The 94.7 Cycle Challenge prep diary

We did it! We cycled just under 70 km's this past Saturday! I'm so proud of us :-)

The route: Midrand to Rosebank, Hydepark, Fourways, Lonehill, Buccleuch, Carlswald and back to Kyalami!
I myself would have never guessed we could do it ...but we did and without any pain I might add ;-)

Okay.....SO I HAD A BIT OF HELP ......here's what I did.

1st thing in the morning before we got ready to go cycle I tried CYTO CRANK from EVOX. It's a Pre and during performance drink. I was only going to use it during our cycle but when I read the pack in detail and saw that it's a PRE AND DURING performance drink...I heard a little HALLELUJAH song in my head! I Quickly mixed 3 scoops each with a glass of water form myself and my hubby. I also pre mixed some in a water bottle and added crushed ice so that half way though our cycle if we need an energy boost we'll have a ready cooled drink ......and we did!
 I must say I am really impressed, not only was the flavour perfect because it was so refreshing (Lemon Lime Zing) but we managed to stay on track and focused during our long ride and I didn't feel my energy levels dropping drastically as I imagined they would. I'll be using CYTO CRANK for the actual 94.7 Cycle challenge FOR SURE!!

When we got home we felt a bit like jelly...not sore or stiff but we could feel all our muscles had gone through a lot of activity..all the blood pumping and slowly lactic acid build up. It was time for recovery....RAPID RECOVERY!
I mixed some  EVOX RAPID RECOVERY into a glass of ice cold water.....Again 3 scoops is all you need and Voila!! Mango Punch was served....That's the flavour I chose by the way ;-) Very refreshing.

Did it work?? I've always wondered myself do all the before and after shakes and supplements work? But as they say ..."the proof is in the pudding" and let me tell you this Mango Punch "pudding" to be exact saved my ..well ..."TOOSH"! Sunday morning I woke up thinking ,"If I move now I'm going to feel seriously stiff!".... And to my surprise... NOPE! ..NADA!.. NOTHING!!! NOTHING I tell you!

We'll at least no muscle pain that is!! Hahaha! We went for a 35km cycle that Sunday morning and the only form of pain, from the previous days 65+ km ride, I felt was from the seat!

There you have it...we're on track for the cycle challenge, but in order to keep fitness and energy levels in check DIET is also important. In my next post I'll go more into detail about my diet.

XXX
K

94.7 Cycle Challenge

So as some of you may know my husband and I have signed up for the 94.7 Cycle challenge....let me not forget to mention we've signed up for BOTH the mountain bike race and the actual 94.7 kilometer race. Yes we felt very brave at the time! Now we're cycling our Butts off to make sure we finish both! Haha!

This is going to be my 1st time doing the incredibly popular 94.7 Cycle challenge and I am SO excited!!!
Who would have guessed that I would be the first one up in the morning every Saturday and Sunday to go cycle at 6.30am!?! I wouldn't have either, but let me tell you it is the best feeling in the world.You wake up to the calmness and beauty of the morning...the smell of fresh air and hearing the birds chirping is just magical.

I've always enjoyed being active and training, I have some background knowledge from being a qualified Group Fitness Instructor as well as obtaining a Certificate in Exercise Science. So my passion has always been with health & fitness. But training to cycle 94.7 Kilometers is a whole different ball... um...cycle game!

4 weeks to the main event and I've decided to blog about my training progress.

We started out cycling every weekend about 3-4 months ago... I remember feeling like a hero when we cycled a whole 18 kilometers!! That's far from 94.7km...... so the stronger we got, the more and further we cycled for, and so the passion grew.

These past 2 months I have been cycling at least 4 times per week with one of the days being a longer ride. Going to a spinning class or cycling on a stationery bike is VERY different to cycling on a mountain or road bike!! If you are thinking of doing cycling events/races I'd strongly suggest you train on an actual bike out on the road or use off road facilities.
Don't get me wrong Spinning is great cardio and endurance training,  it is in my opinion one of the best cardio workouts one can do and it melts body fat! But in order to be prepared for an actual bike race you need to feel what it's like to cycle on the roads, to get the feel of and balance of the bike, know your gears and essentially, become one with your bike.

You often hear of people changing their diets in order to prep for a race or sports event, well that starts to happen automatically. In order to have the energy and strength to endure so many hours and kilometers of cycling your body starts to crave more food...but healthier food. If I ate food low in nutrition,had some alcohol and sugar the day before we went cycling. During that cycling session  I felt lethargic, had low levels of energy and really struggled cycling compared to if I ate a healthy meal with lean protein, no sugary desserts and very little or no alcohol ( Thank God I don't have a problem in the alcohol department, I can only manage one drink maximum anyway!)

My diet
I've cleaned up my diet in order to help my body and muscles get healthy and stronger, to be able to complete such frequent and long distance rides.......and of course for the main event. BUT... it's FRIDAY and I wont spoil your Sunday Cheese cake with a diet plan! Enjoy this weekend because on Monday I'll give you the low down on my diet  :-).... PS It's not THAT BAD!

Tomorrow we're doing a 70 km ride! Since its a long ride I'll be trying out some supplements to see if they will help for the actual 94.7 Cycle Challenge. I'm going to try the EVOX RAPID RECOVERY for after the long ride as well as their CYTO CRANK which apparently helps sustain energy levels for endurance and performance training pre and DURING workout. ...the "during" part is what I'm most interested in. I'll pre-mix some with water and hopefully it helps me during my cycle, so lets see ;-)

Here we are, My Husband and I, make sure you come back on Monday I'll Keep you posted regularly on our journey to 94.7 Cycle challenge! Enjoy your weekend ;-)

XXX

K

Cameron Diaz- Celebrity workout & diet of the week

Here's some inspiration to help us all stick to our healthy eating plans and training goals....
Cameron Diaz has long legs to die for and wash board abs!
 Yup ,that's what we all want... well this is how she does it...

Her Diet:

Cameron Diaz’s diet allows her to eat what she wants ...I know! But with certain limitations. She eats 5 to 6 small meals per day and never skips her breakfast...See breakfast is key here.

 Aside from portion control Cameron Diaz also sticks to low-carbohydrate meals. 

Cameron apparently used to not eat pork because she thought that pigs have a mental capacity like a 3-year-old child. But she started eating pork again, because it’s so damned good” Cameron claims. She loves to eat, cook and entertain.

Cameron Diaz is smart! Hows this for a tip ....she loves to eat burgers and fries but only get half orders!! Very clever so if you're really craving or are in a situation that there is no other choice on the menu go for a half portion. 

Cameron Diaz’s diet plan includes garlic rice broccolini, eggs, lemon and either chicken or beef for breakfast.In between meals she drinks Protein shakes mixed with water. I'm currently trying to EVOX Whey Protein shake and I must say I'm loving it ! It not only tastes SOOO good but the ingredients are really impressive! 

 For lunch she has salad and lean chicken or beef. For her second snack she eats fruits and a handful of nuts. 

Dinner, she eats egg white omelets with herbs, tomato, onion, mushrooms, and for her last meal of the day, she drinks again protein shake with water. My suggestion, Try the EVOX Chocolate flavoured one for a chocolate treat :-)

Her Training routine:

Cameron started training seriously for her role in Charlies Angels her exercise routine covered 8 hours of her day, 5 times a week, for three months. Shes been hooked on exercise ever since! 

Cameron Diaz’s exercise regimen includes working out for 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer, then she does 30 minutes on lightweights, reverse lunges and pilates. She works out together with her trainer Teddy Bass Cameron. She also loves hiking, surfing, and snowboarding.

Cameron is one active girl and her body is proof of it! So enjoy your workouts,lots of lunges, eat smaller meals more often during the day and stick to low carbohydrate and higher in Protein diets to get that lean toned look.

XXX

K

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Summer Hydration ...the tasty way!

We all know we need to drink plenty water in summer, but I've heard so many people say they hate the taste of plain water and so they fall back in the evil web of drinking the OH SO BAD FOR YOU fizzy drinks and, packed with sugar, juices.

Here's some tasty ways of staying hydrated this summer whilst keeping that body pure and detoxed... this means less cellulite! Got you interested didn't I ;-)


1) Start early
Get into a routine of starting your day off with a good gulp of hydration. Have a mug with hot water and squeeze in some fresh lemon juice. lemon is filled with Vitamin C  and adds that bit of flavour to the water. This mix will help flush out your system and start you off healthy and hydrated.

2) Add natural flavour to your water
You can strawberries, berries, cucumber, lime...the list is endless. It also makes for great decoration at the dinner table in a large glass jug filled with ice. Or you could make herbal tea, let it cool and you have your own natural iced tea.

3) Have a Veggie juice!
It's not only super refreshing but also packed with vitamins , fibre and minerals.


4) For Kiddies or Stubborn Husbands
Kids love juice, try mixing half a glass of juice with cold water to make a thirst quenching cooler. This trick works best with Cherry juice, Pomegranate and apple juice. Take a 500ml glass fill it with half of one of the juice flavours and the rest with ice cold water....it's so yummy and refreshing. The best part is no one would ever guess you mixed in half a glass of cold water. Trust me I got my hubby hooked ;-)

5) Make a Green Smoothie
It's packed with enzymes, rich in raw fruit and vegetables.
This is how you make it:
1.5 cups of water
1x lettuce chopped
3 stalks of celery
1 apple chopped
1 pear chopped
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Combine the above in a blender and enjoy.... even better with friends!


Stay healthy, Happy and Hydrated this Summer.

XXX
K

Yummy Snacks

Here are some of my favourite yummy snacks that I snack on between meals...all under 150 calories ;-)
They also awesome as a guilt free sweet treat!

1 Apple/Pear sliced with organic peanut Butter ( make sure its organic Peanut Butter with no salt or sugar added)

2 x Woolies Organic Brown Rice cakes. You can smear a thin layer of honey or peanut butter over the top if you really craving something sweet, otherwise fat free creamed cheese is always a winner for me.

or

2x Dark Chocolate coated Brown Rice cakes, the dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants and it will sort out that sweet craving in no time! (remember everything in moderation...INCLUDING THE DARK CHOCOLATE)

There's always your faithful Whey protein powder shake.If its getting boring combine it with 125ml fat free Bulgarian Yoghurt and mix it all up in a blender for a flavoured smoothie! If its chocolate flavour you're after go for the chocolate flavoured Whey and you can add a dash of pure cocoa for a richer flavour ;-).
Note: this snack is around 200 calories.



There you have it, Low calorie, guilt free sweet treat snacks ;-))

ENJOY!

XXX
K

TO WHEY OR NOT TO WHEY?

In almost every fitness/ health magazine there is an article and/or  advert about Whey protein. But so many people especially women are unsure of Whey and WHAT the benefits of it are.
So many times I've heard comments like " But I dont want to look big or bulky", I couldnt agree more! No female wants to look masculine and bulky......well at least most of us dont. BUT Whey doesn't do that! Infact it will lean you out and give you that lean and toned look :-)

Here's some info I've gathered up on Whey Protein over the years.

Think of Whey protein as the body's building blocks, they are necessary for our health.
Whey not only repairs muscle cells on a daily basis,therefore assisting in faster recovery form intense training sessions, but also assists in metabolic processes.

This muscle enhancing supplement has many benefits:

• Whey contains all essential amino acids which the body cannot produce on it's own and can only obtain from high quality proteins such as Whey.
• These amino acids assit in muscle recovery and building(when I say buliding I mean making them strong and lean not bulky).
• Whey assists Glutathione production, in other words a detoxification system within the liver.
• It is essential for the development of and protection of various body tissues and cells.
• Maintains and Increases Collagen and bone density (FABULOUS!!!).
• It is essential for looking healthy skin.
• Whey protein has as a very rapid absorbtion rate!

Let me guess you think you eat enough Protein right? Wrong....

The truth is we should eat a portion of protein with every meal- so thats around 6 portions of protein a day in order for you to receive the required amount of amino acids a day. Now I don't know about you but there is no way I get to each a portion of protein with EVERY meal..... I make my life easier by drinking a Whey protein shake at least once a day but ideally twice a day.

Another bonus is that when digesting protein the body burns more calories, this is a HUGE chunk of information if you're trying to lose body fat! It's all about calories and burning as many calories a day as possible right? Now you can supplement with healthy Whey protein and reap the benefits of burning more calories a day. 

When to Whey?

The best time is in the morning and before or after training.

I combine my Whey protein with Fat free bulgarian yoghurt and some berries or strawberries to create a smoothie. It's great as a meal for breakfast or an afternoon snack and it's very tasty too!

I also drink a scoop of Whey protein shake with skim milk after an intense cycling or workout session.

 I think it's the best time for my body to absorb the Whey and then repair all the cells in my body.

What Whey to buy?

The best Whey in my opinion is Whey Isolate which means it is the purer and more concentrated form then Whey Concentrate. It is 90% or more pure protein and very little, if any is fat.

TIP:

If you're a chocoholic like most choose a chocolate flavoured Whey Protein shake, its like a chocolate treat every time! Add a dash of pure Cocoa powder to intensify the chocolate flavour ;-)

You can also see my Chocolate Whey Protein pancakes recipe in one of my earlier posts.

Eat smart and stay lean and strong with Whey Protein.

XXX

K

Guilt Free PANCAKES!

SUPER NUTRITIOUS & DELICIOUS!!

When I made these pancakes for my hubby he didn't believe that it's possible for these to be good for you!
They are packed with protein and low in calories and fat ;-))))

Here's my way of making chocolate strawberry pancakes.

This recipe serves 2:

6 egg whites
2 scoops of chocolate Whey protein shake( you can use vanilla or another flavour if you like)
1/4 cup fat free/skim milk
3/4 cup of blended uncooked oats
1 cup of cut up strawberries
2 table spoons of honey/maple syrup
half a teaspoon of butter ( use real butter not margarine...yes it's fat but your body knows how to burn natural fat better then margarine)

Method:

Mix the whey protein and milk into a paste. Add the egg whites into the mixture and finally add the  ground/blended uncooked oats.

Melt the butter on a frying pan and once heated pour pancake mixture onto the pan with a large spoon to make a few small pancakes.

Place pancakes on a plate, garnish with strawberries and pour the honey or maple syrup over....DELISH!

Enjoy!


XXX
K

Celebrity Diet & Workout Routine- Nicole Scherzinger

This gorgeous lady fascinates me. I think she is incredibly sexy and has a gorgeous body....I recently watched the X Factor where she is one of the judges.

Every time I see her I want to know what she does to stay so trim & lean..... I did some research and here it is...our motivation for this week. MOTIVATION MONDAY! ;-)))

Nicole says she believes in Cardio. Cardio,Cardio! 

Nicole is a lucky girl because her job keeps her active! All the performing and dancing on stage and music videos gives her many hours of cardio and toning workouts.

When she's not performing Nicole does a lot of jogging and running for cardio and has a personal trainer who helps her keep toned and lean. 

For her core she does repeat crunches on an exercise ball. For her lower body Nicole practices her dance routines, runs and does many reps of squats and lunges.

Basically she does A LOT of cardio (we know this melts the body fat right off), stretches out and lenghtens her muscles from dance moves/routines and to keep toned she uses her body weight by doing many reps of lunges and squats. Now for her diet...

Nicole says that to slim down for a shoot she cuts out the following form her diet:

Carbs

Late night eating

Dairy products and

Salt

She tries to eat 3 healthy meals a day and if shes really busy she eats 6 small quick meals during the day.

Nicole likes to Snack on apples and peanut butter(my favourite snack too! )

So there you have it, keep up with the cardio, eat healthy and take up dancing! There's a lot of great dancing DVD's out there that teach you dance moves whilst shaping and toning you at the same time.

Here's some pics of this gorgeous lady.

XXXX

K

Supplement of the week- CHROMIUM

I'm going to share a secret supplement with you ;-) My mom who is very clued up on Vitamins and supplements is a big fan of Chromium and now so am I.

Chromium,which is a mineral supplement, is involved in the metabolism of glucose and is therefore needed for energy. It is VITAL in the synthesis of cholesterol,fats and protein. 

In other words Chromium helps the body process carbohydrates and fats, it promotes weight loss, lowers blood lipid (fat) levels, and improves body composition. LOVE IT!!!

Studies have shown that Chromium helps you feel "full" due to the glucose stabilising effect it has. It reduces cravings for sugars and fatty foods. 

When you get hungry,your blood sugar starts to drop and that's when you start to crave those high in sugar and fatty foods. But if your blood sugar levels are stable then you won't crave the fatty sugary foods. In other words Chromium helps keep those cravings at bay by stabilising your glucose.

That's why Chromium is also a good supplement for people who suffer from diabetes.

Sources of Chromium: Beef, brown rice,cheese, turkey, fish and whole grain.

I buy Chromium from the Dischem range.

If you are diabetic please consult your doctor first as to the correct dosage of Chromium for you.


References: Healthassist.com
Phyllis A.Balch (2006). Prescription for Nutritional Healing Fourth Edition. New York. Penguin Group USA

Take up a hobby...I've staryted cycling!

My hubby and I have been enjoying our weekend off road mountain biking, its a hobby we get to do together, enjoy nature and spend quality time together.
Well this weekend hobby has grown on us and we now have entered the 94.7 Cycle Challenge. A year ago I would have told you you're crazy if you think I'm going to cycle 94.7 KILOMETERS!!!

Today, I am super excited and I believe we can do it!

This hobby has motivated us to eat cleaner and leaner too.....we might as well use all this weekly cycling as our main cardio training and combining it with a healthy eating plan will melt off the body fat just in time for a Summer beach body! ;-)

So I recommend taking up a healthy hobby...one that you can do with your man or your girlfriends....there's so many fun options out there not everyone likes cycling and that's cool.
Take up sexy Latin American dancing with your man or pole dancing with your girlfriends, whatever it is that interests you go for it! It's never to late to get active and start a healthy,social and fun activity! ;-)

PS. Today is a cardio day so we having a break from our Buns & Thighs workout.... So Cycling for me ;)))

XXX
K

Celebrity Diet & Workout routine of the week

Jessica Biel:

Walking Lunges:

One of her favorite warm-ups is the walking lunge. "This stretches out the larger leg and glute muscles," says Walsh. How-to: With feet together, lunge first with right leg. Bring left foot alongside right. Lunge with left. Do 8-10 per leg.

Cardio:

"It's the cardio that leans her out,” says Walsh. After a ½-mile jog, they hit the track for two 200-meter, 150-meter and 100-meter sprints.

Core:

"Hanging leg raises don’t build a six-pack, but they flatten," says Walsh. "Jessica hates them, but she powers through!" How-to: Hanging from a high bar or rings, pull knees up slightly above waist. Do three sets of 15 repetitions.

Plyometrics:

Plyometrics: "These hurt," says Walsh of stair jumping. "Even athletes hate them. After Jessica did these the first time, she would've punched me if she had the energy." How-to: Jump from the bottom step of a flight of at least 20 stairs to the third. Keep going, skipping a stair each jump.

Weight Training:

Jessica's trainer suggests she use lighter weights with more  reps and keep moving, so it becomes a cardio workout.

For the mid section:

The Russian Twist. Sit down and lean back slightly. Hold a 5-lb. medicine ball and twist from side to side, 15 twists per side, three reps.

For shoulders/biceps:

Stand with knees slightly bent. Hold 10-lb. weights in each hand. Curl to chest. Rotate hands, palms face outward. Press overhead together. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

Jessica's Diet

"Clean foods"

— those that aren't processed—are on the menu Walsh created. "She eats complex carbs at the beginning of the day," he says, "and tapers off by the end."

Breakfast

1 cup of oatmeal with handful of berries.

Snack

1 slice whole wheat toast, 1-1 ½ tbsp. of almond butter and sliced bananas on top.

Lunch

Salad with 5-6 oz of chicken, vinaigrette dressing.

Snack

A banana, apple or strawberries.

Dinner

6oz. of fish, plate full of veggies, 1/2 cup of low-glycemic basmati rice.

Sweets

A couple of pieces of dark chocolate.

*Courtesy of People Magazine 

Here's our motivation for the week ;-)

XXX

K