Hello!
I hope you've had a marvellous week. Before we start, I just want to give you a quick heads-up: Living Well is getting a facelift! From next week, the newsletter will now be called Well Enough with Harry Bullmore, and it will land in your inbox on Sundays.
Don't worry – you'll still get all the wellness and fitness content you know and love, but with more health hacks, insights from experts and scientists, and my perspective as a fitness writer constantly talking to the people who know best.
Now, on to the meat and drink of this newsletter.
Have you ever seen a trainer – online or otherwise – claim their workout can deliver visible abs in just two weeks? Chances are, the answer is yes, and it's an alluring prospect for many.
Here's the good news and the bad news.
The bad news: this isn't how exercise works. Achieving lasting visible changes takes weeks – if not months – of consistent effort paired with a nutritious diet. Without knowing your starting point, no trainer can accurately predict where you'll be after two weeks of sit-ups.
The good news: there are plenty of things you can do right now that will instantly improve how your body feels and performs – from banishing stomach aches and niggling injuries to boosting your mood and energy levels.
To explore this, I spoke to esteemed coach Ed Haynes, who specialises in training those aged 40 and above – he even helped his mum nail her first pull-up at 69. He shared six simple actions that can deliver immediate benefits for your health, with exercise accounting for just one of them.
Helping readers feel better in their bodies is always my overarching mission. Human movement expert Ash Grossmann's explanation of why injuries happen – and how to prevent them – fits perfectly with this goal.
So do the actionable tips from sedentary behaviour specialist Dr Daniel Bailey. He revealed insights from his team's research into the link between excessive sitting and early mortality – even if you exercise regularly – and shared a simple, free way to counteract it.
Of course, movement is just one piece of the health puzzle. What you eat also plays a huge role in how you look, feel, and function. Fortunately, food and drink editor Hannah Twiggs has this covered.
Following a conversation with Ella Mills, better known as Deliciously Ella, Hannah wrote about why modern wellness often isn't working – and the "gentle habits" that do. She also examined a British staple, bread, and its ultra-processed tendencies. While not all ultra-processed foods are equal, GP and TV doctor Rupy Aujla argues that 19 ingredients is excessive in your weekly loaf, recommending a high-fibre alternative instead.
And finally, in a jam-packed week for health features, author Alice Smellie asked: "Will taking HRT help with the risk of menopausal dementia?"
So, what's the overarching takeaway from this diverse smorgasbord of articles? If something sounds too good to be true in the health and fitness world – protein-rich chocolate bars, two-week transformative workouts – it often is.
But small, consistent actions can have enormous cumulative benefits: a few simple food swaps, as Hannah suggests; upping your daily step count; taking a couple of minutes to stretch at your desk each hour.
In short: rather than overhauling your life, aim for small, sustainable tweaks to enjoy long-term rewards.
Hope this helps!
Harry
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