Breast Cancer Awareness Month: allyship over slactivism

October has snuck up on me, and that’s a privilege. In the UK, this is when Breast Cancer Awareness Month takes place annually, and the backlash has steadily built year on year. However, big brands often still aren’t paying attention to this fact (top tip: when something like this happens, it’s because money is being …

Strength in the Face of Adversity: How Fitness Empowered My Recovery from a Desmoid Tumor

In 2018, my life took an unexpected turn when I was diagnosed with a Desmoid tumour – as September is Desmoid Tumor Awareness Month, it feels like the right time to discuss this issue. For those unfamiliar with the term, a Desmoid tumour, also known as aggressive fibromatosis, is a rare type of cancer, forming …

Personal Training vs Online Programmes: Which Suits You Best? 

In a world where technology touches almost every facet of our lives, it’s no surprise that it has made its way into the fitness sector. The COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly hastened this progression, with many fitness enthusiasts turning to online programmes when gyms closed. But how do these programmes stack up against traditional personal training? Let’s …

Step counts in the news… again

It’s been a good five minutes since steps equalled clicks, so what better to do than drive website traffic during the dismal summer months than to tell the public that they now “only” need to accomplish 4,000 per day to improve their health. Are the headlines true? Let’s review… Previously, on “Step Counts Are Newsworthy”…I …

Book review: Under the Knife

This book is particularly special to me, because I’m proud to say that I supported it in a literal sense. Having struggled to find interest from traditional publishers, Liz chose to use Unbound (which, by the way, I highly recommend checking out – it’s crowdfunding for books; I’ve now supported two others via the platform …

Review: Happy High Status by Viv Groskop

Isn’t it funny how life works out? Almost five years ago, I was at a networking event, working on overcoming my fear of them. And someone I was becoming friends with recommended a different event they’d recently been to, part of a series which was happening due to our local Year of Culture. The events …

Reflections on Sarah Beeny vs Cancer

I recently watched the Channel 4 documentary Sarah Beeny vs Cancer (what is it with Channel 4 and cancer content in the summer?! I can’t quite believe it, but it’s been almost a year since Super Surgeons aired). I shared some thoughts live via social media, but having discussed it with a couple of other …

Fitness and anxiety

Anxiety regarding fitness is a topic that comes up often, and this week I was asked to speak about it via Instagram Live. I wanted to continue the conversation here, and give you a reference point to come back to, so read on to find out more. With thanks to Rebecca (aka @thislifeofcare) for asking …

Patient to Professional: Royal Marsden Exercise Oncology Study Day 2023

I qualified as a cancer exercise specialist personal trainer with a keen awareness that I’d need to stay on my toes. Medicine is constantly changing, and oncology is no exception. Whilst I don’t offer medical advice or treatment, I do need to be aware of what the implications of a client’s treatment are, so that …

Exercising whilst on painkillers – is it a good idea?

Following the extensive coverage of King Charles III’s coronation, one of the people to receive a lot of praise was Penny Mourdant, who became the first woman to carry and present the Jewelled Sword of Offering during the ceremony. Much was made of Mourdant’s poise, stamina and composure throughout, and she subsequently gave an interview …