Her Strong Self

HERSTRONGSELF AND THEN SHE BROUGHT THE THUNDER

Š Front and inside covers photographed by Paige Mackie

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#FEMALEDOMINATION: THE INSTA TAKEOVER

Emily Trench from HSS talks Instagram, and how its rising fitness stars are inspiring women around the world

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TIPS FROM A PT

We spoke to personal trainer Jake Babb, who shared some of his top tips to help you overcome your anxieties and dominate the gym

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A HANDY WORKOUT JUST FOR YOU

We’ve designed a workout to keep you motivated. Pull it out, take it with you and boss it

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EAT GOOD. FEEL GOOD. DO GOOD

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YOU AND YOUR GYM WARDROBE

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HEALTHY MIND, HEALTHY BODY

It’s crucial to have a healthy relationship with food. Our tasty pancake recipe will kick off your day in the best way

The gym is in trend, and so is the kit. At HSS, we belive it’s OK to care about how you look when you work out

Reap the rewards of a healthy mental state with our beginner’s guide to yoga

DEAR READER...

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onfident, strong women; I see them everywhere. Some might know it, others don’t. Some have forgotten it, but we are all special. We just need to take the time to look and see beyond the ordinary: to notice the beauty of our body and mind, take care of ourselves and appreciate our female uniqueness.

Sometimes we are too busy or too tired to notice that we can nourish only by following simple steps to healthier lifestyle. If you are not feeling good in your skin or you want to eat that ice-cream or have a glass of wine – it is okay, you are not the only one. We are all human, we are here to help each other and point ourselves to the right direction – mental happiness.

From my own experience with anorexia, I know how important is for women to accept and be happy with how they look. Don’t be afraid to show your passion and grid, don’t let anyone to reprimand you for your desires and wishes.

Our mission is to reflect the reality of eating the right food, exercising and show you that enjoying the simple pleasures is not bad. It is only when females don’t have a real sense about dieting and benefits of feeling your muscles stronger as well as your mind.

YOUR JOURNEY STARTS HERE

FEMALE DOMINATION #INSTASTYLE

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one are the days where women are made to feel intimidated in the gym. No more labelling women as ‘gym bunnies’, made fun of for running on a treadmill for an hour because they were scared of the men in the weight section. With the rise of social media and online female influencers, it is their creation of content derived from their true passion of promoting a healthy lifestyle that women are now looking to; realising that weights are their new best friend, protein is not just for guys and being strong beats being skinny.

Since launching in 2010, Instagram has become more than just a platform designed to show followers a few pictures of what you did at the weekend. With the help of hashtags (check out #girlgains for some serious girl power) and trends, Instagram is forming friendships for like-minded women who love keeping fit and provides the sense of ‘communities’ lead by female fitness professionals and those just starting out. Many women are making a name for themselves by giving back and making sure they provide a positive attitude and the right motivation for others (even if that simply comes from a double tap or an emoji left below).

Here at Her Strong Self, we love promoting the ones who are doing it right and that’s why in this issue, we are bringing you those who have been in the Insta business for a long time and chosen after some careful scrolling, someone who is living her life to the fullest and

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showing that on Instagram to help with her own journey. If you get anything from this read, remember these names, give them a follow and become inspired every day from their graft and devotion for the healthy lifestyles they choose to lead.

a smiley and glowing Alice on Instagram stories from as early as 5am everyday as she heads to work to train clients before dashing off to meetings for the rest of the day, fitting in her own training and making sure she updates her followers with the things that motivate her best.

CARLY ROWENA With 150k followers on Instagram, Carly dominates the female fitness world and all her hard work is captured through the use of her camera for her short workout clips, longer YouTube videos and images that reflect her tagline “Forever Eating for Boobs & Butt” (we hear you Carly!) Carly’s drive and determination for the strong lifestyle is reflected in her #GetGorgeous eBook; a 12week transformation guide that is fun, challenging and a true reflection of her happy personality.

GRACEFITUK At 21, this powerhouse of a woman juggles student life at Oxford University with being a lead brand ambassador for Gymshark; creator of the Grace Fit Guide; designer and entrepreneur; YouTuber and owner of a 750k-follower-strong Instagram account. At such a young age, Grace is leading the way with the female fitness community. Her workouts are mainly weight and resistance based with a little bit of HIIT thrown in along the way, making sure you grow in all the right places and feel happy and confident within.

ALICE LIVEING Once named London’s most famous female personal trainer, Alice has come a long way on her social media journey; using Instagram originally as a personal diary, allowing her to see her progress on her weight loss journey; now has a very well earnt and established following and easily makes it seem like you are best friends. You can be sure to wake up to

INTRODUCING...

We caught up with Jasmin Brown (also known on Instagram as @thelillifter).

Undeniably, she is a strong and outgoing 21-year-old who gave up university to follow her dreams and passions, even if that meant moving all the way to the other side of the world to fulfil her goals.

“I was 16 when I got my first gym membership. I went in and played

Images © (left to right) carlyrowena/Instagram, aliceliveing/Instagram, gracefituk/Instagram, thelillifter/Instagram

The rise of female fitness influencers is hitting an all time high. Are you keeping up? HSS are here to help with your new motivation, all through the power of Instagram

around on the machines for 1-2 hours and went home. It was great fun and I knew I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t getting me anywhere so I started watching YouTube and Instagram videos of other fitness influencers. I’d test out their workouts, take inspiration from it and experiment with my own moves and unconventional training methods.

At the age of 18 I went to university to study. I was never a party person and I struggled a lot with what I viewed as an unhealthy lifestyle trying to socialise and make friends, when all I wanted to do was train hard and live the healthiest and happiest I could.

It was then when I decided to take up personal training. It was for me. That was my journey – to understand my own body and how it worked to better myself and my ability further. I qualified as a personal trainer and two days later I flew to Australia and left university.

I got myself a PT job and jumped straight into training clients, running classes and my own business for the very first time. It was super daunting doing it all in another country on your own and I didn’t last long in it. I moved over to teaching F45 and I loved pushing people through those last few strides on the rower, the final few squat jumps and sprint just that little bit faster to the end. I’d work out with people, I’d lead sessions on the mic, I’d demonstrate exercises to prevent injury and be the members’ helping hand along the way. I was in my element.

I wanted to keep growing within the industry so I jumped head first into managing a gym and have never looked back. I check up on members to make sure they’re getting the most out of the gym, I run marketing and referral campaigns and look at reports to see how the club is performing.”

Her Strong Self’s main ethos is to help you grow as a strong and confident woman, physically

and most importantly, mentally. If you are not happy with what you are doing, change it. It is that simple. Enjoying what you do means you will undoubtedly give your all and the results and success will follow. By using Instagram, many people are able to show others how they achieve their ultimate happiness, and nowadays, large online fitness communities are forming as a result.

EMILY TRENCH, @T_RENCH

FIND WHAT YOU’RE GOOD AT, FOLLOW IT AND GROW WITH IT -@thelillifter

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EAT GOOD, FEEL GOOD, DO GOOD

I CONSIDER BREAKFAST TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY. What you eat in the morning can determine your mood, insulin levels and appetite for the rest of the day. These nutrient-rich pancakes will start you off with a bang If you’re not a morning person, this delicious recipe makes for a filling brunch

INGREDIENTS

EIGHTY GRAMS of rolled oats ONE medium egg A QUARTER TSP of baking powder ONE TSP of vanilla extract ONE banana TWO TSP of coconut oil

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f you are a pancake-lover you’ll fall in love with these. They make a great breakfast or brunch for the weekend or you can prepare them the night before and heat them up in the toaster the following morning. Add your favourite toppings and you’ll be in heaven.

VLADIMIRA TERZIEVA, @VLADDIII

PREPARATION

ONE Add the oats to a blender and blitz to a flour texture.

TWO Add all the other batter ingredients except the coconut oil and blitz under smooth and creamy.

THREE Add the coconut oil to a non-stick frying pan and pour a third of the mixture into the pan. Cook over a medium heat on each side for 3-4 minutes until brown but not burnt.

Repeat to make there pancakes, each about 8cm wide.

FOUR Stack your pancakes and load up the toppings of your choice. If you’re stuck for inspiration, try picking three ingredients from any of the following: – Fresh berries – 10g chocolate chips – Crushed nuts – Honey

© Photographed by Vladimira Terzieva

LEARN TO ENJOY FOODS THAT NOURISH YOUR BODY – HAVING THE RIGHT MINDSET IS ESSENTIAL

I AM YOUR MOST PORTABLE WORKOUT BUDDY

I AM NOT JUST FOR THE GYM We know that working out isn’t just for the gym. We’ve designed a workout that’s guaranteed to get your sweat on no matter where you are; all you need are a pair of dumbells and a heavy-strength resistance band

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ANDED HIP THRUSTS 4 x 12 With a band around your thighs, rest your shoulders onto a bench or raised platform and have your knees bent at a right angle. Lay a barbell across your hips and thrust up, pushing with your heels. Squeeze glutes at the top.

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OMANIAN DEADLIFTS 3 x 12 Take a shoulder-width stance and hold the dumbbells with your palms facing in. Keeping a straight back and spine, lower the dumbbells with a slight bend in the knees. Drive up through the hips and glutes.

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ENSION GOBLET SQUATS 4 x 10 Stand at a shoulder-width and point the toes slightly out. When squatting, focus on keeping the knees in line with the toes. Drive up from the heels, coming only 3/4 of the way up.Keep this tension throuhgout the entire set.

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HOULDER PRESS 3 x 10 Perform either standing or sitting. With your core braced, begin by bringing your dumbbells just lower than shoulder level and drive up, keeping a bend in the elbow at all times - don’t be tempted to let them bash together at the top.

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AMMER CURLS 3 x 10 Stand upright, holding your dumbells at arms length with your palms facing inwards. Keep your elbows close to the torso. Contracting the bicep, bring the dumbells up to shoulder level and squeeze at the top before slowly bringing them back down.

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ENT OVER ROWS 3 x 12 Bend from your hips, keeping the back straight, at an angle you find comfortable. Starting with the dumbells by your side, palms facing inwards, bring them up, keeping your elbows narrowed (not flared out). Squeeze your shoulderblades at the top.

THE LITTLE STEPS STILL LEAD TO BIG REWARDS

MAKE THE LIMITS OR MAKE THE CHANGES © Photographed by Paige Mackie and Florence Sebastianelli

TIPS FROM A PT

The experienced professional Jake Babb has a mission to create lasting change and well-being in his clients. Here are his top tips for women embarking on their fitness journey CHANGE YOUR MINDSET Before you embark on your journey, think about your goals and be open to the challenges this new environment will bring. Know that you need to give determination, dedication and consistency in order to make it happen.

A positive mental attitude can be really helpful in achieving your goals.

COMPARE YOURSELF ONLY TO WHO YOU WERE YESTERDAY

DON’T EXPECT IMMEDIATE CHANGE Learn how to aim low and be patient with yourself. You are already one step ahead because you have made the decision to change. It is imperative that you nourish and respect your body.

FIND A MENTOR You already have one – amazing! If not – do a little bit of research about the knowledgeable professionals, find someone you can associate with and follow their pattern.

If you are making excuses is simply because you haven’t discovered what works best for you.

Jake Babb has been a qualified personal trainer for six years

AVOID GYM ANXIETY. BE KNOWLEDGABLE STRETCHING Do this both before and after excersise. This helps improve your flexibility and muscle balance around a joint, thus improving posture, reduces the chance of injury and increases the blood and nutrient supply to muscles and cartilage, thereby also reducing muscle soreness after training.

ACTIVATION EXCERSISES Target areas which you have identified as weak. For women this could be arms in which case 3x12 press-ups on your knees could be a really good activation exercise. If females want to develop their glutes’ shape, strength and size, they could perform side raises, again, 3x12.

CARDIO This helps to elevate your heart rate. You can see it as your warm-up that might be through using the treadmill, cross-trainer, rowing machine or on a bike. What Jake gives as an example is to start with a 1-2min fast walk on a treadmill; 3min up a hill with a gradient of 6-7.5, bringing it to a slightly lower hill and start doing a jog for another 3 min, and for the last 3min 30sec walking/30 sec running.

RESISTANCE EXCERSISES These are important for building and maintaining muscles. There are three types of resistance exercise: bodyweight, free weights such as dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells, or weight machines which every gym has.

Don’t be afraid of the weights, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll make a big masculine body, what simply is you feeling toned, confident and a happy woman.

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YOU AND YOUR GYM WARDROBE “WHEN I LOOK GOOD, I FEEL GOOD.” Fitness and fashion aren’t mutually exclusive – athleisure is in, and it seems it’s here to stay. One of HSS’ founders talks about why it’s okay to care about how you look at the gym

But by my very nature, I’m just not you. I know I’m not alone when I say I take time choosing my gym outfits.

I buy tops because finally, something to go with those leggings I’ve been desperate to wear. I have Pinterest boards dedicated to outfit inspo. Fashion has helped shaped the person I am for far longer than fitness has – so why do I feel so ashamed to admit I like to look good when I’m working out?

on it: fitness is whatever you want it to be. If you’re there for no other reason but to have a butt like @gracefituk, go forth and work it, girl.

There’s absolutely nothing inherently wrong with having an aesthetic goal. Watching your body change in the ways you want it to can be so powerful. The important thing to remember is that it’s not the default, and it certainly isn’t compulsory. The same goes for how you choose to dress when you work out.

No one cares what you look like in the gym. You just sound vain It’s true: unless you’re that guy I saw on Instagram strapping a cable attachment around his head, no one at the gym is looking at you as much as you might think.

As far as the vanity thing Aren’t we supposed to be goes, I can’t disagree. Wanting getting rid of the idea that to look good is vain. I once it’s about aesthetic? had to listen to a close friend Yes – and no. This is a hot of mine slate girls who do topic in the fitness world their makeup before they right now, and here’s my take work out wearing overpriced

© Photographed by Florence Sebastianelli

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et’s get one thing straight: if you’re the kind of person who can rock up to the gym in last week’s sweats and your partner’s hoodie, I hold you in high regard. You know you’re there for a reason, and it’s not to look your best.

And you rock it.

I bagged this set from Primark for only £13, and now it’s one of my go-tos. The Ombre effect is so flattering; and yes, they’re squat proof

THIS MAGAZINE IS MADE OF PAPER. YOU ARE MADE OF HEART, SOUL AND STEEL

“booty-contouring” leggings.

I remember catching my reflection, and realising embarrassingly that I’d done exactly what he was talking about. Then I noticed how good my eyeliner looked – and how popping my butt was in my leggings – and moved on.

You see, my initial embarrassment stemmed from the feeling that my vanity was wrong. That I was somehow

by society’s values. It was because when I look good, I feel good. When I’ve made an effort to put on a faceful of makeup and don the newest trends, I mean business; and that’s exactly how I want to feel every time I step into the gym. So I accept that it’s vain, and I do it anyway.

That, to me, is empowerment. Not some socially-applied pressure to look good.

Not caring about being “that” girl, the one who’s raving about “those” new ombre leggings (you know the ones, ladies), has been so freeing. Isn’t this exactly what we’re fighting for when we fight for empowerment?

“I ACCEPT THAT IT’S VAIN AND I DO IT ANYWAY. THAT, TO ME, IS EMPOWERMENT. NOT PRESSURE”

This is for you, skeptics: Gymshark leggings won’t grow you a butt Let’s just go back to my friend’s comment: his point, essentially, was that these “trendy” gym girls show up solely to look good, and rarely do any real work.

But let me let you in on a secret: those booty-contouring leggings I mentioned can only do so much of the work. If you see a girl working out and you notice how good her butt looks, it’s not an illusion. The Flex leggings are great, but they’re not magic.

Those of us who dress up work just as hard as anyone else. I’m not afraid of getting sweatpatches on my new grey top. I don’t care if I’m going cross-eyed on my last rep or if my leggings start giving me a wedgie when I’m squatting.

I’m doing what I do best, and if I what to look good doing it, you bet your peachy ass I will.

contributing to this unhealthy idea that aesthetic comes first by wearing new Gymshark head-to-toe. Was I promoting the standards in society we all try so hard to be rid of?

But when I took a step back, I realised I was just doing what I’ve always done.

I worked in a high-street fashion store for three years and pumped most of my monthly wage back into their tills, buying whatever was “in”. Why? I’ll give you a clue: it wasn’t because I felt obliged

PAIGE MACKIE, @MACSSFIT I have to give my top spot to Gymshark’s Energy Seamless leggings

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HEALTHY MIND, HEALTHY BODY

© Photographed by Hayley Williams

Health and fitness goes beyond your physical abilities. Having a healthy mindset is crucial to living a truly healthy lifestyle – yoga may be trending at the moment, but its effectiveness is undeniable

‘Child’s Pose’. Doing yoga outside can be incredibly relaxing. Let your body breathe as well as your mind

“THE MIND AND BODY ARE NOT SEPARATE. WHAT AFFECTS ONE, AFFECTS THE OTHER”

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e are currently living in a world where there are more distractions than ever and having a sense of trying to live up to expectations that magazines convey. This means we are also at a time where we need a higher level of inner peace and a mind that is clear and sharp – two qualities that may

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seem harder and harder to come by with society’s expectations.

A first step could be something as simple as organising around yourself and creating a happy and safe environment that you can start to think clearly in. We can have a tendency to understand the need for a healthy mental state but not how to preserve

IN SANSKRIT, YOGA MEANS TO UNITE it, to know what we associate as stressful triggers and that a cluttered environment often leads to a cluttered mind is a start.

When talking about exercise for the mind and body, you may be wondering, how exactly can practicing a physical pose strengthen my mind and body? Yoga changes the firing patterns of the nerves and chemicals in which the body’s fluids and gases activates a relaxation response.

As you grow in your ability to recognise the relationship between your mind and body there is never a point in which you are just one or the other. It’s why in today’s society it’s valued to have both your mental health just as much as your physical health, yoga isn’t advertised as an option by most celebrities when praising their new weight loss program, neither is their mental health journeys. where do you start in order to rid yourself of a cluttered mind in order to start

working on your body effectively? Clutter is demanding and persistent, but once you are aware of the fact that the clutter in your physical environment enhances the cluttering on your mind, you are already halfway to getting started.

TYPES OF YOGA Hatha: The form most often associated with yoga, it combines a series of basic movements with breathing.

Vinyasa: A series of poses that flow smoothly into one another.

Power: A faster, higher-intensity practice that builds muscle.

Ashtanga: A series of poses, combined with a special breathing technique.

Bikram: Also known as ‘hot yoga,’ it’s a series of 26 challenging poses performed in a room heated to a high temperature.

Iyengar: A type of yoga that uses props like blocks, straps, and chairs to help you move your body into the proper alignment.

KATIE STYLES, @KATIE.STYLES

SANSKRIT NAME: Balasana

TRY IT YOURSELF: CHILD’S POSE

BENEFITS: Easy exercise, enables you to relax and breathe into your back; stretch the hips, thighs, and ankles; relieves back and neck pain.

HOW: Start by sitting upright comfortably on your heels. Roll your torso forward and bring your forehead to rest on the ground in front of you. Extend your arms forward, lower your chest to your knees as close as you comfortably can. Now hold the pose and breathe into your torso and slowly exhale, repeat.

TIP: To get deeper into your fold, exhale with every stretch forward.

IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF A PROBLEM, YOU SIMPLY CANNOT TAKE THE STEPS IN CHANGING IT 15

WE ARE HSS. Our mission is to guide and motivate young women to their better and strong self. We want to help you find empowerment doing what you love. Don’t be afraid; start now. You’ve got this, girl.