My Bicycle inspired Diet

You may think I'm crazy.... well, I'm definitely not ordinary ;-). But in the early hours of the morning before we go for a cycle I think of and often sing Queen's song Bicycle Race... "I want to Ride my bicycle...I want to ride my bike..."... I know right??!!

With riding bicycles in mind and me preparing for the Momentum 94.7 cycle challenge I've changed my diet...and a lot of it came naturally.

I'm eating more lean protein such as grilled fish and chicken, fresh fruit and vegetables or steamed veg and I'm trying to eat very little bad carbohydrates/ Simple Carbs. I was always a sucker for croissants or any other pastries for that matter.But I've conquered it!
The one thing with being so active... cycling so often, is that I am permanently hungry...my body burns so many more calorie's and therefore it needs more calories....the trick is to make sure you're feeding the body the correct food. Otherwise all that hard work of training ends up going down the drain.

The bonus is the healthier your body gets from training and eating right the less unhealthy foods and drinks your body will crave. YAY!!!! And its true! I seldom have those, " I NEED A CHOCOLATE BROWNIE NOW" moments..I genuinely crave healthy meals! Of course I do allow myself a treat here and there, I just opt for dark chocolate instead...and it does taste just as good! ;-) 

I now don't drink any alcohol, it's a personal choice and I genuinely don't crave even a sip of wine. If at some point I will feel like having a glass of wine I will, but for now I'm enjoying the detox and I also think it will benefit my training towards the cycle challenge in the long run. 

 But being hungry so frequently makes it tricky when it comes to quick, healthy and handy snacks. 

So in order to help me Ive started taking some supplements. The number one supplement is Whey Protein which if you've been reading some of my previous posts you'll notice it's THE MAIN supplement I love and mention all the time.

In between meals, or for snacks I supplement with Whey protein. I've found that it gives me energy and better recovery rate!

I've recently tried the EVOX RAPID RECOVERY post training and It is definitely helping with speeding up my recovery rate.

So there you have it...my Cycle diet which is in actual fact  my lifestyle choice ;-)

XXX

K

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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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

Getting back into action

So I haven't blogged in ages, I'm more of a verbal blogger! LOL, I've had countless hours of conversations with my friends on how to get back into gym & eating healthy, giving them tips and motivation.
It feels good to be able to motivate and help my friends.... and by doing so I'm helping and motivating myself!  ;-)

Ive decided to put it in writing and hopefully I can be of help to many more :-)

How to start?

The best way to get motivated is look at those you admire... I love Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson..
They both gorgeous, funny, down to earth and have the most amazing bodies!

So how do they do it?? I've done some research and they don't just wake up with perfect bodies. They work hard for their figures. These ladies eat right and train hard... and no it's not just one spinning class 3x a week... These girls train 2-3 hours a day!

I'm not saying we all need to give up our lives & jobs to train for a minimum of 3 hours  day, but what it does show us is that these perfect beings are only human...like you and I. Which means we can do it too! ;-)
If we can go to gym at least once a day for 5-6 days a week, 1 hour a day and eat clean, we too can have gorgeous healthy bodies, glowing skin and confidence to wear that little black number. Its not much to ask for...1 hour of your 16 hour day sitting on your toosh! No excuses we can all find that 1 hour a day.

Don't wait for Monday, go to gym today... do 30-40 minutes of cardio and then 20-30 minutes of circuit to wake up all those muscles in your body. If you have more time during the day or your weekend, take your dog for a walk, go to gym with your man or your girl friend, take up cycling..get active.

Remember to be conscious of what you put into your body, your body is your temple...look after it.
What would you expect Jessica Alba or Kate Hudson to eat? I doubt we'll see her with a coca cola in her hand or a beer, she's more likely to be seen with a bottle of water in her hand and snacking on some strawberries. I personally find it so inspiring seeing a gorgeous slim girl sipping on water and leaving a gym as opposed to one drinking a beer and smoking a cigarette!  Become who you admire....


Supplement of the week: Lecithin


Why Lecithin?
Lecithin consists mostly of  the B Vitamin Choline, and contains Linoleic acid and inositol. Lecithin enables Fats such as cholesterol and other lipids to be dispersed in water and removed from the body. The vital organs and arteries are therefore protected from fatty buildup. Taking a 1200mg capsule of Lecithin before each meal helps in digestion of fats and the absorption of fat soluble vitamins!
Sources of Lecithin: grains, legumes,fish and wheat germ.


Referece: Phyllis A.Balch (2006). Prescription for Nutritional Healing Fourth edition. New York. Penguin Group USA
Go get some at your nearest pharmacy.

Celebrity Diet & Workout routine of the week


 Jessica Alba's workout routine & Diet:

Her diet secret is “portion control” says her trainer in the latest issue of In Touch weekly, and “she knows how to keep her eating habits under control.” “She likes to have dinner out, but will only eat half of the food on the plate.”

In addition to a balanced diet, Jessica also watches her carbs, leaving bread and desserts off the menu. But she doesn’t deprive herself when she gets a particular craving “You need to indulge and have that chocolate cake whenever you feel the need.”

Jessica Alba’s Diet Plan
It’s a South Beach style diet, with lean meats, whole grains, low-fat cheeses, fruits and veggies.

• Breakfast
  1 cup oatmeal with berries with 3-4 scrambled egg whites when working on the film set.

• Lunch
  Salad with 170 gms (6 ounces) of chicken breast or fish (salmon, tuna)

• Dinner
  Sashimi or or 170 gms (6 ounces) of petit filet of beef or other lean protein with unlimited veggies and 3 small red potatoes

• Snacks
  handful of almonds or hot air popped popcorn

Jessica Alba’s Work Out 
Jessica is big on exercise with lots of cardio on the elliptical, stationary bike or treadmill for 30 minutes four times a week. She adds resistant-training including weights and yoga to tone up for her action roles in films.

http://www.celebritydietdoctor.com/jessica-albas-diet-and-workout/

Much Love K!

XXX