How to clean your running shoes without ruining them!

Even in the warmer months the mud and muck can get into our lovely new trainers - and we are tempted to want them to look like new again!

The cushioning in a running shoe from the mid-sole lasts about 300-400 miles.  But, even you aren't wearing the shoes consistently for running, the mid-sole will continue to break down over time.  Your feet & body should be able to feel the difference in the cushioning and you will probably know when you need to buy new shoes. 

Most runners - well the ones I know, will run though rain, shine or snow, and therefore their shoes take a battering - sometimes they are so dirty and smelly, or the soles are caked in mud that they must be cleaned - here are some guidelines for how to do it.   

If banging the shoes & brushing them off after the dirt has dried just doesn't do the trick for you, and you really must wash them, there are a few tips & tricks that will help the shoes last and not break down too quickly.  

If possible never soak your shoes in water.

Never soak your running shoes in water, use a scrubbing brush and warm soapy water in the sink to clean them,  then stuff them with newspaper and leave them to dry somewhere warm such as under a radiator.  

Be careful not to have them on a direct heat source, which means dryers, radiators, heating vents, and even direct sunlight. The heat can dry out the cushion of the shoes and cause the shoe to separate by hardening the glue that holds them together.  

Popping them on top of an empty bottle works well too!

Don’t use a washing machine!

A washing machine is not a good idea as it soaks the shoe for too long which may cause shrinking, warping & separation of the layers of the shoe. If this happens it will change the shape of the shoe and therefore change the support that is available to your foot.

Mad though it might seem, don't put them in the microwave or in a warming oven, in some countries it is advisable not to leave them in the car due to direct sunlight, not a huge issue in the UK!

If you are out running in the rain and the shoes get soaked through you can dry the interior quickly, without separation or without the shoe losing it’s shape. 

Using either newspaper or paper towel, stuff the shoe to help it retain the shape and absorb the moisture. Change the paper after several hours and your shoes should be dry before your next run.

You may be interested to know that running in wet shoes will have 40-50% less shock absorbency due to the a wet midsole. 

So, if you have recently invested in some new shoes, I hope that helps you keep them clean.

Will walking help with weight loss?

Will walking help with weight loss?

Can walking really help you lose

weight and be more healthy?

There are so many answers to this question and benefits to walking for health so I’m going to share the ones I believe are most important.

Reason One

Walking may be better for your joints!

Despite being able to turn you into a hot and sweaty mess, most walking is actually fairly low impact form of exercise. Unlike running or jogging or other more vigorous sports which require more movement up and down, walking is generally quite low on the ‘bounce’ chart and as a result the chances of you sustaining and injury are low.  

Reason Two

Walking is a mood lifter!

Unless you favour a treadmill indoors, most walking is done in the outdoors, generally in or near nature.

There is lots of research which has proven that being in a natural environment is excellent for your mental health and when you add in a dose of exercise, the combination can really lift your spirits. 

Reason Three

Walking is so flexible!

It would be possible to walk every day for a month and never do the same type of walk. We can increase or decrease the intensity of a walk, we can change the distance, the terrain, add in more hills, and make it faster or slower. There are so many styles of walking and this is what makes walking such a good form of exercise for the mind. You will not get bored if you are changing what you do each week!

Reason Four

Walking is sociable!

Humans are generally social animals and so walking as a group will not only help you connect with others and share the highs and lows of daily life, it will also provide motivation to get your kit on a get out of the house, even if it’s grey and raining. 

Being in the company of like minded ladies helps to create a strong social network, one which can hold you accountable and be your reason for turning up each week to walk. If everyone else can make it out why not you?

Reason Five

Walking is a brilliant form of exercise for the menopause and perimenopause too making it perfect for those of us heading towards that stage of life.

It is a super form of exercise for the pelvic floor and very good for the cardiovascular system.  Walking can also help with weight loss too and combined with a healthy eating plan it can work well.  Walking can also be used as a weight management tool too.  Remember with weight loss in menopause it’s no longer all about what you put into your body and what you put out of your body (Calories in v calories used).

Simply add a daily walking programme to your life and you’ll see a steady change in your body shape and strength.

In this day and age of fast paced living sometimes an activity like walking can bring you back to yourself.  We love a walk to ground ourselves and this helps us not to become overwhelmed by life, although we aren’t saying this does not happen from time to time to me, we are human after all!

In summary …

Walking is a fabulous form of exercise

It takes us away from the stresses of day to day life. Add in some walking friends, old or new, along the way then that is even better!

Walking is a very adaptable form of exercise. It can be a challenge and make you feel  a bit ‘out of puff’ or it can be gentle. Remember the key word here is adaptable.  The most natural form of exercise is to walk for people.

And what we have shown over our 20 or so years of helping women get fit is, that exercising together as a group can create life long friends, or a coffee buddy or two or three or four…

If you like the idea of walking with friends but want a structured approach, a coach who will inspire you to go the extra mile ( literally!) and stop you getting lost, the take a look at our Walking for Fitness course starting soon!

Until then take care and have fun exercising!

What Happens to Fitness Goals after January?

January is well and truly behind us and we are now into February. The dark gloom of the post-Christmas period has left us and we can now focus on spring, lighter evenings and moving towards summer.

But what happens to all the goals (remember them?) that we made for 2020? Now that Dry January/Veganury/Exercise all January has passed, how do the next 11 months look, in terms of how we actually stick to all those new promises that we made?

The answer is pretty straightforward, but it requires changes on your part. For many of us, short-term changes are fairly manageable. We can focus on the next 4-6 weeks and abstain from alcohol, avoid the chocolate or add some regular fitness sessions to our schedule. But these changes rarely stick, this is often because we aren’t thinking of them long-term. We may tell ourselves that our new exercise regime/diet/hobby is forever, but are we actually taking the right steps in order to make that happen?

Prioritise - when you start a new exercise it can be daunting to try and find the time to fit it in. We are all incredibly busy these days and the idea of adding something else to the list can feel overwhelming. If you accept that some other things may slide, or you may need to change in order to accommodate regular exercise then you are MUCH more likely to keep it going into the future and ensure that it becomes and remains a part of your routine. Changes such as using part of your commute as exercise time (walking, running or cycling) getting up 30 minutes earlier to fit it in, or swapping a social engagement for a fitness session are all ways to make it work.

Use the right language - and we don’t mean swearing when you are trying to run to the top of a steep hill! Opt for words such as ‘habit’ over ‘hobby’ and ‘when’ not ‘if’ and be precise. If you say to someone “I’m going for a run at 9:15 on Saturday morning at Hollybush” you are more likely to do it than if you casually say “I might go for a run this week”. And think of it as a positive and not a negative. If you think of exercise as something that makes you fitter, healthier and makes you look and feel better. It will be a much more appealing prospect than something that you think of as difficult, sweaty and tiring!

Make a commitment - and this often involves joining a club or making a plan with someone else. It is so much easier to not do something if you aren’t accountable to someone else. If you feel like you have made a financial investment or that you have promised to meet someone then you are more likely to do it as you may feel like you are letting someone else down. Exercise with another person or with a group can also be much more fun than doing it alone and this is another reason for sticking at it.

Habits are not formed overnight and they can take anywhere from 30 - 90 days (depending on which research you believe!) to become ingrained into our lives. So although you may have had a successful January and are now feeling fitter, healthier and stronger, have you done enough to carry it through for the rest of the year, and hopefully for long into the future? If not then that’s fine, there is still time! The key is to not give up. Stick at it, keep it consistent and make it work for you. Forever!

Have Yourself a Stress-Free Christmas

We can guarantee that you have seen many, many articles or posts telling you how not to gain weight over the Christmas holidays, how to keep your exercise regime up throughout the festive season and the calorie content of everything that you are likely to consume from now until New Years Day. All this does is pile on the stress and worry during what can often be a highly-charged time.

We are here to tell you that it doesn’t matter. You can eat and drink what you like, you can relax and enjoy yourself and it won’t really make a difference. In fact, it is likely to be a positive thing. It’s important to remember that health is SO much more than what we eat and what exercise we do. It is easy to become worried that what we do over Christmas will undo all that we have achieved over the past year, but guess what, it won’t! At best (or worst?!) Christmas will last for two weeks (usually much less) but even if it does, a year is 52 weeks long, and Christmas is an incredibly small proportion of that.

Christmas Lunch is just ONE meal - and Christmas Day is ONE day, so what if you eat more than you normally would? It isn’t a typical day and you wouldn’t eat like that every day. Enjoy it and don’t be hard on yourself.

You are probably seeing friends and family or people that you haven’t seen for a long time - food and exercise aren’t the only aspects of health, seeing friends and family and relaxing are all incredibly important. Taking a break from work and the normal stresses and strains of every day life is vital for our mental health. Investing in relationships and being sociable are hugely important and this is the perfect opportunity to catch up with people.

Stop! How many of us spend everyday life worrying about what they need to do and how they are going to find time to do it? Work, home, partners, jobs, children, family, exercise regimes, hobbies all take up huge amounts of time and energy. This is your chance to stop, and live in the moment. Forget what you ‘should’ be eating, how much exercise you have done, if you need to clean the house etc. Just enjoy taking a break from the norm.

You don’t need to EARN your food. Food isn’t a prize or something you have to work hard to enjoy. It is nourishment, it is being sociable, it is about showing and receiving love. So what if you overindulge! Enjoy it, don’t feel like you should deserve it.

Take time away from your phone. Delete your social media apps, turn off your email, put your phone on silent. Most of us are welded to our phones at all times. Phones are so much more than they used to be, we use them for work, to keep in touch with people, to stay up to date with social issues and to take photos (oh so many photos!) sometimes it can be good to step off the treadmill and ignore the perfect filtered photographs, the aspirational social media posts and the ever-demanding email. A few days away from it all can feel incredibly liberating.

Ultimately do whatever YOU enjoy doing in order to relax and have a lovely Christmas. It is only a few days once a year and can all do with some time to stop, take a deep breath and step off of the treadmill for a little while and forget the daily stresses.

Merry Christmas to you all!

Running after having a baby - what you need to know!

Running is a wonderful way to improve your fitness and stay fit.

It can be a perfect way to take some time out - like a moving meditation but it is also a great way to spend time with friends and put the world to rights as you run. If you’ve had a baby and you enjoy running, it makes sense that you are going to want to get your trainers back on and hit the trails.

Although your body may feel recovered at the 6 week GP check up mark, running is a high impact sport placing a lot of demand on the body. Internally your muscles, fascia and connective tissue are very much healing 4, 6 and even 12 months after having your baby, particularly in your pelvic floor and abdominals.

But did you know?

If you gave birth via Caesarean section, your abdominal fascia has only regained 51%-59% of its original tensile strength by 6-weeks post natal and 73%-93% of its original tensile strength at 6-7 months. (Ceydeli et al. 2005).

What should I look out for?

It can be difficult to know what is ‘normal’ once you have had a baby -in general these are the things to look out for when starting to run:

• Heaviness or a feeling of dragging in the pelvic area.

• Leaking urine - even if it is a small amount

• Inability to control bowel movements

• Pelvic or lower back pain.

• Ongoing or increased blood loss that is not linked to your monthly cycle.

Although some of these symptoms are common, all of them are a sign that you are asking too much of your body. Do not accept these symptoms as something that just happens after you have a baby. Seek help - we can guide you to local experts!

I have a Diastasis (tummy gap). Can I still start running?

A diastasis recti is a separation of the rectus abdominus (RA - your 6 pack muscles), which happens naturally during pregnancy to allow your baby to grow.

This separation causes the fascia and connective tissue between the two bellies of the RA to stretch, leaving a "Gap" after your baby is born. In some cases this gap naturally closes and heals, but not for everyone, so if you are left with a gap, what does this mean?

The job of your core is to manage intra abdominal pressure and transfer load. When you have a Diastasis, your core may not be able to do this very well, placing more pressure on your abdominal wall and pelvic floor.

However, having a gap does not necessarily mean you cannot manage load and transfer load. You can have what is called a functional diastasis.....its not all about the gap itself!

When you join our post natal running course, we will do a tummy check for you to assess this for you and we can advise you from there!

Can I start running if I am still breastfeeding?

There's a few things to consider here in terms of whether you are suffering from any joint pain/ laxity - a floppyness!?

The hormone "Relaxin" (which remains present in your body when breastfeeding) is blamed for much pain/ injury post natally.

However theories that higher relaxin levels postnatal increase the risk of joint laxity and potential injury have not been proven (Marnach et al. 2003; Schauberger et al. 1996)....and yet some breastfeeding women have increased joint laxity, where others do not.

This is not fully understood and once again, this is individual!

If you have no joint pain, then starting to run while breastfeeding is definitely possible, with considerations around appropriate Bra support, timing your feeds and watching your intensity.

Running shoes

During pregnancy your feet can increase by half or even a full size and foot size changes during pregnancy can be permanent. Those comfy old trainers your used to wear may not be the best thing to wear on your new fitness journey. Make sure that you get your running gait looked at by visting a specialist running shop - they can then recommend the right shoes for you.

My top tip - wear a sports bra when you go and get your feet measured as running without one, even for a few seconds, can be uncomfortable and embarrassing!

Wait a bit

At SLJ we recommend you wait until at least 6 months post natal before considering starting running. If you are unsure, local Women’s Health Physiotherapists offer a fabulous service called a "Mummy MOT", which is a full women's health assessment designed specifically for mums, available from 6 weeks post natal - but it never too late!

Are you ready?

Learn to Run course - January 2020.

If you’d like to learn to run and want a safe, gentle way to do it, take a look at our next course coming up in January.

Why Should YOU Start Running?

Health

Firstly, and most obviously, it is a really beneficial for our health. Running can (among other things) help to:

·      Reduce Blood pressure

·      Maintain a stable weight (alongside a healthy diet)

·      Tone and strengthen muscles

·      Improve mental health

·      Improve energy levels

Convenience

Once you have purchased your kit (MOST importantly well-fitting trainers and sports bra) then you are good to go! You can do it anywhere with anyone, it is easy and flexible and fits around even the busiest of schedule

Stress Reduction

Running is great for dealing with stress levels. When we are feeling exhausted and overwhelmed by life, it can help us to switch off and refocus our minds. When we run our body release endorphins which are referred to as our happy hormones. The positive effects of a run can stay with us long after the run has ended and can help us to manage stresses and strains in our everyday lives.

Nature

Running gives you the opportunity to be outside and experience the wonder of nature. Many of us spend more time inside than we want or need to and by getting out into the fresh air and watching the seasons change it can expose us to things that we wouldn’t normally see. Modern life can often feel at odds with nature and getting outside and being immersed in it can really help to make us feel centred and calm. At SLJ we make the most of the wonderful trails and countryside that we are so fortunate to live locally to. No run ever feels quite the same.

Relationships

One of the nicest things about being in SLJ is seeing the relationships that develop between members. It really is a community of friendly, supportive and inspiring women who are there for each other. Whether you are new to exercise and need some support, have just moved to a new area and want to meet like-minded people or simply want to get out there and run, it really is about being part of a nurturing network.

What are you waiting for?

SLJ's Favourite Recipe - July 10th 2019

This months’ SLJ Favourite Recipe we are featuring a quick an easy family recipe from  our lovely coach Sarah who coaches on the mixed Wednesday evening run at 7:30 and also our Increase Your Speed courses. It is a light and summery recipe that is just perfect for this time of year from The BBC Good Food..and it is ready in 20mins! Sarah’s family prefer it without the chilli so its not too spicy for the kids.

Griddled Chicken with Quinoa and Greek Salad 

Ingredients for 4:

225g Quinoa

25g Butter

1 red chilli deseeded and finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

400g mini chicken fillets

1½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil  

300g vine tomatoes , roughly chopped

Handful of pitted black Kalamata olives

1 red onion, finely sliced

100g feta cheese, crumbled

Small bunch of mint leaves, chopped

Juice and zest ½ lemon

Method

Cook the quinoa following the pack instructions, then rinse in cold water and drain thoroughly.

Meanwhile, mix the butter, chilli and garlic into a paste. Toss the chicken fillets in 2 tsp of olive oil with some seasoning. Lay in a hot griddle pan and cook for 3-4 mins each side or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate, dot with the spicy butter and set aside to melt.

Next, tip the tomatoes, olives, onion, feta and mint into a bowl. Toss in the cooked quinoa. Stir through the remaining olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and season well. Serve with the chicken fillets on top, drizzled with any buttery chicken juices.

Tick Bites!

We thought that it would be timely to mention the dreaded tick bites now that the warmer weather is here and you are more likely to be out in shorts and skirts.

A bite from an infected tick can result in a debilitating condition called Lyme disease.

Ticks can be found all over the UK in areas where there is grassland, animals and deeply covered vegetation - that makes Knole Park and it's trails highly likely! Apparently the ticks, which are tiny, sit on the ends of the blades of grass or plants, so they rub off onto our bodies.

They are most active between March and October, but only 0-15% are infected. As you cannot feel them bite you the advice is to wear insect repellent on your legs or keep them fully covered and always do a tick check of your skin after a walk or a run.

Adults tend to get bitten below the waist, they like creases so behind the knees, in the groin and children above the waist even into the hairline and scalp.

Removing a tick has to be done carefully because if you squeeze the body, there is a chance that the infected contents will go into the bit wound. Read more about it here.

If you want to know more check out this website.

Amazing Amongst Us - Steph Harrison

Every month in our newsletter we feature someone who is Amazing Amongst Us. This month it is the turn of someone very well known in Sevenoaks. Most of us will at some point have the privilege of assisting her fundraising either with SLJ on our annual October Pink Run or through the multitude of other fundraising events she is involved in ...and that lady is Steph Harrison.

Steph, through hard work and dedication, has raised the most extraordinary amount for Breast Cancer Care and she has recently been awarded the KALC community award for her fundraising from Mayor Roderick Hogarth.

Over 10 years she has raised over £175,000 with a natural ability to inspire so many to assist her in her goal with Pink Week and year round fundraising this is as well as volunteering for events such as the Blenheim Breast Cancer Care Pink Ribbon walk.

Over a decade she has pushed her fundraising from around £11,000 in the first year to an astonishing £40,000 last year. We have seen the shop windows of Sevenoaks dressed in pink for Pink Week and it’s a great source of pride that the club hosts the SLJ Pink Run every year to help Steph launch her fantastic Pink week! She was heard to say last year that it was the best Pink Run yet , but in true Steph style she has great ambitions for it to grow again this year.

So this year the Pink Run, on 5th October, will be bigger and better inviting more local clubs to join us than ever before with the emphasis on this being an event that is open to all and very much a family event. Steph’s goal this year is to get her total fundraising to rise from £175,000 to £200,000….watch this space for announcements on our SLJ Pink Run coming this October and let’s all help Steph to smash her target!

SLJ's Favourite Recipe - June 6th 2019

This months tried and tested SLJ Favourite Recipe is for Wild Garlic Pesto and comes from Sam Palmer

Ingredients
100g wild garlic leaves
50g parmesan cheese or 50g nutritional yeast for a vegan and veggie friendly version
50g toasted pine nuts - if allergic to Pine nuts then other nuts are fine.
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, Lemon juice & Salt and pepper

Method
Wash wild garlic leaves thoroughly.
Place the leaves, Parmesan, olive oil and pine nuts into a food processor and blitz. You could do this with a pestle and mortar if you want to be more traditional
Add more oil if you want to have a thinner pesto.
Add salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.

Beautiful Bluebells

As you will know from our recent newsletter we were simply inundated with your beautiful bluebell photographs and we wanted to display them all as we loved each and every one!

We feel truly spoilt this year as we have seen so many beautiful bluebells in the woods and fields when we have been out running and walking.

Spring is undoubtedly one of our favourite times of year as we move towards lighter evenings and longer days. Seeing the flowers burst into life only makes exercising outside more pleasant.

We hope that you love the bluebell photographs as much as we do and that they inspire you to spend even more time outside during spring.

(pictures/captions below)

SLJ's Favourite Recipe - May 2019

This month’s favourite recipe has been kindly shared by Maria Martyn who says it is a firm family favourite adapted from a Hueys Kitchen recipe, which they have enjoyed served with rice or in a pita bread. We are all aware of the benefits of plant based foods so this is a great option for a midweek meal. Omit the yoghurt and it is Vegan too! 

Turkish Turlu Turlu - which is Turkish for 'All Sorts'! 

• 2 courgettes cut lengthways and into wedges

• 2 aubergines cut lengthways and into wedges

• 6 baby potatoes halved or sweet potatoes

• 1 red onion sliced fairly thickly

• 2 peppers seeded , cored and thickly sliced, red or yellow

• 2 medium carrots cut length ways into wedges

• 1 large garlic clove , crushed

• Olive oil

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon ground coriander

• 1-2 tspn chilli paste

• Sea salt

• 1 punnet cherry tomatoes quartered or tinned peeled tomatoes

• 1 can chick peas - rinse well and drain

• 2 heaped tbspn chopped fresh parsley or dried

• 2 heaped tbspn chopped fresh coriander or dried

• ¼ cup plain yoghurt

Preheat the oven to 200ºC or 180ºC fan.

Toss the courgettes,aubergines,potatoes,red onion,peppers, carrots and garlic with a good slurp of oil in a large heavy bottom baking tray on the stove top on a medium heat.

Add the ground spices with the chilli paste and a pinch of salt. Toss until coated well and cook briefly.

Then cook in the oven for 20-30 mins until the veggies are tender and well coloured, tossing now and again and adding more oil if needed.

Add the tomatoes and chickpeas with the chopped parsley and coriander. Gently toss and cook in the oven for another 10 mins. Then transfer the veggies to a serving dish and sprinkle with yoghurt.

Serves 4

The Benefits of Outdoor Exercise

After a beautiful walk last night across the fields, I was able to take a moment and notice how magical it is when you can feel spring in the air and see everything coming to life after the winter. It reminds me of why exercising outside, at any time of the year, is so restorative to mental, as well as physical, health as you really feel like you are engaging with nature at the same time as improving your fitness.

 The benefits of exercising outdoors are many and far-reaching but it may be a while since you exercised, or you may not know where to start. Read on and hopefully you will be inspired to lace up your running shoes and head into nature with SLJ!

 Mood – being outside and exercising are both recognised ways to help improve low mood and anxiety by increasing feel-good endorphins and increasing serotonin levels (often referred to as our ‘happy hormone’) 

Interestingly a studycarried out in 2015 by Stanford University, found that students who walked for just an hour outside every day improved their health by feeling less anxious than those students who did not. There are countless studies and anecdotal evidence to show that people have benefitted from being outdoors and have recorded lower incidences of stress, lower BP and lower cortisol levels (which is one of markers used for measuring stress in the body)

 Vitamin D– We need this essential nutrient to ensure that our bones, teeth and muscles remain healthy. 

 If you live in the UK then you can only absorb Vitamin D through sunlight from the end of March/early April until the end of September. It is important to note that vitamin D can only be absorbed on bare skin, so apply the SPF after the skin has had a decent exposure to the sunlight (around 30 mins) ensuring that you do apply SPF afterwards!

 At SLJ we very much advocate the benefit of group exercise as well as being huge fans of outdoor training and there has been much reported on the positive effects of training in a group. Group exercise helps with motivation, loneliness, compliance and general enjoyment. We are social creatures and sometimes a session in the outdoors with a group of like-minded people can feel like therapy. We come away feeling mentally and physically restored. 

 These are just some of the many reasons why SLJ remains so popular. Sign up for one of our forthcoming courses and, as well as joining a fabulous and inspiring group of women that will help you to reach your exercise goals, you will also be able to download our ’14 days to get you fit’ plan for FREE.

 What are you waiting for?!

Does my Bum Look Big in This – Part One.

Last month, as we were stretching at the end of the run, we were discussing where we buy our running tights. There are so many options now it can be difficult to know where to buy and how much to spend.

We discussed the ones that slip down so you feel like you did when your mum sent you to school with tights on that were too small, remember that feeling when you had to constantly hitch them up. Someone mentioned a pair that they had bought that rode into unmentionable places, giving a most unsatisfactory appearance at the front not to mention to accompanying soreness in the nether bits.

We talked colours and styles, long ones and short ones but as I listened I noticed that no one had talked about ‘The Transparent Effect’. The TE is what a fitness instructor may notice but be far too polite to mention. It happens when bending over, perhaps to stretch or maybe in downward dog.

Without meaning to be too coarse in some cases you can actually see as much as a midwife might.

Yes – everything.

Well when I mentioned this there was a look of horror on everyone’s face – they were all stretching their hamstrings at that point and hurriedly stopped so as to make sure their dignity was intact. 

The moral of this story – when you buy a pair of running tights, hold them up and stretch them between your hands, if you can see through them, so can your instructor!

And in the name of full disclosure here is a picture of me doing just that. 

Look for helpful words such as Opaque in the description, unfortunately as with most things, the more you spend the better the quality of the fabric. 

Then we won’t know if your bum does or doesn’t look big in them!

INSPIRE for Change - 7 keys to healthier exercise in the Menopause

In September I will be hosting a FREE INSPIRE for Change workshop in Sevenoaks. If you'd like to come along or find out more click here!  

1 Smile

At this point in our lives I believe we shouldn't be doing something that makes us grumpy. A class we hate, an exercise that isn't  POSITIVELY making us feel GOOD, a race that is too long. Think about what makes you SMILE, is it dancing, watching your dog bounce through the long grass on a walk, swimming outside in a freezing lake ( yes some people just love that).

Choose something that makes you feel good - you are more likely to stick to it.  

2 Sweaty

I know we are all fed up with sweating when we don't want to be, but exercise that makes you sweat means you are working your heart, and increasing your metabolic rate. Heart Disease is still a big killer for women in their 50's so making sure that muscle is regularly given a good workout is important to prevent that occurring. 

3 Short

DROP the 60 minute workouts if they don't work for you. It is amazing how effective a 20 minute workout can be and if you are new to exercise it won't seem so onerous. Find a class near you with an instructor who understands the changing needs of women in the menopause or, if you live nearby, come and try my Hi Met class! 

4 Strong

Not skinny. As we age so our muscles get smaller and bones lose their density. The BEST way to reverse both of these issues it to do weight bearing exercise. This means you are  using your own body weight. Running is a great option for some women,  it provides a multitude of benefits for the mood, as well as the positive effect on bone and muscle. If you HATE running - then it won't be right for you, so think about fast walking at a pace that makes you puff. It will have a similar affect without you dreading it.

5 Slow and Stress Busting 

In addition to the sweaty stuff, it is VITAL to include some kind of recuperative exercise such a Yoga, Thai Chi, swimming or walking. The aim of this type of exercise is to reduce our stress hormone - cortisol, and learn to slow down and relax. This type of exercise can easily be built into a normal day if we plan ahead. Make the dog walk a slower one, follow an online Yoga video if you can't get to a class or have a weekly genltle swim with a friend.  

6 Specific to YOUR needs 

In this phase of our lives I recommend you find a class or instructor who understands your needs. Make sure they give you a range of options so that you can start at a level that is right for you. Anyone who tells you that 60 seconds of start jumps is fine - should be avoided in my opinion. 

7 Sociable

This may be the last in my list, arguably it could be the first and most important. Having someone to be accountable to makes us more likely to succeed. Find a partner to go to a class with or go for a walk or run with, join a group or a club - and enjoy meeting and sharing with others in the same boat as you.