Twiggy: Get tap-dancing for fitness

HER waif-like figure saw her grace the cover of Vogue magazine in the 1960s when she was just 17 – and Lesley Hornby, better known as Twiggy – is still a familiar face today at the age of 66. Now she has revealed some secrets of her ever-youthful figure – tap-dancing, and not taking exercise too seriously. Twiggy, left, said: ‘I am not fanatical, but over the years tap-dancing has been a big thing in my life. ‘I have one-on-one lessons. It’s such great fun. I did it for the show My One And Only on Broadway and for The Boy Friend. I think everyone should learn to tap-dance. It’s a great way of keeping fit. Fred Astaire was still dancing in his 70s.’ As for the gym, Twiggy, who designed the Aurora range of frames for Specsavers, says: ‘I used to go to the gym but I think you have to be careful, especially as you get older. ‘I just want to be supple, and Pilates is brilliant because it stretches you. I love that.’ STANDING desks may not only be good for posture but could boost productivity too. A study featuring nearly 200 call-centre workers showed that those who used stand-up desks increased their productivity by 46 per cent over a six-month period. In addition, about 75 per cent of those who used the desks, and who stood for an average of 1.6 hours a day more than workers using traditional desks, had fewer body aches and pains during the day.

One theory is that less discomfort makes people feel better, which in turn leads to increased productivity. Another suggestion is that people who use stand-up desks move more. The research, at Texas A&M University, is among the first to look at long-term use of the desks, which are designed to encourage people to be more active at work.