Nature’s Gym is book to help you get fit in the outdoors, each page has advice on how to use the elements, whether you’re walking against the formidable wind or dancing in the rain. Reinvigorate daily routines, enjoying the warmth of the summer sun or the crisp chill of autumn air. Also read how to safely enjoy outdoor running (for you and dogs)
Tailor your fitness by personalising your ‘nature’s gym’ routine, and keep motivation soaring through weather changes, with a kaleidoscope of nature’s own playlists. For the adventurous, there are tips on taking charted paths on remote landscapes. Includes success stories to inspire, and eco-friendly practices to respect our planet. Expand your horizons, and step outside the confines of the gym: let the sky be your ceiling, and the natural ground your new ‘state-of-the-art’ flooring!
books to get you fit (without a gym)
Calisthenics for Beginners is an illustrated guide to three workout programs that progress in technique and intensity, as you build up strength and fitness, using simple movements that require nothing more than your own body weight. This all-inclusive training plan won’t require you to join expensive gyms or visit Argos to buy a load of equipment that you’ll never use.
Calisthenics is used by weekend walkers to athletes of all fitness levels to professional sports stars to get fit. The endlessly adjustable workouts can meet you where you are at current fitness levels, and build fitness using a series of simple movement patterns. The book features 35 dynamic exercises with progressions, modifications and variations as needed. Matt Schifferle is a certified Calisthenics coach in Colorado, USA.
7-Minute Body Plan is a simple fun book packed with workouts that only take less than 10 minutes, yet are highly effective and need no equipment. The book also includes 24 simple plant-based recipes and motivational messages. Just pick a workout for your particular goal: T-shirt-ready arms, love my legs or sSuper health fix. Then learn the quick and easy exercises, that you can do for the rest of your life. The benefits of doing these exercises include:
- Burning excess body fat
- Strengthening your bones
- Increasing your energy levels
- Improving circulation
- Improving your co-ordination
- Improving your posture
- Reducing anxiety & insomnia
- Strengthening your immune system
- Giving you glowing skin
Lucy Wyndham-Read is a qualified personal trainer, with over 20 years experience. Her unique exercise videos on YouTube have over 1 million subscribers (her 7-day challenge to lose belly fat has over 46 million views, making it one of the most-shared fitness videos ever).
Pilates for Everyone is a fun and simple book containing 50 exercises that anyone can try to become more flexible, strengthen the core, improve posture and even relieve back pain. Regardless of age, size, gender or physical ability, this book shows how to take advantage of this popular form of exercises. You’ll find a complete workout plan to find your comfort zone and test your abilities, from the comfort of your home home. Then you’ll discover:
- 50 Pilates exercises with at least 3 variations/modifications
- 15 sequences to combine the exercises
- Tips on how to add Pilates exercises to your life
Step-by-step photography from a diverse group of models demonstrate all exercises with possible variations, to find the best way to suit you and your physical abilities. Once you’ve found the movements that suit you best, you’ll begin to notice positive changes in your body, as you become stronger and more confident. Other physical activities will become more manageable and have renewed confidence in everyday capabilities. Micki Havard is a Pilates instructor and wellness coach.
organic cotton natural fitness clothing
Dip & Doze loungewear offers affordable sets of simple organic cotton loungewear, ideal to sleep on warm nights. Known for its sustainable bedding sets, these are lovely for simply lounging around the house and garden. Wash with unscented biodegradable laundry powder or liquid.
The range features a blend of mostly organic cotton and hemp, which together offer fair-trade comfortable clothing that’s also good for the planet.
In styles for men and women, the range is ethically made (certified by Fair Wear Foundation) in China and includes flattering t-shirts, lounge shorts and casual trousers, and shorts for warm summer days.
a cushioned jute & rubber yoga mat
This jute & natural rubber yoga mat is lightweight for travel, made from nontoxic materials, gives good grip in postures, yet is cushioned enough to protect your joints. Many yoga mats are made from PVC that makes you sweat when you do poses, so this small investment will have you practicing your asanas each morning or night!
Not for latex allergies. Talk to a qualified teacher if you pregnant or for medical conditions. Avoid inversions for eye problems and during menstruation.
A best-seller, this foldable travel mat gives unrivalled CompleteGrip technology, so you never slip in Downward Dog again. Also suitable for Pilates and general fitness, it’s foldable enough to pack in your backpack or suitcase, if you’re going on a yoga retreat. Loved by yoga practitioners and teachers worldwide, it’s also easy to wipe clean and made from sustainably-harvested fibres. Even the packaging is plastic-free. And unlike most yoga mats that smell of chemicals, this has a nice natural rubber fragrance.
Most shops on the high street don’t really sell the best yoga books. We like Instant Yoga, a wonderful little read with expert guidance in postures, but also includes the philosophy too by an experienced yoga teacher of 30 years. Online, try free classes by Charlie Follows, who offers regular videos by an experienced teacher.
If you practice yoga with props (say restorative or Iyengar yoga), the same store offers eco-friendly alternatives made with natural fabrics like jute. The range includes:
- Cork blocks are an alternative to foam blocks (no trees are chopped down to strip cork from the trees). These naturally warm blocks let you reach the ground in certain postures, as do the yoga straps.
- Bolsters are ideal for relaxing into poses, with a removable jute washable cover, in case you spill your herbal tea! Designed by yoga teachers.
- Yoga eye pillows are sold with a washable cover, and add gentle pressure to relax your body and mind, can also be warmed in the microwave to relax stiff palms, neck and chest for restorative or yin yoga.
