Lifestyle

Celebs share their wellbeing secrets

What’s the best thing that you do for your wellbeing? Having time off can be well spent looking after your health, so we caught up with some of our favourite famous faces to see how they spend a wellbeing weekend.

From swimming and yoga to cooking and enjoy a tipple or two, discover the wellbeing secrets behind some of the world’s leading ladies.

Elizabeth Hurley

“I loathe being in London at weekends and always try to go home to Herefordshire. I love everything about the country – the fresh air, the peace, my dogs and my garden After enduring the M4, I usually have a stiff drink, light a fire and collapse on the sofa! Before bed, I’ll have a long bath with lots of scented bath oil and a good book.

“Truthfully, most weekends I’m juggling an overflowing inbox and a terrifying to-do list with trying to be Super Mum and Hostess with the Mostest.

“I nip into my local village and try to buy the majority of my food in the small, local shops. I’m lucky that we have a great butcher, greengrocer and bakery. We also have a very good bookshop, a wine shop and an excellent delicatessen. I often go to Countrywide as well and buy lots of things I don’t need!

“If I’m feeling stressed, I like silence. I turn off my phone and soak in the tub with my eyes shut, having made everyone promise to leave me alone for a while.”

Elle Macpherson

“I love Vinyasa flow yoga. I enjoy doing it in a studio with like-minded people. At night, I do a yoga pose to help induce sleep. It involves lying on the bed with my legs up the wall. Afterwards, I sip a cup of my WelleCo Sleep Welle Calming Tea. It is passion flower-scented and enriched with skullcap, valerian root and hops to relieve nerves and anxiety.

“I enjoy exploring the outdoors. If in Miami, it might be a swim in the ocean, waterskiing, a walk along the beach with the dogs, yoga with a friend or a bike ride. Every weekend is different.

“My favourite people to spend the weekend with are my two boys. When both are home I dedicate the weekends to them. We will go waterskiing, wakesurfing or something we all love. Meal times are important, too, and a great way to catch up. We share stories, turn the music up and laugh a lot together.”

Anthea Turner

“Feeling good for me is a state of mind and something I have had to work very hard on. Over the years I have come to learn that it is not about external circumstances – you can still feel rubbish on a beach in a hot country! It’s all about how you feel within, and I’ve found confidence in yourself is key.

“I make sure I surround myself with uplifting, inspiring people and have been tough in removing those in my life who have drained me. I also try to train my thinking patterns so I do not become a prisoner of bad thoughts – whether that’s taking time out to go for a run or writing down a list of positive things in my notebook. For me it’s knowing that if you’re struggling it is ok to get help – be it talking to a close friend, a therapist or even getting a nice massage.

“Acupuncture for me works wonders. It all comes down to where you want to put your resources, and I think it should be a priority to mend ourselves when things go wrong.”

Livia Firth

“Nothing beats the effect that a good night’s sleep has on your face the following morning! When I am home I go to bed very early in the evenings – by 9.30pm latest. But on a general note, I try to meditate or at least stretch every morning for at least 10 minutes.

“I exercise twice a week and, if I can, three times a week. And I try and eat healthy, home-cooked food, which for an Italian includes pasta of course!”

Dame Kelly Holmes

“I love taking part in Parkruns on a Saturday morning, when I get the chance. I’ve travelled around the country doing them, which is known as a ‘Parkrun tourist’. The best thing about Parkruns is you get to meet so many people all with the same goal — to run 5km. It doesn’t discriminate , as it’s for all ages, sizes and abilities. I think these community runs are as much about helping people mentally as physically.

“I work a lot, and generally don’t have a Monday to Friday lifestyle, so weekends are often working weekends for me. My work varies from sporting events such as starting the Great Scottish Run to speaking engagements in the UK and abroad, which can mean a lot of early mornings and late nights. Most of my corporate events revolve around mental health in the workplace, which has really taken off.

“If I’m not working, weekends are great for my training because I don’t have to ‘fit it in’. I enjoy a variety of training including runs, cycling, circuit training, HIIT and weights. My main focus is to increase the amount of stretching I do, including yoga/Pilates to prevent injuries.”

Sarah Raven

“Meeting one or both of my daughters for a clothes-shopping spree, usually in London, with breakfast or lunch at The Wolsey, is my favourite way to unwind. It’s a bit of a family tradition and always feels like a major treat. I also do a lot of my writing at the weekend, clearing my desk of articles, writing course handouts and pulling together slide shows for teaching the following week. Now the children have left home, it’s a clear moment without much going on, so it’s a good time to concentrate.

“I mostly spend weekends at home, Perch Hill farm. With the garden full of food and flowers, it’s one of the loveliest places to be, particularly from April to November. For those months, there’s hardly a need to get into the car to shop. That’s one of the joys of being here.

“I love seeing friends…at the weekend, and best of all is when we make things together – harvest and cook a delicious meal. My new-found favourite small-group activity is spending a weekend under the tutelage of Annemarie O’Sullivan, weaving baskets from her homegrown willow. It’s creative, absorbing, peaceful and tiring all at the same time.”