Action movie star Kate Beckinsale is a hardcore fitness fan, hitting the gym six times a week. 

But even that doesn’t seem to be enough for the 50-year-old, who turned her kitchen into a makeshift exercise area for an impromptu extra workout. 

The British actress, worth an estimated £20million, shared a video with her six million Instagram followers last week showing her performing strength exercises against the kitchen cabinets while wearing a pink sports bra and tracksuit bottoms.

However she deleted it some time later. 

This budget workout was quite a change for Kate, pictured left at a Cannes gala event last year. 

She shared a video with her six million Instagram followers last week showing her performing strength exercises against the kitchen cabinets while wearing a pink sports bra and tracksuit bottoms

Her vigorous exercise regime often involves workouts using a weighted sled, which burn up to 100 calories a minute, and in 2019 her personal trainer revealed she hits the gym six days a week to train for an hour non-stop. 

The actress is recovering from a tear in her oesophagus earlier this year, which required a six-week hospital stay. 

She has been in Italy filming her next movie, Stolen Girl, based on a true story of child abduction.

No 10’s Cleo faces a new Partygate

Boris Johnson’s ex-aide Cleo Watson has had to apologise to friends expecting a invitation to the launch party of her second political bonkbuster, Cleavage.

Cleo, nicknamed The Gazelle during her time in No 10, had to soothe feelings hurt by the apparent snub by explaining the election had put the kibosh on her planned bash.

‘You are exactly the people I would like to have invited had I been able to have a book launch,’ she told them. ‘Regrettably this isn’t the only party I’ve been wrongly suspected of having.’

Boris Johnson’s ex-aide Cleo Watson (pictured) has had to apologise to friends expecting a invitation to the launch party of her second political bonkbuster, Cleavage

This might be awkward! Ellie Goulding has been signed up to sing at a charity bash Zac Goldsmith is on the committee for – despite the former close friends severing contact earlier this year. 

The pop star was booked for Thursday’s Ormeley Dinner without the Tory peer realising. 

Ellie Goulding has been signed up to sing at a charity bash Zac Goldsmith is on the committee for – despite the former close friends severing contact earlier this year

Ellie broke off their friendship when she began dating a surf instructor. Zac is now seeing Hum Fleming, the great-niece of 007 creator Ian. 

A source says: ‘Zac’s laid-back but it doesn’t sound like he’s thrilled with this.’ 

Expecting… her own fashion line!

She went public with her pregnancy with a grand fashion statement at New York’s Met Gala last month.

Now model Adwoa Aboah could be set to launch her own maternity line with H&M, the retailer that created the ruffled red skirt and crop top which revealed her baby bump to the world, right.

Model Adwoa Aboah could be set to launch her own maternity line with H&M

A source close to the 32-year-old Top Boy star told me she was in talks with the high street chain, saying: ‘She’s loving being pregnant and adores showing off her bump. The H&M team have discussed a capsule collection modelled by her for their maternity line.’

Adwoa – who also spearheads a mental health charity, Gurls Talk – is expecting her first child with US skater Daniel Wheatley and the new range could be ready as soon as this summer.

Fashion designer Alice Temperley might as well change her name to Dr Dolittle as it seems there is no end to her rescuing animals. 

Last year, I revealed that Alice – a favourite of the Princess of Wales – had adopted a field mouse, and now I can report she took in a wandering peacock after it chased her car. 

After a brief stay chez Alice, the peacock flew back to its owners across the field.

Fashion designer Alice Temperley posted a picture on Instagram with the peacock she took in

Rapper Professor Green looks to have rekindled his romance with former fiancee Karima McAdams – five months after they split. 

The pair, who dated for five years and who have a three-year-old son, looked happier than ever at the opening of Maison Diptyque store in London. 

Professor Green – real name Stephen Manderson – was formerly married to Made In Chelsea’s Millie Mackintosh. 

Socialite artist Nettie Wakefield is backing a campaign to stop tech giants Facebook and Instagram from using people’s photographs on social media to ‘develop and improve’ its AI tools.

Although there is a little-noticed option to opt out of the scheme, Nettie, left, tells me: ‘Apparently AI is automatically being trained on everything we do on the social media platforms.’ 

Socialite artist Nettie Wakefield is backing a campaign to stop tech giants Facebook and Instagram from using people’s photographs on social media to ‘develop and improve’ its AI tools

It is certainly a terrifying prospect for some and so Nettie – whose past loves include Poldark heart-throb Aidan Turner and TV presenter Alex Zane, is railing against the idea.

How? By taking to Instagram, of course!

Nat’s ticket to hide

She’s used to all eyes being on her so I wonder why Natalie Portman was decidedly camera-shy on her visit to the Beatles Museum in Liverpool?

The Hollywood star banned staff, including the museum’s owner Roag Best – the brother of original Beatles drummer Pete Best – from taking photos of her at the venue. 

This also meant that the 42-year-old couldn’t be added to the museum’s wall of fame-style gallery of famous faces.

The museum’s social media page later called out the Black Swan actress, right, who has appeared in one of Sir Paul McCartney’s music videos, for her reticence, prompting fans to criticise her actions.

On her visit to the Beatles Museum in Liverpool Natalie Portman banned staff, including the museum’s owner Roag Best – the brother of original Beatles drummer Pete Best – from taking photos of her

The owners of Drayton House in Northamptonshire, where black comedy Saltburn was shot, have complained of the unwanted attention the film has brought.

But Fiona, Countess of Carnarvon and chatelaine of Highclere Castle – aka Downton Abbey – has little sympathy. Rather sensibly, Lady Carnarvon says: ‘If you’re doing something like a film, then obviously it might well bring some attention – so if you don’t want any attention, maybe you shouldn’t have done the film. It’s just having that logical progression of thought process.’

The cast and crew of Downton have again descended on Highclere to shoot a third film, much to the joy of Fiona. 

She gushes about the catering coffee cart and tells me: ‘It’s lovely to have everybody back.’

Almost all of us, anywhere in the world, need to exercise more. It’s not something we don’t know, but there is good reason to remind people of the dangers of being inactive.

High blood pressure is a common global health issue that can often be deadly. More than a third of adults in the UAE suffer from high blood pressure – or hypertension – and a large percentage of people don’t even know it, which partially explains why it’s called a silent killer.

One in four men, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), have the condition. It can lead to multiple health crises, including strokes, heart attacks and kidney disease. The more encouraging news is that the condition can be prevented or reduced by eating a sensible diet, maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly.

These lifestyle changes are often more difficult to accomplish on a long-term basis. But we can build healthy habits and exercise into our routines.

Let’s start by reminding ourselves of why we should all move more. The WHO recommends at least 150 minutes (about two and a half hours) of moderate exercise per week, but studies show that more than 80 per cent of adolescents and 27 per cent of adults globally fall short of this mark.

In the UAE, only one in five UAE school children achieve the recommended amount of physical activity. Sedentary lifestyles lead to chronic illnesses, including diabetes and heart disease and this is an issue parents need to take more seriously. More parents need to ensure that their children go out to play a sport for half an hour a day, at least.

At NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) we encourage students to prioritise and engage in their well-being so they may flourish in academics as well as in their extracurricular activities. All our undergraduate students are required to take two physical and health education courses. The benefits are evident.

We’ve noticed a measurable improvement in more than just our students’ health and fitness thanks to a curriculum that focuses on the wider learning outcomes across four areas: physical activity, nutrition, mindfulness and sleep.

These are principles that we hope will stay with them for life. For starters, exercise does far more than help prevent disease. It triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals that can combat symptoms of anxiety and depression, which leads to improved mental clarity and focus.

Stressing the endocrine system spurs the body into regulating itself through better sleep and rest, to repair itself and grow new cells.

There are also many benefits of team sports, which offer a platform for social interaction and fostering a sense of belonging and community. This is especially important today, given the WHO reports a rise of over 25 per cent in depression and anxiety since 2020, affecting nearly a billion people globally.

The camaraderie of a group also counters loneliness, which is also on the rise and has been shown to be as damaging to physical health as smoking. Belonging to a team or a group provides a support system that can be invaluable – especially in a nation that hosts a diverse population, who all come from different backgrounds and are often away from family.

While exercising is a personal journey, there are steps that can help everyone.

The first is to reframe the language around exercise. Instead of focusing on weight loss as the sole motivation, there should be a celebration of the joy of movement.

People are advised to explore activities they genuinely enjoy – a brisk walk, a swim, a dance class or an outdoor game. Exercise is not solely for those seeking to lose weight. It should be a daily habit for everyone.

The usual advice is to start slowly and gradually increase intensity and duration. One should aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise most days of the week to get into a regular habit. Good habits are vital to success in any venture. Exercise can often have a positive effect on different aspects of life apart from physical fitness, whether work or relationships. People new to exercise will notice the increased energy they have, even at the workplace.

Group activities can add a layer of fun, so people of all ages could consider joining a local sports club or signing up for a community fitness event. There are many activities in Abu Dhabi that are accessible to people of all fitness levels and will appeal to those who are looking for alternatives to a gym workout.

Through Abu Dhabi Sports Council’s Abu Dhabi 360 initiative has a number of accessible runs or cycle rides such as the Al Qana Community Run and the MBZ Fun Ride. There are also a host of Active Parks initiatives and community events attached to the global sports events hosted in Abu Dhabi, such as the World Triathlon Championship Series and the UAE Tour.

My personal preference for a fun approach to fitness is to use the cycle facilities at Yas Marina Circuit, the Corniche and Hudayriyat Island, plus the increasing cycling infrastructure across the city. In Abu Dhabi, there are options for fitness workouts for everyone.

I would also recommend signing up to a challenge, which helps keep one accountable. Setting a goal and share it often makes a person more likely to succeed and deal with demotivation.

Remember also that we are talking about well-being. That might mean getting out into nature, watching a sunset at the beach or sitting by the mangroves for a sense of calm.

Breathing exercises too are especially effective. Apart from movement and calories burnt, a focus on feeling good internally is important. This can help refocus, quiet the mind and reduce stress – all of which are necessary to improve the quality of life, reduce hypertension, as well as the burden on healthcare systems around the world.

Reframing the conversation around health and well-being starts with recognising that every step counts. It’s not about drastic changes but about integrating movement into the day. The goal is not just to avoid getting sick, but to increase well-being and transform our lives.

Published: June 06, 2024, 7:00 AM