Susannah Taylor Virtual exercise real sweat – YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Sign in Welcome!Log into your account Forgot your password? Password recovery Recover your password Search Sign in Welcome! Log into your account Forgot your password? Get help Password recovery Recover your password A password will be e-mailed to you. YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Home Life Susannah Taylor Virtual exercise real sweat By Susannah Taylor - March 13, 2022 I’ve just done aerobics by moonlight on an Ibizan rooftop with a gorgeous man with huge biceps and very tight leggings. Last week I played table tennis in a James Bond-style chalet in the mountains. I’ve even been hanging out with Lady Gaga in what felt like a set from The Hunger Games. How did I get so lucky? Because they aren’t actually real – they exist in my Meta Quest 2 headset (from £299, oculus.com), which I’ve been trialling. Never heard of an Oculus? It’s a virtual reality (VR) contraption that looks a bit like sci-fi goggles and, when you put it on, transports you into a 360-degree fantasy world that feels so real, it’s as if you are actually in it. When I put on the headset today I found myself in South America, standing by a beautiful holiday house, with birds flying across the blue skies above and rush matting under my feet. It was so convincing I could almost smell the sun cream. Susannah being put through her virtual paces VR headsets first started as an immersive gaming experience, but are now a huge trend in the world of fitness, where you can box with a virtual personal trainer, learn street dance, meditate and join classes with others. I’ll be honest, as someone who writes about the benefits of getting out into the fresh air to exercise and has never played a computer game in her life, it’s not something that’s ever appealed. Besides, isn’t it all a bit ‘young’ for a 46-year-old? But then I tried it. First up, it’s impossible not to be wowed by the hyper-real graphics that move as you do. When I play table tennis against a cyber opponent, it’s a genuinely skilled game. One of the most popular apps to download once you’ve got the headset is FitXR (£7.99 a month, fitxr.com) where you can work out with virtual boxing, cardio or dance trainers. You not only choose the type of exercise you want to do but the location, too. How does it compare to a real-life gym class? It’s hard work. I squat and lunge, my heart rate is up, I’m out of breath and I sweat – a lot. And with levels from beginner to advanced, there’s a workout for everyone. The only downside, I’d say, is there’s no one there to correct your form, which could potentially result in an injury. Another hugely popular app is Beat Saber (£22.99, beatsaber.com), where you slash coloured boxes that fly at your head with a Star Wars style-lightsaber, while dodging other obstacles. There are many stories on the internet about how it helps mental focus but also encourages weight loss – one fan in particular lost 138lb over a few months. How did I find it? I loved it. I felt part dancer, part Princess Leia, part Katniss Everdeen. And that’s the best thing about VR: you get to do things you can’t do in real life – it’s like being in an action movie. If this all sounds terrifyingly futuristic, it is. However, the gamification of exercise is growing fast – last month saw the launch of Lanebreak, home-exercise brand Peloton’s virtual cycling track that challenges you to pedal harder and faster to up your fitness. With its celebrity instructors and brilliant music, Peloton has managed to make fitness not just fun, but even help you forget you’re exercising. Would I buy the Oculus for myself? Put it this way – if I ‘bought one for the kids’ you may just find me, lightsaber in hand, borrowing it while they’re at school. The good gut guide In his new book Super Gut (Yellow Kite, £14.99*) cardiologist and bestselling author Dr William Davis explores how processed diets, pesticides and overuse of antibiotics have damaged our microbiome. He includes a four-week plan to reset our gut, up good bacteria and eliminate the bad, while rebooting our emotional health, promoting anti-ageing and encouraging weight loss and better sleep. *To order a copy for £12.74 until 27 March go to books.mailshop.co.uk or call 020 3176 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over £20. A greener cleaner According to research, harsh cleaning chemicals are not beneficial for lung health. They also end up down the drain and in our rivers, which is why I have been loving using Purdy & Figg’s Eco-Concentrate surface cleaner starter kit. For £15 (purdyandfigg.com), it includes a reusable glass spray bottle and one shot of Eco-Concentrate (which is available in three essential-oil scents). To use, you just add the concentrate to the bottle and top up with tap water. 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