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TRENDS SPECIAL: THE A-Z OF FIT KIT 9 772049 224068
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 | £4.30
JILLIAN MICHAELS ON CALORIES, WEIGHT LOSS & FITNESS BS
BODY REBOOT SMASH YOUR GOALS SHED KILOS SMARTLY BE FITTER THAN EVER
One in a Jillian
WHAT DO NUTRITION EXPERTS REALLY EAT?
RELATIONSHIPS
INSIDE THE NEW TINDER OF FITNESS
JUST FLOW WITH IT YOGA FOR SLEEP, STRESS, ENERGY AND FOCUS
WAYS TO SLAY WINTER SKIN FIRST PERSON
‘A BARBELL LEFT ME PARALYSED’
*SOURCE: ROYAL COLLEGE OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH
Welcome to Women’s Health ou can call us many things, but meek we are not. In fact, at Women’s Health, we’ll never steer away from important topics simply because they’re tricky or controversial. On a personal level, I’m one of the most honest and direct (some would probably argue blunt) people you’ll ever meet, so as head of this very influential brand, it’s my job to ensure we present facts, scientific findings and the honest opinions of some of the health industry’s most well-respected experts, even if that information won’t please everyone. One person who doesn’t fear backlash over what she might say is Jillian Michaels. Proudly predating most Instagram fitness stars, she was on TV screens when many of you were teenagers, preaching her message about how to achieve a healthy lifestyle, and I chose her for our first 2020 cover aware of her no-nonsense rhetoric when it comes to healthy choices and bodies. I was obsessed with The Biggest Loser – the global TV hit that shot Jillian to international fame – I watched it religiously, often in awe of the superhuman achievements of the contestants. When we spoke to Jillian at her Malibu beachfront home where we shot the photos for this issue, we asked her if The Biggest Loser could ever return to our screens. Candid as ever, she said no. ‘It would be considered fat-shaming. Even though it isn’t, and it wasn’t meant to be.’ Jillian went on to say: ‘We’ve gone so far in the opposite direction, we’re politically correct to the point of endangering people… obesity is not something that should be glamourised… [but] no one wants to say it.’ I’m sure that, while many will applaud Jillian’s honesty and audacity, there will be just as many people who passionately believe she’s betraying the huge groundswell in the movement towards female body-inclusivity. It’s a difficult subject, one I come across all the time at the many events I speak at.
JOIN THE SQUAD
Audience members will ask if we as a society have gone too far. Are we putting women at risk by encouraging them to be accepting of any size; any body-fat percentage? Are we normalising obesity to the point that future generations are in danger of developing potentially life-threatening health conditions? There’s no easy answer. On one hand, there’s a mountain of credible evidence to support Jillian’s claims. Excess fat can have a detrimental effect on your health, both mental and physical. It’s undeniable that there’s an obesity epidemic in the UK, with two thirds of the population considered overweight or obese, and our children are getting fatter. According to a 2017 study, more than one in five children are overweight or obese when they begin school, and one in three children are overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school*. None of these statistics makes for happy reading. On the other hand, perspective can make all the difference. According to a BMI calculation, I’m borderline overweight – yet I barely drink, I limit my sugar intake, eat a wholesome, largely plant-based diet and exercise five times a week. Our December cover star, the incredible Jada Sezer,
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Photography | IAN HARRISON
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completes sporting challenges that would leave most of us in her wake and she’s a size 16. We’re both curvy, healthy, physically fit women. So it stands to reason that you can be bigger than the standard perception of what fit looks like and still be healthy. For me, what’s key is whether your weight adversely affects your health. If carrying excess fat hinders your ability to do normal things, if it makes life less enjoyable, if it increases your risk of health issues, then it’s arguably time to act. At Women’s Health, we empower you to be the healthiest version of yourself. No magazine feature, social media story or online article produced by this brand will ever tell you what you should look like, nor give you a clothing size to aspire to. But we wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t offer credible, science-backed information to help you lose fat if it’s in the interests of your health to do so. And it’s far better coming from a reputable source like us than from the mass of misguided, misleading information out in the ether. Maintaining a weight in your own healthy range is part and parcel of living your healthiest life, and just as we deliver information and guidance on how to take care of your fitness, mental health, skin and gut, we’ll continue to deliver quality fat-loss content, too – whether that sparks a backlash or otherwise. So, if losing weight is your priority this new year, our Total Body Reset supplement will give you the tools to make positive change. More than ever, I’m interested to hear what you have to say – find me on Instagram @clairesanderson. Until next month...
Claire Sanderson Editor-In-Chief
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N E VE R M I S S AN IS SU E
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Women’s Health
Editor-In-Chief Claire Sanderson Deputy Editor Victoria Joy Creative Director Adam Gerrard Production Editor Victoria Rudland Acting Managing Editor/Picture Director Frankie Hill WORDS Features Director Nikki Osman Deputy Chief Sub Editor James Brown Beauty Editor Perdita Nouril Junior Fitness Editor Kirsti Buick Senior Editor Roisín Dervish-O’Kane FASHION Fashion Director Saskia Quirke Fashion Assistant Abigail Buchanan VISUALS Art Editor Nathalie Bates Junior Designer Florence Ogram Picture Assistant Eliot Brittain DIGITAL Digital Editor Amy Lane Social Media Editor Francesca Menato Digital Beauty & Health Editor Claudia Canavan Digital Fitness Writer Morgan Fargo CO-CONSPIRATORS Colin Beagley Charlotte Daly Don Flood Lily Ford Carla Guler Ian Harrison Véronique Hawksworth Anna Hayes Philip Haynes Michael Hedge Georgia Howes April Kennedy Aaron Martinez Ben Mounsey-Wood Emily Murphy Ellis Parrinder Emily Pritchard Lisa Sheehan Mini Smith Amanda Statham Eleanor Turner Tom Watkins
Managing Director, Health & Fitness Alun Williams Brand Development Director Jane Shackleton Senior Marketing Executive Philippa Turner
CLIENT DIVISION Managing Director, Beauty Jacqui Cave Managing Director, Fashion & Luxury Jacqueline Euwe Director of Health & Sport Andrea Sullivan Director of Travel Denise Degroot Director of Motors Jim Chaudry Director of Watches & Jewellery Anna O’Sullivan Director of Finance Peter Cammidge Client Direct Director, Health & Lifestyle Natasha Bailey Client Direct Director, Fashion & Beauty Emma Barnes Client Manager, Fitness Victoria Slessar AGENCY DIVISION Chief Agency Officer Jane Wolfson Director, Client Direct Matt Hayes Group Agency Director Joni Morriss Regional Agency Director Clare Crookes Agency Director, Print Chloe Barrington Head of Classified Lee Rimmer Head of Business Management Lucy Porter Business Manager Beth Ronan CONSUMER SALES & MARKETING Marketing & Circulation Director Reid Holland Head of Consumer Sales & Marketing James Hill Head of Subscriptions Marketing Justine Boucher Subscriptions Marketing Manager Vicky Chandler Digital Marketing Director Seema Kumari COMMUNICATIONS Director of PR & Communications Effie Kanyua Head of PR Fay Jennings Internal Communications & PR Executive Olivia Bonner
SHOWS & EVENTS Managing Director, Events & Sponsorship, Hearst Live Victoria Archbold Head of Events & Client Service, Hearst Live Nikki Clare Head of Live Experience Partnerships, Hearst Live Ben Goss PRODUCTION Production Manager Roger Bilsland Senior Ad Production Controller Paul Lockett HEARST MAGAZINES UK CEO, Hearst UK | President, Hearst Europe James Wildman Chief Operating Officer Claire Blunt Chief Strategy Officer Robert Ffitch Chief People Officer Surinder Simmons Chief Operations Director Clare Gorman Head of Editorial Operations Sophie Wilkinson Director, Hearst Brand Services Judith Secombe HEARST MAGAZINES INTERNATIONAL President Troy Young Senior Vice President/ Managing Director, Asia Pacific & Russia Simon Horne Director of International Licensing & Business Development Richard Bean Senior Vice President/ Editorial & Brand Director Kim St. Clair Bodden Deputy Brands Director Chloe O’Brien Executive Director, Content Services Shelley Meeks Editorial enquiries 020 7312 9104 Advertising enquiries 020 7339 4406 PR enquiries media@hearst.co.uk Event enquiries 020 7312 4190 General enquiries 020 7439 5000 Customer service team Visit hearstmagazines. co.uk/contact-us or call 01858 438763. Lines open weekdays, 8am-9.30pm; Saturdays, 8am-4pm.
Women’s Health is published in the UK by Hearst-UK Limited. Women’s Health is a trademark of Hearst Magazines Inc., Hearst-UK Limited, 30 Panton Street, London SW1Y 4AJ. Company number: 00519122. Women’s Health (ISSN 2049-2243). Copyright © 2019. All rights reserved. Women’s Health is printed and bound by Southernprint Ltd. 17-21 Factory Road, Upton Ind. Estate, Poole, Dorset BH16 5SN, and distributed by Frontline Ltd, Peterborough; tel: 01733 555161. Published 11 times a year. Conditions apply. Women’s Health does not consider unsolicited material for publication and will not return it if submitted. Hearst Magazines Environmental Statement All paper used to make this magazine is from sustainable sources in Scandinavia and we encourage our suppliers to join an accredited green scheme. Magazines are now fully recyclable. By recycling, you can reduce waste and add to the 5.5 million tonnes of paper recycled by the UK paper industry each year. Before you recycle your magazine, ensure you remove all plastic wrapping, free gifts and samples. If you are unable to join a recycling scheme, why not pass your magazine on to a local hospital or charity? Women’s Health is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint, please contact complaints@hearst.co.uk or visit hearst.co.uk/hearst-magazines-uk-complaints-procedure. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit ipso.co.uk
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0 | 5
January/February
K N OW H OW
E AT S M A R T
B E S T B O DY
B E AU T Y L A B
9 | IF YOU DO ONE THING THIS MONTH...
31 | TAKE IT TO THE FRIDGE Nose around in the kitchens of the health industry elite
59 | BURN AFTER READING Our user’s guide to the gym should take the fear away
95 | A FRESH START New year, new you, and all that – starting with your complexion
11 | IN THE KNOW News you can use, straight from the science lab
38 | JACKFRUIT, FOUR WAYS For some meat-free muscle
99 | SKIN DEEP WH’s resident skin pro Dr Jo Ward on light therapies
12 | ASK WH How bad does your cold have to be to swerve the gym?
40 | THE TRUTH ABOUT FAT Let’s get clear on the much-maligned macro
64 | HOW I GET FIT DONE One reader shares why becoming paralysed couldn’t quell her passion for fitness
14 | TECHNIQUE SCHOOL We’ll cross that (glute) bridge when we come to it
44 | WASTE NOT, WANT IT Make a mussel stew; use the leftovers for seafood spaghetti
15 | FOOD FOR THOUGHT The tide has turned and full-fat dairy is enjoying a health halo right now, but is it warranted?
68 | GO WITH THE FLOW Yoga to help you cope with whatever life throws at you
100 | THE UGLY TOOTH We’re all about health over aesthetics, your smile included F E AT U R E S
73 | ROUTE TO WELLTH A-lister Natalie Portman 74 | PT GUEST PASS A six-move body-weight sesh with PT Anthony Fletcher
103 | OWN GOALS The definitive guide to setting realistic New Year’s resolutions and actually sticking to them
16 | DOES IT WORK IRL? We test whether acupuncture can make your complexion glow
108 | START A LOVE TRAIN Our writer trials the benefits of getting sweaty on a first date
17 | #SKINSHELFIE The products taking pride of place on aesthetic doctor Preema Vig’s bathroom shelf
114 | A FIRST STEP Meet the everyday women running through barriers to smash their first half marathon
18 | FIT KIT HERO We’ve fallen head over heels for these New Balance kicks 19 | WHAT HAPPENS WHEN... ...you train in the wintry cold 20 | ASK ALICE PT Alice Liveing on combining resistance with cardio
STRONG MIND
47 | RETIRED AT 30 With decades of life left to live, how do elite athletes cope when their careers come to an end? 52 | A SORRY STATE Knowing how and when to deploy an apology can help you avoid a sorry situation 57 | WE’RE LETTING YOU GO One woman shares the impact redundancy had on her mental health
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ATH LE I S U R E S P E CIA L
77 | LOUD AND PROUD Eight lairy athleisure looks with the volume cranked up to 11 86 | 2020 VISION Be the first to get on the fit kit trends fresh off the catwalk 88 | ATHLEISURE A-Z From Aussie brands to zerowaste, we’ve got it covered
119 | TRAVEL WELL Treat yourself (and the planet) by opting for an eco-friendly retreat 130 | MY WEEK ON A PLATE Featherweight boxer Ramla Ali
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: DON FLOOD. STYLING: SASKIA QUIRKE. HAIR: CHLOE FRANCKE. MAKE-UP: ASHLEY KUCICH. JILLIAN WEARS: (ON THE COVER) SWIMSUIT, FRANKIES; JACKET, KAPPA (ON THE COLLECTOR’S EDITION) BIKINI TOP, DAVY J; TROUSERS, C-CLIQUE AT PINKO; TRAINERS, ADIDAS BY STELLA MCCARTNEY (ON THIS PAGE) SPORTS BRA, NIKE AT ASOS; GILET, WEFIT AT PUSH RIO; BRIEFS, BEACH CAFE
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Jillian Michaels
She’s got her own opinions and she’s not afraid to share them, but – having sold millions of fitness DVDs and inspired a generation of influencers – we reckon she’s pretty much earned the right to say what she wants
I F YO U D O O N E T H I N G THIS MONTH
WORDS: EMILY PRITCHARD. PHOTOGRAPHY: ALAMY. IMAGE MANIPULATION: COLIN BEAGLEY
Don’t fret, play Tetris ‘Aidan is typing...’ Oh, that nerves-inducing period between the blue ticks and a bloody response, much like the night before exam results or the few minutes that inch by while a pregnancy test cooks. You need a distraction, which University of California researchers believe you’ll find in a game of Tetris; you know, the retro block-rotatingand-stacking game. They reached their conclusion after telling participants they were about to be rated on their physical attractiveness (yes, really) and left them to play Tetris in the meantime. They were split into three subgroups and played the game at different levels: easy, hard and
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adaptive, where the difficulty increases as the player’s skills improve. Only the adaptive group were distracted enough from the impending results to reach a focused, energised, ain’t-gotno-time-for-Aidan flow state. The researchers’ take? In order for distraction to work as a coping strategy, you need an activity that’s challenging but not frustrating, with achievable goals and feedback provided along the way. While swimming and, er, carpentry both serve a similar function, Tetris – or another suitably challenging computer game – is probably a more accessible shout if you ever find yourself waiting on your own minger-to-winner score.
Play it cool
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I N T H E K N OW
NEWS YOU CAN USE Want the latest health intel? We’ve combed the science journals so you don’t have to
HEART HEALTH HOTEL
WORDS: MINI SMITH; EMILY PRITCHARD. PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES. ICONS: NOUN PROJECT. *SOURCES: SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY; KING’S COLLEGE LONDON
Holidays are good for your heart – confirmed. New research* has found that the more holidays employees take, the lower their risk for metabolic syndrome – the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. What’s more, with each extra holiday taken, the risk decreased by nearly a quarter. Reason enough to use up your annual leave.
HIIT ME BABY Chronic non-exerciser? In the latest study of people who prefer sofa time to sit-ups, scientists proved that playing motivational, fast-tempo music increases even the most burpeeaverse participant’s enjoyment of HIIT. A podcast, meanwhile, will make you enjoy the sweat sesh less than if you worked out in silence. What’s more, a high-tempo soundtrack will boost your heart rate response and peak power output.
M I G HT Y CHONDRIA
Bear with us while we talk mitochondria for a minute. They’re the powerhouses of your cells, and now scientists have found that stress can alter the ones in your brain cells. Further study could help develop better therapies to treat anxiety disorders on a molecular level. How’s that for cell(f) care?
THEY SEE ME ROLLIN’ Science just validated facial rollers’ cult hero Insta status. Gliding one along your skin for five minutes can increase blood flow by up to 25%. The circulation boost combined with the pressure pushes away excess fluid, depuffing in the process.
TH E TO - DO LI S T
In grape health
M IX E D M E S SAG E S
A new study* suggests that a regular glass of red will boost the diversity of your gut bacteria. That’s not an excuse to mainline the Merlot – you only need one glass a fortnight to reap the gut gains.
READ | THE SELF-CARE COOKBOOK Out 12 December (£14.99, Vermilion) Plant-based chef Gemma Ogston shares her how-to for nurturing your mind and body through a thoroughly wholesome plate. Come for the stunning cover, stay for the pearls of wellness wisdom.
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The number of minutes of lost sleep from your average night that will dramatically impair performance at work the next day, hitting your judgement and ability to stay on task. Oddly, the same lack of sleep has less of an effect on days OOO.
LISTEN | DEAR JOAN AND JERICHA PODCAST Series two has just dropped, Acast The fictional and raucously inappropriate agony aunts are back. Expect NSFW anecdotes, hysterical asides and the most questionable advice you’ve ever heard.
Next time you’re feeling the heat, shoot your SO/ best pal/partner in crime a ‘what do you want for tea?’ text. Exchanging messages with a loved one can lower blood pressure – which often rises in response to stress – according to a recent study from the University of California, Irvine.
DO | VEGANUARY Throughout January, veganuary.com Last year, over 250,000 people took the plunge and committed to swerving the meat and dairy aisles. Ready to take on the challenge? Go online for a starter pack containing all the help you need.
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0 | 1 1
Is it okay to exercise if I have a cold?
A heavy blow
Setbacks a good workout can, if not fix, alleviate somewhat: a bad meeting, a spat with your partner, a mild hangover. But actual illness? The cost:benefit ratio is harder to call. Yes, you may get that unique buzz afterwards, but will you just extend your cold’s snotty shelf life? ‘The best way to tell whether it’s safe to train or not is the neck check,’ says exercise scientist and physiologist William Alexander. ‘If your symptoms are confined to above the neck – such as a sore throat and a runny or blocked nose – you should be okay to train.’ However, if you have aching muscles, a chesty cough, diarrhoea or a fever, give it a miss. Fighting off flu or another infection means your immune system is already in overdrive – exercise is simply adding another stress. ‘The risk of dehydration, prolonged illness and potential injury is significantly higher,’ says Alexander, so press pause on workouts until you’re on the mend. If you pass the neck check and, crucially, want to train, make sure you take it easy; illness can often be a sign that your body needs to slow down. Alexander’s final word? ‘Save your intense sessions for when you’re fighting fit.’ And, you know, less likely to pant germs over everyone else.
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ASK WH
Do I need to do a social media detox? Self-diagnosing social media addiction, eh? While it’s not formally recognised, some experts support its existence. ‘Research suggests that similar areas of the brain are activated when you’re using social media to those activated during drug use, including the reward pathways,’ says Daria Kuss, chartered psychologist and professor at Nottingham Trent University. The upshot? The brain connects the activity and the pleasure, ensuring you’ll repeat the behaviour. If you can relate to any of the symptoms (using Twitter to comfort yourself; an inability to abstain from Instagram; neglecting other activities to scroll; building up tolerance so you need more double taps to get your fix) then, sure, you’d benefit from dialling down your usage. But a detox? Extra as hell and – as Professor Kuss says – not even a recognised treatment technique. ‘Considerable scientific evidence suggests that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective way to help people change their addictive behaviours regarding technology use,’ she adds. So, if you’re concerned, search for
A S K I N G FO R A FRIEND I D O N ’ T WA N T TO H E A R A B O U T MY FRIEND’S D I E T. H OW D O I MAKE HER SHUT UP?
Logging off
a CBT practitioner on a therapists directory, such as welldoing.org. What if your habits don’t bear the hallmarks of problematic use and it’s more that you’re increasingly irked by the amount of time you’re spending looking at everyone’s work drinks or cosy nights in
WORDS: EMILY PRITCHARD. PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES
Is sparkling water bad for me? Claims against the sparkling stuff include its effect on your teeth, gut and even bones. Why? Well, fizz is created when carbon dioxide is dissolved in still water, creating the bubbles and some carbonic acid, making the pH
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more acidic: between five and six, compared with still water’s neutral seven. ‘Citrusflavoured waters often contain more acid, which will increase the risk of damage to your enamel,’ says The Dental Surgery hygienist Laura Berry. If you know you’ve got weak
with “this one”? ‘Restrict yourself to logging on first and last thing,’ she suggests – as in, on your commute, not as soon as you wake up. ‘That way, it’ll be out of your system to make room for the rest of your day.’
enamel, avoid flavoured varieties and drink through a straw. As for bones? The theory used to be that phosphate (a flavour enhancer in some sparkling water) could limit calcium absorption. ‘There’s no proper evidence to suggest this is the case,’ says dietitian Priya Tew. ‘A long-term study even concluded that there were no
problems.’ Phew – but she does flag that fizzy water may lead to bloating. A 2009 study found that bloating only occurs when you chug 300ml or more of the stuff. One thing, however, is indisputable: your sparkling H2O is an infinitely healthier post-lunch pep-up than a Diet Coke.
One more word about the number of ‘free foods’ in her ‘lunch’ (an M&S fruit pot, not that you asked), and you swear you’ll shove a melon finger up her left nostril. Whether your friend needs to be on a diet or not, it’s ultimately her choice – and regardless of the advisability of her methods, there’s really no talking to brick walls (especially hungry ones). However, you don’t need to hear about: (a) how she’s put all of the 2lb she lost last week back on again (who would have thought?), (b) how satisfying she finds courgetti or (c) the hidden calories in seeded cracker bread. Try something polite but pretty firm, like, ‘I’m glad it’s working for you, but shall we talk about something else?’ If she’s oblivious to that, simply divert the conversation. Bemoaning the number of calories in her pasta? But did she know ‘linguine’ means ‘little tongues’? If that doesn’t work, avoid her at mealtimes. She’ll be relegated to food-free zones for the time being, leaving you to enjoy your own (gloriously label-free) lunch.
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TECHNIQUE SCHOOL
Engage your core
Don’t touch the floor with your bum at the bottom
You’re not extending your hips fully. Not lifting your hips back up high enough means your glutes won’t be working as hard as they could be. You want your hips to be in line with your shoulders at the top of the move.
Keep your Engage your glutes throughout spine neutral
SINGLE-LEG GLUTE BRIDGE Forget the bench and the barbell – fire up those glutes with a stability-ball move instead
he stability ball has fallen out of favour as people fawn over free weights and squat racks, but wait – nailing this thruster move using just ball and body weight ain’t no picnic, especially when you throw in a leg lift. This move targets all three glute muscles – the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus – while firing up the hamstrings and lower back muscles, too. ‘It’s great for runners,’ says Third Space trainer Mandy Smith. ‘Strong glutes and hamstrings will provide you with
far more power through your legs for improved speed.’ So why the leg in the air? ‘This forces both sides to work equally as you alternate, unlike during a bilateral glute bridge, where the more dominant side may take over,’ says Smith. Adding a stability ball into the mix means you’re working smarter. ‘This will force you to engage your abdominal muscles in order to maintain balance as one leg is raised and the hips are lifted,’ says Smith. ‘It’ll deliver optimal results while strengthening those core muscles, too.’ Here’s how you do it: rest your upper back on a stability ball and place your feet hip-width apart, knees bent at 90º, so your body
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forms a line from your shoulders to your knees. Squeeze your glutes, lift one leg and lower your hips – that’s your starting position. Then drive through your heel to return to the top, pausing for 3 secs before slowly lowering down. Do 10 to 15 reps on each leg for three sets. Add this move into leg workouts, twice a week, for optimum results. Pro tip: try not to make eye contact with anyone mid-thrust.
You’re arching your back. A no-no if you want to avoid lower back pain, says Smith. ‘This can be easily prevented by making sure your abs are engaged, which should then tilt your pelvis towards your belly button, protecting the lower back. You’re swinging your raised leg. Keep it straight and still throughout, otherwise you’re probably relying on momentum, rather than your muscles. WORDS: KIRSTI BUICK. PHOTOGRAPHY: BETH BISCHOFF
Make sure your shoulders are in line with your knees
SIGNS YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG
AVO I D I F : You’re more than four months pregnant, or have any previous injuries to the back or hips
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FO O D FO R T H O U G H T
SHOULD I BE EATING FULL-FAT DAIRY?
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES. ICONS: PARKJISUN/LAFS/TURKKUB AT NOUN PROJECT. *SOURCE: AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE DEVELOPMENT BOARD
You never looked twice at blue-top Cravendale, until you heard rumours that whole dairy is where it’s at...
The British public’s relationship with fat is well documented, not to mention as tumultuous as Fleabag’s love life. Since the 80s, public health campaigns THE EXPERT have encouraged the average Laura Tilt, registered Brit to cut back on butter, dietitian and founder cheese and other high-fat of tiltnutrition.co.uk foods, owing to a link between saturated fat and heart disease. Then there’s the concern about consuming excess calories, as the number of people carrying unhealthy body fat – linked to chronic disease – rises. After all, gram for gram, fat provides twice the energy of carbs or protein, which has led to lower-fat foods being hailed as a smarter choice. The messaging delivered results: semi-skimmed milk is the overwhelming favourite in the UK, accounting for around 60% of all milk sales, and fat-free remains the bestselling yoghurt category*. But in recent times, the spotlight has shone more favourably on fat. Low-fat products began to be demonised for being high in sugar and sweeteners to replace the taste that fat provides. And, last year, there was a buzz after researchers published data showing that eating around three servings of dairy a day was linked with a lower risk of heart disease, with full-fat dairy seeming to have the strongest benefit. Say what? Published in The Lancet, the study involved over 130,000 adults, between the ages of 35 and 70, from 21 countries. At the start of the study, researchers collected data about participants’ diets and sorted them into four groups according to their dairy consumption – no dairy, less than one serving per day, one or two servings per day and over two servings per day – with whole and low-fat choices noted. Participants without existing heart disease were then monitored for an average of around nine years, during which time the researchers tracked how many people experienced a cardiovascular event (we’re talking heart attack, heart failure or stroke) and how many died as a result. After adjusting for variables like smoking, exercise and red meat intake, the researchers found that those with higher dairy intakes (two or more servings per day) had a
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Don’t milk it
lower risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality than those eating no dairy. The benefit was stronger in those consuming full-fat milk and yoghurt. So does this mean the switch from low-fat to full-fat is a nobrainer? In a word, no. This was an observational study – good for showing patterns, not so great for proving cause and effect. Though full-fat dairy was linked with the lowest risk, it’s not clear why – some suggest dairy products are more than the sum of their fat content, and the beneficial effects may be down to other components, such as vitamin K and calcium. It’s also key to note that, in this study, the protective effects were driven by the consumption of milk and yoghurt only – no significant association was seen with cheese or butter. Like most studies, this one isn’t free from flaws – dietary data was self-reported and only collected at one time point, so it’s not clear if people’s intakes changed over time. The followup period was also quite short if we’re looking at heart disease developing in younger adults, and most of the countries studied
were low-to-middle income, so whether the findings can be applied in the UK, where fat consumption in general is already too high, is questionable. At best, we can say – based on a wider body of research – that consuming two or three portions a day of dairy foods (a portion being a glass of milk, a small pot of yoghurt or a matchbox-sized piece of cheese) may protect heart health. As for low-fat milk and yoghurt, if your main goal is to maintain a healthy weight, they can prove helpful choices. Milk moustache it is, then.
TH R E E WAYS TO G E T YO U R DA I LY DA I RY
KEFIR
YOGHURT
MILK
Containing live active cultures, a shot of kefir in your overnight oats will provide added belly benefits
Opt for a strained variety (Greek, for instance), which is higher in protein than regular yoghurt
With highquality protein, carbs and lots of micronutrients, cow’s milk is great for postexercise recovery
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D O E S I T WO R K I N R E A L L I F E ?
Cosmetic acupuncture Hailed as a non-surgical facelift, facial acupuncture promises to re-energise your complexion one needle at a time. Georgie Lane-Godfrey turns herself into a giant pin cushion in the name of aesthetic science
Trypanophobia. That’s a fear of needles in case you weren’t sure. Not a major THE concern of mine, GUINEA PIG which is why I Georgie LaneGodfrey, WH thought popping contributor my acupuncture cherry would be a doddle. At the very least, I was in safe hands. Namely, those of John Tsagaris, a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine specialising in dermatology, with a postgraduate diploma in skin disorders and beauty care. Now with over 20 years’ experience, he’s garnered the kind of following publicists dream of (A-listers, chart toppers, royalty – that kind of vibe). All of them come for his signature Beauty Acupuncture treatment, which devotees cite as the best natural alternative to Botox, but considering it involves being punctured by countless needles, it’s also the kind of treatment that makes bush tucker trials look fun.
The theory behind it? As each needle punctures the skin, it creates a ‘micro trauma’ too small to be seen by the naked eye. These traumas stimulate the skin to produce more collagen and elastin, leaving you with a fresh, firm and re-energised complexion. I decide that I’d quite like to look like a freshly plumped pillow, so off I head to Tsagaris’s chic Chelsea clinic – which feels disarmingly like being in a house you can’t afford – to go under the needle. Tsagaris starts by examining my tongue – an indicator of your overall health, he tells me – correctly identifying that I have vitamin deficiencies (my low B12 levels have been medically diagnosed). I feel weirdly self-conscious about it and resolve to buy a tongue scraper.
Next, he begins placing needles in my arms, hands and ankles, targeting my adrenal glands to produce cortisol, which, he tells me, will serve to relax the body, believe it or not. I brace myself for each prick, but it’s totally painless. I feel the breath I’ve been holding finally expel – so far, I’m nailing these needles. In fact, as Tsagaris starts to put countless tiny needles in my face, I’m pretty relaxed. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not an actively pleasant sensation, but it’s a bearable one. That is until one goes in near my nose, causing me to start blubbing like an overgrown baby – perhaps it accidentally hit a nerve, or maybe unearthed some deep-rooted trauma, will we ever know? – but Tsagaris smoothly removes the needle and I manage to pull myself back together. He kindly reassures me that this is a hardcore
treatment for first-timers, but it’s mortifying none the less. I spend the entire session with my eyes shut, not because I’m particularly squeamish, but it feels a bit awkward to watch Tsagaris looming over me. Best to leave him to it. And by the time he’s finished, there are at least 60 needles sticking out of my face. I ask to take a quick photo and I look like an agitated hedgehog. As he pulls them out, it feels like my skin is tightening around the needles. Which is exactly what we’re after, right? When I look in the mirror, my face appears like a plump little tomato (a cherry tomato, if you will) but surprisingly there are no holes. It also feels completely numb, perhaps from all the needles, but the redness and post-anaesthetic sensation are worth the rejuvenating results. The next morning, my new fresh face was still very much in evidence, but after 24 hours, the effects seemed to wear off. I’m told you need regular sessions for the best results, but I think I’d save this for before a big event to really make the most of the results.
THE VERDICT Skin-boosting Quick results Stress-relieving Long-term solution
OVERALL SCORE
Little pricks
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Photography | MICHAEL HEDGE
#SKINSHELFIE
Dr Preema Vig
iS Clinical Youth Eye Complex, £82 I gently apply a peasized amount of this around the eye area. It contains a blend of peptides, antioxidants and key growth factors that offer immediate as well as long-term benefits to address fine lines, wrinkles and dullness. If I’ve been burning the midnight oil, I use it on my entire face, as it provides an instant glow akin to the kind you’d get from a facial. Intraceuticals Retouch Lines, £69 One of Intraceuticals’ newest launches – I
Photography | PIXELEYES
really like this as it smooths out pesky dehydration lines and provides a flawless base for make-up. Heliocare 360° Airgel SPF50+, £45 Sun protection is one of my daily essentials and I love the Heliocare 360° range. This product is packed with antioxidants and DNA repair enzymes, which, combined, provide protection against UVA, UVB and infrared-A.
Night
A typical day: Most days, I’m in my private clinic in W1. I tend to multi-task and use my mornings for remote clinic THE EXPERT and business Dr Preema Vig, 47, management, medical director and factoring in of the Dr Preema Pilates classes, London Clinic* which keep my body supple and strong and my mind energised. Skincare philosophy: Use products that are easy to incorporate into a regime and consistently deliver. Skincare non-negotiable: SPF and a high-quality vitamin C serum. Personal skin concern: Dullness.
Day
AS TOLD TO PERDITA NOURIL. PROPS: MIRROR, TRAY AND VASE, URBAN OUTFITTERS. *DRPREEMA.COM
The aesthetic doctor shares the products she swears by for healthy glowing skin
Obagi-C Rx C-Clarifying Serum, £135 This is my go-to product to address hyperpigmentation and age spots. I use it every night as it works brilliantly at balancing out uneven skin tone thanks to hydraquinone and vitamin C. Neostrata Triple Firming Neck Cream, £57 The neck can often be neglected, yet it shows the signs of ageing just as much as anywhere else. Every night, I treat my décolletage and neck area with this
cream as it improves skin quality, hydrates and addresses any pigmentation. Vaseline Lip Therapy, £1.95 This has been my lip staple since forever! I coat my lips with a thin layer as an overnight treatment and to soothe dry lips when required. It creates a barrier for dry, damaged or compromised skin.
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FIT KIT HERO
Foam party
Sometimes it’s good to keep things simple. But simple doesn’t have to mean low-tech – in fact, it can be quite the opposite, as the team at New Balance has proved with its latest release. The Fresh Foam 1080v10 is the latest in the brand’s collection of trainers made with its innovative Fresh Foam technology, which consists of a single-material midsole made of plush, seamless foam that’s precision engineered for an ultra-cushioned, lightweight workout. A sole that prizes itself on comfort and softness doesn’t exactly sound like it’d stand the test of a long run or high-intensity workout, right? Wrong. The outsole is constructed from the brand’s NDurance maximum wear-and-tear compound rubber, so you get the support of a soft sole with maximum durability. With tasteful detailing and a HypoKnit upper for a seamless, secure fit, these babies will do you proud from CrossFit to cross-country to your morning commute. Basic black not your vibe? Just as well there are two new colourways launching in February, then. Hold out for the baby blue or the black and orange pair if you like your kicks with a pop of colour. New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v10, £135
18% more flexible and 11.23% more energy return than the previous Fresh Foam model
The intelligent all-in-one sole has larger outsole geometry at points of high pressure
These kicks were made for walking – and running and the gym. Supercharge your day from dawn till dusk with our pick of the trainers that can do it all
SAVE
SPEND
SPLURGE
Nike Revolution 4, £42.95 Performance, comfort and breathability on a budget – a lightweight running and training shoe that’s best in class.
On Cloudflow, £125 This ultra-light shoe is engineered to boost speed and provide optimum support, offering the brand’s distinctive Cloud cushioning sole.
Adidas Ultraboost 19, £159.95 Made with a springy midsole and an engineered Primeknit 360 upper to support your each and every stride.
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Photography | MICHAEL HEDGE
WORDS: ABIGAIL BUCHANAN
ALL-ROUNDER TRAINING SHOES
W H AT H A P P E N S W H E N
I train in the cold The mornings are dark, the evenings are darker, it’s cold enough outside to inspire a new Michael Bublé album. But bracing yourself, lacing up and heading out might actually ramp up your performance
WORDS: EMILY PRITCHARD. PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES. *SOURCE: JOURNAL OF THE ENDOCRINE SOCIETY
PUMP IT REAL GOOD ‘When it’s cold, your blood doesn’t need to be sent to the skin to be cooled,’ says Paul Hough, senior health and exercise science lecturer at St Mary’s University. ‘This leads to less cardiovascular strain – and therefore a lower heart rate – compared with exercising in the heat.’ In balmier conditions, the heart has to work twice as hard, juggling conflicting demands to pump blood to your skin and your active muscles.
Women’s Health
TRUE GRIT
RAISE IT UP How much more your heart gets to chill out depends on the temperature – and on you – but Hough says that a core temperature drop between 0.5°C and 2°C reduces your heart rate by 10 to 30 beats per minute. It means you can keep jogging on and on. ‘Cool weather is associated with improved endurance performance compared with exercising in the heat,’ adds Hough. The optimal temperature to run a marathon? ‘It varies from approximately 4°C to 10°C,’ Hough says. (Warsaw’s 26.2 hovers around 9°C, FYI, if you’re after a new PB.)
Dread the sound of your alarm? The cost of a gym membership aside, research by a team at the University of Wisconsin shows that those who commit to exercising outdoors come, er, frost or shine, strengthen their motivation to train consistently. ‘There’s good evidence to suggest that contact with natural environments heightens positive emotions,’ says Dr Lewis Elliott, associate research fellow at the University of Exeter. ‘And experiencing these emotions while exercising motivates people to continue,’ he adds. Park runs – like pedis – aren’t just for summer.
CHILLED ’N’ CHEERFUL WINTER FUEL Acclimatising to the chill of a British winter does more than speed up your walking pace. Face up to the cooler climes and you nudge your body into becoming a more effective fuel burner. That’s because cold exposure stimulates the growth and activation of brown or ‘good’ fat*. Yes, there are two types: the white sort (which you still need some of) is the kind stored when excess calories are consumed, while this brown stuff ‘is specialised to rapidly produce heat’, says Professor Michael Symonds, medical researcher at the University of Nottingham. The upshot? More brown fat as opposed to white improves glucose and energy metabolism. So, out you go.
Bundling yourself from bus to boardroom in six layers of M&S thermals means you’re definitely not getting enough D (the vitamin – pipe down). While the jury’s out on whether supplements can ease seasonal affective disorder (SAD), research attests to the positive power of outdoor exercise. ‘It’s difficult to untangle whether the environment or the activity has stronger impacts on mental health, but some studies suggest the synergistic benefit of both,’ says Dr Elliott. ‘It may be because such experiences elicit a fall in stress or relief from mental fatigue.’ Either way, 2°C on the thermostat will wake anyone up.
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ASK ALICE
H OW D O I CO M B I N E
RESISTANCE AND CARDIO? WH columnist and Third Space PT Alice Liveing on how to get the best of both worlds
WHAT’S YOUR GOAL? cardiovascular fitness is a priority, I’d suggest 60% to 70% cardio, and 30% to 40% strength. Those who are simply exercising to improve overall health and wellbeing can look to establish more of an equal balance of resistance and cardio training. As a general rule, I separate resistance and cardio sessions. Resistance can be quite skillbased, so kicking off your session with HIIT likely means you won’t be able to lift as heavy or your body will fatigue and increase risk of poor form or injury. A 10-minute warm-up on the treadmill is fine, but anything more intense is a no-no. Conversely, you won’t have the power you need to smash cardio if you’re spent from a lifting or body weight programme. Time-poor? Aim for three sessions a week, with a warm-up, followed by resistance training, then a cardio finisher. Of course, it’s tricky to stick to any training programme if you don’t enjoy it, so make sure you get a buzz from your workouts. What gets you all fired up? Bear in mind strength work doesn’t have to mean throwing heavy barbells around in the gym; it could be body weight workouts at home. Likewise, cardio doesn’t have to be slogging away on a treadmill; netball, tennis and swimming are all good, too. Figure out what you love and do that. Good life advice in general, really.
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To help you on your way, here are three fitness goals and how best to combine resistance and cardio for each. Feel free to mix it up
TRAIN FOR A HALF MARATHON Aim for three runs a week: one long, one recovery and one tempo (running at 25 to 30 secs per mile slower than your current 5K race pace). Then add one or two lower body and core-based strength sessions per week to ensure you’re strong enough to run the distance.
SMASH A DEADLIFT PB It may sound obvious, but to hit that PB, you need to deadlift consistently. I’d recommend two deadlift sessions a week, applying a progressive overload – increase either weight, reps or sets. Then aim to do one cardio session per week, whatever floats your boat.
IMPROVE OVERALL HEALTH AND FITNESS I’d advise doing two resistance and two cardio sessions a week. Do one upper and one lower body resistance session, one HIIT session and one steadystate cardio session like a row or run. Remember, find what you enjoy and you’re more likely to stick to it.
Photography | IAN HARRISON
WORDS: AMY LAWRENSON
heese and wine; Tina Fey and Amy Poehler; resistance training and cardio: all great individually, but even better together. We know resistance training is beneficial because it boosts bone density, increases muscle mass, aids quality and range of movement and helps to improve posture. Cardio, meanwhile, is great for raising and maintaining your aerobic capacity to support your cardiovascular system. And the two actually aid each other: a healthy cardiovascular system will help you lift more in your weight training sessions, while strong muscles can help you move better and more efficiently during your cardio workouts. For general health, it makes sense to incorporate both into your weekly workouts, but to figure out how best to combine them in a training regime, first pinpoint your fitness goal. For instance, if I have a client who’s looking to get stronger, I’ll recommend leaning more towards a resistance-trainingfocused plan to increase muscle mass and bone density, with a little cardio thrown in for cardiovascular health. I’d say 70% resistance, 30% cardio is a good split for most people, maybe even 80/20 if your main focus is on getting stronger. If someone has a goal to run a 10k, we’d focus on building a more cardio-focused plan with strength work to ensure they’re strong enough to run. Where
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Bikini top, Davy J; trousers, C-Clique at Pinko; trainers, Adidas by Stella McCartney
y Photograph
D | DON FLOO
QUIRKE Styling | SASKIA
ALL Words | VICTORIA WOODH
The international queen of fitness gurus, leaving a tide of influencers in her wake, Jillian Michaels has one goal: to give the people what they want. Here, the 45-year-old shares her rules for optimum health, how she believes age shouldn’t matter in the pursuit of a fit body, and why the conversation around obesity has gone too far‌
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efore Tracy Anderson and Simone De La Rue, Kayla Itsines and Alice Liveing, there was Jillian Michaels. First hitting the mainstream as a team PT and captain on weight-loss entertainment show The Biggest Loser, she appeared for 11 seasons on what became one of the biggest programmes in the US and
has since taken the fitness world as her own playground, selling 100 million DVDs and writing eight New York Times-bestselling health books. She was mobbed by fans during her appearance at Women’s Health Live back in May, to the extent that security were forced to step in, which just underlines Jillian’s status as a fitspo legend. ‘Yeah, that was crazy,’ she laughs, at last relaxing on her own terms in her beachfront Malibu home after a day’s shooting with the WH team.
Sports bra, Heroine Sport at Fashercise; body, DKNY x Urban Outfitters; jacket, Koral at Harvey Nichols
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‘Calories are all created equal when it comes to weight loss’
In almost two decades, the 45-year-old has never been out of the loop or off the radar, and she’s convinced that despite the health – and specifically weightloss – industry transforming beyond recognition over the past decade, the key to staying relevant is to give people what they want. Desires and goals that, according to Jillian, haven’t really changed. Her fans still want the same fat-loss results, so she provides the same programmes to get them there, albeit via streaming apps where consumers can use algorithms to create bespoke programmes, rather than the DVDs she churned out in the past. ‘The way we consume content [constantly] changes, so your ability to evolve is critical in business,’ she says. In the age of keto, foodgroup-elimination diets and intuitive eating, basic calorie counting has fallen out of favour, but Jillian maintains that it’s this concept that is the foundation of any kind of eating with healthy goals in mind. ‘When people come to me for help, I say, okay, tell me what you eat. “Oh, I eat healthy.” Well, what are you eating? “Oh, you know, avocado, toast, a handful of cashews.” I’m like, okay, it is healthy – as in it has nutrients and micronutrients, it has vitamins, minerals, fibre, awesome, super-healthy fats. However, if you overeat any food, you’re overeating. The food you consume, no matter how nutrient dense it may be, can still be calorie-dense,
and if your body isn’t burning off those calories, they will get stored as fat. It’s called the law of thermodynamics. It’s not [my] theory… it’s proven fact.’ Flying in the face of so many current experts and influencers, Jillian maintains that all calories are created equal. ‘Honestly? I believe they are when it comes to weight loss.’ But she has caveats. ‘You could eat 1,500 calories of complete crap or 1,500 calories of super-healthy food. Would you get sick eating complete crap? Yes. Would you probably develop autoimmune issues and a host of health problems from complete crap? Absolutely. Would you age more quickly from complete crap? 100%. Would your skin look like shit? Yes. But when it comes to weight loss, weight gain, weight maintenance, it’s calories in, calories out. When it comes to looking good, ageing well, being healthy, fighting disease, boosting immunity across the board, that’s where the quality of your food is relevant.’ I ask her if there’s a place for shows like The Biggest Loser now. She pauses, as if weighing up what she should say, then admits: ‘I think the world has shifted to a place where that format and messaging is considered fat shaming. But it isn’t, and it’s not meant to be.’ She shrugs. ‘Now, we’ve gone so far in the opposite direction. I think we’re politically correct to the point of endangering people. Yes, we want to be inclusive of everyone and [respect that] everyone comes in all different shapes and sizes. That nobody should ever be body shamed or fat shamed or excluded and that everyone is equally deserving and should feel equally valuable. But obesity in itself is not something that should be glamourised. First of all, it taxes the shit out of our healthcare system. It’s a major cause of bankruptcy [in the US], it causes health-related conditions from cancer to heart disease. But we’ve become so politically correct that no one wants to say it.’ Bar Jillian, clearly. She fuels her own body in a fairly regimented way, though draws the line at exclusion diets. ‘I’ve tried to be vegan two or three times because it’s better for the planet and I’m a real animal lover, but both times I very rapidly became anaemic.’ She avoids sugar entirely, admitting she has a binge mentality to the refined stuff, and spreads her daily calories across three meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner are all 500 calories each and contain carbs, fat and protein – with a couple of 250-calorie snacks in between, always allowing for a 12-hour gap between dinner and the following day’s breakfast. True to no-BS form, Jillian rolls her eyes at the thought that this idea could be considered intermittent fasting or some such ‘new’ model of wellness. ‘It’s just breakfast –
‘I don’t ever tear myself apart… I don’t expect myself to be perfect’ proponent of mixing types of training, as most these days will punt for a singular method. ‘Whether it’s for fighting off ageing, boosting immunity, making your body leaner, building muscle, it’s going to be resistance training, circuit training and HIIT training. [Weight training] burns more calories after and gives us more testosterone, so it helps with our hormone balance and boosts our human growth hormone.’ What does her own typical week of workouts look like? ‘I’ll hit each muscle type twice a week – Monday and Thursday are full-body ‘push’ days, and Tuesday and Friday are full-body ‘pull’ days – so I always have two days of recovery between training each muscle group. So, Monday and Thursday I’ll do push muscles (chest, quads, biceps). On Tuesday and Friday, I’ll do pull splits (biceps, back and hamstrings). It leaves me with three days if I want to do a cardio workout, biking, hiking, whatever.’ But, fundamentally, mixing it up is key. ‘I don’t advocate doing one type of exercise, because ultimately the body will adapt to it and you can get overuse injuries. In order to get the best possible results, you want variety, so your body has the chance to recover from any workout, which is really where the progress is made. In addition, you’re constantly giving the body new stimulus and stressors to adapt to.’ In her mid-forties, is her age a factor in choosing what workouts she does? ‘I don’t believe in wrapping workouts around age – I’ve never seen a reason to.
we wrap. She shares this ultra modern Malibu house with her rescue dog, Seven, and budgerigar, Bonsai. Although they aren’t here today, the place is full of reminders of her two children – daughter Lukensia (Lou), nine, and son Phoenix, seven – with buckets, spades and paddleboards abandoned on the beachside patio. While being photographed on the terrace, Jillian stumbles over something on the floor, and when she bends down for a closer look, recoils, saying ‘Ewww!’ She’s spotted a fish head that Phoenix collected on a scavenging trip outdoors. But Jillian flashes a smile that shows she lives for being a mother, whatever surprises that might entail. Her story of building a family is far from the traditional norm. Although they were born two years apart, both children came into her life within weeks of each other. Jillian and her then-partner Heidi Rhoades were keen to start a family by adopting from abroad, but were struggling to find a match. In the interim, the couple decided
that Heidi would try to carry a sperm-donor baby. Events transpired so that when they finally found Lou in Haiti, Heidi was pregnant. ‘It was ridiculous,’ Jillian laughs. ‘They [Lou and Phoenix] are best friends and worst enemies, like they literally came out of the womb together.’ While Jillian and Heidi separated in 2018 after nine years together, they remain great friends and have embraced co-parenting with grace and humility, allowing Jillian to move on with New York fashion designer Deshanna Marie Minuto, whom she met on the members-only celebrity dating app Raya. Now Lou is nine, Jillian sees her developing into a little person, which can come with its challenges as well as positives. ‘I know she is going to struggle with food, I know it. She will literally eat and then say “I’m hungry”. I’m like, we just ate, what’s going on? Are you feeling anxious? So, I’ll try to talk to her about it. I know what she’s doing, because I have that issue with food. I used it as a way to bond with my dad. We had a very strange relationship – he was overweight, so one of the only ways we knew how to relate was to eat.’ Yet Jillian is determined for her own daughter’s experience to be different. As a mum, it’s important for her to walk the walk, resisting any negative self-talk, even though she has her own insecurities. ‘I don’t ever really tear myself apart,’ she says. ‘I just accept the fact that I’m short, that I need a ton of laser hair removal. I don’t expect myself to be perfect. My problem areas? It is what it is. I’m just like, it’s good enough.’ For Jillian, healthy means being able to lead your best life, to spar with your kids, run a mile, do a cartwheel and hopefully leave a legacy. Well, that and being confident enough to tell it straight.
HAIR: CHLOE FRANCKE. MAKE-UP: ASHLEY KUCICH. ICONS: MADE BY MADE/CHRISTINA SICOLI/VECTORS MARKET/ MONKIK/VECTORS POINT AT NOUN PROJECT. THE TEAM FLEW WITH VIRGIN ATLANTIC AND STAYED AT MALIBU BEACH INN.
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literally breaking the fast.’ An average day will see her having yoghurt, berries and granola for breakfast, a turkey sandwich for lunch – ‘a little avocado, lettuce, tomato, cheese, two pieces of wholegrain toast and a handful of blue corn tortilla chips with salsa’ – and sushi for dinner. A typical snack is some cheese and an apple. For a food to make it into Jillian’s kitchen, it has to be ‘real’ – ideally unprocessed and organic – but just in case what she eats doesn’t deliver the necessary dose of micronutrients, her pantry is full to the brim with high-quality supplements. ‘Omega-3s, probiotics, organic greens powder, organic reds, ethically sourced collagen powder, adaptogens, mushroom mixes – the lot. I’m pretty intense.’ It’s unsurprising that Jillian’s approach to exercise is no-nonsense, though it’s interesting that she’s a
You’re either a beginner athlete at 20 or 40 or 70 or you’re an advanced athlete at 20 or 40 or 70. It just depends on how you’re living. You might be overly stressed in your life, and adding more workouts will make you sick or inhibit your immune system and keep your body from healing and repairing, which makes you more prone to injury. That said, as you get older, your hormones change and your metabolic rate will slow down. You may have been able to eat 2,000 calories a day when you were 25, but now you’re 55 and you can’t get away with it any more.’ Jillian seems a natural hostess, more than happy to have the nine-strong crew take over her home, offering bottles of the cold-brew coffee Lucky Jack – a company she’s invested in – and DIY margaritas once
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Sports bra, Nike at Asos; gilet, WeFit at Push Rio
BREAKFASTS A LA JILLIAN
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The four morning meals she has on rotation, all served up after a cup of coffee with vanilla coconut milk or lactosefree organic milk
Full-fat organic yoghurt with berries and granola
WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H
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Two fried eggs, over easy, with two pieces of wholegrain toast
Organic wholegrain waffles with organic grass-fed butter and some berries or almond butter
Bra and shorts, both Koral at Selfridges; hoodie, The North Face
What the experts eat There’s a reason MTV’s Cribs defined the television viewing of a generation: there’s nothing more satisfying than having a behind-closed-doors butcher’s at another person’s way of life, especially if they’re someone of note. While we can’t claim to be bringing back the celebrity homes show, what you will find here is four women, all of whom are recognised as leaders within the health and nutrition world, opening up the doors of their fridges to reveal a snapshot of their own approach to eating. From the food psychologist with a half-eaten Snickers in her fridge to the GP who loves Lidl, they’ve given WH an access-all-areas pass (oh, fine, they only let us into the kitchen) to their culinary habits. Tuck in ALLY HEAD
CREDITS GO HERE
WORDS
Photography | ELLIS PARRINDER
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The food-waste warrior
VENETIA FALCONER Podcaster and sustainability activist
In my fridge right now you’ll find... Club Cultured tempeh • tofu • Oatly Oat Drink Barista Edition • lemons • garlic • ginger • aubergine • red pepper • ½ courgette • carrots • broccoli • beetroot • apple sauce • cashew pesto • Hellmann’s Vegan Mayonnaise • vegan cheese • spinach • Swiss chard • kale • fresh herbs
I’d describe my diet as vegan and 90% plasticfree. Ideally I’d like that number to be 100%, but I drink Oatly Barista milk, which has a plastic lid, in my tea. I’ll sometimes pick up oat-milk flat whites in my KeepCup and if I’m starving when I’m on the move, I might buy rice cakes in plastic packaging. Living entirely plastic-free can be quite extreme, so I treat myself to these products little and often. I do my best, so I don’t feel guilty. I went vegan four years ago after getting
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really into mindfulness and conscious living. I’d seen a few documentaries about the impact of meat and dairy products on the environment and I’m quite an all-ornothing person, so since I felt motivated to change the way I eat, I’ve never looked back. My fridge is rarely packed because I only have in it what I know I can eat that week. I plan ahead before every food shop, often taking a quick snap of the inside of my fridge and cupboards before I go to avoid doubling
up on ingredients in order to limit food waste, and so I know what I can combine to make a tasty meal. I buy the majority of my fresh produce from local farmers markets at the weekend so nothing is wrapped in plastic. For dry items such as grains and pulses, I head to bulk stores and take containers, jars and a tote bag with me. If I need to top up in the week, I grab vegetables from my local grocery store. I’m a huge fan of the freezer, too – if I don’t get through all
my veg, I’ll chuck on-the-turn courgettes, leafy greens and overripe bananas in the freezer. I roast broccoli stems, blitz peelings into a stock and freeze all fruits for smoothies. As a vegan, people always ask me how I get enough protein and nutrients: I love chickpeas, which are high in protein and fibre, and I tend to eat them roasted in olive oil, smoked paprika and cumin. There’s usually some tofu and tempeh in my fridge as they’re soya-based protein sources; I’ll make a tofu scramble or porridge with oat milk for breakfast, baked tempeh with veg for lunch and
pasta with cashew pesto for dinner. I use wonky fruit and spinach in smoothies, and I’ll add Form Nutrition powder to up the protein content. Eattheseasons.co.uk is a useful website as it tells you exactly what’s in season. As someone who lives in a city, shopping at a farmers market makes me feel more connected to my country roots (I grew up in Gloucestershire). Admittedly, it can be more expensive – and more time-consuming. But if you love cooking, as I do, it never feels like a chore.
Women’s Health
Women’s Health
The integrated health psychologist
KIMBERLEY WILSON
Chartered psychologist specialising in whole body mental health (kimberleywilson.co) I take a holistic approach to mental health care, which means I incorporate evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle factors with psychological therapy. In my work with clients, I’ll explore the role that food plays in mental health, whether that’s through exploring the gut-brain connection or the emotional relationship they have with food. And this approach has informed my own eating habits, too. For me, eating ‘well’ means two things. First, I eat to provide my body and brain with what they need to
function. You’ll always find leafy greens and other veg in my fridge (or freezer – I freeze as much as I can), as they’re packed with nutrients and high in fibre; I eat oily fish and take omega-3 capsules, as it can have a protective effect against neurodegenerative illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s; I eat a lot of fermented foods, too, which are thought to improve the diversity of your gut microbiome – something that’s central to good brain
health. I’ve been making my own kombucha for about four years now. I’ve long made my own pickles and jams, so DIY fermentation is an extension of that. In my cupboards, you’ll also find whole grains – for a variety of fibre – and nuts and beans – as plant diversity is associated with better gut health. Eating ‘well’ also means eating for enjoyment. I don’t put rules or labels on the way I eat: though my diet is predominantly veg and some fish, I do eat meat sometimes. I’ll also never eat something I don’t like
just because it’s ‘good for me’ and I won’t deprive myself of a fun food I love – like a chocolate dessert – if I really fancy it. There’s nothing to suggest the occasional dessert can elevate inflammation and impact brain health. I recently tried Tony’s Chocolonely because it’s new, and I love a Snickers. Logistically, filling the fridge and planning meals can be difficult, so I try to make the process as easy as possible. At the start of the month, I’ll do a big shop for dried beans, grains, brown rice, oats, wholewheat pasta, nuts and other staples, then I’ll do a top-up shop for fresh ingredients, such as salad, fruit, milk, eggs and yoghurt, every few days. At the weekend, I’ll plan my meals for the week ahead around what’s coming in my Riverford veg
box. I also make sure I leave myself enough time to cook and eat in the evening – partly because I enjoy cooking, partly to give myself the best chance to make a nutritious meal from scratch. I believe trusting yourself with food is the foundation of trusting yourself in other ways. If you feel you struggle with knowing how to feed yourself, perhaps consider speaking to someone who specialises in intuitive or peaceful eating. How To Build A Healthy Brain (£16.99, Yellow Kite) by Kimberley Wilson is out 5 March
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In my fridge right now you’ll find... Willy’s apple cider vinegar • ¼ lemon • tomato puree • Greek cheese • jar of umami sauce • Tony’s Chocolonely Milk Chocolate Caramel Sea Salt • two blocks of butter (one salted, one unsalted) • half a bar of dark cooking chocolate • radishes • organic Parmesan • half a jar of fermented garlic • fermented chilli sauce • whole organic milk • pâté • Greek olives • homemade kombucha • highstrength omega-3 capsules • the remains of a tin of condensed milk • Greek yoghurt • blackcurrants • mixed bean salad • ikura (salmon roe) • fresh herbs • 2 bags of mixed watercress, spinach and rocket • whole organic chicken • ½ red onion • bottle of sparkling water • ½ avocado • pack of dried shrimp • ground coffee • strawberry yoghurt • redcurrant jelly • ¾ Snickers bar • organic double cream • homemade sauerkraut
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The medical doctor
ZOE WILLIAMS
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NHS GP, contributor to the BBC show Trust Me I’m A Doctor and ITV’s This Morning and founder of Fit4Life, an organisation encouraging young children to be healthy
In my fridge right now you’ll find... Semi-skimmed milk • baby plum tomatoes • spinach • Bramwells Sweet Pickle • extra mature Cheddar • strawberries • coriander • lightly dusted cod fillets • smoked mackerel fillets • Aberdeen Angus beef mince • pickled jalapeño peppers • tangy onion relish • longstem broccoli • hot pepper and lime relish • pickled onions • pickled beetroot • mint sauce • 2 bottles of beer • 1 bottle of cider • eggs • Greek yoghurt • tofu • mozzarella • halloumi • avocado mayonnaise • green hot curry paste • Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce • Hellmann’s mayonnaise • red pepper • courgettes • beansprouts • carrots • blueberries • Merchant Gourmet Champagne Lentils • cabbage • lettuce • butternut squash • bananas
My fridge is very full. Stocking it with healthy food and cooking at home as often as I can is my way of making sure that I eat well most of the time. I buy the majority of my food from Aldi or Lidl. They’re affordable, offer good value for quality and always stock seasonal fruit and veg. I also get an Oddbox delivered once every couple of weeks – it’s a subscription box service delivering misshapen and surplus fruit and veg from UK farmers that was at risk of becoming food waste. I try to buy meat from my local butcher’s and fish from a fishmonger, but in reality I can’t always get there, so I usually end up buying it from Waitrose or M&S. I do stick to the general nutrition advice that I give to patients; I eat lots of fibre, and fruit and veg, and I’m always trying to increase the variety of veg that I’m eating, too. My Oddbox is great for that, but another tactic I’ve found useful is buying bagged stir-fry mixes and cooking with tins of beans. I also have certain rules I stick to at home, which help me to cook more healthily. I’d never cook with cream, for example, and I don’t have pudding in the house. This is only because I eat out around 20% of the time, and I give myself free rein to order whatever I want – creamy pasta, burgers, a chocolate pudding. Having some rules in place at home means I know I’m eating healthily around 80% of the time.
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I don’t really have a set routine, and what I eat changes every day based on my workload and workouts. I’m not a meal prepper – mostly because my work life is just too busy to be that organised, but I also think spontaneity keeps food exciting. I tend to knock something together for my lunch first thing, depending on what I have in the fridge and what I fancy. Some days I’ll have yoghurt and fruit for breakfast, others I’ll skip it entirely and fast until lunchtime. If I’m really hungry, I’ll have a protein shake around 10am. I know from working with my patients that so many people feel overwhelmed when it comes to nutrition – and it’s no wonder, there are so many mixed and conflicting messages out there. The way I eat today is the result of tiny tweaks to my habits, made over many years. Simple things like not having sugar in your tea or switching from white to wholewheat pasta can make a big difference over the course of your lifetime. The key is committing to making changes and always striving to add more nutritious foods to your diet.
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The personal trainer
KIM HARTWELL In my fridge right now you’ll find... Peppers • eggs • cucumbers • tomatoes • corn • halloumi • sweet potatoes • two Mindful Chef ready meals (tofu stir-fry, five-bean chilli) • spinach • four beers • butternut squash • rocket • Parmesan • almond milk • mayonnaise • Milkybar Buttons • Cadbury Dairy Milk Whole Nut chocolate • butter • pesto • avocados
In my early twenties, I worked as a model. Avoiding food was common, and working in an industry that was so aesthetically focused influenced my eating habits. I ended up counting calories, avoiding bread and pasta, and did a lot of cardio, convinced it was the way to fit in. I was naïve back then, but I count myself lucky my eating never became disordered.
It was moving to Manhattan in my midtwenties that changed my perspective on food. The New York fitness scene rekindled my childhood passion for exercise – I grew up practising swimming, karate and basketball – and I decided to retrain as a PT, studying for my qualification that year. Training hard, I realised I couldn’t give it my all when my body was running on empty.
plenty of fruit and veg, I make sure I’m getting enough protein from veggie sources (I’m a vegetarian), such as cheese, beans and lentils. I’m a sucker for a matcha latte with almond milk in the morning, then follow it with a smoothie made from fruit and veg from my fridge or freezer. I’ll add protein powder sometimes – I love Form Nutrition and Neat Nutrition. An average lunch will be scrambled eggs on toast with avocado, and dinners are vegetable-heavy – for example, a warm salad of spinach, sweet potato, corn and halloumi with pesto. My routine is led by client bookings and it changes from week to week, so I shop when I have the time – and convenience is key. Some days, that means grabbing some food
on the go from one of the gyms where I teach. Mindful Chef can be handy on occasion, as it’s all the flavour of home cooking, without the faff of finding a recipe and shopping for the ingredients. You’ll always find some chocolate around the house; Milkybar or anything caramel is definitely my jam. Day to day, I aim for balance. I’d say my diet is 70% nutrientpacked foods, the kind that fall under the ‘healthy’ umbrella, and 30% of the other stuff. Above all, I enjoy my food, because I never want to feel physically or emotionally restricted again.
FOOD STYLING: IONA BLACKSHAW. PROP: SMEG 50S STYLE MINIBAR COOLER IN PASTEL BLUE, SMEGUK.COM
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PT and yoga instructor
I began to see food as so much more than ‘calories in versus calories out’; as something I needed to fuel my workouts. James Duigan’s Clean & Lean Diet cookbook really showed me that healthy food doesn’t mean low calorie. Now, I’m a big believer in eating for the lifestyle you lead. Most weeks, I teach classes for around 15 to 20 hours a week, as well as training private clients in their homes or in parks. On days when I’m not teaching a class, I’ll practise yoga, and I also go rock climbing two or three times a week. It means I do some form of exercise every day, so as well as eating
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Women’s Health
316 10G 8G 53G 2 cals
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OPEN JACKFRUIT SANDWICH Apple cider vinegar regulates spikes in blood sugar. Wrap these up (we’d recommend closing the sandwich first) for a vegan al-desko lunch that’ll keep you fuelled until teatime
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INGREDIENTS 220g fresh jackfruit, pulled • 2 tbsp vegan cream cheese • 2 slices of spelt, rye or sprouted grain bread, toasted • 2 baby gem lettuce leaves • 2 tbsp beetroot sauerkraut • handful of chives, sliced For the barbecue sauce: 60g pitted olives • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar • juice of 2-3 limes • 3 tbsp tamari
• 35g coconut sugar • 1 tsp ground cumin • 1 tsp black pepper • pinch of chilli powder METHOD 1 | Presumably, it’s been a while since you did anything related to a barbecue (ah, summer), so allow us to refresh your memory. To make the barbecue sauce, blitz all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. That wasn’t hard now, was it? 2 | Combine the sauce with the jackfruit, lay
it out on a baking tray and bake in the oven at 180°C for 10 to 15 mins. 3 | To serve, spread the cream cheese over your slices of toast and top each with a lettuce leaf, some beetroot sauerkraut and a large spoonful of barbecue jackfruit. Sprinkle over some chives for a little wow factor.
B LO O D SUGAR BALANCING
JACK TRADES OF A L L
696 21G 26G 105G 2 cals
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INFLAMMATION FIGHTING
JACKFRUIT ‘FISH’ CAKES Not to be confused with fellow Japanese wellness wonder kombucha, kabocha is a winter squash. Combined with jackfruit, it makes a pretty convincing omega-3-packed fish alternative INGREDIENTS 250g kabocha squash, cut into skin-on wedges • 1½ tsp salt • 225g young jackfruit, diced • 1 shallot, chopped • 3 tbsp finely diced fresh ginger • 50g fresh coriander leaves • 2 tbsp diced red chilli • 1 tsp ground turmeric • 1 tsp fennel seeds • 1 tsp coriander seeds • 1 tsp cumin seeds • 2 tbsp coconut or rapeseed oil For the batter: 1 egg, beaten (or plant-based egg mix) • 200g chickpea flour
METHOD 1 | Preheat the oven to 200°C while you prep your ingredients. Next, sprinkle ½ tsp salt over the squash and bake for 20 mins. 2 | Done? Take the squash out of the oven and let it cool. Remove the skin, chop it finely and add it to a mixing bowl with the jackfruit. 3 | Next, add the rest of the ingredients, bar the oil, and mix together gently. Careful not to make it too mushy – you want to keep some
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texture. Divide into golf ball-sized, er, balls, and place in the fridge for around 30 mins. 4 | Take the balls out of the fridge and flatten slightly. Dip ’em in the egg, then the flour, making sure they’re evenly coated, then pop them back in the fridge for 20 mins. 5 | Pan-fry those bad boys in rapeseed or coconut oil on a medium heat for about 5 mins on each side, then serve.
Photography | MICHAEL HEDGE
IMMUNIT Y BOOSTING
441 4G 9G 96G 2 cals
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JACKFRUIT TACOS WITH PICKLED MOOLI Mooli? Glad you asked. The winter radish, also known as daikon, is packed full of vitamins A, C, E and B6, as well as potassium. Combine it with jackfruit for a healthy vegan upgrade on a Mexican classic INGREDIENTS 250g fresh jackfruit, sliced • 1 packet of corn taco shells • handful of chives, sliced • handful of coriander For the pickled mooli: 250g mooli, finely sliced • 125ml lemon juice • 100ml agave syrup • 1 tsp ground turmeric For the sauce: 50g dried apricots • 50ml tamari • 60ml mirin • 1 garlic clove • 85ml maple syrup • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar • 3 tbsp brown miso paste • 120ml water
METHOD 1 | This one requires some forward planning. Start by pickling your mooli the night before. Combine the lemon juice, agave syrup and turmeric powder, pour over the sliced mooli, put the lid on and let it all mingle overnight. 2 | Good morning. Or is it good evening? Whenever the taco mood strikes, make your teriyaki sauce. Blitz all the ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Simple.
3 | Next, mix the sliced jackfruit with 3 tbsp of your teriyaki sauce (stick the rest in a storage container in the fridge – it’ll keep for up to a week). Pop it in a baking tray and roast in the oven at 100°C for 20 mins. 4 | To assemble, dollop some jackfruit in a taco shell and top with a spoonful of mooli pickles. Drizzle with more teriyaki sauce and sprinkle over some chives and coriander to seal the deal.
There was a time when fruit masquerading as meat would have been considered a culinary crime on a par with squirting mayo on a Michelinstarred meal. But it’s 2020, Veganuary is the new norm and any plant that claims to replicate the taste of classic carnivorous comfort food gets our vote. Jackfruit also has a stellar antioxidant profile and packs more protein than most fruits. Name a more versatile ingredient, we’ll wait
HEART H E A LT H Y
THE EXPERT Aiste Gazdar, co-founder of the Wild Food Cafe
566 35G 8G 60G 6 cals
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JACKFRUIT CHEESECAKE Don’t let the name fool you – this is a cheese-free zone. And swapping the buttery biscuit base for heart-protecting nuts and dates means this vegan dessert is basically a health food
WORDS: EMILY PRITCHARD. FOOD STYLING: IONA BLACKSHAW
INGREDIENTS For the base: 140g almonds • 75g coconut flakes • 175g soaked dates (leave in warm water for 5 mins, then drain) • 1 tbsp coconut oil, for greasing For the filling: 90g fresh jackfruit • 80g cashew nuts, soaked • 90ml agave syrup • 50g coconut oil • juice of 2½ lemons • pinch of vanilla powder • lemon zest (optional) For the sauce: 80g fresh sweet jackfruit • 60ml coconut water
Women’s Health
METHOD 1 | To base camp: start by blitzing the almonds, coconut flakes and dates in a food processor until the consistency is fine. Next, grease a round 15cm cake tin with coconut oil and line the bottom with baking paper. Pack in the base mixture and press it all down evenly. Put it in the fridge for 10 mins while you get cracking on the filling. 2 | Blitz half the jackfruit with the rest of the filling ingredients
in a blender until smooth, then transfer to a mixing bowl. Dice the other half and stir into the bowl very carefully. Take the base out of the fridge and pour the filling on top. Leave to chill in the freezer for 2-3 hrs. 3 | To make the sauce, blend the jackfruit with the coconut water until smooth. To serve, remove from the tin and allow to defrost for 20 mins before drizzling with the sauce and scattering some zest over the top.
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ONE FOOD, FOUR WAYS | JACKFRUIT
Tough nut to crack
Big
FAT Whether debating the obesity crisis, our strained NHS, the rise of bodyshaming or the glorification of the avocado, much conversation comes back to fat. So, where are the answers you’re hungry for? WH consults the authorities to get the skinny
Being
SKINNY FAT is a real thing And it’s no less damaging than in-your-face obesity. In healthy individuals, body fat provides insulation and a store of energy. A 9½st woman with 25% to 30% fat mass can carry about 180,000 calories worth of fuel to be used when needed. Think of it as your emergency race-day energy gel.
The problem, then, is less about how much fat you’re packing, and more about where you’re packing it. ‘When you exceed your capacity to store subcutaneous fat – under the skin – you experience an overspill,’ says Dr Adam Collins, a nutrition and metabolism specialist at the University of Surrey. In other words, that packet of energy gel splits open; fat leaks between your organs (visceral fat) or inside them (ectopic fat), raising your risk of heart disease and diabetes.
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You can’t see it, but it’s there. How well you’re able to store fat safely is partly genetic. But scientists now suggest that a host of lifestyle factors could also cause your body to store fat in or around your organs, rather than under the skin. ‘If you have a high-sugar diet, eat at odd hours and drink alcohol excessively, this might cause preferential visceral fat storage – regardless of calorie balance,’ says Dr Collins. ‘High levels of adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol might also play
a part.’ All of which means that overwrought office workers who rely on self-medication and late-night Deliveroo are at greater risk of unhealthy fat storage, regardless of their BMI. Your move? Running it off might not be the quickest solution. In one study*, subjects on a strength-training plan lost more visceral fat than those following an endurance-based regimen. That a lunchtime in the weights room will also use some of that excess adrenaline is a further sweetener.
Illustration | AARON MARTINEZ
WORDS: SCARLETT WRENCH. *SOURCE: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY
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truths
Yes, it’s possible to be both
Sugar monster
FAT AND FIT
Women’s Health
OBESE PEOPLE
aren’t simply lacking in willpower The idea that you can achieve whatever you want through force of will is a modern mainstay. But to assume that obese people could lose weight if only they spent more time channelling a ‘don’t wish for it, work for it!’ attitude is, well… lazy. In reality, a person’s behaviour is determined by two complex,
competing systems. The part of your brain that inhibits impulses is known as the ‘executive function’, explains neuroscientist Dr Sandra Aamodt. ‘It’s basically the brain’s managerial system. However, engaging it requires active effort, and it tires easily.’ In contrast, the part of your brain that acts habitually and injudiciously runs on automatic. Once your default settings are established, they’re hard to overcome. Add to this the fact that your metabolic rates crash in response to calorie
restriction, while your appetite increases, and it’s clear your brain is wired to fight against weight loss. Your move? Dr Aamodt’s advice is to adopt a process-based, not outcome-centric, mindset. Plan to batch-cook a meal every Sunday, or walk for 20 minutes before work each day. Don’t think about shedding kilos – think about gaining habits. ‘Building new habits only requires effort in the early stages,’ she says. ‘After that, they become automatic.’
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To counsel against judging others on the way they look might seem pretty hackneyed, but it’s a solid scientific principle. Though it’s widely proven that carrying excess weight is a major factor in chronic health issues, an analysis of 27 studies published in the journal Endocrine Reviews found that up to 75% of people classed as obese (with a BMI over 30) have normal blood pressure, cholesterol levels and insulin balance. As Dr Collins puts it: ‘The relationship between BMI and metabolic health is not linear, and an obese person can make major improvements without visibly losing weight.’ We all know that every woman with an Elle Macpherson physique isn’t automatically capable of running for the bus without wheezing. Similarly, not every overweight woman is a heart attack statistic waiting to happen. Multiple factors – unrelated to which hole in your belt you use – have been proven to correlate with better metabolic health, from eating more dairy to maintaining regular sleep patterns. One clear measure of your health is your metabolic flexibility – which has nothing to do with the ease with which you can execute a downward dog. ‘This is your body’s ability to cope with the stress of being fed too little or too much food,’ says Dr Collins – essentially, its ability to stay healthy, whatever you throw at it. Your move? Build up your metabolic flexibility with intermittent fasting. Try eating your day’s food within an eighthour window a few times a week. Your body will become more adept at burning its own fat reserves, developing a resilience that will allow you to function at full power, regardless of the visibility of your abs.
Even ‘healthy’ fats can be, well,
Q&A
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FATTENING McDonald’s doesn’t have a monopoly on calories. When it comes to the ‘intake versus output’ equation, your body is barely able to differentiate between those sourced from the Whole Foods salad counter and those ordered off a touchscreen menu at 2am. The health halo effect causes labels such as ‘organic’, ‘natural’ and ‘vegan’ to alter your perception of what you’re eating. Avocados, almond butter, olive oil, dark chocolate – all of these are undoubtedly nutritious. But that doesn’t mean
By nutritionist Steve Grant portion control needn’t be executed. ‘Fats provide nine calories per gram, compared to four calories for carbs and proteins,’ says nutritionist Steve Grant. ‘That’s not to say you want to eat a low-fat diet. But excess calories – even from nutritious sources – will put you at risk of weight gain. Your move? Know your numbers. Half an avocado or a tablespoon of nut butter each pack about 110 calories, which is enough to give you your healthy fat fix without filling you out. And if, occasionally, you’d rather swap it for a 30g slice of blue cheese, go for it.
Stigmatising obesity only makes the
PROBLEM WORSE
THE SCIENCE OF FAT Is the fat I eat the same stuff as the fat on my body? In a sense, yes. The fats you eat come in the form of triglycerides: three fatty acids bound to a glycerol molecule. Without going too heavy on the biology, you break them down into their component parts, then either use them up or reassemble and store them. So, what about the rest of my meal? Glucose (carbs) and amino acids (proteins) can be converted into fat molecules, too – that’s if you don’t use them for energy.
Avo-go hero
Not a position based on emotion, but on data. Yes, providing people with the tools and encouragement they need to take control of their wellbeing is, of course, a very good thing (and what we’re here for). But making others feel bad about their current situation provides little in the way of fitspiration. ‘There’s robust research demonstrating that weight bias and stigma lead to poor
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Where does the fat actually go when I lose it? When your body requires more energy than you’re putting into it, it breaks the molecules in your fat cells back down. Ultimately, they’re converted into carbon dioxide and water. Most of the fat you lose, then, is actually exhaled. Breathe easy.
health outcomes,’ says Dr Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity medicine physician at Harvard Medical School. ‘It leads to maladaptive eating behaviours, and people are less likely to pursue physical activity in public if they fear being judged.’ In a study of 2,944 UK adults, those who experienced discrimination gained more weight than those who didn’t.
Your move? What does fuel
change? Well, focusing on developing intrinsic motivators is effective – that’s taking actions because you enjoy them, as opposed to extrinsic motivators, such as seeking approval from others or fearing negative outcomes. A flexible plan you can stick to beats a fast-acting plan that you can’t. Plus, be kind to others – just like your parents told you.
Women’s Health
Smelly stew, soggy salad leaves and milk that smells like cheese. Sound like a #shelfie of your fridge? Food writer Victoria Glass helps you cut down your food waste (and your groceries bill) with two recipes made using one set of ingredients.
382 12G 33G 26G 4 cals
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MUSSEL, FENNEL AND SAFFRON STEW INGREDIENTS 1kg mussels • pinch of saffron • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 medium onion or 2 shallots, chopped • 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped • ½ bulb of fennel, sliced, fronds reserved • 1 tin of chopped tomatoes • 250ml dry white wine • small bunch of flat leaf parsley, stalks and leaves finely chopped • salt and pepper • 3 tbsp cream • crusty bread, to serve (optional)
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METHOD 1 | Give the mussels a scrub in cold running water and pull out any beards (byssal threads, actually – the term for anything hanging out of the shell that shouldn’t be). Next, carefully scrape off any barnacles and discard any with broken shells. Give any open mussels a sharp tap against the sink – if they don’t snap shut, they’re a goner, so you’ll need to chuck ’em. 2 | Use a pestle and mortar (or the end of a rolling pin and a bowl) to grind the saffron to a powder. Then pour over 1 tbsp hot water and leave to steep.
3 | Heat the oil in a large pan (as in really large – mussels take up a lot of space for such tiny creatures) and throw in the onion and garlic. Stir over a medium-low heat for 5 mins, or until soft and translucent. 4 | Add the fennel and leave to cook, stirring every now and then until the fennel is soft and starting to turn golden – the smell in your kitchen will transport you back to memories of a bag of sticky aniseed twists, if your childhood was as misspent as mine.
5 | Drain the tomatoes through a sieve and reserve the juice for the recipe opposite. Chuck the tomatoes into the pan along with the wine, saffron and parsley stalks, and season. Cook for 10 mins or so until the alcohol has burnt off. 6 | Tip in the mussels, cover the pan and leave them to steam for about 5 mins, or until the shells have opened (chuck any that haven’t). 7 | Stir in the cream and scatter over the parsley leaves and fennel fronds. Serve immediately with crusty bread – it’ll serve two as a main or four if you’re sharing food with friends. Come on now, don’t be shellfish.
Photography | MICHAEL HEDGE
618 17G 39G 67G 2 cals
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MUSSEL, FENNEL AND SAFFRON SPAGHETTI INGREDIENTS 500g mussels • pinch of saffron • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 medium onion or 2 shallots, finely chopped • ½ bulb of fennel, finely chopped • 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped • 125ml dry white wine • the juice from a tin of chopped tomatoes • small bunch of flat leaf parsley, stalks and leaves finely chopped • 200g spaghetti • 2 tbsp cream • salt and pepper
METHOD 1 | Scrub the mussels well under cold running water and pull out any beards, as before. 2 | Grind the saffron to a powder, pour over 1 tbsp hot water and leave to steep. 3 | Heat the oil in a sauté pan and chuck in the onion, fennel and garlic. Stir for 5 to 10 mins, or until the veg has softened but not coloured. 4 | Add the wine, saffron, tomato juice and parsley stalks,
and leave to gently boil for about 10 mins, to burn off the alcohol. After about 5 mins, put the spaghetti on to cook in a large saucepan, according to the packet instructions. 5 | Once the alcohol has burned, tip the clean mussels into the pan, pop a lid on, and leave to steam for 3 to 5 mins, or until the shells have opened. 6 | Once the spaghetti is cooked but al dente (about a minute off being perfect), drain,
leaving a little of the cooking water in the pan (so, basically, drain the pasta badly) and tip the spaghetti back into the pan. Stir the cream into the mussel sauce, throw in the chopped parsley, then tip the lot over the pasta. Stir it all up with a fork and spoon, then pop the pan back on a low heat for an extra minute. Serve immediately, discarding any unopened mussels in the interests of health and safety.
THE EXPERT Victoria Glass, food writer, recipe developer and author of Too Good To Waste: How To Eat Everything (£14.99, Nourish)
FOOD STYLING: IONA BLACKSHAW
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Women’s Health
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0 | 4 5
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES.
As the countdown to Tokyo 2020 begins, sports stars become big news. But while these elite athletes elicit cheers and veneration now, by the age of 30, their all-encompassing professional life can come to an abrupt halt. Here’s the story of what happens next... WORDS
GEMMA ASKHAM
Women’s Health
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S T R ON G M I N D
am Murray kept a lid on her emotions for the entire journey home from Rome to Bath, it wasn’t until she finally heard her front door click shut behind her that she started screaming, jumping and madly punching the air. She had been at the World Modern Pentathlon Championships, where she secured one of only two places in the GB squad for the 2012 London Olympics, and she felt as close to invincible as someone this side of a Marvel comic can get. ‘Imagine after an amazing first date when you run up and down the stairs and think, “Oh my god, yes!” Doing well in sport is the ultimate addictive feeling. When you prove what your body can achieve, it’s like the ultimate victory.’ Sam went on to win Olympic silver and recalls basking in the recognition. ‘In what other job do you appear on the news and receive floods of well done texts simply for having a good day at the office? That’s the crazy world athletes live in.’ But if elite sport comes with extraordinary highs, it largely promises extraordinary brevity, too. The average age to set a world record in sport is 26.1, with retirement, often soon after 30, lurking over your shoulder as unsubtly as a fellow commuter reading your Kindle. Running out of professional puff with a stuffed medal cabinet but decades of bill-paying and life ahead of you can unsettle
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Photography | PIXELEYES
even the most unflappable. Sporting celebrities aren’t immune: Dame Kelly Holmes likened retiring to losing her entire identity; Andy Murray sought psychological help when his hip injury threatened to end his career, revealing that he had ‘zero interest’ in doing anything else; swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time with 28 medals, suffered such severe depression after calling time post-2012 Olympics that he sat alone in his bedroom for five days and contemplated suicide. In May, an International Olympic Committee report confirmed that 45% of former athletes suffer from anxiety and depression after transitioning out of sport.
RECORD LOWS
Women’s Health
It’s like the friend who does a Houdini when she finds a new boyfriend but later learns that he’s still active on Hinge and she’s got no support network to turn to. Dr Currie explains: ‘Most people have multiple roles, so when something goes wrong in one area, you can seek a balance because things are going right in another area. But elite athletes have just one role that takes over everything
‘I went from being an expert in my sport to second-guessing myself in job interviews’ else.’ Consequently, when something within that sphere goes wrong, it feels as if your whole world is imploding. Practically, this can translate as struggling to know what to do with your morning – even your whole future. Compounding this is the fact that, for the majority of athletes, success starts to build just as their personal identity is forming. Many student athletes begin specialising and training heavily in one sport before they’ve even turned 12, and that all-ornothing pressure to turn it into a professional career means that at an age when most tweens dart between cringeworthy emo phases, rebellious haircuts and wanting to be the next Emma Watson, athletes already define themselves by (and make life decisions based on) their careers above anything else. This phenomenon is known as ‘identity foreclosure’, a term coined in the 1960s by American psychologist Professor James Marcia, who defined it as: ‘when a commitment is made without exploring alternatives’ – something that certainly rings true to Sam based on her experience. Every decision she
subjects as A-levels – biology, English literature and French – and got the grades to study French and politics. At university, being a full-time GB athlete added a fresher-unfriendly 30 hours of weekly exercise to her course schedule. ‘Every Sunday, from October 2008 until October 2018, I received a spreadsheet from my coach detailing what I was doing at each time of the day: lessons, training (swimming, running, fencing, horse riding, shooting, gym), physiotherapy, nutrition appointments. That timetable popped into my inbox every Sunday for 10 years of my life, and it was awesome,’ she laughs. ‘I’d start my week with genuine excitement because I loved training – and knowing what I was doing. Athletes thrive on regime.’
FREE AND NOT EASY
When Sam left competitive sport, having ticked off a to-do list that would delight even the pushiest of parents – Olympic medallist, world champion, world record holder – she crashed. ‘I went from being a self-assured expert in my sport to second-guessing myself in job interviews when I was asked what made me a worthy candidate for that role,’ she recalls. ‘I overanalysed the current me and glorified how busy I used to be, representing my country. Physically, the biceps and triceps that I’d worked so hard to build during swimming training just disappeared, and I became concerned about maintaining my body’s strength and size without someone there to give me the formula.’
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‘Was I depressed at my lowest point? Absolutely,’ says Catherine Spencer, 40, a former England rugby captain who retired after the Six Nations in 2011. Born into a rugby-mad family – with a PE teacher mum, and a dad and two brothers who all played – her decision to retire was prompted by age. ‘I would have been 35 by the 2014 World Cup and I wanted to retire on my terms rather than get deselected or injured,’ she tells Women’s Health. ‘But I’ll never know if it was the right decision.’ In 2014, the England squad won the Rugby World Cup without her – something Catherine found devastating. ‘I was working for Sky TV when the whistle went and I started sobbing in the studio. The squad then won Team of the Year at BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2014, which was so amazing, but I watched with tears streaming down my face because I thought, “Could I have been the one lifting that trophy?” And then I hated myself for feeling that way.’ Experts believe this emotional struggle affects athletes with hefty medal tallies and glorious victory narratives hardest because of the life-upending impact of retirement on identity. Dr Alan Currie, chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists sports and exercise psychiatry group and a member of the English Institute of Sport’s mental health panel, is one of these experts and recalls the industry noticing the negative side of early overachievement around 15 to 20 years ago. ‘After Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004, it almost took people by surprise that athletes were coming back from the Olympics, having been very successful at the one thing they’d spent years striving for, feeling flat. You’d hear, “My only goal in life was getting two Olympic medals. I’ve got them both – what do I do next?” The problem was that they’d achieved their goal without thinking beyond it.’
GIVING YOUR ALL
made from her teens up until her retirement last year, she admits, was sport-first. On her bedroom wall in her childhood home, Sam stuck a photograph of Dr Stephanie Cook, the modern pentathlete who won gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. During secondary school, life was a balance between training and education: Sam would get up at 5.30am to train with the local swimming club three times a week, go to school, come home, quickly do her homework and then dash to athletics club or fencing classes, go horse riding at her grandma’s house or shoot targets with an air pistol in her back garden. Weekends were spent participating in competitions across the country. Most 16-year-olds plan as far ahead as that night’s Netflix, but Sam was already working out how to secure a place at the University of Bath because it hosted the national training centre for modern pentathlon. She chose her three strongest
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‘Those of us who had experienced multiple Olympic cycles spoke openly about the comedown’ centres, which no longer had the professional opportunities or social networks to serve them once they’d retired. Unlike Sam, however, many athletes hadn’t studied because their sports hadn’t been supportive or flexible in allowing them the time to do so. It meant that, on retirement, there was no thread of continuity in their lives, no academic skill set or part-time job to fall back on, and very little information about how to turn their contact book and transferable skills as an athlete into tools for a business environment. ‘The general feeling among people I spoke to was, “Other than move home with Mum and Dad, what am I going to do?”’ she explains. Because many hadn’t studied past school, they were working out how they could afford Open University. The houseshares they’d shacked up in with other athletes to keep rental costs down now felt too expensive without an income. A survey of 800 former sportspeople by the Professional Players Federation found that 50% did not feel in control of their lives within two years of their careers ending. However, judging by the accounts of the sportswomen contacted by WH, this seems a conservative assessment.
LIFE IN LIMBO
One among them, Olympic gold medal-winning hockey player Crista Cullen MBE, 34, was so apprehensive about free-falling after retirement that she maintained a part-time role as a marketing director throughout her competing years, but it proved an uncommon – and sometimes unpopular – strategy. ‘Coaches understandably don’t want their athletes training at 5am to fit in a day’s work because it affects sleep patterns and potentially the next day’s training,’ she recalls. Crista ended up experiencing two retirements. Her first, after London 2012, was cut short. She had been retired for three years – during which time she’d gone back to her childhood home of Kenya, thrown herself into conservation projects, trained to be a pilot (with a view to doing aerial wildlife surveillance),
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Support staff kept on saying, “No matter whether you continue in hockey or finish after Rio, whether we have success or failure, you will feel like you’ve dropped off a cliff, and that’s okay.” Those of us who had experienced multiple Olympic cycles spoke openly, for once, about the comedown. It’s so important that it’s referenced regularly so that there are minimal surprises.’ Dr Currie agrees that, in recent Olympic cycles, authorities have become better at prioritising retirement preparation, including a growing number of ‘performance lifestyle advisers’ who offer guidance on CV writing and transferable skills. He’s now consulting with several sporting bodies on ways to introduce mental health screening earlier. ‘We screen athletes for all kinds of physiological measures, like cardiac status, lung function, muscle strength. But we’re not so good at identifying when things go awry with mental health. If you start to ask athletes about their mood and anxiety at the same time as you measure their hip flexibility and resting pulse, doing so becomes
systematic and non-stigmatised.’ He’s gunning for a change where sport welcomes athletes discussing their mental health and, in turn, makes them feel comfortable doing so.
SHOW OF STRENGTH Catherine, sadly, was far from this accepting place in the months after she retired. ‘I never spoke to a GP about feeling depressed because I was Catherine Spencer, the strong person that other people came to for solutions. I didn’t want to speak to my close friends – the majority of whom were all my former teammates who’d just won the Rugby World Cup – and I didn’t want to share with my family and risk making them sad.’ Having found that silence ‘pretty tough’, Catherine went on to set up her own speaker agency, Inspiring Women, which provides a platform for retired female athletes, including gymnast Beth Tweddle and Paralympian Hannah Cockcroft MBE, to openly share their experiences – the lows and the highs. As for Sam, a year post-retirement, she’s practising a professional split, with one foot in her past and the other in a new future. She’s relocated to London, and many projects, such as modelling during London Fashion Week, come about because of what she achieved in the past. ‘I go, enjoy it and answer all those questions about the Olympics, but then I have to remember that I don’t live in that world any more.’ She’s carrying over a few techniques into this next epoch, such as writing a daily journal to monitor her thoughts and planning her meals and exercise sessions. ‘It’s not on the scale of the Olympics, obviously,’ she says. ‘But I need a way of being able to stay on track now that I control my own time.’ Bedding into this new life of a civilian athlete involves trial and error. ‘I went swimming the other day and a woman came up to me and said, “You’re really good, do you think you should join a local club?” I explained that, yes, I used to be in a club; I went to the Olympics and I’m actually the world record holder for 200m freestyle.’ And? ‘She looked at me like I was an alien!’ she laughs. ‘So, now, I don’t tell a lot of people. My Olympic life is slowly going from being my whole life to being my secret life – and I’m enjoying it.’
ICONS: GUILHERME FURTADO/THOMAS LE BAS/ANDRIWIDODO/CHRIS PROVINS/ LUDOVIC RIFFAULT AT NOUN PROJECT. *SC-CAREERTRANSITION.COM
Sam lasted two months after retirement – during which she couldn’t join friends in the pub for a beer without stressing over her next move – before launching herself back into the world of sport, taking a mentoring role at the British Athletes Commission. To say it opened her eyes to the scale of the issue is an understatement. ‘Within a month, I’d met multiple retiring or retired athletes suffering with serious mental health issues; struggling with financial difficulty because funding abruptly stopped after retirement, while battling a loss of identity,’ she explains. The individuals’ biggest concern was what to do next, professionally and logistically; like Sam, many had moved to towns like Lilleshall or Loughborough to be close to training
and hadn’t picked up a hockey stick once – when the head hockey coach invited her to rejoin the GB squad for Rio 2016. She did, and immediately noticed a change – within herself and the culture of the group. ‘I felt lost for six months the first time I retired,’ she recalls. ‘I was very quiet, and keeping fit was the only thing that I could control, so I punished my body as a coping strategy.’ During Rio, it was clear that the support had been stepped up since four years earlier. ‘There were constant references to post-Rio events.
H OW TO H U R D LE A N I D E NTIT Y R U T LI K E A N O LY M P I A N Post-breakup? Floundering at work? Try this do-now plan by career transition coach Julie Schladitz*
REJIG YOUR SOCIAL SELF
BROADEN YOUR INTERESTS List all the things that interested you when you were young – school subjects, hobbies, charities, something a friend did. Now, pick a couple and find out more: watch a YouTube video, think how you could try it out or get involved in it. The aim is to expand who you are and what you’re about.
BIG UP YOUR NO. 2 ROLE Imagine a friend is giving a toast at your party. Outside of what you’re most known for – eg, working in retail, a boss, a mum – what would they say about you? (If you’re struggling, think of the younger you before your main identity existed.) What could you do to make sure these other things are talked about more?
Women’s Health
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Pick up to 12 photos from your social media profiles (ideally from the last couple of years) that, if someone didn’t know you, would tell them the most about you. What impression do they give? Then, what type of photos would you like to appear here that aren’t? What steps can you take to introduce that side of you?
Why does
seem to be the hardest word? Sometimes it tumbles out of your mouth before you even realise. Other times, you wouldn’t let it pass your lips for a million pounds. Why is apologising so damn tricky – and how can getting it wrong impact how you see yourself? 5 2 | J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0
Photography | MICHAEL HEDGE
A SORRY STATE
Women’s Health
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aylor, I’m sorry’: it was the tweet that launched not only an apology so prolific that it spawned blog posts, New York Times interviews and song references, but that also became a cog in the decade-long feud between Taylor Swift and Kanye West. It started with the 2009 MTV VMAs when Taylor came gliding on to the stage to collect her award for Best Female Video. ‘I always dreamed of what it would be like to hold one of these,’ she said, gazing lovingly at the silver spaceman in her hand. All of a sudden, Kanye was there. Bemused, she handed the mic over – and the rest is history. Despite the fact that his apologies – sorry that he said Beyoncé had a better video, sorry that he stole Taylor’s moment, sorry that he hurt her feelings; at one point he even apologised to her mum – came quickly and unreservedly, the two have been in a heated media battle, laden with as many vitriolic comments as apologies, ever since. We’re in a new age of apologising. Remorse on a grand media scale is required to be effusive, and in everyday life there seem to be more beg-pardons thrown about than ever; sorry my lunch is taking too long to heat in the microwave, sorry you bumped into me getting on the bus, sorry I’m about to ask you to fulfil your job description. Intertwined with the thinking that everyone (younger generations in particular) is ready to take offence at pretty much everything, people are apologising before even saying or writing what they feel they might need to apologise for. And yet, when you have screwed up and a sorry is needed to regain equilibrium, it’s still often the hardest word to say. Canadian sociologist Professor Maja Jovanovic argues that the modern habit of deploying an ‘I’m sorry’ at the start of every sentence not only invalidates the apology itself, but could knock your self-image and minimise the important things you have to say. Which begs the question, is this culture of boomeranging between uttering vacuous sorrys and stubbornly withholding meaningful apologies putting your selfworth and personal relationships at risk?
‘Apologies are among the most powerful social tools at your disposal,’ says Dr Karina Schumann, assistant professor in psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, who has spent her career studying the art of saying sorry. ‘They ensure that you maintain good relationships with others, which is fundamentally important to humans as a species.’ In fact, it’s not just important – multiple studies have found that human brains are hardwired to ensure that social interactions flow easily, which goes some way to explaining why often an apology feels more like a reflex than a conscious decision. The urge not to cause an unnecessary stir makes sense from an evolutionary perspective: the reason humans flourished as a species isn’t because they were stronger or faster than others, but because they could band together and work as a team. Given that many of us now live in densely populated areas and interact with more people on a daily basis (whether online or face to face) than at any other time in history, the way we communicate is constantly evolving – and the way we navigate apologies feels like it’s in flux. Results from studies have shown not only that polite-but-meaningless apologies might play a vital role in helping us get along with strangers, but that the reason is rooted in brain chemistry. According to one study, in which people’s brains were scanned as they received an apology, it activates the regions responsible for empathy, leading to an uptick in the so-called love hormone oxytocin. Someone apologises to you, this hormone floods your system and you almost immediately feel less stressed, less aggressive and more open. And as for the apologiser? ‘Saying sorry can have a powerful effect on your sense of self and allows you to restore a good self-image,’ says Dr Schumann. It’s unfortunate, then, that apologising too much or too little can chip away at the associated mental health benefits. Both Professor Jovanovic and Dr Schumann agree that apologising too much is counterproductive. ‘It can come with a cost to perceptions of your competence,’ explains Dr Schumann. So saying sorry every time you have to call a meeting, or before you ask friends for their time or effort can make you seem less capable or worthy; a problem for women particularly, as we’re inclined to do this more than men. ‘There’s research that has found that when both men and women deem an infraction apology-worthy, they will apologise,’ adds Professor Jovanovic. ‘Men aren’t avoiding saying sorry – they just have
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a much higher threshold for what they deem to be an apology-worthy moment.’ She links the mental health impact of this behaviour to impostor syndrome. ‘Feeling the need to apologise for everything is just a symptom of the fear, selfdoubt and lack of confidence that can come about with impostor syndrome, something that disproportionately affects women,’ she says. ‘And it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy – the more you apologise, the more likely you are to succumb to the effects of impostor syndrome. It’s not just a verbal tick or politeness; it can have a profound impact.’ Marketing executive Rachel Miller, 28, has worked to change her apology habits after fearing it was leading to negative treatment. ‘I genuinely think I’ve lost out on promotions because of my habit of being overly apologetic. I remember the worst time was when I started a presentation to a client with “sorry”. Afterwards, my manager was annoyed and said it looked unprofessional, which in hindsight I agree with.’ Working in an all-male team helped her to break the habit. ‘The guys were less likely to say sorry – not always with good reason – but they seemed to get ahead quicker because of it. I started to copy them, to say what I meant without apologising and to fake it when I wasn’t sure about an idea I was pitching. I feel like I’ve been given more responsibility because of that.’
Make no apologies
SOZ, MATE What about those moments when the sorry remains stuck in your throat? ‘Apologising for big offences can feel hard because they reflect something defective in your character, and by saying sorry, you’re taking responsibility and admitting to what might be a pretty fundamental flaw – be that incompetence, poor judgement or untrustworthiness,’ says Dr Schumann. ‘These things are difficult to face up to because they’re linked to your selfesteem – too many perceived
HOW TO APOLOGISE... Our experts on how to skilfully say sorry
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When you ’re late for something If it’s a few minutes, a ‘thanks for your patience’ might be appropriate, but people’s time is important, so you need to recognise that with an apology if you’re late in any kind of meaningful way. Explanations can be useful, and people sometimes expect them, but only as long as they don’t come across as defensive. Instead, take responsibility and, where it’s appropriate, assure the person that it won’t happen again. Dr Schumann
Switching it for gratitude in minor situations of inconvenience is an empowering way to go about apologising. I’ve seen this dozens of times, where someone says, ‘Thank you for waiting, I appreciate your patience.’ There’s no apology and it’s been fine. People like being thanked. They also like that you’ve noted their patience. It’s a way to make amends without framing your minor infraction in such a negative light. Professor Jovanovic
Women’s Health
WORDS: ALEXANDRA JONES. ICONS: ICON 54/ERIN AGNOLI ASADAN CREATIVE/JAWA TENGAH AT NOUN PROJECT. *NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED
OU CH
you anyway,” and stormed off. He didn’t come after me, which isn’t surprising given how much I’d insulted him.’ The next day, she woke feeling full of regret. ‘I knew I’d need to apologise, but it felt so hard. It’s been two weeks and I still haven’t been able to get up the courage to call him. I’m miserable.’ Eesh. Helena’s is an extreme situation – she’s lost a partner through stubbornness – but how does she break the stalemate? Professor Jovanovic suggests examining why you might feel resistance to an apology. ‘Maybe it’s because it’s unfair, but more likely it’s a sign that something about it is touching a nerve,’ she says. ‘It’ll tell you something important about yourself and the situation you’ve found yourself in.’
‘It’s not just a verbal tick, it can have a profound impact’ It’s an uncomfortable process, sure, but an important one nonetheless. ‘Taking ownership of a mistake and apologising can help you to move past it and mitigate the negative effects of the mistake itself,’ says Dr Schumann. ‘On the flipside, the more you avoid taking responsibility, the more stressful the situation becomes and the more likely it is that you internalise any bad messages about yourself – instead of it being a simple mistake, it becomes about who you are as a person, and that can have far-reaching consequences for mental health.’ In an age where past tweets are excavated and celebrities and brands are hounded for formal apologies, ‘sorry’ could not only be set to lose even more meaning, but also to cause added stress where it really doesn’t need to. Those in the public eye, even in the most
When you ’ ve hur t a friend’s feelings
The most important thing is to put yourself in the other person’s shoes – try to understand how it feels from their perspective. You could acknowledge and validate their perception, then apologise for your actions, even if the intent wasn’t malicious. Apologise for the effect that your actions had. And, most importantly, do it sincerely – communicate that you care about your friend and that you value their friendship. Dr Schumann
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minimal sense, have become so wary of ending up on the wrong side of popular opinion that apologies are sometimes proffered even before an indiscretion has taken place. Emily*, a 25-year-old social media manager (and budding influencer), has 15,000 followers on Instagram, and almost as many on Twitter. As she explains, ‘It’s so easy to spark a row, and people who don’t even know what it’s about just pile in. I once posted a cartoon of a bear and made a joke about being hungry. Someone got in touch to say that I was making light of the fact that, in some parts of the world, bears are
Don’t say ‘I’m sorry you see it that way’ or ‘I’m sorry you feel like that’ – those are false apologies. Just be genuine: ‘I’m so sorry I hurt your feelings,’ ‘I’m so sorry I was insensitive.’ Ask the other person for clarification on how they felt and then reiterate what they said back to them – just to make it clear that you understand what they’ve said. You don’t want to look like you’re minimising any damage you’ve done. Professor Jovanovic
close to extinction. It got more than 30 likes and retweets. I was shocked. I apologised in a jokey way – like, “Obviously, I’m not making light of the plight faced by bears” – but now I find myself starting posts with things like, “I’m sorry if I’ve got the wrong end of the stick…” or, “Apologies if this isn’t for you…’” If we’re to learn anything from Kanye, it’s to save our sorrys for when they really count and try to put some meaning behind them – or, even better, try not to be a dick in the first place.
When you ’re arguing but know you ’re in the wrong Self-awareness is half the battle. Confront it, take responsibility for it. Sometimes, you know you’re in the wrong but try to downplay it. Try to understand that when you act defensively, their response is not going to be open-minded and welcoming. Take responsibility, be the first person to step up – even if you feel like the other person is also at fault, then try to see your behaviour for what it is. Dr Schumann
You have to own it. We’ve all had days when we’re snarky or unnecessarily harsh. People really appreciate it when you can feel empowered enough to own the hurt that you caused. Offer an indication that it won’t happen again; give examples of what you plan to change to ensure that it never does. That kind of forward-looking action will help demonstrate that you’re sincere. Professor Jovanovic
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flaws can lead to long-term low self-esteem.’ This has, in turn, been linked to depression, where an individual may stop liking or valuing themselves, find it difficult to trust their own judgement and struggle to move past mistakes. ‘It’s why you might feel more resistance to apologising in those types of situations,’ explains Dr Schumann. WH Fashion Assistant Abigail Buchanan, 22, describes herself as a serial apologiser – except for times when it might actually be required. ‘I constantly say sorry unnecessarily – as I serve dinner to guests in case it doesn’t taste nice, or if someone says they’ve had a bad day – but if I’ve actually done something wrong, I become resistant to it. It tends to be in my close relationships, with my boyfriend or parents, where there’s more riding on it or it’s showing weakness.’ What’s driving Abigail to keep shtum is self-preservation. ‘People who have higher self-monitoring instincts – those who are really invested in how others perceive them – are less likely to apologise when they’ve done something wrong.’ It stands to reason that you care more about what those close to you think of you, rather than the woman who goes for the empty bus seat at exactly the same time you do. Take 31-year-old Helena*, who, after drinking too much white wine, broke up with her boyfriend. ‘It was horrible,’ she recalls. ‘We ended up in this big, stupid fight. I said a lot of things I didn’t mean because I was drunk and angry. Then I was like, “I don’t even want to be with
‘Losing my job made me feel devastatingly disposable’ It’s a balmy Wednesday in April 2009 and 28-year-old me practically bounces into my boss’ office. He’s not especially friendly with the rest of the team but, as his assistant, I’m his Heidi May, 38, right-hand woman. I know everything entrepreneur from the name of his girlfriend to the from South Wales intricacies of his schedule. I love it. I’d been hired almost 12 months earlier, to support him as he oversaw a big merger. I leapt to apply when I saw the job advertised, not because of some deeply held passion for the industry I was in, but because this role looked stable – unlike the office manager job I’d held for two years and lost the year before. It had been 2008, when the bubble of economic optimism burst, certainties became shaky and we all learned a new word: recession. Hearing that I was losing my job, a foreboding sensation took up residence in my lower abdomen and didn’t budge for weeks. It hammered at my sense of calm, making me resolute that I would do whatever I could to avoid being landed in this place again. And I did: by risk-assessing future roles and, when I found one that appeared solid, being ruthlessly hardworking within it. This role felt like the apex of everything I’d been working towards. As the company was so young, my fingerprints were everywhere: I was instrumental in keeping the office alive and functioning, keeping its hidden machinery well oiled. I knew the company was going through a rocky patch with its HR systems, but as I was mired in helping my boss iron out those kinks, I simultaneously felt, with him, above it all. The player rather than the chess piece. When my boss called me into his office that afternoon, I knew our chat was going to be something about my contract, but I expected a swift renewal and cheers to a job, so far, well done. But I knew instantly that I’d called it wrong. In fact, I was given an ultimatum. Either I continue the job I was giving 12 hours to daily while simultaneously studying for an HR course in what remained of my spare time – something I knew would be impossible – or I could leave. These were presented as options but, realistically, they weren’t. I replied in the negative and, in a state that I now recognise as
Women’s Health
WHAT OUR PSYCHIATRIST SAYS... Our jobs inevitably become tied up with our sense of identity, and to have that taken away can be incredibly unsettling. On an emotional level, this can lead us to question our abilities and damage our self-esteem. Ruminating over what we lack, or what we did wrong, is common. Then there are the practical considerations: how can we afford to live; provide for dependants? Things we took for granted are suddenly fraught with anxiety and can lead to life changes – such as moving in with family – that can feel regressive. A stage of grieving – for the old role and the life that went with it – may be necessary. Those affected may also struggle with low mood and anxiety, for which cognitive behavioural therapy may be helpful. Dr Sarah Vohra, consultant psychiatrist and author @themindmedic
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AS TOLD TO LAUREN BROWN
Work shouldn’t be your whole life, of course, but the emotional ramifications of being let go extend far beyond the nine to five. One woman shares how it played out for her
dissociative, returned to my desk, gathered my things and walked to my car. I cried because, rightly or wrongly, it felt like betrayal. I cried because of the way the business world can work. I cried because this was evidence I was devastatingly dispensable and because, financially and logistically, I was screwed. I’d just signed on for a new flat that I was now no longer able to afford. My family didn’t have anything to offer me, aside from my teenage box room, so I packed up what I could of my life in Bristol and drove home to the cul-de-sac in Devon where I’d grown up. The plan was to regroup but, instead, I spiralled. I’d wake up and slump on the sofa, not watching TV so much as letting the sounds and colours wash over me. I scrolled through job boards – an activity that was pointless given my self-esteem was on the floor. Anxious thoughts dominated my mind, to the point where I was too afraid to leave my house; while depression felt like a 20kg kettlebell on my chest. This heavy low morphed into high-octane panic whenever I tried to do something that would push me forward – like applying for a job or working out my options financially. A feeling of heat would start at my feet then travel up my body, and the ground underneath began to feel unsteady. Then came heart palpitations so fast it felt as though my body was fighting my brain; I wanted to take that next step, but my nervous system was keeping me rooted to the spot. This continued for two months, until a friend in Bristol told me of a PA job that had opened up. Like a scorned lover whose faith in romantic partners was gone, I was distrustful of every employer and role, convinced any step forward would see me rejected, yet again. I researched the company intensely and, when I saw it was over 100 years old and had a good reputation as an employer, I felt a faint glimmer of hope. Still racked with anxiety, however, I left applying right down to the wire. But now there was a new internal monologue battling the one that told me any action was a step closer towards feeling unsafe; it said: ‘go for it’. I heard back in three days, dragged myself to the interview and, when I landed the role, moved back to Bristol. Rebuilding my selfworth didn’t happen overnight. It took time and patience, but it did return. My feelings of depression, anxiety and panic subsided – helping me understand that my experience was circumstantial. Coming back from a low that felt insurmountable taught me I have a steely core. That I’m resilient enough to take risks – as I did when I set up my own business giving advice to start-ups in 2018. Perhaps more importantly, it showed me I’m worth so much more than what I do for a living.
M Y G THUSEER’S GUIDE A
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J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0 | 5 9
‘The abductor machine is meant to be used seated,’ says Hannah Bright, DW Fitness First PT, but she often sees people standing up out of the chair, performing the movement in a sort of semi-squat. It’s a myth that performing this move standing up has any benefit. ‘There’s a potential injury risk to the back, especially when people set the weight too heavy and lean up out of the seat,’ says Bright. Keep it simple: sit down with your back against the seat rest, core tight, and hold the handles. Your upper body should be completely still as you press the pads outwards with your legs as you exhale. For optimum strength-building results, hold the contraction for a second before returning to the starting position. The abductor is named as such because it works the hip abductor muscles – the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus and the TFL (nope, nothing to
VS
WOMAN MACHINE
THE ABDUCTOR
We asked four trainers which machines they see gym-goers consistently getting wrong – and how to use them correctly to reap the benefits
The rower is the definition of a whole-body workout – it works over 80% of the muscles in your body – but only when it’s done correctly. ‘However, most people tend to pull with their arms too much instead of using their legs to power the move,’ says Grow Fitness PT Emily Taylor. ‘When done correctly, your legs and core should actually do most of the work. If you rely on pulling with the arms instead, you’re putting your upper back and shoulders under a lot
do with the Tube, it stands for tensor fasciae latae) – which are difficult to target, because the larger surrounding muscles, like the gluteus maximus and the quads, often take over. ‘It’s one of the few exercises to target the abductors and allow you to go heavy at the same time,’ Bright says. ‘It’s a good accessory exercise to incorporate when working the lower body.’ TRY THIS 3 sets of 12 reps (where the weights are heavy enough to make rep 12 feel nigh on impossible), ideally with 30 secs rest between sets. If you’re going heavy, opt for 8 to 10 reps, with a 1-min rest between sets
T H E R OW E R
of unnecessary pressure. Plus, your glutes and quads are the most powerful muscles in your body, so your row will be far stronger and more efficient by using them – rely on your arms and you’ll tire much faster, thereby not getting the most out of your session.’ Start by sitting down with the seat close to the front of the machine, legs bent and feet up on the foot plates. Make sure your feet are securely strapped in at the widest part of your foot and grab hold
of the handle. Ready? Remember, the focus is on your legs moving first. Drive backwards by pushing hard with your heels and, once your legs are straight, rock your torso back slightly and draw the handle towards your sternum, tucking your elbows in. The handle should end up below the breastbone. To finish the move, reverse it. ‘Push your arms out ahead of you first, then rock forwards slightly at the hips, keeping your back nice and tall,’ adds Taylor.
TRY THIS For a steady cardio session, set your distance to 5km and aim to do the first kilometre at 20 strokes per minute, the second at 22, the third at 24 and so on. You could also try a killer interval workout, with, say, 30 secs at max speed, followed by 60 secs of slow rowing
Illu s tr atio n | B EN M O U N SE Y-WO O D
T H E LY I N G L E G C U R L
T he t er m s t o lea r n FREE WEIGHTS NOT Dumbbells to take home as and when you wish, free of charge BUT ACTUALLY The section of the gym that houses rows of dumbbells and kettlebells available to all gym-goers
ISOLATION MOVES NOT Exercises best
the move pretty pointless – and puts unnecessary strain on the lower back. To do it right, lie face down on the bench and position the pad of the lever just above your ankles. Tuck your pelvis in, press your hips into the bench and grab the handles. ‘Then, instead of kicking your feet up – if you find it that easy,
you’ll need to up those weights – think about squeezing your hamstrings and controlling them in towards your bum as you exhale,’ says McGowan. Pause for 2 secs at the top of the contraction, then slowly lower the weight again on the inhale, making sure your legs are fully extended at the bottom. If you’re not stretching the
muscle all the way out at the end of each rep, you’ll actually end up shortening the hamstrings over time. TRY THIS 3 sets of 12 reps, with a 30-sec rest between sets
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES
Women’s Health
FAILURE NOT Sleeping through
your alarm and missing boot camp BUT ACTUALLY Working a muscle or muscle group until you physically can’t contract it any more with good form
T H E L AT P U L L D OW N
When performed properly, the wide-grip lat pulldown will primarily work the latissimus dorsi – the muscle that covers the back of the ribs and wraps partially around your lower waist. ‘But most people will lean too far back, or swing or lift their pelvis off the seat during the eccentric phase of the exercise [the phase in which the muscle is lengthened],’ says Charley Crivari, Virgin Active PT. Lean too far back and you’re not really recruiting the lats – you’ll end up using (and potentially straining) the surrounding muscles. Come up out of the chair, even just an inch, and your body weight will pull the bar back down – not really the point. To get it right, sit down at the machine with a wide bar attached to the pulley – there should be one lurking nearby if it’s not already fixed on. ‘Sit up straight and make sure the knee pads are keeping your thighs securely in place, with your feet flat on the floor,’ says Crivari. All set?
performed when you’re alone BUT ACTUALLY A move where only a single muscle is targeted, such as the bicep curl
Grip the bar above your head with your hands a few inches wider than shoulder-width apart and lean your torso slightly backwards, so the bar is in line vertically with your sternum. Now keep that position fixed throughout. Breathe out as you bring the bar down to your upper chest by pulling your shoulder blades and upper arms down your back. Focus on contracting your upper back at the bottom – imagine pulling your shoulder blades into your back pocket. On an inhale, slowly return to the starting position, keeping control of the bar so it doesn’t yank your body upwards. TRY THIS 3 sets of 12 reps – with a 30-sec rest between sets
DOMS NOT Short for Dominique, the demon woman who gives you side-eye when you ask for an extra towel at reception BUT ACTUALLY Stands for ‘delayed onset muscle soreness’ – pain and stiffness felt in muscles a day or two after exercise, caused by inflammation as your body repairs
CROSS TRAINER NOT A gym instructor
who’s had a titful of clients complaining and only making a half-arsed effort BUT ACTUALLY A low-intensity cardio machine that works your arms and legs simultaneously
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B E S T B ODY
The lying leg curl – also known as the hamstring curl, because, well, it works your hamstrings – requires total body control. ‘Unfortunately, it’s common to see people shooting their bums into the air as they kick their feet in,’ says Samantha McGowan, PT at Soulmate Wellness. This takes the hammies out of the picture – rendering
DAY 1
Upper-body push + 15-min cardio intervals sessions to one muscle group (eg, your chest, back or arms), you run the risk of overtraining it – plus, you’d have to be in the gym pretty much 24/7. This isn’t the case with your legs, but more on that later. Each upper-body day also ends with its own interval cardio session lasting 10 to 15 minutes – see day one for more details on how to split your intervals. As for rest, a day off between sessions is ideal. But if your schedule is tricky, two consecutive days is not an absolute no-no – as long as you’re not training the same group. Two consecutive push days, for example, won’t give your muscles enough time to recover and grow. Jillian Michaels, who uses a similar workout breakdown (see page 22), leaves at least 48 hours between two push or two pull days. When it comes to weight selection, choose one that makes your final rep near impossible – that sweet spot is where the muscle magic happens. After a few weeks of consistency, this will start to feel much easier. Time to level up. Ready? Start with a quick warm-up – a few upper-body stretches and 10 mins of light cardio work will suffice. The same applies for leg day, although you’ll be performing both push and pull lower-body moves
Fired up and ready to go? Pick 3 to 6 push moves (womenshealthmag.com/ uk is a great resource if you’re looking for ideas) and perform 3 sets of 12 reps. Rest for 30 secs between sets, and 1 min after each exercise. After your push, perform a 15-min interval session. Maxey recommends a 1:2 ratio (so, 30 secs work, 1 min rest). If that’s easy, level up to a 3:1 ratio (30 secs work, 10 secs rest). ‘However you split it, make sure your work time is your absolute max. Go as hard as you possibly can and then recover. Overall, your interval session should last around 15 to 20 mins max, whether you’re doing it on a push or a pull day. HERE’S AN EXAMPLE 3 sets of 12 reps dumbbell overhead press 3 sets of 12 reps press-up (knees or toes) 3 sets of 12 reps seated chest press 3 sets of 12 reps dumbbell Arnold press 3 sets of 12 reps lateral raise 3 sets of 12 reps chest fly + 15 mins treadmill sprint intervals (sprint for 30 secs, walk for 1 min)
THE
DIY TRAINING PLAN
Total newbie to the gym? Third Space’s Kate Maxey recommends starting out with two or three KATE strength-based gym MAXEY classes, where the Strength and instructor should conditioning master trainer correct your form at Third Space if you’re not getting it right. If you’re unsure what any instructions mean, or you’re not feeling it in the muscles you think you should, ask, even if it’s after the class when no one else is there. Once you’re pretty clued up about the fundamental moves and your squat, deadlift and tricep kickbacks are on point, it’s not too tricky to build your own plan from there. Obviously, everyone has different goals, but let’s assume you want to build muscle while losing any unhealthy excess fat. Maxey recommends the following weekly breakdown for the intermediate gym-goer who wants to take their training to the next level: one upper-body push day, one upper-body pull day and one leg day. If you’re an overachiever, feel free to add in an extra cardio interval day. ‘Alternating push and pull days is a great way to ensure you avoid over-training a particular muscle,’ says Maxey. In this training style, your muscles are classified according to their mechanics as ‘push’ or ‘pull’ and trained on separate days. Pulling muscles (like your biceps and those in your back) contract when pulling the weight towards your body, while pushing muscles (in the chest and your triceps) contract when the weight is pushed away from you. Maxey uses this technique specifically for upper body, because it’s a great way to split training without creating imbalances that might affect your posture. For example, if you’re devoting entire
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DAY 2
Upper-body pull + 15-min cardio intervals Choose 3 to 6 pull moves and perform 3 sets of 12 reps, keeping the same rest times as you did on your push day. Remember, today you’ll be pulling the weights towards you – think rows and curls. ‘You should be feeling the burn and fatiguing towards the end of each set,’ Maxey says. ‘If not, perhaps it’s time to up the weight.’ Oh, and don’t forget your cardio intervals.
DAY 3 Legs
‘Your legs are made up of several big muscle groups, so I recommend training them on their own,’ says Maxey. A good leg day calls for big compound moves – where you’re working more than one muscle at a time – so you’ll find your heart rate climbing, too. ‘If it’s not, you’re probably going too light,’ she says. ‘The muscles in your legs are the biggest in the body, so will burn more calories and fatigue the body far more.’
HERE’S AN EXAMPLE
3 sets of 12 reps lat pulldown
3 sets of 12 reps dumbbell or kettlebell goblet squat
3 sets of 12 reps dumbbell renegade row
3 sets of 12 reps dumbbell walking lunge
3 sets of 12 reps banded pull-up (use a thicker band for more support)
3 sets of 12 reps kettlebell deadlift
+ 15 mins rower intervals (sprint for 30 secs, walk for 1 min)
Your need-to-know guide
We can’t keep you out of the gym, can we? Your bonus workout is an extended interval session – do up to 30 mins of your heartpounding activity of choice. ‘I choose to work with sprint intervals on the treadmill, but the assault bike and the rower are also great options,’ says Maxey. ‘You don’t need to stick to the machines either – sled pushes, rope slams, burpees or box jumps will really get your heart racing.’
3 sets of 12 reps leg press
3 sets of 12 reps kettlebell sumo squat 3 sets of 12 reps kettlebell split lunge
Rest for 1 min between each move. Perform this circuit 5 times 30 secs squat jump 30 secs mountain climber 30 secs burpee 30 secs box jump or step-up 30 secs high-knees
ACTUALLY WORK OUT Yes, you need to rest between sets, but don’t do it on the machine on your phone – someone else probably needs that machine. Creating the ultimate cardio playlist, googling ‘can weights give me a hernia?’ or cross-referencing every online review of squat-friendly leggings published since 2013 will not a fit body make.
LEARN TO SHARE It’s polite to allow someone to complete a set during your rest period. If you hate sharing (we get you), grab some free weights and set up shop somewhere out of the way. PUT YOUR TOYS AWAY If you’re strong enough to pick it up, you’re strong enough to put it back (in the right place). Put the dumbbells back on the rack and offload those plates on the barbells. WIPE IT DOWN In case you weren’t aware, people want to share your sweat about as much as you want to share theirs. Use a towel and wipe down your equipment after use. RESPECT PERSONAL SPACE There are always those who spread their things across the changing room like your mate spreads Gemma Collins GIFs on WhatsApp. Don’t be that person.
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J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0 | 6 3
B E S T B ODY
HERE’S AN EXAMPLE
3 sets of 12 reps cable row
Et iquet t e 101
Bonus cardio day
HERE’S AN EXAMPLE
3 sets of 12 reps dumbbell back row
3 sets of 12 reps bicep curl
DAY 4
HOW I GET F I T D ON E
‘A BARBELL BROKE MY BACK BUT I DIDN’T LET IT BREAK ME’ A gym accident left Sophie Butler, 23, from Essex, paralysed from the waist down – but she refused to let it crush her passion for fitness
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Photography |
P H I L I P H AY N E S
AS TOLD TO KIRSTI BUICK. HAIR AND MAKE-UP: CASSIE STEWARD AT LHA REPRESENTS. STYLING: ABIGAIL BUCHANAN. SOPHIE WEARS: BRA AND LEGGINGS, GYMSHARK; TRAINERS, NEW BALANCE. ICONS: SHITAL PATEL/BEN DAVIS/JACLYNE OOI AT NOUN PROJECT
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In the new year in 2018, I knew I needed to get active again – for my mind as much as my body. The thought of going back to the gym terrified me. But my doctors had cleared me for exercise and I knew it was something I had to overcome to feel like myself again. The logistical challenge was a nightmare, too – how the hell do you manoeuvre in the gym in a chair when you’re paralysed? It was my dad who helped build my confidence. He took me to our local leisure centre and we just wheeled around the gym. He wanted me to see there was a path that was accessible for me, that I’d be able to get around. Somehow, figuring that out made it seem easier, and I signed up. For the first couple of months or so, I’d go to the gym and not really do very much – just familiarise myself with the equipment and start thinking about how to adapt my workouts. It took me a while to get used to the noises – the sound of the weights dropping made me flinch every time. I even found myself staring at people as they worked out, trying to see if what they were doing was safe. Eventually, I learned to focus on myself. I began writing in a little notebook: I’d write an upper body part in there like back, arms or shoulders and then make a spider diagram of exercises I could do. From there, I started working out a programme, the way I used to do at uni. Before I knew it, I was training four or five times a week, focusing on resistance machines and free weights. Getting back into training enhanced everything else in my life. It wasn’t just training for muscles that looked good; I actually needed that strength to help me move – getting in and out of my chair, going to the loo, wheeling myself along. I’m so proud I’ve been able to do it – it was something that really, really challenged and terrified me. It’s taught me that if something scares you or makes you nervous, you should probably do it. Do it safely, but do it. Now I’m studying for my PT qualification. I’d love to train able-bodied people, but my dream would be to train people with spinal injuries. I know how confusing that time period is and how few people understand the experience. Even if PTs do want to help, they haven’t been through it themselves so there’s a lack of understanding. I want to be that bridge, to help people with injuries realise that they can still do it, that we can make changes and make things work for them. That everything is possible.
ABOVE: Sophie in the gym in February 2016 BELOW: In a session with a physiotherapist in July 2019
POST-WORKOUT RECOVERY A fruit smoothie with strawberries and bananas, a bit of vegan protein powder, and almond milk.
BEST FITNESS ADVICE Every single person you look up to in the gym has had a day one at some point.
GO-TO MOVE Close-grip pull-down. I love working my back because it’s my weaker area. I love doing things that don’t come easily to me.
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y love for fitness began when I was at university in 2015, when I was 19. For me, it was a release – an hour a day that was just my time, when I could do something good for me and my body. The gym became my safe place. My go-to was pure weight training. I’d focus on my back and shoulders, chest and triceps, plus two or three leg days a week. It was on one of these leg sessions that it happened. It was around midday on 5 July 2017 –I’d just got my university results and wanted to get a session in before going out to celebrate. I was doing a typical squat in a Smith machine, and I somehow lost my footing and ended up falling on my bum. The safety latches weren’t on high enough and the weight came crashing down on my back. The hours that followed are a blur. I was rushed to hospital and into surgery, in a haze of pain as the shards of my fractured spine cut into my spinal cord. I woke up nine hours later with two metal rods in my spine and the news that I was paralysed from the waist down. The injury and surgery were awful, but it was the months that followed that were torture. I had my surgery in a hospital in Romford, where I stayed for two weeks before being moved to a local hospital in Basildon. I was there for about six weeks, and I think I left my bed twice – I was just lying there watching the world move on without me. Finally, a bed came up at The London Spinal Cord Injury Centre at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore and things began to look up. That’s where they do your physio and your occupational therapists work with you, and they’re all about educating you on things you need to learn to transition to living at home, like chair transfers and getting in and out of bed. I was discharged about three months later, just in time for Christmas. My dad and stepmum had bought a new house on the other side of Essex. It took about seven months of renovations to make it accessible for me, and it was a tough wait – I had to wash my hair in a bucket, and I couldn’t leave the house unless someone was there to help lift me over the step. But I was happy to be home with my family. And once the renovations were complete, I really started to change my perspective. Even simple things like going for a coffee or a family meal were like, ‘Oh wow, I’m actually allowed to do that now.’ I had my chair and my parents had a ramp installed so, finally, I could come and go as I pleased.
w o
r fo
A
fl
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B E S T B ODY
ry eve
ee lin g
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There’s a reason folks can’t get enough of #yogaeverydamnday. Not only can the ancient Eastern practice help improve strength and flexibility, it’s also a powerful tool when it comes to altering your mental state. Can’t sleep? Big meeting? Need a pick-me-up? Here are some quick yoga flows to help you get in the zone
Women’s Health
SLEEP BETTER
‘Restorative postures are the perfect precursor to a good night’s sleep,’ says FLY LDN head of yoga Fi Clark. ‘When the parasympathetic nervous system is triggered, this signals to the body and mind that it’s in a safe environment to sleep and restore after the day’s activities.’
CHILD’S POSE
(a) Bring your hips to a wall, with your back flat on the floor and your bum as close to the wall as is comfortable (and possible). (b) Gently raise your legs straight up, resting them against the wall. You can also place a pillow under your bum to ease any discomfort in your lower back and help you to hinge at the hips. Stay here for 5 to 15 mins for best results.
(a) Kneel on the floor with your knees as wide as feels comfortable and your big toes touching. Exhale and lean forwards to rest your forehead on the floor. You can use a pillow to support your head and stomach if that feels more comfortable. Stretch your arms out in front of you, with your palms resting on the floor. (b) With your eyes closed, focus on the journey of your breath moving in and out of your body and slow it down to a count of 4 secs in and 4 secs out.
RECLINED GODDESS
SUPPORTED SUPINE TWIST
(a) Lie on your back with the soles of your feet together to form a diamond shape with your legs, the sides of your feet resting on the ground. For a deeper hip opener, draw your heels closer to you; for a less intense one, move them further away. Relax your arms by your sides. (b) With eyes closed, relax your jaw and forehead. Place one hand on your heart, one on your stomach, feeling your palms rise and fall as you focus on your breath.
(a) Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet in the air. Stretch your arms out to the sides to form a T shape. (b) Keeping your knees together and core engaged, lower your legs to one side while turning your head in the opposite direction. Keep your shoulders grounded on the floor. You can use a pillow for support between or underneath your knees. (c) Close your eyes and relax into your breath. Hold for 3 to 5 mins and repeat on the other side.
CORPSE POSE (a) Lie flat on your back, arms by your sides, palms facing up and legs at least hip-distance apart. If you have any sensitivity in your lower back, bend your knees and place the soles of your feet on the floor, mat-width apart, and let your knees fall in towards each other. (b) Close your eyes, relax your forehead and jaw and feel the sensation of sinking into the mat, letting go of any tension.
MANAGE STRESS
‘Stress causes a fight-or-flight response in your body, which, if present for too long, can cause problems such as chronic pain, poor sleep and IBS,’ says Hannah Barrett (aka @yoga_girl_london). ‘These postures will calm the mind and counter stress responses, like stomach pain.’
CHILD’S POSE (a) Kneel on the floor with your big toes together and knees wide. Exhale and lay your torso down between your thighs, keeping your spine long. (b) Stretch your arms forwards, feeling a stretch from your tailbone through to your fingertips. Relax your shoulders and rest here for 5 slow breaths or longer if you feel you need it.
Women’s Health
CAT COW
FORWARD FOLD
(a) Start in tabletop position, with your wrists underneath your shoulders and knees underneath your hips. Inhale into cow pose, dropping your stomach down to arch your spine and gazing upwards. (b) Exhale into cat pose, rounding your back, tucking your pelvis under and dropping your head. Continue moving through cow to cat for 5 full breaths.
(a) Start standing with your feet together, then exhale and slowly bend forward from your hip joints. Lengthen your spine as you fold forwards, bending your knees if you need to. (b) Bring your palms or fingertips to the floor or to the backs of your ankles. Press the soles of your feet into the floor and lift your bum towards the ceiling, turning the tops of your thighs in towards each other slightly. Engage your core and let your head hang between your arms.
RESTORATIVE FISH POSE (a) Place a pillow or block parallel to the short edge of your mat. Gently lie back over the prop, so the bottom edge is level with your bra strap. You can use another pillow or block to support your head if you need it. (b) Melt your body over the prop(s) and place your arms by your sides, or overhead – wherever is most comfortable. Hold the pose for at least 1 min. To get out of the pose, roll to one side and remove the prop.
LEGS UP THE WALL (a) Getting good with your legs in the air now, aren’t you? As before, bring your hips to the wall, with your back flat on the floor and bum as close to the wall as is comfortable. (b) Raise your legs straight up, resting them against the wall. Feel free to place a pillow under your bum to ease any discomfort in your lower back. Stay here for 5 to 15 mins for best results.
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B E S T B ODY
LEGS UP THE WALL
BOOST ENERGY
‘For a perk-me-up flow, you want to gently stretch your body to warm up the joints and release tension in the muscles,’ says Clare Walters, master trainer at Third Space London. A great way to get in the zone before the day ahead.
B E S T B ODY
CAT COW (a) Start in tabletop position, with your wrists underneath your shoulders and knees underneath your hips. Inhale into cow pose, dropping your stomach down to arch your spine and gazing upwards. (b) Exhale into cat pose, rounding your back, tucking your pelvis under and dropping your head. Carry on moving through cow to cat for as many rounds as you need to mobilise the spine and loosen up your back muscles.
DOWNWARD DOG
TWISTED LUNGE
SPHINX
PLANK
(a) From all fours, tuck your toes and lift your hips up and back to create a triangle shape with your body. (b) Keep your knees soft and tilt the bottom of your pelvis up so you feel a gentle stretch through your lower back and hamstrings. Imagine pressing the ground away with your hands and send your chest towards your thighs. Feel free to walk through your feet or take a wriggle.
(a) Start in downward dog and step your right foot between your hands so that your right knee is stacking above your right ankle. (b) Keep your left hand on the floor and lift your right hand towards the ceiling, look up towards your right hand if you can. If this feels too intense, your back knee can be dropped down to the ground. Hold for 5 breaths before switching to the other side.
(a) Lie on your front and lie your forearms on the ground so that your elbows are in line with your shoulders and your arms are parallel with each other. (b) Inhale and lift your upper torso off the ground to come into a small backbend, lifting your stomach away from the floor. Stay here for 5 to 10 breaths
(a) Place your hands on the floor underneath your shoulders and step your feet back, forming a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. (b) Press the ground away with your hands so that your shoulders are engaged. Squeeze your glutes and draw your stomach in. Hold for 10 breaths.
IMPROVE FOCUS
A big presentation, a final exam, a date with someone you want to impress – sometimes you just need a bit of extra help concentrating the mind. Frame yoga instructor Aisha Ibrahim recommends poses like tree, mountain and warrior II, which call for a single point of focus.
MOUNTAIN
TREE
WARRIOR II
BRIDGE
LIZARD
(a) Stand with your feet together and arms by your sides. Plant your feet on the floor and make sure your weight is spread evenly between them. (b) Draw your stomach in and engage your quads, rotating them inwards slightly. Keep your neck long – imagine drawing the crown of your head up to the ceiling. Keep your muscles engaged as you hold and breathe – this is an active pose.
(a) Stand with your feet together and shift your weight on to your right foot. Bend your left knee and lift your leg so that you can reach down and grab your left ankle. Place the sole of your left foot on your right thigh – avoid the knee area. (b) Press your left foot into your thigh and focus your drishti, or gaze, on a spot directly in front of you to help you balance. Bring your hands to prayer or raise them above your head.
(a) Begin standing facing the side of the mat, feet hip-width apart. Step your right foot out to the side so your feet are wide – about 4 to 5 feet apart. Turn your right toes to point towards the front of the mat and bend the right knee over the right ankle. (b) Face your hips and shoulders to the side and reach forward through the fingertips of your right hand, with your left reaching towards the back wall.
(a) Lie down on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor, with your heels as close to your bum as possible. Keep your arms at your sides, palms on the floor. Exhale and press through your feet to lift your bum up, keeping your thighs and feet parallel. (b) Clasp your hands below your pelvis and press your arms into the mat to help you raise your upper back off the floor. Lengthen your tailbone towards the backs of your knees.
(a) Start in downward dog. On an exhale, step your right foot to the outside of your right hand. Slowly, now. (b) Lower your left knee to the ground and untuck your left foot. Sink your weight down into your hips and, if you can, lower down on to your forearms. Hold for 5 breaths, then reverse the move to come back to downward dog, then repeat with your left leg in front.
7 0 | J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0
Women’s Health
GRE AT MIN DS Studies show that yoga can combat persistent fatigue, increase selfesteem and energy levels and reduce anxiety and depression
B E S T B ODY
DEE P B REAT HS
WORDS: KIRSTI BUICK. PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES. ILLUSTRATION: BEN MOUNSEY-WOOD; LIZZY THOMAS
‘Observing your breath steers your mind away from external factors that act as a catalyst for stress, sap energy or foster negativity,’ says Clark
STR IK E A POSE Postures like inversions and forward folds activate your ‘rest and digest’ system (the opposite of the fight-or-flight response to stress)
Women’s Health
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0 | 7 1
ROUTE TO WELLTH
Natalie Portman
FOCUS At the moment, my main wellness goal is to really focus my attention and not take on too much at once. It’s hard when you’re trying to be present with people but you’re juggling something on your phone at the same time. I think if I can just concentrate on one thing at a time, it takes a lot of the stress away.
TRAIN
Getting enough sleep is so important and I’m learning to get better at it. I try not to look at my phone a few hours before bedtime because of the blue light, which can stop your brain from switching off. I usually read a little to wind down. Or I’ll watch a show. I’ve just finished Fleabag – it’s so good.
How the Harvard-educated Oscar winner, animal rights advocate and mother-of-two (phew) fuels her body and cares for her mind
Looking after my skin is an important part of self-care for me and I’ve been really lucky that there are so many wonderful new ethical products out there. I particularly love Mazz Hanna Carnelian Infusion Skin Salve, and the organic, crueltyfree moisturisers from Pai. I believe in a ‘do what you can’ attitude to veganism and my skincare regime is an example of this – my go-to moisturiser is Eighteen B B-Silk Protein Revitalizing Hydrogel Moisturizer. It comes from silk, which some people consider not vegan.
UNWIND
ACCEPT
I try to schedule in little treats for myself when I feel any stress building up. Things like getting a massage, taking a walk with a friend, having a drink or going out with my husband [French dancer Benjamin Millepied] all help me to relax. But when I have any free time, spending quality time with my kids is my number one priority.
Being constantly busy, I don’t really have the time to think too much about how my body looks – I think that’s just something that happens as you get older. It’s hard to worry about it as much as I used to when I’ve got so many other things going on in my life. I’m happy with it, though; I feel strong.
WORDS: MINI SMITH. PHOTOGRAPHY: MATT CARR/GETTY IMAGES
EAT I’ve been a vegetarian since childhood, but I switched to veganism in 2009 after reading Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. The book really changed me; my whole outlook shifted and it inspired me to produce my new film of the same name. One of the most positive developments in veganism is that it’s become a lot more flexible. You don’t have to take it on as a full identity – anything you do is going to help. Just one plant-based meal a week can make a big difference.
Women’s Health
STATS Age: 38 Job: Actress and filmmaker Fitness MO: Running and Gyrotonic Wind-down secret: Reading
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0 | 7 3
B E S T B ODY
It’s tough fitting in exercise around work and spending time with my two children, but I try to run maybe three times a week. Running for a full hour feels a little like meditation. I’m also a fan of Gyrotonic classes [a Pilates-style exercise that combines movements from yoga, dance, gymnastics, swimming and t’ai chi] and yoga. I used to do ashtanga, but now I’ll just get there and try anything – it’s literally whatever class is on when I have some spare time.
REST
CARE
SUPERSET A
ANTHONY FLETCHER New runner? Build strength to protect your joints with this bodyweight workout by biomechanics coach Anthony Fletcher o fancy equipment or costly gym membership required – lace up your trainers and you’re good to go for a run, right? Well, almost. ‘Running is about more than just pounding the pavements,’ says PT and biomechanics coach Anthony Fletcher. The precision running head coach at Equinox is also the founder of Onetrack Club and has helped thousands of runners hit new PBs – including a world champion Thai boxer, an Olympic snowboarder and a Team GB triathlete. He claims that building full-body strength – not just in the legs – will help reduce injury risk and boost your performance. ‘It improves tissue tolerance – how much load a tissue can handle and for how long,’ says Fletcher. ‘The evidence suggests that strength training may help improve running economy [using less energy to run further] and VO2 max [the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use].’ To help you on your way, he’s devised a workout to help you prime your body – all you’ll need is a resistance band.
BANDED MARCH Targets: Hip flexors, glutes, ankles Do: 30 secs (a) Put a resistance band around both of your feet so the band goes over your laces. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and lower into a half squat, keeping your knees soft and maintaining tension in the band. (b) Lift your right foot slightly, then the left to begin marching, pumping the opposite arm to the foot that you’re raising. Feel like a soldier? Good – that’s the point.
(a)
(b)
REVERSE SNOW ANGEL Targets: Back, shoulders Do: 10 reps
Visit womenshealthmag. com/uk for another 10-min body-weight workout with Fletcher
(a)
(a) Lie face down on a mat, resting your face on a rolled-up towel if that’s more comfortable. Start with your arms by your sides, palms facing down, then retract your shoulders, lifting your palms off the ground. (b) Slowly bring your hands up over your head until your thumbs touch. Reverse the movement without touching the ground. Be careful not to raise your head or arch your back at any point.
NEED TO KNOW… 1 | ‘Move from exercise 1 to 2 immediately – the transition counts as your rest. That’s a superset,’ says Fletcher. Repeat each superset 3 times, resting for 1 min before you move on to the next superset. 2 | Aim to complete this workout twice a week, ideally on the days you don’t run.
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P h o to g r a p h y | P H I L I P H AY N E S
WORDS: KIRSTI BUICK. HAIR AND MAKE-UP: KATIE PETTIGREW AT LHA REPRESENTS. MODEL: BLAISE AT IMM AGENCY
P T GU E ST PA S S
SUPERSET C
SUPERSET B
(a)
SCAPULA PRESS-UP
SLOW SHOULDER TAP
Targets: Core, shoulders Do: 10 reps (a)
(a) Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and feet wide. (b) Slowly tap your left shoulder with your right hand, then return to the plank, being careful not to sway from side to side or drop your hips as you move. Repeat on the other side.
(b)
HIP BRIDGE WALK-OUT
SINGLE-LEG DEADLIFT
Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors Do: 8 reps on each side
(a)
(b)
(a) Lie on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Pushing down through your heels, lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from knees to shoulders. This is your starting position. (b) Keeping your glutes engaged and without swaying your hips, take a big step forwards with your right foot, away from your bum, so your weight is supported by your heel and the leg is almost straight. Follow with your left foot, then step your feet back one at a time. That’s one rep.
(b)
Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, lower back Do: 8 reps on each side
(a)
(a) Start with your feet together, hands on hips. Shift your weight to your left leg, knee slightly bent. (b) Hinge at your hips to bring your chest down while raising your right leg behind you until your body is in a straight line from your head to your right foot. Reverse back to the starting position and repeat for a total of 8 reps, then switch sides.
(b)
Women’s Health
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0 | 7 5
B E S T B ODY
(a) This is no regular press-up. Start in a high plank with your hands beneath your shoulders and your head in a neutral position. Your body should be in a straight line from head to heels. (b) Without bending your elbows or dropping your hips, keep your core tight and just pinch your shoulder blades together. Hold for 3 secs and release. That’s it. See how you feel after 10 reps.
Targets: Core, shoulders, arms Do: 12 reps on each side
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ON PREVIOUS PAGE The hiking boot trend has evolved into a more wearable city version. Perfect for pounding pavements and adding oomph to outfits. BRA, £165; LEGGINGS, £210, BOTH NAGNATA AT SELFRIDGES SKIRT, £130, LUCAS HUGH BOOTS, £145, SHOE THE BEAR
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PANEL SHOW
Skip the standard two-piece and upgrade to matching sets with cool design detail. Metallic panelling anyone? JACKET, £148, LULULEMON X ROKSANDA TOP, £35; LEGGINGS, £55, BOTH BJÖRN BORG BOOTS, £145, SHOE THE BEAR BAG, £135, THE NORTH FACE YOGA MATS, £20 EACH, YOGAMATTERS.COM
READY TO TANGO
Bold puffers are the perfect wardrobe pick-me-up. Plus, orange is the shade of the season (see page 89). JACKET, £160, DKNY AT URBAN OUTFITTERS BRA, £55, NIMBLE SHORTS, £44.95, ADIDAS BY STELLA MCCARTNEY BOOTS, £145, SHOE THE BEAR
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Trending now: PVC. Add some of the shiny stuff to elevate your fave gym gear… or pretty much anything, actually. JACKET, £135, HUNTER BRA, £115; LEGGINGS, £125, BOTH P.E NATION BACKPACK, £159.95, ADIDAS BY STELLA MCCARTNEY
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The new bit of kit you never knew you needed. Throw on and go post-gym. BRA, £28, FILA SKIRT, £200, P.E NATION JACKET (AROUND WAIST), £135, HUNTER BOOTS, £145, SHOE THE BEAR
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Bold logos are back. Double up your name game, layering cool separates to create a statement sporty look. JACKET, £205, P.E NATION TOP, £35, FILA TRACK PANTS, £87, VARLEY
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HAIR: SHUKEEL MURTAZA AT THE ONLY AGENCY USING BUMBLE & BUMBLE. MAKE-UP: JADE BIRD AT NYLON ARTISTS USING SHIRO SKINCARE AND FENTY BEAUTY. MODEL: ALEK MALEK AT PRM. FASHION ASSISTANT: ABIGAIL BUCHANAN. FASHION INTERNS: GEORGIA HOWES; ELEANOR TURNER. LOCATION: LOFT STUDIOS
WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H
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SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE
… wear PVC track pants. Obvs, not to the gym (sweaty much) but when it comes to street style athleisure, these are top of the trends. HOODIE, £135, FILA TROUSERS, £25.99, BERSHKA SOCKS, £12, LONDON SOCK COMPANY BOOTS, £145, SHOE THE BEAR
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Best of both worlds Stick to your 2020 health goals without having to give up the things you enjoy O With the start of the New Year come healthy resolutions, and if you’re the kind of person who plans ahead, we’ve got one key phrase for you: ‘everything in moderation’. It may not wow your friends or be an Insta-worthy challenge, but a balanced lifestyle is surely the ultimate goal. And that goes for your social life, too. Rather than denying yourself the food and drinks you enjoy, moderation is the recipe for success – and Balans is making it even easier to stay healthy without the FOMO. Currently a huge trend in the US, Balans is the UK’s first ready-to-drink hard seltzer. It’s an alcoholinfused sparkling water with a hint of fruit flavour and Swedish heritage. Each can contains no more than 60 calories, making it lighter than a vodka, lime and soda. So even if you’re running a 10K the next day, you can be sociable without the sacrifice. FIND BALANS IN ASDA AND TESCO NATIONWIDE OR VISIT BALANSDRINKS.COM
I N TH E SPR ITZ With two fresh fruit flavours to choose from, here’s why Balans is the perfect tipple to help you keep on track with your healthy resolutions...
LIGHT -
REFRESHING -
FREE-FROM -
Indulge without the risk of overdoing it. A can of Balans contains 4% alcohol and less sugar and fewer calories than a gin and slimline tonic.
Available in two subtle flavours – tropical mandarin and refreshing lime – Balans tastes delicious, so you won’t feel like you’re missing out.
Balans fits into a healthy lifestyle. It’s low-carb, gluten-free and vegan-friendly, and the ready-todrink 250ml can is great for when you’re on the go.
The trend forecast
Designer shows not only have a huge influence on highstreet fashion, but athleisure, too. Sportswear is tapping into trends like never before, so check out these SS20 looks that flow from catwalk to class and beyond SASKIA QUIRKE
ZEBRA PRINT
Top, £120, Vaara
Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Dries Van Noten and David Koma all sent pieces plastered with the print down the catwalk. Are you bold enough? Yeah, you are. Expect statement sportswear pieces galore emblazoned with it come spring. Until then, Year Of Ours has your back.
Trainers, £110, Reformation x New Balance
SORBET SHADES
Sports bra, £75; shorts, £70, both Year Of Ours at fashercise.com
Carolina Herrera
This tasty trend has got us thinking about lemon, raspberry and mint combos. Lululemon, Free People Movement and Alo Yoga are go-to brands for pastels. Feel a full outfit is a bit too sweet? Get a sugar hit with one of Under Armour’s pastel tops.
PHOTOGRAPHY: TAG-WALK.COM
Burberry
Top, £34, Under Armour
Loewe
Hugo Boss
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Hoodie, £59.99, Nike at Zalando
David Koma
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WORDS
Bag, £15, Asos
MONO
BODYSUITS DRESSING
Bodysuit, £200, Vaara
Iceberg
87 Bodysuit, £185, Ernest Leoty
Thierry Mugler
Leggings, £95, Perfect Moment
Trainers, £139.95, Nike
Hoodie, £110, Champion
KOCHÉ ICEBERG
O UTF IT INSPO Check out these three brands for some styling inspiration to add to your ‘Wear Me’ Pinterest board
FILA Heritage sports brands are having a moment and, after a peek at its new collection, Fila is top of our wish list.
Want a grown-up, feminine athleisure look for spring? Look no further than Iceberg for some dreamy sportsluxe style. We’re talking sequin swimwear and slingback sneakers.
On our radar after collabs with Converse and Nike. Think pieces adorned with the iconic statement swoosh, embellished blazers and OTT iconic 80s prints. We call it Koché cool.
WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H
From Moschino’s Pablo Picasso-inspired show to Iceberg’s spray-painted jeans, the fashion crowd are getting this look down to a fine art. Think stylish hand-drawn detail, splish splashes of high-voltage colour and arty prints. It’s a vibey look (read: bold) but you can handle it.
Jacket, £440, Perfect Moment
Balmain
Moschino
MONO ART DRESSING ATTACK
Skirt, £158, Lululemon x Roksanda
AT H L EI S U R E S P EC I A L
Jonathan Cohen
Bodysuit, £85, Fantabody
This just in, the bodysuit is the new cycling short. But that doesn’t mean you have to wear it with nothing but a blazer (Thierry Mugler, we’re looking at you). Combine it with one of this season’s athleisure skirts (we love Lululemon x Roksanda’s) or layer with track pants.
The A-Z of athleisure The fit kit aficionado’s guide to the names, trends and garms to sport this year
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AUSSIE BRANDS As a nation known for their active lifestyle, it’s no wonder that the Aussies have got athleisure licked. Take Nimble, an Aussie company that’s making waves with its oh-sostretchy leggings crafted from post-consumer waste plastic bottles, natch. Or fashion favourite P.E Nation, which is our go-to for looks that work for sport and street: think oversized jackets, branded track pants and pops of colour.
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BODY INCLUSIVITY Exercise is for everyone, so everyone should be able to get their mitts on great kit, regardless of their body demographic (that’s fashion speak for shape and size). Khloé Kardashian’s Good American is at Selfridges in sizes 8 to 28. Day Won (right) is another favourite, dropping these leopard-print looks at Fashercise in early 2020.
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EMMA WILLIS
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COMMUNITY CLOTHING A venture launched by Patrick Grant of The Great British Sewing Bee fame, Community Clothing not only produces cool tees, it’s restoring pride in the British textiles industry by supporting local clothing factories. T-shirt, £27, Community Clothing
LBL (little black leggings) are great, sure, but 2020’s activewear ups the ante. Look to C-Clique at Pinko for scalloped edges and The Upside and Lucas Hugh for intricate prints.
Women’s Health can exclusively announce that TV presenter and former WH cover star Emma Willis has collaborated with high-street stalwart Next on a collection of activewear – and it’s flippin’ gorgeous. Available from 23 December, it’s got newyear treat written all over it.
Sports bra, £85; leggings, £145, both Lucas Hugh
Sports bra, £22; leggings, £28, both Next
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DETAIL
Sports bra, £28, M&S
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FASHERCISE
HIGH-STREET HEROES
GIRLFRIEND COLLECTIVE
The new M&S sportswear line has dropped and it’s used some pretty futuristic research. Take the sports bras. The brand worked with Japanese company Asahi, which uses avatars to assess breast movement in micro detail, to inform design decisions. This is activewear that punches above its price tag.
Versace
Ethically manufactured (using 25 recycled water bottles in every pair of leggings), sizeinclusive activewear from a brand so confident in the quality of its leggings that, in 2018, it gave them out for free. You have to pay for the pleasure now – obviously – but you get serious return on investment.
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JUICY
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INNOVATION It’s the fastestgrowing running shoe company, but On doesn’t plan to stop there. Its CloudTec soles offer horizontal and vertical cushioning, which, as you strike the ground, locks to form a firm foundation for powerful propulsion. Trainers, £150, On
AT H L EI S U R E S P EC I A L
After years as an online-only athleisure retailer, Fashercise has opened a shop in London’s Covent Garden. Stocking luxury activewear from the likes of Lilybod and Heroine Sport, it’s the fit kit insider’s best-kept secret. Founder Alex Vanthournout fancies pieces from LNDR and First Base to be next season’s bestsellers. Stay posted.
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You heard it here first: orange is set to be the shade of SS20. The trend flows from the catwalk right through to the athleisure rails. Check out these tangerine dreams. Just no top-to-toe looks, please. No one wants to look like they’ve been Tangoed. Hoodie, £249.95; joggers,£249.95, both Reebok X Victoria Beckham; T-shirt, £40, Champion; trainers, £420, Acne
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LUXURY
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KIT BAG
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Forget lugging your kit to the gym in a bag for life. Code Chroma designs and manufactures its backpacks for gym, work and play in the UK, and transports them in recyclable packaging. To gym-proof your existing holdall, La Pochette makes antibacterial bags to keep your sweaty kit separate from your laptop. Genius.
Adam Selman, DKNY, Paco Rabanne – designers galore are venturing into sportsspecific ranges and redefining athleisure. Invest wisely and mix and match with affordable staples. Because it’s all about the high-low, right? Sports bra, £75; leggings, £115, both Adam Selman at Harvey Nichols
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MATERNITY ACTIVEWEAR Thanks to the proven physical and mental benefits associated with working out as a mum-to-be (as long as you don’t overdo it, that is), there are more stylish maternity activewear options on the market than ever before. Look to Leo & I for supportive leggings and tops in colour-block designs, or Gap Fit for affordable, versatile basics that will see you through pregnancy and beyond.
Bag, £145, Code Chroma
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PERCENT
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ONE-PIECE The good news: no more having to coordinate leggings and tops. The bad news: gym toilet visits just got trickier. While the jury is still out on whether we want to work out in a Lycra onesie, this is definitely a ‘thing’ for 2020. All-in-one, £250, Ernest Leoty
Ninety Percent, to be precise. Pioneers of the #dressbetter movement, this brand shares 90% of its distributed profits between charitable causes and those who make the collections happen, including the manufacturers in Bangladesh and Turkey. Check out its tie-dye hoodies. Hoodie, £130; dress, £135; top, £58; jogging bottoms, £120; dress, £160, all Ninety Percent
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NET-A-PORTER Well known for its designer buys, less well known for its activewear, the online giant collates luxury sportswear under one, er, click. It also stocks hardto-nab brands you can usually only buy abroad, like Tory Sport and No Ka’Oi.
Jacket, £234, No Ka’Oi; coat, £530, Tory Sport; trainers, £180, Adidas by Stella McCartney, all at net-a-porter.com
Jacket, £180; hoodie, £50; jogging bottoms, £50, all Riley Studios
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RECOVERY is for
QUILTED
Coat, £150, Under Armour
SUSTAINABILITY Of course it is – the industry has woken up to the environmental cost of fast fashion, and athleisure brands are spearheading the shift to sustainable consumption. Silou London and unisex Riley Studios are two brands with serious ethical credentials. Silou’s tasteful pieces are manufactured in a fair-pay factory in Lithuania from sustainably sourced, non-toxic fabrics. Riley prides itself on its transparent supply chain and innovative recycled materials.
AT H L EI S U R E S P EC I A L
The next best thing to a duvet day? Cosy quilting. And luckily for you, it’s trending: grab a coat with the cushioned effect. Top picks include Under Armour’s ColdGear Reactor, which boasts breathable insulation (great for chilly runs) and a silky luxe finish.
Overdoing it is so 2019. Recovery is the fitness term du jour, with the launch of new, recoverybased classes at some of London’s best studios. And there’s kit to match: Under Armour has masterminded a game-changing collection of activewear to aid recovery, and Nike’s Joyride Flyknit trainer has a sole comprised of thousands of tiny cushioning beads to give your legs an easier workout.
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VAARA
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TRACKSUIT What used to be reserved for lounge days is now the height of fashion – just ask Maya Jama, Hailey Bieber and the Hadids. Throw on over your gym gear or add heels and head out-out. Jacket, £40; tracksuit bottoms, £40, both Asos
What are the names you need to know for 2020? Angel Chen is one. The designer stepped into the limelight thanks to an exclusive collab with H&M in her home country of China. Next up on the watch list is Fantabody – this larger-than-life Italian athleisure/ lingerie brand is designing partyready sparkly bodysuits and ruched track pants.
Angel Chen
UP-ANDCOMING BRANDS
Self-described as ‘the place where fashion, wellbeing and everyday living meet’, Vaara’s ethos is the very definition of athleisure. And it prides itself on selecting the finest materials and working with only the best makers in the world. For 2020, expect more of its bestselling sets in muted colourways, along with some new pieces that put the ‘leisure’ in athleisure. Think super-soft cardigans, knitted bodysuits and stylish joggers.
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These basics are anything but #basic. Wone is the brainchild of former Nike creative director Kristin Hildebrand, created to bridge the gap between high-performance activewear and luxury basics. The result? Lightweight performance pieces you’ll wear again and again. Sold.
Lululemon has collaborated with fashion house Roksanda for two exclusive collections, the first of which is out now, with the second launching in January. A new Adidas by Stella McCartney drop will be landing on 15 January, and expect more from Reebok x Victoria Beckham, too. Our wish list just keeps getting longer. Coat, £898; jacket, £148; roll neck, £118; bag, £228, all Lululemon x Roksanda
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YOGAWEAR Yoga gear has stepped up a notch in the softness stakes. Oysho now offers a specific yoga and Pilates range with a special ‘light skin touch’ material, and Alo Yoga produces kit that’s as soft and fluffy as a kitten on a cloud (not scientifically tested).
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ZERO LANDFILL Eco-conscious brands are thinking outside the box to reduce the way fashion impacts the environment. Nagnata uses certified organic cotton and a zero-yarn waste process to create its merino wool collection.
Sports bra, £165; shorts, £165; jumper, £300, all Nagnata at net-a-porter.com
WORDS: SASKIA QUIRKE; ABIGAIL BUCHANAN. PHOTOGRAPHY: TAG-WALK.COM
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WONE
2020’S HOTTEST COLLABS
H it refres h
Skin issues? That’ll be the weeks of TV drama binges, bare-faced winter runs and ‘just one more’. To safeguard your dermis this season, top skincare pros help you decipher your facial woes and how to take steps to repair them, so you can take on 2020 with your best complexion yet
Women’s Health
WORDS
PERDITA NOURIL
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0 | 9 5
B E AU T Y L A B
COMPLEXION COMPLICATION: INDOOR POLLUTION
evamping your skincare regime at the dawn of a new year can feel sublimely satisfying, especially if Santa (or Auntie Brenda) has delivered on the silky serums, indulgent creams and nourishing oils adorning your wish list. But there’s a tiny glitch: that pictureperfect #shelfie is making little difference to your misbehaving skin. Redness isn’t abating, dry patches are as obvious as your vegan pal’s distaste for turkey and fine lines seem more visible by the day. And everything from central heating and sub-zero temps to Christmas cocktails and your favourite winter candle has the potential to cause as much skin damage as traffic pollution. So, we asked the pros to share their top tips on how to overcome whatever’s dimming your skin’s shine. You can thank us later.
COMPLEXION COMPLICATION: UPPING THE BOOZE Dry January is all well and good, but could be too little too late if you’ve spent six weeks mainlining Prosecco. Your booze intake can directly impact your glow: ‘Alcohol deprives skin of vitamin A by preventing its absorption and speeding up the breakdown of your existing stores,’ says Dr David Jack, Harley Street aesthetic doctor. Which means that the usually impressive worker all but pulls a sickie and skin cell turnover takes a dive. Then there’s dehydration. ‘In the kidneys, alcohol increases water loss by suppressing the hormone vasopressin, which helps you to reabsorb water,’ adds Dr Jack. The effect is that skin cells dry out, leading to more prominent lines. Lack of vasopressin also means blood vessels are less able to constrict. ‘This could lead to broken capillaries and telangiectasia, where red lines appear on your skin,’ says A-list facialist Kate Kerr.
SAVE YOUR SKIN: REACH FOR RETINOL The hangover may be a distant memory, but undoing its effects is a long process – made easier by retinol. A topical form of vitamin A, it binds to receptors in the skin cells that trigger regeneration, so the dull top layers fall away. Supercharge your routine with Oskia Retinoid Sleep Serum, £75, which is formulated with a fourth-generation retinoid second only to doctor-prescribed retinol. Prone to sensitivity? Opt for a bakuchiol formula. The plant-based alternative has all retinol’s benefits without the oftassociated redness. Garden Of Wisdom’s Super Bakuchiol Serum, £15, contains pure bakuchiol oil and is the most potent on the market. Expect the wow factor.
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A Netflix and chill marathon (in the literal sense) means you’ve nailed the new series of The Crown, but you’ve also starved yourself of vitamin D. ‘This leaves your body less equipped to protect against damage caused by the blue light emitted by your TV/ phone/tablet, which studies say can accelerate skin inflammation and pigmentation,’ says Dr Howard Murad, founder of skincare brand Murad. Low vitamin D levels can also speed up oil production, leading to breakouts. Plus, all those winter scented candles you love? They release airborne particles that can disrupt your skin’s barrier function. Soz.
SAVE YOUR SKIN: POP THE RIGHT PILLS Until spring arrives, at least, pop an oral vitamin D supplement. Wild Nutrition Food-Grown Vitamin D, £10, includes a highly absorbable, biologically active form of vitamin D3 at a high strength of 1,000iu. It’s also worth upping your trace mineral intake, as these boost skin’s protection levels. Vital to forming the body’s natural antioxidants, they protect the mechanisms of healthy skin and you can absorb them through food alone. However, studies show that soil is becoming less nutrient-dense, affecting the nutritional profile of fruit and veg, so it makes sense to supplement your intake of the minerals selenium, copper, iron and zinc. You can apply minerals topically, too. Filorga Global Repair Intensive, £85, combines manganese, zinc and iron with antioxidants and amino acids to repair glycated proteins and strengthen skin so it’s better equipped to bat off damage from blue light.
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COMPLEXION COMPLICATION: DEPLETED WATER
SAVE YOUR SKIN: LOAD UP H2O LEVELS And by water we don’t just mean an extra glass or two. There are smarter tactics to deploy. ‘Eat water-rich foods such as broccoli, apples, blueberries, carrots and watermelon, so H2O is more gradually released into your cells, rather than passing straight through you,’ says Dr Murad. ‘The essential nutrients will also help to stimulate collagen and elastin.’ In terms of products, if your skin is dehydrated, lay off facial oils. Although loaded with nutrients, they don’t contain any water, so can’t hydrate skin. Opt for hyaluronic acid-based serums (an acid present in the body that holds around 1,000 times its weight in water) and natural humectants, such as glycerine. Try Chanel Sublimage L’Eau De Démaquillage, £85. Infused with high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid, it smooths and plumps the skin while quenching its thirst.
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B E AU T Y L A B
In the midst of winter, you may think you have dry skin, but there’s a chance it could be dehydrated instead. How to spot the difference? Dehydrated skin is lacking in water and tends to look dull and show fine lines, whereas dry skin lacks oil and can feel tight and flaky. Cosmetic doctor Mervyn Patterson says that suddenly moving from the cold outdoors to a warm room is particularly harmful. ‘The surface barrier consists of flattened epidermal cells and thin layers of lipids that lie between the cells, and these become disrupted. So, the roof of the skin is less able to protect deeper layers of skin from the environment and retain water,’ he explains. Telltale signs include more prominent lines, and breakouts the moment a rich moisturiser comes anywhere near your face. These are all signs parched skin needs a dose of H2O.
Partying into the early hours when you’re usually a 10pm-er will wreak havoc on your hormones, thanks to your circadian rhythm – your internal body clock – being disrupted. When you don’t get a full night’s sleep, you don’t go through as many sleep cycles, so the hormone somatropin doesn’t spike like it should. ‘This growth and support hormone is released during the most restorative stage of sleep, known as REM. So if you miss out on this phase, it leads to reduced cell renewal and reduced stimulation of collagen,’ explains Dr Kevin Mun, chief scientific officer and co-founder of Venn Skincare. Low somatropin levels also lower moisture levels in skin cells, sending your complexion’s pH level off kilter and plummeting below the level it should be, which is 5.5. This results in dehydrated, dull-looking skin. When faced with a complexion that’s more Casper the ghost than Cameron Diaz, it’s tempting to reach for an exfoliator, yet being overzealous with peels or scrubs can cause pH levels to plunge further. ‘The exfoliator non-selectively removes healthy surface skin cells and their lipid layers, something the skin has spent the last month making,’ says Dr Patterson. This explains random breakouts and any sensitivity you may be experiencing, as your skin barrier is weakened. Severe dryness is also a sign that your pH level is off-balance, indicating that your acid mantle is too alkaline.
SAVE YOUR SKIN: LEVEL OUT YOUR PH To get your pH balance back on track, scale back on chemical exfoliants and reach for prebiotic skincare instead. Switch to a prebiotic cleanser, such as Murad Hydration Prebiotic 4-in-1 MultiCleanser, £38, or, for a more intensive treatment, apply Elemis Superfood Cica Calm Booster, £27, before your serum. Both are packed with prebiotics, which are a food source for the good bacteria on skin, helping it to recalibrate the protective barrier and your skin’s pH level.
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COMPLEXION COMPLICATION: SUGAR HIGH Christmas without Quality Street is like Strictly without Bruno Tonioli’s banter. But getting your fill of the white stuff does your face no favours. ‘It causes glycation, which involves sugar molecules in the bloodstream attaching to proteins to form advanced glycation end products (AGEs),’ says Dr Mun. ‘Studies have shown that AGEs hinder the production of collagen and elastin, resulting in reduced cell renewal and repair. So, on the skin, this would mean a discoloured, dull complexion.’ Moreover, not only does the glucose make the skin cells abnormal, it creates free radicals. So you get a double hit when it comes to signs of ageing.
SAVE YOUR SKIN: BOOST IT WITH VITAMINS ‘Eating anti-inflammatory foods such as chickpeas and blueberries can improve inflammation within the skin,’ says Dr Murad. Chowing down on veggies packs a vitamin punch, but because your skin is the last organ to get the nutrients it needs from the bloodstream, applying vitamins topically is also a good option. Working with the skin’s overnight repair process, Epionce Intense Defense Serum, £136, contains vitamins A, B, C, D and E, which are drip-fed into skin cells. Moreover, the concentration of these vitamins in the serum is the same as they exist in your skin. ‘This is important, as overuse of a single vitamin can compromise the skin’s protective barrier, causing dryness and irritation,’ explains Dr Patterson.
COMPLEXION COMPLICATION: OUTDOOR EXERCISE Nothing revives the mind and body like a 5k run, right? But the same can’t be said for your face if you run in winter. You’re exposed to higher levels of pollution during this season because of a temperature inversion (when warm air rises and acts like a lid, trapping cold air and pollution close to the ground). The onslaught of pollution can have a discernible impact on skin, as it’s loaded with skin-ageing free radicals. ‘People don’t see the importance of applying sunscreen when it’s cloudy, which triggers a deterioration of skin in winter,’ says Linda Blahr, SkinCeuticals education and medical relations manager. Heading out sans SPF leaves your skin susceptible to damaging airborne particles that accelerate ageing and create a layer of pore-congesting dirt, leaving your face fatigued and grey.
SAVE YOUR SKIN: UP PROTECTION Opt for a multitasker, such as Drunk Elephant Umbra Tine Physical Daily Defence SPF30, £30. As well as blocking harmful rays with zinc oxide, it evens out skin tone and has a flattering tint. It also pays to top up on antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, as they can heal and improve your skin barrier function to create a shield against environmental aggressors. Find them in Avène A-Oxitive Antioxidant Defense Serum, £19.50. Drinking lots of green tea? Give yourself a high five. It works wonders at protecting skin from the inside, as it stimulates fibroblasts to build new collagen. It can also be found in Lancer Clarifying Detox Mask, £63. Massage a thin layer on to clean skin during a bath. This will give your skin ample time to absorb the green tea, while the sulphur and clay draw out dirt.
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COMPLEXION COMPLICATION: DISRUPTED SLEEP
SKIN DEEP
What’s the deal with light therapy? Laser, LED, IPL – light therapies are more popular than ever for improving skin health and halting hair growth, but do they work IRL? These are the treatments you need on your radar
absorption, smooths lines and wrinkles, reduces inflammation, accelerates wound healing and heals cystic acne. Finally, green light reduces dark circles, pigmentation, sunspots and broken capillaries. It also calms irritated or over-stimulated skin. Dermalux is a brilliant clinical treatment (£60 for one session) but if you have the inclination and budget to do some home treatments, try Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro face mask, £430.
Light therapies are some of the most popular non-surgical treatments for inhibiting hair THE EXPERT Dr Johanna Ward, growth, removing founder of skincare skin lesions brand ZENii (birthmarks), and improving the skin’s health and appearance. In dermatology, lasers have been used for around 40 years, and while the term ‘new’ is often bandied about, there hasn’t been any new laser technology developed for skincare for three decades. So, when experts talk about ‘new’ laser treatments, they mean an upgrade of existing technology. Harnessing the power of light and energy, not all of these treatments are created equal. Here are three types you need to know about.
INTENSE PULSED LIGHT (IPL)
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LASERS ‘Laser’ has become an umbrella term for an entire class of light devices – but it’s not accurate. It actually refers to Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Lasers are extremely powerful devices that emit a single, narrow beam of light to target various end points in the skin. Some lasers target the haemoglobin in the blood, so they are used to treat broken blood vessels and vascular lesions. Other lasers target the pigment (melanin) in hair follicles and cells, so they are used for hair removal and to treat pigmentation. Finally, others target the water molecules in collagen layers, so are used to resurface mature or acne-scarred skin. There are numerous ablative lasers but the most widely used and efficacious are the CO2 and the Erbium Yag laser. The CO2 laser is the most
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aggressive as it can physically vaporise (ablate) the top layer of skin, allowing a new layer to form. It’s the gold standard for treating acne scars, deep lines and extensive photodamage, but it’s not for the faint-hearted as it can be painful. Recovery can take up to three weeks and the skin will look extremely red. Erbium Yag is a gentler form of skin resurfacing but the results aren’t as dramatic.
LED TREATMENT The gentlest and newest treatment, light-emitting diode (LED) phototherapy is designed to trigger your body’s own cellular rejuvenation and repair
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO TRY A LIGHT THERAPY? mechanisms without removing the top layer of the skin. NASA originally developed it for plant growth experiments on shuttle missions and later found it to have promise for wound treatment. Blue LED light has powerful antibacterial properties to treat acne, eczema and psoriasis. Red light increases natural hydration levels, reduces redness and inflammation, refines pores, improves circulation and treats rosacea. Near Infrared Light is the most deeply absorbed wavelength, it increases cell permeability and
Winter is the best time to opt for an ablative resurfacing laser treatment or IPL as you shouldn’t expose recently treated skin to the sun because of increased sensitivity. Having a suntan is a no-go, too, as it’s essentially extra pigment in the skin, which can be easily damaged by the treatment and lead to pigmentation. Laser hair removal, LED and vascular lesion treatments are all fine to undergo year round (providing you haven’t got a deep suntan). Always carry out a patch test if using an at-home device, and seek out the best practitioners if choosing an in-clinic treatment. Experience counts enormously with these treatments.
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B E AU T Y L A B
IPL is more powerful than LED but less powerful than laser. It works by scattering a shower of light from a flash bulb across the skin, rather than just one wavelength. With IPL you get more energy, but less control. IPL works best on lighter skin tones, on those who suffer with rosacea or want to reverse sun damage. IPL can also perform hair removal and treat pigmentation, however an ablative laser is generally superior, as it’s quicker and the effects are longer lasting.