Siobhán Norton

The Costa del Sol has the dubious honour of being the location of my first ever teenage package holiday without the parents. Two weeks of lurid-green alcopops, full Englishes, bad karaoke, kissing unsuitable boys and general naffness. I wore too …

When’s the last time you really got away from it all? I wasn’t exactly offline on a visit to Croatia at the weekend, checking emails, posting to Instagram. But I stumbled upon a helpful reminder to unplug. “We don’t take …

A friend once told me that her birthday treat is a night away in a hotel. “Lovely, so you and your partner can have a little getaway?” I asked. “Oh, no. He’s looking after the kids. I just want to …

The stylish polished-wood studio tucked away on a back street in North London seems an unlikely spot for the workout branded among Hollywood’s toughest. There’s no terrifying Crossfit equipment here, no barbells or rigs or treadmills, just some dinky little …

The world of fitness can be an annoyingly chirpy one, increasingly saturated with 20-year-old former reality TV stars offering vague platitudes about “motivation Mondays” and “fitspo” – fitness inspiration. It’s a world Svava Sigbertsdottir has little patience with. “Argh, fitspo,” …

“If there is no challenge, there is no change!” I hear whoops and cheers from the semi-darkness, as 63 pairs of eyes gaze up at the candlelit altar. Everyone who is here is clearly intent on “becoming the change”, and …

Where I come from, the phrase “you’re looking well” has various meanings as you progress through life. In your teens, it’s the highest of compliments from a bashful beau, blushing to his temples as he stares fiercely at the ground. …

As I sit cross-legged, eyes closed, I can hear the rain gently falling. I concentrate on my breath – in, out, in, out. It’s not long before my mind wanders – to work, to plans for later, replaying a conversation …

Many of us would never dream of darkening the door of a gym when travelling for work or pleasure. Fritz Lanman isn’t one of those people. “I went to Sweat It yesterday, do you know it? Pretty tough. I landed …

Alacia Elliott doesn’t fit the mould of the stereotypical fitness instructor – no bulging muscles, menacing stance or “push through the pain” mantra. But she’s made of tough stuff. And, at 88, is older than most of her clients. “When …

On the morning I meet David Higgins, bloated as I am from a weekend of excess and struggling with a frozen shoulder, I don’t exactly feel that I fit the mould of his typical clientele. The personal trainer and physiotherapist …

He is the man who got Britons to lose weight, has written a slew of best-selling diet books and fronted dozens of health documentaries. But don’t leave the biscuit tin unattended when Dr Michael Mosley’s around. “I have no willpower. …

For most parents, a morning of ice skating followed by lunch is an easy way to keep the children entertained as the Christmas holidays come to a close. But for Alexa Baracaia, it’s an outing that needs to be planned …

It’s enough to make you lose your sheep. The clock ticking mercilessly on, while sleep remains elusive. The frustration of knowing that the morning – and the time to face a new day – is drawing closer. It’s no secret …

I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to retirement. Granted, I’ve got about three decades to go (or more if the goalposts keep moving), but by then I’ll be more than ready to put my feet up. Or …

I always wonder if the centenarians are pulling our legs when we beg them to reveal the secrets behind their longevity. Raw eggs, they tell us solemnly. Daily plunges into icy ocean waters. A can of Stella and a packet …

Think of your average historical city tour: chances are, it will comprise a rambling round-up of dead white blokes. Statues of conquering heroes on horseback, plaques for playwrights, those kinds of things. But a new London bike excursion is taking …

Remember how summer used to stretch on for ever? Long, hazy days, barbecues and Mr Whippy ice creams, scorched grass and paddling pools? That’s how this summer was beginning to feel, only with a more grown-up flair: we woke up …

If you’ve ever fancied drawing the ire of thousands of commuters during morning rush hour, I have some tips. Number one, join a pack of runners for an 8.30am city-centre jog. Number two, have each of those runners randomly stop …

The world of wellbeing is undoubtedly a strange one. I must admit I have fallen down the rabbit hole on occasion, spending my hard-earned cash on “superfood” concoctions including outlandish ingredients such as baobab, and spirulina (ugh), and turmeric, and …