A moment that changed me: I thought fitness was my superpower. Then I realised it was a ball and chain

I have Jane Fonda to thank for my fitness “discovery” in the late 1980s. Still in my teens, I wore through the carpet doing her workout videos in front of the TV. I also spent hours ploughing up and down the pool at the local leisure centre and honing my muscles at the gym. I always regarded fitness as my superpower. Something that I worked hard at, for sure, but something that gave me kudos. Keeping fit – I mean, really fit – seemed to me an...

I’m a French woman in my 40s. This is why I’m going to live longer than a woman in England

Whether it’s a café croissant watching the world go by from a Parisian terrace, or that glass of rosé with a long-time friend, or an apéritif with the neighbours that extends into an impromptu dinner party… People often misconstrue the French joie de vivre as simply hedonistic. But when you look at the consistent two-year gap between life expectanc...

‘We spent £70,000 on a garden room – and lived in it for a year’

Anybody embarking on a full-scale home renovation will have to consider where they are going to live when their home is being ripped apart. Hardy souls may cut costs by remaining in situ, living with the dust, noise and builders’ mess. Others will stay with friends or bite the bullet and find somewhere to rent. Marty Orton, 51, took a more unusual ...

Four amazing spots in Wales named as the best places to live by the sea in the UK

If you're keen for a taste of Vitamin Sea, these are the places that should be on your radar if you are looking to make the move

Best posture correctors to support and straighten your back

Best posture correctors to support and straighten your back - It’s never been more important to watch your back

‘I’m not in finance for the money, I want to help people’: the City’s next generation

The sound of the summer is a song with the lyrics “I’m looking for a man in finance”, which has taken over TikTok. It goes on: “Trust fund, 6ft5, blue eyes…” But it’s not just banker boyfriends on the wish list – City careers are also in demand. In an era of job instability and high living costs, Gen Z is increasingly looking to work in banking, de...

What happened when I ate a 1960s diet for a week

It’s one of the hottest days of the year so far, but my oven is on and blasting. Inside is a joint of beef and a tray of roast potatoes sizzling in beef dripping. Ready to go is my Yorkshire pudding; bubbling away on the stove is a pan of rice pudding, next to a couple of tins of peas and carrots, ready to be heated up. It’s a bit counter cultural,...

Underconsumption: Why it’s suddenly cool to use every last drop of shampoo and face cream

Underconsumption: Why it’s suddenly cool to use every last drop of shampoo and face cream - LET’S UNPACK THAT: A new social media trend is rejecting the throwing-away of beauty products before they’ve actually been used. But celebrating something so ordinary only exposes how wasteful many of us have become, writes Olivia Petter

‘Nobody’s hurrying – not like London’: How Britain’s ‘blue zone’ helps you live to 86

Carving through the lush Devonian lanes from Totnes to Salcombe, via Halwell, Kingsbridge and Marlborough, there doesn’t immediately seem much the South Hams has in common with the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica, or the Nuoro Province in Sardinia, and definitely not Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture. Admittedly, they are all fairly idyllic, photogenic pla...

Alpine-style potatoes: A hearty departure from diet norms

I am a master of diet dishes, but sometimes, I abandon all principles and prepare something hearty, fried, and with bacon. Does that sound delicious? Occasionally, you can indulge in skillet potatoes Alpine-style. My family is asking for this dinner again! Potatoes are an important part of cuisine worldwide. However, it's not just us who enjoy thes...

One factor can determine how satisfied you are with your life

Are you overeating? Here’s how to tell – and break the habit

A second slice of cake on your birthday, an extra burger at a BBQ and a few too many chocolates at Christmas – we all occasionally overindulge. But it can be damaging for our health if it becomes a common occurrence. An overeater may regularly find themselves eating five or six biscuits, instead of one or two. It’s not as severe as binge eating (wh...

The Older You Get, The More Important It Is To Do These 20 Things

As we age, our priorities shift and certain habits become increasingly important for our overall wellness. You don’t need to slow down or give up, but you do need to adapt so that you can continue to thrive. With that in mind, here are some practices that become more crucial with each passing year. Incorporating...

What you can do every night to prevent irritable bowel syndrome

What you can do every night to prevent irritable bowel syndrome - Study finds leading healthy lifestyle strongly linked to lower chance of developing condition

6 Summer Trends Italians Have Mastered That Channel "La Dolce Vita" Dressing

A taste of the good life.

Pros and Cons of Living in the Algarve

The Algarve is one of the most stunning areas of southern Portugal, and like all regions, has both benefits and drawbacks for its residents. Carefully consider the following factors if you are thinking about moving to the region.

Forget the Mediterranean diet - as a cynical Health Writer, even I'm impressed with the trending Atlantic diet

Food lovers, rejoice - this one's for you.

Why it's time to stop being a snob about all-inclusives

Why it's time to stop being a snob about all-inclusives - Don’t turn your nose up — joyful new resorts are ideal for groups of all ages travelling together, discovers Suzanne Moore

French fringe: The retro hairstyle making a modern comeback with Sydney Sweeny, Kristen Stewart and Sabrina Carpenter

Do you fancy doing something with your hair but don’t want to cut it drastically? A fringe might be just the thing for you, especially one in the '60s style that has taken the red carpets by storm. Retromania is in full swing. In fashion, we're going back to the 2000s, which until recently were synonymous with kitsch and embarrassment. Cargo pants,...

‘After years of failed fad diets + workouts, I started lifting weights'

'At 43, it changed everything'

How To Wear Strawberry Blonde Hair Now, According To A Hairstylist

Everyone from Blake Lively to Sydney Sweeney is experimenting with copper tones

Is Stevie Nicks the ultimate rock chick icon? How the star’s style evolution continues to inspire

Is Stevie Nicks the ultimate rock chick icon? How the star’s style evolution continues to inspire - The Fleetwood Mac frontwoman has been a style muse for over four decades – here’s why.

Rheumatoid arthritis forced me to change my diet – and now I’m pain free

I can’t remember a time in my life when there hasn’t been pain somewhere in my body. It came to dominate much of my adult life. If somebody hasn’t been in constant pain, it’s hard to describe it to them. You’re masking the whole time, and everything is so much more difficult. The mornings were the worst for me as the throbbing and aching sensations...

Four-year diabetes delay reduces death and complications in prediabetic patients

Individuals diagnosed with prediabetes can reduce their long-term risk of death and diabetes-related health complications if they delay the onset of diabetes for just four years through diet and exercise. Guangwei Li of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital and colleagues report these findings in ...

I knew I had to give up drinking when my daughter asked ‘why is mummy behaving so strangely?’

I’m pretty sure I gravitated towards a career in advertising because of the heavy drinking lifestyle, although I now think that whatever industry I’d found myself in, I’d have been a drinker, because alcohol gave me the social confidence I lacked. My first foray was trying cider when I was 15 and drinking with my then-boyfriend who was older than m...

10 things that happen to your body when you stop drinking alcohol

10 most relaxing places to live in the UK revealed

An ELLE Fashion Editor Explains How A Pair Of Red Shoes Can Easily Update Your Most Tired Outfit

Dorothy called, she wants her summer styling trick back

Ever wondered how many calories you should eat daily? Presenting your personalised formula

It's surprisingly simple

Could the UK learn from the world's happiest country when it comes to work-life balance?

Is this something UK businesses could do?

Immigrants Breathing New Life Into UK Communities

As you scan through your local newspaper or take a stroll through your town, have you noticed some positive changes? It’s not just by chance; here’s a candid look at how immigration has been quietly boosting small towns across the UK. 1. New Flavours on Your Doorstep Think about the new variety of food available ... Read more

Heart-healthy habits keep you biologically young, study shows

The benefit of better heart health may be associated with the positive impact of heart-healthy lifestyle factors on biological aging (the age of the body and its cells), according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association , an open-access, peer-reviewed j...

‘Slay, serve, survive’: How gen Z is rewriting the rules of work

For many of us, turning on an out-of-office is one of the last things to do before going on holiday. It is typically a concise message outlining that you’re on annual leave and who to contact in your absence. But for some gen Z workers, an OOO is becoming another way to add a bit of pizzazz to work culture; a way to showcase their personality, as well as their approach to the office. With high summer now in full swing and offices temporarily...

Have a home, or have a life? The brutal reality young adults face

Increasingly, Millennials and Gen Z are also being forced to make brutal choices about what they can and cannot afford to do

My husband finds life easy, and ‘corrects’ me because I don’t

The question I am mid-40s and married. My husband is good at dealing with life. He never worries, is never insecure, always positive, has unlimited energy and always has a solution for everything. He deals with our kids seemingly without effort, doesn’t set many rules and never worries if they eat enough vegetables or go to bed too late. Everything is a breeze; rules are to be broken and life must be enjoyed. I am not like that. I like to abide...

The secrets to styling sporty-chic this summer

The secrets to styling sporty-chic this summer - A summer of sports means only one thing: athleisure as everyday.

Eating breakfast at this time could reduce heart disease risk

A French study suggests that eating breakfast and supper an hour earlier may reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. This research emphasizes the importance of meal timing for cardiovascular health, according to The Telegraph. The study found that having breakfast at 8 am instead of 9 am decreases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by...

This is your failsafe guide to how to stay fit in your 60s, according to top pros

By the time you reach your 60s, there are myriad reasons you may be less active than you were twenty or thirty years ago. Bodies and circumstances evolve over time, as do the types of movement we enjoy – team that with the fact that most generalised exercise advice tends to be targeted at people decades your junior, it can be hard to know how to st...

I walked off five stone and beat my sugar cravings

It’s the story of so many midlife men. The weight had crept on slowly. I hardly ever weighed myself and when I looked in the mirror I’d pull in my stomach and thought I still looked great. My wife Kim had been buying bigger clothes for me and I didn’t pay much attention to my size. In reality, my belly was enormous; I could barely stand up straight...

Scientists say humans should eat like a salmon to get essential nutrients

Scientists say humans should eat like a salmon to get essential nutrients - Directly eating more wild feed species could have health benefits, researchers suggest

The late, great Michael Mosley’s 11 tips to living well

Michael Mosley was known for his simple lifestyle tips – including the 5:2 diet – on how to live a healthier lifestyle, which he often explored through his hit podcast Just One Thing. Here are 11 of his more unusual and memorable nuggets of advice… Stand on one leg while brushing your teeth Although hard at first, this trick engages multiple muscle...

Habits that destroy our mental health

There are certain psychological habits that often prevent us from living fully and feeling ourselves. They destroy us from within and affect our health and quality of life, according to Mentoly. Contradicting one's own feelings Denying or avoiding one's own emotions can lead to a deterioration of mental health and depression. Advice: Allow yourself...

Joe Wicks: ‘Spending 15 minutes on small daily wins can change your life’

Joe Wicks: ‘Spending 15 minutes on small daily wins can change your life’ - INTERVIEW : The celebrity fitness coach and presenter chats to Hannah Twiggs about the inspiration behind his new book, the benefits of his ‘small daily wins’ philosophy and his tips for improving both our mental and physical health

The Green Goddess: I’m still fit at 85 – these are the rules I swear by

Diana Moran still has the leotard that made her famous as the Green Goddess in the 1980s. It still fits, but she says: “The elastic has got a little saggy.” Age has been far kinder to Moran, who at 85 has the poise and elegance that made her a role model to a generation of keep-fitters. Today she is reaping the rewards of practising what she preach...

I went solo travelling in my 60s - here's what it taught me

Eager to discover the real Italy, Lorna Jackson, 72, went on a three-month solo exploration. Speaking to GH, she shares the life lessons that she returned home with.

Love your job and worried about retiring? How to stay busy and avoid post-retirement blues

Love your job and worried about retiring? How to stay busy and avoid post-retirement blues - People need to let family, friends or a health professional know if they are struggling, as some people do get depressed after they enter retirement.

Madeira's capital Funchal offers a natural retreat on the city's doorstep

Be sure to add these stops to your itinerary.

10 things that made people realise they’re not ‘young’ anymore

People should adopt ‘old-fashioned’ ways of staying healthy – Sir Chris Whitty

People should adopt ‘old-fashioned’ ways of staying healthy – Sir Chris Whitty - Making it easy and attractive for people to exercise is one of the most effective ways of maintaining independence, the Chief Medical Officer said.

Davina McCall’s hairstylist reveals how to beat summer frizz

Davina McCall’s hairstylist reveals how to beat summer frizz - Celebrity stylist, Michael Douglas, shares the products you should be using for salon-smooth styling this summer.