A New Wave

In a first for the High Street favourite, H&M has collaborated with an all-female surf community -Women + Waves - to launch a sustainable swimwear collection. Women + Waves was founded in Cornwall by Rachel Murphy in 2017 – and this is the collective’s first foray into fashion.

The swimwear range features designs with a subtle 1990s look and cuts for an active lifestyle, with pieces made from sustainably sourced materials, including recycled polyamide, recycled polyester and organic cotton. It is hoped that the unique collaboration will help empower and inspire ‘togetherness’ amongst women all over the world.

Shop The Women + Waves x H&M collection at hm.com

Wellbeing Hub

If you’re struggling to get motivated when it comes to exercise and wellbeing (and frankly, we don’t blame you), let Sweaty Betty be your saviour. With a mantra of ‘stay home, move together’, the activewear experts have put together an inspiring assortment of online tools to help you be your best self. There’s free daily, feel-good workouts, ranging from ‘buns and guns’ resistance band sessions and high-energy HIIT to immune-boosting ballet and calming Vinyasa Yoga Flow. Try guided meditations, listen to recordings from leading wellness experts and try out tantalising recipes, packed with superfood ingredients, such as Deliciously Ella’s red lentil fritters, Nadiya Hussain’s harissa bean pizza or Bettina’s Kitchen’s Scandi Snowballs. Give it a whirl for a week, and you’ll begin to feel that inner glow return.

Visit sweatybetty.com/workouts-and-wellbeing

Smash HIIT

It’s time-effective, reinvigorating, fat-burning and, dare I say it – sometimes fun – so it’s no wonder that HIIT remains one of the most popular fitness trends around. And let’s face it, watching the aesthetically-pleasing Joe Wicks demonstrate those relentless rounds of burpees, high knees and spiderman lunges is a pleasant way to while away 30 minutes! If your workout gear has lost its pizazz, check out the HIIT range at Dorothy Perkins, a vibrantly-hued and fashion-forward selection of bralets, leggings, shorts and tees sure to have you (star) jumping for joy.

Gallery1

Camouflage bralet, £20; stone shorts, £16; tie dye leggings, £20, at dorothyperkins.com

On Track

For some of us, seeing our achievements in black and white or hitting a daily goal is the best motivator. This Fitbit Inspire HR™ will help you build healthy habits and embrace your fitness goals, with 24/7 heart rate, activity and sleep tracking – plus, with up to five day’s battery life, it only needs charging a couple of times a week. No excuses, people!

Inspire HR Fitness Tracker in Lilac, £89.99, at very.co.uk

Star Walkers

Arthur Rank’s annual Star Shine Night Walk, which raises thousands of pounds to fund the work of its amazing hospices in Cambridge and Wisbech, went virtual this year. With the support of EastEnders and Call The Midwife star Cliff Parisi, the Arthur Rank team urged people to don their trainers and walk 20,000 steps over two weeks in May and June in the lockdown-friendly version of the popular fund-raiser. The challenge was kicked off with amazing frontline staff from the hospices – a team of nurses, admin and facilities staff and the charity’s CEO Sharon Allen – accumulating 20,000 steps together during the course of a socially-distanced working day. So far more than £500 has been raised through the virtual event, with more donations coming in at the time we went to press.

Find out more at starshinenightwalk.co.uk

On the Move

If you want to do a quick workout between conference calls, Nick Joanes, director of Painless Movement, has some helpful ideas for workouts in small spaces. . .

Creating a gym at home is the perfect solution for people without much time to exercise. You will save time, money and you won’t have any more excuses on rainy days! Living in a small apartment might seem challenging when designing your home gym but it’s much easier than you think and you don’t need a spare room for it.

The first thing you need is to find a small area with a bit of floor space and good ventilation. A full-length mirror will make the room look bigger (you can place it on a wardrobe door) and you can keep your workout form in check. If you don’t have carpet flooring, protect an area of your floor with a rug, yoga mat, or a baby foam play mat.

With regards to workout gear, you can start with a few basic pieces of equipment and slowly add more, so no stress! To keep your heart in perfect condition, cardio equipment of any sort is essential. A great option for small houses are compact treadmills (such as Walking Pad) or folding exercise bikes, that you will be able to keep under the bed, behind the sofa or on the balcony after using it.

To improve your strength, get a couple of dumbbells, a medicine ball, and an elastic band. Additionally, suspension training straps can be attached to your door frame and are ideal for multiple bodyweight movements. Remember, you can also use things you already have at home too, like a bench, chair, or even a big detergent bottle filled with water.

Finally, store all your gear together and keep a clean towel handy in a wardrobe or a small shelf.

You are all set up. Time to play your favourite music and get moving!

Find out more at painlessmovement.com

Read more: How to keep fit within four walls, with Lovefit's Amber Brammah