Joe Wicks is a personal trainer and bestselling author who advocates for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts and nutritious meals to maintain a healthy lifestyle. He provides his top 5 tips for staying fit in winter, which include scheduling morning workouts, dressing for cold weather, exercising at home, drinking plenty of water, and finding a workout partner. Wicks also discusses how he became interested in fitness and nutrition, and emphasizes that small daily habits like exercise and a balanced diet can significantly improve well-being and allow one to feel happy.

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WINTER FITNESS
AND FOOD
Since hitting the scene
almost three years ago,
Joe Wicks has gone from
a popular personal trainer
to bestselling author, social
media superstar and owner
of an ever-growing business
with 100,000 clients to
date. Food Editor Emma
Winterschladen finds
out from Joe the key to
maintaining a successful
fitness regime, as well as
how even the most exercise-
averse of us can get
motivated this winter.
JOE’S TOP 5 WINTER
TIPS FOR KEEPING FIT
1Schedule your workouts
Morning workouts are a winner
in winter. You’ll start the day with a
spring in your step and your energy
levels will be up for the day ahead,
rather than having to come home
and fit one in later on. Prepare your
kit the night before so it’s all ready.
2Wrap up in winter gear
It’s so important to have the
right gear in the winter, especially
if you are planning to go outdoors
for your workouts. Invest in base
layers such as leggings, gloves,
winter socks and a warm hat – that
way, you won’t be able to blame
the cold for missing a workout!
3Make your home a gym
If you’d rather not venture
out, there’s so much you can do
from your own home. A 20-minute
session, three-to-five times a week
– doing bodyweight exercises such
as burpees, mountain climbers,
high knees, skipping and press-ups
– will keep you in tip-top shape.
4Drink plenty of water
Drink two-to-four litres of
water a day, depending on your
body composition, and start as
soon as you get up in the morning.
It’s tempting in the colder months
to indulge in sugary hot drinks, but
try to opt for green tea or warm
water with a slice of lemon.
5Don’t go at it alone
There’s no better way to stay
motivated than having someone
else to plan your workout schedule
around so you feel more obliged
to stick to it! Having someone to
share your fitness journey is great
for morale, even if it is just for a
few sessions a week.
For easy HIIT workouts and more,
check out Joe’s YouTube channel:
youtube.com/user/thebodycoach1
thebodycoach.co.uk
How did you become interested
in fitness and nutrition?
I was a personal trainer for a few years
and it used to frustrate me to see people
training really hard but not fuelling their
bodies correctly. I always say that you
can’t out-train a bad diet and I wanted
to educate people about what they need
to eat to get fit, lean and healthy. Gone
are the days where you need to be in the
gym for hours every day and restrict your
calories to get lean! So I started posting
15-second videos on Instagram of
nutritious, healthy meals and #Leanin15
was born…
Has your fitness and health
philosophy changed over the
past few years?
Not at all – the principles of living a
healthy lifestyle don’t change. I’ve always
advocated HIIT workouts and refuelling
after a gym session with a carb-loaded
meal. Of course, you have to get your
protein and good fats in there too, and
that’s what I want to teach people in the
90-Day Plan and Lean in 15books.
I’ve always been really vocal that diets
don’t work and I stick to that – I don’t
want people to not enjoy food and to feel
restricted. Food is to be enjoyed, and if
you’re training right and understand
some of the basic science behind what
your body needs and when, you can write
your own rules in terms of what you eat.
What does wellbeing mean to
you and how do you go about
achieving it on a daily basis?
Wellbeing means being happy! Both in
yourself and in your lifestyle, a big part of
which is what you chose to do with your
body. Small habits can go a long way
to make you feel great every day – from
drinking plenty of water throughout
the day, restricting sugary drinks and
alcohol, getting active – little things like
these make your body run better, which
in turn will make you feel better, so you
can conquer everything else you want to
do with your life!
How do you start your day?
I drink a litre of water and do a HIIT
session. It’s that simple! It energises
me and makes me feel ready to tackle
whatever I’ve got going on that day.
Any tips for those who don’t
know where to start getting
fit and find it daunting?
Whathaveyougottolose?Thewayyou’ll
feelaftertrainingisworthit,evenifyou’re
just starting out on your fitness journey
and it’s day one of getting active – the
endorphins will get you going. So don’t
press the snooze button, get out of bed,
do 15 minutes and you’ll feel amazing!
What about those who feel they
are too time-poor and busy to
fit in exercise?
All it takes is 15-20 minutes, three-to-
four times a week, to get lean. A lack of
time isn’t an excuse; I’ve got mums and
dads with three kids who work full time
that manage to get lean! If they can do it,
anyone can.
What’s the best way to sustain
an exercise routine and
keep motivated, especially
throughout winter?
The best thing about HIIT sessions
is that you can do them anywhere.
I’ve filmed them in hotel rooms, on
a balcony, in living rooms. You don’t
necessarily need to go outside – and
if you’re starting out you don’t even
need any equipment. There are loads
of videos on my YouTube channel with
workouts, from beginner level through
to more experienced.
So what does the future hold
for you?
I just want to keep spreading the Lean
in 15 lifestyle and get the whole world
off diets and feeling great!
Joe’s new book Lean in 15: The
Shape Plan (£16.99) is published
by Bluebird, 17 November 2016
J
oeWicksaloneisresponsible
for a 25 per cent increase in
Tenderstem broccoli sales
in the UK and, with his new
Channel 4 TV show Joe
Wicks:TheBodyCoach,
that figure is no doubt set to rise as more
people learn to love the culinary joys of
Joe’s ‘midget trees’. His simple, fuss-free
approachtofoodhasledtohisfirstbook
Leanin15sellingoveronemillioncopies
and his approach to fitness is equally
no-nonsense. He shuns spending hours
in a gym; rather Joe advocates time-
efficient HIIT (high-intensity interval
training) for optimum results.
i Joe Wicks