Innholdsfortegnelse for September/October 2017 i Muscle & Fitness Hers South Africa

GONE ARE THE days when obstacle courses were viewed as an extreme form of training, done only by soldiers as preconditioning for the darkest days and extreme terrains they’d face when at war. OCRs have since become a very popular competitive sport where racers (and yes, it is a competitive sport now) are challenged with a more modernised rendition of the exercise regime used as training for the military. If you’ve been thinking about entering one of these as a “fun run”, we do recommend you start by forgetting the obstacles you did as a kid in the school playground that left you smiling while swinging from monkey bar to monkey bar, and brace yourself for something quite different. Expect potential minor injuries, plenty of bruises, a mud covered face, and…

iHealth Meals Delivering fresh and naturally balanced meal plans daily, iHealth Meals is the best (and tastiest) way to prevent you from straying from your mission to get fit, and when having choices is everything to keep you on track, the options of either a paleo, banting or weight-loss, fitness or balanced food menu - that varies weekly, boredom and monotony will never be a problem. Choose your sample menu at ihealthmeals.com. Eat Naked Natural Honey & Peanut Butter Being conscious about what you put into your mouth and knowing how and where it was made has never been easier. If you’re a health-nut with a sweet tooth, then Eat Naked natural peanut butter and raw honey should be your go-to for curbing those cravings. Become a “vipeanut” on eatnaked.co.za…

Trying to cram in your fitness or always pushing past fatigue can take a toll. YOU’VE CERTAINLY HEARD THE EXPRESSION “no pain, no gain”, but there’s such a thing as pushing it too hard in your workouts. And the consequences can go far beyond sore muscles and fatigue. Athletes who overexert themselves to an extreme point can develop a condition called rhabdomyolysis, a breakdown of muscle tissue that can lead to kidney failure, heart damage, and even death. Although relatively rare, rhabdo affects approximately 26 000 people in the United States each year. Athletes who do high-intensity or extreme endurance workouts are often among those who feel the effects of rhabdo. Last October, Paralympic snowboarder Amy Purdy was hospitalised for it; and one month earlier eight student athletes from Texas…

YOUR PATH FINDS YOU “I had no intention to make Mountain biking a career. I had just finished my road cycling career and settled into a stable job in Biokinetics. I fell in love with this incredible sport all over again. I performed at events, and realized that I have this passion for Mountain biking. That’s when I started to push towards a career in Mountain biking.” SUPPORT SYSTEMS “My first professional contract came from Lange Sports with Ascendis Health as the title sponsor. I still ride for them now. They have nurtured me and supported me really well.” WORKING WITH PEOPLE “ I am a Biokineticist so, after a break in my carreer I went back to the profession. It is something I really enjoy. I love working with…

IT’S COMMONLY SAID the abs are made in the kitchen — a truth that’s well worth repeating, since even the best exercise plan can easily become undone with an unfocused diet. This eight-week mix-and-match meal plan allows you to maximise your hard work at the gym by focusing on clean eating, balanced macros, low sugar, and plenty of delicious choices. It’s also designed to help increase your fat burning by giving your body the fuel it needs to function at its best. DIET BASICS Aim to eat about 1800 calories a day, choosing three main meals and one or two snacks. Your macros will fall to about 40% protein, 35% carbs, and 25% fat. This is a good range to help keep you fuelled but still allow you to shed…

IT IS A COMMON misconception that one should exercise to be healthy. Yes, of course, exercise and eating correctly have significant health benefits such as improved sleeping, mental wellness and over well-being. However, research suggests that one should exercise in order to be happy. By exercising to increase happiness, one’s overall healthful goal improves and one can achieve overall holistic wellness. This can work both ways. EXERCISING TO BE HAPPY AND WHY EXERCISE MAKES YOU HAPPY. Below are 6 ways the latter applies: • It releases dopamine which is a neurotransmitter in the brain that’s necessary for feelings of pleasure and happiness • It reduces stress. Not only in the short-term by exercising out the daily stressors, but it will assist in lower stress levels in the long-term as well…

3 Yoga Poses Every Woman Should Do Even if you’re not into yoga, it pays to incorporate some essential moves into your regular routine that will help target typical tight spots. Mindy Caplan, a yoga instructor, trainer, and-certified exercise physiologist, recommends these three key poses to keep your muscles and joints functioning at their best. 1 Pigeon Pose Why it helps: “This hip opener helps target the piriformis — a triangular-shaped muscle that helps rotate the thigh bone”, says Caplan. When it is tight, it can squeeze the sciatic nerve, causing pain to shoot down the leg and into the lower back. How to: Begin on all fours, knees under hips, hands under shoulders. Slide right knee toward right hand and left leg back as far as you can. Bring…

IT’S SPRING, WHICH MEANS time for cleaning, tossing, and storing. Another area to tackle on your to-do list: your kitchen. Even if you’re into eating clean, there may be some unexpected diet saboteurs getting in the way of your fitness and health. Here, a few foods in most typical pantries that may be tripping up your better-body goals. 1 THE TRAP NATURAL SWEETENERS You already know to steer clear of the white granulated stuff. But even other so-called healthy or natural sweeteners such as honey, agave, Sucanat, or maple syrup have their dietary dangers. “High levels of excess sugar in your blood can result in elevated triglycerides, weight gain, diabetes, and fatty liver disease”, says Mary Jane Detroyer, RDN, a New York–based nutritionist. The American Heart Association recommends consuming no…

YOU’RE MIDWAY THROUGH a run, workout, or CrossFit session when suddenly it strikes — a debilitating muscle cramp that stops you cold. Nothing kills a workout quite like the pain and tightness a cramp brings on. And whether you’re lifting weights, running sprints, or doing laps in the pool, you can cramp up. “A cramp is when the muscle unit itself contracts and doesn’t have enough resources to release that contraction”, explains Jennifer J Beck, MD, an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at UCLA’s Orthopedic Institute for Children in the USA. Muscle cramps typically strike whatever area you’re working the hardest. “Runners are likely to get lower-extremity cramps, while rowers and swimmers might be more prone to upper-extremity and chest-wall cramps”, Beck says. Nutrition No-Nos It’s not just the movement…

It’s the car people want that also happens to be safe. Premium desirability wrapped around Volvo’s ethos towards safety. Ever since being acquired by Chinese automaker Geely, the Volvo brand has produced a number of leading SUVs and sedans as masters of their own destiny, left alone to forge models that are refreshingly styled and exquisitely built. The XC60 takes these traits into a segment-size that’s traditionally been one of Volvo’s strongest but now with the advantage of cleaving technology and style from the XC90. Using Volvo’s new platform, the XC60 echoes the commonly-agreed proportions for a family car – roomier than the outgoing XC60 while being easier to manoeuvre than the XC90. Like all its contemporaries, this is a 5-seater SUV that’s road-biased but adapts well from the snow-covered…

YOU TRY TO EAT CLEAN and follow a balanced diet, but, hey, nobody’s perfect! And even fit women are frequently missing out on some of the most important nutrients we need to support our bodies through training and recovery and to stay strong and healthy. In fact, the most recent dietary guidelines have identified six key nutrients that are frequently under-consumed even in some of the most well-rounded diets. The recipes on the following pages offer up delicious ideas of how to get more of these nutrients into your diet starting today! STIR-FRY BEEF & BROCCOLI NUTRITION FACTS PER SERVING: Calories: 356 Fat: 11g Saturated fat: 3g Carbs: 18g Fibre: 5g Protein: 46g Iron: 5mg SERVINGS: 3 INGREDIENTS ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce 2 tbsp rice-wine vinegar 2 tbsp tomato…

WORKOUT 1 FULL BODY Start with 5 minutes of jumping jacks, running in place, static high knees, and hip openers. This workout is challenging, so make sure to select a weight for each move that you’ll be able to maintain. To make it more intense, reduce the rest time in between sets or increase the weight. BURPEE/MODIFIED BURPEE 3 sets: 30, 20, then 10 reps; 1 min. rest between sets. Rest 2 min. KETTLEBELL SWING 3 sets: 20, 15, then 10 reps; 1 min. rest between sets. Rest 2 min. RUSSIAN TWIST 3 sets: 30, 20, 10 reps; 1 min. rest between sets. Rest 2 min. STANDING DUMBBELL BICEPS CURL 3 sets: 20, 15, 10 reps; 1 min. rest between sets. Rest 2 min. MOUNTAIN CLIMBER 3 sets: 30, 20,…

ELISABETH AKINWALE CROSSFIT ATHLETE, TRAINER “High-intensity training and resistance training are proven methods to improve metabolism and increase fat loss and lean muscle gain. Choose weights that are challenging but still allow for proper technique throughout each interval. This workout is effective, and it also provides a great combo of whole-body movements, resistance training, and cardio to keep it fun and challenging.” TOTAL-BODY FIRE-UP Complete the following sequence five times, doing each exercise for 30 seconds, followed by a 10-second recovery. Rest two minutes at the end of the circuit. ARIEL KHADR IFBB FITNESS COMPETITOR “My favourite workouts for boosting my metabolism incorporate weight training with short rest periods. I end my workout with high-intensity cardio for no more than 30 minutes. Keeping your heart rate consistently elevated while strength…

WE ALREADY CREDIT cardio-focused activities like running, rowing, and swimming as great ways to blast calories and incinerate fat. But we also know your time is precious, which is why you don’t have hours to mindlessly spend on a machine. We asked some top trainers for their favourite ways to make their cardio even better when it comes to maximising results in minimum time. IN THE POOL WHY THIS WORKOUT: “Swimming taxes your energy systems without the same breakdown as high-impact activities like running. And you don’t have to swim thousands of mind-numbing metres to get a good workout. During short sprints you mostly burn sugar, but the recovery time allows for more fat burn while increasing speed and efficiency. Even just swimming hard the length of the pool can…

FAST FOOD IS A NO-NO — all Hers readers know that! But what about fast, healthy food? With a little prep and one humble muffin pan, you can make breakfast, lunch, and snack foods in a portable size that are easy to take with you anywhere. Plus, you banish between-meal mishaps with this savoury solution! Cooking your favourite meals in a muffin pan is a quick, easy way to add variety to your menu while making portion control a cinch. To eat confidently, just whip up these savoury recipes from some of our favourite food bloggers in a muffin tin, bake, and in less than 40 minutes you’ll have perfect portions for the road. BBQ Chicken Meat Loaf Cups with Mashed Caulif lower Recipe by Brooke Griffin, director of Womanista…

Feeling a stabbing pain near your heel when you step out of bed in the morning or when you get up from your desk? You might have developed plantar fasciitis, one of the most common foot injuries facing athletes today. “It’s the complaint that brings patients to a podiatrist’s office the most often”, says Megan Leahy, DPM, Podiatrist at the Illinois Bone & Joint Institute in Chicago. In fact, about one in 10 people will develop plantar fasciitis during their lifetime. What is it? Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, the ligament that runs along the bottom of the foot. Normally this tissue absorbs shock and supports the arch of the foot, but if it is overstretched or strained, small tears in the tissue can lead to…

Women have more staying power than men do — no surprises there! Research in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that in a 110-kilometre ultra-trail running race the women exhibited less fatigue than the men in certain markers. Scientists conclude that it’s why females have better performance as race distances increase. In short, you’re built to go that extra mile. So do it!…

STRESS WILL COME AND GO, from overstuffed schedules to ambitious hopes for your future. Yet how you handle the challenges can mean the difference between emotional chaos and clarity. But relax: Recent research suggests that calming yourself, redirecting frustration, and viewing life from the brighter side are habits you can practise. In other words, we can all learn to live happier lives every day. Trending relaxation techniques are more than just hype. Far from its roots in the Indus Valley in 5000 BC, meditation has become “mental housekeeping” for everyone from yogis to busy parents and executives alike. What is it? The gist of meditation is the practice of sitting in a cross-legged or seated position, breathing deeply, and allowing your body and mind to relax. However, it comes in…