Earlier this year, Alison Hammond revealed strength training had been crucial in her losing 11 stone and transforming her body composition. She credited personal trainer Ellis Gatfield, who told us he and the 51-year-old TV presenter would do 30-minute sessions together – but things look a little different when Alison is filming for The Great British Bake Off.
Speaking to Good Housekeeping, she explained that when on set, she does a quick but effective 20-minute routine on her own, set by her trainer to help hold her accountable away from home. ‘Every morning, I’ll do my little routine,’ she said. ‘About 20 minutes and I’m done.’
The workout is programmed in a way that makes it accessible for Alison wherever and whenever she needs to move. ‘My trainer’s given me something that I can do when I’m away and can’t see him,’ she explained. ‘I’ve got a mat that I put out. I’ll do stretches, squats, weights, something for every body area. It’s easy to fit in. I just like to get out of breath. That’s a daily non-negotiable. I won’t feel like me if I don’t do that.’
She even has her own makeshift weights studio on set. ‘My weights travel everywhere with me,’ she said as she gave Good Housekeeping a tour of her gym area with its rack of dumbbells. ‘Bake Off puts them into storage every year. And I’m in here every morning.’
Laura Palmer/Channel 4
And while her new exercise routine has had monumental benefits for her physical health – the star previously shared that by combining consistent movement with a balanced diet, she successfully reversed her pre-diabetes diagnosis – her aim is to look after her mental wellbeing. ‘I love lifting weights; I love to sweat. I love the feeling afterwards. I need some space where I do something for just me,’ she said.
All you need is 20 minutes, a mat and a pair of dumbbells and you could feel the same.
One of our most frequently asked questions here at Women’s Health? How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So, we asked superstar trainer Oyinda Okunowo exactly how to do it. In this 4-week plan – created exclusively for Women’s Health COLLECTIVE members – you’ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to help you on your way to better body composition. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to Oyinda’s plan and start training today.
As Women’s Health UK’s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism.
After earning a first-class degree in journalism and NCTJ accreditation, she secured her first role at Look Magazine, where she launched the magazine’s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!
Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner’s World and Red. Today, she oversees all fitness content across Women’s Health online and in print, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as ‘Fit At Any Age’, which showcases the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise.
She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks – all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how. Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram.