There’s nothing we girls love more than to get together for a natter over some bubbles and nibbles. Well, maybe there are a few things! But getting together with friends to catch up and enjoy each other’s company is one of our favourite things to do, so we’ve teamed up with Nordic Walking instructor Janine Lewis from 3J Fitness to take part in one of her guilt free prosecco parties. After an invigorating hour of Nordic Walking through the beautiful Pangbourne Meadows, we can enjoy a glass of bubbles and even a slice of cake as a reward. Sounds delicious!

The Basics Of Nordic Walking

While you might think that Nordic walking is just normal walking but in a funny way (you’re probably thinking of the goosestep) you’re wrong. Nordic walking is a cheeky exercise in disguise, designed around engaging your upper body in walking as well as your legs. At the beginning of the session you will be strapped into a pair of specialist gloves and clipped into your poles, ready to go. Our lovely instructor will take you through the basics of Nordic Walking, including what each ‘gear’ is and how you move from 1 up to 4. Once you’ve got the rhythm 

going, which sometimes involves impersonating a train with the poles (shouting ‘choo choo’ is optional), we will take off on our scenic walk through the meadows. In all we will be walking around 5 miles with the help of our poles and some girly gossip, using the poles to propel ours

elves forward and take the strain away from even the steepest inclines.

Nordic Walking is a pumped up, enhanced version of going for a normal stroll, with the poles helping you to engage and tone the upper body muscles as well as your legs – so goodbye bingo wings! Over the course of the session you will learn how to hold your poles to avoid injury and give yourself propulsion, how to walk in a comfortable rhythm and even how to run with the help of your poles. All of the equipment we need will be provided for us, so all you need to do is turn up in your comfiest outdoor clothes. And if you start flagging halfway through, just remember that cake at the end of the tunnel!

So What’s A Prosecco Party?

Now. Rather than just taking you out on a normal Nordic Walking adventure, we’ve decided to go for the fun party twist. Janine’s prosecco parties reward you for your hour of exercise with a cheeky glass of prosecco and a slice of your favourite cake at the Elephant Hotel, which you can enjoy completely guilt free. That’s because the average calorie count in a glass of prosecco and a slice of cake is 225 - which is easy to walk off with just half an hour of Nordic Walking. The prosecco party gives us the chance to get out in the fresh air and work off some energy before we collapse into some comfy chairs and indulge in cake, alcohol and chatter. It’s the best of both Spice worlds!

Now you will need to do a few things before you can have your cake and eat it. Because it is a physical exercise programme there is a health questionnaire you will need to fill in before you start. The beauty of Nordic Walking is that it takes the strain off your lower body, so you don’t need to worry if you have dodgy knees. Just let the instructor know and she will help you through the session, giving alternatives if you need them. There will be some walking on rough ground, so no high heels ladies! Instead dress comfortably with decent shoes and to suit the weather, as we will be striding around outdoors for about an hour. Our guilt-free prosecco party is being held on the 4^th of March at Pangbourne Meadows, and will start at 1pm. The cost for all this fun is just £33.50 and you can book through the Spice events page here. There is a maximum of 10 spaces available for this fantastic event, so don’t miss out!