8 steps to losing weight for women over 40

Fit School, Epping, Pilates, Fitness, Running,Women, Mid Life, over 40 , Fat Loss, Strength, Diet Women of midlife: how do you lose weight? Because so far, this attempt at a diet is not working. This little plea from a journalist I follow on Twitter piqued my interest. Mainly because a)…

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5 Resolutions To Make 2017 Your Fittest Ever? #DesperateFitness Free

It’s that time of year when Fitness Frank and Pilates Penny can make you feel like you aren’t good enough. From Instagram #fitspirations who just make you feel fat, to endless 30 day challenges promising everything from losing fat while you sleep to getting you an ab crack*. And then…

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14 Reasons to Keep Training Throughout the Christmas Season

Fitness, Pilates, Epping, Essex It is the time of year which sorts the fitness tourists from the fitness converts. The want-to-try-ers from the where-do-I-sign-ers. As soon as that John Lewis ad hits our Facebook feed, I notice class numbers dwindling and fitness intentions being re-scheduled until the new year. STOP.…

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How to Make Fitness Inclusive, Fun and Empowering

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. When I first started my career in fitness, it was by accident. I took a year out to just ‘be’ and do some stuff I’d always wanted to do. Being active was a passion but I had never envisaged doing…

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6 Top Running Tips for Absolute Beginners

You’ve got your shiny new trainers and your breasts are safely strapped away. It’s time to run. So where do you start? Aside from the obvious – actually walking out of the door – there are a few tips you can bear in mind when you take your first tentative…

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Help I’m Afraid of Running

Today I’m taking it back. Right back to running basics. And when I say basics, I mean ‘getting your trainers on and walking out of the door’ basics. Running is fab. Or at least it looks that way when you see those energetic types smugly jiggling their lycra clad booties…

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Confessions of a fit family: At home with the Laings

CHRIS and I are often amused by the assumptions people make about us. ‘Fitties’ are often labelled as the fun police. We get invited to dinner only for our hosts to call a little scared as to what we eat. ‘Would fat be offensive?’ ‘Are they life long vegans?’ On the whole we…

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We aren’t vain we’re just trying to stay sane. How exercise helps the mind.

I like to lift weights. Heavy weights. It makes me feel great. For me, going to the gym, lifting weights and finishing off with perhaps a ten minute swim or sauna and a shower (in complete peace) is like switching a re-set button in my brain. I feel calm. I…

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Ha ha ha – you’re fat. Fat shaming in the UK part 1

I’ve been a personal trainer for 13 years. Over the last few years, I’ve noticed a worrying trend occurring amongst my fellow professionals. Fat shaming. It appears that we as health and fitness professionals feel adequately placed to say derogatory comments about anyone who gets in our way. It appears…

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Headaches, push-ups and tennis elbow: The shoulder blade connection

THIS week, across all my classes, there’s a bit of a theme. Clue: They are behind you and you need them to move your arms. Anatomically speaking I’m referring to your scapulae, without the latin they are your shoulder blades. Any arm or shoulder movement is dependent on your shoulder…

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