Zumba, kickboxing, pilates, yogalates, piloxing, barre, London isn’t short of health and fitness classes, but in a world where we’ll all striving for that perfect body there’s always going to be a new trend around the corner. So, what’s the new superfood, fad diet or exercise regime that will grab London’s attention in 2015?
1 The drink: watermelon juice
Sales of coconut water in 2014 went through the roof as the health industry, yoga bunnies and catwalk models sipped their way through thousands of gallons of the rehydrating drink. But in 2015, our money is going on watermelon juice, specifically Mello’s watermelon juice. Mello is the first to market with its range of raw, fresh juice, which is made from watermelon or cantaloupe melons. Both are equally delicious and highly hydrating. The drinks are naturally alkaline, low calorie and zero fat, but will fill you up. The potassium in the melons is key to rehydration, aiding muscle recovery and giving you a burst of energy post workout. Plus, because Mello’s juice is raw, it is full of vitamins. mellodrinks.co.uk
2 The superfoods:
Moringa
Moringa is made up of 25% protein, is high in antioxidants and a natural multi-vitamin. It is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet and has been highly praised for its medicinal properties by civilisations through the ages, as a result it is known as a ‘miracle tree’. It was only a matter of time before it came to Londoners’ attention. If you’re suffering from fatigue or iron-deficiency, sprinkle a little moringa powder in your smoothies for an instant boost.
Baobab
Baobab is a great source of Vitamin C, iron and alkalising minerals. Baobab contains about six times more Vitamin C than an orange, so does wonders for your immune system, particularly in winter. Baobab is also great at helping the body use food for energy and absorb iron, which is especially important for people vegetarians and vegans. If you’re feeling cold and fluey, add some baobab to a fruit smoothie. aduna.com
3 The ingredient: bee pollen
We’ve been championing the protection of bees this year, but next year prepare to be hearing even more about the insects, with bee pollen hitting the menu at London’s top health food restaurants. Loved by celebrities, this is the world’s most nourishing foodstuff, it boosts energy and the immune system and has anti-inflammatory properties. Stay on top of your health game and get your pollen fix with The Good Life Eatery’s Acai Bowl, a mix of gluten-free granola and raw brazilian acai, blended with brazil nuts, blackberry and banana, topped with fresh seasonal fruits and bee pollen. Meanwhile, neighbourhood restaurant Bumpkin has a new menu created by (Notting Hill, South Kensington and Chelsea) Julie Montagu, aka the Flexi Foodie, which includes a Carrot Digestif – a blend of bee pollen, fennel, curly parsley, carrots, orange and celery.
4 The fitness trends:
GymClass
Celebrity personal trainer and Barry’s Bootcamp coach Helle Hammonds has created new workout GymClass. Described as the ultimate fitness concept, this class is not for the feint-hearted, it combines high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and strengthening over a 50-minute session, and burns up to 1,000 calories. The HIIT burns fat quickly, by increasing your heart rate, while the strengthening tones your body through mat work, TRX and the use of weights. gym-class.co.uk
Hydrofit
It counts Pippa Middleton as one of its fans and has taken Paris by storm, now its London’s turn. Hydrofit is like a hybrid spa day and exercise session rolled into one. At the Chelsea studio, on Fulham Road, individual rooms are kitted out with treadmills and exercise bikes within a hydro-massage bathtub that fires out water from 16 jets. The water jets generate a steady release of oxygen atoms to promote natural exfoliation and skin rejuvenation. Hydrofit targets the lower body, offering a workout to the quadriceps and buttocks, with general overall benefit to cardiovascular health. However, on top of that, it also breaks down cellulite and detoxes by encouraging lymphatic drainage, and improves your metabolism. You can burn up to 300 calories in 30 minutes and do it sitting on your bottom and watching TV! hydrofit.co.uk
The Workshop
The Bulgari Hotel’s trainer Lee Mullins – the man responsible for many a Victoria Secret’s model’s body – has created a new fitness programme, which launches at the Knightsbridge hotel next year. His new class The Workshop incorporates a full 360 degree assessment of your body. A movement and nutrition genetic analysis will determine the type, duration and frequency of exercise that suits your body type. A food intolerance test will check 95 foods for any allergies that may be causing you muscle or join pain, meanwhile metabolic testing will establish what level of intensity you need to exercise at to burn the most fat. Lee will perform a functional movement screen on you to identify limitations, imbalances and asymmetries in seven of your fundamental movements, which helps reduce the risk of injury when exercising. And finally, you will have a body composition assessment to find out where that stubborn fat is stored. Once all of that is complete, Lee and his crack team of fitness experts will put together a personal training programme and goals to help you achieve a body that will make you want to walk down the catwalk in your underwear. bulgarihotels.com
VolleyBody
We all spent the Olympics wishing we had the bodies of the volleyball players, well now that dream is one step closer to becoming a reality. Slice in Parsons Green has launched a new VolleyBody class, a HIGH-intensity fitness programme that is based on the training principles of the world’s best beach volleyball players. Slice is the first venue in the world offering Volleybody, which was developed by the Team GB Strength and Conditioning coach. The course takes inspiration from three core moves of volleyball – defending, hitting and blocking a ball, while focusing on upper and lower body strength plus high intensity intervals. The class is hard work, but fun and if you enjoyed sport at school, then this is for you – there’s lots of pair work. slicestudios.co.uk
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