The release of the new Sex and the City movie has led to thousands of Irish females to check out Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda’s latest adventures. But it isn’t just their glossy and glamorous lives that entrance women everywhere, it’s their never-ending collection of fashions and fancy footwear. The Sex and the City franchise made Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo, Cosmopolitans and Rampant Rabbits famous, but its real legacy may be the rise in chronic foot and back problems….

Summer is here, and, for many, it’s an opportunity to show off the results of their hard work in the gym over the last number of months. In winter you can hide your food indiscretions under layers of clothing, but hot weather brings added pressure to expose more flesh. Many dare not to bare because to do so would mean revealing their unsightly muffin top. A muffin top is when a layer of fat hangs…

Ireland’s summer has truly begun. The farmer’s tans were in full view recently as many availed of the rare sunshine to go to the beaches, walk the piers or play sports with their kids. It was the first opportunity we had in a long while to top up our much-needed vitamin D stores, which boosts our immune systems. The countdown to beaches and bikinis is on. But the excitement of looking forward to a sun-kissed…

THE INAUGURAL EUROPEAN OBESITY DAY WAS HELD RECENTLY IN A BID TO RAISE AWARENESS AND INITIATE ACTION TO TACKLE THE CONDITION. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), obesity is currently responsible for more than one million deaths and 12 million life-years of ill health each year. It is a leading cause of preventable death and disease in Europe and, as we all know by now, it has reached epidemic proportions. Preventing people from becoming…

YVONNE’S BODY FAT IS DOWN BY 10PC SINCE THE START, SO SHE’S STILL MAKING GOOD PROGRESS, BUT DON’T SETTLE INTO A COMFORT ZONE IF YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE LASTING RESULTS Yvonne’s transformation is continuing. It is nearly 12 weeks since she embarked on the road less travelled on her journey to health. This road involved a change of eating habits and the implementation of a regular exercise programme. There are many people who try to…

THERE ARE FOUR GYM STEREOTYPES: THE VICTIM, THE CHILD, THE DRAMA QUEEN AND THE PROSTITUTE It can be hard to make the changes required for a healthier lifestyle. There may be occasions when you find yourself slipping back into the old routine because this is the easier option. Our brain has learned patterns and it is easier to stay with these patterns than to make new ones. When you interlock your fingers or cross your…

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO PILING ON WEIGHT AND INCREASING YOUR RISK OF HEART DISEASE As summer approaches, you may be one of the people who want to lose weight and get in shape. You look at the options and they all claim to get the same results. Some want you to cut out food groups or live on liquid supplements. Others involve counting points, motivation coaching, counting calories or only consuming foods in certain combinations. The…

NOW THAT SOLID FOUNDATIONS HAVE BEEN LAID, YVONNE IS READY FOR A MORE COMPLEX TRAINING PHASE Yvonne has been training for eight weeks and it is encouraging to see her continue to work-out with enthusiasm. It is this enthusiasm to keep on challenging herself that will separate her results from many people in gyms around the country and help her beat the odds in changing her mind and what her body can accomplish. A common…

MINI-MARATHON TRAINING HAS STARTED, SO BE SURE TO BALANCE YOUR WORKOUTS The summer season is fast approaching and with it extra hours of sunlight. The parks are starting to fill up with running groups as women begin to train for the Mini-Marathon on June 7. The event is successful in many respects. It helps raise much-needed funds for charities, and it also gives people a goal and a target to get in shape for summer….

DIET EVANGELISTS’ ZERO-TOLERANCE APPROACH TO CHOCOLATE IS ULTIMATELY SHORTSIGHTED The Easter Bunny has left the building and all the restless days experienced by many as they counted down to when they could indulge in their sweetest pleasure again, chocolate, have finally come to an end. Having abstained for 40 days and nights, it’s quite likely many of you made up for lost time with gusto. In her book Why Women Need Chocolate, Deborah Waterhouse explains…