Tis the season to be jolly!

It’s been a very long time since I've blogged, I never would have imagined that the last three months of the year would be as hectic as it was. It was filled with long working nights, out of town trips and with that my gym regime and eating plan almost certainly went out the window! The 13th of December saw my work year come to an end! Phew!

I now get to take it easy and sleep-in in the mornings and catch up with family and friends and of course enjoy the silly season!  For many of us the festive season is filled with good food, good friends, and good company and of course the good summer cocktails and the ever flowing champagne! This is usually the time when eating plans and exercise fall out the wayside because of the carefree air that exists around. I myself have already been party to such and have even got myself a popped knee while enjoying the festive season. My quick weekend visit to the Dr had the Dr shaking his head and exclaiming the silly season has begun and silly indeed I did feel but nonetheless good times were had on that particular occasion.

 

 

It’s almost impossible to stick to a good eating plan due to the nature of the treats that are always out there, however this is also the time where we also have the opportunity to take time and cook a good healthy meal as well. so how does one beat that festive bulge then....it’s simple, eating clean and ensuring one doesn’t overdue the copious amounts of ever flowing alcohol that’s usually available.

Here are a few tips from Mama J to try and beat that bulge:

1. Keep active, this is the perfect time to catch up on that spring cleaning, gardening and take those long morning strolls or even runs in the morning without worrying about the time.

2. Always keep hydrated by drinking lots of water. If you are in the southern hemisphere and it gets as hot as it does, hydrating is the best way to keep you going and most likely prevents you from having unsavoury treats as well. There's always means and ways of making your water look interesting...adding lemon, cherries or berries will add that pop of colour as I love doing.

 

 

3. If you like to indulge in some alcoholic beverages, try and stick to the recommended limits for both men and women, in addition to that always ensure that you do not eat on an empty stomach as that always leaves one with the munchies once you have a drink or two, try to always line your stomach so that you are not only filling it with booze. Sticking to the limit and eating before indulging is almost the best way to not get a hangover ;-)

4. While this one may prove tough, always aim to eat clean, eat loads of vegetables and fruits and avoid overeating when it comes to the all too lovely cupcakes, cakes, biscuits, chocolates and all the other treats out there.

5. Try also to keep to the natural organic stuff rather the eating up the refined foods which most likely have a lot of preservatives. If you are lucky to be me and have the opportunity to eat fresh fruit, vegetables and organic meat like me, then always grab that opportunity as such foods are always high in nutrients.

I do believe that sticking to the above will keep anyone trying to lose weight or trying to maintain a healthy weight in the right direction during the festive season! Enjoy but don't overdo it, after all tis the season to be jolly indeed!!!

We Run This Town!

When the year started off, I never could have imagined myself becoming an avid runner, but I shocked myself with my very first run and I’ve been running since then. There’s something about running that is just so addictive, it’s always a challenge to prove to myself I can go further each time and with each record I break I feel great and liberated.

When I found out about the Nike We Run Jozi 10km race the entry into this competition had closed. I was excited when I saw an email in my inbox from Vitality letting me know that I could win possible entry into the race if I ran 5km and uploaded the run via Nike plus. That weekend I set out on a 5km run that ended as a 8.70km run with the local running club. The following Monday afternoon I squealed with excitement as I got an email confirming that I had qualified to get a special entry via Vitality to get into the race and I managed to get my sister in as well which made it even more exciting.

The week would now be filled with preparations for the race! Unfortunately, I never managed to get all the training time I would have wanted but nonetheless I was determined to do this. This would be my first official 10km night run in the City and I was in it to finish it!

 

Race day came Saturday 12 October 2013. I was super excited so was my sister, we geared up early so that we could get to the race on time. Just getting into the running shirt which was personalised with our names was just amazing, the reality that we would actually do that run sunk in and a certain level of nervousness set in, but that was not to be a deterrent!

When we arrived at the venue, the atmosphere was amazing, the vibe, the levels of excitement among the runners was just electric! Everyone there was super excited to be taking part in the biggest night race in the country and there was a sense of pride knowing that we would be the one in ten thousand people moving the inner city of Johannesburg CBD.

We all got into the line to start the race, there were thousands of people but we managed to worm our way through the crowds and get closer to the front. The race began and it was amazing! There was a huge, beautiful fireworks display which made it all even more exciting. We decided to pace ourselves so that we wouldn’t run out of energy.

 

After the first two kilometres I felt side pains, that was the first hurdle and I decided that I would continue going no matter what came my way, I walked and jogged a bit and it seemed to get better, at this point my dear sister was cruising way ahead and I let her go ahead as she would be my personal marker.

The race took us from the M1 south past Mooi street and into Joe Slovo into the notorious Hillbrow area of Johannesburg CBD. Hillbrow is known for its high levels of crime, and for being home to many immigrants that start off in the country when they first arrive, it’s by no means the ‘burbs’ that a lot of us are used to. The buildings are once glorious but now run down, there’s a lot of street art in the form of graffiti, and it is home to one many drug lords and gangs, I could go on about Hillbrow but one thing that struck me about the place was the people. I never would have imagined setting foot in Hillbrow but I did because of the run. Hillbrow was alive with its entire people screaming and cheering the runners on. There was loud music blurring from all corners and there was even a water point within the inner city location. The people of Hillbrow had welcomed us and when many of the participants felt like giving up, they cheered us on.

On the last leg of the race, I felt like giving up but I was determined to do this. As I approached the Nelson Mandela Bridge which was beautifully coloured I knew we would be getting to the finish line and I had to press on. I like many people around me was super exhausted but it was the last final stretch and although I was not in it to win it I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. As I saw the finish line and the timer on the side, I began to run with all the little ounce of energy I had left within me! I had done it and was super proud of myself! I got through the finish line at exactly 1 hour 30 minutes……not bad for a novice runner and first time night race!

Everyone was relieved that they had done it and completed the race without a hitch! I for one was glad it was done, I could relax and my then my nerves had calmed down. I managed to locate my sister who had managed to clock in 15 minutes before me doing a total run of 1hour and 15 minutes. Impressive. As the night came to an end, I could happily say that we came, we ran and we conquered! We had moved the city of Jozi and we had run this town! Next 10km race….I see you J

 

 

Turning Flab to Fab

Turning flab to fab is not the easiest thing to do, it takes a lot of effort and a massive lifestyle change. I have seen two friends transform over a period of years versus the quick weight loss we see on celebrities which usually takes a couple of weeks to shed off using unconventional methods amoung other things the maple syrup diet.

 

Just the other day I was driving home and Juicy J's Bounce track came up and I was thinking just how funny it is that flab can be viewed differently, on one end having flabby bits can be interpreted as a sign of good health in certain cultures showing that the people eat well and are well taken care of while in certain hip hop and rap culture having flabby bits comes in handy for those that entertain via twerking.

 

On a real note body flab is actually telling you something about your lifestyle or maybe an indicator of potential health conditions that may affect one later on in life. While I am not a medical doctor or qualified registered phyisician I came accross an interesting article in the Women's Health magazine that helped me realise some potential dangers of having certain types of flab on one's body. I have quickly listed these below and potential causes in the hope that it brings a certain level of awareness regarding body bits and things.

 

1. Chubby Cheeks, also known as the moon face are usually caused by by drinking too much alcohol and experiancing a high amount of stress. I love my chubby cheeks, infact i think they have always been like this so I hope you like me do not have to worry too much about this one. But if you work in a stressful environment, you might need to look at ways of reducing your stress levels to prevent them chubby cheeks or if you drink, you would certainly need to cut down or cut out the booze!

 

2. Flabby arms, sometimes referred to as bingo wings, these are most likely caused by toxins and not lifting up things enough.

 

3. The stubborn boep (tummy). This is most likely caused by high stress levels, hormonal issues or simply eating badly. Its important to note that tummy fat is probably the most dangerous type of flab to have as these fat cells are more active and secrete hormones which cause insulin resistance and can in time cause diabetes.

 

4. Love handles which are commonly called muffin tops. The most likely causes are too much sugar and excess oestrogen.

 

So what can most people do to turn the flab into fab???? Exercise and keep active as this reduces stress levels and kicks in the happy hormones. Cut out the alcohol or reduce the intake of alcohol to ensure your proper health (hic hic, a bit of a tough one i know). Cut out the sugary treats......well i guess you can have some sugary treats once in a while but generally cutting out sugar makes a huge difference when it comes to cutting out the flab. and most importantly eat clean. I believe eating clean has been a running theme in my blog posts in the last month and I cannot stress how important this is. There are certain foods that act as catalysts to help to fight the flab shown below.

 

 

 So next time you hear Juicy J's Bounce or anyother song telling you to shake what your momma gave you, think long and hard if those bits you are shaking maybe a hazard to your health or not and if so make a plan to turn that flab into fab!!

 

 

 

Week 2 - Dream Body Fitness

I used to think I knew my stuff when it came to gyming properly but boy was I wrong. I started week 2 of my training for the Dream Body Fitness program with a 30 minute training session every alternate day, I eagerly received the training program which I thought was way too simple as it was something I was used to doing. It turns out I wasn't quite doing those push-ups, squats and crunches quite right. After the first session with the fitness Marshall I was aching all over! I remembered my similar experience a couple of months back with Gerald one of the personal trainers at Virgin, this was just as bad!

I however managed to gel into the program in that week and it has become easier thanks to the help from the fitness coaches that are always assisting from the moment you walk in to the time you complete your work out. With week 2 came a new eating plan...whoop whoop, I am now able to eat fruit but certain fruits so long as these are not high in sugar and finally I can at least have some carbs in the morning and have nutritional holidays on 2 days of the week.

Its amazing how I have become so aware of what certain foods can do to my weight just by going through phase 1 of the eating plan, in week 1 alone I lost 3.5kg just by cutting out sugar and carbs. In week 2 I have also managed to lose some fat but at the same time I have gained muscle which I am told is a good thing........I on the other hand could only picture myself with massive muscle and freaked out when the fitness coach assured me I would not look like a body builder!

Week two also had some challenges as there was a public holiday, more specifically braai day in between.....you all know a braai ain't a braai without some meat, potato salad, rolls and some good old traditional sadza! I couldn't help but help myself to a little. With the guilt of munching down I eventually managed to stick to my program and maintained the clean eating for the rest of that week.

I am happy to report that I am still going strong with my salad or veggie eating even now as I am in week 3. I am starting to see the result of 'clean eating'!

Its not easy cutting out the food we love such as the sweet treats but clean eating will definitely give you the result that you want. as hard as it is it always pays of but most importantly it requires a lot of discipline! I walked into a bakery this afternoon for my lunch break full of treats.

I am happy to say that I didn't go buck wild and order a storm and munch the treats down. I am soldiering on on this very tough journey but I can't wait to see the result weeks from now:)

Dream Bodies come with a lot of work.....(I know this)!

So spring has definitely sprung! the weather is good with the occasional bout of cloudy skies and the expected summer rain but all is well.

 

About two weeks ago I was on my way to work and my attention was drawn to this really large trailer advertisement on the side of the road that had a buff looking character who I have come to know as Steve. This advertisement was for Dream Body Fitness and promised to give good results when it came to weight loss. Out of curiosity I took the number down and immediately gave them a call as I wanted to see what it was all about. I had reached a plateau with my weight remaining constant without a change so I wanted to try out something new with the season change.

 

 

That afternoon I went in for an assessment. This place is totally awesome and I went onto this body machine that calculated my weight, muscle/fat ratio and a whole load of other things I had no clue on, but was super impressed coz I had not seen anything like it anywhere else, I was already excited. Due to my FOMO I decided to sign-up for the program and see what it was all about.

 

I was excited to hear that the first week was purely all eating and no exercise.......until I realised that it wasn't as easy at it seemed. I got a phase 1 eating plan and a clear instruction not to exercise as my energy levels would be low. The best thing they have in collaboration with the centre is a nutrition section where the meals will be prepared for you for the whole week and you pick what choice you want to follow (How easy can this be). I ordered my meals for the following week and ate all the 'unhealthy' things that weekend as I knew it would be a tough road from Monday. 

Monday came and I was ready for the detox, the target for that week was 3kgs. The eating plan was quite simple and I told myself I had to do this. Monday started off well, with slight irritability as I was kind of still hungry after I ate the lunch. I drank lots of water and by Tuesday I was settling into this eating plan. You never realise what an impact certain foods have on your weight until you stop eating them. The eating plan for phase 1 excluded carbs, sugar anything fizzy and dairy products which of course for me were my daily favourites so it was tough, but on day two my weight had dropped by 800 grams and by day three I had lost 1,5kg! I hadn't seen this kind of change for a very long time.

 

Day four came without any hiccups and went and then on day 5 I kind of cracked, my energy levels were really low and I was feeling weak so I ordered an energy drink - full of sugar bad mistake! I didn't think it would make a difference but as my weigh in today showed it did. That very same evening of Day 5 I indulged in a double Southern Comfort and lemonade.......another wrong move. I topped that up with water and well hoped that it would not make a difference. On day 6 My weight had gone down to 3kgs exactly and I was quite chuffed with myself however in the joy and excitement I went and had more sugary treats. By the time day 7 came along and had wolfed down some flat bread from the local Indian deli......that was not such as wise decision.

 

Anyhow day 8 and week 2, I find myself having an assessment again at Dream Body Fitness and the machine was clever enough to pick up that I had had carbs and sugary treats!! I was quite moved but I had cheated on the eating plan thinking it would not make a difference. So what have I learned after all this..........it really takes a lot of discipline to stick to an eating plan, it not as easy as it seems. So for anyone out there wishing to lose weight, the yummy mummies and Co, you have got to be disciplined when it comes to your eating habits and most importantly you need to eat clean, its as simple as that.

 

 

 

 

Week 2 has begun and I'm starting out the Phase 2 eating plan on Wednesday but in the meantime the real training program has begun (beast mode)! I hope that this week, I can stick to the eating plan and training program and I hope that will yield some results......... :)

 

 

Popping pills and things

Life as we know it has been so hectic such that I have had an absence from the blogging space, in fact I have also seen better days at the gym. In the last two weeks I have had no gyming activities whatsoever not even a morning run, feels like i have totally fallen off the band wagon completely till now. Well not quite.

 

In the last two weeks we've also seen a season of change where we're slowly moving from winter into spring, its that awkward time where half the people are already dressing in summer gear while the other half are still in boots and scarfs and long trench coats.

 

With the seasons changing, I was quick to realise that I had not met my weight loss goals and still had a long way to go! (Memory flash of Ciara singing, you got a long way to go...laughs out loud to self).

In the process of this realisation I also happened to get a quick glimpse of the herbex hlasela mafutha (attack the fat) advert. As the saying goes desperate times call for desperate measures and in the midst of all this I decided to buy the whole range of fat burn which includes the syrup, the fat burn drops and the pills and of course the most famous slimming tea. (drops head in shame). what can I say I am a sucker for quick fixes at times.

The way the series of products work is that they contain natural herbal ingredients that supposedly help weight loss and increase metabolism. Its all in the head I tell you, mind over matter! so I started on the course, there is a big cautionary statement on all the products, that the product works best with an exercise routine which is standard for anyone trying to lose weight and it doesn't prohibit you from stopping to eat any types of foods, just watching the portions which again is standard for anyone trying to lose weight!

 

Anyhow, I decided to start popping pills and well due to my sometimes forgetful nature I'd forget on some days to take the fat burner pills, to sum it all, I have just found the whole process tedious because you have to take pills after a meal then drink the syrup an hour before any meal and sometimes with a hectic schedule like mine you just don't know when exactly you will be eating your next meal thus making this not quite ideal for me. In my mind I do not doubt that these slimming pills work but I decided to just stick to my normal workout plan and eat healthy and be consistent rather than popping pills and things to speed my slow progress this month for weight-loss. 

 

Turn it Up - Bikram Yoga

Doing the same exercise programme day in and day out equals boring to me. If one is to stay interested in training and trying to focus on losing weight, a person needs some form of versatility in the exercise regimen.

During winter last year we decided to take up a morning 10 day Bikram yoga challenge as a form of team building with my significant other and also to try out something new. to me the concept of Yoga let alone Bikram yoga was a foreign one as its something I thought was just airy fairy and did not quite amount to proper exercise. As they say knowledge is power and I probably know better than to think like this anymore.

I won't go into the origins of Bikram yoga as that on its own warrants several posts, but basically Bikram yoga is yoga characterized by a set series of postures and breathing exercises, performed in a very hot room, 42 degrees Celsius to be more precise. Recently, I decided to sign-up for another 10 day challenge at Bikram Yoga Fourways  http://www.bikramyogafourways.co.za/ this type of yoga is probably the best thing you can do for yourself in the winter cold as the hot air in the studio helps clear your chest and throat. The types of postures and breathing exercises also helps one detox and cleanse the system. I'm not saying it is instant medicine but is helps a great deal with getting the body on track.

I would definitely recommend this as an alternative form of exercise to someone who is tired of the usual exercise programme. It is however not for the feint hearted, however if you put your mind to it, it can be done. I've listed below some tips for first timers aka 'Yogi's' trying out Bikram Yoga for the first time.

1. An average Bikarm Yoga class is 90 minutes long (yes an hour and thirty minutes long) and usually once you start there is no backing out so even if you can't do the postures you are still encouraged to stay in the studio for the entire duration of the class. An early morning class would be ideal for those super busy mothers doubling up as career women as this usually leaves you the rest of the day to do other things i.e work, errands or simply looking after the family.

2. Hydrate! (I think this should be point number one). This is super important, as already mentioned the temperature in the studio can go up to as high as 42 degrees Celsius which means it is super hot and one will sweat heavily almost leaving you dehydrated and dizzy. there are of course short water breaks in the studio. However if you hydrate and drink water regularly throughout the day you will see that you won't have to stop for water breaks as your system is fully hydrated.

3. In terms of equipment, you will need to take a water bottle in with you if you feel you haven't hydrated enough prior to the class. you will also need to take in a big towel as you will sweat through-out the class. Ladies, this again is one of those hectic classes for the hair! Because you sweat so much as a result of the heat your hair will in most instances become wet. It is usually recommended that you tie your hair in a loose bun not too tight and not use head bands as these are tight on your head and can restrict the blood flow to your head thus making you dizzy. Braids would be a good choice for the sisters out there if you intend to do this on a regular basis otherwise you will be left maintaining a fro for a minute! You will also need a yoga mat which is usually provided at the Yoga studio. If like others you suffer from OCD and feel that you need your own mat, yoga mats are easily available from stores like Dischem and Sportsman's warehouse for just under R100.

4. In terms of dressing gear, this is not your typical gym session and therefore you don't have to wear that long tee or long tights unless you really feel strongly about it. It gets super hot in there and therefore a pair of short tights or shorts and a tank top would suffice otherwise you come out of the studio drenched in your own sweat.

5. Finally, don't give up. There comes a point as a first time yogi where you will feel dizzy and decide you don't want to continue with the class (My experience and several others). It gets easier as the class progresses and you will feel a certain level of satisfaction of finishing the class and you will feel energized once the class is done, so keep at it.

Bikram Yoga is not everyone's cup of tea but it will offer you a break from the norm and who knows you might just get used to it!