AtHomeWithGloriaHunnifordOctober2016 - 104


▲ H E A LT H

Importance
of being fit

Although you may be
tempted to take it easy
when you get older,
the truth is exercise is
vital for your wellbeing.
Physical activity boosts
self-esteem, mood, sleep
quality and energy, as
well as reducing your
risk of developing stress,
depression, dementia
and Alzheimer's disease.

INCIDENTAL
EXERCISE
Getting in shape doesn't always
require a kit bag and gym pass
- there are plenty of ways to
sneak a quick workout into
your busy day

2

Couch potato

If your evenings are
dedicated to relaxing in
front of the TV, why not put the
ad breaks to good use? Rather
than making a cup of tea, do
some jumping jacks or sit-ups
- it's amazing how much good
you can do and, as a bonus, you
get to avoid those tedious adverts!

3

Flat pack

Instead of sitting on the
sofa for hours on end, you
can always try a Fit Ball instead.
You may feel a little silly at first
but sitting on one will help flatten
your tummy and improve your
posture, because to stay on the
ball, your core stability muscles
have to engage and contract.

104 | NOVEMBER 2016

ZUMBA

This is a fusion of Latin dances:
merengue, salsa, mambo, samba,
reggaeton, cumbia and hip hop. Get
your blood pumping and your hips
swaying with a Latino soundtrack.
BENEFITS A full body workout and
a boogie all in one! Just like clubbing,
but instead of the hangover you'll feel
energised and uplifted.
CALORIE COUNT No wonder
the Brazilians look so toned. Zumba
shakes off 700 calories in one go.*
'I TRIED IT' Holly, 71, says: 'In my
first class I was gasping for breath
after 15 minutes. The next day I found
muscles I never knew I had, but I
loved it! It can be intense, but now
I forget I'm even working out.'

ViPR

Pronounced 'viper', it stands for vitality,
performance and reconditioning. You
spend an hour carrying, tilting and
flipping a tube weighing four to 20kg.
BENEFITS The technique is based
on Canadian farming methods and
the belief that training the whole
body in one movement produces
the best results. Creator Michol
Dalcourt promises you'll soon have
'fantastic muscle tone and strength'.

INTENSE
RESULTS
NHS Direct
reports that
75 minutes
of vigorous
activity per
week can
give similar
health
benefits
to 150
minutes of
moderate
activity.

CALORIE COUNT Banish 300
calories and find a firmer, more
muscular you.*
'I TRIED IT' Sue, 62, says: 'I
swapped dumbbells for ViPR after
I was told it works all your muscles
as well as burning calories. I could
definitely feel it testing my abs and
upper arms - goodbye, bingo wings!'

REFORMER PILATES

It's Pilates but rather than a mat
you use a specially designed reformer
machine, which makes the class more
intense and dynamic.
BENEFITS A regime of stretches,
resistance work, weights, lunges,
squats and sit-ups gives you a highly
intense cardiovascular workout
combined with specific strength,
core and flexibility strengthening.
CALORIE COUNT It can transform
your body in 10 sessions. Expect to
burn around 300 calories an hour.*
'I TRIED IT' Geraldine, 67, says:
'Using a reformer machine is much
more challenging than mat-based
Pilates, as you have to work much
harder with your core, inner thighs,
arms and legs to move on the
machine - it really gets the heart
pumping, too!'

WORDS: TIM GORDON, *ALL CALORIE AMOUNTS ARE AVERAGES,
BASED ON A 70KG WOMAN AND WILL VARY ACCORDING TO CLASS
AND INDIVIDUALS. IMAGES: GETTY IMAGES

1

Stride by stride

Find the time to spend 20
minutes walking - even if
you're no longer working, it
shouldn't be too tricky. If travelling
by bus, get off one stop earlier.
If on an escalator, walk up and
down rather than standing there
daydreaming. You could even march
on the spot while washing the
dishes. Make use of the stairs, too.
Walking up and down a few times,
even if you don't need to, is easy
and can do wonders for your heart.
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