SUPPLEMENT OF THE WEEK

VITAMIN C (Ascorbic Acid)

I know it's nothing new, most of us read about Vitamin C all the time... you should take it daily, it boost your immune system etc etc..... BUT it not only boosts your immune system, Vitamin C has so many beneficial properties especially if you want look good and feel healthy.
Here's why you should take Vitamin C  more seriously and add it as part of your daily supplement range:

Vitamin C is an anti oxidant that is required for over 300 hundred metabolic functions in the body, tissue growth & repair,healthy gums,adrenal gland function. It also aids in reducing the levels of bad cholesterol while increasing good cholesterol (high-density lipoproteins).
Some of you may already know that Vitamin C is good for great looking skin... which in all honesty no matter how perfectly toned your body is, if your skin is dull and unhealthy you wont look good at all! Think of your skin as the Canvas of your body. For an artist if the canvas is not the best quality, firm and well primed..nothing the artist paints on it will look good. Vitamin C is essential in the formation of collagen which gives us that plump youthful looking skin. So first invest in Vitamin C and leave the botox for later ;))

Vitamin C also aids in weight loss. Yes it DOES! Vitamin C aids in weight loss around the mid section.

If you have higher levels of vitamin C in the blood stream you’ll burn fat at a faster rate when you exercise.It has to do with the relationship between vitamin C and L-carnitine apparently. Carnitine is important in carrying energy to the heart of each cell in the body.

Vitamin C is vital for the production of carnitine so not getting enough vitamin C will deplete your energy levels and cause your body to store fat in your muscles.

The result – excess weight and flab – and for those in their middle age that means more abdominal flab!!

Because the body cannot produce Vitamin C it is essential we take it as part of our daily supplements.

Sources of VIT C: Berries,citrus fruit, green leafy vegetables,avocado's,beetroot,grapefruit, spinach, oranges to name a few.

You can use a powdered Vitamin C that you can get form Dischem. Mix it in with a glass of water, I believe your body absorbs it quicker that way.

References:
http://www.simplyantiaging.com/617/vitamin-c-weight-loss/
Phyllis A.Balch (2006). Prescription for Nutritional Healing Fourth Edition. New York. Penguin Group USA

Much Love!
XXX
K

Summer Buns & Thighs

It's that time of year when the shorts,skirts and strappy sandals come out.
But in order to wear those....we need tight buns & thighs!!

Have no fear ..I have the solution ;-)

Firstly you need to set yourself a goal..."I'm going to lose 4 kilos in 4 weeks and tight and tone", or it could be that you only need to lose 2 kilos. Whatever your goal is you need to set it and give it a realistic time line.
Dropping 1 kilo a week is safe but more then that is not advisable and most people that do lose more then that crash diet and pile it all back on with some.

My goal is to have tight and toned buns and thighs by the 15th of November,  that gives me 6 weeks.
So my 6 week plan is to eat clean with a cheat meal once a week, focus on cardio and toning exercises.


The 6 weeks tight buns and thighs programme:


Very important is CARDIO, CARDIO, CARDIO.... we need to burn off that stored body fat, the way to shed that fat is to literally sweat it off with cardio!
Do 4-5, 45 minute cardio workout sessions per week. Remember if you can, the best time is to do cardio is in the morning before breakfast...that way you're sure to burn off "yesterdays stored fat".
I find the best cardio is to mix it up. Cycling , Elliptical, taking my dogs for a walk, rowing etc. For example I'll cycle 30 minutes and then go on the Elliptical trainer for another 20 minutes. or take my dogs 1st thing in the morning for a 30 minute walk and do 20 minutes elliptical straight after.
My husband and I have taken up mountain biking so we do that on the weekends and get to spend quality time together. ( a girl needs to multi task...burn fat and spend time with my man, plus he is uber happy and thinks an out door active women is sexy! BAM 3 ticks! )
PLUS you want to get your man into shape too right?!! Try hitting the gym for cardio sessions together on the weekends.

Now the Toning and Shredding part....

Do the following 3x per week.

The best exercise, in my opinion, to lean out those hips and thighs plus tone your bum at the same time is the curtsey lunge.

•  Do 3 sets of 15-20 curtsey lunges on each leg

• 3 sets of squats and side leg raises, 10-15 reps each (squat down ,once you've come back up go into a side leg raise, then go into squat again and repeat leg raise on other leg).

• 20 x touch your toes. Bend down with straight legs and try touch your toes, come back into straight standing position. The coming back into the standing position is what works your glutes so make sure you engage those glutes on your way back up. If your feeling stronger you can add weights into your hands. between2-5 kilograms.
• STRETCH! Yoga 1x per week

Yoga once a week to stretch and elongate those muscles.... you know like the ballerina's have, yup like that. WE don't want short bulky muscles,we want lean, long and toned muscles.... that's why end off your week with yoga on a Friday. Bikram yoga is amazing if you can handle the heat.



Remember to drink plenty of water, eat clean (white protein and veg/salad)and stay focused on your goal! Once you've set that goal and have created your time line its easier to stick to it.

Here's some motivation to stick with the plan ;-)

XXXX

K