There are new health trends and well-being innovations popping up by the second. From spiralizing to stomach vacuuming, here are five we're obsessed with at the moment...
AppsMyFitnessPal may have taken over some people’s lives, as well as FitBits making step-counting as obsessive as calorie counting was back in the 80s, but there is value in some of these Apps. If your phone is an extension of your body (and whose isn’t, no judgement here) try one of these three Apps to help you in all your health pursuits:
FitStar Personal Trainer: As intuitive and personalised as a training session with a human professional for much less money - plus it allows you to monitor both your progress and your input.
FitNet: Not sure if you’re making progress or not? This app turns your phone into your ‘gym buddy’ and gives you real time feedback.
Spring: If you need a good playlist to get you through a run or workout, this compiles a tracklist with similar beats per minute to keep your momentum going.
BoxingBoxing is becoming as much a girls’ sport as it is a male pursuit. The fact is, you never see a chubby boxer and boxers’ workouts - a combination of punching and high intensity cardio - are up there with some of the highest calorie burners around. Les Mills Body Combat classes, available throughout the country, promise an 800 calorie burn in one 60 minute class. Check out Ellie Goulding’s Instagram where her boxing videos show just how hardcore it can be - and how good does Ellie look?
SpiralizingIt may have been a bit of a health trend, but it’s a food fad that isn’t going away. Why? Because substituting your spaghetti for courgette cuts out refined carbs and those nasty sugars, gives you a strong dose of fibre and tastes - well not like pasta - but pretty nice. If you don’t have a spiralizer you can still be a part of the trend, just use your common or garden peeler for thicker strands and head to Deliciously Ella for recipe inspiration.
Hula HoopingHave you tried to Hula Hoop lately? It might have been your go-to activity in the playground when you were in primary school, but as an adult it becomes infinitely harder. That said, a 30 minute hula hoop workout can burn up to 250 calories, as it whittles away the waist like no ab workout can. The Berkeley Hotel in London even have a HulaFit class by their rooftop pool - a calorie burn and some luxury combined!
Stomach Vacuuming It may sound like something you have done to you, but it’s a simple breathing technique that stimulates the transverse abdominis (TVA). The TVA is the deepest level of your abs and by tightening this it’s like corseting your mid-section from the inside. YouTube tutorials aplenty have cropped up showing the technique, which places far less stress on the neck and back as your conventional crunch. If your muffin top plagues you this might be your best fitness discovery yet.
