I was so excited to be approached by the Lorraine show to do some filming around my favourite subjects – health and beauty.
My instruction was not to talk in general, but to tell people specifically what I personally do to stay fit and healthy. We ended up making three short films on the subjects I consider to be the most important. This week I went back in the studio to sit down and chat about it with Lorraine and to show the first segment.
This first film is about exercise and how I’ve completely changed my exercise routine in the last few years. I explain how I work out more moderately and do shorter sessions than before. Happily, there is much research saying that moderate exercise is more beneficial than very vigorous exercise and that most of the benefit is achieved in the first twenty minutes.
Exercise is the closest thing there is to an anti-ageing pill
Anyone who’s been following Ageless will have heard me say this before. The important thing is to listen to your body and do the right kind of exercise for you. If you’re very stressed or overworked, then a walk in the park is probably just what you need, rather than a full-on gym session. Doing different types of exercise is important too.
We all need to stretch to stay flexible
Yoga and Pilates are brilliant for this. We stiffen up as we get older but stretching can help prevent this. We also lose muscle mass as we age, and muscles are very important for all kinds of reasons. They affect our metabolism and give us strength to protect us against frailty.
Invest in some weights
I bought a few of different sized weights and use them regularly as I now do many of my workouts at home. It’s so convenient, it saves time as well as money. There are literally thousands of workouts available for free on YouTube.
Combine a bit of weight training with some cardiovascular workouts where you work up a bit of a sweat (once again YouTube is brilliant for this) or go for a brisk walk. Walking is probably the most all-round beneficial work-out. And walking in nature is even better.
You can see my full interview with Lorraine below, as well as my segment on exercise.
View the interview
Acknowledgement
Photo © Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock @kenmckayphoto
