Chloe Madeley reveals the weight-lifting moves that’ll shape you up in no time
Jealous of Chloe Madeley’s gorgeous guns? Here’s how to get your own, whatever your fitness level
W e all know there’s not a “one size fits all” when it comes to getting fit. What works for J-LO doesn’t necessarily work for us mortals. Thankfully, Chloe Madeley’s new book The Fat-loss Blitz (Bantam Press, £16.99), has a plan for every body, from coach potatoes to seasoned gym bunnies. So, there’s no more excuses...
You’ve outlined three plans in the book, why is that?
I wanted to cater to the entirety of my audience. They start at one end of the spectrum – where they have no experience of training at all – to the active lot, and those who are like me and know what they’re doing at the gym, and go four, five or six days a week.
why are weights so effective?
Resistance training of any kind is hugely beneficial, whether you’re doing body strength resistance, yoga, kettle bells, or machines. It is the best type of training if you want to increase your metabolic rate, because the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest . Women are terrified of weights as they often think about female bodybuilders on steroids, but I’m now the smallest I’ve ever been.
where’s a good place to start if you want to do something from home?
Just doing body press exercises. If you’re a total beginner, start by doing standing squats and, as you start to get fitter and stronger, you can implement the squat jump. If you want to use some kind of free weight, I would always recommend kettle bells because you can do pretty much anything with them.
Many people argue that they don’t have time to exercise five or six times a week...
You don’t need to exercise to get in great shape, to lose weight – you just need to be active. That can be anything from cleaning your house or walking your dog, to doing a big food shop.
how important is fitness to your mental health?
For me, it’s been a lifesaver, literally. I suffer from acute anxiety disorder and extreme panic attacks. I have quite depressive tendencies and there was a point where I was becoming quite agoraphobic. My ex-boyfriend got me in the gym lifting weights, and it sounds bizarre, but it kind of fixed me. If you’re struggling with mental health, I highly recommend implementing training or some kind of methodical hobby like cooking or baking.
‘it sounds bizarre, but exercise fixed me’
how important is it for you to set a healthy example for young women?
It’s the thing that keeps me up at night, genuinely. I really struggle with the fact that I work in an industry that tells people how to look, and how to change their bodies. But after my first book, I realised that I was genuinely helping people feel better – and not just look better – and be more educated about how to take care of their bodies.