A few days ago, I had a chat with trainer Monique Alexander, whose client list reads like a Hollywood casting agent\u2019s little black book: Anne Hathaway<\/a>, Stanley Tucci<\/a> and Emily Blunt, to name a few.<\/p>\n This means she\u2019s responsible for a significant chunk of the Devil Wears Prada sequel cast \u2013 she casually mentions jumping on a Zoom call with \u201cAnnie\u201d directly after our interview, which makes me feel a tad inferior. <\/p>\n So what does Monique do to whip her actors into shape for a film in which they play lean, poised, powerful fashionistas? Surely she beasts them with brutal workouts that leave them begging for a break? Well, no.<\/p>\n She takes a more measured, sustainable approach, and this is the overarching theme of this newsletter.<\/p>\n \u201cMy actors are trusting me with their bodies when they are exhausted,\u201d she tells me. \u201cThese guys are non-stop. Their filming schedules \u2013 I can\u2019t understand the 5\u202fam starts.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen they\u2019re filming, there\u2019s no point going in and lifting heavy or doing something incredibly intense. I\u2019ve got to make them strong, but I also have to work around their schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019m not currently filming a blockbuster, and I\u2019d wager you aren\u2019t either. But busy days aren\u2019t exclusive to celebrities, and I think we can all learn from Monique\u2019s approach. <\/p>\n Not every workout has to be perfect, heavy, or intense \u2013 if it were, our bodies would likely rebel and break down. After all, while workouts trigger the positive adaptations we\u2019re after (such as a healthier heart and stronger body), it is during the recovery periods in between that our bodies actually implement them.<\/p>\n If exercise is to have a lasting impact, the most important thing is to move your body consistently. On busier days, this could mean a short stretching routine or simply going for a walk \u2013 something is usually better than nothing. To help those who often find themselves short on time, I compiled a list of scientists\u2019 tips for increasing the health benefits of any steps you can squeeze into your day, which you can read here.<\/p>\n This \u201csomething is better than nothing\u201d approach extends to food too.<\/p>\n I recently interviewed Luke Hanna<\/a>, a personal trainer with more than a decade of experience. In a bid to help his clients, he returned to university a few years ago to obtain a master\u2019s degree in obesity and clinical nutrition. This gives him interesting insights into both sides of the weight-loss equation: movement and diet.<\/p>\n During our discussion, Hanna shared six things he wishes people knew about fitness and fat loss<\/a>, but the one that interested me most was the idea that there are no good or bad foods.<\/p>\n \u201cI see this all the time when clients have a takeaway, grab an ice cream, or go out for food, then feel guilty because it wasn\u2019t the most nutritious thing they could have eaten,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n \u201cBut people know that if they eat one nutritious meal, they won\u2019t suddenly be healthy. So why would you assume that having one pizza makes you unhealthy?\u201d<\/p>\n As with exercise, you are not defined by one day or one meal, but by your average actions \u2013 the things you consistently eat and drink.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s beneficial for people to feel hugely guilty for enjoying food,\u201d Hanna continues. \u201cIf anything, labelling your food as \u2018good\u2019 and \u2018bad\u2019, or \u2018clean\u2019 and \u2018dirty\u2019, just worsens your relationship with it and creates binge\u2013restrict cycles. If people stop assigning morality to food, they\u2019ll be better off.\u201d<\/p>\n
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