Hardwire Your Health

- Sophie Goodchild

Your 20s

EXERCISE

When you’re sweating your arse off at the back of that gym class, it might not feel like it, but your body finds it easier to tone up in your twenties than at any other point in your life. It’s all down to your pituitary gland: a tiny pea-size area of your brain that produces the hormones for growth, body shape, and muscle formation. At this age, it’s firing on all cylinders – and you can cash in on this by lifting the heaviest weights you can to bank muscle memory for your thirties and forties. Personal trainer Luke Worthington advises focussing on the frequency of your workouts rather than the loads you lift. ‘In your twenties, you’re set up perfectly for recovery, so four strengthtraining sessions plus two cardio ones per week is totally achievable.’ You heard the man.

DIET

Peak bone mass is reached between the ages of 25 and 30, so you should capitalise on your calcium now. And milk can go a long way in helping you reach your 1,000mg RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance), whether you drink dairy or you’re vegan (you can find calcium-fortified plant milk in the supermarket now). Vitamins D (fish, orange juice) and K (think green veg) are also crucial for optimum bone health.

HEALTH TESTS

Micronutrient test