News and research, explained
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Recent fitness, nutrition and health stories in plain English, with links to the original sources so you can read them yourself. General information, not medical advice.
TrainingRear delt exercises: 5 moves for the back of your shoulders
Five rear delt exercises for the gym or home, what research says about which moves work the back of your shoulders hardest, and how many sets to do each week. · 4 min read
TrainingHeart rate recovery: a simple check on your fitness
How fast your pulse drops in the minute after hard exercise says a lot about your fitness. How to check heart rate recovery safely, and how to improve it. · 4 min read
Research and newsExercise and depression: what a new genetics study found
A study of 23,517 adults with Fitbit data found more active people had milder depression symptoms, most clearly at higher genetic risk. What it shows and what it can't. · 4 min read
WellbeingExercising after dark: what helps women feel safer
The clocks have gone back and new This Girl Can research says 55% of women feel unsafe exercising alone outdoors after dark. What helps, and how to keep training. · 4 min read
Training4-week home workout plan for beginners, week by week
A simple 4-week home workout plan for beginners, with six bodyweight moves, how many sets to do each week and what the research says about training without weights. · 4 min read
TrainingOnline personal trainer or fitness membership in the UK?
What an online personal trainer gives you, what a self-guided fitness membership gives you, what research on supervision says and how to choose in the UK. · 4 min read
TrainingWorkout programme for beginners: how to pick the right one
How to choose a workout programme for beginners that you'll stick to, from days per week and home or gym to what a good plan includes and how to tell it's working. · 4 min read
TrainingResistance band workout for beginners: six moves to try
A simple resistance band workout for beginners, what a review found about bands versus weights, how to choose and anchor a band, and how to progress. · 4 min read
NutritionWhat is a calorie deficit and how do you work out yours?
What a calorie deficit is, how calculators estimate your maintenance calories, how big a gap to aim for, and what a new expert review says about diets. · 4 min read
NutritionHigh-protein breakfast ideas from any UK supermarket
What a Scottish study found about higher-protein breakfasts and appetite, how much protein everyday breakfast foods give, and easy ideas to try. · 4 min read
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