2017’s Biggest Fitness Trends

- by Caroline Hastings-Brown –

Hey my hearties! Now that 2017 is truly on its way, it’s time to talk exercise goals and fitness fabulousness. Don’t you do that at the beginning of the year? Yes, most people do, but that can be a trap! What with the stress and all of January, I find it better to focus on fitness once the year has been worn in and tried on. Less stressful that way!

I don’t know about you, but as a very busy individual (and let’s face it, who isn’t?) I am all for getting as much as possible accomplished in a day, with the least amount of stress! So, I have found that flexible, effective workouts that don’t require trekking across town and spending extra time commuting work well for me. I also have a short attention span – get me bored, and I’m lost, so I need to shake things up, do different things and adapt my workouts to how I am feeling on a particular day.

And as we all know, exercise is absolutely key to living a healthy, long and happy life. The many benefits, from weight loss, increased muscle mass, endorphins and fresh, glowing skin are well documented. So, here are a few of my tips and tricks to ensure that the workout is worked in to your daily schedule, no excuses! Believe me, I have tried them all!

Up The Intensity To Up Your Results

One of the most effective training methods, whether you love walking, running, cycling, swimming or weight training, is to use HIIT – High-Intensity Interval Training methods. Instead of spending a long time exercising at a moderate pace, with HIIT, you’ll use short bursts of exercise at maximum or near-maximum heart rate. Most of us are short on time these days, so it’s no wonder that High-Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, is one of the major exercise trends of the coming year. That means you’ll burn more calories in 20 to 30 minutes than you would in a longer session. The best bit – results are so quick – just two months of regular HIIT training and your endurance and fitness are markedly increased!

Bring The Professionals Home

Another favourite training method of mine – bring a professional into your home, for free! Yes, the wealth of fitness videos and professional workout routines available on YouTube, or Netflix, is astounding! In the mood for yoga – find a workout that suits you. Feeling like a bit of booty shaking today – grab a Zumba workout. You see, it’s free, you can do it at home and you can tailor it to your exact needs, every day. You never have to repeat the same workout, if you don’t want to that is!

Reward yourself

And one of the best bits about working out? Congratulating yourself once you are done! A soothing shower or bath after a workout is one of the best treats, and you can make it even better by treating yourself to a delightfully fragrant shower gel such as Clarins Relax Bath and Shower Concentrate.

Clarins Relax Bath & Shower Concentrate

Specifically formulated to calm both body and mind, the fine, creamy foam very gently cleanses the skin and helps relieve stress and fatigue. It also helps relax the body after exercise.

So, get on your bike, take a hike, HIIT the gym or bend, twist and booty shake your way to great health in 2017, and make sure you LOVE what you do!

How to Get A Body Like Gigi Hadid

- by Caroline Hastings-Brown -

Who’s that IT girl?

So, it’s no wonder she has graced the pages of Sports Illustrated, been in Guess campaigns and stalked the legendary Victoria’s Secret runway. But she has also crossed over into high fashion with the likes of Tom Ford, despite the fact that some have said she is ‘too curvy’. Well, if that’s too curvy, I’ll be that, any day!

Brave Enough To Be Herself

Gigi stands out in the world of ‘cookie cutter’ models by being herself. She is gorgeous, athletic, healthy and clearly has a lot of fun staying in shape. While she works extremely hard to look that good, the GREAT news is, it is actually achievable. Gigi is slender with rock hard abs, but she is not super-skinny, and this is what makes her a role model amongst models.

Athletic Tendencies – No Shortcuts

As a young girl, Gigi was a really competitive volleyball player, even making it as far as the Junior US Team for the Olympics. This focus on athletic performance is what makes her workout plans so great. No longer a volleyball star and now one of the world’s top models and current ‘IT’ girl, Gigi works out every day. And she works hard. Afraid there’s no shortcut here – what you put in to your workouts and body is exactly what you will get out!

Currently, Gigi gets intense daily workouts from a combination of boxing sparring, jump rope and ballet-inspired floor exercises. The key here is to find an exercise style that you love and keep going with it, every day, at least five days a week, no excuses! My saving grace is dance and Zumba style classes, because that doesn’t feel like work to me, it’s totally just fun, and the music keeps me pumping and jumping long after I have hit the ‘I’m tired’ point with a standard exercise regime. For you, it could be running outdoors, swimming, martial arts or boxing, yoga, cycling – the point is to do what YOU love because then you will stick to it!

Eat Clean To Stay Lean

The other piece of sensible advice Gigi has is to eat clean to stay fit, as there is no other way! BUT, she also suggests a cheat day to stay sane. As a self-confessed burger lover, her ‘cheat days’ (usually once a week) keep her on the straight and narrow the rest of the time. I like it! I think I’ll join you on that one Gigi!

But being a busy gal, keeping healthy on the run is not always easy. Sometimes you need something quick and easy, but that does not come from a fast food outlet! The perfect answer comes in the form of a smoothie. They can be vegetable and antioxidant packed, protein packed or full of health-giving, metabolism-boosting enzymes, like the ‘Beautiful Healthy Changes’ Enzyme Smoothie. 

Beautiful Healthy Changes Cocoa Enzyme Smoothie

Containing a whopping 384 enzymes from different plants and fruit, this can be whipped up with a little soya milk, coconut water or yoghurt and provide a satiating meal or snack that has detoxifying and slimming effects. Choose from delicious cocoa and refreshing honey and lemon. 

Beautiful Healthy Changes Honey Lemon Enzyme Smoothie

Control Your Environment – And Your Stress Levels!

And while we are on the subject of running around, be that in your daily life (like mine) or as a world-class supermodel (like Gigi’s), you need to make sure you stay full of energy, and do not succumb to any nasty bugs in the air! Taking a high strength vitamin C supplement helps a lot to keep you healthy and away from the sniffles. Get a high quality vitamin like Blackmores Dietary Supplement Bio C 1000 (Cold and Flu).

BLACKMORES Dietary Supplement Bio C 1000( Cold and Flu)

And vitamin C can be beneficial on the skin as well as within!  When flying around and spending a lot of time in air-conditioned interiors, your skin can become dry. Get a C-boost straight to your skin with John Masters Organics Vitamin C Anti-Aging Face Serum made with 9 certified-organic ingredients. Vitamin C, in its natural form, penetrates deep into skin to moisturise and protect the skin.  

John Masters Organics Vitamin C Anti-Aging Face Serum (Dry / Mature)

Be Healthy, And Be Yourself!

So, dearest ladies, while we all agree that Gigi has a body to die for, we are all uniquely beautiful in our own ways. And being healthy, fit and eating well will make you the best that you can be, and it will NEVER be out of style!