Womens Fitness Australia New Zealand – August-September 2026

Summary

Issue 17 of Women's Fitness Australia/New Zealand (August/September 2026) puts celebrity Pilates instructor Catherine Farrell on the cover with a four-week home Pilates programme (p.26), as Editor-in-Chief Olivia Arezzolo writes about the pressure women feel to "have it all done" before allowing themselves to rest. The $9.99 issue spans non-contact boxing for mental health (p.90), running through menopause advice from Dr. Juliet McGrattan (p.82), Hollywood wellness practices (p.20), HYROX for midlife fitness (p.46) and morning-workout fuelling strategies (p.68). Nuclear Media publishes from Double Bay, NSW.

The "Roll With the Punches" feature (p.90) introduces non-contact boxing as a mental-health support tool — no partner, no sparring, just bag work and footwork drills that combine endorphin release with cognitive engagement. "Run Through Menopause" (p.82) covers hormone-adjusted training pacing and cooling strategies. Boxer Caroline Dubois reveals her elite nutrition strategies (p.64). Rob Hobson's five ways to fuel your morning workout (p.68) includes a pre-training meal-timing guide. The travel section covers a Byron Bay rainforest retreat (p.40) and Vietnam's TIA Wellness Resort (p.42), both framed as restoration destinations.

The Motus Institute — Farrell's online Pilates platform — claims over 1.4 million users worldwide. eimele Calibrate Reds Max supplement (phytonutrient formula with White Mulberry Leaf extract, resveratrol and Morosil Sicilian Blood Orange) is advertised for weight management support. Under Armour HeatGear appears with My Kitchen Rules star Mel Bailey. Subscription: 6 issues for $49.95 (Australia only).

—————

Content Guide

▸ Cover Feature / Fit Buzz / Fit Body / Fit Fuel / Fit Health

p.20 · Hollywood Wellness — How the Rich and Famous Stay in Shape
A feature on celebrity wellness practices, covering red-light therapy, cryotherapy, hyperbaric oxygen and IV drip trends. The article does not endorse but explains the evidence base (or lack of it) for each modality. Use the evidence-snapshot as a filter: if the modality lacks published trials, treat it as self-care, not medicine.

p.26 · Catherine Farrell — Your 4-Week Home Pilates Programme
Farrell's programme uses only a mat and a resistance band: four weekly sessions of 25-30 minutes, progressing from foundational core activation to full-body integration. The article includes QR-code video demonstrations for each exercise. Film your first and last sessions of the four weeks; the movement-quality improvement will be visible even if your phone camera is basic.

p.46 · HYROX Got Me Fitter at 50
A first-person account of training for and completing a HYROX event at 50, covering the specific physical demands — eight 1km runs interspersed with eight functional-workout stations. The article includes the author's pre-event training split and recovery protocols. If you are over 50 and considering HYROX, run the 1km-and-station format once in training before you pay the event entry fee.

p.64 · Eat Like an Elite — Caroline Dubois
The professional boxer details her nutrition architecture: protein at every meal, carbohydrate timed around training sessions, vegetables as non-negotiables, and a specific pre-weigh-in hydration protocol. She names overnight oats with protein powder as her competition-day breakfast. Adopt the protein-at-every-meal rule this week; the satiety difference is immediate.

p.68 · 5 Ways to Fuel Your Morning Workout — Rob Hobson
Hobson presents five pre-training meal options calibrated for different workout types (strength, endurance, HIIT, yoga, fasted cardio). Each option includes a timing window (60-90 minutes before, 30 minutes before, or nothing at all). Match your next session type to its corresponding fuel option and note whether performance or digestion improves more.

p.90 · Roll With the Punches — Non-Contact Boxing for Mental Health
The article presents boxing-based fitness as a dual-action mental-health tool: the endorphin effect of high-intensity bag work combined with the cognitive demand of combination drills that interrupt rumination. It includes a beginner bag-work session structure. Run the three-round beginner structure (2 minutes work, 1 minute rest) on your next high-stress day; the rumination interruption is the mechanism, not the calorie burn.

—————

Editor's Take

Issue 17 is the strongest Australian/New Zealand edition yet — Catherine Farrell's four-week Pilates programme is well-structured and genuinely progressive, the Caroline Dubois nutrition feature is unusually specific for an elite-athlete interview, and the non-contact boxing mental-health piece fills a genuine content gap in women's fitness publishing. The weakest element is the "Hollywood Wellness" feature: it covers red-light therapy, cryotherapy and IV drips without enough critical distance — these are expensive interventions with thin evidence, and the magazine's tone reads as promotional. The HYROX-at-50 first-person piece is useful but short. Best for women over 40 who want structured home programmes, evidence-informed menopause advice and mental-health integration in their fitness reading.

Strengths
• Farrell's four-week Pilates plan is genuinely progressive
• Dubois nutrition detail is sport-specific and replicable
• Non-contact boxing mental-health framing is original

Weaknesses
• Hollywood Wellness feature lacks critical distance
• HYROX piece is too short to fully satisfy

Verdict: Recommended — The most programme-rich Australian edition yet; buy for the four-week Pilates plan and Dubois interview.