CSI Day

Yesterday, we visited Thusanang PreSchool as part of our Social Responsibility day at work. We had such a great time giving back to those in need.
We made a day of it and painted their assembly room, revamped their veggie patch, fixed the swings and much more. We also had the privilege of watching their little faces light up as they got their Christmas gifts.
It was part of the paint-crew and phew, what a workout! Not stiff today, but sure that I will feel it tomorrow! Talking about tomorrow, I am looking forward to a Zumba class with George at VA Brightwater commons. Come join us, even if you are not a member. Class starts at 09h30. Simply complete the visitor's form at reception and come check it out. Please remember your ID if you want to visit.
Have a great weekend and remember, how you spend that 1 hour in the gym matters, but what really matters is how you spend the rest of the 24.

Day 2

Today is the second day of my lifestyle change and this is what is looks like so far.
05:15 get up to exercise - 45mins. consisted of skipping, sit-ups, leg exercises with the resistance band, punching and kicking my punchbag.

Breakfast, 2 scrambled eggs with 1 tomato, feta cheesa and greenpepper
snack: yoghurt & 1 apple
lunch: 1 chicken breast & salad
snack: nectarine and another apple

Have consumed 1.4L of water so far.

Day started off great and I am super motivated to stay on the program.

#All glory to God#

I am back!

Hi all peeps, I know that it has been ages - way too long- since I posted anything in my blog. Truth be told, I was super demotivated and life seemed to always be in the way of me being active.
Well, I AM BACK! This is my life, I have to make time for me. Starting today, I will be posting daily again and sharing my fitness goals and successes with all of you.

My current goal is to get back on the fitness level that I was a few months ago. I have gained 2kg's and my target is back to 60kg. I will reach this by cutting out sweets (and yes I have had way too many sweets) and exercising at least 4 times a week. I will also be entering the 94.7 cycle challenge next year and won't be focusing on running as much as I did as just messes up my knee even more.

I am not proud to say that I have fallen, but I am very proud to say that I am getting back up, slowly but surely. I will not be beaten.

Stress-relieving stretches

Stretching gets the blood flowing, improves circulation, and relieves muscular tension. In addition to these physical benefits, by using stretching as an opportunity for deeper breathing and relaxation, you’ll find that it also helps with releasing mental, emotional, and psychological stress.

Some quick, stress-relieving stretches:

NECK STRETCH:
1. Stand with your knees slightly bent or sit up straight.
2. Drop chin to your chest.
3. Place hands on back of head. Gently push down until you feel a slight stretch.
4. Hold for 20-30 seconds, breathing steadily. Repeat 2-5 times.

UPPER BACK STRETCH:
1. Stand with your knees slightly bent or sit up straight.
2. Clasp your hands in front of you, arms parallel to floor.
3. Keep your head relaxed.
4. Round your upper back. Push hands forward, palms away from body.
5. Hold for 20-30 seconds, breathing steadily. Repeat 2-5 times.

Stress is an inevitable part of our lives in today’s busy world. While everyone experiences stress in one way or another, the manner in which stress affects individuals varies with our ability to cope. Small lifestyle changes can help relieve stress and by incorporating stretching into your daily routine, this can help to alleviate your stress.

Three Ways to Get Great Legs

 

Whether your legs are too bulky, too fat or even too thin, you can take action to make them more lean or shapely. "If you're busy and can pick only three exercises to do for your legs, these are the three: the squat, the lunge and the calf press," says Rob Zschau, a personal trainer at a 24 Hour Fitness in Plano, Texas. "To get results, these exercises should accompany a healthy diet and cardio workouts. It works hand in hand. Building your leg muscles will increase your metabolism so that you'll burn more calories during your cardio workouts."
Zschau recommends 30 minutes of cardio per week and two sessions per week of weights or strength training to work the entire body. While you can't spot reduce, you can target and tone certain areas of the body such as the legs.

Super Squats

"Squats are one of the very best exercises for legs, they enervate muscles in the whole body – they work all the muscles from the waist down," says Zschau. "But they're also the most dangerous, especially with weights on your shoulders. If they're done improperly, you can really hurt your back or knees. This is the one exercise more than any other where I suggest that people work with someone to teach them how to do it correctly."
Do "straight squats" without a weight machine, using barbells or dumbbells or just a bar over your shoulders. You can even do them effectively without holding anything. Just place your arms out in front of you at shoulder height. You can also use a Smith machine* or squat rack. Look for them in the free weight room. Both are machines used to do squats, but the Smith machine provides a bit more stability than the squat rack.
*A Smith Machine is a free-weight rack with a barbell that slides a track and can be turned with the flip or a wrist to lock the barbell. It's a free-weight/machine hybrid that combines the power of free-weights with the control and safety of a machine. They can be found in most 24 Hour Fitness locations.
For proper squat form, place the legs shoulder width apart, with weight evenly balanced on both legs. Keep your abs tight; imagine that you're pressing your belly button to your spine. Lower your body until the thigh is parallel to the floor, without lifting your heels. Do not drop your rear down to the floor; pretend as if you're sitting in a chair. Also, as you squat, keep your knees in line with your toes... don't point your knees out, this isn't ballet. Tighten the butt and thigh muscles of the front leg. And, finally, breathe in going down and out going up.
Zschau suggests starting out with no weight except the bar. Begin with two to four sets of 12 to15 reps. Increase the weight gradually until you are tired at the twelfth rep on your second set. This will help you determine the proper weight to use for your squats.

Leggy Lunges

Lunges are also an excellent exercise for firming quads and glutes. "Everyone has one leg that is stronger than the other. In a squat you compensate with your stronger leg. But in a lunge, since you're working each leg separately, it forces you to develop the strong and weaker leg," says Zschau.
For proper form, step forward with your right leg to form a scissor formation with your legs. Both feet should be facing forward and parallel to each other. Make sure that your knees stay in alignment with your hips and ankles. Keep your back straight and bend the right knee to lower your torso towards the floor. Avoid standing with your legs too far apart, touching your knee to the ground or letting your right knee extend too far beyond you right ankle. Begin with two to four sets of 12 to 15 reps for each leg. You should not feel strain in the hips.

The Curvy Calf Press

Squats and lunges work the calf indirectly, but to develop really curvy calves, try the calf press. "There are two muscles in your calf, the gastrocnemius that can protrude and make your legs shapely and the soleus that gives your lower leg a nice line," says Zschau. Do the standing calf raise at the calf press to work the gastrocnemius and the seated calf raise for the soleus. Zschau recommends two to four sets of 15 to 20 reps. Make your movements slow and controlled – and relax your heels.
You can do a variation of this without weights: the heel raise. Stand on the floor or a stair and place your feet directly under the hips. Raise up on your toes and hold the pose for one second, keeping your weight on the big toes. Slowly lower and repeat, doing two to four sets of 15 to 20 reps. Exhale on the way up and inhale on the way down.
If you do these exercises, combined with cardio workouts and eating a sensible diet, you will have great gams!

Muya Thai

I recently signed up with Warriors of Faith in their Muay Thai classes and man what a feeling! The adrenalin rush that you get from hitting a punch bag and/or shield is indescribable, not to mention a great workout. Tonight was my fourth class and I can already see a difference from my punching to my starting stance. I must admit it feels very strange at first to have your fists close to your face all the time, but it does get easier. If you are stuck in a rut like I was, the key is to find something that you enjoy doing. I really miss running, but you do not need a gym membership to run. You can simply hit the road, it is definitely much more challenging in Winter though… Just get out there. The most difficult thing to do is to get off the couch. Get uncomfortable, change gear, open the front door and go outside. You are already there once you have made the decision to change gear.

Go check out Warriors of Faith’s website and feel free to join a class. First class is for free. I can almost guarantee that you will be hooked after just one class.

http://www.wfma.co.za/

Muay Thai (Thai: มวยไทย, RTGS: Muai Thai, IPA: [mūɛj tʰāj]) is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Burma and muay Lao from Laos.^[1][2][3][4]
The word muay derives from the Sanskrit mavya which means "to bind together". Muay thai is referred to as the "Art of Eight Limbs" or the "Science of Eight Limbs" because it makes use of punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes, thus using eight "points of contact", as opposed to "two points" (fists) in boxing and "four points" (hands and feet) used in other more regulated combat sports, such as kickboxing and savate.^[5] A practitioner of muay thai is known as a nak muay. Western practitioners are sometimes called nak muay farang, meaning "foreign boxer."^[6]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muay_Thai
 

Stop Stressing

We as humans have a tendency to stress about EVERYTHING! When we realise that we should just give our problems over to God, we give it over, but take it back just as quickly. Stop doing this! There is nothing that you can do about the situation anyway, so why stress and worry about it. Give it over to our Father, he is more than capable!



Here are some negative effects that stress has on our bodies. Let go, let God. It's jut not worth it.

What Stress Does to Your Body

WebMD Feature from "Marie Claire" Magazine

By Naomi Barr

The human body is well adapted to deal with short-term stress, but if it remains on orange alert for an extended period of time, you can grow vulnerable to some serious health problems. Here's how major systems respond to your worries.

NERVOUS

The "fight or flight" response begins here: When you're stressed, the brain's sympathetic nerves signal the adrenal glands to release a chemical variety pack, including epinephrine (aka adrenaline) and cortisol. Persistently high levels of these chemicals may impair memory and learning, and up your odds for depression.

ENDOCRINE

Stress hormones trigger the liver to produce more blood sugar, to give you that kick of energy in the moment of perceived danger. But if the "danger" you're concerned with is a long-term dilemma and you're already at risk for type 2 diabetes, bad news: Elevated glucose levels may turn you into a card-carrying diabetic.

RESPIRATORY

At high-stress moments, you may find yourself breathing faster, feeling short of breath, or even hyperventilating. Over the long term, this strain on the system can make you more susceptible to upper-respiratory infections (so if you're considering a career in air-traffic control, you might want to stock up on Emergen-C).

CARDIOVASCULAR

Momentary, acute stress, like, say, when you're walking down the aisle to get married, will make your heart beat faster and blood pressure rise. Long-term stress, like unwelcome pressure from the folks to produce offspring, can cause narrowing of the arteries and elevate cholesterol levels, upping your chances of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

REPRODUCTIVE

Stress can lengthen or shorten your menstrual cycle, stop it altogether, or make your periods more painful. High levels of stress make bacterial vaginosis (BV) more likely and, during pregnancy, may increase the chance of your baby's developing asthma or allergies later in life. Bring on the prenatal yoga.

IMMUNE

Short-term stress can actually boost the immune system, helping your body fight infection. Ongoing stress, however, turns things in the other direction, possibly slowing wound healing, leaving you more susceptible to infection, and worsening skin conditions such as eczema, hives, and yes — acne.

DIGESTIVE

Extreme stress isn't unlike the morning after a bender. It can cause dry mouth, indigestion, nausea, and gas, and it stimulates the muscles of the intestines, possibly causing diarrhea or constipation. Have these symptoms chronically, and you may increase your risk for irritable bowel syndrome, severe heartburn, and ulcers.

MUSCULOSKELETAL

Muscles tense to deal with what your body perceives as danger. No one who's pulled an all-nighter with only PowerPoint for company will be surprised that constantly tight muscles can cause headaches and neck, shoulder, and back pain. Chronic stress may also increase your likelihood of developing osteoporosis.

Get a Tight Butt and Legs

Want a sexy rear view? And while you're at it, legs that look great as they propel you through life? These leg and butt exercises are the best way to get them. Based on plyometrics—moves that incorporate leaping, jumping, or skipping—it burns calories and builds lean muscle fast.

A 2007 study found that dancers who did plyometric exercises twice a week for six weeks increased their strength by 37 percent and their jump height by 8.3 percent. "Plyometrics are a good alternative to strength training on machines," says Patricia Fehling, Ph.D., the study's co-author and chair of exercise science at Skidmore College. "The change in movement from static [say, the bottom of a squat] to dynamic [exploding into the air] shocks your muscles, so you see results quickly."

For two weeks, do the workout once a week, then increase to twice a week. Start with one set of 10 reps of each exercise, then add one set of each exercise weekly until you reach the max: three sets of 10 reps twice a week. Finish each session with the two kink-busting stretches.

Clock Lunge

 

 

Works glutes, hamstrings, quads, and inner and outer thighs
With your hands on your hips, lunge forward with your right foot, sinking down until your right knee is bent 90 degrees [A]. Return to standing. Take a big step to the right and lunge again [B]. Step back to center. Lunge back with your right leg [C]. That's 1 rep. Do 10, then repeat with your left leg.

Keep your neck in line with your spine throughout the move.

 

Step-Ups with Knee Raise

 

 

Works abs, hip flexors, glutes, hamstrings, and quads
Place a 12- to 24-inch-high step in front of you. Step up with your left foot [A], bringing your right leg forward and up and bending your knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor [B]. Lower your right leg back to start, then the left. Repeat with the other leg. That's 1 rep; do 10.

For a tougher challenge, hold 5- to 10-pound dumbbells.

fitness:  workout 

Lunge Jumps

 

 

Works hip flexors, glutes, and legs
Stand with your feet together, elbows bent 90 degrees. Lunge forward with your right foot [A]. Jump straight up as you thrust your arms forward, elbows still bent. Switch legs in midair, like a scissor [B], and land in a lunge with your left leg forward [C]. Repeat, switching legs again. That's 1 rep; do 10.

 

fitness:  workout 

Inchworm Stretch

 

 

For lower back and hamstrings
Standing with your feet hip-distance apart, slowly bend at the waist, keeping your legs as straight as possible, until your hands touch the floor about 8 to 12 inches from your feet [A]. Walk your hands out to pushup position [B], then walk your feet in toward your hands. Work up to 2 sets of 8 reps.

Your body should form a straight line from your heels to your head.

Squat Jumps

 

 

Works glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms hanging at your sides. Squat down until your knees are bent about 90 degrees [A]. Immediately swing your arms overhead and jump upward as high as you can [B]. As you land, gently bend your knees and sink back down into the squat position. That's 1 rep. Do 10.

Swinging your arms will give you momentum so you can catch more air.

Wood Chopper

Works shoulders, abs, glutes, hamstrings, and quads
Grab an 8- to 10-pound dumbbell with both hands and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Let the dumbbell hang naturally in front of your thighs. Squat down until your knees are bent about 90 degrees [A]. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, brace your abs and press up to standing, swinging the dumbbell up until it's directly overhead [B]. Lower the dumbbell back toward the floor. That's 1 rep; do 10.

Keep your movement controlled to work the most muscle.

fitness:  workout 

Power Skips

 

Works hip flexors, glutes, quads, and calves
Leading with your right leg, skip as high as you possibly can by raising your right knee to hip height and simultaneously extending your left arm straight overhead [A]. Your left leg should remain straight and your right elbow should be slightly bent at your side. Land on the ball of your left foot. Repeat the skipping motion with your opposite arm and leg [B]. That's 1 rep; do 10.

Try to jump a little higher with each skip.

Figure 4 Stretch

 

 

For hip flexors and glutes
Starting out on all fours, cross your left leg under your body, so that you are almost resting on your left hip. Extend your right leg directly behind you [A]. Lower your upper body over your left leg, placing your forearms on the ground in front of you [B]. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch sides.

Take deep breaths to help yourself sink deeper into the stretch.

Why Is Cardiovascular Fitness Important?

By: Laura Evans

In the midst of a workout, it is easy to forget why cardiovascular fitness is important. You may also forget on those days where the mere thought of exercising makes your skin crawl. However, it's good to know that there are terrific reasons that you are getting all sweaty.

When you exercise, your heart and lungs have to work harder to supply your body with more oxygen for fuel. Over a given number of exercise sessions, your body needs less oxygen to perform the same level of exercise because you have built up your endurance and have become stronger. You would then increase the intensity of your workout. This builds your cardiovascular health.

Cardiovascular health is important because it can help you maintain your proper weight. In addition, cardiovascular fitness can help lower the "bad" cholesterol in your body, LDL, while increasing the level of "good" cholesterol or HDL. Cardiovascular fitness can also lower high blood pressure.

Over the long run, exercising can help prevent heart disease and strokes. Adding weight bearing exercises to your cardio program can reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis as you age. Being physically fit can also lower the risk of developing diabetes.

In the short term, regular exercise can help you reduce your stress levels. When you exercise, your body can produce endorphins, which produce the much acclaimed "runner's high." Of course, you don't have to actually run to get a runner's high. You can swim, ride your bike, join an aerobics class or engage in other activities.

Another short term benefit is weight loss and weight control. Hopefully, this short term benefit will translate into a long term benefit.

When you start an exercise program, be safe. It's easy to get over-excited in the beginning and push too hard, which can lead to injuries. Being hurt is counterproductive, because you won't be able to exercise. If you are joining a gym, you might want to ask about personal training. A personal trainer can custom design a fitness program specifically designed for you

702 Walk the talk

My hubby and I have just entered the 702 Walk the talk. Not only is this walk/race for a good cause, but it is also a lot of fun. My challenge, enter 702 walk the talk and post your time on my blog! Race is on 22 July, still a lot of time left to train. But even if you are not a runner, this is a fun walk! come for the fun! bring your kids and enjoy the experience. Set up a mini challenge for you and your friends, get creative.

yummy healthy recipes

Apple and Peanut yoghurt dip

Mix 1 tbs peanut butter, juice of 1 lemon and sweetener to taste in 125ml plain yoghurt
Slice or chop one apple into wedges (or cubs) and use as dip or mix it all together

Calories per serving: 231
                      Protein: 10g
                        Carbs: 42
                            Fat: 8g

Tiramisu and Sponge Cake

Sponge Cake

    • 5 eggs    • 2/3 cup Orgran plain flour (or pancake flour will also work)     • ½ cup custard powder    • 1 pkt Sugar Lite from Hulette    • 1 tsp baking powder

Tiramisu

    • 360ml black coffee + sweetener to taste (about 6-8, must be very sweet)    • 200g plain cream cheese    • 1 tub fat free cottage cheese    • 1 tsp vanilla essence    • Sweetener Equivalent to 8 tsp sugar    • 1 tbs highlight Hot chocolate drinking powder

Preparation Method the Sponge Cake:
(1) Beat eggs till stiff and foamy (About 8 minutes. Very important to make the cake spungy).
(2) Beat Sugar lite into egg , bit by bit, till all is used.
(3) In separate bowl sift flour, custard power and baking power 3 times then fold into egg        mixture with wooden spoon, bit by bit
(4) Pour mixture into 2 greased squire baking pans and bake for 15 – 20 min.

* Heat stove to 180 degrees.

Preparation Method for Tiramisu:
(1) Cut sponge cake (once cooled down) into 2 layers to create 4 layers of cake in total.
(2) Cut each layer into 1/3 and place one in each dessert bowl (I just made 2 layers that look like        a cake).
(3) Pour 1 tsp of coffee over each piece.
(4) Beat cheeses, sweetener and vanilla essence until smooth and spread over coffee.
(5) Repeat layers of cake, coffee and cheese for 2 layers , cheese must be on top and sprinkle       chocolate powder on top.

This can make up to 8 pieces.

Nutritional Facts

Calories: 185
Protein:  25g
Carbs:  10g
Fat: 5g

Protein muffins

    • 1 cup oats (80g)    • 1 cup mielie meal (120g)    • 4 cups digestive bran    • ½ cup linseeds or pecan nuts (optional)    • 6 egg whites    • 1 ½ scp whey protein    • 1 tbs coffee powder (optional) if you want chocolate muffin, then 1tbs cocoa powder or for       plain leave both out    • 8 sweetener sachet’s (or to taste)    • 1 ½ tsp baking powder    • 1 ½ tsp bicarb

Method:Beat egg white till puffy, add 2 cups water to that and blend.
Mix all dry ingredients into the egg / water mixture and fold with wooden spoon till well mixed. If mixture is too dry add more water too it, till nice and soft. Scoop mixture into muffin tins that have been coated with spray and cooked (about 12 muffins) and bake in pre-heated oven at 180 degrees for about 20 min

Sven's High Protein muffins (These are probably more suitable to most people's taste buds)

    • 4 cups digestive bran    • 2 cups water    • 1 cup oats    • ½ cup rye flour    • ½ cup oats flour    • 5 small scoops chocolate whey protein    • 100g pecan nuts    • 3tsp baking powder    • 250g fat free cottage cheese (for those of you with no dairy intolerance)    • 2 whole eggs and 6 whites    • 2 tsp Natreen liquid sweetener (or you can use the 8 sachet’s )    • Juice of one lemon    • 3 tbs cocoa powder    • ¼ cup boiling water

Method:Mix cocoa powder in boiling water.
Chop nuts in a blender or crush with a knife in the packet, into little pieces.
Mix together all dry ingredients plus nuts.
Mix together wet ingredients and add cocoa mixture.
Fold wett ingredients into dry ingredients. NOTE: mixture is quite running.
Divide into 12 large muffins and bake at 190 degrees for 25 minutes.

---