Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2022 i Muscle & Fitness Hers South Africa

PERSONALITIES MY WORKOUT • AFTER COMPETING in the 2018 Olympia during a rookie season highlighted by runner-up finishes in both the Toronto and New York Pros, Darah Diaz failed to qualify for the 2019 Olympia. Diaz, 24, however, is now keeping her list of 2020 events close to the vest, as she is already preparing for a rebound season. “Not announcing the shows now puts less pressure on myself, mentally and physically,” she says. The 2017 NPC Universe winner does share her hardcore hamstring routine that she hopes will help her return to the O stage. “I used to work quads and hamstrings together, but I couldn’t get as good of a pump,” Diaz says. “Once I split them, I saw the best results in my legs.” LYING HAMSTRING CURL…

PUSHUP WORKS: Chest, core, shoulders Place your hands underneath your shoulders, with your back flat and core tight. Keeping your elbows tucked in at 45 degrees, lower yourself down until your chest is about an inch above the floor. Then drive through your palms to push yourself back up. Perform 2 sets of 20 reps. SQUAT JUMP WORKS: Core, calves, legs Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Sit back and squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then explosively stand back up and jump so that your feet leave the ground. Land back in an athletic position softly so you don’t strain your joints. Perform 2 sets of 25 reps. DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS AND BALL LIFT WORKS: Chest, core, inner thighs Hold a dumbbell in each…

• WHEY PROTEIN powder’s unwavering popularity stems from the raft of research showing that it has what it takes to help you build muscle fast. Its anabolic powers derive from its abundance of BCAAs, which are effective at stimulating muscle growth and can even bolster the immune system. So when something is so useful, why limit it to shakes? You shouldn’t. These sweet and savory dishes will make whey work even harder—and better—for you. MAC AND CHEESE SERVES 4 1 tbsp grape-seed or canola oil 1 yellow onion, diced ½ lb chorizo sausage, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, minced ½ lb whole-grain elbow pasta 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 (14 oz) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika Salt and pepper 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese…

IN SHORT: It’s a feeling of pressure, strain, or tension. Essentially, it’s psychological pain. But stress isn’t always a bad thing. It can help us get motivated, adapt to our environment, and even improve our athletic performance. Also, stress is what got us this far: When our ancestors perceived a threat (like a grizzly bear), they reacted with the fight-or-flight response. Their bodies were flooded with a hormone called cortisol, which released glucose into the bloodstream, giving them the energy to either battle the threat or sprint away from it. Without stress, our ancestors would’ve been eaten, and, well, you certainly wouldn’t be reading this right now. But too much stress, or chronic stress, is what you want to avoid. Because while it’s nice to have your cortisol levels elevate…

• IN A RECENT study, nearly half of people said stress negatively affects their sex life. Ironically sex is also a great way to de-stress, so you can see the issue here. To get some answers on how to manage stress in relationships, we talked to Chris Donaghue, a sex therapist and co-host of The Amber Rose Show With Dr. Chris. WHAT ROLE DOES STRESS PLAY IN A ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP? Stress is quite toxic. Physically and psychologically, it makes us less available as a partner, and it impacts our sexual health and well-being. I talk to people in my practice about self-care. Self-care is about going to the gym, getting a massage, going to the spa, or taking a bath. These things aren’t just stress relievers—they affect our emotional functioning,…

Simply trying to manage stress is a mistake, says Mort Orman, a physician, stresselimination expert, and author of The 14 Day Stress Cure. According to Orman, the best way to eliminate stress is to get to the root of the issue, not deal with the symptoms. External and internal factors can contribute, but Orman says that the internal ones are easier to control. “A lot of it is digging deep and being honest with yourself,” he says, “and then figuring out solutions from there.” Let’s say you’ve got financial stress. What you’ve really got is a money problem. Maybe you’re eating out too often. Maybe you’re not making enough money because your job is beneath your talent level. Maybe you need to go back to school and acquire a new…

• BREANA WIGLEY leads a double life. When she’s not putting her business management degree to work for a multinational bank, the 25-year-old is training hard and hitting the contest circuit, steadily rising up the ranks of the IFBB Professional League bikini division. “I don’t talk about it much at work, because I don’t want my managers Googling me and finding my glute shots,” she says. Balancing it all isn’t easy, Wigley admits, but her lifelong habits have led the way. “I developed structure and discipline as a kid growing up in Memphis, because I had to make sure I would organize my day to be able to do everything I wanted,” she recalls. In college, Wigley employed her discipline and work ethic to get stronger. “I thought, ‘Hey, I…

• FEW MEALS are as delicious and indulgent as a heaping pile of pasta covered in sauce. Unfortunately, too many bowls of this classic carb can do a number on your waistline. Just one 2-ounce serving of wheat pasta packs more than 40 grams of carbs, making it a surefire way to spike your blood sugar and slow fat loss—which is why brands like Ancient Harvest have been at the forefront of making pasta shapes out of chickpeas and lentils. But are they the real deal? Chickpea elbows have 12 grams of muscle-building protein per 2-ounce serving, compared with 7 grams in the same amount of wheat pasta. So the calories are the same, but you’re getting a more balanced macronutrient profile overall. “In general, bean- and legume-based pastas are…

Coromega This sports nutrition company just released some super-easy-to-use “squeeze shots” that give you 10mg of CBD per packet. coromega.com Divios One of the first companies to introduce a CBD sunscreen, it also offers an aloe and CBD moisturizer/sunburn cream. diviosnaturals.com Green Helix With top-quality CBD products, it has a beauty line with a CBD facial oil that repairs the skin. greenhelix.com Willie's Remedy This branch of country legend Willie Nelson's cannabis business features oils and balm as well as a coffee and tea line. williesremedy.com Xwerks This CrossFit-focused sports nutrition company uses CBD grown and processed at organic Colorado farms. It offers CBD oil and capsules, plus a new cream for muscle soreness and inflammation. xwerks.com…

OUR MODEL Mariella Pellegrino IFBB Bikini Pro Hometown: Sant’Arcangelo, Italy Occupation: MHP Athlete Instagram: @MariellaPellegrino • THE SECRET TO INCREDIBLE CALORIE BURN while sculpting lean, functional muscle? You have to be ready to leave your old sets and reps routine in the dust. This fat-fighting workout from Cari Shoemate, creator of the popular Bombshell Bootcamp in Houston, incorporates intervals that are split 50/50 between dynamic strength moves and brief treadmill sprints and is designed to keep your muscles screaming for the exit. “This workout incorporates moves both for girls who love to lift and those who love cardio,” says Shoemate. “It keeps things moving at such a fast pace that you’ll be done before you know it while torching a ton of calories.” Active-recovery strength moves balance out body parts…

When you exercise, your brain and nervous system produce more endorphins, which are essentially natural antidepressants—neurotransmitters that make you feel good. Even better, any form of exercise can create this effect, so it doesn’t matter whether you lift weights, jog on the treadmill, or play pickup basketball. As long as you break a sweat, you’ll get this high. But there are two other big ways that exercise helps you squash stress. First, according to the Mayo Clinic, simply focusing on the tasks associated with training or playing a sport will help you forget about your problems and leave you with a greater sense of calm and clarity. Second, working out relaxes you and boosts your chances of a good night’s sleep, which is another key to fighting stress, anxiety, and…

• HUMANS HAVE a need for control. It’s built into our DNA. “When we don’t have control, that’s when we experience stress,” says Jason Selk, a sports psychologist and the director of Enhanced Performance (enhancedperformanceinc.com). The problem: Most of us think in ways that cause us to feel like we don’t have control, thus creating undue stress and hindering our performances. But we can retrain our brains to be more empowered and less anxious, Says Selk. Let’s say you’re a salesperson, and you’re sweating bullets over hitting your quarterly numbers. Rather than obsessing over the numbers, it’s much better to focus on the activities that will cause you to hit them—like, say, starting your workday by calling three high-networth clients, says Selk. Or let’s say you’re stressed because you’re rehabbing…

Such an honor to have you on Muscle & Fitness Hers, everyone has their own special story about how they got involved in health and fitness. Could you tell us a little bit about your journey to where you are today? I started fitness by playing every sport there was growing up. I did powerlifting in middle school and eventually, as an adult, I approached bodybuilding. I have always tried to take good care of myself, and I have been bodybuilding consistently for the last 1 year now and my goal is to become a personal trainer. What is your typical workout routine? My typical workout routine is a 5 day a week plan. My favorite schedule goes: Shoulder, Legs, Arms, Back, Glutes. I like to do abs and cardio…

• ODDS ARE that you probably have some pretty bad childhood memories of your parents forcing you to eat bland brussels sprouts. The good news is that these veggies can be transformed with a few simple ingredients and minimal culinary experience. And your body will thank you for eating them, too. A half-cup serving of sprouts comes in at only 28 calories and is packed with vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. Several studies have also shown that brussels sprouts have anticarcinogenic properties and could help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. 1 SKEWERS Halve brussels sprouts. Thread 1 slice thick-cut bacon and 5 to 7 sprout halves on each skewer. Bake at 400°F for 35 to 50 minutes. 2 SALAD Shave 1 lb sprouts into thin ribbons. Toss with ½ cup toasted…

1 CAST-IRON SKILLET • This utilitarian pan can retain a ton of heat due to its thickness, says Kahlenberg, and it doesn’t give in easily to what he calls “pan shock”— the loss of heat when food is introduced to the skillet. BEST FOR: Anything, really, but specifically searing meats. MAX HEAT: Up to 1,000°F. CARE TIP: Cast iron is porous and needs to be treated, a process known as seasoning, says Kahlenberg. To season your pan: Rub salt and oil in it, then bake the pan in your oven, set to its highest setting, for an hour. That’s it. To maintain your pan, rub it down with more oil and salt, let it dry, and then add another coat of oil. Do not scrub cast iron with steel wool…

LAST SHOW I BINGED: Stranger Things. It’s so good! MY WORKOUT PLAYLIST RIGHT NOW: Sam Smith, J. Balvin, Bad Bunny, obviously Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Miley, Jaden Smith, and Lizzo. CHEAT FOOD: Doughnuts! But cheat is such a negative word. I say I “reward” myself with them. CRAZIEST PLACE I SQUEEZED IN A WORKOUT: On an airplane. I asked the other passengers, “Is it OK if I use your armrests?” I was doing situps and L-sits. SECRET TALENT: I actually have a voice! I was in the high school choir.…

■ BLAME IT ON THE SMARTPHONES that are constantly pinging us with texts, tweets, and emails. Blame it on the overcrowded trains, freeways, and big-box stores. Blame it on the Great Recession, global warming, Netflix, or that $6 latte in your hand. Whatever you want to pin it on, there’s a troubling fact about us modern humans: We’re superfrazzled. According to a 2017 evaluation of federal health data, more Americans than ever before are stressed, depressed, and anxiety-ridden, and many are unable to get the help they need. This, of course, leads to lots of bad stuff. Common effects of stress include headaches, muscle tension, lowered sex drive, insomnia, irritability, sadness, lack of motivation, social withdrawal, overeating, and drug and alcohol abuse. As if that’s not terrible enough, chronic stress…

ARE THERE ANY FOODS THAT CAN HELP LOWER STRESS? Yeah, foods that are rich in magnesium. It’s known as the relaxation mineral, and it’s good for reducing headaches, muscle spasms, and stress. Magnesiumrich foods include green leafy vegetables, as well as dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and avocados. WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE LEAVE OFF THEIR PLATE? Anything that’s going to cause inflammation or your blood sugar to go up and down. Sugar, refined grains, white bread, and wheat products are going to cause problems. ANYTHING ELSE PEOPLE CAN TAKE TO DE-STRESS? I own a hemp farm in Missouri, and I’ve done a lot of research on CBD, a compound found In the cannabis plant that’s really good for reducing stress on the central nervous system. I recommend a dosage of about…

DECLARE WAR ON THE NEGATIVE BIAS Thanks to evolution, we are hardwired to focus on the few things that go wrong every day. Don’t. Instead, focus on the hundred things that go right (the elevator that works, the tap water that’s clean). Take two minutes each day and appreciate all the good stuff. PRACTICE SIX DEGREES OF THANKFULNESS Realize that everything is connected. (It takes the world to make a cup of coffee, after all.) Reminding yourself that you’re part of something bigger gives your life meaning and leads to happiness. And if you’re happy, you’re less stressed.…

GET QUALITY REST Lack of sleep can wreak havoc on stress levels. Get six to eight hours a night. START STRONG As an example, here’s my routine. I get up at 4:30 a.m. I start with a glass of tap water. People make a mistake by going straight to coffee. That’s gonna get you stressed. First, hydrate. Get the valves pumping. Then I do my workout: cardio and weights. Then I meditate: at least 10 minutes. Then I start my workday. I’m asleep by 9 p.m. TEXT LESS I’m seeing patients with “text neck” now. People are texting all day, and it creates tension on the upper traps. Be mindful of how much time you’re on your phone and computer. And your posture when you’re on these devices. Walk away…

1 Exercise 2 Have sex/masturbate 3 Take a nap 4 Make a to-do list 5 Talk to a friend 6 Watch your favorite TV show 7 Read your favorite childhood book 8 Volunteer/help others 9 Meditate 10 Make a gratitude list 11 Listen to your favorite album 12 Go for a walk 13 Stretch/do yoga 14 Talk to a therapist 15 Watch a comedy special 16 Cut back on coffee 17 Drink a glass of water 18 Log off social media 19 Avoid the news 20 Take a shower or bath 21 Get a massage 22 Write a journal entry 23 Get acupuncture 24 List three things you did well today 25 Take CBD oil…