Welcome to
Women’s Health
lice Liveing was one of the first
people I met when I joined
Women’s Health in January 2017.
She was almost certainly the
first influencer I’d ever come
across, as she’d just been on her
first Women’s Health cover. Full transparency: the
whole fitness influencer world was completely
new to me three years ago. I’d always been very
engaged with health and fitness when it came
to my own lifestyle – and a genuine reader and
huge fan of WH – but I didn’t use social media,
namely Instagram, as anything other than a tool
for keeping in touch with old school friends.
Then I met Alice – all big blue eyes, even bigger
blonde hair and a welcoming, warm, genuine
demeanour that makes you think you’re the most
important person in her world at that moment.
We’ve since become firm friends and I’m lucky
enough to call her my personal trainer. She
knows me inside out and can read me the minute
I walk into Third Space, in London’s Soho. She
knows if I haven’t slept well, she knows when I’m
hormonal and she knows when I’m on fire. She
even knows these things before me sometimes.
JOIN THE
SQUAD For daily reads
womenshealthmag.com/uk
Photography | IAN HARRISON
There have been many occasions when she’s
predicted an imminent time of the month when
I’ve protested, saying it’s days off.
W H AT ’ S
I feel like Alice and I have both evolved in our
wellness journeys together. I watched as she N E W…
developed a lean, ripped physique through
dedicated training and carefully calculated
nutrition. And she trained me for a 12-week body
transformation in late 2017, when I lost my curves
but had visible abs. But did these bodies make
either of us happy? Not really. We both conceded
that the sacrifices you have to make to maintain
such a low level of body fat that your every muscle
is on show just aren’t worth it, as neither of us is
naturally built that way.
So, the Alice you see on this cover is a different
Alice. She’s happy, content, in love and enjoying Download our goal-
life. She looks incredible; so strong and powerful, getting podcast every
a living embodiment of a healthy, balanced Thursday. Each week,
lifestyle. I still struggle to keep my weight steady we’ll arm you with the
and Alice is helping me make some changes, but tools you need to turn
we’re doing it in a sensible, sustainable way – she’s aspirations into action.
leading by example. There’s no one more deserving Search for ‘Going for
of being on the cover of this magazine for a third goal’ and subscribe now
time than Alice. I hope you agree. She’s the poster
girl for happy, healthy living for good reason.
Elsewhere in this issue, you’ll find the story of
two more remarkable women. Sisters Claire and
Alex Danson were elite athletes, but serious
accidents they both endured within a year of each
other ended their trophy-winning sports careers
and, in Claire’s case, her ability to walk. Their
positivity and determination is humbling – turn
to page 104 to read their story). And, on page
110, read our investigation into whether fitness
is having its own #metoo movement.
I hope you enjoy the issue. Until next month...
We’ve teamed up with
Fiit to create a 10-week
training plan designed
to improve fitness and
burn fat. Train with the
Claire Sanderson likes of Laura Hoggins
Editor-In-Chief and WH Digital Editor
Follow me on Instagram @clairesanderson
Amy Lane from the
comfort of your living
room. Head to page 86
for more details and
your 14-day free trial.
Follow us
@womenshealthuk
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Women’s Health UK
M AY 2 0 2 0 | 3
 Chief International SHOWS & EVENTS
Editor-In-Chief Brand Officer Managing Director,
Claire Sanderson Matt Hayes Events & Sponsorship,
Group Brand Director, Hearst Live
Deputy Editor Entertainment & Victoria Archbold
Wellness Head of Events & Client
Victoria Joy Steven Miles Service, Hearst Live
Nikki Clare

N E VE R M I S S Creative Director
Adam Gerrard
Production Editor
HEARST SOLUTIONS
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Officer
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Head of Partnerships
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AN IS SU E
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Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 5
May
K N OW H OW
9 | IF YOU DO ONE
THING THIS MONTH...
10 | IN THE KNOW
News you can use, straight
from the science lab
12 | ASK WH
Why does a sleepless night
leave you craving junk food?
15 | FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Do you really have to swerve
alcohol when you’re pregnant?
17 | TECHNIQUE SCHOOL
Master the bent-over row with
our complete tekkers guide
19 | DOES IT WORK IRL?
We try the Alexander Technique
for its mind and body benefits
21 | FIT KIT HERO
This over-the-shoulder cycling
satchel from Rapha + Outdoor
Voices is totally our bag
23 | SKIN DEEP
An aesthetic doctor reveals
the skincare magic of the
succulents on your windowsill
25 | WHAT HAPPENS WHEN...
...hunger strikes
6 | M AY 2 0 2 0
E AT S M A R T
37 | A FOOD AWAKENING
Your guide to eating smarter,
whatever your goals
42 | TAHINI, FOUR WAYS
Create your own feast from
the Middle East
44 | FAKE SHAKES
Investigating the bulked-up
claims on your packet of
protein powder
48 | WASTE NOT, WANT IT
Make a banging salmon dish;
work magic with the leftovers
STRONG MIND
51 | AGAINST THE CLOCK
When every fleeting second
feels precious, how to manage
anxiety about wasting time?
56 | RISE ABOVE IT
The life-affirming power of
out-of-body experiences
61 | CAN’T GET NO SLEEP
How one woman overcame
debilitating insomnia
B E S T B O DY
63 | FIGHTING FIT
One conflict-averse WH staffer
tries her hand at combat sports
68 | THIS MESH WE’RE IN
Fascia is what’s holding you
together – and keeping you fit
73 | ROUTE TO WELLTH
Musician Emeli Sandé
74 | PT GUEST PASS
A six-move glute-building
workout from Ciara Madden
77 | HOW I GET FIT DONE
How lifting helped one reader
beat an eating disorder
WEAR WELL
79 | HIGH STREET STUNNERS
Killer athleisure from the
nation’s favourite outlets
87 | ON OUR RADAR
The garms and accessories
we’ve been ogling this month
88 | RAISING THE BRA
Catch up on the high-tech
science behind the best
sports bras on the market
B E AU T Y L A B
93 | TWENTY’S PLENTY
Our pick of the best budget
skincare and beauty products,
all tried and tested by WH
98 | #SKINSHELFIE
BIKINIS (ON THE COLLECTOR’S EDITION) BIKINI AND JACKET, LISA MARIE FERNANDEZ; HEADBAND, ANTHROPOLOGIE (ON THIS PAGE) SWIMMING COSTUME, & OTHER STORIES; HEADBAND, ACCESSORIZE
Aesthetician Dija Ayodele
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: IAN HARRISON. STYLING: SASKIA QUIRKE. HAIR: ADAM REED. MAKE-UP: AMY BRANDON. ALICE WEARS: (ON THE COVER) SPORTS BRA, SPLITS59; BIKINI BOTTOMS, FRANKIES
reveals the products on her
bathroom shelf
100 | THE BEAUTY BUG
Trend on trial: probiotic skincare
F E AT U R E S
104 | SISTER ACT
Claire and Alex Danson were
elite athletes until two separate
accidents changed their lives
110 | UNWELCOME ADVANCES
Does the fitness world need
a #metoo moment?
116 | A LETHAL DOSE
WH investigates the fatal
attraction of deadly diet pills
122 | FREE SPIRITS
Who needs booze with
mocktails this good?
131 | TRAVEL WELL
Forget Glasto, book a place
at these wellness festivals
138 | MY WEEK ON A PLATE
Olympic gold medallist
Rebecca Adlington
 26
Alice
Liveing
The pint-sized powerhouse and
Women’s Health’s resident PT
shares her fitness philosophy,
opens up about a difficult year
and reveals an inside look into
her wellness wonderland

M AY 2 02 0 | 7
 I F YO U D O O N E T H I N G
THIS MONTH...

Catch early-bird
workouts
for boosted
fat burn

(high levels inhibit

the breakdown of
fat cells) after
maximum fat burn. fasting overnight,
Scientists divided which meant they
30 overweight or burned stored fat as
obese men (women fuel. Interestingly,
are next in line for the fasted workouts
Does the thought research, FYI) into didn’t result in
of even half a two groups. Over more weight loss,
banana before your six weeks, the group but they did have
morning 5k make who worked out on a significant effect
you want to vom an empty stomach on overall health
WORDS: MINI SMITH. PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES.

into the nearest burned double the via improved

wheelie bin? You’re amount of fat than insulin regulation
IMAGE MANIPULATION: COLIN BEAGLEY

in luck. Research the group who ate and more stable

Pretty published in the breakfast first – a blood sugar levels
fly
Journal Of Clinical result researchers – responsible for
Endocrinology And attributed to their everything from
Metabolism has lower insulin levels digesting food to
found that working keeping you awake.
out before breakfast That’s something
is the way to go for to tweet about.

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 9
 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
28
The percentage less
likely a woman is to
OFFICE experience early
LOL-ITICS menopause if she
- has sex weekly,
Slapping on a fake smile
at work could be holding
you back in the long run,
according to research*
that suggests that those
who try hard to be
It takes two
Chronic deliberators, listen up. Psychologists at
compared with
those who report
having some form
of sex less than
genuinely positive with monthly, according
their colleagues reap the
the University of Basel may have discovered the to a UCL study.
benefits, such as receiving key to making quick decisions: narrowing your
more support from
co-workers, making better choices down to two. The study found that when HAPPILY
progress on work goals participants focused on just two out of three NEVER AFTER
and being less prone to
foods on offer, they came to a decision faster – -

emotional exhaustion. Find
a legit office BFF – the
lunchtime lols are worth it.
WORDS: MINI SMITH. PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES. ICONS: SERGEY DEMUSHKIN/PRASHANTH RAPOLU/NITHINAN TATAH/HYEMM.WORK/LAYMIK/AMIRYSHAKIEL AT NOUN PROJECT.
the easier it was to discount the worst option, Those who place a lot of
value on happiness display
the quicker they could decide between the greater signs of depression
than those who are more
remaining ones. Now, flake or no flake?

*SOURCES: UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA; MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY; NATURE CELL BIOLOGY; UNIVERSITY OF READING; CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY
M I N D F U L- happy-go-lucky, a study
MESS suggests*. Glee-seekers
can become too tuned into
- their emotions and have
Prone to forgetting to pack a reduced ability to find
clean socks for post-spin? silver linings. Permission
Try meditating on it. A to be more Joey.
brain-monitoring study* has
found a link between ‘open
monitoring’ meditation
– ie, focusing on thoughts,
feelings and sensations –
and the error-recognition
part of the brain, helping
you to avoid making
mistakes. We’re installing
Headspace right now.

LOS S GA I N S
-
If you’ve recently
embarked on a journey
to reach your healthy size,
S LE E P I N G we salute you – now here’s
how to keep up the good
B E AUT Y work. A recent study*
- analysed a group of almost
This just in: beauty sleep 5,000 people who had lost
is a thing. Scientists and kept off an average of
have discovered a type of 3st 6lb to pinpoint the best
collagen structure that strategies for successfully
replenishes itself at night* maintaining weight loss.
– it was previously thought Their findings? The most
that these structures were successful strategies were
fully formed by the age recording daily food intake,
of 17. Your body clock is measuring out quantities,
responsible for the upkeep, thinking about past success
so sleep is key to keeping and staying positive if any
your skin looking fresh. weight was regained.

TH E WATCH | LONDON MARATHON 2020

26 April, BBC
TO - DO 2019’s winner Brigid Kosgei will be lacing
LI S T up to defend her title, this time armed with
a new world record after her epic two hours,
14 minutes and four seconds in Chicago
last October. Catch her if you can.
EAT | BURGUNDY BROCCOLI
£1 per 200g pack, selected supermarkets
Meet your new best brassica. Burgundy
Broccoli is a whole-head purple broccoli
that’s so tender, you can eat every bit,
meaning less waste and a pop of colour
Prince would be proud of.
READ | CAN RUN
by Amy Lane (£14.99, Yellow Kite), out 16 April
Women’s Health’s very own Digital Editor
has penned a handbook for all prospective
pavement pounders. Anyone who’s ever
thought they couldn’t run, consider this
your guide to getting going.

1 0 | M AY 2 0 2 0 Women’s Health
 Why do
I crave junk
food after
a sleepless
night?
What is it about a night spent
tossing and turning that makes
you want to mainline pizza? A
recent study by Northwestern
University in the US claims
it’s all in the nose. ‘Earlier
research shows that lack of
sleep increases the blood
levels of compounds called
endocannabinoids,’ explains
Dr Surabhi Bhutani, assistant
professor at San Diego State
University and lead author of
the study. ‘These compounds
act on the same parts of the
brain as cannabis, making the
consumption of high-calorie
1 2 | M AY 2 0 2 0
Sweet
dreams
foods more enjoyable and smells appear
more intense.’ The study saw its
sleep-deprived participants – each
running on four hours’ kip – choosing
the highest-calorie foods at a free
buffet provided by the researchers.
Scans showed that their brain’s smell
processing region was working overtime
and sharpening food odours more
than usual, while communication with
another area that processes food-related
signals was reduced. ‘Our findings
suggest that sleep deprivation makes
your brain susceptible to enticing
smells,’ explains Dr Bhutani. A good
night’s sleep never smelled so good.
Women’s Health
 ASK WH

Is it bad for me never to have a period?

That really depends overtraining, to PCOS
on why you’re not having (polycystic ovary
a period. If you’re using syndrome) or thyroid
the progestogen-only small chance that the problems,’ she adds. If
pill, injection, implant build-up can become your lack of menstruation
or the hormonal coil as cancerous, particularly can’t be explained by
contraception, the good in women over 40,’ she your contraception,
news is: you’re fine. adds. You can still run a see your GP. ‘These
‘These contraceptive couple of packs together conditions need to be
A S K I N G FO R methods work by keeping for your holidays, though. managed,’ says Dr
A FRIEND the womb lining thin,’ says ‘Ideally, you need to have Mitra. ‘If oestrogen
H OW L I K E LY A M Dr Anita Mitra, clinical at least four periods levels are low, it puts
I TO AC T UA L LY fellow in obstetrics and a year,’ says Dr Mitra. you at increased risk
W E E M YS E L F gynaecology at the ‘There might be other of osteoporosis.’
DURING SEX? National Institute for reasons why a woman
Well, how likely are Health Research. ‘That isn’t getting her period,
you to wee yourself way, an egg can’t implant, ranging from lack of
generally? Sex itself
so you can’t get pregnant.’ oestrogen due to low
shouldn’t cause
leakage more than, Thin uterine linings body weight or
say, jumping on a don’t need to shed, and
trampoline or belly that means no periods.
lols. When you wee, If you’re running your
muscles in the combined pill back to
bladder wall contract, back, however, that’s a
forcing urine into
the urethra, while separate issue. ‘If this is
muscles surrounding the case, the lining could
the urethra relax, be building up inside the
giving you that womb and becoming
blissful feeling of thickened and abnormal,’
release. Spasms of says Dr Mitra, and that’s
the bladder muscles,
or weakening of the a problem. ‘There’s a
muscles surrounding
the urethra, can lead
to incontinence when
the bladder is placed
under pressure – such
as when you have
sex. However, doing
Kegels – one way of
doing them is to stop
your wee halfway
WORDS: MINI SMITH. PHOTOGRAPHY: MITCH PAYNE; STUDIO 33; GETTY IMAGES. ICONS: VECTORS POINT AT NOUN PROJECT

through, holding it, Late

then resuming – can period
build your pelvic floor
strength. If you’ve
observed damp
patches on the sheets
during sex, you could
be one of those
women who ejaculate
– squirting, if we can
Does cutting out it remains an
unfounded theory.
warns that culling
the key food group
she explains that
the jury’s still out
borrow Cosmopolitan
terminology. This is dairy really help ‘For the majority of will risk calcium on exactly why this
another matter sufferers, acne has deficiency and is. It’s thought that
altogether and
experts aren’t really
reduce acne? nothing to do with potentially promote it may cause a spike
dietary intake, disordered eating. in blood glucose,
sure what causes it, The idea that meaning cutting ‘Spots are mainly which can increase
or even what the fluid
what you put on out dairy will have determined by the size and activity
actually is. May we
suggest putting a your plate has a no impact on their hormones and of acne-triggered
towel down first? direct impact on skin,’ says Dr Anjali genetics, with oil glands. For most
your pores has Mahto, a Harley lifestyle being a sufferers, Dr Mahto
spread faster than Street consultant very small part of suggests seeing
you can say ‘oat dermatologist and the puzzle,’ she your GP, who will
milk latte’. But, author of The says. For the small be able to prescribe
luckily for fans Skincare Bible, who percentage of legitimate acne
of cheese, cow’s people whose skin treatments. Spot on.
milk and yoghurt, is affected by dairy,

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 1 3

I’m pregnant:
can I have a drink?
If the imminent arrival of rosé season has coincided with a nine-month period of
abstinence, you have our sympathies. But do you really have to say a firm no?
‘Oh, go on, one can’t hurt.’
As unsolicited health advice
goes, this is one to file
alongside ‘you can’t get
pregnant if he pulls out’ in
THE EXPERT the folder entitled ‘no PhD,
Laura Tilt, registered
dietitian and founder no opinion’. And never
of tiltnutrition.co.uk are you subjected to more
opinions-masquerading-
as-facts than when you’re having a baby.   abstinence, but also a safe limit)
Your elderly relatives can probably recall
a time when drinking alcohol in pregnancy
was not only accepted, but recommended,
thanks in part to a belief that Guinness is
high in iron (spoiler: it isn’t). While experts
now agree that regular drinking during
pregnancy is harmful, advice around the
occasional drink is conflicting, and confusing.
Guidelines around drinking during
pregnancy exist because alcohol readily
passes through the placenta. Given that a
growing baby doesn’t have a developed liver
to process alcohol, there’s a risk of short and
long-term harm, which includes miscarriage,
premature birth, low birth weight and foetal
alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) – the
umbrella name for a group of lifelong
conditions caused by prenatal alcohol
exposure. Their severity depends on the
amount drunk, the pattern of drinking and
stage of pregnancy. The most severe form
– linked with heavy drinking – is foetal
alcohol syndrome (FAS), which results
in a small head size, low height, facial
abnormalities and learning disabilities.
Milder effects frequently go undiagnosed
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES. IMAGE MANIPULATION: COLIN BEAGLEY
and may not be apparent until childhood,
with UK research suggesting as many as
17% of children may be affected. 
Risks to a baby increase with the amount
of alcohol consumed. According to the UK’s
Chief Medical Officer, the chances of a low
birth weight and preterm birth may be
increased if you’re drinking above one or
two units per day (a 125ml glass of 12%
wine is around 1.5 units). Evidence also shows
that heavy and frequent binge drinking
(the latter classed as six or more units in
a single sitting, or around two large glasses
of wine) is strongly linked with FASD.
Women’s Health
FO O D FO R T H O U G H T
When it comes to the occasional
tipple, evidence is inconsistent and
harder to interpret. Several large
reviews have found no consistent
evidence of harm, but acute studies
show that even one or two units of
alcohol can change foetal breathing.
The issue is further confused by
influences like nutrition, smoking,
age, social support and stress.
Factor in, too, conflicting media
headlines and previous government
guidelines (recommending
and it’s no wonder you’re confused.
In an attempt to provide clarity,
UK guidelines on pregnancy and
drinking were updated in 2016,
based on a review by independent
experts. Their joint view? The safest
approach is to avoid alcohol entirely.
It’s worth noting the guidelines
acknowledge that risks of low levels
of drinking are probably small,
but there isn’t enough evidence to
establish a ‘safe’ level. Some experts
feel that prohibition is too harsh,
but the guidelines aim to provide
Drink
clarity in the face of uncertainty. positive
If you drank alcohol before you
found out? The advice is not to
worry unnecessarily, as the risks of
harm are likely to be low if only small
amounts were consumed. If you’re
concerned, chat to your midwife or
doctor. The NHS Choices website
and Tommy’s Pregnancy Hub also
offer clear support and advice. For
now, thank the wellness industry
– for alcohol-free rosé is not only
a thing, it’s a trend. Cheers.
W E T T H E BA BY ’ S H E A D
What to drink when you’re sipping for two
ORANGE JUICE COW’S MILK GINGER TEA
OJ is a great source of vitamin Just 250ml of cow’s milk Ginger can help with nausea.
C, which boosts absorption contains around 40% of your Plus: ginger tea is a great
of iron, the mineral that makes daily calcium and iodine needs caffeine-free swap for tea and
healthy red blood cells for during pregnancy. Iodine is coffee – the recommended
you and your baby. Bonus: vital for the baby’s brain daily caffeine limit in pregnancy
a 150ml glass counts as one development, while calcium is 200mg, which you’ll get close
of your five a day. is key to its skeletal health. to with one high street latte.
M AY 2 0 2 0 | 1 5
 TECHNIQUE SCHOOL

Keep your back

straight – don’t
arch or round it
Keep your gaze
slightly in front
of your toes
Hinge Squeeze the back
forward from
the waist
of your shoulder
as you row
SIGNS
YOU’RE
DOING IT
WRONG
Your back is
rounded. Do you
want to end up
injured? Then stop
that right now.
Use a mirror to
spot yourself and
make sure your
lower back is
straight and you’re
not hyperextending
Hold the dumbbell – that means no
directly under Brace arching either.
your shoulder your core
throughout You can’t maintain
good form. If your
Use your back form is failing
foot for support before you finish
your set, it’s a sign
that you need to
lift lighter. Don’t
feel pressure to
row the same
gargantuan weights
that the dude on
the next bench
over is using.

BENT- OVER ROW

MIX IT UP
Target multiple
muscles with
these variations
BARBELL ROW
Master this move and you’ll be bringing strong back in no time -
Use a barbell to
work both sides of
hings we ‘The bent-over row is a fantastic your back straight and chin tucked your body equally.
all want: a way of strengthening the posterior in,’ Skinner says. ‘Then draw the
never-ending chain muscles – an area that dumbbell towards your waist, ROWING
supply of supports posture and core keeping the elbow tucked into MACHINE
WORDS: MICHELLE OCTOBER AND KIRSTI BUICK. PHOTOGRAPHY: IGOR POLTZENHAGEN

flattering
leggings, a
full-length Friends movie
(although we’ll take that reunion
special) and better upper-body
strength. Thankfully, that last
one’s a real possibility if you
incorporate the bent-over
row into your routine. You’d be
forgiven for thinking this move
only works your arms, but the
pulling movement is actually
one of the best things you can
do for your neglected back
muscles – namely, your lats and
rhomboids. Bonus: you’ll work
your biceps, too.
-
stability,’ says Orangetheory coach your side. To complete the rep, Want to add a
Rachel Skinner. ‘It’s a compound extend the arm back to the starting cardio boost? Get
exercise, which means it uses position.’ Aim to complete three the best of both
more than one muscle group, so sets of 10 to 12 reps on each side. on the rower –
remember to push
you’re working not only your back, Battling to balance? ‘You could out with your legs.
but your arms as well.’ Skinner adapt the move and pop your
recommends adding a rowing hand [the one not holding the SEATED
move like this one (or one of the weight, obvs] and knee on a bench,’ CABLE ROW
variations in the panel, right) into Skinner suggests. Too easy? ‘Go
-
This move will
your routine once or twice a week. heavier,’ she says. ‘As long as you target the biceps,
Here’s how to perform it. Start don’t sacrifice form.’ Got all that? too. Score.
holding a dumbbell in your right You’re ready to row.
hand and take a big step back with
your right leg so you’re in a split
stance. Now bend both knees and
lift your right heel, keeping your AVO I D I F : You tend to
toe planted for balance. ‘Keep experience lower back pain.

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 1 7

The Alexander
Technique
Not a method for picking up birds in a bar, but a collection of practices to correct
poor posture. One WH staffer found it had unexpected benefits for the mind, too
If there’s a phrase
that drags me
back to my
teenage years, it’s
‘stop slouching’.
THE Parents and
GUINEA PIG teachers were
Perdita Nouril,
WH Beauty Editor forever slinging
the command
in my direction. But moments
after I’d sat up – grunting
in a manner that only a
15-year-old can really master
– I’d revert right back.
Fast forward 15 years and,
while I’ve shed most my Kevin
and Perry-isms, the slouch has
stuck. ‘It’s not entirely your
fault,’ reassures Jean Robinson,
my Alexander Technique (AT)
tutor. ‘You’re a casualty of the
21st century production line
that involves hunching over
a computer for eight hours
a day.’ I found Robinson
six years ago when both my
husband and mother-in-law
recommended a visit. They
extolled the virtues of regular
sessions with her, and I wanted
to see what all the fuss was
about. Since then, the tension
triggers have changed, but the
monthly appointments, which
cost £45 each, are a non-
negotiable in my diary. When
I’m stressed with a deadline,
I clench my jaw and carry
tension in the muscles in my
back and arms; I always carry
my daughter on my right hip
and type furiously fast on
my laptop with my left hand.
These repetitive, and at times
uncomfortable, movements
cause me physical pain in my
neck and back, but they also
affect my mood, making me
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES
feel foggy, weary and irritable.
Women’s Health
D O E S I T WO R K I N R E A L L I F E ?
Pulling
the strings
This is where AT comes in. Devised by actor Frederick
Matthias Alexander in the 1890s, when he started
experiencing vocal problems, AT aims to restore the
natural balance of the head, neck and back. ‘The
co-ordination and freedom of movement between these
parts underpins everything you do, so if you disturb
this balance with excessive and inappropriate tension
[by one-handed keyboard bashing, for example] you
interfere with the most efficient use of your body,’
says Robinson. The goal of AT is to counteract this by
re-educating the mind and the body through a series
of movements in order to encourage your body to use
muscles more efficiently. The relationship between
head and spine is key; when the neck muscles work well,
the head should balance lightly at the top of the spine.
But it’s also a form of in-body mindfulness:
by becoming aware of how I react to the
demands of motherhood and work, I can
begin to fight those habits, to prevent
excessive muscle tension and feel calmer
and think more clearly in the process.
Unlearning decades-long habits takes
time; it’s the reason you need regular
AT sessions in order for it to be effective.
I visit Robinson monthly, and the first
part of the 45-minute session always
involves a few minutes in which she
observes how I sit and rise up from a
chair. This helps her to see where tension
has built up, and me to understand how
my habits are contributing to my posture
and pain. Next, I lie down on a table
while Robinson loosens the tension in
every muscle with her hands. It’s like
a methodical massage, it can be a little
painful when she digs her fingers in to
release the tension, but once my muscles
surrender, it feels super satisfying. We
also practise breath work, with me
whispering ‘ah’ until I empty my chest
of oxygen. This regulates my breathing
and slows my mind – it’s a mainstay of
AT, but it’s only recently that the mind-
body benefits of breath work have started
to be corroborated by clinical studies.
I leave my AT sessions feeling taller,
but the tension leaving my body has an
overwhelming emotional impact, too.
Problems that felt insurmountable
before are reduced to nothing; and the
nagging anxiety of work deadlines and
mum guilt is temporarily muted. While
I first sought out AT for the physical
benefits, it’s this emotional equilibrium
that keeps me coming back.
THE VERDICT
Quick results
Value for money
Long-term solution
Energising
OVERALL SCORE
M AY 2 0 2 0 | 1 9
 FIT KIT HERO

The
A durable
real
water-resistant
outer keeps
contents dry,
with secure
internal
OVSome of the best things about
compartments
for your keys living in the UK? Yorkshire Tea,
and phone obvs, and small talk excellence.
Some of the worst? Lack of
access to the best activewear
stateside – like Outdoor Voices.
The passion project of founder
Ty Haney, Outdoor Voices has
a hugely dedicated following of
people who are #doingthings
(for the uninitiated, that’s the
ubiquitous social media tag of
Outdoor Voices devotees).
Although there are plans for
expansion in the pipeline, the
brand is not yet available in the
UK. Well, we have good news.
Outdoor Voices has collaborated
with luxury cycle brand Rapha on
an exclusive capsule collection of
women’s cycling gear – expect all
of the superior, high-performance
quality of some of the world’s best
cycling apparel coupled with the
minimalist design principles that
have won Outdoor Voices fans
the world over. Boom. Highlights
include this terrazzo-inspired print
cycling top and a multi-use bar
bag that would look just as cool
off your bike as on. The collection
is available to shop from 14 April at
Rapha. While you’re busy cycling
in style, let’s hope Outdoor Voices
is busy plotting world domination.
Jersey, £125; shorts, £80; bag,
£60, all Rapha + Outdoor Voices

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WORDS: ABIGAIL BUCHANAN

tote and keep reading zip pockets and laptop, a water sink with this chic
for a mini edit of the top-fold design bottle and a change holdall, which has
best new gym bags on that you can of clothes – all in an impressive
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the block. They’ll take space, this bag is backpack. Sold. and a water-
you from work to practically perfect repellent finish.
workout with ease in every way.

Photography | TIFFANY MUMFORD M AY 2 0 2 0 | 2 1

 SKIN DEEP

WH ’ S
A LO E - G O
H E RO E S

Should £75
Dr Barbara Sturm
Hydrating Face Mist,

Prone to skin flare-

ups post-workout or

I use aloe after a stressful period?

Keep this mist handy.
It blends aloe vera
extract with hyaluronic

vera in my
acid, broccoli and
purslane, an anti-
ageing powerhouse,
to calm and hydrate
What a sensitised skin.

skincare re-leaf

routine? The Body Shop

Aloe Soothing Day
Cream, £14
Suffer with skin drier
  than the desert? This
WHAT EXACTLY nourishing cream
helps to quench
IS ALOE VERA? skin’s thirst and keep
THE EXPERT - moisture locked in.
Dr Barbara Sturm, A perennial succulent  
founder of Dr of the lily family, aloe
Barbara Sturm vera is a thick, short-
Skincare stemmed shrub with
triangular, fleshy leaves
composed of three
layers; one of which HOW OFTEN
Given that millennials contains the slimy
apparently spend more gel that we typically HOW DOES IT SHOULD I USE IT? 
Dr Organic Bioactive
money on pot plants associate with aloe HELP MY SKIN? - Skincare Aloe Vera
than their parents, vera products, such as - Always follow the Body Butter, £9.99
chances are you’re the aftersun. It also turns In all sorts of ways. guidelines for any This vegan hero
proud owner of some up in a lot of skincare For starters, the sugars skincare products contains the purest
very Instagrammable products. This gel is contained in aloe vera you’re using that organic bioactive aloe
succulents. Aside from mostly made up of have proven collagen- contain aloe vera. As vera, to ensure that
adorning your desk water (as much as boosting benefits, aggressors, such as a rule, it’s most useful the plant’s beneficial
or ornamenting your 99%), which is why speeding up wound- pollution. Then there's for treating mild polysaccharides are
windowsill, these you feel a cooling healing and helping vitamin A, which helps sunburn – you can optimised in order
plants are total effect as it evaporates bind moisture to the to speed up skin cell apply the pure form to help moisturise the
powerhouses when it off the skin. The skin. Aloe vera also turnover, and vitamin of the gel (or look for skin on your body.
comes to optimising remaining 1% contains contains six antiseptic C, which brightens a product that lists
your beauty routine – a huge number of agents: lupeol, salicylic skin and prevents aloe vera as its main
in particular, aloe vera. nutrients that are acid, urea nitrogen, damage to your cells ingredient) up to three
Native to North Africa amazing for the skin. cinnamic acid, phenols by impeding the times a day to help it
and Southern Europe, These include vitamins and sulphur, all of production of highly heal faster and soothe
it’s one of the most A, C and E (which which have an reactive molecules the skin. If you want Antipodes Apostle
studied plants on the are antioxidants), antibacterial effect, known as free radicals. to try it more for its Skin-Brightening
planet, with research vitamin B12, folic acid, so you’ll often find Last but not least, its hydrating and Serum, £44.75 
showing that it has the enzymes, fatty acids it in products that mineral content plays antibacterial effects, The combination of
then you can slice
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

ability to reduce skin and minerals such target blemishes and a role in helping to aloe vera, mamaku
inflammation caused as calcium, zinc breakouts. It’s also control sebum open the one sitting black fern and
by anything from and magnesium.  packed with skin- production. So, you on your windowsill, raspberry oil improves
sunburn to psoriasis.   boosting antioxidants. know. Pretty useful. however, it’s best the skin on all fronts,
Here’s everything you Vitamin E, for example,   blended with other helping to brighten,
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one of nature’s best environmental ingredients.   redness. What more
skin healers.   could you want?

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 2 3

All of a sudden, a deep rumbling to rival Barry White’s lowest octave reverberates around the office – and
it’s coming from your stomach. What’s actually going on in your body when hunger strikes?
01
HOR-MOAN-ING
Mechanically speaking,
feeling hungry comes down
to hormones. ‘One in the
stomach, called ghrelin,
stimulates hunger and, an
hour or so after you last
ate, your levels slowly creep
up and act on the appetite
sensors in your brain to
encourage you to eat food,’
says endocrinologist
Professor Kevin Murphy.
Between 10 and 20 minutes
after a meal, hormones
associated with satiety (CCK,
GLP-1 and PPY, fellow nerds)
peak, keeping you full until
the next feed. Protein and
fibre-filled foods sustain
these guys for longer, FYI.
CREDITS MINI
WORDS: SMITH. PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES
GO HERE
Women’s Health
W H AT H A P P E N S W H E N
I’m hungry
02
READY TO RUMBLE
As well as your friendly
neighbourhood hormones,
neural signals from the gut
jump in to let your brain
know what’s what. ‘When
the gut starts to empty and
things start to move down,
you reduce the stretch in
the stomach and the small
intestine, so that takes the
fullness signal away,’ says
Professor Murphy. Cue the
rumbles – or borborygmi,
to use their proper name
– which are just pockets
of gas being squeezed as
the intestines contract to
sweep up any leftovers.
03
DISCOMFORT ZONE
Let’s not give your gut all the
glory – it’s your brain that’s
responsible for getting you
to the fridge. ‘There’s an
area in the brain called the
hypothalamus [which links
the endocrine and nervous
systems], the neurons of
which are involved in food
intake,’ explains Professor
Murphy. ‘The activation of
a molecule called AGRP
provokes a sense of
uneasiness, prompting you
to seek out food. That’s why
hunger feels so unpleasant:
it’s your body telling you
to rectify the situation.’
04
HANGRY
As for the reason you’re
picking a fight over Pret’s
last kale and cauliflower mac
and cheese? The answer
could be in your blood.
‘Hanger is a low blood
sugar issue – that’s what
impairs mood,’ says
nutritional therapist Daniel
O’Shaughnessy. ‘Humans
have evolved to avoid
starvation at all costs. So, if
your blood sugar is running
low after not eating for a
while, that’s going to release
stress hormones and cause
more aggressive feelings to
come out.’ Do remember,
though, that as a grown arse
woman, you do have the
capacity to keep a lid on it.
05
LEVEL UP
Hunger levels can vary
significantly from person
to person and individuals’
levels can fluctuate. ‘Small
differences in hundreds of
genes accumulate to make
people more or less prone
to hunger,’ says Professor
Murphy. While that goes
some way to explaining
why your desk mate can
seemingly be satisfied with
a lunch that would only do
you for elevenses, it’s worth
noting that environmental
factors also play a role.
‘Sleep deprivation can
increase your levels of
ghrelin, which stimulates
your appetite,’ adds
O’Shaughnessy. Nabbing
early nights and prioritising
prompt arrivals in the
lunch queue it is, then.
M AY 2 0 2 0 | 2 5
It ’s b e en over t wo yea r s sin ce PT a n d b o na f id e sup er s tar of th e U K f itn e s s s cen e
Alice Liveing wa s la s t on the cover of Women’s Health. Two yea r s jam - p a cke d with
succe s s , personal grow th and highlight s aplent y, sure. But she want s you to know
that the surreal life of a wellne s s influencer isn’t ju s t one long dream sequen ce…

WORDS ROISÍN DERVISH-O’KANE PHOTOGRAPHY IAN HARRISON

 27

COVER STORY WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H
 Life very much imitates, if not art,
then theme, on the morning I go for
tea with Alice Liveing. I’m assigned
to interview her for the story to
appear alongside her Alice In
COVER STORY

Wonderland-styled photo shoot

and, thanks to a spontaneously
grounded Jubilee Line, I end up
bounding through the doors of
London’s Sketch as harried as
the White Rabbit, brandishing an
iPhone rather than a pocket watch.

28
Late for a very important date
with she who, perched on a round
blush-pink velvet sofa, looks just
as doe-eyed and cartoon-perfect
WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H

in expensive-looking black
activewear as her namesake did
in a blue dress and white pinafore.
This isn’t my first meeting with
Alice; her prolificacy within the
wellness bubble means we’ve
schmoozed at WH Live, spoken in
depth about an abusive relationship
in her teens for a mental health
piece and indulged in food and
industry gossip on a #spon beauty
trip to Rye. The week following our
chat, she’ll join Women’s Health’s
finest in a gaudily decorated house
in Essex to shoot images a world
away from anything she’s done
before. It’s fun – frothy, even – and
I’d assumed the temperature of
today’s chat would veer towards
that, given how comfortable the
stage school alumnus is with the
media, and how she is – by all
accounts – professionally and
personally thriving. But when I put
to her, minutes into our interview,
that she’s existing in a veritable
wonderland, she’s quick to open
up about the lows.
‘I’ve struggled with anxiety all
my life – I’ve always had an anxious
disposition – but, last year, shit just
hit the fan with all of it,’ she explains,

before adopting a wide-eyed smile to thank
our ‘tea mistress’ for the stack of finger
sandwiches and elaborate sweet treats
she sets down between us. ‘It got to a point
last year where I sort of, like, I wouldn’t say
I had a breakdown, but there was a point
where I was convinced that something was
wrong with me. I was absolutely certain
♥
focused approach, rather than
an aesthetics-focused approach.’
It’s a change that Alice believes
has allowed her to understand
through that – I can’t have the burden of having to talk
to others about what I’m going through when I’m going
through it. I have to do it myself. Come out the other
side. And when I have periods of bad anxiety, I now
recognise that I have to remove myself from social
media and have time away.’

that I was dying, basically. I was in [my
GP’s surgery] being like, “I have something
wrong with me, I’ve got cancer, I think I’ve
got this...”’ It coincided with Alice suffering
excruciating pelvic pain from then-
undiagnosed adenomyosis (a condition
similar to endometriosis, where the womb
lining grows in the womb’s muscular wall),
and being prescribed a contraceptive pill
that caused her to have a near-constant
‘I don’t have to be ripped to
be a great personal trainer’
that her value as a PT doesn’t
depend solely on how defined
the lines on her stomach are.
‘I don’t have to be ripped with a
six-pack to be a [great] personal
trainer,’ she says. ‘And it’s taken
me years to learn that.’
But what does this new, more
intuitive approach to health
look like? ‘I eat without
BEYOND BELIEF
♥
Some of Alice’s success sits within the realms of
relatability: being loved up with her boyfriend and
excitedly planning on buying a house together. Some
are more out of the ordinary, like three-and-counting
activewear collections with retail giant Primark –
which described the ranges as ‘sell-out successes’ – and
reaching 500,000 downloads for the first series of her
podcast Give Me Strength. It’s easy to forget that she’s
just 27 years old, having been on the scene for five years
now. I ask if she sees any parallels between her own world
and Lewis Carroll’s trippy wonderland, and she answers
with candour. ‘I think sometimes it’s very surreal,’ she
offers. ‘I have seen and I have known many people who
have allowed a sense of fame and being known by lots of
people to [cause them to] get a bit above their station,’
she says – cautiously. ‘It’s a very strange world where

period for two months, which only added
to her downward spiral. I ask if she was
experiencing full-blown health anxiety?
Though neither her GP, nor the
psychotherapist she was subsequently
referred to, described it as such, Alice
following rules and, with
exercise, I’ve become way more
intuitive in terms of waking up
[and thinking], what do I feel
like doing? You know, I’m
resting a lot more,’ she offers.
COVER STORY
you get a lot of things for free, and people send you
loads of things, and every day it’s your birthday... it’s not
normal. You should never become accustomed to that
sense of things always being available.’ The strategy
she’s developed to stop herself spinning, whirling
dervish-style, away from reality? ‘Firmly establishing a
life outside of social media over the past couple of years.

believes that was the case. ‘I remember
sitting on the sofa and turning to [boyfriend
Paddy] and being like: “I think I’ve got
leukaemia. You have to believe me, I do!
ALICE WEARS: (ON PREVIOUS PAGE) TOP AND SHOES, HOUSE OF CB; BIKINI BOTTOMS, ARABELLA LONDON; SOCKS, & OTHER STORIES; HAIR CLIPS, ACCESSORIZE.
But this shift doesn’t mean
Alice goes easy on herself. Being
guided by her body usually sees
her do three or four 45-minute
29
A lot of my friends do what I do, and I found that quite
difficult, and as much as I love and respect them, if
you’re constantly with your work colleagues, then [it’s
like] you’re at work all the time as well,’ Alice explains.

I know what all the symptoms are.”
It’s a sobering image: someone who’s
made a career out of inspiring and educating
others to be their healthiest selves buckling
under worries about her own. Does she think
it’s too much of a reach to link the two?
‘There’s definitely something in that,’ she
(ON THIS PAGE) TOP, SHORTS, MISS SELFRIDGE; COLLAR, RIVER ISLAND. (INSET) DRESS, HOUSE OF CB; HEADBAND, TOPSHOP
strength sessions each week,
following a gym programme set
by fellow Third Space trainer
James Ralph and elite PT Andy
Vincent. In addition, there’s
some ‘stretching and mobility
stuff’, a leisurely weekend walk
WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H
‘In meeting Paddy and having a wide, diverse group of
amazing friends, my social circle has expanded and the
stuff that I do now – at weekends and stuff – feels a lot
less Alice In Wonderland,’ she smiles. ‘Like going to
the pub; watching the rugby; going for a Sunday roast.’

nods. ‘I’m less interested in knowing about and her Saturday morning
everything I “need” to know about my boxing class, too. Alice went to
health. I think that sometimes we can be boutique boxing club Kobox
overloaded with information.’ When it for the first time last summer

comes to the wellness world’s latest culture
war – those motivated by metrics versus
those who are intuitively feeling their way
– Alice comes down firmly in the intuitive
camp. ‘I’ve had to,’ she says. ‘If you go back
five years, I was so obsessed with data,
feedback from your body and whatever...
it’s just too much information, and it’s
another thing to worry about…’
THROUGH THE
LOOKING GLASS
Alice sees this personal evolution reflected
back at her. ‘I’ve seen a really positive shift in
the way people approach exercise, in the way
people are taking care of themselves a bit
more,’ she says. ‘The whole mindset around
fitness has shifted to more of a health-
♥
♥
when, in the wake of that spell
of disabling anxiety, she
couldn’t bring herself to train in
the gym. ‘There was something
about punching a bag’ – she
giggles, almost apologetically
– ‘visualising all the shit that I
was feeling anxious [about and]
just, sort of, getting it out on
the bag.’ While Alice has been
increasingly open on social
media about her down days, it’s
usually after the fact. I ask her
whether it’s a conscious choice
to share the lows once she’s on
her way back up. ‘I’m definitely
one of those people who has to
breathe and reflect and deal
♥
with things myself first,’ she
says. ‘When my life has played
out so publicly, I can’t go
 ‘When I have periods
of bad anxiety, I have
to remove myself
from social media’
COVER STORY
30
WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H
Though Alice wants to stay grounded, her mood is
naturally buzzy – and she’s no more enthusiastic than
when talking about her PT work. But given the many
strings to her bow, how much time does she actually get
to spend with clients? Not as much as she’d like, is the
answer – something she puts down to both last year’s
mental health struggles and the demands of other
projects. She’s resolved to build it back up again, training
more clients both at London’s Third Space and the
Corinthia Hotel. ‘It reminds me: this is why you do what
you do, get in the gym and train people. And also, like, I’m
hungry for education, I’m hungry to learn more. If I just
sat back and thought: “Nah, I know everything. I’m just
going to do videos and make money from it...”’ she makes
a face. ‘I’m trying to constantly better myself as a coach,
and you only improve by having hands-on time with
clients.’ That goal of betterment applies for Alice’s career
in general. She wants to put her interviewing skills to use
beyond her podcast and her Liveing Well events – on
TV. ‘Over the past few months, I’ve worked on pitching
a couple of documentaries to different TV channels,’ she
says – reeling off interests in politics, current affairs and,
fundamentally, people. ‘But it’s such a tricky industry to
get into.’ It’s ironic that Alice’s sights are set on TV when
she’d describe video as her biggest professional failure
to date. ‘I’ve never created videos that were quite right.
I couldn’t really get my head
around it – I’m so old-school
with my content... but I’m kind
of okay with that, and I’ve
accepted that’s just how I am.’
CHANGING TACK
Pleasingly self-aware, Alice
wants people to know that she
believes she’s made mistakes in
her transition from food blogger
to influencer to entrepreneur. ‘I
had a very restrictive approach,’
she says. ‘I didn’t understand
that people are in bigger bodies
and that’s totally okay. I thought
everyone wanted the same thing
as me, which was to be really
lean. So, anyone who wasn’t on
that path, I thought, “Why not?
Why are you not going to the
gym?” I really had to swallow
those thoughts and just be like,
there’s a whole world out there
of people of different shapes
and sizes who are all worthy
of love and respect.’
She knows that pivoting
from Clean Eating Alice to
♦ ♦
♦
encouraging an intuitive approach could
have backfired. ‘Having to play that journey
[out] publicly could have been really
challenging,’ she reflects. ‘People could
have turned away from me and been like,
JACKET, LISA MARIE FERNANDEZ; SOCKS, & OTHER STORIES; SHOES, JIMMY CHOO; HEADBAND, ANTHROPOLOGIE
STYLING: SASKIA QUIRKE. HAIR: ADAM REED. MAKE-UP: AMY BRANDON. ALICE WEARS: (OPPOSITE) BIKINI AND
“Who is this girl? She used to think this, but
(ON NEXT PAGE) SWIMMING COSTUME, & OTHER STORIES; SHOES, HOUSE OF CB; HEADBAND, ACCESSORIZE.
now she thinks this.” But I think it’s because
my journey was very, very similar to many
other people’s. A lot of us start something
we think is totally healthy and is completely RABBIT: SNOWFLAKE AT URBAN PAWS. NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED ON THIS SHOOT
normal, and we get a bit carried away. And
you sort of wake up and you realise: oh shit,
it’s not actually healthy. Like, this isn’t
what I’m supposed to be doing... it takes
swallowing your ego and learning, and
respecting other people’s opinions – and
realising that yours aren’t always right.’
And with that, Alice zips up her black
puffer, thanks me effusively and bounces
out, pink box of ultra-bougie patisserie in
hand. What wonderment has she to look
forward to for the rest of the day? A call
with her accountant to wrap her head
around taxes. Reality bites.
♦
Turn the page for Alice’s exclusive
28-day beginners’ training challenge
♦
♦
KICK-START
28-DAY Start your spring health kick
with sustainable workout
habits and build a healthier
body with Alice’s exclusive
four-week challenge
hether she’s working
with clients at Third
Space, speaking at a
public wellness event
or just scrolling
through her DMs on
Instagram, there’s one question Alice
always gets asked. And, no, it has nothing
to do with shredded abs, shedding
pounds or even building strength.
‘The common thread that crops up
constantly is, “I really want to exercise,
but I don’t know where to start,”’ she
says. ‘It makes total sense – asking
exercise newbies to go straight into
a gym to lift weights is like telling
someone who’s never jogged before
to go and run a marathon.’
So, Alice has developed this 28-day
challenge. But if the idea of a fitness
challenge sends you running for the
hills, hear us (and Alice) out. This
kick-start isn’t about sweating yourself
silly seven days a week – it’s about
building healthy, sustainable habits,
a better understanding of your body
and, of course, improved fitness,
strength and mobility. ‘The workouts
are built on simple key movements,
but will encourage you to break out
of your comfort zone to find ways of
moving that you enjoy,’ Alice says.
What does that look like, exactly?
Check out the plan over the page. Each
week, you’ll complete three at-home
10-minute sessions: lower body and
core, upper body and core, and HIIT,
plus one mobility session. The
workouts, including videos you can
follow along with, are available at
womenshealthmag.com/uk/alice-
liveing. There’s no gym or fancy kit
required – all of the sessions can be
performed with your own body weight,
with
Alice
Liveing
or two filled reusable water
bottles instead of dumbbells.
On the days when you’re
not doing a workout, you’ll
find daily movement goals.
‘When people start a new
fitness plan, they’ll often see
the exercise they do as being
limited to their workouts,
but what we really want to
focus on is moving more,’
Alice says. ‘It all adds up.’
COVER STORY
While this plan was
designed for beginners, it’ll
work for studio addicts and
experienced lifters, too. ‘All
the exercises can be made
more difficult simply by
adding more load,’ says Alice.
33
‘You could be a complete
beginner who uses their
body weight, or someone
quite experienced, like me,
WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H
who can add some load and
still get so much from it.’
Which means, yes, if you’re
up for it, the workouts can
be done on the gym floor, too.
When you’re finished, check
out @womenshealthuk or
@aliceliveing on Instagram
for more workout ideas. Need
further guidance? Join our
Facebook group at facebook.
com/groups/whgetfitdone
for helpful tips and tricks, and
to connect with the WH team.
Here’s to getting fit done,
for 28 days and beyond.
Share your clips
and videos with
@womenshealthuk
on social media
using the hashtag
#getfitdone
28-DAY with
Alice Liveing

KICK-START
Head to womenshealthmag.com/uk/alice-liveing for full details of the challenge

WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4

MONDAY MONDAY MONDAY MONDAY

UPPER BODY LOWER BODY HIIT UPPER BODY

AND CORE AND CORE AND CORE

TUESDAY TUESDAY TUESDAY TUESDAY

HIIT AIM FOR MOBILITY HIIT

12 ,000 STEPS

WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY

AIM FOR LOWER BODY LOWER BODY

UPPER BODY
10,000 STEPS AND CORE AND CORE
AND CORE

THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY THURSDAY

LOWER BODY MOBILITY UPPER BODY AIM FOR

AND CORE AND CORE 15,000 STEPS

FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY

REST DAY HIIT REST DAY MOBILITY

SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY

TRY A NEW DO A LOCAL AIM FOR TRY A NEW

CLASS/SPORT PARKRUN OR 13,000 STEPS CLASS/SPORT
YOUR OWN 5K

SUNDAY
SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY
DO A YOUTUBE
MOBILITY REST DAY YOGA VIDEO REST DAY
 Take
your pick

What eating ‘well’ actually means for you is about as crystal clear as a Hemsley bone broth.
Consider these pages your evidence-based briefing on the fuel your body really needs,
and how you can get it without losing all the joy of eating WORDS PAUL KITA AND MINI SMITH

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 3 7
 e’ve all been there; lured
in by the quick-fix
promises of a brand-new
‘magic’ diet. After all, in
our latest reader survey,
the majority of you said one
of your main health goals was to shed excess
fat. With so many diets to choose from –
intermittent fasting, paleo, the 5:2, sugar-free
– you’d think at least one would stick for
everyone. But in 2017, researchers from
La Trobe University, Australia, reviewed
25 weight-loss programmes and found that
they all ‘frequently fail to produce modest
but clinically meaningful weight loss, with
high rates of attrition’. In other words,
diets tend to backfire after a few months.
For dietitian Clare Thornton-Wood, it’s
a familiar story. ‘There remains a lot of
interest in quick-fix diets that involve
restricting various food groups, which can
be very harmful. These do nothing to change
your overall lifestyle habits, so once you’ve
stopped the diet, you’re likely to return to
your old ways and regain the weight lost.’
Which leads to this not-so-surprising
fact: the best diet you can follow isn’t sexy,
and it doesn’t have influencer endorsements.
It’s based on the inclusion of healthy foods
– not the exclusion of food groups – and
it will last you far longer than whatever
Atkins, Zone, Whole30, paleo, Mesozoic,
Bulletproof or keto plan is hot right now. As
Thornton-Wood says: ‘The most successful
diets are those that change your lifestyle
and eating habits on a long-term basis.’
To help you find a plan to persist with,
we’ve digested (sorry) the past 25 years of
nutritional information and recruited the
help of the industry’s finest to provide you
with a zero-BS strategy for peak nutrition
– no cabbage soup required.

ly breakd
ai ow
d

power
e

n
Th

is
Fat 30%
Fish, nuts, etc

Protein 30%
Animal and plant-based

Carbohydrates 40%
Especially those high in fibre

3 8 | M AY 2 0 2 0 Women’s Health
1 WHY PROTEIN
IS IMPORTANT
It’s the essential nutrient
for building muscle. Its skill
base isn’t half bad: protein is
Seven unsung
protein sources

30
satiating, builds and maintains
muscle, fortifies your bones,
improves brain function and
aids your immune system.

2 HOW MUCH
TO EAT
Roughly 0.75g of protein
for every kilogram of body
weight. So, a 70kg woman
would need about 52.5g a day.
The percentage of 3 | FRESH
Figures suggest the average Brit
British adults who
is hitting, and often exceeding, are failing to meet MOZZARELLA
their quota. Chicken is great the government’s -
for protein, but so is tofu, oily recommended five 24g in 85g. Pizza’s
fish (such as salmon), pork, portions of fruit and partner in crime 6 |  SCALLOPS
veg a day, according
shellfish, white fish, lamb, to the latest National tends to have fewer -
tempeh and much more. Diet and Nutrition 1 | DUCK BREAST calories than aged 17g in 85g. Plump,
Survey. The average - cheeses, too. meaty and oh so

3 WHAT’S THE
BEST HIGH-
PROTEIN SNACK?
Joe is only getting
4.2. Plus, we’re only
consuming half the
recommended fibre
16g in 85g. Skinless
duck breast is about
as lean as chicken
satisfying, these
molluscs taste
best seared over
A good-quality shake. Not (30g) – hitting breast, and a portion a medium-high
only do most ‘high-protein’ between 15g and 21g still comes in at less heat on each side
a day. So, given you’re

E AT S M A R T
bars on the market fall far than 300 calories. till crispy, then
likely doing fine for
short of the protein you need, protein, it may be wise The taste is rich plonked into a
but they’re also often highly to switch your focus. and full of flavour. risotto or butternut
processed. ‘Some bars with soup. So good.
minimal ingredients are fine 4 | MUSSELS
to eat on occasion, especially -
when paired with fresh fruit 20g in 85g. Try this
or veg, but you’d be better off easy recipe: add
with protein powder made into There are a bag of scrubbed
a shake,’ says dietitian Dr Brian this many grams mussels to a pot
St. Pierre. Just be sure to read of protein in one with beer and
large egg. Sorry,
the small print (see page 44). open-plan office butter. Simmer
2 | CHICKPEAS until they open.
- Serve with crusty 7 | EDAMAME
38g in 200g. They bread for dipping. -
form the base of You’re welcome. 9g in 80g. They’re
hummus and make technically soya
a great addition to beans, and beyond
soups, salads and being a great go-to
curries. Bonus: sushi bar appetiser,
they’re loaded they’re delicious
with gut-filling in salads, noodle
fibre: 17g in 100g. dishes and stir- fries.
They’re a solid
source of fibre, too.
5 | TEMPEH Keep a stash in your
- work fridge.
30g in 170g. You’ll
be able to find this
fermented soya
bean product (not
as gross as it sounds,
trust us) in any
large supermarket.
Crumble and stir-fry.

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 3 9
 the number of calories
in one tablespoon of
cooking fat. Butter,
canola oil, bacon fat,
olive oil, sesame oil –
doesn’t matter which

1 THE SKINNY
ON FATS What’s the How fat
The right kind of fats may
actually help, not hinder,
your heart. It turns out
deal with
fatty acids?
-
functions
Science has identified three
scientists of yore unfairly ‘EPA and DHA are types of fat cells: beige (neutral),
the heart-healthy
blamed fat as the sole cause of white (not great for you) and
omega-3s that
heart disease: new research your body uses brown (pretty great for you)
shows that heart trouble may most easily,’ says
actually be caused by issues dietitian Dr Chris
ranging from your genetics to Mohr. ‘You’ll find
them in seafood, BROWN FAT
hypertension and inflammation. particularly
In fact, good fats may aid your cold-water fish
heart, in addition to helping (because they BEIGE TO BROWN FAT
to prevent cancer and assisting carry more fat for When beige fat browns
insulation). Fish – stimulated by cold
in nutrient absorption. is always the best temperatures – fat burning

2
direct source of increases, inflammation
HOW MUCH EPA/DHA. So, decreases and the risk of
TO EAT while we’re at it, metabolic disorders decreases
Aim for six thumb-sized eat fish at least
twice a week.’
portions daily. And get your Not a fish eater? BEIGE FAT
fats from high-quality proteins Get your DHA
(oily fish, grass-fed beef ). Use and EPA fix from
supplements BEIGE TO WHITE FAT
whole fats (butter, olive oil) If it’s not used for energy or
made from
when cooking instead of fats microalgae, such converted to brown fat, beige
up on

engineered in a lab (margarine). as Cytoplan fat whitens and is stored. Fat

burning decreases, inflammation
Fuel

For good overall health, eat a mix Omega 3 Vegan,

£25.50. increases and the risk of
of fat sources: monounsaturated metabolic disorders increases
(almonds, olive oil, for example),
polyunsaturated (chia, fish,
walnuts) and a little saturated WHITE FAT
(dark chocolate and butter).

Four unsung nuts and seeds

1 | BRAZIL NUTS 2 | MACADAMIAS 3 | HEMP SEEDS 4 | PUMPKIN

- - - SEEDS
The big boys in your These stout bulbs Also known as -
packet of mixed taste amazing hemp hearts, these These guys taste
nuts, 12 of them roasted, crushed carry a faintly great roasted and
contain 9g of and stirred into roasted flavour. Try lightly seasoned
protein, 5g of fibre oats or a yoghurt them scattered on with smoked
and a bucketload breakfast bowl your salad for a paprika for a fast,
of healthy fats. loaded with berries. little added crunch. easy snack.

4 0 | M AY 2 0 2 0 Women’s Health
 Rethink
your

1WHY
CARBS
Hit the carb
Here’s an example daily menu of quality
ARE COOL carbs. Remember, variety is key, so
Carbohydrates are be sure to mix it up
essential. Consuming
the right amount of the Breakfast
Bowl of Greek yoghurt topped with
best kinds of carbs can
50g blueberries and 1 sliced banana
help improve your (2 servings)
athletic performance, -
recovery times and Mid-morning snack
body composition. 1 pear or apple, or 2 mandarins
(1 serving)
Also, know that there’s -
nothing magical about Lunch
carbs (or insulin) that Salad with 50g cherry tomatoes and
causes either excess 50g cubed, roasted sweet potatoes
(3 servings)
fat gain or hunger – -
so plate up. Mid-afternoon snack
Handful of nuts or seeds and 2 large carrots
(2 servings)

2 HOW -

E AT S M A R T
MUCH Dinner
Protein plus 90g cooked quinoa, farro or brown
TO EAT? rice with a double portion of sautéed greens
Try for six to eight (3 servings)
cupped handfuls of -
quality carbs every
day. What are ‘quality’
carbs? Fruit, legumes,
whole grains, potatoes
and sweet potatoes. The carb family tree
Is your mate banging on about soluble fibre again? Allow us to explain...

3 PACK
IN MORE
FRESH
CARBOHYDRATES
They provide your body (and brain) with glucose, a vital source of energy

STUFF
Research shows that
you should eat six to
10 servings of fruit FIBRE STARCH SUGAR
The roughage that It’s how plants store glucose. There are many types, and
and veg a day. That’s keeps you regular Potatoes are high in starch a lot of them are beneficial
enough to help fight
disease and maintain
a healthy weight.
INSOLUBLE FIBRE GLUCOSE
GOOD FOR YOU…

It won’t dissolve in water. Insulin shuttles it to cells

GENERALLY

Wheat bran has it for fuel. Honey has it

SOLUBLE FIBRE LACTOSE FRUCTOSE

It attracts water, slowing You’ll find it naturally in In fruit, it’s paired with
the absorption of sugar milk-based products fibre and antioxidants
(think: oats, beans, pulses)
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

GENERALLY
NOT GREAT
FOR YOU…

ADDED SUGAR SUCROSE

It’s usually excess, Glucose plus fructose,
empty calories such as table sugar

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 4 1
 DIGESTION
470 39G 9G 26G 4
cals fat protein carbs serves
AIDING

BLACKENED AUBERGINE WITH TAHINI SAUCE

More than a suggestive emoji, aubergines are high in dietary
fibre; essential for keeping you regular. Combine with sumac
for a powerful anti-inflammatory punch

INGREDIENTS For the tahini sauce: a bowl and add the

20g bird’s eye chillies,
stalks removed • 4
garlic cloves, roughly
chopped • seeds of
2 cardamom pods
• handful of mint
leaves • handful of
flat-leaf parsley leaves
• handful of coriander,
stalks and all • juice
of ½ lemon • 75ml olive
oil, plus extra to drizzle
• salt and pepper • 4
aubergines • 20g pine
nuts, toasted • 20g
pomegranate seeds
• pinch of sumac •
handful of parsley and
dill leaves, roughly
chopped
100g tahini paste •
1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, finely
chopped • 100ml iced
water • pinch of salt
METHOD
1 | Blitz the chillies in a
blender with the garlic
and cardamom seeds
to make a rough paste.
Add the mint, parsley,
coriander and lemon
juice and blitz again.
2 | Pour in the oil and
stir – it should be
coarse, but not too dry.
Season to taste.
3 | To make the sauce,
pour the tahini into
lemon juice and garlic.
Mix in the iced water
bit by bit. The tahini will
thicken at first, then
loosen. Add some salt.
4 | Cook an aubergine
on a skewer over the
flame of a hob until
charred, then allow to
cool, repeat for all.
5 | Peel the aubergines,
season and drizzle with
olive oil. Spread the
sauce over a serving
platter and place the
aubergines on top.
Drizzle over the paste
you made earlier and
top with the remaining
ingredients.

SESAME STREET
E AT S M A R T

303 28G 6G 13G

cals fat protein carbs
4
serves
CELL
R E PA I R I N G

JERUSALEM CHOPPED SALAD WITH TAHINI DRIZZLE

Red peppers are particularly rich in vitamin C – essential for
encouraging cell production to maintain healthy skin and bones

INGREDIENTS ingredients) • 2 tbsp 3 | Just before serving,

4 plum tomatoes, pine nuts, toasted, to fold through the mint
roughly diced • 1 red serve • pinch of sumac, and parsley and check
pepper, roughly diced to serve for seasoning. You want
WORDS: GEORGIA BROWN; MINI SMITH. FOOD STYLING: IONA BLACKSHAW

• 1 cucumber, cut into the salad to be sharp,

chunks • ¼ red onion,
diced • 1 spring onion,
green parts only, finely
sliced • 1 green chilli,
deseeded and sliced •
80ml olive oil • 3 tbsp
lemon juice, plus extra
to taste • salt and
pepper • 1 tsp za’atar
• ½ tsp dried mint •
2 tbsp chopped mint
leaves • 2 tbsp chopped
parsley • 80g tahini
sauce (see recipe
above and halve the
METHOD
1 | Put the tomatoes,
red pepper, cucumber,
red onion, spring
onion and chilli in
a bowl and combine.
2 | Next, pour in the
olive oil and lemon juice,
season with salt and
pepper to taste, add
the za’atar and dried
mint and mix well.
so add more lemon
juice if it needs it.
4 | Serve piled high,
drizzle with the tahini
sauce and sprinkle
over the pine nuts
and a pinch of sumac.
Could you be any
more Ottolenghi?

4 2 | M AY 2 0 2 0 Photography | ELLIS PARRINDER

 593 40G 18G 39G 6
cals fat protein carbs serves

BEETROOT TAHINI DIP WITH HAZELNUTS

The nitrates in beets have been proven to increase blood flow to the
frontal lobe of the brain, fuelling high-level stuff such as decision
making and memory. Proper mind, body and soul food

INGREDIENTS METHOD blender a few times to

500g red pepper • 1 | Stab the peppers
800g cooked beetroot, with a skewer and
peeled • 3 garlic blacken them over a
cloves, peeled • 2 large hob flame until charred.
red chillies • 220g raw Transfer them to a
(ie, unroasted) tahini bowl, cover with cling
• 30g coriander • 3 film and set aside. Once
tbsp lemon juice • cooled, peel, quarter
70ml olive oil, plus and deseed them.
extra to drizzle • 100ml 2 | Place the cooked
sour cream • pinch of peppers and beetroot
salt • 40g hazelnuts, in a blender with the
toasted and chopped garlic, one chilli and
• a few sprigs of dill • the tahini. Chop the
4 pitta breads, freshly coriander and add to
grilled or warmed in the blender with the
BRAIN the oven, optional lemon juice and olive
BOOSTING oil. Blitz until smooth.
Add half the sour
cream and pulse the
incorporate. Season
with salt to taste.
3 | Serve this dinner
party-ready dip topped
with the hazelnuts, a
thinly sliced chilli, a few
dill sprigs, the rest of the
sour cream dolloped in
the middle and a final
obligatory drizzle of
olive oil. Serve with
piping-hot pitta breads
for extra goodness.

ONE FOOD, FOUR WAYS | TAHINI

E AT S M A R T
There was a time when tahini was confined to the menus of Middle Eastern
restaurants. But it’s 2020, and activities like batch-cooking your own
hummus constitute ‘weekend plans’. Tahini serves up antioxidants alongside THE EXPERT
Josh Katz, founder
a dose of healthy fats, too – all the more reason to make it a store cupboard of Berber & Q, a duo
of Middle Eastern
staple. We tasked a man who knows his way around a jar better than most restaurants in London
with devising four recipes that celebrate this smooth sesame paste

559 42G 27G 21G

cals fat protein carbs
4
serves

SEA BREAM WITH RAW TAHINI

A regular portion of sea bream will give you over 30% of your RDA
of vitamin B6 and selenium, a serious immune system supporter.
Bonus: the persimmon is packed with vision-boosting vitamin A

INGREDIENTS METHOD side down. Pour over

4 sea bream, pin- 1 | Slice 4 or 5 diagonal the raw tahini, followed
boned and filleted (ask slits across each fish by a good squeeze of
your fishmonger) • fillet – being careful not lemon juice. Garnish
pinch of flaked salt, to cut too deep – and with the persimmon,
to taste • 4 tbsp olive season generously pomegranate seeds
oil • 160g raw tahini • with flaked salt (we’re and herbs, and serve
juice of 2 lemons • 2 talking the fancy stuff). immediately (or at least
persimmons, peeled 2 | Heat the olive oil in once the applause has
and diced (available a heavy-based frying died down a little).
on Ocado) • 20g pan and pan-fry the
pomegranate seeds • fish skin side down until
coriander, marjoram crisp, turning over only
and thyme, to garnish at the very last moment
once the fish has all
but cooked through.
3 | Transfer the fish to
serving plates, a couple
of fillets per plate, flesh
IMMUNIT Y
SUPPORTING

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 4 3
E AT S M A R T

Has your
protein been

You throw it in everything from bakes to shakes,

but with reports that protein powder is being
bulked out with less salubrious compounds, is the
industry actually as clean-cut as it claims to be?
WORDS EMILY PRITCHARD

4 4 | M AY 2 0 2 0 P h o to g r a p h y | M I TC H PAY N E
T
he story sounds dark at worst and grubby
at best: that powder, which you’ve paid
good money for and bought because it
promises to have a very real effect on
your physiological processes, is potentially
cut with substances that you not only
know nothing about, but that are also
markedly less potent than the real deal
ingredient. Such a scenario naturally
conjures up images of clandestine
meetings where small packages of illegal
white powder change hands, but what
we’re talking about is nothing of the
sort. A spotlight is being shone on the
legal, mainstream production of protein
powders – with whey protein sales alone
at an estimated global value of over
£7billion – and whether the molecular
make-up of your supplement of choice
is really what you think it is.
Several large protein retailers have
been accused of deceptive labelling,
selling products where quality protein
has been replaced with lower-priced
compounds to cut costs, while still making
bold claims about their muscle-boosting
powers in advertising and on packaging.
The highest-profile case kicked off in
2015. Following the continued efforts of
one US attorney to take a series of brands
to task – among them, Fit Foods, Body
Fortress and CVS – it was the case of
MusclePharm’s Iron Mass powder that
piqued the most public interest. No
doubt drawn to the story by Arnold
Schwarzenegger’s product endorsement,
business and health journalists began to
Women’s Health
dig. Much like your average
milkshake, the powder was
available in ‘chocolate malt’,
‘vanilla malt’ or ‘banana
cream’. It was also spiked.
Independent lab tests showed
that a 95g serving contained
less than half of the purported
40g of protein, consisting
instead of a combination of
compounds that would
hoodwink labs into verifying
the brand’s label. MusclePharm
denied the accusation on
Twitter. In the meantime,
fellow big-name brand Iovate
Health reached a $2.5million
(about £2million) settlement
over its role in its own
protein-spiking drama. Why,
exactly, might your scoop of
protein be far from delivering
on its promise?
Independent lab tests showed
that a 95g serving contained less
than half of the purported protein
FAKE SHAKE
In order to understand how
protein formulas might be
spiked, it pays to know more
about what a quality protein
supplement should contain.
‘When you exercise to build
muscle, or do any kind of
high-impact resistance sport,
your muscles develop micro
tears,’ says dietitian Aisling
Pigott. Hence the DOMS.
‘When you ingest protein
from any source, your body
naturally breaks it down into
its basic structure, nitrogen-
containing compounds known
as amino acids, which are then
transported to muscles to
aid their recovery, repair and
growth,’ continues Pigott.
Amino acids, the building
blocks of protein, can be broken down into two
categories; essential amino acids – so-called because
your body can’t make them and thus can only get
them via food sources – and non-essential amino
acids – which your body can make itself, as long as
it has enough ingredients. Both kinds are used to
create protein chains, but – crucial to the tale – they
must be joined to each other in order to be effective.
In theory, the protein per gram on your powder’s
ingredients label refers to the mass of these long
amino-acid chains. And here’s where it gets murky.
Under current EU law, a food’s protein content
is tested by measuring the amount of nitrogen
scientists can isolate from it. ‘The testing method
breaks down everything contained in the powder,’
says Kevin Tipton, professor of human nutrition
and exercise metabolism at Durham University.
‘By isolating the nitrogen, you can then work
backwards to get an estimate for the total protein.’
E AT S M A R T
Foolproof, right? Wrong. ‘Using this method, it
doesn’t matter where that nitrogen comes from.
So, instead of the 5g of whey protein, or whatever
the label says is in the product, you might find
a manufacturer “spiking” protein powders with
quantities of other nitrogen-containing compounds
to up the nitrogen content, thereby boosting the
apparent protein content,’ explains Professor Tipton.
LAW AND POWDER
You’ll have likely seen – or indeed taken – the BCAA
(branched-chain amino acids) supplements lining
the shelves of fancy health stores and adorning the
pages of sports nutrition websites. This sub-group
of essential amino acids doesn’t come cheap, but
the cost is justified by claims that BCAAs have
superior muscle-boosting powers to other amino
acids. ‘Leucine [one BCAA] is known to be important
for muscle development,’ says Pigott. ‘But whether
it’s better taken on its own or with a more varied
intake of amino acids is an academic question;
there are papers to support both theories.’ In the
manufacturing process of BCAAs from raw protein,
non-essential amino acids are a plentiful byproduct,
making them cheap, cheerful and readily available.
With the protein powder market an ever more
crowded space, ensuring your product stands out is
less about how realistic your banana flavouring is and
M AY 2 0 2 0 | 4 5
 much more about whether you can sell it for
a few quid cheaper – by loading it with these
offcuts from BCAA production, for example
– than other bags and tubs on the shelf.
Reducing costs was presumably the aim for
MusclePharm when it was developing the
Iron Mass powder. The independent lab
results returned a result of 19.4g of protein
(ie, joined-up amino acid chains, as promised
on the label) per 95g scoop, and 6.4g of free
amino acids – the bulk of which were the
cheap, non-essential kind. Well done on the
maths front if you’ve already spotted that,
even with the free amino acids, that’s a total
far less than the stated 40g protein serving.
‘In addition, there’s a nitrogen-containing
compound called creatine, which is made up
of three amino acids,’ says Professor Tipton,
which would help in bulking out a figure for
‘Protein powder has a role to
play only if you’d struggle to
get a decent meal or snack’
E AT S M A R T
nitrogen. ‘It’s critical for your cells and
for muscle movement, but it’s not part of
muscle protein.’ You might also find taurine
creeping its way in. ‘Taurine’s not even
an amino acid that’s naturally found in
human muscle proteins,’ says Professor
Tipton, meaning it provides nothing in
the way of bulk building.
SMOOTHIE CRIMINAL
So, legal? Yes. But shady? Definitely. Part
of the problem is that protein powders are
poorly regulated. Brands can get away with
spiking on a technicality of definition, and
The European Specialist Sport Nutrition
Alliance (ESSNA) points out that some
companies may even be misleading
consumers inadvertently, should they
rely on this fairly primitive measuring
technique. ESSNA has lobbied for changes
in EU legislation to redefine protein and
make sure that non-protein nitrogen-
containing compounds are declared.
FYI, the European Commission has no
plans to change legislation. So, in the
absence of robust rules in place to protect
consumers, you’d be wise to play label
detective yourself. ‘Each protein has a
certain individual composition of amino
acids,’ says Professor Tipton. ‘For example,
whey might have a little bit more leucine
4 6 | M AY 2 0 2 0
than pea protein.’ It means that
25g of whey protein should contain
roughly 2.5g of leucine (trusting,
of course, that the given figure for
leucine is true) – a label with figures
that don’t match up is a red flag.
If that sounds like too much
of a faff, ask yourself if you really
need to be supplementing with
protein powder anyway. ‘The public
perception seems to be that the
more protein you eat, the better,
and that you need supplementation
if you’re looking to build muscle,’
says Pigott. ‘But in reality, most
people are already meeting, if not
exceeding, the recommended
protein intake.’ According to the
British Nutrition Foundation, you
may be overshooting as it is – the
average intake is 64g a day, compared
with the recommended 45g (the
average woman requires 0.75g of
protein for every kilo of body weight,
increasing to 1.2g to 1.7g per kilo for
strength and endurance athletes).
Consider that a chicken breast
contains around 54g of protein and
a plate of lentils comes in at 13g.
‘Protein powder has a role to play
only if you’re pushed for time and
would struggle to get a decent meal
or snack,’ adds Professor Tipton.
‘Timing is absolutely crucial, too,’
adds Pigott, pointing out that most
of us are incapable of absorbing
more than 25g of protein in one go.
‘It’s much better to spread protein
intake throughout the day, and to
make sure you’re getting a serving
after sport or exercise,’ says Pigott.
She recommends between 20g
and 25g of protein per meal, with
a snack like nuts or a 170g tub of
yoghurt (containing 15g to 20g of
protein) after a workout. They
might not come in ‘banana cream’
flavour, but a 50g cup of oats serves
up almost 9g of guaranteed protein.
That sounds like a fair shake.
H OW TO B E
A LABEL
DETECTIVE
We decode the jargon
so you don’t have to
1
CONCENTRATING?
‘Isolate’ describes a product that’s been
processed to remove almost all of the
carbs and fat, meaning more protein per
gram. A ‘concentrate’ has skipped this
manufacturing step, making it cheaper.
2
ISOLATION NATION
Concentrate isn’t necessarily bad news.
The carb and fat content of concentrate
is still minimal, and can help the muscle-
building process. The real bonus of an
isolate is its lower lactose content (a perk,
if you’re one of the 5% of people in the UK
who have trouble digesting milk products).
3
WHEY AHEAD OF THE GAME
Whey has a good rep in bodybuilding
for two reasons. First, it’s a complete
protein (remember, it contains all of the
essential amino acids). It’s also quick to
digest, meaning your body can break it
down promptly to get to the good stuff.
4
CASEIN POINT
Casein is derived from the same starting
material (milk) as whey, and scores equal
brownie points for containing all nine
essential amino acids. It’s digested more
slowly than whey, meaning your body
will receive a steadier dose of protein
over a longer time period.
5
ICON: LIAM MITCHELL AT NOUN PROJECT
MILKIN’ IT
Milk protein is pretty much exactly
what it says on the tin, reflecting milk’s
natural composition of 20% whey to 80%
casein. Fun fact: these proteins naturally
separate out from the liquid in milk
during the cheese manufacturing
process. Gouda knowledge.
Women’s Health
 Pack
of lies?

E AT S M A R T

M AY 2 0 2 0 | 47
 Not-so-spring
onions. Wet
lettuce. And a
carrot that’s been
hanging around
for actual months.
Food writer
Victoria Glass is
here to help you
cut down your
food waste (and
groceries bill)
with two recipes
made using one
set of ingredients

671 24G 40G 72G 2

cals fat protein carbs serves
about 10 mins off being
done, heat 1 tsp oil in
a non-stick frying pan.
Uncover the fish, lift
TERIYAKI SALMON WITH BROWN RICE each fillet out of the
marinade and place
AND PICKLED VEGETABLES in the hot pan. Cook
for 2 mins on one side,
INGREDIENTS tsp salt • 75ml rice fine matchsticks and then turn over and
2 skinless salmon or vinegar • 2 tbsp mirin finely slice your spring pour in (not over) the
sea trout fillets • 100g • 2 tsp caster sugar • onions. Granted, there’s remaining teriyaki
brown rice • 1 tsp 125g shelled edamame a lot of fine slicing here, sauce. Cook on high
unflavoured oil beans, cooked but everything else is for another 2 mins,
(sunflower, vegetable, a doddle, promise. then lift the fish out
groundnut – you pick) METHOD 3 | Whisk together the on to a warm plate
• 2 tsp sesame seeds 1 | In a shallow dish, salt, rice vinegar, mirin and simmer the sauce
(preferably black for the mix the teriyaki sauce and sugar in a bowl until it’s thickened a
prettiness factor) • 1 ingredients, then add until the sugar and bit (a couple of mins).
sheet of nori (optional) the fish – turning over salt have dissolved. 5 | Drain the rice and
For the teriyaki sauce: in the sauce to coat Tip in your veg and dish it up, then return
3 tbsp mirin • 6 tbsp thoroughly. Cover and the edamame beans the fish to the sauce to
tamari • 2 tbsp caster refrigerate for at least and give them a good coat before plating up,
sugar • thumb-sized 20 mins, but preferably toss (now, now). Leave sprinkling the sesame
piece of ginger, grated a couple of hours, to stand at room seeds over the top. Add
(no need to peel) turning occasionally. temperature, stirring a pile of pickled veg
For the pickled veg: 2 | In the meantime, every now and then. (any leftovers can be
6 radishes • thumb- crack on with pickling 4 | Preheat the oven to kept in the fridge for
sized piece of ginger, your veg. Slice the 180°C. Now rinse the a few days) and snip
skin rubbed off with radishes as wafer-thin rice in a sieve under a some nori over the
the edge of a spoon as you can, cut your cold-running tap and top if you’re using it.
• 2 carrots, scrubbed, ginger and carrots into boil in salted water for
topped and tailed (no about 20-25 mins, or
need to peel) • 3 spring according to the packet
onions, chopped • ½ instructions. When it’s

4 8 | M AY 2 02 0 Photography | ELLIS PARRINDER

 686 33G 38G 60G 2
cals fat protein carbs serves
5 | Once the rice is
cooked, turn off the
heat, give it a stir (it
SALMON POKE BOWL should have absorbed
all the cooking water)
then pop on a lid and
INGREDIENTS METHOD edamame under cold leave it to steam while
125g frozen shelled 1 | Put the edamame water and set aside. you prep your avocado.
edamame beans • beans in a pan with a Leave the rice to 6 | Divide the rice
salt • 100g brown rice pinch of salt and cover simmer for 20-25 mins, between two bowls,
• 2 skinless salmon with boiling water. or according to the then arrange your
or sea trout fillets Simmer for about 5 packet instructions. other ingredients over
(must be pre-frozen, mins, or until tender. 3 | Next, cut the fish the top, as pleasingly
then defrosted, as per 2 | Meanwhile, put the into bite-sized pieces. prettily as you can be
guidelines around rice in another pan Then, in a bowl, bothered to, along with
consuming raw fish) with a pinch of salt combine the tamari, any leftover marinating
• 2 tbsp tamari • 1 tbsp and place a sieve over rice vinegar, sesame liquid from the fish.
rice vinegar • 1 tsp the top. Once the oil (if using), mirin, Sprinkle some sesame
toasted sesame oil edamame are cooked, ginger and garlic. seeds over the top and
(optional) • 1 tbsp drain them over the Sprinkle over the chilli serve straight away.
mirin • thumb-sized rice (you’re using the flakes (if using) by
piece of ginger, finely edamame water to crushing them gently
grated (no need to cook the rice, though between your fingers
peel) • 1 small garlic you may need to top and thumb as you go.
clove, crushed • a good it up with more hot Now tip in the fish and
pinch of chilli flakes water). Remove the give it a good stir.
(optional) • 3 spring sieve, rinse the 4 | Finely slice the
onions • 3 radishes • 1 spring onions and
large carrot, scrubbed, radishes and ribbon
topped and tailed (no the carrots using a THE EXPERT
need to peel) • 1 sheet peeler. Then use a pair Victoria Glass,
of nori (optional) • 1 of kitchen scissors to food writer, recipe
developer and
avocado, finely sliced cut the nori (if using)
author of Too Good
• 2 tsp sesame seeds into fine strips. To Waste: How To
Eat Everything
(£14.99, Nourish)

E AT S M A R T
STYLING: IONA BLACKSHAW
FOOD STYLING AND PROP

M AY 2 02 0 | 49
 The thing that used to stretch out in front of
you as a kid is now feeling a little more limited
– a pressure that’s getting harder and harder
to ignore. WH reports on time anxiety…
WORDS

LAUREN CLARK

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 5 1
 y phone reads 4.20pm and I’m 10 minutes
early for coffee with an editor I write for.
Loitering outside the cafe, I ought to feel
smug – having time to spare is a win – but
instead I feel a wave of panic. I think of the
invoice I need to chase – could be chasing
right now. Then there’s the email I was
S T R ON G M I N D

midway through writing when I left home.

These vital minutes that could have been
useful have now been rendered redundant.
I’m wasting time. It isn’t just work that
reduces my days into productivity chunks.
I get up before dawn to fit in a run, a load
of washing and a homemade breakfast
before sitting down at my desk. If I stay too
long at a Saturday party, I’ll berate myself
for the sleep I’ll miss ahead of hammering
life admin the next day. Only at times when
I’m sick or really hungover do I truly
switch off, and it’s a struggle. A recent bout
of flu turned into a competitive exercise
in watching all the films I’d never got
round to. Ticking off The Godfather and
Thelma & Louise gave me much joy, but
I couldn’t shake the feeling I could have
squeezed in American Beauty if I hadn’t
kept falling asleep in a fever-induced daze.
What I’m experiencing is ‘time anxiety’
– an obsession with the passage of time,
or distress about the constant lack of it.
Maybe you’ve felt it yourself when a friend
is late to meet you, inevitably eating into
crucial to-do list time later. Or perhaps an
unexpected queue at the post office not
only has your foot tapping, but your palms
clammy. ‘The problem isn’t that time is
finite,’ says clinical psychologist Dr Kevin
Chapman. ‘It’s the perception of time being
out of your control that creates a negative
relationship.’ You end up stuck in a vicious
cycle of anxious thoughts, ruminating over
what feels like wasted moments – standing
outside a cafe for 10 minutes, for example
– to the point that it interferes with your
ability to go about your normal routine.
‘People who lead very meaning-driven lives
tend to struggle with the idea
of wasting time, be it theirs
or someone else’s,’ says Alex
Lickerman, author of The
Undefeated Mind. ‘When you
base your happiness and
success on your ability to be
purposeful, to add value in some
way, you feel very unsafe just
watching the seconds tick by.’
STOP-WATCHING
If you feel like time goes at a average individual has experienced loss, watched infants
much faster rate than when it grow into young adults seemingly overnight and no
used to stretch out in front of longer has school schedules or designated breaks to
you for what seemed like punctuate their years. The longer you live, the more you
eternity in childhood (never- come to understand how fleeting and precious time can
ending summer holidays, sigh), be, so as responsibilities pile up and you chase new goals
it doesn’t. But other things have in the name of growth, you become more attached to any
changed. By adulthood, the given minute. Chief among the main adult time thieves
identified by author Claudia Hammond in her book
The Art Of Rest are the 2008 financial crash, which led
to a smaller workforce taking on a greater workload, and
technology, which has blurred the boundaries between
business and pleasure. Factor in, too, the fact that being

5 2 | M AY 2 0 2 0 Women’s Health
 ‘It’s the perception
of time being out of
your control that
creates negativity’
busy is increasingly being
viewed as a badge of honour,
and social media streams
full of images of other people
achieving, and it can leave
the average person feeling
like they’re expected to do
more during the working day,
while trying to cram more
into their free time, too.
For Fay Mitchell, 31, a
primary school teacher from
Surrey, time anxiety doesn’t
show itself in an overpacked
schedule, but – ironically – in
time wasted. ‘It’s as if the fear of

S T R ON G M I N D
wasting time is so strong, I end
up not doing anything,’ she says.
‘It can feel like I’m immobilised
– I’ve got my to-do list and I
know how I should best spend
my time, but the expectations
I’ve set myself are so out of my
grasp, I do nothing. It’s like
sitting on your bed, wet hair in
a towel, watching the minutes
tick by and knowing you’re
going to be late but doing
nothing to start getting ready
– it happens a few times a week.’
Dr Lynda Shaw, a psychologist
and neuroscientist who
specialises in embracing change
(drlyndashaw.com), believes
that the drive to put every
second to good use affects those
in high-pressure careers, as
well as the self-employed who
are easily logging 12-hour days.
Crush
hour I can relate. As a freelance
writer, time has become money;
I’m acutely aware that if I don’t
use it well enough, I won’t be
able to pay my bills. And if
work-life balance feels elusive
when you’re freelance, it can
become harder still when you
throw motherhood into the
mix. ‘I wanted to be supermum,’
says Rochelle Rodney-Massop,
26, a single mother of twins living
in London, who works part-
time in the hospitality industry.
‘Despite falling pregnant aged
21 during my psychology

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 5 3

degree, I was convinced I could still intern
and raise my kids. But when I landed a job
in fashion merchandising after graduating,
juggling childcare with long office hours, a
lengthy commute and renovating my home
felt impossible. There weren’t enough hours
in the day, no matter how hard I tried to use
my time well.’ That the clock never stops for
mothers makes them particularly vulnerable
to experiencing anxiety around time, says Dr
Shaw. ‘As well as the usual time pressures,
women often take on everyone else’s mental
load. Typically, they will absorb the anxieties
of children, parents, partners and siblings.’
TIME OUT
Living with a permanent sense of urgency
can have very real repercussions not just for
your quality of life, but for your health, too.
For Rochelle, the feeling that her life was
S T R ON G M I N D
out of control tipped over into her work and
affected her confidence in her ability to do
her job. I know myself that paralysing waves
of anxiety and an inability to sleep soundly
are among the things that time anxiety is
costing me. As well as losing hours of my
life – oh, the irony – ruminating over tasks
not yet completed, my own abhorrence for
‘wasting time’ has affected my relationships.
I’ve come to resent the spontaneous
moments in life – bumping into a friend in
the street, a phone call from my grandma
– because they set me back in my self-
inflicted schedule. Recently, a friend left me
a 10-minute voice note to arrange evening
plans. By the time I’d listened to the end,
I begrudged her for it. ‘If you’re always
thinking about what you need to be doing
now, or doing next, or should have done
earlier, that’s enough to provoke a harmful
response in your body,’ says Dr Chapman.
Indeed, Dr Shaw explains that any kind
of anxiety disorder can have an impact
on many of the body’s processes by
turbocharging your cortisol response.
In small doses – think: running for a bus
5 4 | M AY 2 0 2 0
– it keeps you sharp. ‘But in
chronic situations – chronic
because the levels are too high
for too long – it suppresses
neurotransmitters like
dopamine, leaving you feeling
unmotivated and unable to
anticipate good things, and
serotonin, crucial for your
mood, sleep, appetite and
‘The fear of wasting
emotions. This can leave you
moody and unable to sleep
time is so strong,
properly, which in turn makes
you irritable.’ Research has also
I end up not doing
linked chronically high levels of
cortisol with a greater risk of
anything’
depression, as well as high blood
pressure and heart disease. others find that makes them fidgety and
While productivity hacks restless. The essence of rest is finding an
might feel like an obvious activity that stops the day-to-day stuff
solution, Dr Shaw tells me they going around in your head – something that
aren’t, since it’s anxiety around really absorbs you.’ That could be reading,
managing your time that’s gardening, listening to music or – if that
triggering these feelings in the sounds too much like hard work – sitting
first place. Likewise, typical back in your chair and closing your eyes. It
ease-up interventions, like counts. ‘Spot unexpected opportunities to
meditation and yoga, aren’t rest,’ she adds. ‘If you find yourself in a 10-
always helpful. ‘When the minute queue at the post office, instead of
source of anxiety is that you’re feeling frustrated, reframe it. When you’re
not being productive, focusing on a train, don’t catch up on emails, stare
on the present – on the moment out the window – you’re already going
you’re sitting there, doing somewhere, so you’re already achieving
nothing – can make you feel something. You don’t have to utilise
meaningless,’ says Lickerman. every single moment.’ I think I’ve just
And the more you fret about found my new life mantra.
time, the more paralysed you’ll
feel. Letting go of the idea of
‘wasted time’ is a good place to
start, says Hammond. ‘Valuing
rest is key. Some people can do
nothing and sit on the sofa,
I PUTU KHARISMAYADI/GREGOR CRESNAR/BOMSYMBOLS AT NOUN PROJECT
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES. ICONS: SYMBOLON/SUMIT SAENGTHONG/
Women’s Health
 THE
CLOCK-WATCHER’S
GUIDE TO
TIME-WASTING
What a
drag

SWAP DREAD FOR

AFFIRMATIONS
‘Let go of your obsession
with not having enough
minutes, hours or days by
swapping catastrophic thoughts
(“I never have enough time to
do X”) with realistic, upbeat
affirmations (“I have time for
only one thing, but I’ll do it
well”),’ says Dr Chapman.

COMMIT TO DOING LESS

‘There’s a tendency to
underestimate how long things
will take to do – thinking it will
take an hour, not two or half
a day,’ says Dr Shaw. Instead of

S T R ON G M I N D
writing a list of everything you
need to do, pick two or three
tasks and just commit to doing
those that day. The rest can
wait until tomorrow.

TAKE REGULAR BREAKS

‘Block out spaces in your diary
to do nothing, even for half
an hour,’ advises Dr Shaw,
pointing to the work of social
psychologist Graham Wallas,
who came up with a method for
productivity. ‘After identifying
a problem, he suggested an
incubation period, where you
do something totally unrelated
and stop thinking about the
issue. During these moments,
your unconscious mind is given
the breathing space to come up
with the solution.’ Clever, eh?

SLEEP ON IT
Up all night worrying about
time? Dump your thoughts on
paper and deal with them in the
morning, says Dr Shaw. ‘Then,
when you first stir – when
you’re not quite awake, but not
asleep – your brain is in a light
meditative state called alpha
frequency. You’ll get the
answers to so many questions
floating around in your head.’
Going for a walk, staring out
of the window, daydreaming
and counting your breath can
also get you into this state.

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 5 5
S T R ON G M I N D

Intentional out-of-body experiences are gaining traction

in wellness circles, with converts claiming they can ease
anxieties and grow confidence. Can leaving your body
behind really be a holiday for your head?
WORDS CHARLOTTE HAIGH

5 6 | M AY 2 0 2 0 Women’s Health
 y soul was
peeling away
from my
physical body
– whatever
“I” am was
separate from it. I felt myself
rising high and looking down
on myself in bed. Then I floated
up higher so I could look down
on the town where I live…’
Jess, a 40-year-old teacher
from Lincolnshire, is describing
an experience that happened
in 2015 as she was in bed,
drifting off to sleep. Since then,
she’s had two more out-of-body
experiences (OBEs, as she’s
come to learn) and has gone
from feeling terrified at the lack
of control she experienced
during them to feeling grateful
for having had them at all.
Though she can’t put her finger
on why, Jess credits the OBEs
with giving her a sense of peace
and greater perspective. ‘I used
to feel stressed about the fact
that I didn’t have a partner or
a child and worry that I was
going to end up alone,’ she says.
‘[Since having the OBEs], I trust
that if I do things that make me
content in the here and now,
things will fall into place. I’ve
begun to see them as something
quite special. I feel lucky.’   my life and the experience showed me that I
Sounds like quite the leap,
right? Yes. But so, some could
argue, is believing in OBEs at all
– something much more likely
now that they’ve become more
widely known via the power of
binge-worthy TV. An OBE, also
known as an astral projection,
is described as an expanded
state of consciousness; one in
which you feel as though you’re
moving through an alternative
reality, and if The OA – a
supernatural drama about
a young woman who resurfaces
after being missing for seven
years – introduced OBEs to a
mainstream audience, Stranger
Things and Black Mirror have
cemented the supernatural into
the zeitgeist. The psychological
thriller Behind Her Eyes – in
which OBEs are a central
feature of the plot – is set to
Women’s Health
drop on Netflix this summer. Accounts
of OBEs vary from person to person, but
a common theme is a sense of the self
temporarily leaving the body. The idea
that the mind can have a break from its
usual ruminating ways is the reason the
experience has gained fans in the wellness
world, with some crediting it with helping
them to shift perspective, gain insights and
unearth new answers to old problems.
WHERE’S YOUR HEAD AT?  
  
Accessing this kind of insight is what Jade
Shaw believes is driving increasing numbers
of people to her workshops. The 34-year-old
astral projection consultant (if that isn’t
a LinkedIn win, we don’t know what is)
was formerly a choreographer, working for
the Royal Academy of Dance and Sadler’s
Wells, before she experienced her first OBE
in 2014. ‘I was running my own company
but wasn’t very fulfilled by it,’ Shaw recalls.
‘I’d read about astral projection and it
sounded like something that might help
S T R ON G M I N D
me. I’d started practising some meditative
techniques I thought might induce an
OBE and then, one night, it happened.
I remember looking back at my body with
shock and awe.’ Her initial reaction was one
of fear, but when those feelings subsided,
she found it a cathartic experience. ‘I
realised I’d over-identified with my body all
wasn’t limited to my physical being. That, in
turn, made me realise there were probably
other limitations I was putting on myself.’
So profound was her experience that Shaw
set about developing a technique that
allowed her to have intentional OBEs, and
as well as working on supernatural media
projects – she’s a consultant on Behind
Her Eyes – she now shares her strategies
through workshops. ‘I’d thought they would
attract wellness and spirituality seekers,
but I’ve had people with long-term illnesses
needing support, stressed people for whom
mindfulness hasn’t worked, those who’ve
had spontaneous OBEs and feel scared,
and individuals wanting to understand how
they can be of service in the wider world.’  
The idea of turning to alternative wellness
solutions during periods of transition and
uncertainty is nothing new, nor is taking
a holiday from your day-to-day reality, be
that a trip or just some scheduled me-time.
But is there any basis to the idea that taking
a break from yourself can be helpful? British
para-psychologist George Tyrrell coined
the term back in 1943, but interest in OBEs
goes back centuries, with many cultures,
including Tibetan Buddhism, recognising
and practising a version. In the UK, they
became a particular source of fascination
M AY 2 0 2 0 | 5 7
 in the 19th century, with a burgeoning
interest in psychic experiences, séances and
the like. More recently, scientific research
has gone further than ever before in helping
to understand why OBEs could have such
a profound impact on people. ‘OBEs are
what psychologists call a “peak experience”,
where you go beyond your sense of self,’
says Shaw. ‘The concept of “awe” has a role
to play in this, as research has shown that
fleeting moments of awe can help you feel
more connected to the world around you
and can even change the course of your life.’  
More recently, tech developments like
VR and brain-stimulation techniques have
enabled scientists to study OBEs in a more
direct way. Professor Olaf Blanke, a Swiss
neuroscientist, has carried out extensive
research into OBEs as part of his broader
work on the neuroscience of consciousness
– one of the goals of his lab is to develop
novel diagnostic and therapeutic solutions
S T R ON G M I N D

for Parkinson’s disease and dementia. In Let

experiments, he and his team have been it go
able to induce the state using transcranial
magnetic stimulation – which stimulates
brain cells non-invasively with magnetic
fields that trigger electric currents in a
region of the brain called the right temporal-
parietal junction. ‘This area brings together
and integrates sensory perceptions,’ explains
Professor Blanke. ‘When there’s been a
breakdown of communication between brain
cells here – even a temporary one – it alters
your perception of your body as a whole. So
you may feel you’re not attached to it. This
can happen with certain conditions, the most
common being severe migraine, which can
interfere with normal brain processing.
Epilepsy can also be connected, along with
emotional shock and stress.’  
space. ‘You see that your own body isn’t your sole

NEW OUTLOOK
That this state in the brain is linked with
conditions such as severe migraine, epilepsy
and emotional shock and stress – where
normal brain processing is interfered with
– calls into question the idea that anyone
should be attempting to induce an OBE in
the name of wellness. ‘OBEs aren’t always
linked with illness or stress,’ explains
spontaneous OBEs consider
them positive.’ Shaw has a few
theories. She believes the
benefits come from something
similar to the ‘overview effect’, a
psychological term referring to
the cognitive shift in awareness
anchor,’ she says. ‘Even if you don’t believe in a soul as
such, you come away feeling that your body isn’t the
essence of you, and that can be very healing.’ She also
has a more existential explanation: the idea that when
you recover from the initial fear and uncertainty, it can
have a ripple effect on the rest of your life. ‘People start
looking at ways to live in alignment with their true
selves, and find their life purpose. It’s common for
people to change career after my workshops, or leave
relationships that aren’t fulfilling.’
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

Professor Blanke. ‘We know that 5% of
healthy people experience OBEs, usually
while falling asleep or waking, and they
do seem to have benefits. People tend to
have a different outlook on life after an
OBE, although science can’t currently
explain why. Most individuals who report
astronauts experience when
looking down on Earth from
Feel inclined to turn on an in-body out-of-office?
‘There are ways to achieve OBEs,’ says Professor
Blanke. ‘This is usually through meditation techniques,
but it does need to be targeted in order to achieve
the effect, so it’s important to manage your
expectations.’ He warns that you’re not guaranteed
to get the clear experience. Shaw uses techniques

5 8 | M AY 2 0 2 0 Women’s Health

‘I feel more chilled than
I have in months, with my
scepticism blown away’
Meanwhile, research continues. In 2017, the AWARE
study, published by the International Association For Near
Death Studies, reported on near-death experiences among
people who’d suffered cardiac arrest, which in some cases
like visualisation and involved OBEs. The authors found some of the OBEs
meditation during the process corresponded with reality, even though no heartbeat was
of falling asleep, when you’re present at the time – for example, one patient reported
already moving towards an looking down on his own body and seeing what was going on
unconscious dream state (see in the emergency room, despite having no heartbeat –
panel, right). As for Jess, she’s potentially suggesting consciousness may be separate from
now working with a shamanic the brain and body, although some scientists are sceptical.
practitioner in the hope of The AWARE2 study, with further data, is due to be published
achieving OBEs deliberately.  soon. ‘And future research might look at ways to use virtual
reality and robotics for intentional OBEs,’ says Professor
Blanke. ‘We may also look at mild doses of psychedelic
medicines, along with virtual reality techniques, to enhance
OBEs. They raise all sorts of questions about consciousness,
and what the inside-body experience actually is.’
Women’s Health
E XIT S TR ATE G I E S
WH contributor Charlotte Haigh
attended one of Jade Shaw’s
workshops with the intention
of leaving her body behind
Arriving at the College of Psychic
Studies for Jade Shaw’s sold-out
workshop, I’m sceptical. It’s not that
I doubt OBEs exist, but I feel you either
have that sort of brain or you don’t. And
I put my own bunch of neurons in the
latter category. However, I’m immediately
impressed by Shaw – she explains the
concept of OBEs in an articulate,
grounded way. Forget the paranormal,
OBEs are all about expanding your
consciousness by getting into a certain
state of mind, not unlike meditation.
Shaw manages our expectations,
explaining that it’s unlikely we’ll have an
OBE today – but promises that we’ll
leave with techniques we can practise.
After sharing her own experience of
OBEs, she encourages us to set some
astral projection intentions, and we get
into groups to discuss what we hope to
achieve if and when we have an OBE. I
say that I want to find solutions to some
big questions I have about my path in
life; I’m very involved in climate activism
and I want to come up with some new
ideas about the best ways I can help.
Shaw teaches us ‘exit techniques’ we can
use to leave our bodies, and the first is
‘the rollout’. We practise rolling from
side to side on yoga mats, then Shaw
uses muscle relaxation and breathing
techniques to take us into a state of
deep relaxation. Once we’re there, she
tells us to summon that sense of rolling
in our minds, until we have a sense we
might roll out of our bodies entirely.
I don’t get close to that sense, but I do
emerge feeling more chilled out than I’ve
felt in months. Next, we do a ‘spiralling’
technique. As before, Shaw takes us into
deep relaxation, then encourages us to
imagine that we’re spiralling out of our
bodies. This time – probably because
I’ve just had lunch – I nod off completely,
and I’m not the only one, judging by the
gentle snores coming from around the
room. But others say they began to feel
a pulling in certain parts of their body,
which Shaw confirms is a good sign. One
of her tips is to practise these techniques
when you’re close to sleep. A good idea
is to perform them after getting up for
five minutes after four to six hours of
sleep, then heading back to bed, awake
but dopey. I leave the workshop with
my scepticism blown away by Shaw’s
approach, and inspired to practise.
Find out more about Jade Shaw
and her workshops at jadeshaw.com
M AY 2 0 2 0 | 5 9

‘I was having
nightly panic
attacks about
not sleeping’
After university exam stress triggered insomnia for one reader, she
was left with a debilitating condition that would cost her her job
Up until my final year of university,
I’d never slept particularly poorly.
I was one of those people who thrived
under pressure, doing a million things
at once – I was always pretty resilient.
THE CASE But my exams in 2015 triggered
STUDY something in me and everything
Miriam Johnson, 26,
a communications changed. It started with not being able
manager from London to relax – my heart would be racing so
fast, I wouldn’t fall asleep until 6am,
even when I took herbal sleep aids. Within a few weeks,
it had got to the stage where every time I started to drift
off, I panicked that I’d stop breathing and was about to
die, jolting myself awake again. It wasn’t a rational way
of thinking, but by then I was too tired to be rational.
I went to my doctor, who prescribed zopiclone, the
go-to drug if people are struggling to sleep – it’s only
meant for short-term use as it can be addictive. But it
didn’t help; I stayed awake for four days straight, at
the end of which I took an exam that would count for
the largest portion of my grade. My housemates tell
me I was barely coherent, walking around talking
nonsensical rubbish, and I barely remember the exam
at all. I somehow managed to get a 2.1 but, looking
back, the whole experience was terrifying.
After graduating, things improved slightly. I got a job
in dance music PR and my insomnia came and went
rather than being a permanent fixture. Then, a year
into the role, as my responsibilities – and the pressure,
increased – it returned. I’d come into work shattered or
have to call in sick because I was too tired to function.  experiencing anxiety and
My workplace wasn’t remotely understanding – it was
before the mental health conversation had really come
to the fore – and I got a reputation for making poor
life choices or just being hungover after going on big
benders. In reality, I was lying in bed having nightly
AS TOLD TO GEORGIE LANE-GODFREY
panic attacks about not sleeping.
I was convinced that it was a biological issue, that my
body couldn’t switch off. So I became obsessed with
running, clocking up at least six miles every day before
work in a bid to exhaust myself at night. People thought
Women’s Health
OUR
PSYCHIATRIST
SAYS...
Insomnia is defined as a
regular inability to sleep – be
that falling or staying asleep,
waking up too early, or a
combination. This can affect
daytime energy levels, mood,
concentration and appetite –
which can in turn impact social
connections, relationships
and working life. Medications
to induce sleep are available,
but are considered a last resort
and an unwise long-term
solution. Sleep hygiene is key:
regular bedtimes, obeying
caffeine and screen curfews
and ensuring a comfortable
sleeping environment. It’s
not a mental health disorder
in and of itself, but those
depression often struggle
with insomnia. Professionals
generally expect that, by
treating the underlying
mental health disorder with
talking therapies and/or
medication, sleep will improve
– but always alongside good
sleep hygiene practices.
Dr Sarah Vohra, consultant
psychiatrist and author
@themindmedic
I was nailing life, but really I was just running
away from my insomnia. When I returned
to the doctor, explaining that my poor sleep
clearly wasn’t just due to exam stress as I
was no longer studying, they explained that
the issue most likely stemmed from a panic
disorder, and prescribed antidepressants.
The medication helped, but it was too late to
make a difference at work. I’d had so many
disciplinary meetings about time off that I felt
hounded. I told myself if I didn’t sleep, I’d be
fired. I quit my job to go freelance and, after
a few successful months, tried to come off the
medication. I was comfortably cohabiting
with my boyfriend and, after all, the pressures
of office culture were gone. But instead, I had
a full mental breakdown. The only way I can
describe it is a feeling of wanting to rip my
brain out of my skull just to get some relief.
In my experience, people don’t take
insomnia seriously. Unlike anxiety and
depression, they tend to explain it away,
saying things like, ‘Sometimes I don’t
sleep well, but I still come into work.’ They
simply don’t – or won’t – understand. Their
dismissiveness is so isolating. On top of
that, you spend 12 hours alone each night
with your thoughts, which gradually
S T R ON G M I N D
become more negative as the night goes on.
In that moment, there’s no one you can talk
to because everyone else is doing the one
thing you can’t – sleeping. In daytime hours,
you don’t have the energy to do things to
lift your mood, like exercising or seeing
friends, so you’re essentially alone with your
negative thought cycle 24 hours a day. On a
very small level, it gave me insight into why
people are kept awake as a torture method.
Things only improved after I went to see
a specialist on Harley Street at the end of
2018. After spending so much money to
see her, I felt like I had to follow her advice.
So I went back on antidepressants and put
in measures to ensure my sleep hygiene
was impeccable, like giving up alcohol and
getting up at 7am every day, regardless of
plans or if I’d slept. No screens for at least
two hours before bed – or sex, for that
matter – and I’d do breathing exercises for
15 minutes to slow my heart rate. I also kept
a ‘worry diary’, writing down five things I
was anxious about and what I was going to
do the next day to solve them. After writing,
I was to slam it shut. It sounds silly, but it
was cathartic and, combined with the
medication and lifestyle changes, it worked.
Within two weeks, I’d doubled my sleep from
around four hours a night to eight or nine.
Today, I’m still on antidepressants, but
I only follow a modified version of that sleep
routine. Most of the time, I sleep normally,
but I do still feel anxious when I haven’t
slept because I worry it’ll start all over again.
I think it’s a battle I’ll always have to face.
M AY 2 0 2 0 | 6 1
 As WH’s Junior Fitness Editor,
when it comes to workouts, Kirsti
Buick has pretty much done it all.
Except, that is, proper combat
sports. Here, she steps out of
her comfort zone – and into her
opponent’s personal space...

Women’s Health M AY 2 02 0 | 6 3

THE
GUINEA PIG
Kirsti Buick,
WH Junior
Fitness Editor
ong gone are the days of dull
cardio and monotonous
strength training – you want
exhilaration, sweat and skill
from your workouts. Which is
why demand for combat-based
sessions is on the up. ‘Combat
classes are becoming more
and more popular in the UK
as people see the various
disciplines as more accessible
and a brilliant way to get fit,’
says Third Space combat master
trainer Natalie Gyte. Stats from
ClassPass confirm the trend –
the studio-hopping app saw a
250% increase in bookings for
UK combat-style classes in 2019.
‘Beginners find a whole
different level of motivation as
they learn a new skill and become
good at it,’ says Gyte. ‘There’s
such joy in mastering a complex
skill that challenges both your
body and mind.’ Although I’m
a gym class regular, my HIIT-
strength-spin combo has
become a touch stale of late,
and the idea of a challenge,
rather than sweating through
a workout for a workout’s sake,
piques my interest. Conflict-
averse as I am (my ability to run
from any kind of confrontation
practically provides a workout
in itself ) I’m tempted by the
idea of learning how to hold my
own. So, in the interest of finding
my own fighting fit, I decided to
try four of the UK fitness scene’s
most popular disciplines.
6 4 | M AY 2 0 2 0
An ancient tradition that
dates back to the battlefields
of the Burmese-Siamese
War in the 1700s, Muay Thai
has since found its way to
a UK gym near you. The
sport’s origins are debated,
but it’s generally thought
to have evolved from the
hand-to-hand combat style
in which all Thai soldiers
were traditionally trained.
Over the years, it became
a popular sport – it’s
currently the national sport
of Thailand – and made its
way west. When performed
correctly, Muay Thai, which
literally translates to ‘Thai
boxing’ in English, is, as one
online blog waxes lyrical,
‘a beautiful symphony of
kicks, punches, knees and
elbows with fluidity and
grace’. Unfortunately,
there’s nothing remotely
symphonic about my
first foray into the art.
Approaching the ring at
Gymbox in Holborn, in which
20 or so gym-goers are
sparring, I feel intimidated.
The rhythmic thwacking of
gloves and body parts hitting
pads almost drowns out the
gritty hip-hop soundtrack.
The scene demonstrates
why Muay Thai is known as
the ‘art of eight limbs’;
unlike in kickboxing, where
only kicks and punches are
allowed, Muay Thai fighters
use elbow and knee
strikes, along with punches
and kicks, to best their
opponents. Also allowed
is clinching, whereby you
grab hold of your opponent,
usually by the neck or
shoulders, to hold them in
place for your attacks. In
matches, fighters score
points for strikes, technique
and dominance, and the
fighter with the highest
score after all five rounds
wins – unless someone is
knocked out before that.
‘Ready for a tough
workout?’ Muay Thai pro
fighter and instructor David
Tieu asks me above the din.
My coach has arrived for our
one-to-one session and I’m
incredibly grateful I’m not
being thrown straight into
the ring for a group class.
‘Obviously,’ I return, with
confidence I don’t feel. He
talks me through the correct
stance – left foot in front
of right, feet slightly wider
than hip-width apart for
balance, and hands raised
in fists at eyebrow height.
It’s similar to boxing but
with your hips angled more
towards your opponent so
as to allow you balance
and freedom of movement
for kicking and knee strikes.
Tieu demonstrates basic
punches (a jab with my
left hand, a cross with my
right) and eventually moves
on to knees and kicks,
showing me how to twist
my torso in the direction of
the movement to add
power to each strike.
After a few minutes of
flailing – I can’t seem to
balance well enough to stop
myself from stumbling after
kicks – the (flexible, to allow
for clinching) gloves are on.
We head for the punchbag
and Tieu barks out drills
as I alternate slamming
my fists and shins into the
heavy canvas. I can’t get
my kicks high enough; I
should be aiming for my
opponents’ ribs (about my
own rib height on the bag),
where they can do some
serious damage, but to do
so feels like I’d be begging
for a pulled groin or to
fall on my back.
While we train,
several sweat-
drenched fighters
call out to Tieu across
the gym floor and I
take the opportunity to
chug some water as he
points out his star pupils
to me. ‘She joined this
month,’ he says, pointing
to one woman, and then
another as she heads for
the showers. ‘She’s just
signed up for her first
amateur fight.’ Gymbox
has been offering Muay
Thai classes for 15 years,
he says, but he’s noticed
an upsurge in women
joining recently.
Break over, we’re into
the ring. Tieu straps on his
own protective pads and
begins cycling through
the drills again. This time,
I’m aiming for him. ‘Weak,’
he says flatly in between
strikes. ‘You’ve got to
be aggressive. Visualise
an opponent. Your ex-
boyfriend.’ Cliché, but it
works. The satisfying crack
of my shin hitting the pad
sends a jolt of adrenaline
through me. For the first
time, Tieu cracks a smile.
I’m a sweaty mess after
the 60-minute session
– my wrist tracker clocks
436 calories burned – and
the next day, my aching
body is clearly none too
impressed with this new
movement style. My shins
throb painfully for two
days, too, which Tieu
assures me is normal via
text. ‘Next session, we’ll
focus on shin conditioning,’
he adds, sending me an
article with a featured
image of a man delivering
kicks to a thick bamboo
stalk. Full disclosure: I
probably won’t be taking
him up on that. I definitely
got a good workout in
but, unfortunately, I feel
that my coordination has
a four-limb limit.
 leg closest to the direction
you’re travelling – and
never crossing. ‘Always try
to get back into the centre
[when in the ring],’ he
explains. ‘You never want
to be pinned to the ropes.’
We strap my hands up
in boxing wraps to protect
my wrists and Barker hands
me a set of gloves before
slipping on a set of pads. He
has me show him my jabs,
crosses and the like, and
declares himself impressed.
‘You’re not dropping your
hands from your face and
you’re generating some real
power in those crosses,’ he
enthuses. I preen. My Muay
It’s a grey Wednesday
Thai lessons have taught
morning and I’m in a
me something, at least.

B E S T B ODY
boxing ring, facing former
For what’s left of the
world champion turned
session, he calls out combos
co-founder of London’s
(‘jab, jab, cross, left hook’)
12x3 Gym, Darren Barker.
for me to swing at him,
I’ve done boxing-style HIIT
as he skips around the
classes a handful of times
ring to both avoid me and
before, so I’m moderately
push me backwards. I’m
comfortable in the sleek
concentrating so hard that
warehouse-like space.
it’s almost meditative, and
Boxing fanatic Ellie
I barely notice my pounding
Goulding trains here, too,
heart and aching arms
Barker tells me, so I know
until Barker calls time out.
I’m in good hands. It’s no
Over 420 calories burned,
surprise that this combat
with a maximum heart
style is beloved by celebs
rate of 186bpm. Nice.
– it’s a single workout that
When 12x3 opened its
promises cardio, strength
doors in Aldgate, East
and mobility benefits. Plus,
London, three years ago,
I won’t have to kick anyone
its classes were about 40%
in the ribs today. Win.
women. ‘Most come for
Again, we start with
the sweaty cardio and
stance. ‘Getting this right
conditioning workout,’ says
is crucial for balance and
Barker, but an ever-growing
power. You want to be
number have their sights
stable enough to hit with
set on competing. ‘Give it
force but not so rigid that
six months,’ adds Barker
you can’t get away,’ Barker
with a grin. ‘Maybe sooner.
says. To that end, I have my
And we’ll have you ready
non-dominant leg in front,
for an amateur fight.’
feet slightly narrower than
Maybe it’s Barker’s praise,
I had them in Muay Thai.
maybe it’s how much I
‘Not facing your opponent
enjoyed the session, but
squarely means there’s less
I book in for round two
of you to hit,’ Barker says.
before I leave.
Footwork is also key – you
want to get in and out fast
enough to deliver a blow
and be out of reach before
your opponent has time to
retaliate. He spends time
showing me how to dart
forwards, backwards and
sideways at speed, and
how to veer off to the side
to get away – very light on
your feet, leading with the

M AY 2 0 2 0 | 6 5
 Unlike the samurai
version, Brazilian jiu-jitsu
(BJJ) doesn’t involve
striking your opponent at
all. ‘The beauty of jiu-jitsu
is that it’s not about being
bigger or stronger than
your opponent,’ he says. ‘It’s
about leverage, technique
and skill – which is why it’s
sometimes referred to as
human chess.’ Jiu-jitsu was
a last line of defence for
samurai warriors who found
themselves thrown off
their horses and disarmed.
Their heavy armour meant
throwing jabs and hooks
wasn’t an option, so
grappling was a more A word of warning: steer
effective way of beating clear if close physical contact
their enemy. In those with strangers makes you
battles, the winner was uncomfortable. At one
the last man left breathing. point, I’m on my back with
In modern BJJ, you can my legs wrapped around
win by accumulating points Slater’s waist as I attempt
for positional dominance, or to keep him from pinning
by getting your opponent me to the floor. Oddly, I
to submit. don’t think about it at all
I spend almost all of our until after the fact. The
hour together on the floor. movements are incredibly
Slater teaches me to build technical and require as
my guard – basically, using much concentration as they
my limbs to keep my do physicality. I’m too busy
adversary literally at arm’s working out which way
length. If an opponent has I should be twisting my
you down on the ground,
B E S T B ODY

torso and the best position

Two men are tumbling
around on the floor in what
one might mistake for a
twitchy sort of passionate
embrace – were it not for
the fact that they’re in the
jiu-jitsu studio at the Soho
branch of Third Space. They
don’t look up as trainer and
Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
Alex Slater ushers me into
the glass-walled room. He
bows as he enters, and
turns to look expectantly
at me until I do the same.
‘I always start my classes
he explains, keep them
away from you with your
legs bent at 90°, placing
your feet on their hip
bones. He shows me moves
like the ‘shrimp’ – in which
you curl up on your side
like the crustacean. No
matter how hilarious I find
it, it’s a useful escape if
your opponent manages
to get past your guard, and
a BJJ fundamental. Slater
also shows me techniques
for getting up off the floor
without dropping my guard,
and (my personal favourite)
the Kimura lock, which,
when applied correctly,
can break an arm. It won’t
actually go that far in
a match, Slater says –
hopefully, your opponent
will tap out before you
endanger their limbs. Pity.
Of all the arts I’ve trialled,
this one seems like it would
for my hands to become
uncomfortable. It doesn’t
raise my heart rate as much
as boxing or Muay Thai (my
tracker reads 287 calories
burned), but I leave with my
muscles feeling as though
I’ve done an upper-body
strength session. Slater isn’t
a stocky man, but the force
I had to apply to get him in
those locks was akin to a
resistance workout. Along
with building strength, BJJ
is also great for balance,
coordination and mobility. 
I’ve yet to decide if I’ll
be back, but Slater makes
a convincing case for my
future as a jiu-jitsu champ
– and points out that of all
the fighting styles I’ve tried,
this is the only one in which
I won’t get punched in the
face. Not something to be
underestimated.
GOLD MEDALLIST IN BOXING BASED IN NEW YORK (JENNIFER-CHIENG.COM)
PHOTOGRAPHY: ALLIE HOLLOWAY. MODEL: JENNIFER CHIENG, AN OLYMPIC

this way,’ he explains. ‘It’s be the most useful when it

part of the tradition of this
discipline.’ As a fighting
style that was first practised
in the 1500s by Japanese
samurai warriors, jiu-jitsu
– which roughly translates
to ‘peaceful way’ – isn’t
short on tradition. In the
early 20th century, several
prominent martial artists
brought the art west to
Brazil, where it evolved
into the simpler style
more commonly practised
today, Slater explains, as he
takes me through familiar
warm-up stretches.
comes to self-defence. ‘It
depends,’ Slater says. ‘These
techniques are excellent for
defending yourself against
someone bigger and
stronger, but only if, through
practice and repetition,
they’ve become instinct.
You won’t walk out of here
now and be able to take
someone down.’

6 6 | M AY 2 0 2 0 Women’s Health
 execute each move.
Just 30 minutes in, my
arms and obliques are
already protesting.
Lewis insists he wasn’t
going easy on me.
I know he’s probably
fibbing, but the idea
that I could potentially
sweep a grown man
to the floor makes me
feel pretty damn good.  
There’s no doubt
that MMA is a male-
dominated sport,
Lewis says, but
high-profile fighters,
such as former UFC
It conjures up images champ Ronda Rousey,
of beefy, bloodied are helping to turn
men roaring as they the tide. ‘Women tend
tear each other to to catch on to the
pieces inside a metal basics faster than
cage, so, needless to with thick mats and men,’ he adds. ‘They’re
say, mixed martial arts the sides are more naturally more flexible
(MMA) is the session a thin mesh than the and more focused on
I’m dreading the most. iron bars I’d been accuracy, form and
When I descend the anticipating. ‘It technique, while men
stairs to the impressive prevents the fighters tend to rely on brute
underground space at from slipping out and force.’ Most of the
different, with rules
London’s Fight City doing more damage women who enter
like ‘no headbutting’
Gym, my matching [to themselves or Fight City come for
and ‘no fingers in an
Lululemon kit is just each other], as they the self-defence
opponent’s orifices’.
one reason I feel out might do if they were we forgo gloves, but classes. ‘For that, you
Competitors draw
of place. Mismatched in a boxing ring.’ MMA fighters do use can’t beat a knee to
technique and tactics
punchbags hang from MMA is about fingerless gloves for the crotch,’ says Lewis.
from a variety of pinning his left
the ceiling around more than the violent fights. I learn that it’s Movement in my class
martial arts, such as forearm in place.
a boxing ring in one showmanship seen not just a striking was slow, with a focus
boxing, karate and From here, he
corner, while a weights online, Lewis explains. sport; for a true MMA on technique and
wrestling, to take instructs me to twist
area dominates It actually dates back experience, Lewis drilling combos. My
down their opponents. my torso and swing
another. And right by to the Olympics of declares, I need to tracker shows 350
In most cases, this my left leg behind
the foot of the stairs, ancient Greece, in a learn to grapple. That calories burned, and
involves getting your him, which I can kick
sits the cage. sport called pankration is, to take my my muscles – my back
rival to submit – or back to knock him
But Fight City Gym (from the Greek ‘pan’ opponent to the floor. and arms particularly
knocking them out. off his feet and fling
coach and pro MMA and ‘kratos’, meaning Lewis shows me – ache the next day.
We warm up with him to the floor. It
fighter Wendle ‘Kojo’ ‘all powers’). As the how to get the ‘inside A great workout, no
general stretches, takes me several
Lewis is certainly not name suggests, pretty advantage’ (the doubt, but I’m not
then Lewis walks me awkward fumbles
what I’m expecting. much everything went grappling equivalent sure all this tumbling
through the basics. and apologies, but
He’s blessedly free – the only rules were of the high ground) around on the floor is
The stance is similar eventually I get it
of black eyes or no biting and no with my left hand my vibe. Back to the
to Muay Thai, right. Workout-wise,
missing teeth, and eye-gouging. How behind his neck, boxing it is, then.
although he instructs it’s totally different
has a gentle manner reassuring. Today’s me to lower my fists forearm pressed
that puts me at MMA isn’t much against his collarbone from anything I’ve
slightly and bring my ever tried before – I’m
ease. ‘People don’t feet closer together. and my right hand
understand the cage twisting in all sorts
He shows me how of strange directions
thing,’ he says, waving to jab, cross, kick,
towards it. The floor and using multiple
knee and elbow – muscle groups to
inside is cushioned

Women’s Health M AY 2 02 0 | 67
It’s the word being whispered
by doctors, trainers, yogis and
masseuses alike. And caring
for it will have you moving,
performing and looking as
though you’ve cheated ageing.
But what exactly is fascia, and
how much attention does this
underrated body part deserve?
At least four pages’ worth...
6 8 | M AY 2 0 2 0
or years, scientists researching pain, (which hold water like sponge)
movement and recovery did the and various other cells, such
anatomical equivalent of paving over as fat cells. And, similar to the
paradise to put up a parking lot. They citrus fruit pith, its main job
tossed the shiny, webby tissue that is to keep your internal bits –
covers ‘the good stuff’ – ie, muscles, muscles, joints, tendons, bones,
nerves and organs – into the bin. Little did they know, all of it – in place. Layers of this
it actually held the answers they’d long searched for. amazing tissue run through your
If this sounds like a dramatic, dun-dun-dun beginning entire body. If – god forbid –
to a Marvel epic, it sort of is. Because that webby stuff, your fascia were to be separated
called fascia, has emerged as a superhero in its own from your body, it would look
right in the worlds of both fitness and overall health. a lot like a webby wetsuit
Before we can get into all fascia does, you have to first (emphasis on the wet), covering
understand what it is. Imagine an orange: if the peel is everything from your skull to
like your skin, the white stuff beneath it – you know, the your fingertips and your toes.
thready film that surrounds each wedge, holding them
all together in one sphere – is like your fascia. This
connective web-like substance is made primarily of
collagen fibres, as well as gelatin-like glycoproteins
I l l u s t r a t i o n | A DA M H AY E S

But why has it become so buzzy, popping up in ‘fascial
yoga’ and ‘fascial massage’ in the trendiest studios and
spas? For one, new tools are letting researchers see and
measure what it’s doing inside your body (versus looking
at the dried-up version previously discarded from
cadavers). That makes the material much sexier to those
in lab coats. And perhaps the bigger reason: as functional
medicine and fitness – or considering the body as a
whole rather than focusing on individual areas – becomes
more widespread, practitioners are taking a closer look
at the common threads that bind every part of your body.
‘Fascia is one of the most important and pervasive
systems, because it connects every other system
together,’ says anatomy expert Professor Rebecca Pratt.
First and foremost, healthy fascia is crucial to easy daily
movement and exercise performance. Ever been so tight
from sitting in one position for too long that your stairs
feel like Everest? That’s your angry fascia talking –
prolonged sitting can cause the once-supple fibres to
Women’s Health
stick in place, while chronic
stress can trigger them to
thicken in an attempt to protect
the muscle underneath. It’s also
key to injury recovery, because
it weaves between vessels and
supports blood flow. What’s
more, because fascia contains
cells that communicate with
one another, as well as other
cells throughout your body,
researchers now think this
tissue might be the channel
through which conditions such
as autoimmune diseases or
cancer spread. ‘If a cell doesn’t
B E S T B ODY
hear proper job signals and goes rogue, it
can leave the fascia and move into a place
it’s not supposed to be, doing things it’s
not supposed to do,’ says Professor Pratt.  
If you’re trying to build a leaner body,
you’ll want to make your fascia your friend.
That’s because when fascia is properly
gel-like – ie, hydrated, strong and relaxed
– your muscles are able to receive more
oxygen and contract fully, as well as slide
over each other without friction to produce
more force. That upgrade means you’ll
power every workout more efficiently, in
turn scoring better and faster results.
So how do you make sense of a
physiological system that’s so profound
and so vital to your existence? It’s simple,
actually. Follow our guide over the page.
Don’t worry, you can thank us later.
M AY 2 0 2 0 | 6 9

‘ I SAW A
SO F T-TI S S U E
P RO ’
Media executive Leah
Wyar is no stranger to
massage tables. But after
six sessions with a fascia
pro, she came to one
conclusion: Life. Changing.
Having struggled for a decade
with severe backache, I have a
you-name-it-I’ll-try-it-approach to
pain management: acupuncture,
acupressure, chiro, cupping,
physical therapy, I’ve done it all.
So when a co-worker suggested
structural integration, described
as intense fascia manipulation?
Instant yes. I booked a session
with therapist Jessa Zinn, who
told me to lie face up on the table.
‘But the pain is in my lower back,’
I said. ‘To treat your back, I have to
treat your front,’ she responded.
Apparently, fascia functions like a
tucked-in top: ‘When a shirt is too
tight at the waist, it pulls at the
neck – but you don’t yank at the
neck to fix it,’ she explains. ‘You
untuck the shirt and reorganise
the material.’ My stealth body
shifter? Extreme tightness in my
hip flexors and lower abs. Sitting
for hours a day with improper
posture pulls my pelvis into an
anterior tilt, drawing my lumbar
spine into an unnatural curve.
Relieving it required deep, steady
pressure from Zinn’s thumbs,
fingers and even elbows to
reorganise the fascia. During one
session, she focused on two pelvic
muscles, my iliacus and psoas.
Each time she hit a tight spot,
she’d coach me through the
tenderness: ‘That’s it, just breathe
– great release, Leah.’ Her praise
motivated me to stick with the
stretches and stabilisation
exercises outside of her care. One
such: rolling my stomach on a
semi-deflated ball to keep my
psoas spongy. Understanding the
relationship between body parts
bound by fascia has empowered
me beyond my back issue, too.
This week, when I could hardly
bear a pain in my right shoulder
and the headaches that came
with it, a lightbulb went off:
it’s not my shoulder; it’s my
teeth grinding. I grabbed my
FaceBlaster (a fascia tool for your
visage) and glided into the tension
around my jaw, ears and neck. The
next day? I felt amazing. Turns out,
the best treatment you can give
yourself is listening to the very pain
that you try so hard to ignore –
and, sometimes, seeking a little
help from a magical pair of hands.
Fight against tight
As yet, there’s not enough evidence that nurturing your fascia can directly reduce your
risk of cancer or other diseases (if only things were that simple), but the tissue can have
a direct impact on your energy, your 5K performance and perhaps even your stress levels.
So why wouldn’t you want to give it some TLC? Here are a few habits to adopt now...
STRETCH EACH
MORNING  AND VEGETABLES
Even a quick forward
fold can help break up
collagen in your fascia,
allowing more oxygen
to hit your muscles and
setting you up for better
movement all day long.
To reduce tension, hold
stretches for at least two
minutes. Or hit the mat:
yin yoga (or fascial yoga)
keeps you in poses about
twice as long. Stuck at a
desk all day? No1 Fitness
founder and fascia
specialist Harry Thomas
suggests a frog stretch
to open up your hips.
GET HOPPING
Fascial tissue stores
more kinetic energy
than any other type of
tissue – FYI, it’s this
spring-like material,
not powerful muscles,
that enables kangaroos
to catapult themselves
30 feet. Because of this
relationship, experts
think plyometrics
(explosive jumps)
make your fascia more
durable and resilient
by increasing its
density. Three times
a week, spend up to
five minutes doing
hopscotch over an
agility ladder, or do
three sets of 10 to 20
jump squats.
MOVE
DIFFERENTLY
‘Movement is key
for the health and
hydration of fascia,’
says Thomas. But if
you’re always moving in
the same way (by, say,
performing a similar
weight-training routine
every week), there are
going to be areas that
aren’t getting the
attention they need.
‘You’re often only
moving backwards
and forwards, up and
down in the gym,’ says
Thomas. ‘But you want
to be challenging the
body in different planes
as well. Think about
getting away from the
midline – by turning
lunges into lateral
lunges, for example.’
If this all sounds a bit
complicated, he
suggests simply adding
a new class to your
workout mix to get you
moving in different
directions. Things like
dance or Muay Thai are
great for variation.
EAT MORE FRUIT
High levels of
inflammation
throughout the body
infiltrate the fascial
tissue, causing pain.
A diet that’s packed
with fresh produce and
healthy fats and light
WORDS: KIRSTI BUICK; MARISSA GAINSBURG. PHOTOGRAPHY: BERSA/ARTPARTNER. ICONS: ALICE NOIR/JOSHUA GANYON/VICTORULER AT NOUN PROJECT
on processed foods (the
typical Mediterranean
diet) helps minimise
the I-word. Adding
a daily collagen supp
might even boost the
collagen profile in your
fascia, too, further
strengthening the web.
DRINK UP
Your body is 60% water,
and much of the H2O
is to be found in your
fascia. So, if you’re
dehydrated, the tissue
will be dry and brittle,
not wet and spongy.
The consequence:
compromised mobility.
Even your skin can look
dull when your fascia
isn’t hydrated, because
the superficial fascia
(the layer closest to the
surface) gives skin its
healthy tone. Down
your eight glasses daily
– plus a glass or two
extra on days when
you’re exercising hard
to replace what you
lose in sweat. 
Women’s Health
 GIVE YOURSELF
A ROLL
Relieving kinks with
your trusty foam roller too hard or for too long
improves range of – if you dig in to the
motion and reduces point of pain, you’ll
soreness. Why? send a stress signal to
Kneading soft tissue your nervous system,
removes collagen which will make your
build-up and amps fascia stiffen up again.
up blood flow, which Which areas should
pumps nutrients to the you roll pre-workout?
area and flushes waste. Whatever needs waking
‘I have my clients do up for your session,
this for a few minutes says Thomas. ‘If you’re
before training,’ says deadlifting, roll out
Thomas. ‘It just releases your hamstrings. If the
any tightness and focus is squats, go for
prepares the body for the quads.’ After your
movement. We call it workout, release the
“taking the handbrake area you’ve worked
off”.’ Start by pressing with a long slow roll up
into the muscle gently, and down tight muscles,
rolling up and down just or give them a good
a few inches. Stay there stretch. Increasing
until you feel it release. blood flow to the tissues
There’s no need to go you’ve just used can
speed up recovery.

The Women’s Health

B E S T B ODY
foam roller, £8.99, is
available now at Argos

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 7 1
 ROUTE TO WELLTH

Emeli SWEAT
I used to find exercise
a chore, but now, after
overhauling my lifestyle
EMBRACE
I’ve straightened and
dyed my hair for years,
but now I’m letting it

Sandé
a year ago, I genuinely go back to its natural
enjoy it. I start my day curl. It’s about identity,
with 30 to 40 minutes FUEL being honest with
of cardio – a 3km I eat fruit for breakfast myself about how I look
treadmill run, followed after I’m done with my and embracing that.
by a 3km stationary morning workout. I was recently gifted
The medical student-turned-musician, 33, on going cycle and 10 minutes Lunch tends to involve some hair products by
vegan-ish, her inside-out body transformation and of skipping. Then I a generous portion of Bouclème and they’re
cool down with half an grains, like steamed super gentle; it feels
how she finds freedom via her journal hour of yoga. I never as if they’ve brought
quinoa and couscous
used to ‘get’ yoga, but with veg. My favourite my hair back to life.
I’ve been hooked ever go-to dinner is my My sister got me into
since I did Adriene sister Lucy’s chickpea natural beauty, too, so
Mishler’s 30-Day Yoga bolognese recipe. If I now I use coconut oil
Journey on YouTube. want something sweet, to seal moisture into
I’ll have a few spoonfuls my hair – as well as for
of vegan ice cream – I taking my make-up off.
had the most amazing
double caramel one
PROTECT the other day.

I’ve had anxiety most

STATS
of my life and, at some
AFFIRM
Age: 33 points, feelings of I’ve got a positive
Job: Singer- depression – so I’ve
songwriter affirmations app on
Fitness MO:
always been aware of CHILL my phone, which
my emotional health. means that every
Cardio and yoga Between work, evening
But it wasn’t until morning I’m greeted

B E S T B ODY
Wind-down secret: events and early starts,
A good book developing a regular by a lovely positive
exercise routine that I rarely get the eight message. Yesterday’s
I realised how powerful hours’ sleep I need, but was, ‘I choose to be
my actions could be in I more than make up happy.’ I definitely
protecting my mental for it on my days off. protect my happiness
health. Now, after Watching movies like by monitoring how
yoga, I meditate for 10 The Hunger Games – much I’m on social
minutes and journal. which I’ve seen so many media – I’m currently
times I don’t need to aiming to log in no
pay attention – helps more than three times
my brain switch off. a day. I’m determined
Not before bed, though to train my mind to
– I used to play music be more focused and
RETHINK or watch TV for two patient, and be able
hours before, but now to read a book – or
Earlier on in my life, I I switch off electronics
wanted to be a doctor, just enjoy the moment
and read. It’s been a – without switching
and when studying game changer.
medicine, I’d grab my attention to my
crisps and refined phone.
carbs for quick energy,
not realising they Follow Emeli on
WORDS: GEMMA CALVERT. PHOTOGRAPHY: SIMON EMMETT. ICONS: EVGENY FILATOV/PROSYMBOLS/
EUCALYP/BECRIS/MONKIK/TILL TEENCK/DAIRY FREE DESIGN/VECTORS MARKET AT NOUN PROJECT

exacerbated my stress. Instagram @emelisande

But watching the
Forks Over Knives ENERGISE
documentary five years For me, feeling healthy
ago helped me wake means waking up
up – both in terms of feeling bright and
respecting animal life ready to take on the
and the nutritional day. Rather than relying
benefits of a plant- on coffee or energy
based diet. I’ve flitted drinks (I prefer herbal
between veganism tea) I try to prioritise
and vegetarianism rest and experiment
ever since. with other natural ways
of helping me feel
at my best, like reiki.
I tried it for the first
time a month ago and
I felt really peaceful
at the end, like my
energy had shifted
and I was back to my
normal, balanced self.

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 7 3
 01
SQUAT HOLD
Targets: Glutes,
P T GU E ST PA S S quads, hamstrings
Do: Hold for 1 min,

CIARA
repeat 3 times
(a) With your feet
hip-width apart, tilt
(a)
your pelvis backwards
as you bend your knees
and sink as low as you

MADDEN
can into a squat. Hold
for 1 min, focusing on
keeping your weight
in your heels, your
chest up and shoulders
back. Push through
your heels to return to
standing, shake it out,
Bottom decidedly more pancake and as soon as you’re
ready, get back down.
than peach? Ciara’s bum-building
workout is just what you need
for glute gains

02
hether she’s sunning
herself in a booty-
baring bikini or doing
a fathoms-deep squat
on Insta, Ciara Madden
(aka @ciaralondon) is SQUAT JUMP
the definition of glute goals. One of the
Targets: Glutes,
questions the PT, founder of Body By
hamstrings, calves
Ciara and head of sculpt at BOXR is asked Do: 3 sets of 20 reps
most often? How can I build a booty like (a) Stand with your
yours? It’s not rocket science, she says – feet hip-width apart,
but it takes hard work. ‘The glutes aren’t bend your knees and
just one muscle. To grow them, you need push your bum back to
sink into a deep squat.
to target the entire muscle group: the
(b) Driving through
gluteus medius, maximus and minimus.’ your heels, explode
The good news? You don’t need heavy back up into a jump
barbells or loaded leg presses to get this (a) (b) before landing right
done – to start with, anyway. We got back in that deep
squat position (not
Madden to create an exclusive workout standing upright – no
for WH to take you back to bum basics. cheating, now) and
Once you’ve nailed these moves, add go again immediately.
weight. ‘There’s no point loading up
until you’ve mastered the exercises,’
Madden says. ‘Weights vary for everyone.
If you start with 10kg, for example, aim
for 15kg in the next few weeks, and so
on. Ready? Get a good playlist together,
WORDS: KIRSTI BUICK. HAIR AND MAKE-UP: KATIE PETTIGREW AT
LHA REPRESENTS. STYLING: ABIGAIL BUCHANAN. CIARA WEARS:

enjoy yourself and don’t forget to breathe.

BRA AND SHORTS, BOTH GYMSHARK; TRAINERS, CIARA’S OWN

NEED TO KNOW…
1 | Perform this leg and glutes workout twice
a week, Madden says, ideally with a full-body
session and an arm workout on other days.
2 | Catch your breath between moves, but
don’t waste too much time on rest during
the workout. ‘Most of us live busy lives, with
limited time to get to the gym,’ she says. ‘If
you made it there, get it done. Rest after.’

74 | M AY 2 0 2 0 P h o to g r a p h y | P H I L I P H AY N E S
03
JUMP LUNGE
05
KNEELING
DONKEY KICK
(b)
Targets: Quads, glutes,
hamstrings, calves (a) Targets: Glutes,
Do: 3 sets of 10 reps hamstrings, core
on each side Do: 3 sets of 1 min
(a) Start in a wide on each leg
lunge, making sure (a) Start on all fours
your back leg isn’t and, engaging your
directly behind you core, lift and straighten
– keep your feet in one leg out behind
line with your hips for you, pointing the toe.
increased stability. (b) Pulse the leg a few
(b) Sink down into inches up and down
the lunge before for 30 secs, then
jumping straight up, switch legs. It’s a small
switching legs in movement, but your
mid-air to land back glutes are going to burn.
in a lunge with the
other leg in front. Use
a TRX for support until
you feel comfortable
enough to balance
alone. When you’re

04
ready, add weights.

(a)
PULSING

B E S T B ODY
CURTSY LUNGE
Targets: Quads, glutes,
hamstrings, calves
Do: 3 sets of 30 secs
on each leg
(a) Start with your feet
hip-width apart, then
(a) take a big step back on
your left leg, crossing
it behind your right.
(b) Keeping your body
upright, bend your
knees until your right (b)
thigh is nearly parallel
to the floor, and pulse
a few inches up and
down for 30 secs.

06
Shake it out and
switch legs.

HIP THRUST
(a)
Targets: Glutes,
hamstrings
Do: 3 sets of 1 min
(a) Lie on your back
with your legs bent.
(b) Place a 10-15kg plate or
weight on your pelvis.
(b) Driving through
your heels, raise your
hips to thrust the plate
up as high as possible,
(b) squeezing your glutes
and pausing for a sec
at the top before
dropping back down.
Continue for 1 min, then
rest for a few breaths
before your next set.

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 7 5
 HOW I GET F I T D ON E

‘STRENGTH TRAINING
HELPED ME BREAK
FREE FROM MY
EATING DISORDER’
Former ballerina Gabriela Cunha
Viana, 24, an assistant art director,
model and dancer, used workouts
to bolster her self-worth

eople tend to think

naturally slim women
don’t have body issues.
But in my Brazilian family,

B E S T B ODY
where everyone was
beautifully voluptuous,
I was always ‘the skinny one’ and I felt
enormous pressure to live up to that.
People seemed to congratulate me for it
constantly. When I started doing ballet and
began modelling in my teens, my obsession
with being slender only got worse. There
are pictures of me from that time where
you can see my bones jutting out of my
chest. At my smallest, I weighed just 7st I started feeling healthier too. When
12lb, which, at 5ft 9in tall, was much lower I was at my skinniest, I was anxious and
than a healthy weight for my frame. weak because I wasn’t fuelling my body.
It reached a point where I had complete Under Mikhail’s guidance, I finally began POST-GYM SNACK
body dysmorphia. I tried to eat as little as eating enough food to not only give me A bowl of juicy
possible. At meals, I’d move my food around energy to work out, but to feel better in watermelon chunks
with my fork to make the rest of my family general. I’d do four weight-training sessions
think I was eating. When I couldn’t avoid a week – two upper and two lower body.
eating, I’d purge afterwards. I was throwing For the first time in my life, I felt strong.
AS TOLD TO KIRSTI BUICK. HAIR AND MAKE-UP: JOLANDA COETZER AT LHA REPRESENTS.

up every day, as a way to maintain control.
At 19, I moved to London from Portugal
for a fresh start and I started working at
Gymbox on the reception desk. I’d given up
ballet, which eased the pressure I put on
myself, and while my bulimia had dissipated
a little, it still flared up when I was stressed
or anxious. One of the trainers at the gym,
Mikhail St Catherine, coaxed me into trying
PICTURED AT THE MOVE STUDIOS, FULHAM
Gabriela in her early Because I’d kept going when workouts
dancing days in 2013
got tough, I’ve been able to build up a sort
ULTIMATE
of mental resilience, which helps me cope POWER MOVE
when I feel temptation to revert back to Front squats with a
the old me. Now, I know that I can put bar – they make me
my headphones on and smash out a good feel like such a badass
session to pull myself out of that. I’ve
started dancing again – just a few events
here and there – and I teach barre. I’ve

weight training. After the first few weeks,
when I began to build muscle, I freaked out
and wanted to quit. But Mikhail was so
patient with me and he coached me through
my fears. It helped that every time I trained,
I felt amazing afterwards. I felt more
empowered with every workout and became
addicted to that feeling of overcoming my
own expectations and limitations.
also got into running and I do about four
strength sessions a week by myself – but PROUDEST PB
Focusing on building I still check in with Mikhail if I need 85kg back bar
muscle in 2018 guidance. I’ve started modelling a bit, too squats – it felt
– more fitness than high fashion. As long as like a near-death
experience, but
I’m training and my headspace is good, I’m I nailed it
OK. I’d guess I’m around 9½st now, but I
try not to weigh myself. I don’t want to give
that number power over me any more.

P h oto g r a p hy | TO M WAT K I N S M AY 2 0 2 0 | 7 7
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WEAR WELL

80
WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H

BO UX
AV EN UE
Fusing breathable
stretch-and-sculpt
fabrics with moisture-
wicking and muscle-
support technology.
Did we mention the
seamless construction?
Silky smooth
-
CROP TOP, £25; LEGGINGS,
£32, BOTH BOUX SPORT
-
 H& M
Ready to be the
belle of the barre?
This set is made with
dance classes in mind
and is part of the
Conscious range.
Cue the Flashdance
soundtrack
-
SPORTS BRA, £12.99;
LEGGINGS, £19.99;
LEGWARMERS, £9.99;
HEADBAND, £4.99,
ALL H&M
-

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81

WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H
 GA P
Think leggings made
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from breathable
high-performance
interlock fabric with
maximum coverage
(read: squat-proof)
and flatlock contouring
seams. Job done

82
-
SPORTS BRA, £24.95;
LEGGINGS, £49.95; GILET,
£74.95, ALL GAPFIT
-
WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H
 NE W
LO OK
All sports staples
under £20. Yep, you
read that correctly.
A great entry price
option for gym
beginners dipping
their toe into the
fitness pool
-
SPORTS BRA, £12.99;
LEGGINGS, £19.99; BAG,
£19.99, ALL NEW LOOK
SHOES, £119.95, REEBOK
-

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83

WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H
 NE XT
This sweatshirt is part
of the high-street
supremo’s collab with
Emma Willis. Top marks
for inclusivity: the range
spans sizes 6 to 22
-
HOODIE, £28; LEGGINGS,
£18; SHOES, £39, ALL
EMMA WILLIS AT NEXT
-
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84
WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H
 M& S
Fresh off the starting
blocks, Marks’ first
Goodmove collection
launched in January.
Top picks: The seam-
free moisture-wicking
crop top and these
lightweight high-
intensity workout
leggings
-
CROP TOP, £9.50;
LEGGINGS, £25; BOMBER
JACKET (JUST SEEN),
£39.50; JACKET, £99;
BAG, £45, ALL M&S
-

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85

WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H
AR KE T
MODEL: REBEKKA SANDOK AT PREMIER. MAKE-UP: LISA SLONEEM USING MAC COSMETICS. HAIR: ELVIRE ROUX AT

The second instalment

CAROL HAYES MANAGEMENT. FASHION ASSISTANT: ABIGAIL BUCHANAN. FASHION INTERN: KERRI BRENNOCK

of the brand’s first foray

into activewear. Each
new drop focuses on
a different sport. Get
your run on with the
latest buys
-
T-SHIRT, £35; SHORTS,
£55; WINDBREAKER
(JUST SEEN), £89;
JACKET, £69, ALL ARKET
SHOES, £130, VEJA AT
NET-A-PORTER
-
 On our
radar
Got fit kit fatigue? You’ve come to the right place.
£120, DESMOND & DEMPSEY These fresh new buys will inject your activewear £200, VAARA
There’s no more stylish way to rest wardrobe with some joie de vivre, whether This season’s star buy? An athleisure
and recover than in these luxury one-piece. Invest in this multi-functional
printed PJs. Grab the matching eye you’re a yogi, gym bunny or chill-out queen colour-block body for a look that’ll sort
mask for ultimate sleep chic you out from studio to swim

£125, IMMACULATE VEGAN
This new online marketplace stocks luxe,
sustainable vegan fashion such as these
Humans Are Vain kicks. Fun fact: the heel
panel is made from pineapple leaves
£16.99, KITCHENCRAFT.CO.UK
Amp up your meal prep – this
leak-proof food flask keeps contents
frozen for up to four hours and chilled
for up to 24. Game changer
£20, ACCESSORIZE
The high-street hero has launched
its first ever gym collection, and
this metallic holdall just might
be your new gym BFF
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£22, BOUX AVENUE
This brand’s latest collection has
all the matching gym sets you need
to sweat in style – high-street prices
+ high performance = a winner

87

£189, SANDQVIST
Need a new kit bag? Invest in this
colour-pop backpack. With its handy
zipped mini front pocket, you can wave
goodbye to losing your house keys
WORDS: ABIGAIL BUCHANAN
£25, ELLESSE
Tapping into one of this season’s key
athleisure trends, sorbet shades, this
comfy workout tee is as peachy perfect
as an ice cream on a summer’s day
£44, TOMS
Made of toxin-free, plant-dyed
canvas, the new Earthwise shoes are
the last word in sustainable style.
Even the label is recycled, natch
WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H
£32, POUR MOI
You know and love it for its sports
bras, but now, Pour Moi is branching
out into gym leggings – available
in sizes eight to 22

£57, CONTUR £69, HUSH £80, ROXY £80, DIADORA

This bra packs a punch with double- If its super-soft sweaters and cashmere The latest collection, fronted by A new-season sneaks update courtesy
layered construction, sweat-wicking buys are anything to go by, Hush’s new surf champ and all-round boss of the Italian sports brand, with a primary
fabric, UV protection and four-way-stretch activewear offering will be as good for Steph Gilmore, gives you the colour palette to keep it simple and a
– it’s made from recycled Econyl to boot your coffee run as it is for the gym chance to channel her style dose of heritage sports brand cool
 It’s the most crucial bit of kit for women, but what does
it take to create a sports bra worth its weight in hold?
WORDS ABIGAIL BUCHANAN AND H A N N A H B A N K S -WA L K E R

T
PHOTOGRAPHY M I TC H PAY N E
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88
WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H

here was
w a tim
time (before 1977, to be precise)
when sports brasb as you know them didn’t
exist at all. That
Th was before Lisa Lindahl,
then a student at the University of
Vermont, came
Verm cam up with the idea of sewing
two jockstraps
jo together to make a sport-
specific bra aft
specif after taking up jogging. A
high-tech solution?
high- solu Not so much. But she
was o on to som
something – these days, the
market for spo
mark sports bras stands at an
estimated £10
estim £10billion globally.
There’s no denying
Th d the importance of
making sure your
makin y assets are cared for while
you exercise – that part of your body needs
a heavy dose of TLC. A 2018 study from
the University of Portsmouth found that
breasts can move up to 14cm during exercise
if left unsupported. There are no muscles
within the breasts – they’re essentially
a collection of fat and tissue held to the
 body by ligaments and skin – and the issue is that
neither of these are especially strong. The
connective tissue that holds the breast to the chest
is comprised of Cooper’s ligaments, which naturally
extend with age and over time – but exercise without
supporting them properly and they could stretch up
to 2cm during high-intensity workouts. Contrary to
how your breasts may appear to move up and down as
you run, burpee or push press, they actually swing in
a figure of eight. ‘They move in every feasible direction
– in, out, side-to-side and up and down,’ explains
Mari Thomas, expert sports bra tester and founder
of sports bra brand Maaree. ‘This can not only be
painful, but can cause the breasts to sag.’
A good sports bra aims to deliver on two counts:
comfort and performance. Movement aside, breast
tissue sits on top of the pectoral muscles, so it stands
to reason that any clothing that supports that area will
have an impact on the activity of these muscles. And
it’s true – another University of Portsmouth study
conducted on female runners found that wearing
a proper sports bra can reduce the activity of your
pectoral muscles by 55% during exercise. So? Well, this
‘Breasts move in every feasible
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BREAST IN TEST
One of the challenges sports
bra creators face is that every
woman’s breasts are different
and so have different demands
depending on how they move,
their size and the level of activity
being performed. Traditionally,
sports bras focused on managing
downward movement, but their
brief has had to change as we’ve
learnt more about exercise and
how the body responds. Testing
design decisions and allows brands to put
a figure on how well their sports bras work.
For example, Shock Absorber can say that
its bras reduce breast movement by up to
80% compared with wearing no bra at all.
Nike’s newly developed Fe/Nom Flyknit
bra uses fabric technology originally
developed for footwear – a compressive,
woven fabric that removes the need for
the irritating bulk of wires, foam cups and
clasps. But it’s not just the big sports brands
that are turning their attention to bra
design: M&S worked with the Japanese
company Asahi on its newest sports bra,
which was tested using avatars to assess
breast movement in micro detail.
Lingerie brand Triumph’s latest sports
bra is the product of an attempt to tackle
360° breast movement without adding bulk.

translates to less muscular fatigue and, as a result, more

fuel in your pecs’ tank to go harder for longer in any direction – in, out, side-to-
movement that engages those muscles, from jogging
and Pilates to CrossFit-style training. Debbie Risius, side and up and down’
senior research associate at Portsmouth University,
states that a woman’s choice of sports bra can also how effectively a bra tempers ‘One of the main feedback points we get is

90
influence her breathing rate and thermoregulation
during exercise. This is down to the fit of the bra and
the fabric from which it’s constructed: a 2013 study
found that, while all sports bras reduced the cooling
WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H
the figure-of-eight movement that sports bras are restrictive and heavy,’
relies on measuring breast says Triumph global head of creative design
motion with systems that can Sian Thomas. ‘So one of our main aims is
simulate human movement and to make our sports bras as feminine and

ability of the breast – simply by virtue of being another
layer of clothing – sports bras made from polyester
allowed for better thermoregulation than bras made
from other composite materials.
Sports bra research has gained momentum as designers
have begun to apply the same attention and innovation
to bras as they do to trainers and leggings. ‘It’s become
increasingly clear that a good sports bra is critical to a
woman enjoying exercise,’ says Thomas. ‘So many girls
and women stop playing sport because of the discomfort
and embarrassment caused by poor breast support.’ It’s
why most women are prepared to spend on a bra, as
they see it as an investment, rather than a style choice.
analyse breast biomechanics.
‘We place a number of 3D
motion markers on a woman; a
couple on her nipples and then
a few more on more stationary
parts of the body, such as the
collarbone and the hips,’ says
Thomas, on the process of
developing a Maaree bra. ‘Then
we have the woman take part
in physical activity, commonly
running on a treadmill, first
wearing the bra that’s being
tested and then again wearing
light as other bras.’ How? Triumph’s
newest innovative concept, Dynamic Lite
fabric, means its bras have completely
breathable cups that rely on a strong
lightweight mesh to support without
constricting or making you sweat more.
Lululemon spent two years developing
its Enlite bra with insights from the
brand’s Whitespace lab, where researchers
are multi-disciplinary experts, says
Whitespace director Chantelle Murnaghan,
from fields including biomechanics,
neuromechanics, physiology, engineering
and human insights – plus, feedback from
ICONS: FAHMI RAMDANI/CLAIRE JONES/PHAM THI DIEU LINH AT NOUN PROJECT

a contrasting “control” bra. You more than 1,000 women. Lululemon is

then measure the difference
in the movement recorded by
the motion markers.’ Motion
testing like this informs product
PTOPS: B AND L MOTION MARKERS, SUPPLIED BY VICON.

FIND BAND CUP STRAPS

YO U R F IT
Make sure it This should Adjust them to
stays level all encase the sit securely on
around your breast with your shoulders,
Sports bra brand Shock body and fits no bulging again, with
Absorber’s guide to firmly with or gaping. no more than
> > no more than three fingers’
finding the best-fitting
three fingers’ width give.
brassiere for your breasts width give.
 SUPPORT
SHOP
LULULEMON
ENLITE BRA, £88
WH Editor-In-Chief
Claire Sanderson
also bringing biomechanic swears by this bra for
testing methods to its superior support
consumers themselves. and fit. Available in
‘We’ve been trialling a new 30 to 40, A to E.
experience called “Your
Signature Movement”,’ says
Murnaghan. ‘The process –
which involves the customer
running on a treadmill
wearing a bra equipped with
sensors – uses intelligent
digital technology to map
guests’ unique physical
SHOCK ABSORBER
requirements and sensory INFINITY POWER
preferences.’ These insights BRA, £50
then match a customer This bra is proven to
with the running bra that reduce breast movement

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will suit them best. by up to 80% – that’s
Clearly, brands are taking serious support. Available
their sports bra designs in an in 30 to 42, A to F.
increasingly individualised
direction as they try to cater
to the equally important fit,

91
support and confidence
needs of consumers. Before
starting Maaree, Thomas was
a sports bra tester in a lab at

WO M EN ’ S H E A LT H
Loughborough University,
where she tested models
from the high-end to the high
MAAREE SOLIDARITY
street. ‘You might assume HIGH-IMPACT
that a lot of brands do their SPORTS BRA, £59
testing in-house, but this Designed with
isn’t the case,’ she says. ‘Most overband technology,
companies didn’t have the proven to offer bounce
equipment or technology to reduction in all
do this, so it was outsourced directions. Available
to someone like me. However, in 32 to 38, C to G.
many high-street brands
don’t consider properly
testing their sports bras at
all, which is why I always
encourage people to make
sure they buy their sports
bra from a company that
specialises in this area.’
Only the breast for you. TRIUMPH TRIACTION
EXTREME LITE, £40
An ultra light
breathable sports bra
that doesn’t skimp on
support. Available in
32 to 42, A to F.
 products
UNDER £20
Everyone loves a bargain – and if that bargain can make your complexion fresher, your skin feel
plumper and your face look more preened, all the better. When we asked WH readers what they
wanted from their beauty toolkits, the feedback was unanimous: affordable results. So we put
scores of products to the test and found 20 that our team would rather not live without

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 9 3
 HONEST BEAUTY MAGIC BEAUTY BALM £16
-
Best for: Honestly? Pretty much everything. Created by clean beauty mogul
Jessica Alba, it’s great for moisturising your face, lips, hands – anything, really.
How it works: It harnesses some of nature’s most moisturising oils, including
coconut, sunflower, rose, jojoba, nobilis flower and shea butter.
Verdict: A multi-tasking hero if ever there was one. The balm is thick enough
to stop skin drying out and hair becoming tricksy (a lifesaver during cold spells or
long-haul flights), but it was post gym or swim – when I don’t have my entire hair-
styling kit to hand – that it really came into its own. It tames any flyaways post-hair
wash and, swiped across lips, cheekbones and eyelids, it gives a fresh dewy highlight.
Tested by Saskia Quirke, WH Fashion Director

SMASHBOX
ALWAYS ON
CREAM TO MATTE
LIPSTICK £19
-
Best for: Those who
want a matte lipstick
but find them drying THE INKEY LIST VITAMIN B, C
or uncomfortable. AND E MOISTURIZER £4.99
How it works: -
Thanks to a unique Best for: Skin maintenance. Think of
primer oil complex, this as a daily supplement for your face.
the formula glides on How it works: This lightweight
B E AU T Y L A B

LIXIR SKIN NIGHT
SWITCH ESSENTIAL
LIPIDS £20
- matte lipsticks really
Best for: Dry and dehydrated
skin. While it can be tricky to
tell the difference between the
two, Lixir founder Dr Colette
Hayden believes it’s not that
important, as the results are the
same: dullness, tightness and
visible patches of dead skin.
How it works: By targeting
dehydrated skin when it
switches into repair mode
overnight. The blend of
ceramides, essential fatty acids,
phospholipids and glycerides
rebuilds the lipids of the skin
cell membrane, reinforcing the
epidermal wall that traps water,
so skin is less able to dry out.
Verdict: This is one clever
skincare product because no
matter how much moisturiser
or hyaluronic acid you put on
skin, a lack of essential lipids
means it can’t retain water.
For me, this was obviously
where I was going wrong. I was
wary of the texture as it felt
a little greasy, but it’s really
worked to bolster the effects
of my follow-on moisturisers.
I’m totally sold on this one.
Tested by Perdita Nouril,
WH Beauty Editor
creamy but dries with moisturiser infuses skin with minerals
a matte finish. that slow down the glycation of
Verdict: I find most collagen, which leads to wrinkles. All
the while, vitamin B is busy controlling
awkward to wear and the flow of excess oil, while vitamins C
I’m constantly aware of and E provide the armour your skin
their presence on my needs to fight off harmful free radicals.
lips, but I barely noticed Verdict: This product quashes the idea
it with this formula. that decent skincare needs to be spenny.
Every time I checked The concertation of ingredients is
it in the mirror, it was enough to make a difference and it feels
still in place and lightweight but not too watery. It’s
looking fresh as ever. definitely the best moisturiser I’ve
Tested by Saskia come across for less than a fiver.
Quirke, WH Claudia Canavan, WH Digital
Fashion Director Beauty & Health Editor
CHARLOTTE TILBURY LIP CHEAT IN PILLOW TALK £17
-
Best for: Nailing a nude lip.
How it works: The original Pillow Talk Lip Cheat liner found
fame as the ultimate nude, with one sold every two minutes, so it
made sense to launch two new sub-shades. Pillow Talk Medium is
a warm berry pink and Pillow Talk Intense is a deep tawny brown.
Verdict: The Medium offering is my perfect match. The added
warmth to the pink hue works with the yellow undertones in my
skin. Now that I can actually wear it, I see what all the fuss is about.
It’s a colour that feels lived in – they’re my lips, but better.
Tested by Roisín Dervish-O’Kane, WH Senior Editor

9 4 | M AY 2 0 2 0 Women’s Health
 REAL TECHNIQUES CUSTOM
COMPLEXION BRUSH £11.99
-
Best for: Make-up novices and those with no time for a 30-brush set.
How it works: The brush has a slide mechanism on its side,
allowing you to switch up the density of the bristles so you can
customise your look. Want to go all out? Slide it to maximum
density, allowing the brush to lay down more product on the skin
for full coverage. Prefer the ‘I woke up like this’ look? Minimum
density gives you super light but even coverage.
Verdict: This game-changing brush is proof that you only need
one excellent tool to ace your base, allowing for total customisation.
My concealer brushes, beauty blender and stippling foundation
brush have been officially rendered obsolete.
LA ROCHE-POSAY Tested by Claire Sanderson, WH Editor-In-Chief
EFFACLAR MICRO
PEELING PURIFYING
GEL £14.50
-
Best for: Tackling bacne, ERBORIAN CC CRÈME
or any other pesky spots £18
that appear on your body. -
How it works: Skin on Best for: The days when you
the back and chest can be don’t want to wear a full face
up to five times thicker of make-up, but still want to
than on the face, so this protect skin and even it out. LAURA MERCIER PURE
micro-peeling purifying How it works: It uses black, CANVAS PRIMER £17
gel has been formulated red and orange pigments that -
with 2% salicylic acid to are encapsulated but dissolve Best for: Ensuring your make-up

reduce sebum secretion into the skin when applied. This
and clear out pores. means they’re not vulnerable to
Verdict: My body loves oxidation, so remain brighter in
exercise – my skin, colour and can adapt perfectly
however, isn’t such a fan, to your skin shade. Mineral-
and it tells me this with based SPF offers sun protection
random breakouts on without clogging pores, and hero
my back and chest after skincare ingredients, including
a sweaty workout. This centella asiatica and adenosine,
body cleanser was help to increase collagen
therefore a godsend. production, antioxidant activity
It cleared up random and reinforce the skin barrier.
pimples on my décolletage Verdict: The texture is so
after a few days, but fine, it melts on to skin and
wasn’t drying. It’s now is completely undetectable.
a staple in my washbag. When wearing it, I’ve been
Tested by Roisín complimented again and again
Dervish-O’Kane, on how great my skin looks
WH Senior Editor with no make-up. Guess the
cat’s out of the bag now, eh?
Tested by Perdita Nouril,
WH Beauty Editor
B E AU T Y L A B
goes the distance without the use
of silicone, the main culprit for skin
congestion that’s found in pretty
much every primer.
How it works: This water-based
and micro algae-infused primer
evenly smooths skin and, crucially,
forms a barrier between your face
and your foundation. This prevents
your skin from drinking up the
moisture in your foundation, which
is what makes it look patchy.
Verdict: This surpassed all
expectations. It subdued the
appearance of pores and redness
and meant I didn’t need to bother
with mid-day touch-ups.
Claudia Canavan, WH Digital
Beauty & Health Editor

NYX BORN TO GLOW! RADIANT CONCEALER £9

-
Best for: Banishing pesky dark circles without sinking into fine lines.
How it works: Micropearl pigments help to camouflage dull skin as they
reflect the light. Added vitamin E helps to moisturise thin under-eye skin.
Verdict: For a budget option, the formula is really good – it didn’t settle into
lines as promised, but this was only the case if I really moisturised my eye
area first. It’s the applicator that really gets my vote. It’s spherical, which
means it’s easy to blend without tugging back and forth on the skin. I also
like how there are 24 shades, so all complexion tones are covered.
Tested by Frankie Hill, WH Acting
Managing Editor/Picture Director

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 9 5
 11 12
DOVE DERMASPA BEAUTY SLEEP
MIDNIGHT MELTING BODY BALM £9.99
-
Best for: Anyone looking to give the same TLC
to the skin on their body as they do to their face.
How it works: It’s formulated with active cell moisturisers,
which encourage your skin cells to maintain moisture, making
skin texture feel smoother and look even in tone.
Verdict: I often neglect the skin on my body as I find it such a
chore, but this buttery texture nursed dry patches back to health
and soothed skin irritated from when I’ve shaved my legs in a
rush. Also, I didn’t have to use it every day, as the effects lasted.
I prefer this, as it means I can use it because I enjoy using it,
GARNIER FRUIT AHA rather than being a slave to it. The lavender was an added bonus,
SHOT FRESH-MIX too, as it helped to induce a sense of calm before falling into bed.
TISSUE MASK £3.99 Tested by Victoria Joy, WH Deputy Editor
-
Best for: Tackling the telltale
signs of a long, testing week

14
that creep up on your face.

13
Blame cortisol for this – L’ORÉAL INFALLIBLE
it can throw your hormonal 24H MATTE COVER
balance out, causing breakouts £9.99
or making skin look duller -
than dishwater. Best for: Those who have
How it works: It’s the oily or blemish-prone skin.
equivalent of a green juice for How it works: Infused JORDAN SAMUEL SKIN
your skin. First, it’s packed with with a blurring serum and THE AFTER SHOW
glycolic acid to slough away dead mattifying powders, this TREATMENT CLEANSER
B E AU T Y L A B

skin cells, revealing brighter foundation is able to reduce £20 

and healthier cells underneath.
It also includes anthocyanosides,
which are full of antioxidants
to protect against free radicals.
Verdict: Don’t expect miracles
when you peel it off after the
recommended 15 minutes.
Rather, it was the next morning
that my skin looked noticeably
better. My forehead felt smooth,
rather than grainy, and my
complexion looked perkier,
akin to turning the brightness
up on an Insta filter. For a
one-off treatment when skin
is in need of a pick-me-up, this
did the job admirably.
Tested by Frankie Hill,
WH Acting Managing
Editor/Picture Director
the appearance of oil on the
skin while managing to
conceal any blemishes. The
24-hour wear means it can
endure heavy gym sessions,
rain and humidity.
Verdict: I usually find
matte foundations a bit one-
dimensional and cakey, but
this felt fairly lightweight
and mattified my skin
without making it look flat.
The finish was diffused and
a little went a long way. It
put up a good fight when
I exercised, too, pretty
much staying in place.
Tested by Claudia
Canavan, WH Digital
Beauty & Health Editor
-
Best for: Removing heavy-
duty make-up.
How it works: Its emollients
and high levels of olive oil are
what makes it effective at lifting
away stubborn make-up or SPF.
Added aloe leaf juice means it’s
kind to sensitive skin types, too.
Verdict: It effectively removes
every last ounce of make-up, but
without leaving my skin feeling
like it’s been stripped.
Tested by Perdita Nouril,
WH Beauty Editor

BAREMINERALS PORELESS CLAY CLEANSER £19

-
Best for: Keeping dirt build-up at bay so pores don’t get wider.
How it works: Most cleansers simply work on the surface
of a pore, rather than reaching down to flush it out entirely,
so it remains clogged. This superfruit acid cleanser, however,
contains a cocktail of noni fruit, orange and lemon extracts
that are able to penetrate pores and dissolve the dirt inside.
Verdict: After three weeks of using it, I needed less concealer
and foundation to blur blackheads across my nose. I also liked
how it didn’t feel as though I’d used paint stripper on my face,
which some pore-cleansing formulas are guilty of.
Tested by Perdita Nouril, WH Beauty Editor

9 6 | M AY 2 0 2 0 Women’s Health
 THE BODY SHOP HEMP
HYDRATING & PROTECTING
SHOWER OIL £9
-
Best for: Providing an intense hit
of nourishment during your shower.
How it works: Its hero ingredient
is hemp, a plant rich in omega-3 and
CATRICE COSMETICS PRO NEXT-GEN NUDES & omega-6 fatty acids, which cleanses
PRO NEON EARTH SLIM EYESHADOW PALETTE and moisturises skin without
IN 010 ELEMENTS OF POWER £9.99 clogging pores, helping to protect
skin’s natural moisture barrier, too.
Best for: Those who fall hook, line and sinker for a Verdict: If I buy a shower oil for
dazzling 30-shade palette, only to just use a handful of them. less than £20, I usually find it
How it works: Fourteen shades and textures sit together doesn’t deliver on the luxury front.
in a way that makes blending easy. Look at it in four-square It lacks that spa-esque aroma or
sections, using those groupings to create one uniform look. doesn’t envelope my skin and
Verdict: I’m wary of splashing out on expensive palettes hydrate in the same way. This,
because I feel like I never have the time to experiment with however, has a gorgeous earthy
bold looks. But because this was only a tenner, it didn’t matter aroma and lathered beautifully.
so much. There were only five super-glittery textures, so It left my skin so soft, I didn’t need
I didn’t feel too overwhelmed and it became easy to figure to bother with a moisturiser.

B E AU T Y L A B
out how to layer them over the nude matte shades. Tested by Victoria Joy,
Tested by Saskia Quirke, WH Fashion Director WH Deputy Editor

MAX FACTOR FALSE LASH HADA LABO LOTION NO. 1

TED BAKER NEWYRK LIQUID
EYELINER £19
- your normal mascara.
Best for: Creating all manner of eye
looks, from floating liner to feline flicks.
How it works: Its genius lies in its
weighted top end, which gives you more
control when tracing along the lash line.
It’s also waterproof and smudge proof
and lasts 24 hours, thanks to polymeric
film formers that helps pigment stay put.
Verdict: Liquid eyeliner can be pretty
scary stuff. Making your wings look
symmetrical is infamously tricky, yet
the length and weight of the pen really
helped to make the task easier. The
pigment was intense and not watery
WORDS: PERDITA NOURIL
EFFECT PRIMER £11.99
- -
Best for: Boosting the effects of
How it works: Unlike most eyelash
primers, which contain white
pigments, Max Factor’s boasts blue,
which enhances the depth and
darkness of black mascara.
Verdict: I was convinced this
product would be all hype, but I was
mistaken. Although it adds extra
time to your routine, it’s worth
the effort, especially because the
effects of a recent lash-lengthening
treatment are starting to wear off, so
my lashes feel a bit stumpy. It gave
them renewed volume, but didn’t
SUPER HYDRATOR £15.95
Best for: Fans of retinol who suffer
dry skin as a side effect.  
How it works: Some hyaluronic acid
moisturisers only contain one or two
molecules, whereas this contains four,
including the much-hyped sodium
acetylated hyaluronate (super HA),
which is able to retain 2,000 times its
weight in water, rather than the usual
1,000. It therefore boosts moisture in
the skin way beyond the superficial.
Verdict: In Japan, a bottle sells every
two seconds. After using, it’s easy to
see why. I saw a difference in my skin
after just a few days. I applied it before
my anti-ageing serum and it felt easy

so didn’t feather once on my lids, which make them look clumpy when I to slip into my routine. The results are
is common when using other liners. followed with my normal mascara. addictive, which is great, as it comes
Tested by Perdita Nouril, Tested by Frankie Hill, in a massive bottle.
WH Beauty Editor  WH Acting Managing Tested by Claudia Canavan, WH
Editor/Picture Director Digital Beauty & Health Editor

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 9 7
 #SKINSHELFIE

Dija Ayodele
The aesthetician and founder of Black Skin Directory reveals what’s in her beauty arsenal

A typical day: Most DAY NIGHT M A K E- U P

mornings start with the
school run, followed by an
hour at the gym. When I get NEOSTRATA FOAMING DHC DEEP HOUSE OF GLAMDOLLS
home, it’s a quick shower GLYCOLIC WASH £23 CLEANSING OIL £24 GLAMLIFT WHEEL £15
then breakfast before work This is my favourite This is a staple for I don’t wear foundation,
THE EXPERT sets in. This consists of cleanser and I’ve used removing make-up so I just use this to dot
Dija Ayodele, 33, running my website, it for many years. With and sunscreen. It’s wherever I need a bit of
Founder of Black blackskindirectory.com, 18% glycolic acid, it super lightweight and extra coverage. Having
Skin Directory
which connects people of deep-cleans, exfoliates very efficient. A little darker skin means any
colour with expert skincare and brightens my skin really does go a long pigmentation from
professionals. I set it up after finding that very quickly. Left on way, which is very good breakouts is more
women of colour struggle to locate for a few minutes, it for my pocket in the pronounced, but this
dermatologists and skincare professionals acts as a mask. long run. concealer has been a
who are experienced in the demands of mainstay for over five
darker skin. I also run my clinic, West Room SKINBETTER SCIENCE OSMOSIS RENEW years. The consistency
B E AU T Y L A B

Aesthetics, and when I’m not seeing clients, REJUVENATE EVEN TONE ADVANCED RETINAL and coverage are great,
I’m working on growing my businesses. My CORRECTING SERUM SERUM £76.50 blending effortlessly
day tends to finish at 4pm when I do the £127 This serum contains with my skin.
school pick-up. To unwind, I like to read I use this every morning 0.15% retinaldehyde
a book or a magazine or put on a podcast – to tackle and prevent and is the only product MAC MINERALIZE
I love Myleik Teele’s Podcast and Yes, Girl! hyperpigmentation I use on my skin at SKINFINISH £26.50
– and go for a walk around the farm I live on. and discoloration. night. It has additional This is the best finishing
At the weekends, I spend my time with my I love the fact that it’s powerful ingredients, powder there is. I use it
two children – they’re six and one.  hydroquinone-free, so such as niacinamide daily to mattify my skin
doesn’t bleach the skin and beta glucan, to and it works wonders
Skincare philosophy: Focus on the but leaves it brighter rejuvenate the skin and without making it look
quality and combination of ingredients to and more even. fade dark marks for a flat and dull. I apply it
preserve long-term skin health, rather than more even complexion. all over my face after
using a copious number of products in ULTRASUN FACE my concealer.
a 10-step routine. Skin is a self-balancing ANTI-PIGMENTATION ZELENS LIP
organ and you confuse it when you flood SPF50+ £32 TREATMENT OIL £40 CHARLOTTE TILBURY
it with ingredients.   Sunscreen is a must, I can be prone to dry HOLLYWOOD LIPS IN
even for darker skin lips, and this luscious SCREEN SIREN £25
Skincare non-negotiable: Vitamin A tones. There’s a real oil instantly makes Because you can never
for accelerated cell turnover, exfoliation, lack of education when them feel plump and go wrong with a classic
collagen stimulation and fading it comes to people of hydrated. My routine red, especially one that
hyperpigmentation.   colour using SPF, which can be quite functional, doesn’t budge.
is why I set up a sun- so this adds a certain
Main skincare concern: Patches of post- awareness campaign beautifying element,
inflammatory hyperpigmentation after a last year, which as it smells lovely and SIGNATURE SCENT
breakout. When darker skin suffers any type Ultrasun supported. feels very luxe.
of inflammation, extra melanin is produced, It’s brown-skin-friendly FRÉDÉRIC MALLE
which is what hyperpigmentation is. – you don’t get any PORTRAIT OF A LADY
chalky white marks £165
– plus, the formula is I love this scent. The
lightweight, sits well blend of Turkish rose,
AS TOLD TO PERDITA NOURIL

under make-up and has patchouli, benzoin,

a clever ingredient called cinnamon and
Ectoin, which actively sandalwood is divine.
tackles discoloration. Every time I wear it,
I feel glamorous and
sophisticated.

9 8 | M AY 2 0 2 0 Photography | PIXELEYES
 B E AU T Y L A B

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 9 9
B E AU T Y L A B

1 0 0 | M AY 2 0 2 0 Women’s Health

acteria has had something of
a makeover. It was once confined to
conversations around the efficacy
of household cleaning products,
but a wealth of research and
resulting buzz around the natural
microbiome in human bodies has turned biotics –
both pre and pro – into mainstream terminology.
Plenty of you sat up, interest piqued, and soon fridge
doors were lined with kefir, brunch wasn’t brunch
without sourdough and Dr Megan Rossi was celebrity
first, PhD gut researcher second. The shift has given
rise to a whole new industry of probiotic foods and
supplements, and now – never one to be left behind
– the beauty industry is after its piece of the pie.
The truth is that your skin is covered in bacteria;
at any given moment, trillions of microscopic
single-cell organisms can be found whiling away
the day on the top layer of your epidermis. It’s a
microbiome, just as you have a microbiome in your
gut, and it exists all over your skin – face and body.
There are particularly common strains of bacteria
– take cutibacterium, staphylococcus hominis and
staphylococcus epidermidis, for example – but the
specific make-up of your microbiome is unique to
you and largely dictated by your genetics and
lifestyle, including where you live, what you eat and
the products you use. The function of this collection
Women’s Health
of bacteria is to protect the skin
and keep it healthy, just as the
bacteria in the gut work to ensure
your digestive system is running
efficiently and effectively. Scientists
know that diets low in fibre and
fruit and veg can cause an imbalance
in the gut microbiome, giving rise
to increased levels of bacteria that
aren’t helpful to the body; if these
get into the bloodstream and are
transported to skin cells, they’ve
been shown to trigger inflammation,
acne, redness and dryness, says
French cosmetic doctor Marie
Drago. If the skin microbiome is
compromised in a similar way – say,
by applying products that are too
abrasive or acidic or eating lots of
high-sugar foods – you’re more
vulnerable to environmental
stressors, such as pollution and
UV rays, resulting in inflammation,
loss of elasticity, acne, rosacea, sun
damage – the list goes on. So, the
thinking goes that if consuming
probiotic foods can help you
maintain a healthy gut, feeding
your skin with probiotics can help
the dermis in the same way.
WHAT’S BUGGING YOU?
The beauty industry has dabbled with
probiotic products for years, but rarely have
the bigger brands – or the average consumer
– taken note. Until now. A recent Mintel
report touted probiotics as one of the
biggest drivers of the UK facial skincare
market for 2020. Searches for ‘microbiome’
on Google increased 110% last year,
according to Treatwell’s Beauty Report
2019. ‘Probiotic skincare has been bubbling
away for some time now, but it’s only in the
past couple of years that it’s become a status
ingredient,’ says Lisa Payne, senior beauty
editor at trend intelligence business Stylus.
Lancôme Advanced Génifique Serum, £30,
which launched in 2009, contains seven
different prebiotic and probiotic extracts
in its anti-ageing formula. The Elizabeth
Arden Superstart range, created to bolster
your skin’s defences, blends skincare
darlings glycerin, ceramides and hyaluronic
acid with two strains of bacteria. And
smaller brands have centred their entire
ranges around the concept of probiotic
skincare. UK-based Aurelia Probiotic
Skincare’s Revitalise & Glow Serum, £64,
M AY 2 0 2 0 | 1 0 1
is a potent probiotic formula that increases collagen
production by 140%. In a probiotic skincare first,
Mother Dirt has harnessed live bacteria to level up
its products. The hero ingredient in the brand’s OA+
Mist, £49, is ammonia oxidising bacteria (AOB),
which naturally converts sweat into nitrate and nitrate
oxide, calming inflammation.
Brands aren’t turning to probiotic formulas without
cause. Research from the past decade points to the
theory that bad bacteria in your skin’s microbiome can
be warded off with the help of topical probiotics that
help good bacteria on the skin to thrive. In 2017, the
University of California, San Diego discovered that two
particular strains of bacteria – staphylococcus hominis
and staphylococcus epidermidis – can eliminate
staphylococcus aureus, found in higher quantities on
the skin of people with eczema. Scientists swabbed the
two strains of bacteria from the skin of an individual
eczema sufferer, cultivated it in a lab and incorporated
the microbes into a moisturising lotion. Next, they
applied the formula to the volunteer’s forearm and noted
an improvement in the condition within just a day.
What’s more, a year later, a study by the University of
Antwerp in Belgium found that applying lactobacillus
to mild-to-moderate acne can help reduce inflammatory
lesions and blackhead formation. The bacteria altered
the skin microbiome, specifically reducing the
abundance of staphylococcus.
FEED YOUR SKIN
As with all trends that have enjoyed a sharp rise in
popularity, there are those who question, if not the
legitimacy of probiotic skincare, then the blanket
claims that it would benefit everyone. Some question
the idea that particular strains of bacteria are suitable
for all skin types, given that everyone’s skin microbiome
is different. Mike Wilson, professor of microbiology
at University College London, has concerns.
‘Introducing any microbe that’s not part of the resident
microbiota of a particular body region is potentially
dangerous,’ he says. ‘Take lactobacillus: despite
research showing its positive effects on acne-prone
skin, it doesn’t occur naturally in healthy skin
microbiota. It’s very difficult to predict what it would
do to the microbial communities that reside there.’ Dr
Bernhard Paetzold, co-founder of S-Biomedic, which
designs therapeutic and cosmetic applications for the
WO R TH YO U R W H I LE
Microbiome crying out for TLC or doing just fine on its own? These probiotic buys will still deliver the goods…
Tula Skincare Gallinée Eye
Get Toned Pro- Contour
Glycolic 10% Cream, £22
Resurfacing The first
Toner, £30 product of
This resurfacing
its kind, it
gel is alcohol- harnesses
free and uses prebiotics
probiotics, (which feed
glycolic acid, probiotics)
and beetroot from algae
extract to to reduce
cleanse without dark circles,
upsetting the wrinkles and
microbiome. inflammation.
1 0 2 | M AY 2 0 2 0
skin microbiome, concurs.
‘Lactobacillus is naturally found
in the vaginal tract, but it’s not
part of the facial microbiome,’
he explains. ‘I would always
choose a strain that’s naturally
found on the area of the skin
you’re treating. Sadly, there’s
no one good strain that would
work for all applications.’
Dr Barbara Sturm, aesthetic
doctor and founder of her
eponymous skincare brand,
‘Probiotics have recently
become a status ingredient’
is keen for people to learn how
to live in harmony with their
skin in the first place, rather
than turn to probiotic formulas
to repair damage. ‘Healthy
skin is usually ever so slightly
acidic, with a pH between 4.2
and 5.6,’ she says. ‘This protects
it against all the damage life
throws at it, and naturally
prevents bad bacteria breeding.
So focus on hydrating and
strengthening your skin
barrier, which maintains the
pH, with ingredients such as
hyaluronic acid, niacinamide
and botanicals packed with
The Beauty Elizabeth Arden Superstart
Of Eczema Probiotic Boost Skin Renewal
Calming Biocellulose Mask, £40 for 4
Cream, £22 These luxurious masks deliver
Formulated a potent probiotic hit, helping
with Bioecolia,
optimise your skin’s microbiome.
a prebiotic to
help balance
the skin’s
ecosystem, this
creamy lotion
helps to protect
and soothe skin
that’s fallen prey
to eczema.
antioxidants.’ That should remove the
need for bacteria-specific skincare. The
growing preoccupation with clean-as-
a-whistle skin isn’t doing your dermis
any favours, either. Ingredients and
preservatives designed to strip the skin
can’t discern between good and bad
bacteria, so they’ll wipe out hundreds of
species of the good stuff, too. It’s the same
reason gut experts warn against colonic
treatments – to wash away the bad, you’re
likely to see the good disappear, too. Known
offenders include foaming sulphates (SLS),
which strip the skin of its natural oils, and
methylisothiazolinone (MI), a harsh
preservative that inhibits bacteria from
growing in the water found in skincare,
thereby extending its shelf life. Acids such
as glycolic and lactic, as well as physical
scrubs with grains or beads, have the ability
to make skin glow, but be aware that they’re
also culprits for stripping away everything
in their wake. ‘Every time you cleanse, it
takes around four hours for the acid mantle,
the skin’s outermost protective layer, to
re-form,’ explains Dr Joshua Zeichner,
dermatologist at Mount Sinai Hospital, NYC.
At the end of the day, you’re unlikely to
stop cleansing your face or turning away
from acids that promise glowing skin, so it’s
about weighing up the pros and cons of each
product you use: if probiotic skincare allows
you to find the sweet spot between getting
rid of daily grime and build-up without
letting bad bacteria run riot, happy days.
And if the idea doesn’t seduce you now,
know that research into identifying more
strains of beneficial skin bacteria is
developing at pace, and experts believe that
advanced formulas will benefit your skin. So
keep an eye out as you quaff your kombucha.
Murad Hydration
Prebiotic 4-In-1
MultiCleanser,
PHOTOGRAPHY: TAYLOR RAINBOLT/GALLERY STOCK
£38
This nourishing
ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES
wash includes an
ultra-cleansing
peptide to banish
make-up, dirt
and excess oil,
while moisturising
emollients and
prebiotics
hydrate and
nurture the skin.
Women’s Health
 One family.
Two athletes.
A stirring story
of resilience...
Two ye ar s ag o, the Da ns on s is ter s we re o n top of th e
spor ting world, but, following a s taggering period
of mis for tune, both are now recove ring from
life - changing injurie s . Here, Claire and Alex
tell th eir s tor y to Vic toria Woodhall

1 0 4 | M AY 2 02 0 Photography | TOM JENKINS

S LUG
S I SG
T OE
E R SAC
HTER E

Women’s Health

hould you need a poster family for how
sport can save your life, it would be Alex
and Claire Danson: Alex, 34, one of Great
Britain’s most-capped women’s hockey
players, Olympic gold medallist and MBE,
and little sister Claire, 31, European
triathlon champion. As remarkable as it is
for one ordinary family to have produced
S I S T E R AC T
two world-class athletes, that’s only where
this remarkable story of exceptional highs
and life-changing lows begins.
It’s early January when I meet them.
It’s the start of an Olympic year and the
excitement around British sport is building
faster than a Dubai skyscraper. But we’re
not meeting in the buzzy Shinjuku district
of Tokyo, where the games are due to take
place in July, nor Hampshire, where the
sisters call home. We’re in the spinal unit
at Salisbury District Hospital, where Claire
has been recovering for the past four
months. Last August, she collided with
a tractor while riding her bike. She broke
almost every bone in her body, fractured
her skull, punctured both lungs and was
paralysed from the waist down. She was
not predicted to live. ‘Doctors said the
only reason Claire survived was because
she was so fit,’ says Alex. Then, turning to
her sister, she says: ‘They told us you’re
superhuman – and that’s true, you are.’
Alex has been a near-constant presence at
her sister’s side since the accident. That the
elite athlete has been able to spend so much
time here while her teammates are in the
final phases of their Olympic training can be
explained by the staggering misfortune of
the first freak accident to befall their family,
12 months before Claire’s crash. Alex was on
holiday with her now husband, also called
Alex, in Kenya when, in the throes of
laughter, she threw her head back and hit it
against a concrete wall, causing an injury so
severe that doctors believe it caused a bleed
on her brain. Very quickly, it significantly
1 0 6 | M AY 2 0 2 0
Above: Claire
competing in a
triathlon before
her accident
Right: Claire (left)
with sister Alex
reduced her ability to live a normal life. After she
returned home from Kenya, artificial lights and loud
noises brought on excruciating headaches and eye pain,
rendering everyday interactions nigh on impossible.
She’s been working ever since to regain her fitness and
level of function. Motioning around the spinal unit cafe harder than expected and you’ll
where we’re sitting, Alex ponders: ‘The godsend in all get from life what you put into
of this is that because of my injury, I’ve not been able it,”’ says Alex. She knew from
to compete, so I’ve been able to be here [with Claire].’ the age of 12 that hockey was
all she wanted to do. Claire
FAMILY VALUES recalls being dragged along
It’s only been 24 hours since Alex was last here, but when to countless training sessions
I arrive, she’s listening intently as Claire talks about her and matches, doing her
latest milestone – swimming on her front. Until now, homework en route in the car,
Claire has had to swim on her back, supported by a being gifted a spare medal if the
physiotherapist. In a major step towards independence, team won. Aged 16, Alex was
she’s now finding her stroke on her front, albeit with a picked for the national team,
snorkel until she regains rotation in her fractured neck. which meant time away from
‘Did you do lengths?’ asks Alex. ‘Yes, but they weren’t her studies. She opted to study
pretty,’ answers Claire. ‘But it’s major, look how far two A-levels rather than the
you’ve come…’ says Alex, with the insight of someone usual three and ended up
who understands the power of progressive milestones. dropping out of university
Their closeness is nothing new. The sisters grew up after a year to focus on hockey.
in Hampshire with their brother, who runs his own Over the course of a decade,
business. When I ask where the athletic gene comes between taking time away for
from, Alex credits her ‘mega sporty’ mum and ‘mega the Olympics and completing
clever’ dad with always encouraging them to do what modules from far-flung corners
they wanted, while putting in the hours to make sure of the globe, she got a degree
each of their three children had the opportunity to in open studies (a course that
achieve it. ‘Mum and Dad always said: “Work a bit allows you to study modules
from various subjects) from
The Open University. ‘All of the
decisions I’ve made have been
Women’s Health

towards being a good hockey player,’ she
explains. ‘Good’ is putting it mildly, of
course. Who could forget the buzz around
Great Britain’s women’s hockey team during
Rio 2016, when the squad aced game after
game, then beat the Netherlands, the
defending champions, in a dramatic penalty
shoot-out to win gold. The following year,
Alex was made captain of the England team,
awarded an MBE and launched the Alex
Danson Hockey Academy, which aims to get
children into the sport.
Being at the peak of her career when she
suffered her head injury, in September 2018,
made it all the more painful to accept. ‘One
of the hardest parts in all of this, aside from
the physical trauma, has been losing my
identity,’ she reflects. ‘Going from leading
my country, aspiring to qualify for the Tokyo
Olympics, to just trying to get through a day.’
In the immediate aftermath of the accident,
she didn’t seek medical help. She tried to go
about life normally, even showing up for
training sessions. But when she started
being violently sick and having seizures six
weeks later, she was rushed to hospital with
a suspected bleed on the brain. While there
was no evidence of one, so much time had
passed since the accident that doctors
believed it could have gone undetected.
Alex went from being an elite athlete to
moving back in with her family, as the noise
of building work meant she couldn’t return
to the house she and her partner Alex
shared. ‘I couldn’t tolerate people, noise,
Women’s Health
Above: Alex
captaining
England on the
hockey pitch
conversation, more than one
person talking at once,’ she
says. ‘Or us talking at normal
speed,’ interjects Claire. ‘We
all had to talk really slowly and
really quietly – which was fine
‘I went from leading my country
to just trying to get through a day’
once we learned that’s what
we had to do.’ It was Claire,
who then worked from home
as a private tutor, who became
Alex’s lifeline, spending every
day by her side. Nights were the
worst. ‘I felt so dizzy and I’d get
Left: Claire
undergoing
physiotherapy in
the spinal unit at
Salisbury District
S I S T E R AC T
this horrible feeling all over my body,’ Alex remembers.
‘I didn’t like being on my own – it’s so pathetic. It was
dark and I was scared. Claire would come in and lie
in my bed and stay until she knew I was asleep, then
get up at 4.45am to do her triathlon training.’
SHATTERING STIGMAS
While the Danson family was picking up the pieces
following Alex’s accident, Claire’s athletic career
was going from strength to strength. She came to
competitive sport later than her sister, in her mid-
twenties, but had always been a good runner – bored
at work one day, she entered the South Downs
Marathon. Training for the race gave her the running
bug and, in her quickest 26.2, she clocked an impressive
three hours, 17 minutes. ‘But I’d always get injured
doing long races, so I tried swimming and cycling,
too, and started doing triathlons,’ she adds. In May
2019, Claire won the ETU Triathlon European
Championships in the 30-34 age group and was within
touching distance of meeting all the requirements for
turning professional. On the morning of the crash,
she’d been for a swim with a friend, then set off on
her bike for a training ride on a route she’d ridden
hundreds of times before. The last thing she remembers
was a vehicle coming around the corner towards her.
M AY 2 0 2 0 | 1 07

That Claire even survived the accident
is nothing short of extraordinary. Doctors
suspect she wouldn’t have were it not for
the family friend – a retired anaesthetist
– who arrived at the scene by chance and
realised she needed an air ambulance. The
family rushed to her bedside and were told
to expect the worst. ‘We were sat down by
a doctor – who we renamed Dr Doom –
and told that Claire might never move, and
might be on a ventilator for the rest of her
life,’ Alex recalls. But to their shock and
delight, Claire raised her arm. ‘It was
probably day two or three, but it felt like a
long, long time,’ says Claire. ‘I had no other
way of getting attention.’ She began to spell
out words through the painstaking process
of squeezing someone’s finger while they
pointed to letters on a board; Alex could
guess what her sister was saying from just
a few letters. She spelled out a plea to her
family to check that she was being operated
on by the best surgeon, and in a clear
S I S T E R AC T
statement of intent, the word ‘para-athlete’.
Seven months on, Claire’s been told
that she’ll never walk again. And yet, her
Instagram profile (@cdanson10) is a
compelling catalogue of life lessons that
everyone should read – and heed. It’s filled
with the unvarnished truth, rather than
unrelenting positivity. In one picture, taken
by Alex, Claire is sobbing in their mother’s
arms. ‘You have to be truthful,’ she tells me,
speaking of her goal to destigmatise life in
a wheelchair, starting with the idea that the
hardest part is not walking. ‘It’s a ridiculous
misconception. Not being able to walk is
really the easy part…’ She speaks candidly
about her exasperation with no longer
being able to do a lot of everyday things,
including going to the toilet. Describing
the mortification of wetting herself when
her catheter becomes blocked, she tells me
that she hopes her experience will lift some
of the shame around the subject. When
I ask Claire how she manages her periods,
she says that she hasn’t had one since her
accident. ‘It may just be the shock,’ consoles
Alex. ‘I don’t know, I haven’t actually had
that conversation,’ says Claire, and makes
a note-to-self to bring it up with the doctors.
But the biggest challenge she’s facing now
is the loss of everything she’d trained for.
While her physical progress and steadfast
determination have left those treating her
stunned – she completed her first
wheelchair 5k unaided in January and is
planning to compete in the UK Inter Spinal
Unit Games at Stoke Mandeville Stadium,
the birthplace of the Paralympic movement,
1 0 8 | M AY 2 0 2 0
in April – she describes her frustration at having to
adjust her expectations for the future she’d planned
for herself. ‘There’s lots of stuff we can do [in hospital],
but it’s nothing like going out in the real world,’ she
says. ‘I never quite got where I wanted to with triathlon.
I feel like I still have something to do, but it will be
something different. It’s working out what it is.’ As for
her personal life, she’s been told that she can still have
children. When I mention that I have a family member
in a similar situation, who became a mother in a
wheelchair and whose son is now 10, I can see that this
makes her emotional. ‘The only thing I ever really
wanted was to have a family,’ she says. ‘If someone said
to me, you can do triathlon, but you can’t have a family, international hockey via a
I’d say, “Oh well, I love triathlon, but I’d rather be heartfelt stream of thank yous
a mother instead.” It wouldn’t really be a choice.’ to the people who made her
career possible – with the
ATHLETIC MINDSET caveat that it was not ‘a sad
It’s clear that, despite what’s been thrown at them both, retirement’. Her glass-half-
thinking like athletes and team players is in the Danson full attitude doesn’t surprise
DNA. Alex, the experienced captain, encouraging and me – throughout our
rallying; Claire, the fierce competitor, working on conversation, if ever there’s
making marginal gains. Board games are now an outlet an upside or a point of gratitude
for their competitive energy: Rummikub and Dobble to be found, the sisters won’t
are favourites. Playing takes Claire’s mind off things, but let the discussion move on
is also a great chance to reconnect as a family. ‘I always until it’s mentioned.
‘There are moments when
I feel desperately sad.
And then I get up anyway’
win,’ she jokes. Perhaps they’re both so used to I wonder if the same steely
pushing boundaries, breaking records, defying odds, determination that gets a
that they believe they can take on anything. ‘There’s person out of bed pre-5am for
a little part of me that thinks maybe [I’ll walk again], training sessions, and spurs
because you never know,’ says Claire. ‘I haven’t given them on after a brutal defeat,
up that idea because I think, if you give it up, then it’s can be drawn upon during the
never going to happen.’ But while there’s some darkest of times. I put this to
interesting stem cell research working towards helping Claire. ‘I think you take all of
people who are paralysed to regain movement, she’s those things that you have, like
not pinning her hopes to it. ‘I figure the best you can the motivation, dedication, the
do is continue to work with what you have and see if determination,’ she replies. ‘All
any little bits [of movement] come back, which could of those things that you apply
happen, and then see where it develops.’ to sport can be applied to any
Claire’s biggest personal goal at the moment is to situation. If I was ever injured,
go home – her parents are building a ground floor wet or finding something difficult
room and making other minor adjustments to the with training, it would be like,
house ready for her return. She says that she’s lucky “Well, [giving up] is not an
she’s small in stature, so the doors don’t need widening option, you just get on with it.”
to accommodate her chair. As for Alex, at the time of our It’s kind of the same here. Not
interview, she was working towards competing in Tokyo, doing a physio session and not
with an acute awareness that it may not be possible. The getting up isn’t really an option.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES; INSTAGRAM
following month, she announced her retirement from It would be the easiest thing to
say life’s a bit rubbish and I just
can’t be bothered to deal with
it. There are moments where
I just cry, where I feel desperately
sad and that it’s not fair. And
then I get up anyway.’
Women’s Health
 Claire

Alex

Pictured here with her mother,

Claire shares one of her
darkest moments, as the
reality of leaving her ‘able-
bodied triathlon’ days behind
her sinks in.
-
Alex with her husband, also
called Alex; the couple were on
holiday in Kenya when Alex
injured her head.
-
Just 17 weeks after the
accident, Claire spends three
days at home with Alex and
the family over Christmas,
having previously needed
round-the-clock care.
-
Alex at a yoga retreat in
Wales; she describes how
yoga helped her to live in the
moment, when it was tempting
to focus only on her future.
-
A declaration of independence:
Claire posts this picture on
Instagram, showing followers
her incredible achievement –
her first solo 5k, only four and
a half months after her accident.
-
Alex was part of the gold-
winning Team GB at the 2016
Olympics. She had hoped to
compete in Tokyo, but recently
announced her retirement
from international hockey.

Women’s Health M AY 2 02 0 | 1 0 9
1 1 0 | M AY 2 02 0
 A s stor
harassm i e s o f
inside U t e n
make h K g yms
within te a d l ines
fitness h e
WH ask w o r ld,
s
we need o : d
rules of n e w
engage
WORDS
ment?
ROISÍN
DERVIS
H-O’KA
NE

Women’s Health M AY 2 02 0 | 1 1 1

T O O C L O S E F OR C OM F OR T
he conversation around consent, power
imbalance and blurred lines has been
getting louder, driven by brave women
speaking out about historical incidents,
and has been largely centred around the
casting couch, boardroom and public
transport. But there’s one area in which
it’s never really been fully explored – the
fitness arena – and recent ongoing social
media storms suggest it should be.
In June 2019, survey data from reviews
site FitRated found that 71% of women
have had an interaction or experience
at the gym that has made them feel
uncomfortable, while a survey from
March this year by booking platform
mindbodyonline.com showed that 37% of
women in the UK are likely to encounter
unwanted romantic attention in the gym.
To try to work out how big a problem
sexual harassment is within the UK health
and fitness world, we asked you. In the
main, the picture is positive. Among the
5,000+ people who responded to a poll we
posted on WH’s Instagram Stories, 95%
reported that they hadn’t been touched
inappropriately in a workout class; 94%
reported never experiencing a yoga
teacher coming too close for comfort when
adjusting their form; and 89% hadn’t been
made to feel uncomfortable in a PT session.
1 1 2 | M AY 2 02 0
And yet, that leaves over 1,200 incidents where a
fitness professional did cross a line. To be clear, we’re
not talking about serious sexual assault or violence
here, but smaller acts and words that, according to
your stories, take place in poorly staffed leisure
centres and luxury £20-a-class studios alike. Small or
not, these encounters still have serious consequences,
and they deserve to be aired.
SPEAKING OUT
Until 2017, Charlotte Foster was a regular at the industry-specific. From his
North London branch of a studio that offers high- research on contemporary
intensity interval workouts. ‘I loved it, until I noticed fitness culture, University
that one of the trainers would habitually sexualise of Winchester sociologist Dr
the movements he was asking us to do and provide Luke Turnock has learned
corrections in a similar manner,’ the 33-year-old that many women – and men
business consultant tells WH. ‘He’d correct – believe the gym has become
deadlifts with directions to “bend over like you were a significantly more sexualised
taking it from behind”.’ Project manager Kristine space in recent years. Some
Weeks, 30, had a similar experience a few years ago reasons are obvious, such as
at a relatively high-end, medium-sized gym chain. ‘A fit kit brands popularising
trainer who’d started off being friendly began making an aesthetic of tight leggings
faces at me in the mirror when I was on the treadmill; and barely there crop tops
running his tongue round his lips,’ she recalls. ‘The on sexually suggestive models.
final straw was when he made a gesture on the machine Other contributing factors
next to me about my bum while I was squatting; I was are less so. ‘The mirrors, the
completely mortified.’ For others, inappropriate lighting, even the way the
behaviour didn’t just impede their workouts, it machinery is positioned
made them fear for their safety. ‘I’d booked a session in many gyms gives the
with a trainer after he approached me in the gym impression of being “on
of my local leisure centre to correct my squat form,’ stage”, which can contribute
recalls Nadja Cook*, 29, from London. ‘We were to a feeling that the gym is
communicating via text and, after we couldn’t find all about looks,’ he explains.
a good time to meet, he began sending random Dr Turnock has a theory
messages asking how I was and then he started drunk about how this performative
texting me – even trying to come over to my house.’ feeling could translate into
This isn’t a story playing out exclusively in harassment. ‘Some male
testosterone-fuelled gym environments either. exercisers – especially those
Accusations of sexual harassment at the hands who subscribe to “lad culture”
of yoga trainers have been murmured within the – may take this as a signal
yoga community for years; accusations given a global that certain behaviours are
platform last November when the documentary acceptable in this social
Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator dropped on Netflix. context, where they wouldn’t
It details the sexual harassment and assault that be in others. For example:
former students of Bikram Choudhury, founder “She must want to be looked
of the eponymous hot yoga method, claim to have at because she is on show;
been subjected to while under his tutelage. therefore, it is acceptable for
While no one within the WH community shared me to comment on her looks
experiences as extreme as these, several reported and make sexual comments.”’
times when yoga teachers’ actions marred the calm As for professionals who cross
they were seeking in the session. Like when a teacher the line? ‘With some personal
in tiny shorts leaned his groin forward on to Claire trainers buying into these
O’Keefe*, from Glasgow, while her bum was in the air cultures, too, I can see a
in downward dog pose. ‘He held me there for what scenario where it could
felt like an eternity and I felt horribly aware of what encourage that sort of
it must have looked like,’ she tells WH. ‘I spent the behaviour,’ adds Dr Turnock.
whole class distracted, trying to ensure my form was According to Cathy Brown,
perfect so he wouldn’t do it again. But he did, multiple former professional boxer and
times. I was 24, had only been practising yoga for
a year, and didn’t feel like I could say anything.’
ANATOMY OF A SCANDAL
How did we get here? Francine Davis, chief strategy
officer at PureGym, told the BBC that gyms mirror
the world outside – that ‘harassment can happen in
any area of life’, implying that this is a societal issue.
But others believe that elements of this story are
Women’s Health

now trainer at Third Space,
London, harassment by
coaches in gyms seems to
have become a bigger problem
in recent years. ‘I get people
approaching me saying, “What
shall I do? I’m working out in
the gym alone and a trainer
keeps interrupting me, asking
for a date or trying to push me
to sign up for PT sessions,”’
she tells WH. ‘Gyms put these
trainers – often young men
– under pressure because
they have to hit their numbers
and recruit clients, but they
need to be told how to do this
with a bit of etiquette and
awareness.’ Nike trainer Luke
Worthington agrees, but
believes the foundations of
potential problems are laid
when would-be PTs are
training. ‘The fitness business
is booming and a consequence
of this is that a professional
barrier to entry – which has
always been too low – is
Women’s Health
‘ I ’ M ALWAYS ON GUARD
I N TH E GYM NOW ’
Rebecca Erin, 26, a secondary school
teacher from Cardiff
I used to be someone who wholeheartedly
loved the gym – until I was sexually
harassed at the Birmingham leisure centre
I attended most days. One trainer always
approached me to chat and was soon asking
about my personal life. He was big, imposing
and pushy, repeatedly asking me to train
with him – I only eventually said yes
because he promised to stop asking. I felt
uncomfortable in that first session and, at
the end, he asked for my number. When I
said I didn’t want another session, he said
this wasn’t about training and, when I said
I had a boyfriend, he said: ‘He doesn’t need
to know.’ I went straight to the female
receptionist but was essentially told: be
grateful for getting male attention. I felt
small, stupid and unsafe. Relocating to
Cardiff meant I could start again, but it’s
changed who I am in the gym. I wear baggy
kit to avoid unwanted attention and am cold
and abrasive if any men try to talk to me.
It’s not an ideal coping strategy but, right
now, it’s what I rely on to feel in control.
almost non-existent,’ he explains.
‘Qualifications are being offered on way
too little contact time, meaning people are
getting jobs in positions of responsibility
with little to no training. And if there’s
not enough time to properly teach the
fundamentals of personal training, then
it’s not too much of a stretch to assume
that issues around etiquette and consent
aren’t being adequately covered.’
IMPACT ASSESSMENT
When the women WH spoke to took
their concerns to those in charge in person,
the responses were mixed. For Nadja,
returning to the gym and risking running
into the man who had been harassing her
over text was out of the question. ‘I just
cancelled my membership,’ she says. ‘I
emailed the leisure centre to report the
individual, but they never got back to me.’
Charlotte received an equally lacklustre
‘He made a
T O O C L O S E F OR C OM F OR T
gesture about
my bum while
I was squatting
– I was mortified’
response: ‘On the couple of times that
I sought the trainer out after class to
complain about his behaviour, he’d just
laugh it off. Eventually, it got so bad that
I stopped going to that studio, forfeiting
the cost of a number of sessions I’d
already paid for.’ The male receptionist
at Kristine’s former gym was horrified
and gave her a full refund after she
complained about the trainer making
sexual gestures. However, the female
manager at another London gym laughed
off one woman’s complaint about a PT
asking her out and then proceeding to
insult her appearance after she declined
his advances as ‘gym floor banter’.
Women who do complain are in the
minority, both among the stories
submitted to us and the aforementioned
FitRated data, the latter of which found
that 50% of respondents chose to leave
the scene after more serious instances of
harassment, and only 16% felt confident
enough to confront their harassers, either
publicly or privately. Why, then, are
smart, self-assured women struggling to
speak up and make a formal complaint
against an individual or facility? Many
women who reached out to us feared
making a fuss, while a lack of adequate
infrastructure to report issues
anonymously was a barrier for others.
Some, like Claire, didn’t feel able to say
M AY 2 02 0 | 1 1 3
 anything about the instructor
pressing his crotch into her
bum as she assumed that he
– the expert – must be right.
‘I told myself I was being a
prude and that he was just
doing a yoga teacher’s job,’
she recalls. ‘I’d never have
dreamed of saying anything.’
We reached out to seven of
the UK’s biggest gym chains,
asking for their harassment
policies, and the picture isn’t
particularly encouraging.
From one, we heard nothing.
Two made the right noises but,
at the time of writing, hadn’t
provided their respective
policies. Representatives for
another, implicated in a few
of the stories we received,
appeared hesitant to provide
one, even after a telephone
‘I told myself I was being a prude
T O O C L O S E F OR C OM F OR T
and that he was just doing his job’
conversation. Virgin Active’s
senior communications
officer assured us that the
chain had a dedicated
safeguarding team in place
and would involve the police
where appropriate. EasyGym’s
CEO wrote back to say that
they'd remove the offending
party, be they an employee,
self-employed trainer or a
member. And AnyTime Fitness
– a budget gym with branches
across London – said that staff
or gym goers’ memberships
would be terminated if they
fell short of the behaviour
and etiquette rules outlined
in their joining contract.
The collective response
suggests that the industry has
a way to go when it comes to
taking this issue seriously –
let alone adequately tackling
it. Of course, there are pockets
of progress. One WH staffer
1 1 4 | M AY 2 02 0
attended a barre class at a studio in London where
attendees were asked whether they were happy to be
touched; another is training for a PT qualification
that does, encouragingly, contain information on
asking clients whether they want to be touched.
Some studios even provide small consent cards that
you can leave at the front of your mat to indicate
whether you’re happy to be corrected via touch or
not. If your regular haunt doesn’t use them, you can
buy them online, or make your own. Because, while
there’s nothing wrong with adjusting form, no one
should ever feel like it’s mandatory. ‘There’s no
exercise that absolutely requires physical contact
in order to coach,’ says Worthington, plainly.
‘Everything can be taught, and taught well, through
demonstration and explanation.’
UNDER CONTROL
What Brown believes fitness spaces really need is
a better understanding of boundaries from those
operating within them. ‘A boundary is a guideline,
rule or limit you create in order to show how you
want people to behave around – and communicate
with – you,’ explains psychotherapist Jennie Miller,
author of Boundaries (£9.99, Harper Collins).
In an ideal world, Brown believes all fitness
professionals should be capable of reading clients’
body language and asking what they are and aren’t
comfortable with. But, as things stand right now,
she believes the onus of responsibility lies on
exercisers to lay down their own terms (see her guide,
right). ‘There’s an element of personal responsibility
here,’ she explains. ‘Yes, you are paying a trainer to
lead the session, but you still have to say: “This is
me; this is what I feel comfortable with.”’ The same
applies in a yoga setting; perhaps show up a little
early so you’re able to have a quiet word with the
teacher before the whole class files in.
On leaving the gym, full refund credited back to
her debit card, Kristine wrestled with a sense of
unease. Yes, she’d reported her concerns, and been
vindicated, but there lingered a worry that she was
blowing it out of proportion. ‘I really didn’t want to
make a big deal out of it, but I couldn’t leave without
saying anything,’ she reflects. ‘But now, possibly
because of the way the media has raised awareness
around harassment, I’m confident that I wouldn’t
wait to report a staff member being so inappropriately
sexual with me. I’d like to think that I wouldn’t stress
over speaking up, either. If something or someone
has made you feel uncomfortable then, 99% of the
time, what’s going on isn’t right.’
It’s a conclusion that Worthington backs
wholeheartedly. ‘People feel unsure as to what the
“rules” are in fitness spaces, and when it’s okay to
complain,’ he says. ‘But the rules about how people
treat you are your own. If someone’s behaviour
makes you feel uncomfortable, you don’t have to
tolerate that under any circumstances or in any
setting.’ Got it? Good. Now pass it on.
H OW TO C R E AT E
YOUR WORKOUT
BOUNDARIES
Trainer Cathy Brown on how to
draw the line in the gym – and
what to do if it’s crossed
EXPRESS YOUR NEEDS
If you know that you don’t like hands-
on adjustments, say so at the start.
A good trainer will try to get to know
you, giving you an opportunity to say:
‘I don’t particularly like being touched
when I’m doing exercises.’ If they don’t,
ensure you make your needs heard. 
OBSERVE A PT AT WORK
Don’t commit to spending your money
on a bundle of training sessions before
you’ve been able to get to know their
style. It’s absolutely fine to say: ‘Look,
maybe we can do one session first, just
to see how we get on.’
THINK: HOW DO YOU WANT
TO COMMUNICATE?
Many trainers prefer to keep in contact
via WhatsApp or text, but if that
doesn’t work for you, say so. Email can
be less in-your-face and allows you to
retain an element of formality.
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES. ICONS: DELTA/ADRIEN COQUET/GREGOR CRESNAR/ LINE ICONS PRO/ADNEN
KADRI/GUILHERME FURTADO/AZIZ FATHU ROHMAN AT NOUN PROJECT. *NAME HAS BEEN CHANGED
RAISE YOUR CONCERNS
If you don’t have any problem with
hands-on adjustments, but your
trainer’s actions have become sexually
suggestive, it’s important to express
that it’s not acceptable. If they take
offence? They’re not a good trainer.
REPORT ANY ISSUES IN WRITING
If someone has behaved inappropriately
with you – trainer or fellow gym goer
– report it. Email the manager and
include as much detail as you can. Feel
like you’re making a fuss? Think: you’re
calling out unacceptable behaviour,
which hopefully means such behaviour
won’t impact anyone else in future.
Women’s Health
DR OPPI N G PI L L S

Y
ou’d probably years, poisonings from
think of diet DNP – a chemical that’s
pills as a almost as explosive as
public health TNT, the compound in
crisis we’ve already dynamite – are at
dealt with, legislated a record high once
for and moved on from. again. WH reports on
But after a steady fall in the unlikely comeback
cases over the past few of a worrying trend…
WORDS MEGAN TATUM

1 1 6 | M AY 2 0 2 0 Women’s Health
Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 1 1 7

bigail Davies felt like she was
on fire. Within an hour of
swallowing two small pastel-
DR OPPI N G PI L L S
yellow capsules, the teenager
began to sweat profusely and lay
down on the sofa at her parents’
house, attempting to conceal
the overwhelming effects of the
chemical she’d just chosen to
ingest. Her body began to heat
at such an alarming rate, the
noise from the TV quickly
melted into nothing and she
lost the power of speech. What
Abigail, then 15 years old, had
taken was poison. The tablets
she’d ordered online days
earlier were marketed as a
weight-loss supplement, but
they contained 2,4-dinitrophenol
(DNP) – a chemical that’s
nearly as explosive as TNT, the
compound used in dynamite.
‘It felt like I was burning from
the inside out,’ Abigail, now 27,
tells WH. ‘That’s the only way
I can think to describe it. There
was a point where I thought to
myself: “This is it. This is where
it ends.”’ The circumstances
that led the teenager from
Swansea to this point were
complicated and, with hindsight,
she describes her mindset that
day as ‘desperate’, so intent
was she on shedding weight.
While Abigail’s story is deeply
distressing, it isn’t unheard of
– because we’ve been here
1 1 8 | M AY 2 0 2 0
before. DNP has been in and out of the headlines for
decades. It was in the munitions factories of the First
World War where its use as a potential weight-loss drug
was first recognised; workers exposed to the chemical
suffered fatigue, excessive sweating and elevated body
temperature, plus an unbidden drop in weight. By the
1930s, it was being billed by pharmacists and drug firms
in the US as a magic bullet for slimming, until its severe
side effects – everything from fever and vomiting to
heart attacks and comas – led to it being banned in many
countries around the world. The UK took longer than
most; it wasn’t until 2003, nearly 70 years after the US,
that the Food Standards Agency (FSA) issued an urgent
warning that DNP wasn’t fit for human consumption.
The warning came in response to the rising use of
DNP among amateur bodybuilders, who were using
the drug to burn fat and build muscle, trading advice
and stockists on online forums.
It was arguably the death of 21-year-old student
Eloise Parry in 2015 that cemented DNP in the British
public’s consciousness. In the weeks leading up to her
death, Eloise was admitted to hospital multiple times,
suffering from side effects of taking the drug. On 12
April 2015, she took eight capsules and died hours later
at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. Her tragic death reignited
the debate around DNP, leading the FSA to launch an
awareness campaign around its dangers. The statistics
suggest it was effective; data from the National Poisons
Information Service (NPIS) shows that use of DNP
steadily declined in the years following. Until 2018
that is, when cases suddenly spiked. In the 10 months
between January and September 2018, there were 17
cases referred to the NPIS, compared with 12 in the
whole of 2017 – an increase of 40%, with 35% of these
cases tragically proving fatal. Considering the cases
noted by NPIS are only those that make it to A&E,
there’s really no way of knowing how widespread use
of DNP currently is. What is clear, experts say, is that
young and often vulnerable women are making up
a far bigger proportion of users than before. In these
switched-on, health-literate times, why is this deadly
drug making a comeback?
CHEMICAL REACTION
When Abigail typed her details into the online form to
purchase a pack of DNP, she was fully aware of the risk
– but in her mind, in that moment, it was a risk worth
taking. She was first taken to the doctor six years earlier,
but while her GP suspected she was suffering with
anorexia, she was told her weight wasn’t low enough to
receive treatment. ‘An eating disorder is like a cancer,’
Abigail says. ‘If left untreated, it spreads and gets worse.
The longer it went on, the more it controlled my
thoughts. I needed to do anything I possibly could to
satisfy my eating disorder and was already taking up
to 100 laxatives a day when I discovered DNP.’ A simple
online search into fast ways to lose weight promptly
led her to a website selling DNP as a diet aid. There
were no age or health restrictions to prevent her from
purchasing the pills and, within a week or two, they
arrived at her parents’ house. By that point, she was
so severely unwell that she had given up all hope of
surviving the disease. ‘I’d read that DNP had been used
in explosives and I knew that it could be
fatal, but that wasn’t a deterrent. Anorexia
makes you rationalise the irrational. I’d
been told by doctors that if I carried on
as I was, my organs were going to start
shutting down. By that point, I’d already
stopped having periods and was regularly
passing out.’ She took DNP and, in less
than an hour, the severe side effects kicked
in. She started sweating profusely and
became confused and delirious, but she
was ultimately lucky – her body didn’t heat
enough to induce fatal hyperthermia.
Lasting evidence of its effects and other
symptoms of her eating disorder were
picked up at a hospital appointment a few
days later and she was admitted for
in-patient treatment for anorexia. It was
the first and last time she took DNP.
Why Abigail survived when others have
died is difficult to explain, as it’s impossible
to predict how DNP might affect any one
person. During a criminal case brought
against the man who sold the drug to Eloise
Parry, a lawyer for the prosecution compared
ingesting any amount of DNP to playing
Russian roulette. ‘Each of your body’s cells
contain mitochondria, whose job it is to
generate energy,’ says Professor Gino Martini,
chief scientist at the Royal Pharmaceutical
Society (RPS). He explains that within an
hour of taking DNP, it inhibits the ability
of these mitochondria to regulate energy
output efficiently. ‘As a result, the cells are
stimulated to work harder and faster,
generating more and more energy – and
heat. This means that your core temperature
rises, and you can reach the point of
overheating or dying from heat exhaustion.’
In the worst-case scenario, DNP can raise
body temperature from the average of
37.5°C to a potentially fatal 43.1°C.
Following the death of Eloise Parry, the
RPS was among the organisations calling
for tighter controls on the sale of DNP. It
may be illegal to sell the chemical as a diet
pill – which must adhere to strict food safety
standards enforced by the FSA – but DNP
can be sold legally as a fertiliser, wood
preservative or pesticide. As of 2019, DNP
doesn’t appear in any registered pesticides
for sale in the UK or the EU, and it’s widely
thought to have been withdrawn from
commercial agricultural use. But given that
information about its use as a dieting aid
exists online, even the wholesale outlawing
of DNP may not be enough to prevent women
in the UK from purchasing DNP-containing
products from websites registered abroad.
‘Policymakers need to be conscious that
there’s still a global platform where people
can purchase and access anything they
want,’ says Elisabeth Julie Vargo, a social
psychologist who has worked on one of the
Women’s Health
Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 1 1 9
1 2 0 | M AY 2 0 2 0 Women’s Health
 TH E

few research papers on DNP use. Indeed, it took one

WH contributor less than five minutes to find a site
based in Asia selling DNP capsules, with a pack of 30
costing the equivalent of around £23, plus postage.
‘Not for newbies,’ the bright red packet warned, while
describing the capsules as being ideal for ‘powerful
shredded, ripped condition’ and ‘burning calories
super-fast’. On another site, the product blurbs make
similar claims, though in small print is the caveat:
‘Not recommended for human consumption.’
DIET CULTURE
That DNP remains affordable and relatively easy to
get hold of could explain why an increasing number
of women appear to be buying it. Between 2011 and
2014, women made up just 23% of DNP cases referred to
the NPIS, but this proportion rose to 42% by 2018, as it
became talked about as a more mainstream weight-loss
solution. ‘Type “diet pill” into Google once and it’ll
throw up all kinds of weight-loss supplements, then
you’ll start seeing them on social media because they’re
targeting you – it becomes very tempting,’ says Helen
SKINNY
ON DIET
P RO D U C T S
her everyday life – is convinced that the supplements
were behind the deterioration of her health.
Registered nutritionist Mel Wakeman believes the
DETOX TEAS behaviour of women like Helen, who gamble with their
health in the pursuit of weight loss, can be explained
THE PROMISE by a culture in which unscrupulous companies have
Natural, cleansing multiple platforms to prey upon their vulnerabilities.
teas that speed up ‘Companies pushing products like “skinny teas” and
your metabolism.
appetite-suppressing lollipops on Instagram and
THE REALITY Facebook know exactly what buttons to push with
‘Some of the added their messaging: that to be healthier, worthy or
ingredients will be
laxatives,’ says dietitian
successful you should be thinner,’ says Wakeman.
Priya Tew (dietitianuk. Only specific health claims authorised by the EU
co.uk). ‘When they’re around weight loss and fat-burning can be used for
saying that they aid with weight-loss supplements, and companies can’t make
weight loss, it’s because
promises about how much weight can be lost over
they’re helping you lose
fluid. These products a certain period of time. But these rules are difficult
can also be triggering to enforce on digital platforms, even by the platforms
for those with disordered themselves, Wakeman explains. Consider, too, that
eating habits.’ the internet doesn’t fall under UK jurisdiction and
policing these companies feels a bit like a game of
APPETITE- whack-a-mole. ‘Even with the recent move from

SUPPRESSING
Hine, 36, a former model from Dorset. She believes that Instagram to ban accounts promoting products
the addictive nature of weight-loss products and the that are ethically dubious, they’re always one step

behavioural psychology of digital advertising led her
down a path that, looking back, leaves her incredulous.
She was working an 80-hour week across several jobs
and going to the gym every day when she first started
using dieting aids a decade ago in an attempt to lose
weight to elevate her modelling career. Names of diet
pills were dropped in the gym like PT recommendations
and discussed as a way of accelerating weight loss
without ramping up your workouts or changing your
nutrition. Using terms like ‘fat stripper’ and ‘lypo tech’,
they were available from mainstream fitness websites,
and Helen describes how using them became a kind of
compulsion. ‘What was attractive was the ability to
transform my body in minimal time, so they gave me
a rush,’ she says. ‘Those effects were enough to make
me want more and more.’ She ended up ordering a
supplement containing DNP and, after receiving an
initial pack containing 10 pills, she took them on and off
over several years, alongside a number of other diet pills.
It wasn’t long before her body began to respond to
the toxic cocktail; with the most severe of her symptoms
ADDITIONAL WORDS: NARZRA AHMED; ISOBEL BRIDGE. PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES
DR OPPI N G PI L L S
LOLLIPOPS behind,’ she says, as sellers can open new accounts
under different names. Factor in, too, that the women
THE PROMISE who are looking to these products for help may well
Kim Kardashian famously be battling poor mental health or low self-esteem,
endorsed Flat Tummy Co
lollipops. The idea is that and it’s not difficult to see the path from those
you stave off cravings perfectly legal teabags containing laxatives to the
with low-calorie sweets. illegal but no less available packs of DNP. ‘It’s not
unlike the person taking a legal prescription
THE REALITY
‘The ingredients alleged painkiller who moves on to an illegal substance,’
to control cravings agrees Chevese Turner, chief policy and strategy
haven’t been properly officer at the National Eating Disorder Association.
tested to show that the The fact that the digital age has made it easier to
amount contained in
a product has an effect,’ purchase DNP, while simultaneously making diet
says Tew, who advises products more seductive, only highlights the need
steering well clear. ‘They to support vulnerable people before they become
100% do not work.’ desperate enough to swallow poison, says Abigail.
‘Unfortunately, lack of funding means many cases
DIET PILLS are left to escalate, as mine was. There isn’t that early
intervention that’s necessary to prevent people from
THE PROMISE getting to the stage of trying something like DNP.’ In
Diet pills can act as the early stages of disordered eating, red flags include

metabolism stimulators, grazing or bingeing, skipping meals and cutting out

– heart palpitations, sweats, headaches, severe fatigue
and abdominal pains – regularly coinciding with when
she was taking DNP. So acidic were the capsules that
she began spitting blood. ‘I knew this supplement was
stronger than anything else I’d taken, and the ingredients
read like a list of crazy chemicals but, in my mind, it was
just the next step to losing more weight, which I thought
I needed to do to make a success of my career,’ she
recalls. Becoming a parent and realising the symptoms
were impacting on her ability to live a normal life forced
her to stop using diet pills. ‘I became so unwell that
I couldn’t tie my shoelaces, walk up the stairs or put risk malnourishment. ‘The
my son on a playground slide without my legs burning.
If I pushed through the pain to go about my day or do
a workout, the fatigue would make me ill for days on
end. My health was destroyed.’ Though it was never
confirmed by a doctor, Helen – teetotal and active in
appetite suppressants
or blockers – they food groups, as well as using diet pills, laxatives or
prevent fat being supplements, advises Turner. ‘Anxiety tends to
absorbed from food. increase as people get closer to having a disordered
THE REALITY relationship with food and, for this reason, many people
‘Some appetite will begin to engage in fewer social interactions, too.’
suppressants do work,’ For those considering buying a weight-loss product
says Tew, with the – any weight-loss product – online? Know that any
vital caveat that they unregulated or unapproved diet pill bought off the
should only ever be
taken under medical internet – DNP-containing or otherwise – can be
supervision, since you dangerous. ‘This is because of the unpredictability of
how your body might react,’ says Professor Martini,
key is to be sceptical who also urges caution around supplements or weight-
about any diet product.
If it sounds too good to loss aids sold over the counter, which contain high
be true, it probably is.’ levels of caffeine. ‘If you’re looking to lose weight, do
so through a balance of nutrition and exercise, and
always consult with your GP or pharmacist first.’

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 1 2 1
Free
While yo u tr y to explain th e
s o b e r- c u rio u s m ove m e nt to
dis t ant relative s enquiring
whether your alcohol swerve
is down to the current status
of yo u r ova ri e s , we’ll s h a r e
s o m e re cip e s fo r b o u g i e
b o oze -f re e b evs
WORDS ISOBEL BRIDGE AND TRISH CLASEN

spirited
sips
 smash with the back of
a knife (careful, now).
2. Chuck them in a pan,

LEMONGRASS
add 1.4ltr water, bring to
a boil, reduce the heat
and simmer for 5 mins.

ICED TEA
3. Take off the heat,
add the teabags and
honey, and allow to
brew for 5 mins.
CALS 24 | FAT 0G | 4. Strain into a pitcher
CARBS 6G | PROTEIN and stir in 470ml of
0G | SERVES 6 cold water. Serve over
ice with mint. Zing.
INGREDIENTS
3 lemongrass stalks • 6
green teabags • 2 tbsp
honey • ice • 6 sprigs of
mint, plus extra, to serve

METHOD
1. Halve the lemongrass
stalks lengthwise, then

L I K E A V I R GI N
d

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 1 2 3
 RED PEAR
SHRUB TANGERINE
SPRITZER SOUR
CALS 74 | FAT 0.5G |
CALS 169 | FAT 0G | CARBS 16G | PROTEIN
CARBS 41G | PROTEIN 2G | SERVES 1
0G | SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS
65g sugar • 1 vanilla pod
• 5 cardamom pods • 2
ripe red pears • 6 tbsp
apple cider vinegar • ice
• sparkling water

METHOD
1. In a saucepan, bring
the sugar, vanilla,
cardamom and 125ml
of water to a boil.
2. Cut a few slices from
the pears to use as a
garnish and roughly
L I K E A V I R GI N

chop the rest, adding

that to the pan, too.
3. Reduce the heat and
simmer for 10 mins, then
let it stand for 30 mins.
4. Strain, then stir in the
apple cider vinegar. Pop
in the fridge to cool.
5. Line 2 glasses with
the nicely sliced pears,
add ice, and divvy up
the mixture among the
glasses. Top up with
sparkling water.

1 24 | M AY 2 0 2 0
 SOBER
SCENE
INGREDIENTS
125ml tangerine juice
(you’ll need about 6
tangerines) plus some Put down the
peel to garnish • 1 tbsp elderflower cordial
lemon juice • ½ tsp and pick up a menu
maple syrup • 1 tbsp at one of these joints
egg white • 3 dashes
of orange bitters • ice
– they’ve given their
liquor-free offerings
METHOD the uber-luxe
1. Pop all the ingredients treatment
except the peel in a
cocktail shaker and shake
vigorously (see, that
hen do cocktail making
class wasn’t a complete
waste of time) for 1 min.
REDEMPTION,
2. Pour over ice and
LONDON
Their locations in

CHERRY
garnish with a sliver of
Notting Hill, Shoreditch
tangerine peel. Voila.
and Covent Garden are

CRUSH
all totally teetotal. Get
your dairy and wheat-

L I K E A V I R GI N
free fix with some of
their nibbles, too.
CALS 119 | FAT 0G |
CARBS 30G | PROTEIN
1G | SERVES 6
THE BRINK,
LIVERPOOL
Banning the booze
INGREDIENTS
never felt so good.
50g sugar • 4 cloves
All profits from their
• 1 star anise • 3cm
mocktails go back into
piece of ginger, sliced
the community, which
• 1ltr cherry juice •
then supports those
crushed ice, to serve
recovering from
addiction. Shampagne
METHOD
Cocktail, anyone?
1. Pour 125ml water and
the sugar into a saucepan.
2. Stir in the cloves, star
anise and the ginger,
EDEN,
bringing gently to a boil.
MANCHESTER
For those who never
3. Reduce the heat and
know where the
simmer (refrain from
night will take them,
stirring) until the sugar
this flower-power
dissolves – it should
restaurant/bar/
take about 3 or 4 mins.
nightclub has just
4. Once cool, strain the
about everything to
syrup into a pitcher and
offer, including a
stir in the cherry juice.
delicious Watermelon
Fill your glasses with
No-jito. (See what
crushed ice and pour in
they did there?)
your cocktail. Berry nice.

THE CONNAUGHT
BAR, MAYFAIR,
LONDON
It doesn’t get more
bougie than this bar,
where the mocktails
come with a healthy
upgrade. Order the
Glossy, featuring
kombucha, oolong tea
and grapefruit juice.

M AY 2 0 2 0 | 1 2 5
 GREEN
MARY
CALS 75 | FAT 1G |
CARBS 17G | PROTEIN
2G | SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS
225g tomatillos, husked
(Can’t find them? Use
green tomatoes or unripe

L I K E A V I R GI N
red tomatoes with a
squeeze of lime) • 1
cucumber, peeled and
chopped • 4 stalks of
celery, chopped • 50g
fresh coriander • 1
jalapeño pepper,
deseeded • 115ml lime
juice • 30g fresh
horseradish, squeezed of
excess moisture • 2 tbsp
pepperoncini (a kind of
preserved pepper) brine
• 1 tsp green hot sauce
(like Tabasco) • ¼ tsp
salt • ½ tsp pepper • ice
To garnish: Celery •
pepperoncini • Aleppo
pepper

METHOD
1. Pop the tomatillos or
tomatoes, cucumber,
celery, coriander,
jalapeño and lime juice
in a blender and whizz
until smooth (about
1 min). Strain through
a medium-mesh sieve
into a measuring jug,
pressing to extract as
much juice as possible.
2. Next, whisk in the
horseradish, pepperoncini
brine, hot sauce, salt
and pepper.
3. Serve over ice,
garnished with celery
and pepperoncini, in
a glass rimmed with
Aleppo pepper for max
presentation points.
CREDITS GO HERE

Women’s Health M AY 2 0 2 0 | 1 2 7
 GINGER-
HIBISCUS
SPRITZER
CALS 23 | FAT 0G |
CARBS 6G | PROTEIN
0G | SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS
5cm piece of ginger,
sliced • 6 tbsp dried
hibiscus flowers • 3
tbsp agave syrup • ice
• sparkling water

METHOD
1. In a saucepan, bring
the ginger, hibiscus,
agave syrup and 240ml
of water to a boil, then
lower the heat and let it
simmer away for 5 mins.
2. Remove from the heat
and let it stand for 10
mins before straining
into a pitcher and stirring
in 480ml of cold water.
3. Pour a few tablespoons
L I K E A V I R GI N

of syrup into each ice-

GUAVA
filled glass and top up
with sparking water for
a gloriously fresh fizz.

MARGARITA
CALS 78 | FAT 0G |
CARBS 20G | PROTEIN
1G | SERVES 1

INGREDIENTS
Ice • 115g guava nectar
• 3 tbsp orange juice •
2 tbsp lime juice • salt
• lime wedge, to garnish

METHOD
1. Fill a cocktail shaker
with ice, then add the
guava nectar and the
juices and shake it like
a Polaroid picture.
Don’t have a cocktail
shaker? Just chuck
everything in a blender
for a frozen version.
(Don’t have a blender?
God help you.)
2. Strain into a salt-
PHOTOGRAPHY: CHELSIE CRAIG. FOOD STYLING: REBECCA JURKEVICH

rimmed glass filled

with ice. Serve with
a slice of lime, as
fancy as you like.

1 2 8 | M AY 2 0 2 0 Women’s Health
 Forget big crowds, blocked toilets and
hangovers in muddy fields, the best
fests are all about health, fitness and
great food (comfy bed a plus)

Women’s Health M AY 2 02 0 | 1 3 1
 What? Wellness and
spirituality in the Indian Ocean
When? 22-24 May 2020
MAURITIUS
How much? £230 for a
three-day pass, plus £310
per night for a double room
at Heritage Le Telfair;
heritageresorts.mu. Return
flights with Air Mauritius
from £729; airmauritius.com
WELLNESS
Isn’t Mauritius
a place for loved-
up couples?
Traditionally, yes,
Nicki Grihault, but the colonial-
WH contributor style Heritage Le
FESTIVAL
Telfair resort’s
C Beach Club makes a good
‘wellness village’ under the
tropical sun, with activities
in Bedouin-style tents and
a music stage on the beach,
1 3 2 | M AY 2 0 2 0
plus a healthy restaurant
overlooking the infinity pool.
I stayed in a luxurious junior
suite with a muslin-draped
four-poster bed, complete with
a 24-hour butler on a bicycle.
Not cheap, but worth it.
Sounds dreamy – what’s
the festival like? 
Small, friendly and welcoming
to everyone from solo travellers
to families. There’s even a free
wellness-oriented kids and
teens club, so parents can
focus on their downward dogs
for three days in peace. With
over 60 workshops on the
programme, plus sunrise and
sunset excursions, it was hard
to choose what to go for,
particularly with some
intriguing classes on offer, like
finding your shamanic spirit
animal and acroyoga (yoga
combined with acrobatics).
I opted for crystal healing, yoga
breathwork to ‘reformat your
ribcage’, drumming sessions,
and rocking a half moon, side
plank and a fallen triangle in
Women’s Health

‘strength through yoga flow’,
with London-based yogi
Hannah Barrett. Most welcome
was a free massage taster from
the spa’s beachside pop-up. An
inspirational talk tent in the
tropical garden offered sessions
with experts like Dr Sandra
Stallaert, whose stress-busting,
heart-based meditation brought
a tear to my eye. A highlight was
the queen of raw vegan cooking
(and French actress) Marie-
Sophie Lelouch, who showed
us how to make easy raw, hot
soup that, despite resembling
green sludge, is said to deliver
a boost in optimism, energy and
awareness. The days took on a
rhythm, with healthy vegetarian
lunches (think DIY salads,
homemade ice cream and
tasty cakes made from quinoa)
and evening rituals with
torchbearers and live music
Women’s Health
T R AV E L W E L L
around a bonfire on the
beach. Opportunities for
self-expression included live
art, enhancing creativity
through yoga and painting,
and dance sessions (including
the traditional Mauritian séga
in billowing skirts).
And when I’m not hanging
out with my spirit animal? 
Book some off-resort excursions
in the wild, beautiful south of
the island. I opted to awaken
my chakras at sunrise at the
Seven Coloured Earths Geopark
and joined a mindfulness walk
at sunset on iconic Le Morne
mountain. Although I’ve been
to Mauritius over 20 times,
doing sun salutations on the
clifftop as the sun rose over
a spectacular surf-sculpted
shore was like seeing it anew
and one of the best things I’ve
done. I felt I’d found my tribe.
M AY 2 0 2 0 | 1 3 3
MOUNTAIN YOGA FESTIVAL
What? Peak fitness and sun
salutations in St Anton, Austria
When? 3-6 September 2020
How much? Tickets from £218
per person, including access
to all sessions, chairlift passes
and lunch at The Gampen;
mountainyogafestivalstanton.at.
Three nights at the Hotel
Arlmont from £225 per person,
including breakfast, dinner and
access to the spa; arlmont.at
Yoga at a
festival, you
say? How novel.
Hold your scorn:
Roisín Dervish-
some gentle hatha
O’Kane, WH in a tent the
Senior Editor morning after
a rager in welly boots that
would make 2006 Kate Moss tip
her feathered fedora in respect,
1 3 4 | M AY 2 02 0
this is not. This is a serious
yoga festival, set in St Anton,
a ski resort 1,300m up in the
Austrian alps, the streets of
which are lined with Mini
Egg-hued houses that look
straight out of the old Ladybird
storybooks. When I attended,
the weighty clouds, thick mist
and intermittent biblical
downpours – rogue for the
time of year – ruled out
mountaintop asanas. Sad, but
not spirit-dampening for the
sensible waterproofs and
hiking boots-clad crowd. And
quite fitting, really, considering
that water was the element
that inspired the programming
of the 2019 festival.
So, it’s pretty ‘woo-woo’, yeah?
Very, so maybe swerve if, for you,
yoga is more of a conditioning
workout than holistic mind-
body life philosophy. If,
however, the latter is your vibe,
you’re in for a treat. It’s fun
and silly and wholehearted
– a perfect experience to share
with a similarly yoga-mad pal
– no matter your skill level.
Things kick off in earnest with
Thursday’s opening ceremony,
where hundreds of attendees
gather in the spacious hall of
St Anton’s dedicated wellness
centre to move through a gentle
flow and tap into the energy of
the chosen element. (2020’s
theme is earth, so perhaps
it’ll attract more temperate
climes.) Over the next three
days, you can centre yourself
in the hushed – almost holy –
quiet of the morning meditation
sessions; lean in deeply to
postures in yin classes,
accompanied by the hypnotic
sound of Tibetan singing bowls,
and attend discussions about
how your root chakra affects
your sex life. Oh, and sample
the Alpine-meets-Ayurvedic
lunchtime buffet at the
mountaintop restaurant
The Gampen. Don’t miss
the frittatensuppe: strips
of pancake in broth, which
sounds weird but is at once
light and deeply comforting.  fire – is all the sweeter.
I’m in the market for
a challenge, though.
Oh, you’ll get it. Book into an
advanced inversion workshop
to improve your headstand
technique (just make sure it’s
a class led in English – German
classes are also on offer). If you
can bear an early start, grab
your head torch and join the
sunrise group hike at 4.30am
and take in that clean, pine-
scented air. Or, you know,
just nip up to the rooftop of
the Hotel Arlmont to do a few
lengths in the pool, taking in
the postcard-perfect vista
afterwards from the adjacent
panoramic sauna. The spa –
set over three floors – deserves
a good few hours’ attention,
actually. Though, be sure to
swallow any British prudishness
as a couple from your morning
vinyasa class make sauna small
talk completely starkers. After
a long day’s physical and mental
workout, three courses of
Alpine fine dining fare at The
Arlmont’s restaurant, washed
down with a glass of Austrian
riesling – and perhaps followed
with another in front of the
CREDITS GO HERE
 T R AV E L W E L L

THE BIG RETREAT

advance, courtesy of Hotel Bell Tent – no dreaded evenings, but it won’t be anyone
tent pole struggle for me. It was a bit chilly at night, you’ve heard of – where I
but nothing a cosy duvet and jumper couldn’t fix. became a regular at the gin bar.
What’s the vibe? There’s also a brilliant mocktail
Healthy with a side of hippy. The person meditating bar, vegan ice cream from Ice
next to you is just as likely to be sporting the latest Green and wood-fired pizzas
leisurewear as they are tie-dyed harem pants and fresh from the oven. Some
What? A back-to-nature a mandala tattoo. The joy of this boutique wellness highlights were unexpected,
reset in Wales festival is that it welcomes everyone – there were like lying in the grass by the lake
couples, groups of mates, solos and families – and and cloud gazing (apparently
When? 22-25 May 2020 makes sure there’s something to keep them all there’s stand-up paddleboarding
occupied over the weekend. When I picked up an and SUP yoga this year), a
How much? £199; activities timetable from the little open-air info sunset meditation session,
thebigretreatwales.co.uk stand, I was amazed by how much was on offer and washing my face first thing in
even had mild FOMO – hot pod yoga clashing with ice-cold water from a campsite
Wales? I can a gin workshop and wild swimming, what to do? The tap and all the silly hand-
think of sunnier compound is split into distinct tented areas laid out painted signs dotted around
places to camp. in acres of lush countryside, and I vowed to cover that made me smile, like:
Possibly, though as much as possible, including fitness (think zumba, ‘Warning: may contain nuts’
my triangle poses parkour and HIIT classes throughout the day), pinned to a tree.
Amanda Statham,
WH Contributing
and gong baths yoga in the Feel Good Field (I ticked off hatha and
Travel Editor took place in kundalini), plus cookery – don’t miss a session with
plenty of spring Bug Farm Foods to discover how to make cricket
PHOTOGRAPHY: KARL AHNEE; TERESA ARIAS

sunshine in Lawrenny, part of
the stunning Pembrokeshire
Coast National Park. Besides,
most of the activities were in
enormous tents, so it wouldn’t
have mattered if it had poured
down. I stayed in a bell tent,
complete with a comfy bed,
which had been assembled in
crepes and grub granola. There’s also a Talk Tent,
hosting authors like Shahroo Izadi, who writes
about changing habits for good, and arts and crafts
– take time out to carve a spoon or have a go at
charcoal drawing, I swear it’s better for an anxious
brain than any mindfulness app you’ll download.
And when I’m not learning to lino print?
I found myself gravitating towards the foodie area
in front of the music stage – there’s live music in the

M AY 2 0 2 0 | 1 3 5
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FITNESS EDIT

HIGHTIMES YOGA,
WELLNESS RETREATS
& SOUND BATHS
Join us for weekly yoga
classes, sound baths and
magical retreats.
We combine the
transformational power
of Kundalini Yoga and the
vibrations of Crystal Singing
Bowls for deep sound healing.
Why not free yourself from
fears and self-limits and
experience your highest
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possibilities in life.
www.HighTimes.yoga
 WH PROMOTION FOR JOHN WEST

Becky Adlington, 31, is a former competitive swimmer and Olympic gold medallist

MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN

8am 8am 8am 8am 8am 8.30am 8.30am

Homemade Porridge oats White blondie Homemade Porridge oats Pancakes made Weetabix with
granola with with one scoop protein shake granola with with one scoop of with almond almond milk.
vegan yoghurt, of protein with almond or vegan yoghurt, protein powder milk, served with Decaf coffee
raspberries powder and cashew milk strawberries, and almond milk yoghurt, fruit
and blueberries. almond milk. blueberries and maple syrup 1pm
Decaf coffee Decaf coffee 12pm and banana 1.30pm Feta, tomato,
Leek and Cheese and 1pm spring onion
12pm 12pm potato soup 1pm ham salad A homemade and garlic on
Cheese on John West John West baguette from Mediterranean sourdough
wholemeal toast Lunch On The Go 7.15pm Steam Pot Rich my local café salad with capers
with beans Mediterranean Vegetarian Tomato Pasta and olives 6.30pm
Style Tuna Salad sausages with Sundried 3.30pm Beef roast dinner
2.45pm with roasted Tomato Tuna Banana. 7.15pm with vegetables,
Banana. 7pm vegetables Some sweets Vegetable Yorkshires and
Some sweets Padana Romana 7pm spelt pasta lots of gravy
vegetarian pizza I’ve tried to Jacket potato, 7.15pm bake with tuna
7.15pm at Pizza Express reduce my beans and cheese Chicken fajitas Surprisingly,
Veggie chilli meat intake for with tortilla chips, I do my weekly my diet hasn’t
con carne with a Tuesdays are various reasons, I live for carbs. sour cream and shop at the changed much
wholemeal wrap a particularly which can make Whether it’s guacamole weekend – I like since I stopped
busy day, so I it hard to get pasta, rice to plan out my swimming
A few years often grab lunch protein into my or potatoes, On Fridays meals and put competitively
ago, I did on the run – the diet, especially if I can’t get I swim from together my – the biggest
some genetics Mediterranean I’m training. I do enough. Having noon until 1pm shopping list difference is the
tests with a flavoured tuna CrossFit at 9am, to carb-load was so I’ll grab an based on that. sheer volume
nutritionist that salad is my go-to. so I start the day one of the best easy lunch Summer and I used to have to
taught me some My daughter, with a protein things about afterwards. I like I absolutely love eat. I love eating
things about my Summer, plays shake (I use competitive to make sure pancakes, so out and so does
body that I didn’t tennis and alternative milks swimming. that Summer has we try to make Summer. It’s
know before. I often have a when I can, to John West Steam a balanced diet them every something I
I found out that session with my reduce calories) Pots make it so and tries new weekend. couldn’t do when
I can’t process personal trainer, and make sure easy – just add things, and I love It’s a treat I was training,
caffeine, so now so we generally I have something hot water and Mexican food, so for us both and so now we often
I stick to decaf eat out in the substantial you have a we’ll finish the a great way to head out for
coffee and tea. evening for ease. for dinner. complete meal. week with fajitas. start a Saturday. a Sunday roast.

THE VERDICT Becky does really well with fruit, vegetables to boost her omega-3 – mackerel and salmon are great
and wholegrains, so her fibre and vitamin C intake are sources. Calcium, essential for healthy bones, is also an
EDITED BY: YANAR ALKAYAT

great. However, she might be missing out on all the protein
she needs because it’s lacking in some of her meals; leek
and potato soup may be low in it, for example. She’s adding
THE EXPERT some protein powder to her breakfast, but she could also
Consultant dietitian
Sarah Keogh choose more beans and lentils to bump up the levels in
her vegetarian meals. Becky could also eat more oily fish
issue. Plant milks can be a good source, but only if calcium
is added. She needs three servings per day, either from
calcium-fortified plant-based milks or
cow’s milk, yoghurt or cheese.
For more information on John West
products, visit shipshape.john-west.co.uk

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