I met Sophie through mutual friends in fitness, and immediately I knew she brought something special to the fitness industry. She has a warm energy, a calming disposition and an unflappable commitment to her clients and the practice of yoga. I’m really excited to partner with her for a special Bootcamp & Bend event on Saturday 17 September. After 45min of high-intensity bootcamp with me, Sophie will be taking the crew through a series of flowing vinyasa style stretches and yoga sequences to lengthen the body, open the mind and leave you feeling strong and balanced as you take on the weekend. It’s the ideal opportunity for keen bootcampers to try their hand at yoga, and for dedicated yogis to enjoy the intensity and teamwork of bootcamp.

Here Sophie shares a little more about herself so you can get to know her before joining us next Saturday!

When & why did health and wellness start to become a top priority for you?

I have always enjoyed exercise, especially at school. However until just over a year ago I was living a pretty unhealthy lifestyle. Working all hours as an Assistant Director in TV meant that I never had time to exercise. I was so exhausted that I didn’t put much thought into what I ate and wellness just wasn’t a priority. After 8 years in the industry my body began to give up on me, and after a bad period of insomnia I came to the realisation that things really needed to change. So I quit my job – a tough decision at the time – and once I started on the road to getting fit and healthy again I haven’t looked back.

How often do you personally practise yoga, and what benefits does a regular practice offer you?

I try to practise 4 times a week and I would love to practise more but sometimes I find it difficult to fit my own practice into a busy week! A regular practice helps me stay grounded, it helps me switch off from the business of life, it helps me feel more open in my body and mind, and most of all it helps me feel balanced.

Describe your unique yoga teaching style in one sentence…

Dynamic and energetic with fun and creative sequences that will make you feel revitalised and glowing!

What’s your most exciting fitness career highlight to date?

Having 56 people turn up to my Lululemon class this summer was pretty special!

Who do you look to for inspiration in the fitness industry or in the business of fitness?

I look to both the teachers that I assist for – Julie Montagu and Rachel Okimo. I love their different styles of teaching and both of them have inspired me to be the teacher I am.

Which yoga pose makes you feel strongest?

Crow pose – I really used to struggle with this pose as I had such weak shoulders and arms (I found it hard to do a press up for a long time!) so it reminds me how far I have come and how with practice and determination you can achieve anything.

What fitness discipline pushes you most out of your comfort zone?

Probably bootcamp! I find high intensity training very tough and I have to remember that the mind gives up way before the body does.

How would you describe the London fitness scene compared to other countries and cities around the world?

I can only really compare it to Australia – where I received my yoga qualifications – and I would say that we have a bit of catching up to do here in London. In Sydney and Melbourne fitness and wellness seems much more accessible and affordable. Of course the good weather encourages people to be outside and be more active. But there also seems to be a real consciousness around healthy eating and an acceptance of different dietary requirements.

What excites you most about the upcoming Bootcamp & Bend event?

I am looking forward to uniting bootcamp with yoga! It will be fun and interesting motivating a whole group of people after they have had an extremely energetic workout…. I also hope that the people who may not have tried yoga before but are more of the ‘team bootcamp’ will be pleasantly surprised at how dynamic and energetic yoga can be.  I am really looking forward to being part of a new type of workout, creating something exciting and fresh…and hopefully Bootcamp and Bend will have many more interesting events to come!

Find out more about Bootcamp & Bend and secure your spot (spaces are going quick!) before they’re gone. We look forward to meeting and training with you!

Last year, just a few months after launching the Fit Brit Collective blog, I posted five New Year’s Resolutions to help maintain my focus in 2015. A whole year later, I feel pretty happy looking back at my goals and the progress I’ve made.

Through regular yoga practice I’ve pinned down my favourite practice styles to Ashtanga, Rocket and Power Yoga. And since teaching at Heartcore, I now incorporate at least one Reformer Pilates session into my weekly workouts. Within the year I also decided to qualify as a PT and leave my office job as a copywriter to give Fit Brit Collective my full-time attention – I definitely feel more self-certain in my career. Between teaching classes, working with clients and managing a full-on workload, inventive packed lunches have become a must. And none of this would have been possible without a lot of positive thinking and checking in with my family and friends.

With 2015 proving such a strong and exciting year, I’m raising the bar in 2016 with five new resolutions to keep me learning, growing and giving.

Qualify as a post-natal fitness specialist

Starting this month, I’m advancing my fitness qualifications with a YMCA course in ante and post-natal training. I believe we’re all in transition, and that one of life’s greatest transitions for women is becoming a mother. Through smart and effective training, I’m looking forward to helping more new mums tackle their new responsibilities, new priorities and new challenges with unbridled energy and confidence.

Go on a fitness retreat

No more lusting after Instagram photos and videos of sunny getaways dedicated to twice daily workouts and whole, healthy nutrition. This year I’m putting a fitness retreat on my travel calendar – and looking out for opportunities to join or run one for myself!

The year of the headstand

My commitment to yoga is going nowhere, and in 2016 I’m turning my focus upside down with an emphasis on inversions. This January, I’m entrusting in The Power Yoga Company to help me connect with my intentions and lock into headstand with more strength and confidence. See you on the mat!

Give back to my #sweatsquad  

I get so much happiness and motivation from working with my incredible #sweatsquad – the fellow trainers, inspiring clients and unstoppable training partners who continue to settle for nothing but the best. This year, I’m doing more to give back to my #sweatsquad (if you’re reading this, that includes you) with more online workouts, training tips and special fitness events to show my thanks! Pop back to the blog next weekend for a special 2016 workout designed to give you a firm full-body fitness foundation with exactly 2016 reps.

Launch Fit Brit Collective bootcamps

I find nothing more rewarding than helping a client connect with their goals. Through Fit Brit Collective outdoor bootcamps, coming soon to Wimbledon Common, I’ll be further delivering on my mission statement to make meaningful connections through exercise. Think partner exercises, invigorating group training drills and the satisfaction of completing every workout as a team. You may even meet your next training partner in the process. Contact me at brit@fitbritcollective.com to find out more.

I’m ready to take on the new year. Are you? I’d love to hear about your goals and resolutions. If you’re considering personal training to set you on the right track, contact me to arrange a free consultation. Wishing you health, happiness and success in 2016!

This weekend, London health and fitness festival Be:FIT is back for the second year, and this time in the big beautiful venue of the Business Design Centre in Islington. From Friday to Sunday, there’s a jam-packed schedule of classes by top studios, plus nutrition and lifestyle talks by fitness industry icons. And once you’re feeling fit and inspired, you can pick up some healthy treats from over 125 stalls manned by some of my favourite UK brands – not least Pip & Nut, Purition and Teapigs!

Not sure where to start? Here’s my edit of the best classes and talks to attend on each day of the event…

Friday

House of Voga Workshop – 11am

Juliet Murrell’s unique fusion of rhythmic yoga breathing and retro aerobics dance packs in plenty of weekend-friendly flamboyance. As well as working up a virtuous sweat, you’ll pick up a few moves to put into practice the next time you wind up beneath a disco ball.

Madeleine Shaw – 1230pm

The name on everyone’s lips this week is Madeleine Shaw. She’s just released her recipe book Get the Glow and recently held a press launch that attracted a healthy turnout from the cast of Made in Chelsea. Behind the media craze, Madeleine’s experience stems from years of eating to correct IBS and enhance energy levels and makes her a well-informed advisor for your top nutrition queries.

Saturday

Victoria Pendleton & Farrah Storr – 130pm

I may be biased as I do the odd bit of work for Women’s Health, but the magazine’s editor Farrah Storr is full of fascinating insights into the fitness industry. And Victoria Pendleton’s gold medal background and natural charm makes this one of the most exciting talks of the entire festival. Join the conversation as the two old friends talk serious training.

Equinox Elimin8tor – 2pm

In case you haven’t guessed, I’m a big champion of the benefits of HIIT. And this short but sweet 30 minute session is the perfect introduction for newcomers to the concept of interval training. Like all HIIT workouts, it is equally challenging for the most experienced exercisers – maximise your effort and you’re guaranteed to sweat.

Sunday

Leah Kim Workshop – 11am

You’ll find me here on Sunday. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to start the day with 90 minutes of dynamic yoga taught by one of the coolest yogis around. You’ll recognise Leah from the Nike Training Club app, where she brings a laidback Santa Monica vibe to your home workouts.

Denise Lewis – 130pm

Olympic gold-medal winning heptathlete turned sports presenter Denise Lewis is a role model for every career-driven woman who schedules workouts like she does business meetings. As well as health and training tips, Denise will be discussing the non-negotiable rules that help her maintain a happy work/life balance.

There are of course plenty of other classes on offer – and if you’re yet to experience Barry’s Bootcamp, FRAME or Boom Cycle, this is place to try them for free.

If you’re planning to attend Be:FIT this weekend, use my exclusive code BRIT at checkout to get your tickets for just £15 each (normally £18). Or follow me on Instagram to find out how you can win one of five pairs of tickets going completely FREE!

I’ve been home a week now but when I close my eyes I can still hear the strong waves crashing against the untouched beaches and see the healthy green aura Sri Lanka’s lush vegetation casts over everything. Sri Lanka is a country that stays with you, and in those particularly frenetic moments at my desk, part of me wishes I could have stayed with it, too. But now I get to relive a few of the highlights by sharing them with you. Perhaps you’ll feel inclined to book the next flight to Colombo, and hopefully you’ll also pick up a few tips for staying active on holiday – whatever the destination on the departure board.

The scenery

Green is the first word that comes to mind when describing Sri Lanka. Everything from the tropical trees to the low-lying plantation to the grass on the ground is so vibrant it seems to radiate a halo of light. And nowhere is this more true than in the tea plantations around Kandy.

We stayed in the luxurious ‘tents’ of the Madulkelle Eco Lodge; more than a worthwhile resting place after a rather hair-raising four-hour ascent. The one-lane mountain road is bordered by steep cliffside vistas over a valley so lush I thought heaven must be near (though I wasn’t ready for early entry and, in any case, can’t be sure I’ve made the cut). It’s no coincidence that the nearby hiking hotspot called Adam’s Peak is a pilgrimage site with visitors believing Adam stopped here to take a final look over the land of Eden.

The final hour of the drive is lined by miles of tea fields. Beds of tea leaves looked so dense you’d think they would hold your weight if you were so inclined to jump in. On arrival, it was captivating to see the clouds roll in below and the base of the valley disappear.

After spending a few days with our heads above the clouds, it was time to get a little closer to sea level. The ocean on the south coast of Sri Lanka likes to make a statement – waves erupting from the rocks like lava. Yet the rhythmic lapping against the shore is the ultimate soundtrack for relaxation. Stick around for dusk and it’s impossible not to feel at peace – the big red sun sinking beneath the horizon in minutes as it leaves its trace in the evening’s rose-coloured clouds.

Staying active

Staying in shape (and getting even fitter) was easy in Sri Lanka. As the temperatures rose to 30 degrees and above by 8am, we established a healthy habit of going to bed and waking up early. Often the first up in the Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel in Galle, I’d have the gym to myself. Most of the equipment was a little out of date (head over to my Instagram account to see a step machine straight out of the 70’s), but it was fun to get a little old school and even run on a self-powered treadmill.

Daily swims in the beautiful Infinity pool were also the perfect way to stay cool. To avoid burning in the midday heat, I’d break my swims into two 15-minute sessions.

Making the most of the outdoors is especially important for me on holiday, as on working days in the UK I’ll easily spend all but one or two hours inside. I booked two private yoga classes on the balcony for my husband and I. Our instructor Upali specialises in Hatha yoga and had some unique approaches for getting into familiar moves, which I’ve since found useful for practising inversions like crow and headstand. Here he demonstrates a pretty impressive Scorpion handstand.

Upali definitely pushed me into some more progressive poses, so I was glad I’d spent a morning in the tea plantations warming up with a gentle stretch and flow session.

I also used the beautiful backdrop of the tea plantations to film this short sunbed circuit – proving that a sun lounger is good for more than just R&R. This sequence of step-ups, single-leg lunges, glute bridges (using the balcony railings for a little extra elevation), decline press-ups, tricep dips, plank-ups and teasers was an ideal full-body circuit to boost my metabolism and prevent any muscle loss while I took a break from my full-time routine.

Natural nourishment

Although I confess to the odd indulgence in Indian food, I prefer the creamy western varieties like Korma and Pasanda to the chilli-heavy variations loved by Sri Lanka’s locals. These fire dancers even swallowed the flames from their batons to prove just how resilient they are to the heat.

However, a daily soup course was a nice surprise, with ginger-infused broths having a warming quality without making your eyes water.

During a trip into the walled city of Galle Fort, we also stumbled across this independent spice boutique called Chilli Dragon, where I stocked up on some of my favourite ingredients like cinnamon for porridge and protein balls.

A cooler treat for the taste buds was a local drink called the Mint Frappe. Here Ben poses with the bright green beverage, which tastes as refreshing as it looks. I asked for the recipe so I could make it at home this summer, and it couldn’t be simpler.

Just blend the following: One large handful fresh mint leaves, juice of one lime, shot of sugar syrup and two handfuls ice.

I also loved the King Coconuts, served straight up with a straw, but those are a little harder to source at home…

My final favourite culinary discovery took place at the breakfast buffet: passionfruit crepes. Light and super sweet, passionfruit works so well as a pancake filling because it doesn’t need any further sweetener and packs in plenty of the antioxidants vitamin A and C, plus high amounts of dietary fibre to set up your digestive system for the day.

Serenity found

This was definitely the healthy getaway I needed to reflect on the remainder of the busy year ahead and restore some balance to my life. As I watched the sun set on our incredible holiday, I felt inspired to test some of my newfound balance in the Sri Lankan waves. Struggling to so much as to reach my foot in this pose only a few months ago, it says a lot that within a week I was able to advance my yoga practice and feel stronger and taller inside and out. In part, that’s because Sri Lanka is a land of letting go. There on the island’s southern shores, I let go of a lot of things – stress, uncertainties and ego among them. And so far I’ve managed to leave them at sea…

I first came across Tara Stiles when I stumbled on her yoga studio Strala during a visit to New York City. After that, I’d see her pop up on Instagram teaching hundreds of students, twisting into some part-human-part-pretzel poses and, ultimately, always sporting a giant smile. This is a girl who radiates serenity and happiness, and I wanted to know how she does it.

@tarastiles shares her excitement over the new book on Instagram

So when her book Make Your Own Rules Diet (available from Amazon or iBooks) came to my attention via Starbucks’ Book of the Week recommendations (side note: isn’t it nice to see some of the world’s biggest businesses backing the movement for healthier living?), I was excited to see whether this New York girl’s kitchen habits could influence a happier and more energetic lifestyle of my own.

The title, as it transpires, is only a partial reflection of the book’s merits. In fact, this is a full-blown guide to getting more from every waking minute. Sure there is a section on the importance of breaking the sugar crash cycle and eating ingredients from the earth (plus plenty of recipes to show you how easy and enticing it is to do so), but for me the underlying message of the book is its emphasis on feeling versus analysing.

Speaking from experience 

To show she’s truly invested in her processes, Tara starts by opening up about the impact of a traumatic post-party incident she experienced as a teenager, and how it consumed her with negative energy and began a vicious cycle of starvation. It was only by a slow period of sensitisation that she was able to appreciate and nourish her body – to understand its needs and nurture them for holistic wellbeing. This is the crux of her Make Your Own Rules Diet – and it’s a principle that extends well beyond the kitchen.

Still somewhat of a taboo subject (although Robin Williams’ death last year helped to spark important conversations), mental health is a topic Tara tackles head on with her easy and accessible introduction to meditation. She talks a lot about taking time, and making space, to review the self from within. Her breathing exercises are short and perfect for integrating in the day to day. Over time they teach us to silence the static of daily demands and find a moment of peace. By taking this time in the day, our awareness of our nutritional and physical needs also increases.

Head over heels for Tara Stiles’ new book

Take it to the mat 

By far my most bookmarked section of Tara’s book is the chapter on ‘Working Your Mat’. Her energising morning flow is seriously life-changing for anyone who sits at a desk for the bulk of their day – I felt the difference to my posture with every practice. Also fantastic is her evening unwind sequence, which is just physical enough for a post-work energy boost but not so sweaty and adrenaline-stimulating it keeps you up at night. I haven’t yet tried her ‘heart-pumping sweaty flow’ as I prefer to do my tougher vinyasas in a class setting, but her demonstrations certainly set the bar high and make you want to spend more time on the mat.

Kitchen inspiration 

Tara also turns the kitchen into a creative space – describing her recipes as no more than suggestions on how to mix up healthy ingredients and encouraging you to throw in more of this, less of that or completely new additions to put your own spin on them. Your pots and pans become another canvas for self-expression, completing the journey from your yoga mat and back again. The two go hand in hand, and all the other parts of the puzzle like your job, your hobbies and your relationships also become clearer as the body is prioritised through both exercise and nutrition.

Spoonful of happiness

The winning recipes for me are the Chocolate Almond Protein Butter Smoothie and the Rise & Shine Granola. The latter finally gave me the kick I needed to give up sugar-laden store-bought brands for good and mix up my own fresh batch for an effortless breakfast or healthy dessert alternative when mixed with natural Greek yoghurt and berries. I’ve since gone on to personalise this several times over and every batch has been equally delicious. (Stop by next week for a few of my favourite concoctions, including a special request for a nut-free version for a friend with allergies!)

Get your copy of Tara Stiles’ <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Make-Your-Own-Rules-Diet/dp/1401944353" onclick="__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', 'http://www.amazon.co buy viagra in usa.uk/Make-Your-Own-Rules-Diet/dp/1401944353′, ‘Make Your Own Rules Diet’);” target=”_blank”>Make Your Own Rules Diet today to bring the feeling back into your yoga practice, meditative moments and eating habits. And feel free to share your own sources of fitspiration in a comment below or on social media. Happy rule making! 

Like many of winter’s victims, I started the New Year with a terrible bout of flu. It knocked me for nine and certainly ruled out an early start on any fitness-related resolutions. But as all ailments and pains do, the symptoms passed after a few days and I’m already steadily regaining my pre-Christmas strength. Although I hated not being able to exercise at the time, my body is healthier for the much-needed rest and I’m able to work much harder now than I might be if I’d put extra stress on my system and prolonged the illness.

It’s important to remember that your body is a simple system of input and output. We only produce so much energy to distribute for different functions. There are the basic everyday processes like circulating blood and oxygen around the body, regenerating cells, sending primary nervous signals from the brain and eliminating toxins. If, on top of this, your immune system is fighting off an infection or your body is attempting to heal from an injury, much of its energy will be redirected for those purposes. As a result, there is less capacity left over to fuel high-intensity demands like exercise. Your body will rise to the demand, but only at the sacrifice of other restorative functions essential for your wellbeing. By forcing yourself to do a round of burpees, you may be putting your body at cross purposes with itself and actively preventing recovery.

Any number of things can disrupt your training – illness, injury, period pain, feelings of extreme stress or depression, and of course those logistical things like simply having too much to do. In the face of all today’s pressures (including the expectations we have of ourselves), I wanted to compile a definitive guide for when to push through the pain and when to pull back. I hope this helps you put your training in perspective and appreciate your body for all the wonderful things it can do.

These are the rules I’ve found most effective for me. If you have rules of your own or different experiences to add, I’d love to hear about them. Please get in touch or leave a comment below to share your views.

The seasoned experts among you may have read this post title with one eyebrow firmly raised, thinking ‘you don’t do yoga, you practise yoga’. But I will be the first to admit I’m not an expert yogi. I am the girl who relies on the wall for balance whenever the headstand comes around, looking enviously back at the pros staying effortlessly still as their feet shoot unsupported into the air. And then they lower their legs to 90 degrees and back again, surely just to show off. But I am persevering.

That’s why I like yoga. I admire the perseverance required to move that little bit deeper into a pose or (eventually) to kick off the wall and hold that headstand with nothing but your core to support you. And in that drive to progress in my practice, there is a form of psychological escape I struggle to find in any other form of exercise. Well-practised now in HIIT intervals and conditioning circuits, my brain will still be running through feature or blog ideas as I’m hitting 16kph on the treadmill. But tell me to ‘relax’ into pigeon pose and I can think of nothing but the tightness in my hips and the ever-so-slight easing as I take another deep breath.

Like most of my friends in my generation, I work long hours and set my career and personal expectations high. Switching off can be a challenge, and sometimes even the simple act of sleep can be difficult to achieve. As much a sport of the mind as it is of the body, yoga channels those stresses or frustrations and systematically focuses your attention on different parts of your body. At the end of a practice, you feel noticeably lighter as a whole; savasana is one of the rare occasions when my mind is fully in the moment.

For me, my weekly yoga class is non-negotiable. Ashtanga and Vinyasa are my preferred practices. Look for these or anything with the word ‘Dynamic’ in the name if you enjoy a more athletic workout and like to break a sweat. Meanwhile, Hatha, Iyengar and even Bikram are slower in movement, with the challenge being to hold the poses for longer. Bikram is a different beast altogether, with the heated rooms causing you to sweat buckets no matter what you do – great for detoxing and relaxing your muscles just an inch further. And these hardly scratch the surface of the yoga styles available to try. Below I’ll list the five benefits I feel yoga offers me, and encourage you to experiment with different classes or videos to find the practice that makes the most positive addition to your life.

My five favourite yoga perks

1. Dynamic stretches that lengthen and ease out my sore muscles after contracting them through running, HIIT or conditioning.
2. Those moments of elation when a pose finally just ‘clicks’ and I know that I will do it with precision and confidence forever more.
3. The thigh-burning effort required to hold poses and maintain my balance, and the noticeable strength gains as I progress these poses with every practice.
4. 60 minutes away from my email inbox and deadlines. Just me, my practice and my journey to savasana.
5. The aforementioned weightlessness that accompanies a hard-earned savasana, every inch of my body melting into the floor. I often simulate savasana when I can’t sleep, and 80% of the time it does the trick.

Yoga is a personal practice and while I have a few favourite London studios, I want to keep this post as general as possible and simply encourage you to give it a try if you haven’t already. In future posts I plan to review select studios and share my practice in more detail, but I want to take this opportunity to discuss a side of fitness that’s not all burning lungs and aching post-workout muscles. Remember to exercise for holistic wellbeing and think beyond that much sought-after six-pack from time to time. (Though I challenge you to find an expert yogi with a stomach that’s anything less than sculpted.)

As it happens, yoga is a great way to stay fit over the Christmas holidays because it requires zero equipment and also delivers a dose of much-needed zen away from the festive buzz. If that sounds up your street, try one of the yoga classics featured in my 5 favourite YouTube workouts. And, as always, feel free to share your experiences below.

Thanks for reading everyone. Until next time, I wish you a very happy and healthy Christmas!

“Now whip your legs 360 degrees and land on the mat.” I’m inverted several times in a hammock and I’m white-knuckling its silky red fabric because I can’t quite remember how I got here. Georgina the ultra-toned instructor has just somersaulted to the floor without flinching and she’s asking us to do the same. Now, the blood has rushed to my head from hanging upside down for several minutes, so I’m not in the best frame of mind to challenge her. I take a deep breath, close my eyes and kick with all my might.

When I open my eyes I see my standing reflection staring back. My feet have miraculously found the mat and I don’t have a single bruise to show for the process. Success! It is precisely these surprises that make Anti-Gravity Yoga different from other fitness classes. Not only is the hammock there to promote full-body strength by pulling and pushing against your weight – and to give you added range of motion to stretch out your limbs – but it’s also an invaluable resource for liberating your mind.

One minute I’m using the hip-height hammock as a skipping rope, calling both my heart and upper body into action. The next I’m tapping into my inner gymnast with aerial tricks and core-activating balances from a metre off the floor. “The mat will cushion the blow if you fall,” assures Georgina. I think she’s joking because I remember it being no more than an inch wide. Good thing I never have to put it to the test.

The class ends in a refreshing Shavasna with my full body gently cocooned within the soft-touch fabric. I leave standing noticeably taller with my spine and confidence having received a perspective-changing workout. It’s just the escape I’ve been looking for.

Give it a go

You can try Anti-Gravity Yoga at a limited range of Virgin Active health clubs, at official Anti-Gravity Yoga centres, at the London Dance Academy and more…

Love getting fit upside down? Tell me about your gravity-defying exercise experiences.