always wanted to run my own business and despite it being so small I’m proud of how far it’s come in such a small space of time.” What products can we expect from your brand? “ESME sells high quality gym wear/yoga wear. We have sold over 62 different products over the last 8 months. We aim to bring out new pieces every 2 months. Our products are bright, flattering and very high quality for a low price compared to leading brands. Our products are embroidered by a local family run company and we try our hardest to reduce ESME’s carbon footprint.”

What future goals do you have for the brand? “I hope ESME continues to grow at the rate it has. Despite COVID making a lot of areas quite difficult to expand, I’ve been very happy with how fast it’s developed. Our next step is menswear and making more sustainable lounge wear. ESME is not just a brand or a money making business for me. It’s given me happiness, drive, motivation and an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and purpose despite being so small right now. I hope that one day ESME inspires people to start their own business. I hope I can say that despite the market being vast in every area, a normal girl can get their foot in the door without big investments, just hard work and having fun.” Instagram - @esmefitness19 Website - www.esmefitness.co.uk

Photography - Bex Howie

Photography - Holly Fanthom

WORK HARD

Play Hard

Holly Fanthom is a 28 year old Bikini Pro Champion. She talks all things training, juggling a career & fitness and being a Pure Elite Bikini Pro Champion…

Sometimes it can be hard to find the time and motivation to juggle a career as well as a regular fitness routine. However, Holly has learnt to do just that while also managing to push herself further and train to become the UK Pure Elite Pro Champion. We spoke to her about her fitness journey, becoming a Pro Champion and how she is now juggling a career and fitness... So Holly, when did you start your fitness journey? “I started my fitness journey in the middle of 2017. I had an unhealthy relationship with food and alcohol. I suffered with Body Dysmorphia and was extremely unhappy. I fell into a depression and needed to adopt a better mindset and decided to make a change. I had an epiphany at work, called my Dad and told him I wanted to become a bodybuilder and give myself a challenge.” How does weight training make you feel? “I feel powerful, confident and dedicated. I always felt that determination was something I lacked

however when it came to training and after seeing my results it pushed me to continue because I was reaping the benefits. It makes me feel better mentally.” How do you juggle a career and training? “At the beginning I found it a lot easier as I was working part time as a dental nurse. Now I’m studying as a dental hygienist and paediatric dentist at university it’s a lot more difficult. My course is intense and requires a lot of study. I still find time to train but not to the standard of how I would in an off season or a prep. I like to train 4 times a week and my sessions are much shorter. More an hour and a half. I will be doing one last show in April at the Pure Elite UK Championships which will be my pro debut and I think after that I will have a short hiatus to focus on my final year of study and have 3-4 years off competing.” What made you want to become a bikini competitor? “That was my goal initially when wanting to

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become a bodybuilder. I could have focused solely on changing my physique and my physique alone but I thrive on a challenge. I wanted to see if I could go through with it and I wanted to prove to myself that I was capable. Naturally I am quite a competitive person but I also wanted to show young girls that anything is possible, even at your lowest point you can turn it around but it all starts with you.” Tells us a little bit about what the competitions involve? “I was overwhelmed when it came to my first competition. I was an amateur and it was also my first competition with Pure Elite. I was told that my posing was of a pro standard, I held my own and that my approach was confident and sassy. I won my international model category out of a line up of 32 girls. I placed in my bikini competition something I did not expect given the amount of time training I had put in which was only 9 months. It involves a gruelling diet and training plan that you have to consider 24 hours a day. I’d say the easiest part is time in the gym. The remainder is ensuring you intake 3-4L of water a day, maintain and stick to the diet provided for you by a coach and pushing through the days where you feel exhausted or hungry.” What’s your favourite body part to train / your favourite exercise? “My favourite body part to train is my shoulders, they are the most receptive to my training and I find them quite easy to build. My favourite exercise would be the dumbbell fly. It’s such a simple and well known exercise but I honestly love it and I really like the pump after a shoulder session. Aesthetically I think it looks really nice too.” What advice would you give to those wanting to compete but maybe don’t know where to start? “100% go for it. It has been one of the best things I have ever done. I have not only improved my mindset but my outlook on life and how I feel about myself. I have gained a wealth of likeminded friends who are supportive and are some of the nicest and kindest people I’ve ever met. It is difficult in knowing where to start but

finding people on Instagram, fitness fanatics, bodybuilders, fitness models, etc. opens up many other doors. I also feel that independent gyms have a lot of people who are clued up on the industry and never be shy to approach somebody and ask. I did that a few times and I learnt a lot more about federations and it also gave me an insight in how to get a coach and what sort of coach to look for. YouTube is great for fitness vlogs too, you can delve into their daily/training routine, see what sort of foods they eat and how many times a day they are eating. It can help you determine whether the sport is for you or not.” What advice do you have for overcoming anxiety in the gym? “Not caring what anybody thinks. I do believe that comes with age and more time spent in the gym build on confidence. What you have to remember is nobody is actually looking at you or judging you, it isn’t a contest and everyone is in there to do one thing - train. Maybe take a training partner until you feel more comfortable with the weights. I always felt that helped me when I first started out, you feel less apprehensive. Also don’t ego lift, just because the other women are lifting more, they have probably been training longer. Stick to your capabilities to prevent getting an injury, focus on you and never worry about what anybody else is doing. It’s your journey and your journey alone.” Finally, do you have any amazing fitness goals for the future? “I would like to compete with two bros as it leads to IFBB. Becoming an IFBB bikini pro has been something of interest for a while now. That is my ultimate fitness goal but I would need a long off season to even meet their standards. I have the motivation and dedication to do it. However it is not something that is quite tangible at this current time.” Holly is such an inspiration when it comes to being successful in a career and the fitness industry. It can be hard to juggle, especially when training for an Elite title. If you want to follow Holly’s journey then be sure to head over to her Instagram @officialhollyfanthom.

Photography - Holly Fanthom

AYBL #BEAYBL

WIN!

Enter our giveaway worth over £400!

£100 Enter Now for Free! Head over to our website to enter our huge giveaway now! Win a fitness bundle worth over £400! This is one you don't want to miss! Entry details are on the website as well as the giveaway T&Cs. Head to www.kiloz.co.uk/giveaway to enter! Good Luck!

UNLOCKING

CBD

CBD, the newest trend on the health & fitness market. Some love it and some aren’t sure what it is. We spoke to The CBD Collection company to find out what exactly CBD is, where it comes from and the benefits it offers…

What is CBD? “Cannabidiol (known better as CBD) is one of over 113 cannabinoids that have been discovered so far in the hemp plant. These cannabinoids aren’t a compound unique to hemp, and can be found within a huge array of other plants and animals, including human beings. Cannabinoids are named like that because they were first discovered in the cannabis plant. The most famous cannabinoid is THC, which is what causes the negative effects most commonly associated with cannabis. Meanwhile CBD, the second most prominent cannabinoid, does not get you intoxicated. This is why products with more than 0.2% THC in them are illegal in the UK.” Tell us a little bit about The CBD Selection products? “The CBD Selection is a thriving British business with international reach; bringing quality products and great customer service to the growing CBD consumables and vaping industry. We supply a wide variety of CBD Oils, CBD E-Liquids CBD

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Vapes, CBD Skin Creams and Softgels from the most premium CBD Brands in UK and Europe. We work closely with manufacturers from around the globe, helping to design products to suit our customers’ needs, offering of products tailored towards both beginners and more advanced users. We have everything you need to join the global CBD community. In terms of function and reliability; we aim for the very best. Our product selection comes from personal experiences and customer demands. At The CBD Selection you get only the finest; each product has been chosen to enhance your CBD experience.” What exactly Is the Endocannabinoid System? “When CBD enters your body, its main way of interacting with the body is through a network known as the endocannabinoid system. You may never have heard of it, but every single person has one, and it’s an essential part of maintaining balance within your body. Your body contains many different systems that perform many different functions; your digestive system, your respiratory system, and your reproductive

Photography - Matthew Brodeur

Photography - Enecta Cannabis Extracts

system to name just a few. The role of the endocannabinoid system is like that of a manager. Rather than taking direct action, it ensures that all these numerous whirring cogs are working correctly. The ‘cannabinoid’ part of the word ‘endocannabinoid’ comes from cannabis, while the ‘endo’ part is short for endogenous. The terms refers specifically to the cannabis-like substances produced naturally inside your body. Since CBD is directly similar to these internally synthesised compounds, the body is able to receive and process it quite easily. The endocannabinoid system is made up of three core parts: endocannabinoids, a series of receptors around your body, and enzymes that break the endocannabinoids down. These receptors are found throughout all of your major organs, your immune system and your nervous system, ensuring that everything is at a state of balance. The body has a lot of clever ways of keeping things ‘just so’; if we are too hot then the body triggers sweat to cool us down; if we are dehydrated then the body triggers thirst to tell us to drink; if we need sleep then the body triggers melatonin to make us feel tired. All of these different signals and triggers are detected by your endocannabinoid receptors, which then trigger the release of endocannabinoids. These receptors can be split into two different categories; CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are found in the central nervous system (the brain and nerves of the spinal cord), while CB2 receptors are found in the peripheral nervous system, the digestive system and cells in the immune system. In each instance they check for differences in temperature, pressure, pH and metabolism. Using these receptors, the ECS is a major player in a lot of important functions including inflammation, motor control and immune function. The receptors in your digestive system are responsible for appetite and digestion, while the receptors in your brain control mood, memory and sleep. The endocannabinoid system is a very precise one, and each receptor works specifically to monitor and alter a certain bodily function. Once endocannabinoids have been released in order to return balance, the enzymes (the third part of the system) come along to break down the endocannabinoids. For example, if you are too

hot, the endocannabinoids will cool you down to your normal temperature, and then the enzymes will break them down to prevent it from going in the opposite direction (ie, you become too cold).” How does CBD interact with my body? “The reason introducing CBD to our body is so easy is because our endocannabinoid system responds to internally-produced cannabinoids and external cannabinoids very similarly. External cannabinoids, such as CBD, attach themselves to your CB1 and CB2 receptors, acting in the same way as endocannabinoids do. The two most famous external cannabinoids are THC and CBD. THC is the compound in cannabis that induces the high, and is associated with the negative side effects related to cannabis, such as paranoia and anxiety. It gives users a high by attaching to the CB1 receptor in your brain, and acting in a similar manner to anandamide (noted for its calming effects). However, the body’s enzymes struggle to break down THC, which leads to exacerbated effects. CBD, on the other hand, doesn’t induce any high. When it’s introduced to the body, instead of acting like anandamide, it stimulates the CB1 and CB2 receptors throughout the body to create more of its own endocannabinoids. Where THC is a highly active outside adulterant, CBD simply encourages the body to produce more of its own natural endocannabinoids. This is part of the reason that CBD is considered safe in the wider health sphere.” Is CBD oil the same as Cannabis oil? “Marijuana and hemp are two varieties of the same plant species, cannabis sativa. Hemp seed oil, sometimes referred to as cannabis sativa seed oil, is a predominantly nutrition-based oil that’s high in antioxidants, omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, but contains no CBD.” Where does CBD oil come from? “CBD can be derived from both the industrial hemp plant (male cannabis crop) and the female marijuana plant. Cannabinoids like CBD are synthesised largely in the trichomes (thin hairlike growths on the flowers) alongside terpenes and flavonoids, though they will still be present in smaller concentrations in other parts of the plant.”

What are the benefits of using CBD? “CBD helps with many things such as: -

Acne Anorexia Anxiety Chronic pain Depression Drug addiction and withdrawal Epilepsy Glaucoma High blood pressure Insomnia Muscle spasms Parkinson’s disease”

How does CBD oil help with recovery after a workout? “Whether you take rest days often or engage in a low-impact activity, recovery periods are designed to give your body and your muscles rest and more time to adapt to intensive workouts. CBD is often thought to be a useful supplement to aid in recovery. It may help for everything from muscle inflammation to pain management and everything in between. According to a 2018 review of 132 original studies published in Frontiers in Neurology, CBD can indeed reduce inflammation in the body and help improve pain and mobility in patients with multiple sclerosis. It is anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antiemetic, antipsychotic, and neuroprotective. Broadly speaking, it does decrease inflammation when it’s rubbed on muscles as an ointment or taken orally,” How does your CBD Muscle Rub help with a quicker recovery? “Topical CBD products work locally on specific parts of the body, potentially helping soothe pain on areas such as joints or particular muscles. CBD gets absorbed by the skin and doesn’t enter the bloodstream. As such, the balm affects the body similarly to over-the-counter topical creams to relieve pain for a certain amount of time. CBD muscle balm interacts with the high concentration of cannabinoid receptors in the skin. These receptors are part of the body’s endocannabinoid system, which is responsible for maintaining homeostasis across many bodily functions, including pain management. CBD

also suppresses chemokine, cytokine, and the production of T-regulatory cells, all of which slow down the muscle recovery process. By suppressing the inflammatory responses of a workout, CBD allows muscles to recover more rapidly. All a bit technical right, in short... It basically helps ease those aching muscles.” How often should people take CBD? “This generally depends on the user and their situation, but for first time users, we normally recommend, 2-4 drops every 2-4 hours so around 10 drops a day for anxiety, but if you are using it for sleep, we recommend around 0.51ml or 5-7 drops of the oil before bed!” 3 reasons you should try out CBD: 1. Non-Psychoactive “CBD is a non-psychoactive compound. This means that there will be no feelings of euphoria, you will not feel ‘high,’ following consumption. Even taking a higher dose than recommended, whilst can create an uplifting effect, is not enough to cause a high. Rather, it is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) – another wellknown cannabinoid that is responsible for the psychoactive effects many experience when taking cannabis.” 2. It is all natural “CBD is derived from the hemp plant, which itself is a source of fibre and considered to be particularly nutritious. CBD promotes homeostasis and can provide a natural, alternative form of treatment to traditional medicine.” 3.Promotes general health and wellbeing “Research has shown that CBD can effectively relieve pain, reduce stress and anxiety and can also improve sleep patterns. Several studies have also highlighted how CBD can positively promote heart health by reducing blood pressure, consequently lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, not only can CBD reduce cancer-related symptoms, but it can also assist in making chemotherapy more bearable, by reducing its most common side effects – both nausea and vomiting. With a myriad of health benefits, it is no surprise there is a globally increasing demand for CBD.” www.thecbdselection.co.uk

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Photography - Aimee Spillane

REST DAY Guilt Taking rest days can be hard, especially when you are passionate about training. We all experience rest day guilt in one way or another, at some point in our lives but knowing how to overcome it can be difficult...

Rest days, a lot of us have a love-hate relationship with them. One half of us loves taking a break and chilling out for a day but the other half feels guilty for resting and wants to go train. We often have a fight in our minds and we either force ourself to take a rest and feel guilty for it or we carry on training and don’t allow our bodies to rest properly. Whichever you choose it can be hard, we know! So to give you all some advice on overcoming rest day guilt we spoke to 23 year old Aimee Spillane from Surrey, to find out how she manages to overcome rest day guilt. Aimee has been training in the gym for around 5 years now so has a lot of experience with rest day guilt and overtraining. She first fell in love with the gym when she discovered weight training and has been passionate about it ever since. “When I discovered weight training my love for fitness grew, I was never a sporty person at school, but I started going to the gym to ‘look better’. That mindset has completely changed now and training has become way more than that to me. I love weight training because it makes me feel strong and has SO many mental benefits.” Like anything

in life, once you find your passion, taking a break from it can be hard. Similarly with fitness many of us feel that guilt from not working out. The guilt can either come from a positive or negative place and it’s important to determine which one yours is coming from. Some feel the guilt from body shame. If you go to the gym simply because you want to look a certain way or are unhappy with your appearance then you most likely feel the negative guilt and may feel like you are ‘falling off track’ and if you don’t train everyday and that it will ruin the progress. If this sounds like you then be aware that you may be struggling with mental health issues such as Body Dysmorphia. On the other hand, you may feel the guilt coming from a good place of passion. If you love training so much that you just want to be involved with it everyday it can be hard to take a break as you generally miss the atmosphere and the feeling of training. Whatever your reasoning is behind rest day guilt it is a normal feeling to have. So now you know where your guilt is coming from

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it’s time to actually get over it! Like many of us Aimee struggled with this guilt at the start of her fitness journey. “I did go through a phase about 2 years into my fitness journey where I trained 6 times a week (3 legs, 2 upper body) and I knew after about 3 weeks that it just wasn’t good for me, my legs were sore all the time and I felt very fatigued and learnt it didn’t work for me. I think sometimes it is about trial and error, finding out what sits right with your body and just listening to it.” She now listens to her body and the signals it’s giving her to know that resting is the best option. “After training a few days straight now, I love taking rest days as I feel my body needs them. I can feel my muscles need rest so I do exactly that.” It’s all about taking time to tune into your body and understand the signs and signals it’s giving you and then knowing it’s time to rest. The body is a clever mechanism that knows exactly what’s best for you at the given time, so taking the time to understand it can help you get over the feelings of guilt. Rest days are so important for your body’s recovery, especially if you train hard and lift heavy. If you don’t give your muscles the time they need to recover and rebuild then the hard work isn’t worth the effort! “Rest days are necessary for muscle repair and growth, preventing injury and from getting burnt out.” If you feel guilty about giving your body time to rest and recover then it’s a good idea to remember why you are doing it. “Remind yourself that it helps muscle repair and growth, and that over training can actually lead to a decline in progress. Have a rest, get some sleep, drink lots of water and your body will thank you for it.” Although rest days are about resting it doesn’t mean you have to sit still all day. If you love being active then you can take ‘active’ rest days instead. This can include going for a walk or a bike ride; just being out the house and moving your body while not over working it. This will help keep the blood flowing and help decrease the risk of tight or stiff muscles and can help decrease rest day guilt. Rest days are suppose to be there to benefit you and aid your progress. Rest day guilt is common but after mastering your mindset it becomes easy to sit down and rest. It’s all about finding what works for you and understanding the reasons why rest days are so important and soon you will be switching up the guilt to love! Check out Aimee on Instagram: @aimeejanefitness

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Photography - Aimee Spillane

Photography & Words - Gymshark

PROMOTION

GYMSHARK x Whitney Simmons She’s back for a second collection! Gymshark X Whitney Simmons: Season 2. Out Now!

You didn’t really think we were going to stop at one collection, did you? Since the Autumn launch of Gymshark x Whitney Simmons last year, Whit, and our Womenswear Design Team have been quietly working away behind the scenes, with your feedback in mind, to create its beautiful evolution. New Fabrics. New Colours. New Branding. New Designs. The same core message. When creating exclusive capsule drops with our athletes, we want each item within the range to be 100% bespoke - a nod so to say, to each of our athletes unique talents and what they stand for. From the messaging behind the collection, to the reason why a certain shade of colour was chosen - everything is thought out meticulously. Gymashark X Whitney Simmons: Season 2 is no different. Since the beginning, Gymshark x Whitney Simmons has paid homage to Whitney’s daily mantra “it’s a beautiful day to be alive”, with

the hopes that her collection would then inspire confidence, joy and positivity through every workout, and every day to those that wore its buttery-soft fabrics. Gymshark x Whitney Simmons: Season 2 expands on that core message, whilst also exuding a total celebration of self-acceptance. “It’s a beautiful day to be you.” This second collection is your daily reminder that you are beautiful. Beautiful in every sense of the word. Because beauty is about embracing what makes you, you. Absolutely, unwaveringly, unapologetically, you. It’s about owning your ‘flaws’ and ‘imperfections’ like no one else could. It’s about embracing the you of today for everything she is, and endeavouring to make the you of tomorrow just that little bit better. It’s time we stop pretending to be things we aren’t, and instead, start loving everything we are.

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We are wacky, giddy, bold and brave. You are you, and that, well, that is beautiful. To truly capture the identity of this capsule, Whitney and our Womenswear Design Team have worked around the clock to develop a timeless colour palette, consisting of 8 beautiful shades. From muted mid-tones (moss green) and seasonal AW colour ways (cherry chocolate), to a seriously confident and playful pop of chroma (cyber red), the new Gymshark x Whitney Simmons collection has a little something for everyone.

What can you find in the collection? - Whitney Rib Waist Leggings - Whitney High Rise Leggings - Whitney High Rise Shorts For those of you who prefer a super supportive fit, we’ve introduced a brand NEW legging to the Gymshark x Whitney collection. Each crafted from the exact same new fabric with the addition of the new glute-enhancing seam, where the designs begin to differ is in their fit and design detailing.

Gymshark x Whitney Simmons Colour Palette: Black / Unbleached / Amazon / Cherry Chocolate / Cyber Red / Moss Green / Intense Beautiful Blue / Pink Haze

So where did the colour inspiration come from? Moss green and amazon came from Whitney’s love of all things plants. Cherry chocolate, black and unbleached were crafted from this season’s love for dark, warm colourways. And as for cyber red... well, that one was all you - you voiced your wishes for a bold, powerful red last season, and we couldn’t help but deliver. As the excitement settles in about the launch of the new Gymshark x Whitney Simmons collection, we can only assume that there’s one thought uniting keyboard warriors, Whitney fans and style lovers alike: other than the colour palette, what’s different? The answer, is everything. Kind of. That makes it sound really extreme, but we’ll let Lo, Head of Womenswear Design here at Gymshark explain... “We really listened to the consumer after Whitney V1. Everyone loved the original design, we just needed to look at how we could improve it with new fabrics, new stitching techniques and new fits to make it even better”. - Lois Woodcock, Head of Gymshark Womenswear Design

The Whitney Rib Waist Leggings offer a slightly tighter fit, with a longer, highly supportive, ribbed-waistband (something you don’t ordinarily see in a cut-and-sew product, which, is making

our Design Team verry excited). The Whitney High Rise Leggings (featured above in ‘cherry chocolate’), however, continue their legacy with new and improved seams, and laser-cut detailing which follows the natural contour of your bum, whilst sitting flat against your back. -

Whitney Whitney Whitney Whitney

Sports Bra Long Sleeve Crop Top Longline Tee Swing Tank

As mentioned earlier, this collection is an evolution of its predecessor. Designed with your feedback in mind, Whitney and our Womenswear Design Team have worked tirelessly to create a variety of t-shirts which were are as versatile in style, as they are diverse, in both shape and fit. Featuring longer hemlines on both the swing tank and longline tee, their designs are focused towards those that want a little more coverage and versatility out of their activewear. Continuing its legacy, the Whitney Long Sleeve Crop Top is back, and better than ever. The

Photography & Words - Gymshark

neckline has been lowered for extreme comfort, and the back opened up so that you can see the beautiful gold hoop detailing when paired with The Whitney Sports Bra. -

Whitney Whitney Whitney Whitney

Fitted Joggers Recovery Hoodie Reversible Oversized Jacket Holdall

The first of its kind. A NEW addition to the Gymshark x Whitney Collection, the Whitney Holdall is designed as an adaptable lifestyle piece.

"It's a beautiful day to be alive" Crafted from a supple, jersey-like fabric, the holdall features drawcord detailing which allows its owner to actually change the entire silhouette of the bag - making it either bigger, or smaller. Did Mary Poppins inspire this design? We’ll never tell... The Gymshark X Whitney Simmons: Season 2 collection is out now! Head over to the Gymshark website to purcharce the collecxtion. Make you are quick as it is a limited edition collecion and when the pieces are gone, they aren’t coming back! Use code: KILOZ10 for 10% off the collection

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Photography - Emma Ford

COVID Catastrophe Training during a pandemic is something none of us ever expected but how have we really been adapting to the change?

We all know that the Coronavirus pandemic has drastically changed our lives, including the way we train. Whether you chose to switch up your usual gym sessions to home workouts, online virtual classes, outdoor running or simply rested for a few months instead; we all had to adapt in some way or another. It hasn’t been easy for anyone but the online fitness community has been such a positive place during the lockdown and we have seen so many new starters during the pandemic. We spoke to some of our readers to find out how they found training during a pandemic and how they shifted their mindsets towards training...

“I started working out from home because I wanted to start focusing on my health, especially during the pandemic.” - Harriet

How had Covid-19 changed the way you see the gym & training?

“I have less motivation now because I don’t like working out from home.” - Steph

“I think that Covid-19 has made me appreciate the gym more as it gives me a place to go to and to get out the house to clear my head. I also think that it requires me to build up more motivation and planning as I couldn’t just go to the gym whenever you want and use the weights. I had to figure out new routines at home instead.” - Tammy

“It’s a mental necessity and there is so much more behind going to the gym than just keeping fit and Covid has shown me this.” - Evie

“I realised how easy it is to do at home workouts. I have more motivation to workout as it gives me a break from work.” - Brianna “I now see training to be very important for your mental & physical well-being.” - Paige “I have found that I have lost motivation to workout as the gyms are closed.” - Tash

“I took for granted the facilities I had at the gym. I also have a lack of motivation while at home.” - Lily

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“I have found that the gym is very important and it’s a necessary way for me to escape but Covid has made me think about other ways that can help me mentally.” - Jess “I find home workouts hard as I like to usually have instructors around me to help, but I think this time off had made me want to go back more after the gyms reopen.” - Sophie How have you adapted & changed your fitness routines & workout plans? “It has changed my sessions as I have to now do them at home instead. It’s also making me think more about the mind-muscle connection and really working the muscles well. My workouts also now give me more joy throughout the day as they are one of the only things I look forward to in my days.” - Tammy “I now workout everyday by doing some form of exercise. I usually use weights to get the blood pumping.” - Harriet “I defo workout more than I did before.” - Brianna “I now have to workout with limited weights. I have noticed that my muscles mass have decrease so I do find myself training more.” - Paige “I have now changed my focus to free weights rather than machines.” - Steph “I have found it harder to do weight training as I don’t really have any equipment as it is very expensive to buy.” - Tash “It has made me realise why and when I should be doing it.” - Evie “I had to decrease the amount of weight training I did and instead extend and change more to cardio and body weighted stuff.” - Lily “I had to adapt my usual gym training to do athome workouts. I do really enjoy it because I know it won’t last forever and it will give me more time to focus on the workouts and doing it for good reasons.” - Jess

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Photography - Emma Ford

DOYOUEVEN

KILOZ THE FEMALE ONLY WEIGHT TRAINING MAGAZINE

ISSUE 2

COMING SOON!

KILOZ

KILOZ Magazine Issue 1

Articles inside

Gymshark x Whitney Simmons

Rest Day Guilt

Unlocking CBD

KILOZ Competition

Topnotch Nutrition

Esme Fitness

Work Hard Play Hard

Train like a Beauty

The Truth Behind Overtraining

Fitness Frenzy

Mind Games

GymPowerment

Gym Bag Essentials

FullStop. Nutrition

Rise or Fall

Love or Loathe

Truly Unstoppable

GymTimidation

Never Give Up