New gut health trend | 6 signs of runners’ burnout | Melissa Hemsley breakfast muffins recipe

Our lifestyles aren’t designed to keep our hips feeling loose – lots of sitting mixed with intense exercise and neglecting to stretch means we can lack mobility in the joints. But this workout combats that, moving your hips through all directions. After flexing and abducting the hips during the warm-up, you’ll move laterally with side lunges, forwards and backwards with good mornings and unilaterally with forward lunges. You won’t just feel less achy but in turn, your running stride will be more powerful and deep yogi squats will feel easier (although we can’t promise they’ll ever be easy-easy *insert sad face emoji*).

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Most of us know that stress is an evolutionary response designed to protect us from hungry animals and other dangers in the natural world. But what happens after we’ve been chased by predators – or in the modern world, closed our laptops after an emotionally exhausting day of work – might be the most important part of the story. It all comes down to closing your “stress cycle”…

One thing that made me feel more comfortable on challenging hikes was… using positive affirmations to focus on feeling physically empowered by my body’s movement. I repeat things like, ‘My legs are strong and powerful’ to remind me I can get through it, but it’s also important to listen to my body and know when to pause.

I boost the health benefits of walking by… using all five senses. I try to notice the different things I see, hear, smell, touch and even taste. I also try to notice my breath and my footsteps to capture the moment. This helps direct my attention away from the daily demands of city life and towards the calming beauty that can be found in nature.

When I can’t get outside, I look after my mental health by… surrounding myself with supportive people who help me feel connected. Connection is so important to my mental health, whether with nature, people or a purpose and it’s why I set up The Jadeite Project. I also have a good selection of house plants that allow me to bring nature inside.

If you want to hit the ground running in September, aka the back-to-school reset month, it’s time to get your nutrition in order now after overdosing on Cornettos during the summer (just us?). That’s why we’re easing our way back onto the post-summer meal prep train with these breakfast muffins by chef and food writer Melissa Hemsley.

They’re the perfect batch-cook recipe, packed with fibrous plants including prebiotic flaxseed and banana to wake up your gut in the best way. The delicious mix of slow-release carbohydrates, omega-rich fats and protein-packed seeds will also see you through to lunch without an energy crash. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all.