Fitness_South_Africa_JulyAugust_2017

www.fitnessmag.co.za 

JULY - AUGUST 2017 

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WORKOUTS TWICE AS 

36MUCH FUN! 

24 Michelle Lewin 

 

 

 

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contents 

JULY / AUGUST 2017 

24 

MICHELLE 

LEWIN 

THE ADORED AND 

INSPIRATIONAL 

FITNESS FUNDI 

CHATS TO US 

IN EVERY ISSUE 

EDITOR’S LETTER 8 

EVENTS 12 

BEAUTY BAG 14 

DIGITAL NEWS 17 

MY WEEK 18 

GYM BAG 20 

ASK THE EXPERTS 22 

FITNESS NEWS 34 

LIVE STRONG 44 

FORM FIRST 46 

SUPPLEMENT NEWS 70 

NUTRITION NEWS 78 

NUTRI TALK 80 

WORK- 

OUT WITH 

YOUR 

BFF! 

ON THE COVER 

 

PHOTO BY 

 

64 

 

68 

 

 

74 

 

 

 

 

82 

 

 

 

86 

 

 

 

90 

 

 

 

 

95

®

editor'snote 

Dylan does 

a bit of 

everything 

Pedro runs (The 

Comrades!) 

Defrost 

your mojo, 

it's almost 

summer 

Tanja does 

MTB trail riding 

Victoria & Karien compete and 

are personal trainers 

Cindy is a 

CrossFitter! 

#theTeam 

The power of passion: 

When you connect with a 

 

passionate about, you'll 

make sure to allocate time 

to train for it. Whether 

it's running, CrossFit, 

physique competitions or 

squatting a personal best, 

 

OKAY, MAYBE IT'S NOT 

ALMOST SUMMER JUST 

YET, BUT SPRING IS AROUND 

THE CORNER. By the time you 

read this, there might be another 

6-8 weeks at most left of the 

cold. That means you have to 

come out of hibernation now... 

Panicking yet? 

If, like me, you've struggled a 

little with the cold this season (or 

maybe you were just too busy, or 

got sick) you might have missed 

one, two or ten sessions in the 

gym (or outdoors). 

Whatever the reason that led 

you to slip back into a comfort 

zone of warm lattes and sleeping 

in, it's now time to get back on 

 

 

Here's what I've been doing to 

get over the winter blues... 

1. CREATE A POWER PLAYLIST 

Pick powerful and meaningful 

tunes and compile a playlist of 

the songs that get you amped. 

Sometimes all you need is that 

little 'vooma' of motivation. 

MINE: Currently listening to the 

album Prisoner by The Jezabels. 

2. REMEMBER WHY YOU 

STARTED 

Revisit your goals and why 

you wanted to do this in the 

 

you've made a vision board or 

documented your goals properly, 

even if it's just a collection of 

inspirational pins on Pintrest or 

a stack of magazines. Make a 

visual connection to your goals 

that serve as a reminder in tough 

times. 

MINE: Currently have RedBull TV 

and PinkBike YouTube channels 

on repeat. 

3. COLLECT CLICHÉD 

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES 

“The hardest part of starting, is 

indeed putting your shoes on.” 

I've memorised all the cheesy 

sayings and have them on repeat 

in my head when I want to skip a 

workout. 

“You can have results or excuses, 

not both...” 

“Results don't work unless you 

do.” 

MY FAVOURITE: 

“Don't be upset by the 

results you didn't get 

with the work you 

didn't do!” 

4. GET A COMMITMENT 

DEVICE 

Use a platform like social media, 

get a regular group workout 

together with friends, or get a 

 

ways and means to keep you 

accountable when motivation 

levels are a little low. 

Buddy Up: To help you get over 

the winter hump and build a butt for 

spring, check out our workout on page 

36 that you and your bestie can do 

together. 

Or check out our 'Boost your 

article on how to earn more 

Discovery Vitality points (page 61). 

MINE: I've committed to WattBike 

sessions indoors, and a group that 

I ride with on weekends. 

5. REORGANISE YOUR TIME 

 

rather than abandoning your 

 

commitments so that you 

make time for everything. We 

sometimes place pressure on 

ourselves to conform to what 

people perceive as 'normal' 

schedules or working times. If it 

works for you to wake up early to 

get some work done, and then hit 

the gym or get outdoors when it's 

warmer, it's worth giving it a try. 

MINE: I've shifted 2 hours of work 

time around, 2 days a week, to 

make space for riding my bike 

when it's warmer outside. (It's 

amazing how much you get done 

between 5-7am when nobody is 

around to bug you at work) 

6. CHANGE IT UP 

If you're not training for 

 

on stage or competing in a 

race, then it's maybe time to 

 

work towards. Setting new goals, 

especially strength-building or 

endurance goals, might just be 

what you need to reignite your 

mojo. 

MINE: I'm training to race! My 

aim is to reach a podium in the 

sub-vet category that I compete 

in. (See what I did there, I'm using 

you as my 'commitment device'!) 

So, get cracking, refocus and 

re-prioritise – summer will be 

here before you know it! 

tanja 

life_as_tanja 

PG 

24 

Michelle Lewin 

ON THE COVER... 

10,800,000 (IG followers); 8,672,415 

(Facebook followers); 8,672,415 (Facebook 

likes); 403,000 (Twitter followers); 283,811 

(YouTube channel subscribers) – these are the 

insane numbers that help to quantify Michelle 

Lewin’s global popularity and appeal. 

We feature your 

nominations... 

STRONGWOMEN 

PG 

58 

8 

JULY - AUGUST 2017 |

#STRONGWOMEN 

fitness 

 

EDITOR & CO-PUBLISHER 

Tanja Schmitz 

PROOFREADING 

Irene Stotko 

LAETITIA DEE, Life Coach 

CEO & founder of Laetus 

Life, Life Coach, weight 

management coach (HFPA), 

motivational speaker, and 

Supashape ambassador. Holds 

a BA Psychology Degree. 

www.laetuslife.com 

LIL BIANCHI KIMBLE, 

Head coach & owner of OTG Athletic 

World Champion powerlifter, 

deadlift world record holder 

and addict of defying the 

human condition. 

CO-PUBLISHER 

Andrew Carruthers 

MANAGING EDITOR 

Pedro van Gaalen 

DEPUTY EDITOR 

Werner Beukes 

ADMINISTRATION 

Leoni Needham 

SENIOR DESIGNERS 

Teya Esterhuizen 

Christian Nel 

ADVERTISING SALES 

Andrew Carruthers 

andrew@maverickpublishing.co.za 

011 791 3646 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

Cindy Ellis, Soulby 

Jackson, James Patrick, 

Ben Myburgh 

CONTRIBUTORS & 

ADVISORY 

Laetitia Dee, Nicole 

Warburg, Vanessa 

Ascencao, Julia Lamberti, 

Giorgina Slotar, Cara Lisa, 

Lil Bianchi 

fitness magazine is an alternative monthly 

magazine distributed nationwide. 

ABC Certified sales: 23,158 

Period Jul - Dec 2016 

CINDY ELLIS, Photographer 

 

athlete and an active CrossFit 

competitor, Cindy’s ability to 

capture the human body and 

movement is unrivalled. 

www.cindyphoto.co.za 

GIORGINA SLOTAR, Clinical 

Nutritionist (Intl. Grad. Dip. Clinical 

Nutrition, Australia). Giorgina 

is also a pre- and post-natal 

exercise specialist, and is 

 

through HFPA. 

fitness Magazine South Africa 

THE PUBLISHER 

The Maverick Publishing 

Postnet suite 99, Private Bag X8 

North Riding, 2162 

 

 

 

 

Unit 7, Ground Floor, Boskruin View 

181 Girdwood road, RandparkRidge, 2169 

DISTRIBUTION & PRODUCTION 

(031) 714 4700 

3 EASY WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE: 

SMS “SUB FITNESS” to 40439 

with your name, contact number & postal address 

PHONE Call us on 011 7913646 

EMAIL 

with your name, contact number & postal address 

NICOLE WARBURG, 

Coach and trainer 

 

champion, CrossFit competitor 

– 2014 Africa Regionals runnerup 

– and coach at The Yard 

Athletic. @nicolewarburg 

CARA-LISA, 

Wellness coach 

 

enthusiast, wellness coach 

and founder of the 

Caralishious brand 

@caralishiious 

g+ 

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @FITNESSMAG 

HASHTAG YOUR PHOTOS ON INSTAGRAM #FITNESSMAGSA 

AND #FITNESSMAGSELFIE 

BEHIND THE SCENES ON INSTAGRAM @FITNESSMAGSA 

VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE: FITNESSMAGAZINESA 

 

You 

Tube 

No liability is assumed by The Maverick Publishing 

Corporation, Muscle Evolution (and M.E’s Fitness) 

nor any of the authors of the information provided 

in this publication. The Maverick Publishing Corporation 

cannot be held liable for any advice provided 

in this publication. The information published in 

this magazine should not be considered as medical 

advice, please consult a registered doctor. The 

Maverick Publishing Corporation shall not be liable 

for any unsolicited material, nor photographs or 

 

The Maverick Publishing Corporation reserve the 

 

and will not publish any editorial material nor 

advertising that we feel does not comply with our 

readership audience. 

All Stock photography via www.shutterstock.com

3D RESET has been scientifically designed to provide a 

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3D NUTRITION 

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NOW AVAILABLE AT

fitnessevents 

IMPI 

CHALLENGE 

DAY-NIGHT 

SERIES EVENT 

#6 

The new Impi 

Day-Night series 

is a 5km obstacle 

trail run where athletes can compete against 

the leaderboard for the event and ultimate 

series win. 

DATE: 7 July 2017 

VENUE: Jackal Creek Golf Club, 

Roodepoort, Gauteng 

To enter, visit www.impichallenge.co.za 

Images by Zoon Cronje www.zcmc.co.za 

happening? 

29 

ASHBURTON 

INVESTMENTS 

NATIONAL MTB 

VAN GAALEN’S 

Van Gaalen’s 

shows off what 

the Magaliesberg 

area has to offer, 

along with handbuilt 

single track that meanders through 

ravines and gorges, and along river banks 

and over bridges. The trails switch between 

varied terrain and include river crossings, 

bush tunnels and spectacular views, with 

occasional tough climbs. 


VENUE: Van Gaalen’s Cheese Farm, 

Magaliesberg 

www.advendurance.com/nationalmtbseries 

for more info. 

19 

A U G 

TOYOTA 

WARRIOR EVENT 

#5 

The Warrior Race 

is South Africa’s 

largest obstacle 

course race series. 

It incorporates 

trail running with 

various physical challenges in the form of 

obstacles. The Toyota Warrior powered by 

Reebok series offers athletes from different 

sporting codes the opportunity to compete 

against one another over three different 

race distances. 

DATE: 19 & 20 August 2017 

VENUE: Blythedale Coastal Estate, 

Kwazulu-Natal 

Visit www.warrior.co.za to enter or for info. 

S E P T 

SANLAM 

CAPE TOWN 

MARATHON 

WEEKEND 

 

Gold Labelaccredited 

marathon will form 

part of a multievent 

running festival that is set to attract 

over 20,000 athletes. Events include the 

Sanlam Cape Town 10km Peace Run, the 

12km and 22km Sanlam Cape Town Peace 

Trail Runs, and the Sanlam Cape Town 

Marathon (42.2km). 

DATES: 16 & 17 September 2017 

VENUE: Cape Town 

 

www.sanlamcapetownmarathon.com 

J U L Y 

16 

12 

JULY - AUGUST

15 

J U L Y 

NISSAN 

TRAILSEEKER 

LIONMAN 

Brave the 

Highveld cold 

and head to 

Mabalingwe 

– a mere 90 

minutes from 

Pretoria – for the Lionman leg of the Nissan 

TrailSeeker series. The route boasts some 

of Mabalingwe’s most exciting routes, with 

no overlaps or bottle necks. It’s the perfect 

opportunity for families to join in the fun 

and make it an exciting weekend away in 

the bush. 


VENUE: Mabalingwe Nature Reserve, 

Limpopo 

www.advendurance.com/trailseekerseries 

for more info. 

COURSE DATES 

JOHANNESBURG 

1, 2 July - Bootcamp Workshop 

3 July 

7 July - Exercise is Medicine 2 

8 July - Functional Training 

8 July - Boxing Level 3 

15 July - Sports Conditioning 

28 July - Exercise is Medicine 3 

29 July - Group Fitness Instructor 

29, 30 July - Exercise & Pregnancy 

29, 30 July - Johnny G® Spinning 

5 August - Sports massage course 

12, 13 August - Aqua Instructor course 

26 August - Event Periodization 

30 August - Personal Fitness Trainer 

CAPE TOWN 

Online - Exercise Science 

Blended - Personal Fitness Trainer Course 

1 July - Athlete Assessment 

12, 13 August - Exercise and Pregnancy 

 

 

BIKINI, PHYSIQUE 

AND 

BODYBUILDING 

CONTESTS 

IFBB MUSCLE MULISHA GRAND PRIX 2 

This IFBB-sanctioned show is an Arnold 

 

athletes an opportunity to earn IFBB 

Platinum League points. 


VENUE: The Alexander Theatre, 36 

Stiemens Street, Braamfontein 

Contact garron@musclemulisha.co.za or 

candice@musclemulisha.co.za for further info. 

RISE OF THE PHOENIX 3.0 

Presented in partnership with Body Building 

and Fitness South Africa (BBFSA), this 

popular show serves as the ideal platform 

for athletes from all federations to compete 

in front of a professional panel of judges 

 

bodybuilding organisation. 

DATE: 7-8 July 2017 

VENUE: The Abbotsford Christian Centre, 

28 Wyse Avenue, Abbotsford, East London 

Contact Everett Hand on 

everett@ppnonline.co.za for more info. 

IFBB BOKSBURG CLASSIC 

A qualifying event for the 2018 Arnold 

Classic Africa. Athletes can also earn IFBB 

Platinum League points to compete in 

the Gentle Giant Classic at the end of the 

year. Will include a special guest posing 

appearance by Meghan Hennessy. 


VENUE: Kaleideo Auditorium, Kempton 

Park 

Contact Helena at Helena@xtyle.co.za 

MARCELLE 

WAS AWARDED 

HER PRO CARD 

Marcelle Collision 

MS. DIVA EXTRAVAGANZA 

An independent show owned and produced 

by Kevin Schwartz, with fantastic prizes 

and trophies for winners. Registration takes 

place on 28 July, with the pre-judging and 

the main show happening on 29 July. 

DATE: 28-29 July 2017 

VENUE: HS Durbanville Auditorium, 

Langenhoven Street, Durbanville 

Contact Kevin Schwartz at kevin@bbfsa.co.za 

OVE 

ERALL 

LADIES 

FITNESS 

BIKINI 

SHOW RESULTS 

PAGE 92 

IFBB ARNOLD 

CLASSIC AFRICA 

BATTLE OF 

THE TITANS V 

NABBA/WFF 

PRETORIA CLASSIC 

PRO AM 

NABBA/WFF 

BIKINI MODEL PRO 

Logan Coleman 

BATTLE OF THE TITANS V 

FITNESS BIKINI UP TO 1.63M 

Roxanne McLachlan 

IBFF WELKOM CLASSIC 

This International Bodybuilding and 

Fitness Federation (IBFF) event will 

offer an opportunity to athletes to be 

selected to compete at the South African 

Championships. 


VENUE: Ferdie Meyer Hall, Welkom CBD, 

Free State 

For info, contact Kiewiet Prinsloo on 

057 396 4302 

NELSON MANDELA BAY BODY BUILDING 

AND FITNESS CHAMPIONSHIP 

The competition is held in conjunction with 

the BBFSA and offers a platform for athletes 

from all federations to show off the results 

of their hard work and commitment. 

DATE: 5 August 2017 

VENUE: Nelson Mandela Bay (Port 

Elizabeth) 

Contact Kevin Schwartz on kevin@bbfsa. 

co.za 

IFBB H&H CLASSIC 

Another opportunity for IFBB athletes to 

earn points to qualify to compete at the 

Gentle Giant Classic in September. Athletes 

can also qualify to go through to the Arnold 

Classic Africa in 2018. 


VENUE: Pretoria 

www.ifbbsa.co.za for more info. 

BUTTERWORTH CLASSIC BODY 

BUILDING COMPETITION 

This competition will be presented in 

partnership with the BBFSA. 


VENUE: TBA 

Contact Kevin Schwartz at kevin@bbfsa.co.za 

PRO 

CARD 

AWARDED 

 

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STEPS TO 

SUPPLE, 

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4WINTER SKIN 

As the temperature drops and 

our skin is exposed to dry, cold 

conditions, moisture is stripped 

away, which often leaves us with dry, 

dull complexions and sensitive skin. 

4 ways to win the war on 

winter skin: 

Aromatherapy treatments: 

1 Use essential oils and other 

aromatic plant compounds to restore 

skin health. Focus on products and 

treatments that include, among 

others, lavender oil, camomile, tea 

tree oil, and ylang-ylang. 

Exfoliate regularly – at least 

2 twice a week – to remove dry, 

dead skin cells, as this will enable 

your moisturiser to penetrate 

deeper. 

Cleanse your face with a 

3 product that has a creamy 

formula during winter to help soften 

and soothe sensitive skin. 

Apply moisturiser to your 

4 face and body directly after 

showering, on damp skin. Keep 

the bathroom door closed 

 

humidity, which will 

help the moisturiser 

penetrate deeper. 

Beat the winter blues by 

making sure your skin is 

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Placecol Vitamin C 

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SOiL Organic Shea Butter 

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www.soil.co.za 

R120 

B.O.N 

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Unique blend of 

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hip oils. 

Available from 

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www.bonnaturaloils.co.za. 

R24.95 (15ml) – 

R139.95 (200ml) 

RVB SkinLab diego dalla palma 

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An elasticising oil containing 

99.4% natural oils. 

Available at skincare 

clinics and spas. 

R575 

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17

trainerchat 

 

monday 

03 55 

Wake up, drink 

an Ensure shake 

on route to 

AMPT SA 

05:00 

Class at AMPT, 

then run 

15-20km 

07:30 

Eat breakfast 

– mix of muesli 

and FutureLife 

08:00 

BounceFit 

class – a form 

of rebound 

exercise that 

includes 

bouncing on a 

trampoline 

09:30 

Private group 

training session 

at FTSA 

Constantia 

12:30 

Lunch: 2 eggs 

with avo and 

cheese 

16:45 

Adventure Boot 

Camp classes 

– an outdoor 


for ladies only 

20:00 

Dinner: Roast 

veg and pork 

DANA-BIANCA VAN ZYL 

“I’m g c in the work I do on a daily 

and weekly basis. However, while my day is extremely varied, 

it is also well structured. I’m inspired by everyone I train, 

every day. They all have such colourful stories to share.” 

 

420 

Alarm goes off. 

Eat a banana 

& Weetbix on 

route to class 

5:00 

Back-to-back 

Ride classes 

at Honeydew 

Virgin Active 

7:30 

Pump class & 

another Ride 

class. 

09:30 

Workout 

with my own 

personal trainer, 

Seyan Rateau. 

12:30 

AMPT class 

at Dimension 

Data Campus, 

Bryanston. 

13:45 

Lunch: Egg, 

spinach and 

tomato wrap. 

16:30 

Personal 

training client 

session 

17:30 

Another AMPT 

class. 

19:00 

Dinner: 

Vegetable soup. 

 

05 15 

Scoff a banana 

on route to a 

Ride & then a 

Step class at 

Randburg Virgin 

Active 

07:00 

Fight the 

 

while 

sipping 

on an 

Ensure 

shake as 

I head to 

my next 

classes 

08:00 

BounceFit class 

at Fourways 

Mall. 

10:00 

My mid-week 

long run, which 

is 20-25km 

12:00 

Post-run 

recovery 

Ensure shake 

& L-glutamine, 

plus The 

Real Thing 

Wheatgrass 

powder 

16:30 

Ride class, 

followed by a 

Kick class 

19:30 

Dinner: Yay, it’s 

treat night! That 

means sushi 

as a health & 

fitness professional 

 

04:15 

Up and at ‘em 

for an early 

morning run 

06:30 

Workday starts 

with a Ride class 

at Honeydew 

Virgin Active 

07:30 

A Step & then 

a Ride class at 

Little Falls Virgin 

Active 

09:20 

Mid-morning 

boost with a 

protein shake 

9:30 

Gym time with 

my personal 

trainer. 

Thursdays are 

for calisthenics 

12:30 

Wattbike class 

at AMPT SA 

13:45 

Time for catching 

up on emails 

18:00 

Two hours of 

classes 

20:45 

A late dinner 

of chicken and 

roast veg 

friday 

04:30 

Grab a coffee 

and rusks as I 

head out the 

door – at this 

point in the 

week, this is a 

cheat 

05:15 

Ride class at 

Honeydew 

Virgin Active 

06:15 

1 hour treadmill 

run session 

07:30 

A Grid and a 

Kick class at 

Honeydew 

Virgin Active 

09:45 

Personal 


with an 85-yearold 

client. I learn 

so much from 

her in this hour 

11:00 

I take the 

afternoon 

off for some 

pampering 

and 

shopping, 

or some 

relaxing at 

home 

“I don’t think there are many 

peoplep who wake up with 

enthusiasm and joy about the 

day ahead, but I’m one of the 

lucky few who get to do what 

fuels my soul..” 

saturday 

04:30 

Meet up with 

the running 

group I started 

4 years ago 

to give gym 

members a little 

extra. In 2017, 

six members in 

the group ran 

Comrades on 4 

June 

7:00 

A day packed 

with classes at 

Virgin Active! 

I give a Ride 

class, then a 

Grid session, 

 

with a Step 

class. Saturdays 

are actionpacked 

11:00 

Lectures at 

Fitpro. These 

up-and-coming 

young students 

are the new 

leaders in the 

 

sunday 

07:0 

0 

I end my week 

off with classes 

at Wattlab 

& AMPT SA, 

situated at 

Dimension Data 

in Bryanston 

11:00 

The rest of my 

day is spent 

rejuvenating 

with friends 

Why we 

think 

Bianca 

kicks ass! 

Bianca’s 

achievements & 

qaulifications... 

AMPT SA 

instructor 

WattLab instructor 

at AMPT SA 

Virgin Active 

SA: Ride, Step, 

Kick, Pump & Grid 

instructor 

Adventure Boot 

Camp for Women 

Aerobics lecturer for 

Fitpro 

BounceFit 

instructor 

Little Falls running 

group founder 

3-time Comrades 

finisher 

18 


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leggings - 

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leggings 

black medium 

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shorts - hot 

pants with 

rouging on 

sides - R380 

GP vest- 

 

vest - R300 

Fitbit Alta HR 

R2,499 

Under Armour 

 

Project Rock 

Training 

Collection 

Bull women’s 

graphic T-shirt 

R850.22 

Rock Crossback 

women’s sports bra 

R850.22 

 

www.garmin.co.za 

R10,499 

(mineral glass) 

or R11,999 

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Sport Swing 

women’s 

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R1,062.82 

Respect HeatGear® 

ankle women’s 

capris 

R1,169.13 

20 


Adidas Parley 

running footwear 

Reusing an average of 11 plastic 

 

 

 

webbing, heel lining, and sock liner 

 

material. Primeknit wraps the foot to 

 

 

Plastic. 

Available at select 

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1 

2 3 

Thule Chariot Lite 

4 

5 

6 

7 8 

1. Cotton On Body Knit hoodie R599 

2. Adidas Parley running footwear R2,999 

R399 

4.a Cotton On Body Booty tight R399 

R599 

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6. Thule Chariot multi-functional child carriers 

Priced from R13,499 (Thule Chariot Lite 1) to 

R28,999 (Thule Chariot Sport 2) 

R1,999 

 

Training Collection The Under Armour (UA) 

SuperVent Project Rock Training Collection and 

 

head-to-toe performance training collection, 

 

 

 

and online at Totalsports.co.za. 

 

21

ask 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q A 

occurrence in modern society. 

I recently had an 

assessment done at 

the gym and was 

told by the personal 

trainer that I’m 

“skinny-fat”. What 

does that even 

mean? 

Patricia, via email 

you can be skinny 

 

 

 

 

 

The term ‘skinny-fat’ 

may be one of the 

stranger oxymorons 

in use, but it’s 

becoming an all-too-common 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your best bet is to therefore 

clean up your diet – cut out all 

forms of added sugar, eat as 

close to nature as possible, and 

manipulate your carb intake 

to improve insulin sensitivity – 

and get active. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IS SKINNY-FAT A THING? 

 

22 JULY - AUGUST 2017 |

PICK 

YOUR 

PROTEIN 

 

 

I recently decided to give my training and dieting efforts a boost 

with some help from supplements, but I’m a bit confused as to 

the differences between meal replacement shakes and protein 

powders. Could you suggest which is best to aid my efforts aimed 

at improving my body? 

Sandra, via email 

Q 

AThe sheer 

number of 

supplements 

available on the 

shelves of your specialist 

retailer or pharmacy can 

certainly be bewildering, 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘in addition to’ 

 

PACKING IN MORE 

PROTEIN 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

directly 

after training 

 

 

 

 

 

MEAL REPLACEMENTS 

 

 

 

replace a 

meal 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PICK YOUR PURPOSE 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your aim 

should always be to revert 

to a predominantly wholefood 

diet 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

fitness magazine reserves the right to edit any questions submitted.

coverfeature 

INFLUENCING 

MILLIONS OF 

LIVES, 

one social media 

follower at a time. 

win 

(IG followers); 8,672,415 (Facebook followers); 8,672,415 (Facebook likes); 

10,800,000 403,000 (Twitter followers); 283,811 (YouTube channel subscribers) – these are the 

insane numbers that help to quantify Michelle Lewin’s global popularity and appeal. 

COVER IMAGE BY LHGFX Photography www.lhgfx.com IMAGES BY Salomon Urraca @Surraca. 

REACH OUT TO MICHELLE ON MICHELLE_LEWIN OR FITNESSMICHELLE

Having overcome health issues as a teenager, as she 

was underweight and undernourished while living in 

difficult economic conditions in her home country of 

Venezuela, and then a less-than-ideal start to runway modelling 

(she was told she’s too short), Michelle turned her focus to the 

world of fitness, under the guidance of her husband, Jimmy. 

Having crafted the quintessential Latin American physique – loads of curves and glorious glutes 

 

 

and business success. 

You’re renowned for your 

social media savvy which 

has been an important 

catalyst for your success. 

What are a few of the 

most important strategies 

and considerations for any 

model or athlete who hopes 

to emulate your approach? 

In my case, no one taught 

me what to do and how to 

do it. I had to do everything 

myself, calculating, testing 

and observing the response I 

got. Success, in many cases, 

is considered as the number 

of followers you have, but I 

understood after a while that 

the number itself doesn’t 

really matter. It is the quality 

of the followers that you must 

strive for. Showing your butt 

in every picture, and making 

tacky and plainly stupid videos 

might get you more followers, 

but they’ll be the wrong ones. 

I’m balancing the limit of what 

 

still attractive. I aim to be an 

inspiration and a motivator. I 

use the pictures and videos 

to show a reachable goal in 

everyday situations. 

Was your passion for 

 

Venezuela, or did your path 

in life change its trajectory 

when you moved to Europe 

and then to the US? 

My passion for working out 

 

born in Venezuela as I had 

extremely skinny legs. I 

wanted them to grow, so I 

trained legs three times per 

week for years. It was only 

years later, when I travelled 

around the world that I started 

with upper body training 

If a reader 

only had one 

hour a day 

to dedicate 

to improving 

their health 

and fitness, 

what would 

you suggest 

they focus on? 

I wish I could say diet, 

which is the most 

important, but that is not 

solved in an hour per day. 

So... high-intensity training. 

Yes, that’s my tip. Don’t 

use the phone between 

sets, don’t speak to others 

too much. Have an hour 

of a concentrated, intense 

workout. 

to compensate. When I 

moved to the US I was 

already working out using 

a full-body approach, but 

I suppose it was only once 

I moved to the US that I 

started to really implement 

proper dieting as well. 

At what point in your 

life did you realise you 

could make a successful 

 

model? What was it that 

led to that realisation? 

It was probably after my 

 

Instagram. That was a huge 

number back then since 

Instagram was pretty new. 

So, I went all in on social 

media from that point. 

What has been one of the 

biggest challenges on your 

path to success and how 

did you overcome it? 

In the beginning the haters 

really got to me. I had 

days that were really bad. 

I couldn’t understand all 

the comments and all the 

backstabbing from other 

 

harm to anyone. It took me 

quite some time to get over 

that, but then I decided to 

look into what comments 

other highly respected icons 

got, and it was then that I 

understood that no matter 

what you do, you can’t 

please everyone. Today 

haters are a part of the 

daily routine, and I rather 

consider them valuable 

because if I don’t have 

haters then I must be 

doing something wrong. 

her training 

What does your average week of 

training look like? 

Right now I have let go a bit of the 

traditional lifting, and am more into 

high-intensity workouts. Everyone should 

do something different once in a while. I 

have also started Strong by Zumba, and 

might do a world tour where finally my 

fans can work out with me. 

How is your training structured? 

I train five days per week, sometimes six, 

for one hour per day. I target my lower 

body and abs twice per week. My other 

body parts only get one day per week – 

that’s enough. 

What’s the best way to build a 

booty like yours? 

I did a lot of squats, leg presses and leg 

extensions in the beginning. Everything 

grew – the booty and the quads – but my 

booty never popped, until I understood 

why. It was because my legs were so big 

– they looked massive – which made the 

glutes look small in comparison. It took 

me more than a year of concentrating 

on glute exercises and no leg extensions 

to slim down the legs and develop better 

balance. And then, boom! My glutes 

looked much bigger. 

You’re well-known for your insanely 

low body fat levels and those 

abs that seem to always ‘pop’. 

What’s your secret to getting so 

shredded? 

It’s no secret, it’s all about discipline. I 

have a responsibility towards my fans. 

I am where I am thanks to them, and I 

cannot relax and stop being their role 

model. They push me every day. It’s 

thanks to them that I keep myself in 

shape. 

What does ‘balance’ mean to you 

in the context of your lifestyle? 

Most things in life, when 

ON A SCALE OF 

1 TO 10, HOW 

OBSESSED ARE 

YOU WITH 

EXERCISE? 

10 

done to extremes, are 

bad, even in religions. 

Just do what makes 

you happy. That’s 

balance right there. 

 

25

her nutrition 

Your website bio states that 

your fans span those “from 

 

anyone considering swapping 

 

What, in your opinion, 

constitutes a healthful diet for 

someone who wants to build a 

 

There are many different diets out 

there and everyone has to check what 

is good for them. In some cases your 

body might respond well, but your 

mind doesn’t. It is really important 

to first feel happy mentally about 

yourself. If you are not happy, then 

why are you doing it? At the end of 

the day, happiness is what we all 

strive for, right? 

Give us a peek into your fridge 

and grocery cupboard. What 

are the foods you eat most 

often and why? 

I eat a lot of bison since it’s the 

healthiest meat. I also eat a lot 

of chicken, and I’m addicted to 

salad and broccoli, but it has to 

be drenched with fresh lemon 

juice – it’s my addiction. I eat two 

tablespoons of peanut butter daily to 

deal with the cravings. 

Where do you see the role 

of technology going in terms 

 

are you leveraging the trend 

to grow your brand and 

business globally? 

At the moment, I’m pretty 

upset that a lot of the 

 

been operated on. While I 

understand why we get breast 

implants – they’re pure fat 

which disappears along with 

the rest of your body fat when 

you train and diet – but the 

butt is muscle and shouldn’t be 

medically enhanced. Also, the 

new ab shaping that surgeons 

are doing makes me so 

disappointed. They should all 

be called out for giving people 

false hope. I respect all those 

athletes and models who are 

honest about it, but the ones 

who aren’t are really destroying 

the industry. 

What are your interests apart 

from the gym? 

Travel. I love to travel. Nine 

years ago I had never seen 

anything outside of Venezuela. 

Now I can travel the world. That 

is such a privilege. 

What tips would you share 

 

want to advance their careers? 

If you want to grow you have to 

make something special. Don’t 

look at what others are doing, 

 

thing. 

 

break in the industry? 

I used to model more glamour 

style, but the abs and big legs 

made me change career. With 

no followers I got magazine 

covers and supplement 

sponsors. It was thanks to 

the photographers I was 

working with. They made the 

connections. 

 

appearance at an NPC show. 

Oh god... well, I was working 

out like crazy as always. I was 

really going all in on legs, but 

without much dieting. I thought 

 

my husband what he thought I 

should do just days before the 

competition, he sent me to the 

treadmill. I got so upset that I 

went home crying, but I guess 

he was right because I placed 

dead last at that show. 

What do you wish you knew 

before stepping out on stage 

 

That the best girls normally 

don’t win due to the extreme 

 

will therefore never set my foot 

on stage again. It’s not a sport 

any more, it’s all about who 

knows who and who pays and 

trains who. I wasn’t playing the 

dirty game, because it’s dirtier 

than you can ever imagine. 

I made that clear, so the 

federation wanted me out and 

the head judge put me in last 

place in my last competition. 

I didn’t care, though. I was 

prepared for it, but the funny 

thing is how the other judges 

after the show came and 

apologised and said that was 

not the score they put. The 

head judge didn’t even collect 

their points. The head judge 

had the scores ready even 

before the show. So whenever 

someone wants to start 

competing and asks for advice, 

I tell them to “do it for yourself 

and the challenge, and not to 

win”. But do I wish I knew this? 

Probably not. It was a good 

lesson to learn. 

In your opinion, what is it 

 

models that makes them (and 

you) so globally appealing? 

Latin is in fashion. Pamela 

Anderson paved the way for 

 

 

fantastic contemporary Latin 

 

how Latin music is spreading, 

and how we dance. And that 

mix of white and black that 

created Latin turned out to be a 

winning concept when it comes 

to curves! 

What are some of the key 

trends you’re aware of that 

South African ladies should 

look out for? 

From Latin America come all 

kinds of operations. The ab 

shaping and butt injections... 

stay away! It’s so not worth it. 

What has been the best 

investment you’ve made into 

improving your health or 

physique? 

Buying high quality food. 

Really, it’s what you live on, and 

should only be the best. Invest 

 

invest in material things. 

How do you prefer to cook 

when preparing healthy meals? 

It depends on how much time I have. 

If I have time, I can cook for hours 

to really give it that special taste. I’m 

pretty good in the kitchen. If I don’t 

have so much time, it’s a quick cook 

with some ready blended spices. I 

mostly cook carb free. 

What role do supplements play 

in your lifestyle? 

I take vitamin C, a multi-vitamin, 

magnesium, GABA, omega-3, whey 

isolate, a pre-workout, and a fat 

burner. 

WHAT’S 

IN YOUR 

GYM 

BAG? 

“JUST DO 

WHAT MAKES 

YOU HAPPY. 

That’s balance right 

there.” 

A towel, a shaker, protein, ankle straps and money. 

QUICK 

FACTS: 

Favourite music to train to? 

Electronic or Reggaeton 

Favourite exercise? Lunges 

Favourite cheat meal? Thai, 

with a huge amount of rice. 

I prefer to eat a lot of real 

food than cake or candy. 

What do you do to relax? 

Watch a movie. I have a TV, 

but it’s never on. So when I 

have a moment to relax, a 

movie goes on. 

26 


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STEP 1: 

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Often the best defense 

 

in winter is a proactive 

offensive effort. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

where there is a high concentration of 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STEP 2: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RESEARCH SHOWS: 6 WEEKS 

OF 6-MINUTE COLD WATER 

IMMERSIONS REPEATED THREE 

TIMES A WEEK IMPROVED 

THE IMMUNE SYSTEM 

STEP 3: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

30 

JULY - AUGUST

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healthinfo 

 

 

Biohack 

BY Gemma Oberholzer 

YOUR HORMONES 

As females, we 

know exactly what 

it’s like to feel at 

the mercy of our 

menstrual cycle 

and the subsequent 

hormonal roller 

coaster. 

One day we feel in charge 

and on top of the world, 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STAGE 1: THE FOLLICULAR PHASE 

This phase marks the start of your cycle 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the 

perfect opportunity to ramp up the intensity 

of your workouts and strategically focus on 

higher carbohydrate meals, or re-feeds to 

replenish depleted glycogen stores. 

 

 

 

 

 

r a metabolic 

 

 

Grid at Virgin 

 

 

 

 

 

Be sure to focus on high-quality 

carbohydrates such as whole grains, sweet 

potato, oats, quinoa and basmati rice. 

STAGE 2: THE OVULATION PHASE 

Approximately 14 days into your 

cycle, the growing follicle bursts 

and ovulation occurs. 

 

 

 

Training hard and lifting heavy 

should be your modus 

operandi and it’s the 

opportune time to go for 

that ‘PB’ or one-rep max. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Always remember, 

 

32 


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

FOLLICULAR 

phase 

BANANA OAT 

PROTEIN 

PANCAKES 

HIIT 

TREADMILL 

SPRINTS 

LUTEAL 

phase 

STAGE 3: THE LUTEAL PHASE 

We all know that time of the 

month – we’re tired, bloated, 

irritable and uncomfortable, 

and often the thought of a 

chocolate-induced food coma 

seems far more appealing 

than heading in the direction 

of gym. 

Both 

progesterone and oestrogen 

levels peak during this time. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACAI 

SMOOTHIE 

BOWL 

SWEET 

POTATO HASH 

BROWNS 

ULTIMATE BOOTY 

BURNOUT 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This aerobicallydependent 

approach will tap 

into your now readily available 

fat stores, helping enhance 

your fat-loss goals. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8AM 

SWITCH 

CLASS 

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 

OVULATION 

phase 

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 

LOW CARB 

CHICKEN AND 

AVOCADO SALAD 

LOW CARB 

PEANUT BUTTER 

PROTEIN BALLS 

PARK 

WALK 

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 

LOW CARB 

GRILLED SALMON 

WITH WASABI 

CAULI MASH 

BLOOD HORMONE LEVELS 

YOGA CLASS 

MENSTRUATION 

phase 

COCONUT 

CHICKEN CURRY 

PR SQUAT 

ATTEMPT 

70 KG 

WILDNERNESS 

HIKE 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Oestrogen-Progesterone Wave 

On top of the world. 

Highest verbal, 

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Oestrogen 

Testosterone/ 

Androgen 

OESTROGEN PHASE 

Ovulation 

Progesterone 

PROGESTERONE PHASE 

Pit of dispair 

lowest 

verbal self 

esteem, coping 

With a 

 

 

 

planning 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Try to see 

your hormonal 

as 

a female-only 

opportunity to 

refocus, strategise 

and use them to 

your advantage 

by enhancing 

the effects of 

targeted nutrition 

and 

approaches. 

STAGE 4: 

THE MENSTRUATION 

PHASE 

Finally the cramping, 

bloating and general 

moodiness slowly subsides 

and you start to feel 

like a half-normal human 

again. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

diet and training approach 

'in-between' 

period, focusing on exercise 

that makes you feel good 

and leaves you energised. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 5 15 29 (period starts) 

 

33

fitnessnews 

10 AS GOOD AS 50 

A10-minute workout that consists 

of three 20-second all-out 

intervals to exhaustion, followed 

by brief recoveries, can be just as 

effective as a typical 50-minute 

session according to new research from 

Martin Gibala, an exercise physiologist 

at McMaster University in Ontario. 

Both workouts resulted in identical 

improvements in heart function and 

blood-sugar control, even though one 

 

other. 

15 000 

– the new target for steps 

per day that researchers at the 

University of Warwick in England (in 

conjunction with other institutions) 

determined was required to 

improve our health, 

based on reference 

to a foundational 

Transit Workers 

 

used to determine 

the 10,000 steps-aday 

guideline. The team then advanced and 

expanded on these results by examining other 

groups of employees whose workdays involve 

mostly walking or sitting, including postal 

 

were published in The International Journal of 

Obesity. 

TRAIN HARD, REST HARD 

A new study by researchers from 

Brock University in Canada suggests 

that extended, high-intensity training 

sessions (in this case elite rowers) 

 

bone mineral density that 

are usually associated 

with exercise, 

without adequate 

rest. Regular exercise 

should be an important 

protective mechanism 

against bone fractures 

and osteoporosis, 

particularly 

among women. 

fitness 

s 

b y 

G-FORCE 

The forces imparted 

by walking have been 

shown to improve blood 

supply to the brain as the 

resultant pressure waves 

travel through arteries 

and significantly modify 

blood circulation to the 

brain. Researchers at 

New Mexico Highlands 

University determined this 

was a contributing factor 

to the brain-health benefits 

of exercise, with running 

causing similar, yet 

significantly greater impact 

forces of up to 4-5G that 

boosted cerebral blood flow. 

The research was presented 

at the APS annual meeting 

at Experimental Biology 

2017 in Chicago. 

34 


A new study found 

that long periods of 

physiological stress 

from exercise can 

change the composition 

of your microbiome 

– the diversity and 

composition of 

microorganisms 

residing in the intestines 

(intestinal microbiota) 

– which could increase 

health risks in 

endurance athletes and 

those who participate in 

military-style bootcamp 

training. 

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Make leg and glute 

workouts twice as fun! 

D 

Let’s be honest, as 

much as we love 

training, working 

out is more fun 

when you hit the 

weights with your 

bestie. 

WHEN IT COMES TO TRAINING 

WITH A FRIEND, IT PAYS TO BE 

PICKY ABOUT WHO YOU BUDDY 

UP WITH. 

It’s not just about who’ll make your 

time in the gym more enjoyable, you 

also want someone who will push you 

and challenge you along the way. 

It’s therefore worth choosing your 

partner based on their attitude – 

those who are committed and 

have a good work ethic will help you 

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Also, a training partner who’s in tune 

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step of the way. 

36 


OUR MODELS 2016 USN FACE OF FITNESS TOP 6 FINALISTS 

Victoria Sethabela & Karien van der Wal 

@_toria717 @karienvanderwal 

WORKOUT SHOT AT VIVA Gym, Fourways. 

www.vivagym.co.za @vivagymsa 

Photography by Cindy Ellis www.cindyphoto.co.za 

Y

day 1 

QUADS & 

GLUTES 

form check: 

Are you keeping 

your chest and 

head up? 

WORKOUT 

STRUCTURE 

1. Set up a workout station with 

the equipment you’ll need for 

each superset. 

2. While you complete one 

exercise, your training partner does 

the other move in the superset. 

3. Swap around after each set 

without resting. Take a break of 

30 seconds between sets, and no 

more than 90 seconds between 

supersets. 

SUPERSET 1 

HIGH STEP-UP 

THE MOVE: Place one foot on a high, 

sturdy box or step. Push your hips back 

and then stand up. Squeeze the glute 

of your supporting leg at the top of the 

move. Lower yourself back down and 

repeat with the other leg in an alternating 

fashion. 

GOBLET SQUAT 

THE MOVE: Hold the kettlebell by the 

horns, positioned close to your chest. Slip 

your elbows between your knees as you 

drop down into the deep squat position. 

Ensure your knees extend out in the same 

direction as your toes, which should be 

pointed out slightly. 

38 


SUPERSET 2 

form check: 

Are you stabilising your body by 

contracting your core and engaging 

the glute of your stabilising leg as you 

kick back? 

form check: 

Is the foot of the lifted 

leg pointing down 

throughout the leg lift? 

day 1 

THE WORKOUT 

SUPERSET 1 

A. High step-up 

B. Goblet squats 

SUPERSET 2 

A. Cable kickback 

B. Side-lying leg lifts 

SETS / REPS 

3 / 1 minute 

3 / 15 per leg 

SUPERSET 3 

A. Goblet reverse 3 / 15 per leg 

lunge 

B. Single-leg leg extensions 

Takeabreak of 30 seconds between 

sets, and 

no more than 90 seconds 

between 

supersets. 

CABLE KICKBACK 

THE MOVE: Attach an ankle cuff to a low pulley 

and strap it to one ankle. Extend that leg straight 

back by engaging your glute on that side. 

Complete the reps on one side before swapping. 

GOBLET REVERSE LUNGE 

THE MOVE: Hold the kettlebell by the horns, 

positioned close to your chest. Take a big step back 

with one leg while bending the supporting leg. 

Descend until the knee of your rear leg is just above 

 

with the other leg in an alternating fashion. 

SIDE-LYING LEG LIFT 

THE MOVE: Lie on your side and support 

your head – keep your spine and neck 

aligned. Lift your top leg up and down for the 

required reps, then swap sides and repeat. 

SINGLE-LEG LEG EXTENSION 

THE MOVE: Place both legs under the 

padded lever, with your knees aligned to the 

pivot point. Extend the knee of one leg to 

raise the padded support upward. Complete 

all the reps on that leg before swapping over. 

KARIEN 

VAN DER WAL 

OUT OF THE 

GYM: 

I believe being 

fit has to be a 

lifestyle choice. 

It’s not only about 

looking good in a 

bikini, it’s about enjoying life to 

the full and improving your quality 

of life. It’s about appreciating your 

body and what it’s capable of doing by 

taking care of it and respecting it. 

form check: 

Is your torso upright and your head 

facing forward in the deep lunge 

position? 

CLEAN EATING FAVOURITES: 

I love my ‘oats-and-egg’ breakfast 

flapjacks. Mix 2 eggs and half a cup 

of raw oats together and cook them 

like a normal flapjack. Sometimes I 

add a scoop of whey and a bit of milk 

for flavour. 

CHEAT MEAL FAVES: 

A Woolies tub of ice-cream with 

Astros and chocolate sauce. 

form check: 

Keep the tension on the muscle by 

not allowing the plates in the stack to 

touch at the lowest point of the lift. 

SUPERSET 3 

FITNESS PHILOSOPHY: 

Keep your heart big, 

your soul bright, and 

your ass tight! 

FAVOURITE WORKOUT 

FINISHER: 

Walking lunges across the length 

of the gym. Do them at a fast pace, 

carrying two 10kg plates. It’s an 

amazing finisher to help shape 

glutes, hammies and quads! 

 

39

day 2 

HAMSTRINGS 

& GLUTES 

SUPERSET 1 

STABILITY BALL LEG CURLS 

THE MOVE: Lie on your back, with both heels 

 

towards you by bending your knees and pulling the 

ball in toward your body. 

 

hile the fun factor is 

Wcertainly important, 

you also want someone 

who gets serious when it’s 

time to get the work done. 

 

partner are also backed by 

research, with new evidence 

suggesting that a competitive 

training environment is more 

conducive to goal attainment 

than one where social support 

is the dominant group 

dynamic. 

The study, which was 

published in the journal 

 

put almost 800 students at 

the University of Pennsylvania 

through an 11-week exercise 

programme that included 

running, spinning, yoga, 

BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUATS 

THE MOVE: Extend one leg back and place that foot on the 

bench to assume a split stance position. Lower your hips until the 

 

and hip to return to the upright position. 

Pilates and weightlifting. 

In the groups where the 

dynamic was competitive, 

participants worked out more 

across the board, attending 

90% more classes than those 

in social groups, or those 

who trained in isolation. 

Interestingly, participants also 

tended to exercise far less 

while in the social groups than 

form check: 

Is your knee extending forward in 

the same direction as your toes? 

Don’t allow your leg to fall inward 

as you descend. 

they did while in competitive 

groups or alone. 

And don’t forget, knowing 

there’s someone waiting for 

you at the gym also means 

you’ll be less likely to skip out 

on training, especially those 

hard high-intensity sessions 

that deliver the best results, 

like this glutes and legs 

workout! 

40 


form check: 

Are you using your hips to propel the 

kettlebell up? Don’t allow your arms to 

lead the movement. 

day 2 

THE WORKOUT 

SAFETY TIP: 

IF YOU LACK 

THE MOBILITY 

 

 

A DEFICIT 

DEADLIFT WITH 

 

 

 

STIFF-LEGGED 

DEADLIFT. 

SUPERSET 1 

SETS / REPS 

A. Stability ball leg curls 3/20reps 

B. Bulgarian split squats 3 / 10 reps per side 

SUPERSET 2 

A. 

 

B. Kettlebell swings 

3 / 1 minute 

SUPERSET 3 

A. Bird-dog 

B. Floor jacks 

3 / 1 minute 

SUPERSET 2 

Take a break of 30 seconds between sets, and 

no more than 90 seconds between supersets. 

ROMANIAN DEADLIFTS 

FROM DEFICIT 

THE MOVE: Stand on a step holding 

the barbell. Lower the weight down 

 

Lower the weight as low as you can while 

maintaining a slight bend in your knees. 

Contract your glutes forcefully to return 

to starting position and repeat. 

WHY USE A 

DEFICIT? 

Working from a 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KETTLEBELL SWING 

THE MOVE: Contract your glutes and 

hamstrings forcefully to drive your 

hips forward and use this momentum 

to drive the kettlebell up and forward 

into the swing. Let the kettlebell 

glide up naturally, then let it fall back 

between your legs before repeating 

the movement. 

a competitive 

training 

environment is 

more conducive 

to goal 

attainment 

BIRD-DOG 

THE MOVE: Kneel on a mat and 

place your hands directly beneath your 

shoulders to form a table-top starting 

position. Extend one leg behind you 

while reaching the opposite arm forward, 

ensuring that your hips and shoulders 

remain square and that your lower back 

doesn’t arch. Hold for a count, then 

return to the starting position and repeat 

the move on the opposite side. 

form check: 

Are your legs straight and 

knees extended? 

SUPERSET 3 

FLOOR JACKS 

THE MOVE: Lie face down on a mat with 

your arms extended in front of you and 

your legs outstretched. Simultaneously 

lift your legs and arms up and out to form 

 

jack (but without the jump). As your legs 

move apart, contract your glutes. Lower 

your legs and arms back down, but don’t 

allow them to touch the ground until all 

the reps have been completed. 

 

41

day 3 

THE WORKOUT 

SUPERSET 1 SETS / REPS 

A. Kneeling squats 

B. Pause back squat 3/12reps 

SUPERSET 2 

A. Barbell hip thrust 

with calf raises 

B. Band seated hip 

abduction 

3/15reps 

SUPERSET 1 

form check: 

Is your chest up and open 

with your head, neck and 

back in alignment? 

KNEELING SQUATS 

THE MOVE: With a loaded bar on your shoulders, 

kneel down until your glutes touch your calves. 

 

return to the upright position. 

form check: 

Does your head 

remain up, with 

your gaze looking 

forward during the 

exercise? 

SUPERSET 3 

A. Standing calf 

raises 

B. Seated calf raises 

3/15reps 

Take a break of 30 seconds 

between sets, and no more 

than 90 seconds between 

supersets. 

VICTORI 

IA 

SETHAB 

ELA 

OUT OF THE 

GYM: 

There’s so much that can be done 

outside the gym. Going for occasional 

walks, eating healthily, playing 

sports... The gym shouldn’t be the 

only place you maintain the fitness 

lifestyle. I play field hockey on 

weekends to keep fit and in shape 

when I’m outside the gym. 

CLEAN EATING FAVOURITES: 

Oats, fish, sodium-free and sugar-free 

peanut butter. 

CHEAT MEAL FAVES: 

Sushi, pizza, cheesecake, malva 

pudding, jelly babies, chips, ribs, 

bread with ‘normal’ crunchy peanut 

butter. 

FITNESS PHILOSOPHY: 

Success is about hard 

work, dedication, 

discipline and 

consistency. 

FAVOURITE WORKOUT 

FINISHER: 

I love ending off a workout with 

incline walking on the treadmill and 

a good power ab workout. 

BARBELL HIP 

THRUST WITH 

CALF RAISES 

THE MOVE: Lie on a 

mat with a loaded barbell 

placed across your hips. 

Bend your knees and 

place your feet close to 

your glutes. Engage your 

glutes as you thrust your 

hips upwards. Pause in the 

top position, then raise 

 

perform a calf raise. 

SUPERSET 2 

PAUSE BACK SQUAT 

THE MOVE: Perform a normal weighted back squat by 

hinging at your hips and pushing your glutes back to descend 

down. At the bottom position pause for a count of two 

seconds before extending back up. 

BAND SEATED 

HIP ABDUCTION 

THE MOVE: While sitting 

on a chair or bench, 

place both feet inside a 

looped band. Position 

the band just below your 

knees. Extend your legs 

out to the side in a slow 

and controlled motion. 

 

to the starting position 

under control and repeat 

for the required reps. 

form check: 

Are you driving through your 

heels as you raise your hips 

 

42 


day 3 

GLUTES & 

CALVES 

SUPERSET 3 

STANDING CALF RAISES 

THE MOVE: Stand upright with a 

 

 

possible by extending your ankles. 

Hold for a count before lowering your 

 

SEATED CALF RAISES 

THE MOVE: Sit in the chair 

and place your knees under the 

padded supports. Lower your 

heels below the platform and then 

extend your ankles to raise your 

heels up high. 

m 

eky 

 

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training with a 

partner removes the 

monotony of regular 

training sessions

livestrong 

Ladies, don’t be 

intimidated by 

barbell squats, 

deadlifts and heavy 

lunges. 

These bad boys of 

the gym room are 

what will get your 

legs screaming for 

a pair of hot pants. 

THE REAL 

THIGH MASTER 

In my experience, the subject of leg training has to become an 

inquisition that is cross examined, researched, studied and debated 

more regularly than any other training and exercise related topic. So 

 

 

Ten out 

of 10 women 

are unhappy 

with their 

physiques. 

Ten out of 10 women 

are unhappy with 

their physiques. 

More importantly, most, if 

not all, are morose about 

the current state of their 

legs. As a coach, day in and 

day out, I’m confronted 

with the challenge of ‘shape 

shifting the shanks’, because 

our limbs are either too big, 

too shapeless or too skinny. 

Men will agree with me 

here – women are hard to 

please. Try telling a woman 

that in order to make a 

positive physical change, we 

need to at least fondle with 

the idea of lifting weights. 

The majority of women will 

admit that shapely, strong 

legs are the way forward, 

especially in our quest for 

that enticing ITC (inner 

thigh clearance), which 

seems so engrossing to the 

Instagram-crazed cohort of 

the female population at 

present. 

Unfortunately the common 

denominator among South 

African women tends to be, 

statistically speaking, bulky 

legs, which aren’t conducive 

to the attainment of ITC. 

These ‘hefty’ legs are a 

result of numerous factors, 

the most important of 

which is diet. However, this 

article is not about nutrition, 

despite the fact that 80% 

of the changes you hope 

to make in this regard will 

be predicated on what you 

put into your mouth. The 

other factors affecting your 

leg size include oestrogen 

retention, your genes, and 

exercise (or lack thereof). 

While these factors may 

be the cause of your leg 

dilemma, we can certainly 

do something to adjust 

the ultimate outcome. This 

article will therefore focus 

on the factor that we have 

the most control over – 

exercise. Ninety percent of 

the women I train naturally 

lack any discernible leg 

development, which is why 

we need to acknowledge 

that lower body training 

can have a dramatic effect 

on our overall physiques. 

Power, after all, is 

developed from the ground 

up. 

IMAGE BY GIANCARLO BIANCHI PHOTOGRAPHY 

LIVE STRONG, By Lil Bianchi Kimble, 

head coach & owner of OTG Athletic. 

World Champion powerlifter, deadlift 

world record holder and addict of 

defying the human condition. 

squat variations for shapelier legs 

THE DUMBBELL 

BOX SQUAT 

THE HACK 

SQUAT 

THE GOBLET 

SQUAT 

THE FRONT 

SQUAT 

THE OVERHEAD 

SQUAT 

THE DUMBBELL 

FARMER’S SQUAT 

THE SINGLE LEG/ 

PISTOL SQUAT 

44 


BIG EXERCISES 

YIELD BIG 

RESULTS 

EXERCISES SUCH 

AS SQUATS AND 

DEADLIFTS WILL 

GENERATE MORE 

OVERALL BODY 

STRENGTH THAN 

ANY OTHER 

EXERCISE THERE 

IS. Not only do 

they build a strong 

foundation of 

strength, but they 

also develop a 

powerful base for 

unilateral training, 

which includes 

exercises such as 

lunges and singleleg 

variations 

that are key to 

developing shapely 

legs. 

To make the 

changes you seek, 

your body must 

also be ‘stressed’. 

Muscle demands 

intensive hard 

work. This level of 

work requires you 

to challenge your 

legs and overcome 

your physical 

strength limitations 

to drive adaptation. 

These core 

exercises (squats 

and deadlifts), 

including their 

various variations 

such as front 

squats, Zercher 

squats, split squats, 

and stiff-legged 

deadlifts, should 

constitute the meat 

of your lowerbody 

sessions, 

with auxiliary work 

from single-leg 

exercises like the 

lunge and all its 

variations, singleleg 

deadlifts and 

its equivalents, and 

step-ups and skater 

squats. These are 

just a few of the 

exercises and their 

alternatives that will 

lay the groundwork 

for building great 

legs. 

So step off the 

machines, select 

heavier weights, 

and start pushing 

your boundaries. 

Basically, look 

around you and 

notice what 

everyone else is 

doing in your local 

gym, then do the 

opposite. If you 

want to change 

your body, you 

need to challenge 

it. Simple! Coupling 

your cardio with 

some high kicks, 

hamstring curls 

and the formidable 

‘yes-no’ machine 

is going to get 

you that ITC in the 

same way a glass 

of sand will quench 

your thirst. 

Ladies, don’t 

be intimidated 

by barbell squats, 

deadlifts and heavy 

lunges. These 

bad boys of the 

gym room are 

what will get your 

legs screaming 

for a pair of hot 

pants. Including 

these big lifts 

into your training, 

and adding some 

high-intensity 

conditioning in the 

form of hill sprints, 

stair sprints or sled 

pushes will not only 

build lean muscle, 

but will also strip 

away fat faster than 

you can say “lifting 

big makes me 

bulky”. 

I’m not 

suggesting you 

load up that bar 

and attack it with 

reckless abandon, 

though. Start small, 

 

coach and test 

your limits safely. 

Deadlifting, 

squatting, and 

lunging with heavy 

kettlebells in a low 

rep range is a great 

start. Build up from 

there and advance 

your repertoire 

under the correct 

guidance. 

Ultimately your 

rate and degree 

of progress will lie 

in the improved 

strength capacity 

you create, which 

will enable you to 

train at a higher 

intensity as your 

neural drive and 

nervous system 

adapt in response 

to the increased 

workload. 

Women should 

no longer be 

subjected to 

the ‘yes-no’ 

machines, ab 

classes, stomach 

crunches and 

butt blasters. 

Shapely legs, 

whatever that 

may mean to you, 

are crafted using 

the fundamental 

exercises I have 

mentioned and 

by sticking to the 

basics that have 

always worked.

form 

 

SINGLE-SIDE BIRD DOG 

Have you mastered the plank? 

What about the 3-point plank? Well then, 

we’ve got the next core-busting move that 

will improve your strength and stability, 

and build even better abs. 

HIPS: Keep your hips 

square and level – do not allow 

them to rotate to one side to 

compensate. 

BACK: Keep your 

spine and neck in a 

neutral position. Do 

not arch your lower 

back. 

SHOULDERS: Keep 

your shoulders square 

and parallel to the 

Do not allow the 

shoulders to tilt up to 

one side (usually the 

side of the 

raised arm). 

LEFT ARM: Reach 

your left arm up 

and forward, until 

it is at or near 

 

HEAD AND NECK: 

Maintain alignment in 

your head, neck and 

spine, with your gaze 

 

LEFT LEG: Extend 

your left leg straight back 

and up behind 

you, until it is at or near 

 

the leg above hip height. 

ABDOMINALS: 

Throughout the 

exercise, keep your core 

muscles braced. 

RIGHT ARM: Keep the 

supporting arm extended 

and directly underneath the 

shoulder. 

 

WHAT IT WORKS: 

This exercise targets the 

core stabiliser muscles, 

which include the muscles 

in your lower back 

(erectors), glutes, transverse 

abdominis, external 

obliques, and 

psoas muscles. 

RIGHT LEG: Maintain a 90-degree 

bend in the supporting leg at 

the knee, while keeping your knee 

directly underneath your hip. 

Performed by Nicole Warburg Dressed by Puma 

 

functional muscle activation during all 

movements, rotary stability, improved 

spinal alignment, reduced low-back 

pain, postural control, shoulder 

stability, hip alignment, shoulder 

mobility and spinal stabilisation. 

TO START: Drop 

down onto your 

hands and knees 

in the quadruped 

position. Ensure that 

your knees are under 

your hips and your 

hands are under your 

shoulders. 

TO FINISH: Hold the pose 

for 5-10 seconds once 

you’re in the extended 

single-side bird dog 

position, then slowly return 

to the start and repeat the 

exercise sequence on the 

opposite side. Complete 5 to 

10 repetitions on each side. 

CAUTION: Executing this 

exercise correctly requires 

above-average levels of 

core strength. It is therefore 

advisable to progress to this 

 

the plank and its other 

variations, as well as the 

standard bird dog. 

46 


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AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH 

AFRICA’S FITTEST WOMAN 

CELESTE’S 

CROSSFIT 

COMEBACK 

HSPU: 

Africa’s Fittest Woman, Celeste MacIntosh was 

fresh off the plane after CrossFit Regionals, held 

in Madrid, Spain, when we caught up with her at 

Jo’burg’s iconic strength and conditioning facility, The Yard 

Athletic. 

She had just competed in what is arguably the most 

competitive CrossFit region – Meridian Regionals – thanks to 

the sheer number of countries it encompasses and the high 

calibre of athletes who compete, particularly those from Europe. 

And despite the many challenges she faced on route to 

 

placing 18th overall. “That’s a seven-place improvement over 

last year, which I’m happy with,” said Celeste. 

 

second since the new regional structure was implemented, 

 

 

though, which made it all the more rewarding,” she adds. 

An acronym for the ‘hand 

stand push-up’ BW exercise. 

48 

OVERCOMING 

ADVERSITY 

However, while the result 

itself is worth celebrating, 

Celeste was more elated at the 

fact that her development and 

progress now seems to be back 

on track after taking a serious 

knock in 2015. 

 

at the CrossFit Games in 2015, 

which is the pinnacle of the sport, 

so I put everything I had into my 

preparation,” recalls Celeste. 

“While my build-up went well and 

I was feeling strong, on the day I 

 

perform anywhere near my peak. 

I realise now that when the stress 

of competing kicked in, my body 

shut down.” 

Bitterly disappointed at her 

result, Celeste returned home to 

assess what had gone wrong. “I 

began consulting with US-based 

homeopath, Dr Drobot, who 

suggested I have a full blood 

panel.” 

JULY - AUGUST 

When the diagnoses came 

back, the reason for her underperformance 

was clear – she was 

suffering from adrenal failure. “It 

was more severe than adrenal 

fatigue, or what many athletes 

term overtraining syndrome or 

burnout. My hormone levels were 

all over the place... the doctor 

said I had the oestrogen levels 

of a post-menopausal woman, 

for example. I had also failed to 

pick up on an important health 

indicator, as I’d lost my period. I 

initially thought this was normal 

for female athletes who train at 

my level, but I now know that 

it’s not, and that it should set off 

alarm bells.” 

UNDER-RECOVERY 

When Celeste and her medical 

team delved deeper into 

the cause of her condition a 

multifactorial picture emerged. 

“It was clear that I wasn’t 

eating enough to support 

the metabolic and anabolic

demands of my workouts, 

as I was training up to 

six hours a day. I was 

also pushing too hard in 

training and getting back 

to full-on training too soon 

after competitions. In my 

case, my adrenal failure was 

more about under-recovery, 

rather than overtraining,” she 

explains. 

Following her diagnosis 

and based on the results 

 

step towards recovery was 

complete rest. “It was strange 

because, other than the 

underperformance at The 

 

once I stopped and rested 

I realised how hectic my 

condition was and just how 

tired and rundown I had 

become. That’s when I started 

to feel terrible and my health 

spiralled. I was chronically 

fatigued, I had no appetite, 

 

wildly – I lost between 3-5 

kilos some weeks.” It was a 

 

says she didn’t feel like herself 

throughout most of 2016. 

HITTING RESET 

However, under the 

guidance of Dr Drobot, 

she started seeing 

improvements in her 

condition. “He prescribed 

a few homeopathic 

treatments to assist my 

recovery. 

sceptical, but I followed his 

regimen, which included 

different plant extracts and 

a detox where I had to cut 

meat from my diet for three 

weeks.” 

She also had blood panels 

done every second month to 

monitor her hormone levels 

 

was returning to normal. 

“This is the best indicator of 

progress with a condition like 

this.” 

By November 2016 Celeste 

says that she was starting to 

get back to normal health. “I 

had my energy back and felt 

I could push my conditioning 

ahead of the CrossFit 

Throwdown in Dubai. 

However, in the lead-up to 

what is arguably the second 

biggest CrossFit competition 

in the world, my training 

consisted of shorter interval 

sessions, which wasn’t 

enough to prepare me to 

compete at the highest level. 

I also arrived there sick. So, 

if I’m honest, I wasn’t ready. 

I knew I was working hard, 

but we weren’t seeing the 

results.” 

That’s when Celeste 

decided to part ways with 

her then coach, Robin Lyons 

from Opex Fitness. “It wasn’t 

for any other reason than 

I felt she was being too 

conservative following my 

adrenal issues, which is totally 

understandable as she didn’t 

want me to relapse. However, 

 

someone who could push me 

beyond my limits, and I soon 

found that person in John 

Singleton, founder of The 

Progrm.” 

Since joining John’s team, 

Celeste has been making 

great gains, which culminated 

in her recent achievement at 

Meridian Regionals. “Athletes 

need to realise that coaching 

is highly individualised. If 

you aren’t seeing results 

it may not be a matter of 

bad methods, but rather 

a misalignment of coach 

and athlete. In John I’ve 

found someone who knows 

how to push me past what 

I previously thought was 

possible.” 

NEW APPROACH 

In addition to her new 

training regimen, Celeste 

has also overhauled her 

diet, which has given her 

more energy and strength. 

“I’m eating more now. In 

fact, I now eat almost as 

much as my husband! I’m 

now recovering faster and 

my conditioning is better 

than ever. I actually have a 

lower body fat percentage 

now than I did when I was 

eating less. My moods have 

also improved and are more 

stable, and I have better skin 

and hair.” 

Her new diet consists of 

more carbs, mostly from 

vegetables, with additional 

sources like oats, sweet 

potatoes, basmati rice, rye 

bread, and fruits like bananas. 

She’s also eating slightly less 

protein, but more healthy 

natural fats. “I’ve starting 

eating a lot of salads, too, 

especially after my time 

in Spain, on camp in Gran 

Canaria and then in Madrid. 

The Spanish make the most 

amazing salads, with most of 

the ingredients still raw which 

is so much more nutritious.” 

In addition, she now uses 

Athletes need to realise that 

coaching is highly individualised 

USN PureFit Recover twice 

a day after every training 

session to replenish glycogen, 

aid recovery with fast-acting 

whey protein, and electrolytes 

 

also take USN BCAA Amino 

 

amazing – during workouts, 

and USN BlueLab Wheytella 

 

after training. I use USN 

Beta-Alanine before workouts 

as it’s a lactic acid buffer that 

helps boost performance.” 

She has also reduced 

her caffeine intake and has 

cut pre-workouts from her 

supplement plan to reduce 

the impact that stimulants 

have on her adrenals. “I also 

visit JirehClinic for weekly PRP 

and vitamin-enriched drips 

with Karel de Haas.” 

FUTURE 

PLANS 

Celeste is back to training 

six to seven hours a day, 

and aims for a top 10 

 

 

major weakness, which is my 

endurance. This seems to be 

the direction that competitive 

CrossFit is taking. With a solid 

strength base, our focus will 

be on building my endurance 

with John’s high-volume 

training approach. It really is 

another level for me, but it’s 

already delivering the results I 

know I’m capable of.” 

Celeste also plans to tackle 

a few local CrossFit comps, 

including the Battle of Jukskei 

and African Champs. A 

place on the Commonwealth 

Championships team headed 

for Brisbane is also in her 

crosshairs, having already met 

the qualifying standards in 

weightlifting – she just needs 

to be selected for the team. 

As for The Games, Celeste 

says that’s a longer-term 

goal. “While the Games carry 

great prestige, getting there 

is a massive challenge, as 

is the level of competition 

when you get there. I want 

to achieve that goal at some 

stage, but that’s a few years 

off, I think. Right now I’m just 

happy to be moving in the 

right direction again,” she 

concludes. 

Images By Ruby Wolff http://rubywolff.photoshelter. 

 

49

fit 

SLIDE IT 

OUT! 

SLIP AND SLIDE YOUR 

WAY TO SHAPELY 

LEGS AND ABS, 

WHEREVER YOU ARE 

Photography by James Patrick | jamespatrickphotography.com 

Performed by Joy Kushner joykushner 

HOW TO DO IT: 

Perform this 

workout in a circuit 

fashion. 

Complete 20 reps of each 

exercise before moving to 

the next exercise. Repeat 

3-5 times to complete the 

workout. 

Rest for 

60 seconds 

between 

rounds. 

 

1. Skater lunges 

2. Double knee tucks 

3. Reverse lunges 

4. Plank mountain climbers 

5. Side lunges 

6. Plank jacks 

7. Posterior plank to L-sit slides 

 

9. Spiderman plank slides 

10. Elbow kneeling plank circles 

11. Glute bridge single-leg slide outs 

50 

Commercially 

he Valslide 

slide.com), developed 

brity trainer Valerie 

Waters of Los Angeles, 

these discs have a slippery 

side made of plastic and 

a foam-padded grip side. 

This design lets your hands 

or feet glide over a carpet 

 

while you perform a variety 

of variations to standard 

strength exercises, often 

with little or no impact forces 

on joints. 

JULY - AUGUST 2017 | 

1 

SKATER LUNGES 

The setup: Stand with your hands on your hips 

and your left foot on a slider. 

How to do it: Slide your left foot back and to the 

side, behind your right leg. Slide out as far as possible 

while simultaneously bending your right (supporting) 

g. Slide your left foot back as you return to the 

starting position. Repeat for the required reps before 

pe 

erforming on the other side.

2 

DOUBLE KNEE 

TUCKS 

The setup: Start in the 

extended plank position, 

 

directly under your shoulders 

and both your feet on sliders. 

How to do it: Pull your 

knees in and under your torso 

towards your chest. Push your 

feet back out to the extended 

plank position and repeat for 

the required reps. 

FORM TIP: Keep your core 

engaged and don’t lift your 

hips too high. 

3 

REVERSE 

LUNGES 

The setup: Stand with 

your feet together and 

one foot on a slider. 

How to do it: Slide your 

foot behind you as you 

bend your supporting leg 

to 90 degrees. Slide your 

foot back to the starting 

position and repeat for 

the required reps before 

swapping sides. 

4 

PLANK 

MOUNTAIN 

CLIMBERS 


extended plank position 

with your arms under 

your shoulders and each 

foot on a slider. 

How to do it: Slide 

one leg in and under 

your torso towards 

your chest. Extend it 

back to the starting 

position, then repeat 

the movement with the 

other leg. Continue in 

this fashion with a rapid 

tempo. 

FORM TIP: 

Focus on pulling 

the trailing 

leg back up 

by contracting 

your glutes on 

the same side. 

HACK 

YOUR 

SLIDE 

There are a number 

of alternatives, and 

hacks, that will deliver a 

similar effect. The most 

popular alternative is 

conventional furniture 

sliders (also known as 

furniture gliders), but 

enterprising exercise 

addicts have also 

successfully used: 

paper and plastic 

plates, 

tupperware lids, 

socks 

and, in a pinch, towels. 

WHY 

SLIDERS 

WORK 

atever form of slider 

you select, this type 

of training works by 

enabling your body 

to work unilaterally 

(one side at a time), 

which creates instability 

to improve core and 

stabiliser strength, while 

also ensuring you work 

against a bit of friction 

for some resistance. 

FORM TIP: Keep your core 

engaged and don’t lift your hips 

too high. 

Sliders are small 

and portable, 

which means you can 

conveniently pop them 

in a suitcase, travel bag 

or even a work bag to 

take your workout with 

you wherever you go. 

A 

 

51

working 

unilaterally 

creates 

instability to 

improve core 

and stabiliser 

strength 

5 

SIDE LUNGES 

The setup: Stand with 

one foot on a slider. 

How to do it: Slide your 

foot out to the side while 

sitting back into a semisquat 

by bending your 

supporting leg. Slide your 

foot back in to return to the 

starting position. Perform all 

the reps on one side before 

swapping over. 

FORM TIP: Keep 

your sliding leg 

straight, maintaining 

a slight bend in 

the knee, and your 

weight on your 

supporting leg. 

FORM TIP: Do not allow your 

hips to drop, and keep your 

core engaged throughout the 

movement. 

6 

PLANK JACKS 


extended plank position with your 

arms under your shoulders and 

each foot on a slider. 

How to do it: Slide both legs out 

to the sides, until at least hipwidth 

apart, then slide them back 

together to complete one rep. 

Repeat as quickly as possible. 

7 

POSTERIOR PLANK 

TO L-SIT SLIDES 

The setup: Sit on the ground 

and place both your heels on the 

sliders, with your legs extended 

in front of you. Place your hands 

on the ground behind your hips. 

How to do it: Drive through your 

hands and heels as you extend 

your hips up toward the ceiling 

to move into the posterior plank. 

Press your chest out and squeeze 

your glutes as you bridge up. 

Lower your hips back down until 

they’re a few centimetres off 

the ground and slide your hips 

back between your hands into 

the L-sit position, keeping your 

legs straight. Hold this position 

for a count before sliding your 

legs back out and bridging up to 

repeat the movement sequence. 

52 

Note: The closer you bring 

your feet in toward your torso, 

the more mobility you need to 

execute the bridge. 


FORM TIP: Relax your head back as you bridge 

up into the posterior plank. 

FORM TIP: Keep your hips 

elevated throughout the exercise. 

8 

BUTTERFLY GLUTE 

BRIDGE SLIDES 

The setup: Lie face up on the 

ground. Place the bottoms of 

your feet together, with the outer 

sides of your feet on the sliders. 

Let your knees fall open into the 

 

How to do it: Engage your core 

as you drive through the outsides 

of your feet to extend your hips 

and bridge up. Slide both feet 

away from you, keeping your 

hips in the same position. Pull 

your feet back in. Repeat for the 

required reps.

9 

SPIDERMAN PLANK 

SLIDES 

The setup: Start in the extended 

plank position with your arms 

under your shoulders and each 

foot on a slider. 

How to do it: Slide your right 

leg out and up to the outside of 

your right arm. Slide your right 

leg back to the starting position, 

then repeat the movement on 

your left side. 

FORM TIP: Focus on engaging 

your core and using this move to 

open the hips. 

FORM TIP: Keep your core engaged, and 

maintain the position of your shoulders and hips 

throughout the movement. 

10 

ELBOW KNEELING 

PLANK CIRCLES 

The setup: Start in a kneeling 

position and place both your 

elbows on the sliders. 

How to do it: Slide one arm 

forward and then out to the slide, 

before sliding it back in toward 

your chest to return to the starting 

position. Repeat the circular 

sliding pattern on the other side. 

11 

GLUTE 

BRIDGE 

SINGLE-LEG 

SLIDE OUTS 

The setup: Lie face 

up on the ground, 

with your knees 

bent and both feet 

on the sliders. 

How to do it: 

Engage your 

core, glutes and 

hamstrings as you 

drive through your 

feet to extend your 

hips and bridge 

up. Slide one foot 

away from you until 

your leg is almost 

straight. Slide 

your foot back in, 

keeping your hips 

elevated. Repeat 

on the other side. 

FORM TIP: Keep your hips in the 

same elevated position throughout 

the exercise. 

 

53

mind 

muscle 

SHOULD YOU 

SHARE YOUR 

goals? 

BY Pedro van Gaalen 

Do you want to lose 10kg? 

Do you want to run your 

Great! 

Write your goal down, put it 

somewhere where you can see it, 

but before you tell anyone about 

it, consider this... 

THERE IS ALSO 

PSYCHOLOGICAL 

RESEARCH THAT 

SUGGESTS THAT A 

PUBLIC STATEMENT 

OF YOUR INTENTIONS 

MAY IN FACT HINDER, 

NOT HELP, YOUR 

CAUSE 

I 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This, say many 

behavioural economists, is 

often enough of an incentive 

to drive people to stick 

to their plans and see the 

process through to the end. 

However, there is also 

psychological research 

available that suggests that 

a public statement of your 

intentions may in fact hinder, 

not help, your cause. 

THIS... IS OFTEN 

ENOUGH OF AN 

INCENTIVE TO DRIVE 

PEOPLE TO STICK TO 

THEIR PLANS AND 

SEE THE PROCESS 

THROUGH TO THE END. 

54 


SOCIAL REALITY 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The theory of social reality was proposed 

in 1933 by W. Mahler, who found that 

if a person announced the solution to a 

problem, and it was acknowledged by 

others, it then become a concept in the 

brain, even if the solution hadn’t actually 

been achieved. 

More contemporary research has since 

emerged, most notably from New York 

University psychology professor Peter 

Gollwitzer, author of the book Symbolic 

Self-Completion, and a team of researchers 

including Paschal Sheeran, Verena Michalski, 

and Andrea Siefert. 

 

 

 

 

 

Published in the journal Psychological 

Science (May, 2009), the multifaceted study 

titled “When Intentions Go Public: Does 

Social Reality Widen the Intention-Behavior 

Gap?”, found that those participants who 

kept their intentions private were more 

likely to achieve their goals than those who 

THOSE WHO 

ANNOUNCED THEIR 

GOALS ONLY WORKED 

FOR AN AVERAGE 

OF 41 MINUTES AND 

REPORTED FEELING 

SATISFIED WITH 

THEIR WORK. 

made their intentions 

public and were 

acknowledged by 

others. 

Conducting four 

different tests on 

students enrolled in different faculties and 

studying different professions, including 

psychology and law, the team asked 

participants to state their career-related 

goals via a questionaire or by writing them 

down. Some were kept secret while others 

were shared and discussed with researchers 

or in groups. 

One group of participants, which consisted 

of law students, was later asked to assist with 

 

They were given 45 minutes to conduct 

research on case work. Participants were told 

to write down a personal goal for the project, 

with half of the students announcing to the 

group their commitment to the goal, while 

the others kept their goal secret. 

The students were told to work as 

hard as they could, but that they were 

able to quit whenever they wanted. The 

psychologists measured the actual work 

done by those who ‘went public’ and those 

who kept their goals to themselves. 

 

 

 

 

whereas those who didn’t share their 

goals before starting worked for the full 

45 minutes and reported feeling like they 

still had work to do, but were nevertheless 

motivated by it. 

Participants who 

 

were more 

to their 

goals than those who 

made their 

and were 

 

 

 

55

SELF-IDENTITY 

The mental process of 

... may 

even release some of the same 

that come 

with actually achieving a goal. 

I FEEL GOOD 

A similar effect was witnessed 

when researchers followed up 

with another group – psychology 

students – two weeks after they 

were asked to state their careerrelated 

intentions. Those who had 

kept them secret had done more 

work since the initial interaction 

than those who had shared 

their intentions with the 

experimenters. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

suggest that our need to create a particular 

identity is an important motivator when 

 

Gollwitzer believes that declaring our 

intentions to work hard is a symbolic act 

and contributes to the goal of completing 

our self-identity. 

However, when other people know of 

the identity goal we’re chasing, we often 

substitute actually doing work toward 

achieving that goal with the intent of 

doing the work. This is what psychologists 

commonly refer to as self-completion 

theory: 

 

 

 

 

While we all need to put in the hard 

work toward becoming, say, a competitive 

bikini athlete, the fact that we already told 

everyone we want to compete on stage can 

end up being the rationalisation we need 

to not work as hard as we should to achieve 

that goal. This mental substitution happens 

when we communicate our self-image to 

others using words rather than actions. In 

the case of sharing your goal to step on 

stage, your motivation to work hard won’t 

be as strong if you’ve already created this 

self-image through a new social reality, 

according to this psychological theory. 

This, they explained, happens 

because we all have ‘identity 

symbols’ in our mind that shape our 

self-image. Since both actions and 

talk create symbols in your brain, 

 

that it “neglects the pursuit of 

further symbols.” 

Stated more simply, the mental 

process of visualising future success 

has the ability to convince our 

subconscious mind that it’s already 

happened, and may even release 

some of the same feel-good 

hormones that come with actually 

achieving a goal. In short, telling 

someone about your big plans 

and ambitions can be almost as 

emotionally rewarding as actually 

achieving it. 

SO, SHOULD YOU BLAB? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Gollwitzer-led study, the 

researchers concluded that “the effect is 

limited to committed individuals - those 

who are most eager to reach their identity 

goals”. It is also important to consider that 

the goals used to motivate in the study 

were established by the researchers, not the 

individuals themselves, and it’s the goals 

we establish for ourselves that are the most 

powerful for motivation. 

 

 

declaration of your intent may outweigh 

the potential drawbacks. For instance, 

when it comes to achieving goals such 

 

making better food choices when you eat 

out at a restaurant, having shared your 

goal with someone you trust and who is 

willing to hold you accountable can be very 

powerful. In these instances, the potential 

consequences of your actions – or lack 

thereof – can also be a powerful social 

motivator and, therefore, an effective 

commitment device. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In these instances, when you embark on 

a big undertaking, it is probably better to 

share your sub-goals – like train six times a 

 

within the next 6 months – instead of the 

overarching goal. 

Accordingly, considering when to share 

your goals and when to keep them secret 

is not always an easy either-or decision. 

The answer will depend on a myriad 

factors, including the nature of your goal, 

the people who you plan to tell, and your 

preferences in relation to social pressure. 

What you do need to keep in mind, though, 

is that if you’re going to tell people, then 

you’ll need to ensure that this approach 

doesn’t rob you of the incentive to achieve 

your goal. 

56 


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or at the following stores: 

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FreddySA

#STRONGWOMEN 

Inspiring stories of 

transformation and 

success from 4 everyday 

strong women 

If you take a moment to look around 

 

 

may be. It’s not just your fave celebrity, 

powerful businesswoman, that sporting icon, 

 

 

what it means to be #StrongWomen. 

They’re all around us. They’re everyday 

moms, wives, daughters, sisters, and 

businesswomen, just like us... just like these 

strong fitness magazine readers... 

58 


Mariaan van Zyl 

Mariaan has always been 

tough; a bit stronger 

physically than most women, 

and this is what enabled her 

to follow her passion and 

pursue a competitive career 

as a real strong woman. 

HER CHALLENGES 

Mariaan required surgery when 

she tore off all the ligaments in 

her knee. As a result, she still 

suffers from tendinitis, but she 

refuses to let this stop her. 

Finding the correct equipment 

to train with is another 

challenge, since you can’t just 

 

right tools to condition yourself 

for her chosen sport. Being 

strong and having good skills 

go hand in hand in strongman 

competitions. 

#STRONGWOMEN MOMENT 

Mariaan won the SA u/75kg 

strong woman championship 

title at the Rand Easter show 

this year. “This is a great honour 

 

to defend my title next year. 

I’m planning to compete in 

other strongman competitions 

throughout the year, and as 

a supplement to my training 

I will compete in powerlifting 

competitions, too”, she said. 

HER INSPIRATION 

Marius Pudzianowski, Nicole 

Wilkins, Lauren Fischer, and 

Dane Lin Baily, among many 

others. 

Patience Mushaya 

Patience ditched the yo-yo diet 

lifestyle and hit the weight room 

to get results. Today she’s an 

inspiration to many women and 

helps others achieve their goals 

through her bootcamp classes. 


Finding time to exercise. She’s 

realised that one doesn’t need 

to visit the gym all the time to 

 

minutes, do a home workout, or 

even dance while your chicken is 

in the oven, it’s enough to keep 

 

amazes her) seeing how her body 

responds to her routines, from the 

simplest thing like being able to 

do more burpees weekly, to losing 

the mummy tummy, of course. 


 

is a wife, a mom to two, and a 

businesswoman. A year ago she 

decided that she was fed up with 

yo-yo dieting, so she jointed a 

gym that specialises in fat loss. 

 

weights). With her dedication to 

 

unwanted fat for good and started 

building a strong body. Since 

then she’s been getting women 

together for bootcamp classes, to 

encourage each other and excel in 

their exercise goals together. 


“I follow Monika Human on 

 

amazingly strong and inspires me 

daily!” says Patience. 

FAVOURITE #STRONGWOMEN 

QUOTE 

“I can do anything 

through Christ who 

strengthens me”. 

“I psych myself with this quote 

before I up my weight game each 

week...” 

Tsholofelo Leballo 

Looking at Tsholofelo, you 

would never say that she 

was ever frail and ill. Today, 

stronger than ever before, her 

goal is to create awareness 

around health and inspire 

others to live healthily. 


Tsholofelo has overcome 

tuberculosis and Stevens-Johnson 

syndrome. After her diagnosis, 

and numerous stints in healthcare 

facilities, she focused on the one 

thing she could change – her 

 

from doing the most basic things 

like walking at pace, she’s built up 

 

her overall health and helped her 

overcome serious illness. 

HER FAVOURITE 

#STRONGWOMEN QUOTE 

From a quote by Andrew Jackson 

”She is as gentle as a 

Dove and as brave as a 

Lioness.” 


She now uses her newfound 

to 

create awareness and help other 

women and youth to strengthen 

themselves through her initiative 

‘’. She fell ill 

 

used the challenge of improving 

 

function and capacity, while 

also rebuilding her body and 

regaining her strength. 

Candice Whitehead 

From overweight mom to 

competitor and show promoter, 

 

the word ‘go-getter’. 


Candice had bariatric surgery in 

 

of her body weight. She then 

went on to dedicate herself to 

her training to improve her health 

and achieve her ideal physique. 

She weighed 92kg when she 

 

 

healthy meals and exercising on a 

regular basis. 


In May this year Candice stepped 

 

competing in the Novice Provincials 

and placed 2nd in her Bikini 

line-up. 

FAVOURITE #STRONGWOMEN 

QUOTES 

“This is a marathon, not 

a sprint!” 

“Don’t tell me I can’t! I 

will show you I can!” 

“Be your own success 

story!” 


“You owe it to yourself and your 

loved ones to take back your 

 

chronic illnesses along with the 

extra weight.” Candice is inspired 

by her family and those who 

have helped her succeed in this 

journey. 

 

week transformation challenge. 

“Take before and after photos, 

even if the changes are small – 

forward is forward! Keep a food 

diary and set training goals. Hire 

a coach or personal trainer... just 

 

 

HER FAVOURITE 

#STRONGWOMEN QUOTE? 

“Do better than 

yesterday, be better than 

yesterday, rise above 

them all.” 


Letshego Zulu. “She is a perfect 

combination of strength and 

grace. Her resilience and 

ability to keep going is hugely 

inspirational,” she says.

HOW TO 

EARN MORE 

DISCOVERY 

VITALITY ACTIVE 

POINTS TO 

BOOST YOUR 

HEALTH AND 

YOUR REWARDS 

HOW TO... 

BOOST YOUR 

BENEFITS 

South Africa’s leading medical aid 

service provider, Discovery Health, 

incorporates the Vitality Active Rewards 

programme to encourage members 

to stay active by rewarding them with 

Are you a 

member? Here’s your guide on how to 

 

Fitness trackers also measure 

steps taken and award points 

 

9,999 steps a day you earn 

50 points 

steps will get you 100 

points 

The weekly maximum goal is 900 

You can earn more points by: 

1GET A FITNESS 

TRACKING DEVICE 

Earn up to 300 points for 

every workout. Vitality 

active points are awarded 

to measurable parameters, 

such as steps taken, heart 

rate training zones, or 

speed work (a calculation of 

average distance over time 

 

These can only be effectively 

measured by using a 

 

In 

addition, if you’re looking to 

have this sync up with your 

Discovery Vitality points, 

the device needs to belong 

to the partner network. 

The following devices are 

recognised by Discovery 

Health and sync to the 

rewards system. 

100 

POINTS 

200 

POINTS 

300 

POINTS 

HOW MUCH WILL YOU EARN: 

30+ minutes of a light workout at 

 

30-59 min of a moderate workout 

 

60+ min of a moderate workout at 

 

30+ min of a vigorous workout at 

 

SUPPORTED DEVICES 

APPLE 

WATCH 

SAMSUNG 

GEAR 

WATCH 

POLAR GARMIN FITBIT HEALTH 

APP 

SUUNTO TOMTOM S-HEALTH 

APP 

iHEALTH MISFIT WITHINGS JAWBONE 

Step Tracking Speed Tracking Heart Rate Tracking

Why do I need 

to earn more 

points? 

The more points 

you earn, the 

greater the 

rewards and 

 

you receive from 

Discovery and 

 

meeting weekly 

targets you get 

rewarded with 

free coffees and 

food discounts, 

and by reaching 

multiple weekly 

goals you’re 

eligible for cash 

 

bookings, gym 

fees and even 

 

Basically you’re 

unlocking cash 

back and added 

rewards just by 

 

* The rewards 

programme is 

constantly expanding, 

so visit www.discovery. 

co.za for an up-to-date 

list of reward partners. 

3GET 

MOVING 

By attending a park 

run or Run/Walk for 

Life 5km+ you’ll earn 

 

points aren’t based 

on your heart rate 

or activity level, just 

on your attendance 

 

Attending a partner 

health club, Run/Walk 

for Life, or Preggi 

Bellies earns you 

points 

4FIND OUT 

YOUR 

VITALITY AGE 

By completing 

various online 

questions to establish 

your Vitality Age, you 

will earn 

2GET 

COMPETITIVE 

Your workouts can 

earn as much as 

points* by upgrading 

to the endurance or 

high performance 

 

is designed for 

members who train 

in peak performance 

 

it you are required 

to apply online and 

complete an eligibility 

 

 

5KNOW YOUR 

HEALTH STATUS 

This can earn you anywhere 

between 

points towards your annual 

 

(Note: Service provider fees 

 

priced separately as you’re 

making use of specialists 

within the Vitality Wellness 

 

Examples are: 

Vitality health check: Up to 

 

 

 

Vitality high performance 

 

 

 

 

points 

Giving electronic consent 

 

race event attendance 

or previous device 

recorded vigorous 

 

 

This category earns 

more points per active 

session, calculated on 

your HR and training 

 

Performance category 

has a weekly limit of 

* Check www. 

discovery.co.za for the points 

allocations vs workout activities 

300 

POINTS 

600 

POINTS 

1200 

POINTS 

3000 

POINTS 

6EAT HEALTHILY 

 

cash back at Pick ‘n Pay or 

Woolworths on a range of 

HealthyFood items, activate 

 

every HealthyFood item 

you purchase, you receive 

, uptoa 

 

 

dietician to consult on your 

 

 

You don’t ‘need’ a heart rate monitor. 

Event attendance also scores you points 

Unlock rewards 

and benefits 

The rewards programme 

will set a weekly 

personalised goal for you, 

based on your activity 

 

the goal increases in 

small increments on a 

weekly basis to keep you 

 

Maximum targets per 

week: 

Standard Vitality 

 

High 

 

 

race events points 

*requires proof of race completion 

5 – 9km walking/running event 

0,5 – 1km swimming event 

25 – 49km cycling event 


1,1 – 3km swimming event 



3,1 – 5,9km swimming event 


42km+ walking/running event 

6km+ swimming event 

180km+ cycling event 

 

up by just being healthy. And it’s not just scoring 

on savings or rewards – we feel their reward 

 

you more incentive to push harder as it monitors 

weekly activity. And after all, who doesn’t like 

hitting their goals every day? 

62 


Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18

fat 

FAT LOSS 

 

and healthy through 

the prime decades of 

your life 

IN YOUR 20s, 30s & 40s 

Oh, to be twenty-two years 

old again... Back then we 

could get away with midnight 

takeout stops after a night on the 

town with the girls, without worrying 

too much about the impact on our 

waistlines. And if we did put on a few 

kilos during a weekend away, some 

fasted cardio could quickly get us back 

in shape. 

Unfortunately, though, the metabolic 

superpowers possessed by your 20-something 

self don’t last forever, especially the closer 

you are to the age of 35. This happens for 

a variety of reasons – some lifestyle related 

and others as part of the natural physiological 

changes that our bodies experience as we 

age. 

HORMONAL CHANGES 

 

to the age-related decline in our ability to 

lose weight, or keep it off, is a shift in our 

hormones. 

Due mainly to changes in our productive 

systems, we experience shifts in the natural 

release of powerful hormones that affect our 

metabolism, and our ability to lose weight or 

keep our appetites under control. 

Our lifestyles also change. We enter 

the workplace and are exposed to greater 

levels of stress. We also work longer hours, 

with less time to exercise or prepare healthful 

meals. Then we start a family, and pregnancy 

wreaks havoc with our hormones once again. 

And then we have even less time to dedicate 

to looking after ourselves, and, yes, don’t 

forget about all the additional stress that 

comes with motherhood! 

Combine these factors with poor eating 

habits and we create a hormonal cascade 

that tends to send our weight spiralling 

out of control in our 30s. Many of us are 

therefore often left trying to pick up the 

pieces in our 40s to regain some semblance 

of health and vitality. 

However, this need not be the case. By 

simply being aware of the factors that affect 

us in our 20s, 30s and 40s, we can take the 

 

fabulous at any age. 

BY SIMPLY BEING AWARE 

OF THE FACTORS THAT 

AFFECT US IN OUR 20s, 30s 

AND 40s, WE CAN TAKE THE 

APPROPRIATE STEPS TO 

ENSURE WE STAY FIT AND 

FABULOUS AT ANY AGE. 

64 


IN YOUR20s 

There’s a reason why 20-somethings seem 

care-free – they can generally get away 

with a lot more when it comes to their 

dietary and lifestyle choices. 

You’re in your prime reproductive years, 

which means powerful hormones are 

coursing through your veins, which stoke your 

metabolism. You’re therefore less likely to add 

weight if your diet is a bit off. 

 

you’ll be able to tackle many physical 

challenges without too much fuss, or effort. 

And don’t forget that this is also the time in 

your life when you’ll have the most ‘me time’, 

which gives you the freedom to train as often 

and as much as you want. 

Just don’t let this fool you into thinking you 

can overeat and overtrain to keep your weight 

in check. The truth is that your 20s are a 

crucial time because the habits you create 

during this decade will hopefully set you up 

for success in your 30s and 40s. 

With that in mind, use your 

20s to kick common unhealthy 

practices such as yo-yo dieting, 

extreme calorie restriction, fad diets, 

and excessive or extreme exercise 

practices, and rather focus on 

establishing the healthy habits that 

will serve you well throughout the 

rest of your life. 

Another habit to nip in the bud 

in your 20s is the mindlessness that 

accompanies our attachment 

to smartphones and tablets. 

 

checking social media or 

responding to email is a 

 

Practise mindfulness in everything you do 

– modern society is already too distracted. 

You’ll derive greater joy from your time in the 

gym and the nourishment of the healthful 

food you eat if you do. 

Always remember, what you do, and how and 

what you eat during every decade will have an 

impact on the next phase of your life. It is therefore 

establish during your 20s the 

foundation 

A Spot Of Trouble 

A study conducted by the 

American Academy of 

Dermatology found that 45% of 

American women between the 

ages of 21 and 26 will experience 

adult acne, which is generally 

attributed to hormonal changes, 

as well as stress, poor eating 

habits, smoking, and the use of 

cosmetics that block pores. 

do... 

do ’t... 

Follow a healthy, balanced diet that you can 

maintain for the rest of your life. Focus on eating 

predominantly whole, natural foods such as fruits 

and vegetables, and healthy sources of animal 

protein. 

Make more informed decisions when eating 

out or when drinking alcohol (avoid soft 

drinks or sodas and fruit juice as mixers). Always 

choose the best of the less 

healthy options available. 

Drink mostly water. 

Move more, and 

more often, whether 

it’s walking, dancing 

it up, or exercising. 

Be mindful of your 

total calorie intake. 

Follow fa and restrictive eating 

regimens. 

Consume processed foods, synthetic 

 

and sugar. 

Exclude entire food groups. Rather 

understand the impact and role of each 

macronutrient and make educ 

about what, how much and w 

eat them, especially carbs. 

Believe that you can abuse 

your body in your 20s and 

reverse the damage in your 

30s and 40s! This is the time 

to build a solid foundation, 

not start your slide into a 

lifetime of illness, injury and 

poor health. 

 

65

IN YOUR30s 

It’s not uncommon to see the number on 

the scale start to creep up once you hit 

your 30s as the changes to your body and 

lifestyle become more pronounced. 

Usually, in our late 20s and early 30s, our 

 

to hold on to, or even build muscle. This 

effectively lowers our metabolism as we lose 

this important metabolically-active tissue. 

It is also around this time that many 

women today decide to start a family. 

It can often be a struggle to lose the 

baby weight gained during pregnancy, 

especially amid this metabolic slowdown 

and hormonal shift. 

However, it’s by no means 

impossible, especially 

if you remain within the 

healthy recommended 

weight ranges during 

your pregnancy by eating 

properly and remaining as 

active as possible. 

By the age of 35, 

fertility levels also start 

to naturally decrease 

and you may even begin 

entering early-stage perimenopause, 

which can 

cause mood swings, sleep 

do... 

disturbances, or even anxiety. 

Managing stress also becomes more 

important. You have more commitments in 

life, be it at work or at home, and when 

stress levels spin out of control, powerful 

hormones that impact our health and 

waistline start to dominate our endocrine 

system. When these hormones, such 

as cortisol and adrenalin are released in 

excess, our body reacts by entering survival 

mode. This generally leads to excess 

fat storage and rampant cravings, and, 

eventually, lethargy, chronic tiredness and 

mood swings as our metabolism slows. 

Eventually, in severe cases, we start 

to experience adrenal fatigue, which 

can then lead to thyroid dysfunction – a 

condition that is becoming increasingly 

more prominent among 30-something 

females these days. 

In our late 20s 

early 30s, our hormonal 

making it 

harder to hold on to, or 

even build muscle. This 

effectively lowers our 

metabolism 

don’t... 

WEIGHT WATCH 

According to the BMI 

Calculator website, a 30-yearold 

woman who weighs 

68kg will burn 

approximately 47 

fewer calories each 

day than a 20-yearold 

woman of the 

same weight. 

Evolve from the 

cardio queen of your 

20s into a lean, mean 

weight-lifting diva 

in your 30s to build 

more muscle. 

Add more protein to your iet to help increase 

the anabolic effect of your weight training and build more muscle 

tissue. Whey protein is always a great addition to any diet! 

Become a carb connoisseur. There is still no reason to go 

no-carb, but eat the right type and amount of complex, natural 

carbohydrates to aid your metabolism and maintain optimal 

hormonal function. 

De-stress, however you can. Exercise is a great stress reliever, 

and also helps to shift the hormonal balance back to normal 

by releasing more feel-good hormones and reducing stress 

hormones. 

Get your hormonal function checked, at least every few years, 

especially after the age of 35. Prevention will always be easier, 

and better than trying to treat hormonal dysfunction. 

Be too hard on 

yourself. 

Swing from one 

extreme to the other, 

be it with regard to your 

diet or your exercise routines. Consistency is the key to a healthy, 

balanced lifestyle in your 30s. 

Restrict yourself – it can be unhealthy, both mentally and 

physically. 

Consume processed foods, synthetic hydrogenated and trans 

 

Treat your training time 

as expendable when 

things get busy. Your 

gym session needs to 

be as important as your 

work meetings or family 

commitments, so keep it 

in your diary as a recurring 

appointment. 

66 


IN YOUR40s 

After the celebrations for your big 4–0 

die down, you’ll soon realise that you 

are losing muscle mass at a more rapid 

rate. In fact, by the age of 40 you’d have 

likely lost up to 10% of your muscle mass 

(especially if you didn’t follow our advice 

for your 30s), which means you may be 

burning around 100 fewer calories per day 

than you were 10 years ago. 

You also need to start paying careful 

attention to your bone health as 

osteoporosis becomes a bigger concern, 

especially as you approach menopause. 

Accordingly, at this age, your efforts in 

the gym need to be taken up a notch, with 

more work against resistance and added 

load-bearing exercises to maintain muscle 

tissue and strengthen bones, cartilage and 

tendons and ligaments. 

However, you also want to start adding in 

more cardio to strengthen the cardiovascular 

system, particularly the heart, to maintain 

optimal function as you age. 

It’s also time to make a dietary shift to 

fortify your body with more vitamins and 

minerals, particularly vitamin D, calcium and 

magnesium. For these reasons, a greater 

focus on supplementation during this period 

of your life may be warranted – just consult 

your doctor to determine exactly what is 

lacking from your diet and which products 

 

Your 40s are also an important time to 

start considering your mobility and functional 

everyday strength, to ensure you age well 

 

years. For these reasons, adding workouts 

such as yoga, Pilates and mobility work 

to your weekly training regimen is highly 

recommended, if you haven’t already 

done so in your 30s. 

No matter your current age, always 

remember that the lifestyle choices you 

make today will either slow down or speed 

up the physiological changes associated with 

ageing. Consider what your actions today 

will mean for you, your health and your 

longevity in years to come. Ultimately, 

the better the choices you make now, the 

 

well into your 50s, 60s and 70s. 

sarcopenia 

total 

muscle mass decreases 

by nearly 50% between 

the ages of 20 and 90. In 

general, a person will lose 

between 1 3% of their 

lean muscle mass per 

year after the age of 40. 

USE IT OR LOSE IT! 

Sarcopenia: Age-related muscle 

 

begin to shrink and reduce in 

number. The cells responsible 

for building new muscle also 

dwindle, especially if we don’t 

exercise or move against 

resistance. 

on’t... 

 

healthful, balanced 

diet 

Adjust down your daily 

calorie intake based on your daily 

energy expenditure, slowing 

metabolism and changing body 

composition. 

 

Get regular endocrine 

function tests to pre-empt any 

of the conditions that become more 

prevalent during this period in your life. 

Consume more healthy, natural fats in your diet 

and reduce slightly the amount 

of carbohydrates you eat to 

meet changing macronutrient 

requirements as you age. 

he cardio and mobility or 

hing. Your exercise habits need to 

change to meet the physical demands of 

a changing body. 

Rely solely on popping pills 

and mixing powders to 

maintain your health and 

vitality. Stick to a programme 

of regular movement, with 

lots of exercise and a natural 

whole food diet. 

 

67

mindmuscle 

THE MIND’S 

ROLE IN 

recovery 

BY Laetitia Dee, Life Coach | www.laetuslife.com 

WWhen I was 11 years old I was 

involved in a major car accident... 

it’s funny how your whole life can 

change in an instant. On that day, while we 

were standing next to the road waiting for 

the towing service to arrive I had no way 

of knowing that the trajectory of my life 

would experience a tectonic shift because 

of what had just happened. 

From that moment on living with back pain 

and drinking pain killers became part of my 

life. While I was still in school I visited the 

physiotherapist numerous times for treatment, 

but as I got older these sessions became less 

effective over time. 

In adulthood I became overweight and, 

in 2006, one of the reasons I wanted to lose 

weight was to alleviate the chronic back pain 

I had been living with for nearly a decade. I 

subsequently lost 30 kilos after completely 

changing my lifestyle and starting to exercise. 

Making these changes and the resultant 

weight loss provided some relief, at least for 

a few years, but I was yet to realise the full 

extent and severity of my back problems. 

From 2007 to 2014 I lifted incrementally 

heavier weights and started doing highimpact 

exercises such as sprints and box 

jumps. I was, however, completely oblivious to 

the impact that these choices and behaviours 

had on my injury and it subsequently got 

much worse. 

By the start of 2016, I had reached a 

point where nothing worked any more and 

my symptoms had become progressively 

more severe. I was experiencing numbness 

in my left leg, which was an indication of 

possible nerve impingement, so I went for 

 

decreased the amount of exercise I did, all in 

the hope of alleviating the pain, but nothing 

worked. 

I then made an appointment with a 

neurosurgeon and he sent me for an MRI, 

 

herniated and that I had a nerve impingement 

 

options: we could take the conservative route, 

namely treatment by a biokineticist for six 

weeks, or surgery. However, he made it clear 

that if my condition didn’t improve following 

the physiotherapy, I would then require 

surgery. 

 

subjects that I needed to pass with distinction 

to gain admission to an Honours degree in 

 

was not on my side, so even though the 

doctor had given me two options, it felt as 

if life only gave me one. I knew that surgery 

would be inevitable. 

It was on 18 July 2016 that I consequently 

received a two-level lumbar fusion. While the 

operation was a success, I knew immediately 

that my life would never be the same again. 

 

many of my daily routines would need to 

change, and that I would need to consider my 

back with regard to everything I did from that 

day on. 

Despite being informed about the many 

things that would change and the many 

adjustments I would need to make in life, I 

soon realised that there are things that you go 

through after a big operation that no one can 

prepare you for. 

68 


THESE ARE THE 

EMOTIONAL 

AND PHYSICAL 

ADJUSTMENTS I HAD 

TO MAKE FOLLOWING 

SURGERY, AND WHAT 

I LEARNT ABOUT 

OVERCOMING INJURY 

FROM A MENTAL 

PERSPECTIVE: 

1BEING 

DEPENDENT 

ON PEOPLE IS 

HARD 

I’m a very independent person 

and I love taking care of myself. 

Accordingly, one of the hardest 

things after my surgery was the 

excessive dependence on other 

people. I wasn’t allowed to drive 

my car or even drive in a car with 

someone else. I was therefore 

home-bound for about nine 

weeks. 

We often think that it would be 

nice to stay at home and to not 

be expected to go anywhere. 

Well, I can guarantee you that 

as soon as you’re not allowed 

to go anywhere, your home can 

seem like a prison and becomes 

a source of frustration. 

 

following my surgery I even 

needed (and was fortunate 

enough to have) a dedicated 

person who washed me in my 

bed every day. I’ll be honest and 

admit that on more than one 

occasion I cried because the 

thought of being so dependent 

on someone else affected me 

 

following quote in my head every 

day: “This too shall pass.” 

2MY BODY 

WILL NEVER 

BE THE SAME 

AGAIN 

In my opinion, one of the 

hardest things after surgery 

is making peace with the fact 

that your body will never be 

the same again. Even though 

 

even though the surgery was a 

success, your body will never 

again be in the state it was 

before it was so badly damaged. 

 

with on an emotional level 

as you still want to do all the 

things you were previously 

capable of, but your body just 

can’t do them, or at least not 

to the same degree or level. 

 

unsettling. 

During this stage of recovery 

I found that it is crucial to 

focus on the positives and 

all the things that you can still 

do, instead of only focusing 

on the things you no longer 

can. I always tell my clients that 

mindset is everything and that 

how you choose to see life is 

crucial to determining your 

happiness. 

I know this can be challenging, 

though, as even I struggled to 

apply my own advice during my 

recovery. On a daily basis I had 

to make a conscious decision 

to rather focus on all the things 

that I could still do and all the 

things that I could be grateful 

for, instead of focusing on the 

negatives or my limitations. 

However, choosing positivity 

over negativity is not something 

that comes naturally. 

3LETTING GO 

OF WHAT 

WAS 

During my recovery I realised 

that the thing that screws us 

up most in life is the picture 

we have in our head of how 

our life was supposed to be. 

Following my surgery I soon 

realised that if I wasn’t willing to 

let go of the idealised concept 

of what I thought my life should 

be, I would simply prolong the 

recovery process as I expended 

my limited mental energy, which 

I needed to accept my new 

reality. 

Complete recovery required 

that I let go of some of the 

things that I used to do 

and love. One of the biggest 

challenges was letting go of 

traditional weight training, 

because my doctor told me that 

after surgery I could no longer, 

under any circumstances, lift 

heavy weights like I used to as 

this could lead to further injury 

which may require more surgery. 

After hearing this news I had 

to make a choice: Would I focus 

on the fact that I can’t train with 

weights any more, or would 

 

training, as I had to remain 

active, and rather see it as a new 

challenge and as an opportunity 

to broaden my horizons? 

I know from personal 

experience that you 

can’t accept something 

new in your life if 

you are using all your 

available mental 

energy to hold on to 

the past. 

4 

Therewillbe 

good days 

and bad 

days 

One of the hardest 

things that I had 

to get used to 

after my surgery 

was the fact that 

some days were 

still going to be 

tougher than 

others. From 

my experience I 

can attest to the 

fact that physical 

healing is a threesteps-forwardtwo-steps-back 

process. I realised 

that the sooner 

I allow myself 

to embrace and 

enjoy the good 

days, and accept 

and deal with the 

bad days, the less 

emotional stress I 

would experience. 

5CREATING 

A NEW 

REALITY 

 

healing process, though, was 

creating a new reality for myself. 

I needed to create a new life and 

new habits that took my physical 

limitations into consideration. 

I want to emphasise that the 

creation of a new reality is 

a process that starts in your 

mind. I realised that if I can’t 

 

ways of training and new ways 

of enjoying my life, I will forever 

be stuck in the reality of what 

I thought my life should have 

looked like. 

I therefore wanted to 

write this article to provide 

encouragement to those who 

have gone through a life-altering 

event or surgery. While your life 

might never be the same again, 

I want you to know that you can 

create a new reality, and that this 

new reality can be even better 

than your previous one. 

At the end of the day it all 

comes down to your mindset 

and your perspective. A lifealtering 

event or surgery can 

either create stagnation in your 

life or it can help you to grow as 

a person. I eventually chose to 

grow by allowing my surgery to 

push my perceived limits as part 

of my quest to create a better 

version of myself. Whether you 

choose to use your situation as 

a springboard to a new, positive 

mindset, or a crutch to dwell 

on the past and lament your 

situation, is, at the end of the day, 

entirely your choice. 

 

69

suppnews 

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This low-carb, high-protein, 

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Chocolate Coconut, and 

 

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USN TRUST BAR 

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DS International, importers of 

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Fat burning hot chocolate? 

Sounds almost too good to be 

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CinoLean combines all the energising effects 

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70 


eaderrecipe 

#FitnessReaderRecipe 

Winning recipe supplied by By Elize Marie 

WHAT SHE USED: 

PROTEIN 

CLOUD 

CAKES 

A GREAT GUILT-FREE RICE 

CAKE REPLACEMENT 

WIN! 

WIN A YEAR’S 

SUPPLY OF YOUR 

FAVOURITE WHEY 

PROTEIN! 

One tablespoon of full-cream cream cheese contains 

50 calories and 6g of saturated fat. 

The calcium and phosphorous content of cream 

cheese also make it an ideal healthful food to help 

 

Submit your reader’s recipe and you 

could win a year’s supply of USN 

Whey Protein. Email 

 

FitnessmagSA and 

USNSA 

recipe and food photo! Simple as 

that! #FitnessReaderRecipe 

Did you know? 

3 large eggs 

3 tbsp cream cheese 

Pinch of cream of tartar (or ¼ tsp) 

1 stick of Canderel sweetener (2g) 

1 scoop Wheytella USN Protein Powder 

(1 loose level scoop - no more) 

1 tsp cocoa powder (optional) of gluten- 

 

2 scoops USN Vanilla Protein 

½ tsp baking powder 

1 tbsp cinnamon 

HOW SHE MADE THEM: 

1 Pre-heat oven to 150°C 

and move your oven rack 

 

2 Get all your equipment 

and utensils ready to work 

as quickly as possible 

once you fold in the two 

mixtures and get it onto 

your baking sheet and 

into the oven before the 

mixture starts to melt or 

 

3 Spray your baking sheets 

with Spray & Cook and 

 

4 Separate the 3 egg 

whites and yokes into two 

separate mixing bowls 

(make sure there is no yolk 

in your egg whites) 

5 

until soft, then add to the 

 

stick of Canderel, scoop 

of Wheytella protein 

powder and teaspoon of 

 

Mix with a stick blender 

or electric mixer until a 

 

 

6 Add the cream of tartar to 

 

the egg whites until they 

 

7 Take your egg yolk protein 

mixture and gently fold it 

 

Stop immediately when 

your two mixtures are 

folded in together with the 

 

Take care not to over mix 

and loosen the stiffness 

 

let this mixture stand or it 

 

8 Take the spoon and 

quickly and carefully 

 

onto the prepared baking 

sheets, in 10-12cm 

circles that are 1-2cm 

high (makes roughly 10 

 

with the mixture too long 

 

9 Carefully place onto the 

middle rack of the oven 

and bake undisturbed for 

20 minutes, until golden 

 

10 Remove from the oven 

and carefully lift with a 

broad spatula onto the 

 

cakes will now be fragile, 

like a baked meringue, 

 

11 Once completely cooled 

(+/- 30 minutes), place 

in an air-tight container 

overnight as this 

changes the texture to a 

more chewy bread-like 

consistency 

12 Add your preferred 

 

Prep time 10 minutes | Baking time 20 minutes 

Cooling time 30 minutes | “Curing” time overnight 

Serving size: 10 protein cloud cakes 

Following rigorous consumer taste testing 

performed in South Africa’s leading 

supplement retailers, USN released 

BLUELAB 100% Whey Protein – a 

whey protein product that still includes 

the premium ingredients sourced from 

the world’s best suppliers, with the added

Check out my favourites 

PRODUCT REVIEW 

BY SHELBY JESSICA NEVES, 2016 USN Face of Fitness 

TRUST BAR 

Guilt-free indulgence is here, all the 

way from America! USN’s new Trust 

Bar is high in quality protein, low in 

impact carbs and sugar, and with 0g 

of unhealthy trans fats. It’s available in 

3 delicious flavours – Vanilla Cupcake 

(with real cake sprinkles inside!), 

Chocolate Coconut and Peanut Butter 

flavours. The protein content per bar 

is 22g and it contains a mere 2 to 3g 

of sugar, which makes it the perfect 

on-the-go low-carb protein fix. It is 

a good source of prebiotic fibre as 

well. When you struggle to stick to 

healthier choices this winter and the 

carb craving struggle is real, rather opt 

for the USN Trust Bar as the ideal cheat 

as part of your healthy lifestyle! It’s the 

best tasting protein bar yet! 

BCAA AMINO+ 

Amino acids are crucial to 

enhance the performance and 

stamina of your muscles during 

training sessions, and for recovery 

afterwards. BCAA Amino+ 

contains the optimal BCAA ratio 

of 2:1:1 in relation to its L-Leucine, 

L-Isoleucine and L-Valine content, 

offering a total of 5g of BCAAs per 

serving. In addition, it includes 2g of 

L-Glutamine and 500mg L-Citrulline 

Malate, with vitamins, phosphates 

and electrolytes also added to the 

formulation to further enhance 

muscle recovery. BCAA Amino+ can 

be taken before, during and after 

training sessions to give your body 

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recover faster! 

BLUELAB 100% 

PREMIUM WHEY 

Since the launch of the BlueLab 100% 

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after training, and in the evenings 

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supplement 

WHEY 

FLAVOUR 

BY Pedro van Gaalen 

ltin 

category in the supplement 

market. That means margins are tight as 

manufacturers compete on price, and on 

protein content and quality. 

Consumers therefore tend to fall into one 

of two categories – those who are willing to 

pay a premium for products that offer the 

best quality whey protein with the highest 

protein content, and the price-sensitive 

 

terms of quality to afford this supplement 

staple. 

According to Gareth Powell, Technical 

Manager for Ascendis Sports Nutrition, whey 

is and always will be a cornerstone in the 

 

that practically any consumer can make use 

of it, irrespective of their goal.” 

FRONTLINE BATTLEGROUND 

However, a new frontier in the battle for 

the hearts and minds (and share of pocket) 

of supplement consumers has emerged, 

t, 

with manufacturers introducing 

major innovations in product 

 

to capture market share 

and gain a market-leading 

position in what is 

generally considered the 

'gateway' product to all 

other supplements. 

 

caught up to and, in some 

cases, is now leading the 

international sports nutrition market, offering 

a wide range of supplements as an everyday 

 

regard to whey, this is predominantly in the 

 

a dynamic that keeps retailers and consumers 

interested. This ultimately ensures that 

brands are spending money on innovation to 

push the boundaries on product quality and 

the organoleptic properties of the products 

they manufacture.” 

This view is echoed by Matthew Haldenby, 

founder of Titan Nutraceutical Technologies 

(TNT), which manufacturers the TNT Mercury 

 

competitive local whey market now offers 

 

 

“To maintain our unique position as 

a brand we reviewed consumer buying 

 

“South Africa has 

caught up to and, in some cases, 

is now leading the international 

sports nutrition market.” 

- GARETH POWELL, TECHNICAL MANAGER FOR ASCENDIS SPORTS NUTRITION 

 

purchase frequency directed towards 

 

to not go for the generic options available 

to us locally, preferring rather to look at the 

 

 

three delicious dessert variants sourced 

from Holland that we are proud to put our 

name to, in the form of Cream Toffee, Vanilla 

Caramel and Chocnut Butter whey options,” 

explains Matthew. 

And while it is physique athletes, and 

 

consumers that form the core of the 

supplement industry, Gareth suggests that 

innovations like these have helped grow 

the market by creating broader appeal to 

attract people such as business professionals, 

Flavour options have 

helped grow the market 

by creating broader appeal 

to attract people such as 

business professionals, 

housewives, 

young moms 

and active retirees.

housewives, young moms and active retirees. 

 

add in an easier to reach global supply chain 

 

materials, and enhanced technology around 

the blending process, and supplement 

brands, irrespective of their size, are now 

offering a broader range of gourmet, food- 

 

spectrum of consumers.” 

LOCAL INNOVATION 

A supplement company at the forefront 

 

undoubtedly Ultimate Sports Nutrition 

(USN). The company recently introduced 

a consumer-based research programme 

 

used to develop a new pre-workout 

product. 

 

give consumers what they want,” explains 

Donato Colangelo, Marketing Director at 

 

we can grow the industry and therefore the 

brand, too.” 

Having said that, Donato explains that 

brands often go wrong by assuming they 

 

 

 

forcing them to take what you offer, and 

that requires clear two-way communication 

Caramel Popcorn is 

one of USN’s most 

 

is part of four unique 

 

have been developed 

by the consumer, for 

the consumer. 

between a brand and th 

To open these channe 

communication, USN use 

product development plat 

consumers with a number 

tactile changes the brand w 

introduce to their whey prot 

This consisted of rigorous 

taste testing performed in S 

Africa's leading supplement 

which helped USN to develo 

r customers.” 

f 

of products that include the p 

ingredients sourced from the 

best suppliers, with the added a 

the BlueLab 

m to engage 

new taste and 

planning to 

n range. 

consumer 

a range 

ium 

d's 

peal of 

 

 

 

supplement market as there have been 

few breakthrough developments in the 

sector over the last few years. However, 

as a market leader, USN always aims to 

set the trend, which is why we chose to 

focus on putting a spin on an old category 

by innovating whey supplements with a 

 

explains Donato. 

 

expansion, USN was able to leverage 

connections with global ingredient 

suppliers and manufacturers, and food 

scientists to come up with a number 

 

supplement-buying public and really disrupt 

“It’s important to 

determine if you’re 

really giving your 

consumers what they 

want, or if you’re 

forcing them to take 

what you offer.” 

- DONATO COLANGELO, MARKETING DIRECTOR AT USN 

the market status quo. 

 

crisps made from milk solids, which actually 

added to the total protein content of 

 

supplements a new spin with the addition of 

 

that led to the creation of one of our most 

 

continues Donato. 

 

 

Cellucor recently launched a new Peanut 

 

product in South Africa. 

innovations that emerged from the USN 

BlueLab programme include Chocolate 

 

 

 

have been developed by the consumer, 

for the consumer. And the reception from 

supplement buyers around the globe has 

been nothing short of phenomenal,” he 

states. 

Other innovations helping to spur on the 

 

latest entrant into the local supplement 

market, 3D Nutrition. The company uses 

what it calls 3D Taste Technology to 

 

combination of expertise, experience, 

science, and innovation.” 

 

 

 

75

the mouth. By giving careful consideration 

 

known as salt, sweet, sour, bitter, 

 

develop and successfully apply our 

proprietary 3D Taste Technology to 

all 3D Nutrition protein powders,” 

 

of Chrome Supplements 

and Accessories, the local 

manufacturer of the 3D Nutrition 

range. The range includes Choc 

Mint, Cookies and Cream, and 

 

 

Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry. 

“All our proteins are sourced from major 

suppliers in Europe and the US, and many 

 

 

aroma houses. 

CATERING TO MARKETS 

Ascendis Sports Nutrition, which 

manufactures and distributes a range 

of brands including Evox, SSN, Scitec, 

Supashape, and Muscle Junkie, also bases 

 

company’s ranges on the preferences of 

consumers. 

 

suppliers in Europe and the US, and many 

 

 

and aroma houses. Delivering something 

new is all about asking consumers what 

they’re looking for. Once we have a sound 

understanding of their needs, we start the 

 

 

expectations. This is not as straight forward 

 

 

therefore work with them to ascertain which 

would be best, or we simply develop a 

 

Gareth also suggests that it is foolhardy to 

 

the aim of selling across all global markets 

without some degree of customisation. 

“We’re very conscious of who our 

consumer is and the differences in 

their preferences. As such, during the 

development of products, various tastetesting 

panels and sensory services are 

engaged to critically analyse and gain 

feedback on the development of the 

Flavours are highly 

concentrated, and 

they make up a very 

small component of 

item with, 

in many cases, the 

 

comprising just 2% of 

the total product. 

- GARETH POWELL, TECHNICAL MANAGER FOR 

ASCENDIS SPORTS NUTRITION 

product and to aid in improving the 

 

To this end, Ascendis operates two 

local manufacturing facilities that produce 

products for the South African, African 

and Middle East markets, two facilities 

in Australia that cater to the Australian 

and Asian markets, and a manufacturing 

facility in Europe that delivers product 

exclusively to the European and American 

marketplaces. 

76 


DELIVERING 

SOMETHING NEW IS 

ALL ABOUT ASKING 

CONSUMERS WHAT 

THEY’RE LOOKING FOR. 

- DONATO COLANGELO, MARKETING DIRECTOR AT USN 

WIDER APPLICATION 

Through these advances, supplemen 

manufacturers have also been able 

to innovate with other protein-based 

supplements. For example, Donato 

elaborates that product categories such as 

 

based makeover. 

 

great-tasting low-calorie whey protein 

 

low sugar content, which means you wouldn’t 

 

and Pink Jelly Bean. However, our research 

and development team has worked hard to 

deliver a low-calorie source of sweetness by 

 

without any harmful preservatives, dyes or 

allergens. This has made these products 

the preferred indulgent ‘treat’ for the week 

among many health- and physique-conscious 

individuals.” 

 

used in whey products are no longer simple 

 

we have a selection of powders, aromas, 

 

that offer diversity and uniqueness in their 

 

are spray-dried before use, there needs to 

be a carrier compound to ensure a universal 

 

highly concentrated, and they make up a 

 

 

comprising just 2% of the total product. This 

brings little in the way of added calories, 

which means you end up with a highly 

 

 

Gareth explains that they are commonly used 

 

 

LIMITED EDITION FLAVOURS 

Birthday Cake 

Cake Donut 

Caramel Frappe 

Chocolate Coconut 

Cinnamon Graham Cracker 

Coffee 

Key Lime Pie 

Orange 

Root Beer Float 

Red Velvet Cake 

Ginger Bread 

Strawberry Banana 

Tropical Punch 

Salted Caramel 

White Chocolate 

Pumpkin Pie 

Egg Nog 

 

 

adds sugar to their whey formulations to 

achieve a sweetness level, especially since 

commercially available, safe sweeteners have 

between 200 to 600 times the sweetness 

of table sugar. As a manufacturer, we keep 

calorie levels in check.” 

WHAT’S NEXT? 

 

on the horizon for the supplement 

industry, Donato believes that this is where 

supplement innovation will continue to 

happen. “The science is established, and 

global standards dictate what a product 

needs to deliver quality and value for 

money to consumers. Our goal now is to 

continue innovating by addressing the 

user experience without compromising on 

the integrity and quality of our products. 

In so doing, we aim to remain the market 

leader, at the forefront of setting the trend 

 

concludes. 

Gareth agrees, stating that innovation 

in the supplement industry will hinge on 

the process of reworking what is already 

available to offer something new. 

OPTIMUM NUTRITION 

WHEY FLAVOURS 

ONGOING FLAVOURS: 

Banana 

Cake Batter 

Caramel Toffee Fudge 

Chocolate Malt 

Chocolate Mint 

Chocolate Peanut Butter 

Cookies & Cream 

Double Rich Chocolate 

Extreme Chocolate 

French Vanilla 

Mocha Cappuccino 

Rocky Road 

Strawberry 

Vanilla Ice Cream 

NO BRAND THAT I 

CAN THINK OF IN 

SOUTH AFRICA ADDS 

SUGAR TO THEIR WHEY 

FORMULATIONS... 

ESPECIALLY SINCE 

SWEETENERS HAVE 

BETWEEN 200 TO 600 

TIMES THE SWEETNESS OF 

TABLE SUGAR 

- GARETH POWELL, 

TECHNICAL MANAGER 

FOR ASCENDIS SPORTS 

NUTRITION 

 

 

or a new combination that may offer a marginal 

 

the same.” However, he adds that there are 

promising advancements on the horizon that 

could change this view in the future. 

 

77

nutritionnews 

Add an Avo... 

TO FIGHT HYPERTENSION 

It’s widely recognised that diet 

plays a vital role in addressing 

high blood pressure, also known 

as hypertension, which is a leading 

cause of heart attacks, strokes, 

kidney failure and premature 

death. 

Africans (or one in three people) suffer from 

 

“The DASH diet – the Dietary Approach 

to Stop Hypertension – is an eating plan 

 

Avocados meet all 

the criteria for this diet, in that they are 

naturally free from sodium, contribute to 

increased fruit and vegetable intake, and 

are a source of potassium – just half an 

avocado provides 420mg of potassium. 

In addition, their high monounsaturated fat 

content helps to reduce blood cholesterol 

levels and lowers the risk for heart disease 

when used to replace saturated and trans 

fats,” explains registered dietitian Jane 

The SA Avocado Growers’ 

Association (SAAGA) is therefore 

encouraging all South Africans to ‘add 

an avo’ to their meals, particularly as the 

2017 local avo season has begun. 

Snack ti 

Vital Health Foods has 

developed a range of 

snacking 

options, including Vital bars 

and bites 

vitamins at 100% Nutrient 

Reference Values (NRV), and 

are available in cashew and 

coconut; almond and cocoa; 

and seed, almond 

and 

 

fitness 

files 

 

SCORE 

SPARKLING 

APPLE... 

is a new energy drink 

that contains a double 

shot of guarana for a 

natural energy boost. 

The newly formulated 

sweet apple taste also 

delivers a dose of B 

vitamins. It’s also taurine 

free, which means a 

great aftertaste. 

www.drinkscore.co.za 

5 WAYS 

CUTTING SUGAR 

WILL IMPROVE 

YOUR HEALTH 

1. Improve skin health: 

According to research, 

cutting your sugar intake can 

improve skin elasticity and 

 

2. Reduce visceral 

body fat: Higher sugar 

intakes, particularly from 

sugar-sweetened beverages, 

is associated with greater 

visceral (organ) fat, which is 

the most deleterious to your 

 

3. Reduce your risk of 

lifestyle disease and 

obesity: Sugar has been 

linked to increased rates of 

both conditions in numerous 

 

4. Live longer: Research 

shows that those who 

consume the highest amount 

of sugar – up to 21 percent 

of total daily calorie intake 

– doubled their risk of 

death due to cardiovascular 

 

5. Regulate your 

appetite: Regular or 

high sugar consumption 

can inhibit dopamine 

transporters, which leads 

 

constantly spiking blood 

sugar leads to drops in 

 

MANAGE PAIN WITH COFFEE 

Ateam of researchers from the Boston Children’s Hospital have 

found 

that caffeine can be better at reducing feelings of pain 

than painkillers or additional sleep. The study, conducted on 

mice, found that it was the dopamine released after swigging a 

morning cuppa that was more effective at alleviating pain. 

78 


These chewy crunchies are perfect for snack time, and they 

help to boost your immune system and energy levels. 

Makes 20 crunchies 

INGREDIENTS: 

1 cup oats 

 

½ cup desiccated coconut 

¾ cup Montagu Immune 

Mix 

150g butter 

2 tbsp golden syrup 

½ cup brown sugar 

½ tsp bicarb 

50g carob chunks 

METHOD: 

 

 

brownie tin and line the 

 

 

coconut and Immune 

Mix in a bowl and mix to 

 

Place the butter, syrup 

and sugar in a small 

 

heat until the butter has 

melted and everything 

 

butter starts to bubble 

remove the saucepan 

from the heat and stir in 

 

Pour the butter mixture 

 

Mix well until everything 

 

mixture into the prepared 

 

 

Bake the crunchies for 20 

 

before removing from 

the tin and cutting into 

 

Melt the carob in the 

microwave and use a 

spoon or small piping 

bag to drizzle over the 

 

Leave to set before 

 

TOP 5 GOOGLED 

DIETS IN 2016 

1. GOLO DIET 

2. TACO DIET 

3. MILITARY DIET 

4. ATKINS 40 

5. KETOGENIC DIET 

 

It’s winter, which means 

it’s time to stock up on the 

following seasonal fruits and 

vegetables... 

Fruits: Apples, avos, dates, 

grapefruits, lemons and limes, 

melons, naartjies, oranges, 

pawpaws and papayas, pears, 

 

Vegetables: Asparagus, 

beetroots, broad beans, 

broccoli, Brussels sprouts, 

fennel, Jerusalem artichokes, 

kale and spinach, parsnips, 

pumpkins, radishes, turnips, 

 

FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE NEXT... 

One of 2017’s biggest diet trends is shaping up to 

be the 80/10/10 Eating Plan – the polar opposite 

to low-carb or Banting diets as it advocates that 80 

percent of calories come from carbohydrates, 

predominantly from raw fruits and vegetables, 

while only 10% of calories are derived from 

protein and from This low-fat, raw food diet 

was created by a retired

nutritalk 

JUST 

GO! 

BEAT 

WINTER 

BLUES, 

LIKE A BAD ASS! 

Motivating yourself to 

get moving in winter 

can be quite the task, 

especially when the 

days are short and the weather 

is chilly. 

One way to manage is to take 

comfort in the fact that some good 

quality, vigorous exercise, coupled 

with loads of nourishing healthy 

 

improving your mood, focus, vitality, 

 

the winter months when energy 

levels tend to wane. 

Trust me, I know how easy it can 

be to go into hibernation mode, 

opting for a cosy blanket, the couch, 

a movie and bowl of popcorn, 

instead of a sweaty workout. 

Unfortunately, though, making this 

choice every time will inevitably 

catch up with us, and quickly too! 

It’s easy to hide under all the 

coats, jerseys and jackets, thinking 

“I’ll start again in the spring”, but 

the truth is, letting yourself go and 

 

much for your self-esteem, your 

body, or your mind, for that matter. 

CONSISTENCY 

IS KEY! 

The combination of 

‘heavy’, calorie-dense 

foods and a lack of 

exercise will simply make 

you feel more tired, more 

lethargic and downright 

lousy! 

The way to keep that 

toned aesthetic and remain 

 

these all go hand in hand) 

is to be consistent. You 

can’t just stop doing it to 

hibernate through winter. 

It has to become a way 

of life, and those colder, 

unpleasant months should 

be no exception! 

Maintaining your healthy 

habits all year round keeps 

you in check, and that way 

there is absolutely no need 

to go to extremes with 

major detoxes or crash 

diets come spring, which 

we all know don’t work 

anyway! 

Winter certainly makes it a little more 

challenging to stick to a good routine, so to 

help you conquer the season I’m sharing with 

you a few of my favourite tips and tricks: 

POWER 

BREAKFAST 

WITH PROTEIN 

Devour a high-sugar impact 

 

start down a slippery slope 

towards ravenous hunger, 

cravings, and overeating for 

the rest of the day. My most 

effective needle-mover for fast, 

lasting fat loss keeps you full for 

 

healthly fat content) and takes less 

time to make than placing your 

coffee shop order: Blend some 

pea or hemp protein powder with 

frozen raspberries, avocado, leafy 

 

and unsweetened coconut or 

almond milk and drink up. Healthy 

fats such as avocado will also help 

generate body heat to keep you 

nice and warm. 

SMART 

UP YOUR 

ENERGY 

Eating sugar-rich foods will 

spike and crash your blood 

sugar levels like crazy, 

creating hunger, cravings, and 

crankiness, even for hours 

after you’ve eaten. Create 

stable day-long blood sugar 

and energy levels with clean, 

lean protein, healthy fats, tons 

of leafy greens, cruciferous 

veggies, and slow-release, 

 

one of my favourite winter 

go-to grains because they 

are both low GI and rich in 

protein. There characteristics 

make it a great lunch base to 

add to your favourite salad or 

to enjoy alongside a hearty 

vegetable stew. 

Nutritalk by Cara-Lisa. Cara-Lisa is a health blogger, fitness enthusiast, wellness coach, and founder of the Caralishious brand. With 17 years of dance 

experience behind her, Cara-Lisa has first-hand experience in sports nutrition, body conditioning, Pilates, healthy eating and holistic living. After overcoming 

years of struggle in her relationship with food and body image, it is now her passion to help heal others. You can find Cara-Lisa’s online coaching services and 

meal plan options at www.caralishious.com. Her blog includes healthy recipes, nutrition advice, exercise tips and offers simple and sustainable ways to obtain 

and maintain lasting health. You can also subscribe to Cara’s newsletter for regular updates, recipes, and nutrition tips delivered straight to your email. 

@caralishious caralishious @caralishious 

80 


EAT BY 

THE CLOCK 

Meal timing becomes 

crucial for stabilising your 

appetite and reducing 

cravings. Have a protein 

shake within an hour of 

waking up, since breakfast 

sets up your metabolic 

rate for the day. This way 

you’ll better regulate your 

appetite, quashing hunger 

signals every four to six 

hours. Be sure to stop eating 

three hours before bed as 

this allows your body enough 

time to use up your fuel 

while you are still awake, 

and also maximises the 

amount of time your body 

has to clean out completely. 

Skipping meals, spacing 

meals too far apart, or 

otherwise erratically pacing 

meals practically makes a 

 

large tub of ice-cream 

inevitable! 

JUST GO! 

When it comes to exercise, 

much of the struggle is 

mental – getting to the 

gym is often the hardest 

part. Once you’re actually 

there you end up enjoying 

yourself, especially the 

feeling afterwards! So don’t 

think about it – don’t allow 

yourself to get into the 

mental debate about why 

you shouldn’t go, or how 

cold it is, or how you should 

really reply to the rest of your 

emails – just get into the 

car and go! Have a gym bag 

packed and ready in your 

car at all times, so that after 

work you head straight to the 

 

 

reason not to head back out 

to hit the gym. So just do it! 

TAKE IT DAY 

BY DAY 

Trick yourself! Don’t tell 

yourself that you’re going 

to go to the gym every day, 

forever and ever – It just 

sounds too daunting and 

scary. Thinking this way will 

likely cause you to give up 

before even reaching the end 

 

commit to something smaller 

and more achievable, such as 

working out for a month. This 

is a perfect way to redevelop 

the exercise habit, and once 

 

end, you’ll probably be keen 

for more! It’s all about baby 

steps… just take it one day 

at a time. 

KEEP IT REAL 

There have been so many 

times in the past when I 

decided to get a little too 

enthusiastic about working 

out. In my head I had said 

to myself: “Right! I’m going 

to train for two hours every 

single day. Then I’m going to 

barre class or practise yoga 

for an hour before bed and 

also make time for boxing, 

and dancing, and… and… 

and…” 

And how many times 

do you think this actually 

happens? That’s right, none! 

That’s because, although my 

intentions are honourable, it’s 

just too extreme. Don’t make 

the same mistake. 

Don’t expect yourself to 

go from couch potato to 

 

schedule a punishing workout 

to show the world you’re 

serious about getting healthy. 

All of that will come in good 

 

manageable and you’ll be far 

more likely to stick to it. 

 

 

CHECK 

PAGE 36 

BE KIND TO 

YOURSELF 

Don’t get tough on 

yourself for falling off the 

bandwagon. Rather reward 

yourself for the times you 

show up to work out. It 

doesn’t matter if you manage 

to do tons of exercise or 

 

Showing up is half the battle 

won! 

MAKE IT FUN! 

There’s no chance in hell 

you’ll want to show up 

if your workout is dull, 

repetitive and generally 

uninspiring. So get out there 

 

instead. There are so many 

ways you can get active and 

get the exercise your body 

needs, and that doesn’t have 

to include hitting the gym. Go 

dancing, try out netball, try 

your game out on the soccer 

 

park... do want you love and it 

will love you right back! 

LOVE 

YOURSELF 

Most importantly, though, 

don’t let diet and exercise 

become something you do 

to punish yourself or to 

make yourself deserving of 

love. You’re already deserving 

of love and you haven’t done 

anything wrong. 

Instead, appreciate yourself 

for exactly who you are, love 

every bit of yourself and move 

towards regular workouts as a 

way of showing yourself that 

love. Exercising from a place 

of self love is a way to really 

show yourself some care! You 

deserve it, and don’t ever 

forget that! 

PAIR UP! 

There’s no need to exercise 

alone. Take your best buddy 

along with you to up the 

fun and frolics. You will 

also act as each other’s 

personal motivators and 

provide a gentle yet 

effective form of peer 

pressure by holding each 

other accountable to show up 

for every session and reach 

your goals. 

 

 

 

because a healthy, balanced 

diet is only effective if your 

body is able to process the 

food you eat and absorb the 

nutrients you feed it. 

snack 

 

PICK THIS 

Instead of melted cheese toppings over 

bakes, use and or 

together and 

add as a topping after baking. 

Choose , , , 

and 

 

Use , , , 

, or instead of 

 

SMART- 

SWAP YOUR 

WEAKNESSES 

Deprivation only exacerbates 

cravings. We all know how it 

goes… you always want what 

you can’t have! So quit all the 

deprivation nonsense! Instead 

of abstaining, make lateral 

shifts by enjoying healthier 

alternatives of your favourite 

foods. 

If you love white potatoes, sub 

them with cauli mash instead. If 

death by pasta is your vice then 

try out zucchini noodles instead. 

If your co-worker’s hot walnut 

brownies become irresistible, 

keep a little ‘emergency’ 

stevia dark chocolate nearby. 

 

you will soon see 

just how many indulgent foods 

can be smart-swapped for their 

healthier counterpart. 

 

DITCH THIS 

81

fresheating 

Healthy 

HERO 

Bland and boring were 

often the adjectives 

that sprung to mind 

 

the menu - that’s until 

Paleo and Banting diets 

changed the game. 

Since these eating plans 

hit the mainstream 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to the swathes of 

Banting and other low-carb 

cookbooks that now pack 

store bookshelves, terms like 

cauli rice, cauli mash, cauli 

wraps and cauli pizza bases are 

commonplace in modern-day 

healthful eating discourse. 

NUTRITIONAL CONTENT 

For every 100g serving of 

 

CALORIES 25 

PROTEIN 1.9g 

CARBS 

5g 

DIETARY FIBRE 2g 

TOTAL FAT 0.3g 

SATURATED FAT 0.1g 

POTASSIUM 

SODIUM 

299mg 

30mg 

SUGAR 1.9g 

WHY NOT TRY... 

 

 

 

 

you may not be able to 

afford it – 

WASHINGTON POST 

GOOD TO 

KNOW... 

Cauliflower 

ranks as low on 

the glycaemic 

index (GI). 

82 

JULY - A

CAULI BASE 

VEGETARIAN 

PIZZA 

INGREDIENTS: 

 

1 large egg 

¼ cup parmesan cheese, shredded 

1 tsp herbs of choice 

A handful of baby spinach 

1 zucchini, sliced or shaved 

1 bunch of fresh asparagus stems 

Himalayan rock salt and freshly 

ground black pepper 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

 

 

 

 

the cut head into a blender or a 

food processor. Pulse until you 

 

Microwave cauli rice in a covered 

container to steam for 3-4 

minutes. 

Pour into clean kitchen towel 

and let cool for several minutes. 

 

a dish towel and squeeze out as 

 

 

bowl. Add in the egg, parmesan 

cheese and herbs, and season 

with salt and pepper to taste, 

 

Form the pizza base on a baking 

sheet using your hands to 

make your desired shape. The 

crust should be about half a 

centimetre thick. 

Pre-heat the oven to 230°C. 

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or 

until it looks slightly browned. 

 

Prepare your pizza toppings as 

desired. 

Remove the pizza base from the 

oven, add toppings as desired 

and return to the oven for 

another 5 minutes. 

Remove, allow to cool, then slice 

and enjoy. 

GOOD TO 

KNOW 

When selecting a head of 

cauliflower, look for thick, compact 

white florets. The head should be 

heavy for its size and the leaves 

surrounding it should be bright green. 

Wilted leaves, 

or blemished or brown florets should be a 

warning sign of sub-standard freshness. If 

the florets have 

started to flower, they 

are overripe. 

CAULIFLOWER IS 

RICH IN NUTRIENTS 

 

It contains 

 

 

amounts of vitamins 

B6, A and K. It is also a 

rich source of 

 

 

 

 

 

It is also 

a food that is low in 

 

83

CAULI RICE AND 

SCRAMBLED 

EGGS 

INGREDIENTS: 

1 medium to large head of 

 

1 tbsp olive oil or butter 

Himalayan rock salt and 

black pepper 

2-3 large eggs 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

 

 

pieces and trim away inner 

 

 

 

processor. Pulse until 

completely broken down into 

rice-sized granules. 

Remove any large pieces 

before adding pulsed 

 

with olive oil or butter, preheated 

over medium heat. 

Stir and sprinkle with salt. 

Cover skillet and cook for 5 to 

8 minutes, until the cauli rice 

is tender. 

CAULIFLOWER GARLIC MASH 

INGREDIENTS: 

 

 

1 tbsp olive oil 

1 clove garlic, smashed 

¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated 

1 tsp cream cheese 

Himalayan rock salt and freshly 

ground black pepper 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

 

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. 

Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes until soft, stirring regularly. 

Remove from heat. 

 

 

vegetables are creamy. 

Blend in garlic, parmesan cheese, and cream cheese. 

Add salt and black pepper to taste. 

 

Crack eggs into a bowl. 

Add a pinch of salt and 

ground black pepper. 

Beat or whisk eggs until yolks 

 

Drop butter into a frying pan 

and melt. 

Add beaten eggs and slowly 

stir continuously until desired 

 

achieved. 

Remove from heat and serve 

over cauli rice. 

DID YOU 

KNOW? 

 

 

are made using 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JULY

healthy 

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER STEAK WITH 

SPICY PEANUT DIP 

INGREDIENTS: 

 

Coconut oil 

1/ 3 cup natural peanut butter 

3 tbsp coconut milk 

1 tbsp lemon juice 

½ tbsp ginger, grated 

2 garlic cloves, minced 

1 tsp honey 

Himalayan rock salt 

Handful parsley, chopped 

1 chilli, chopped 

SPOILER 

ALERT! 

Store cauliflower in the 

refrigerator, unwashed and 

with the stem side down, in 

an open container to avoid 

moisture build up, which 

will cause the cauliflower to 

degrade faster. Individual 

florets will also spoil faster 

than a whole head. 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

 

Combine peanut butter, ginger, garlic, coconut milk, 

lemon juice, and honey in a bowl. 

Whisk until combined and smooth. 

Add salt to taste. 

 

Pre-heat oven to 175°C. 

 

Heat coconut oil in a griddle pan on high heat. 

Fry the steaks until outsides brown. 

Remove from pan, rub on oil and salt, then bake in 

the oven for about 10 minutes until tender. 

Serve the steaks with the peanut dip, and fresh 

parsley and chopped chili. 

BEST WAYS TO COOK 

Thankfully we now know that 

are 

we can prepare this 

hero ingredient. As a standalone 

item on the plate, 

seems to have become the 

of cooking 

 

 

also serve as a 

ingredient or 

for wraps, certain types of 

confectionary, rice, couscous, mash 

and purees. 

The and can 

also be eaten , either on their 

own with a dip or cut up and 

added to 

PERFECT PAIRINGS 

generally has a 

 

making it ideal for pairing with red 

meat and certain 

GROW YOUR OWN 

 

but efforts 

are during the 

in spring and 

in the right climates. 

It does to 

especially 

 

It but 

transplanting is often the most 

method to expand a 

 

It is to in 

that has a pH 

of where it 

can get at least 

sun 

ADDITIONAL HEALTH 

BENEFITS 

This cruciferous vegetable is 

said to reduce the risk of 

developing various forms 

of cancer thanks to its 

which 

is a sulfur compound that has 

been shown to kill cancer stem 

thereby potentially slowing 

tumour growth. Sulforaphane 

has also been found to 

 

pressure and 

It is also packed full of 

making it a great 

food to aid in the 

and associated 

conditions such as 

and 

others. 

 

85

fitpregnancy 

BY Giorgina Slotar, clinical nutritionist | www.tonedandtru.com 

FIVE REASONS TO 

DEVELOP 

BASE FITNESS 

before pregnancy 

Many women are completely 

unaware of the importance of 

 

 

requirement to creating the platform for a 

 

partum recovery, which will get you back 

 

1 

YOU INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF 

CONCEIVING 

 

improve your health before trying to 

 

Our 

bodies are primarily concerned with survival, 

which means that if you’re unwell, or simply 

 

becomes dealing with whatever stress it is 

under, be it illness, or fatigue because of 

poor nutrition or a lack of sleep, t n e a 

few. 

 

and well rested, f 

ing pregnant naturally 

will beco easier, provided there are no 

med 

l complications, of course. 

A 

ING PRE NT NATURALLY 

WI 

E 

ME EASIER WHEN 

YO BODY 

IS HEALTHY AND FIT 

86 


YOUR BODY BOUNCES BACK 

2 AFTER PREGNANCY 

 

 

Establishing 

 

lays the foundation of a healthy nutritional 

history and ‘banks’ that all-important muscle 

memory… think of getting into shape before 

pregnancy like a post-baby body savings 

account! When you develop a history 

 

manageable as you get back into exercise 

postpartum, and you’ll bounce back in no 

time. 

4 

YOU’LL BE ABLE TO TRAIN 

DURING PREGNANCY 

It often 

happens that ladies who were relatively inactive before 

falling pregnant suddenly get a bee in their bonnet to ‘hit 

the gym’ now that they’re expecting. This generally stems 

from the sudden concern that they’ll gain too much weight 

during pregnancy. 

 

 

train at the level you were training at before falling 

 

Therefore, if you were not training before pregnancy, 

you won’t suddenly be able to hit the gym and start doing 

exercises that your body is unaccustomed to. This doesn’t 

mean that you can’t do low-key exercise such as walking, yoga 

 

professional, but you need to be extremely cautious. 

On the other hand, if you have established a healthy 

exercise routine before pregnancy, providing you have no 

complications, you can train at a maintenance level (the level 

you were training before pregnancy and no harder) right up 

to the day before your little one arrives. 

In fact, not only will you bounce back, 

 

This 

sweat ‘equity’ you invest upfront builds 

a cardiovascular and strength base that 

compounds over time to deliver exponential 

returns much faster when you eventually 

get back to training. You’ll also be less 

prone to soreness and injury on your return 

to exercise than someone who lived a 

sedentary life before pregnancy. 

WHEN YOU DEVELOP A HISTORY 

OF FITNESS, YOUR PAIN WILL BE 

A LOT MORE MANAGEABLE AS 

YOU GET BACK INTO EXERCISE 

POSTPARTUM, AND YOU’LL 

BOUNCE BACK IN NO TIME. 

YOU CREATE THE PERFECT 

3 ENVIRONMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT 

 

 

Creating a healthy home for your 

 

months of their development is crucial. 

Therefore, even if getting into shape and 

improving your health isn’t high up on 

your list of personal priorities, it should 

be number one on the priority list for your 

little one. 

If you have 

established a 

healthy exercise 

routine before 

pregnancy, 

providing you have 

no complications, 

you can train at a 

maintenance level 

right up to the 

day your little one 

arrives. 

DECREASE YOUR CHANCES OF 

5 POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION 

Being able to train throughout 

 

 

 

 

 

The ability to train through your 

pregnancy will also make you feel better 

about yourself, and you’ll be less likely 

to gain more weight than is necessary. 

This, of course, will make it easier to 

get your body back after you’ve given 

birth, thereby reducing your chances of 

postpartum depression, which is often 

linked to a mother’s lack of self-esteem 

after pregnancy as a result of the 

changes to her body – especially if she 

has gained excessive weight. 

WRITTEN BY Giorgina Slotar, 

clinical nutritionist (Intl. Grad. 

Dip. Clinical Nutrition, Australia), 

pre- and post-natal exercise 

specialist (American Fitness 

Professionals Association), 

weight management specialist 

 

trainer (HFPA) 

For more information on how to nourish a 

healthy pregnancy, please visit 

www.tonedandtru.com to stay updated on the 

 

Nourishing a Healthy Pregnancy. 

 

87

advertorial 

WHEN SPORTS 

SCIENCE AND 

TECHNOLOGY 

COLLIDE... 

AMAZING OUTCOMES 

ARE POSSIBLE 

As a Sports Science graduate, 

and an athlete, Pretoria-based 

personal trainer Stephanie 

 

 

to deliver top-level athletic 

performance. 

That’s why, when she 

 

 

 

 

 

“I was in my third year of study 

at the University of Pretoria (Tuks) 

when I injured my back. My doctor 

suggested that I use EMS to recover 

and rehabilitate, and the results 

were amazing. I knew then that I 

had found a training modality that 

 

 

industry,” she recalls. 

Stephanie originally went for 

an interview to work for an EMS 

franchise, but soon realised that she 

didn’t want to work for someone 

else. “I knew that I could use the 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephanie then took the decision 

to skip enrolling for an honours 

degree and rather focused her 

efforts on launching her personal 

training business, which she called 

Muscle Contouring. “I launched in 

September 2014 after completing 

my EMS training through Miha 

Bodytec. I then got a loan from 

88 


 

industry as the owner of Rogue 

Kickboxing Gym in Centurion, 

Pretoria, which is also where I base 

my business from,” she continues. 

This was synergistic for both 

Stephanie and her father, as Rogue 

expanded its offering with the 

addition of EMS training, while 

Stephanie was able to keep her 

overheads low as she built her client 

base. She was, and still is, the only 

 

“This meant I had an immediate 

pool of potential clients to tap 

into to build a client base and it 

wasn’t long before they started 

experiencing and seeing the 

amazing results that EMS training 

delivers, and word quickly spread,” 

she explains. In fact, Stephanie says 

she has built her business purely 

on client referrals. 

“Word of mouth is 

really powerful, so with 

clients telling their 

friends, and my friends 

and I working to build 

my network through 

Facebook, I have built 

a sustainable business, 

with 37 clients a week 

on average.” 

With the income 

Stephanie was soon 

generating she was 

also able to pay 

I knew 

that I could 

use the 

technology 

and the 

 

it delivers 

to build 

my own 

successful 

business 

back the loan earlier than initially 

planned. “The agreement I made 

with my father was to pay it off 

monthly over a period of three 

years, but within 24 months I was 

 

off the debt while still meeting all of 

 

she explains. 

The ability to see effective results 

in a 30-minute session when using 

EMS means that Stephanie also has 

more time to train for the sports 

she participates in. “Even though 

I’m generally busy from 5am until 

 

own training sessions to improve 

my motocross, horse riding and 

kickboxing. I also incorporate EMS 

into my programmes to improve 

my performance in each of these 

sporting codes. I actually like to use 

myself as the guinea 

pig for the workouts 

I’ll use with clients 

during the week.” 

This means that 

Stephanie has honed 

her EMS training into 

something unique that 

incorporates elements 

of kickboxing, whether 

she sees clients in the 

gym or during at-home 

sessions, as she offers 

both. 

Her sporting 

endeavours have also opened up 

other business opportunities, with 

Stephanie picking up a number of 

 

 

competing against her. “I now have 

a number of Roof of Africa bike 

riders and swimmers as clients. 

We do a lot more strength work, 

combining TRX suspension rigs, 

kickboxing, medicine ball work, and 

Swiss balls with EMS to get an even 

greater training effect.” 

No matter who she trains, 

though, Stephanie knows that when 

EMS is part of the equation, the 

outcome will be successful. “I still 

offer personal training without using 

EMS, but these clients don’t always 

get the results they want. With EMS, 

though, I have never had a client 

who hasn’t achieved their goals. As 

far as I’m concerned, it’s nothing 

short of a revolutionary innovation, 

be it for weight loss, improved 

aesthetics or sporting performance. 

There is no doubt in my mind that 

it has been the key to my business 

 

she concludes.

transformation 

REALISING HAPPINESS CAN’T BE FOUND 

AT THE BOTTOM OF A BOWL IS THE FIRST 

STEP TO WEIGHT-LOSS SUCCESS 

Judy 

MANZ 

I 

Way back when 

humans were less 

evolved, eating was 

purely an act of sustenance. 

However, as our brains 

developed and food became 

available in abundance, and 

in forms that stimulate the 

pleasure centres of the brain, 

the act of eating transformed. 

We now eat for enjoyment, 

to be social and to celebrate. 

However, in certain instances, we 

also eat in response to stress, to 

appease a psychological craving, 

or to suppress emotions. And 

when we do so more for the 

latter, our eating habits often 

become detrimental to our 

health. 

That’s the situation Judy 

Manzetti found herself in. “I’ve 

been an emotional eater for as 

long as I can remember,” she 

recalls. Psychologists generally 

classify emotional eating as 

occasions when we consume 

food for reasons other than 

satisfying actual physical 

hunger. This can range from 

occasional binges during times 

of stress, or even boredom, to 

serious compulsive eating that 

can be severely damaging. 

The fact that she lacked 

other coping mechanisms 

to deal with her emotions, 

preferring to visit the fridge to 

 

escape meant that Judy was 

always one of the biggest kids 

at school. “As I got older, I 

also tended to be one of the 

biggest ladies in my social 

circles,” explains Judy. 

GIVING 

EMOTIONAL 

EATING 

THE BOOT 

Photography by Soulby Jackson 

Before 

 

After 

After multiple failed attempts, Judy started to realise that her 

diet efforts were futile as they simply targeted the symptoms 

of her condition – her ability to effectively process and deal 

with her emotions 

A REALISATION STARTS 

Being overweight for the 

greater part of her life seriously 

 

which simply added to her 

woes as she would suppress 

her negativity and growing 

sense of self-loathing with food. 

She obviously made numerous 

attempts to improve her situation 

by following various diets over 

the years, but nothing ever 

seemed to work for very long, 

or at all. “I would generally lose 

a few kilos in the beginning, but 

would put it all back on again.” 

After multiple failed attempts, 

Judy started to realise that her 

diet efforts were futile as they 

simply targeted the symptoms 

of her condition, namely the 

eating, but without addressing 

the underlying cause of her 

eating – her ability to effectively 

process and deal with her 

emotions – she would never 

succeed. 

After this realisation she 

decided enough was enough 

and began working hard at 

making both a psychological 

and a physical transformation. 

It was roughly three years ago 

when Judy began to reconstruct 

her relationship with food, while 

she also worked to rebuild her 

body, and it was when she used 

this combined approach that her 

transformation began to stick. 

TASTING SUCCESS 

“I managed to drop 10 

kilos over a period of eight 

months, and I kept it off, which 

I was obviously delighted with. 

However, then my progress 

stalled,” she recalls. At the 

time, Judy’s husband had also 

90 

JULY - AUGUST

Quick FACTS 

Weight before: 64kg 

Weight after: 53.5kg 

Measurements: Judy lost 

21.5cm from her buttocks, 

thighs and arms, resulting in 

10kg overall. 

TRAINING SPLIT 

Day 1: Glutes and shoulders 

Day 2: Back 

Day 3: Hamstrings and calves 

Day 4: Arms and chest 

Day 5: Glutes and calves 

It just takes patience – a lot of 

patience – consistency, and a lot 

of support from our loved ones. 

DAILY EATING PLAN 

Meal 1: Eggs 

Meal 2: Chicken and carb source 

Meal 3: Chicken and carb source. 

Whey shake before gym. 

Meal 4: Steak and carb source 

Meal 5: Tuna 

committed to changing his 

lifestyle and his physique and 

was working with personal 

trainer and coach Vic Alley. 

“His results were nothing 

short of amazing. I was also 

helping to prepare his meals 

and pack his lunches, which 

is what entrenched ‘clean 

eating’ into our lifestyles.” 

Judy explains that her 

husband’s success inspired 

her to change her approach, 

which is when she decided 

to go ‘all in’ one last time in 

 

body of her dreams – one 

similar to those she had 

 

magazines, but never felt 

was attainable for her. “It 

was September 2016 when 

I signed up with Vic as my 

coach, and I haven’t looked 

back since.” 

MEALTIME MAKEOVER 

Judy was soon eating six 

small meals a day, with each 

meal consisting of a source 

of high-quality protein. “I 

only had carbs a few times 

a day in the form of rice, 

potatoes and oats, and ate 

lots of veggies. I also cut out 

all sugar and dairy.” 

Soon after this lifestyle 

shift Judy came to a startling 

 

taught myself not to eat out 

of emotion, but rather to 

fuel my body.” By reframing 

food in this manner, Judy has 

developed a more balanced 

approach to eating and can 

even enjoy a weekly cheat 

meal without feeling the 

need to overindulge each 

time. 

“I simply view my cheat 

meal each week for what it 

is – a rewarding way to boost 

my glycogen levels so that 

 

these periodic re-feeds.” 

FINE-TUNING TIME 

IN THE GYM 

Vic also changed the way 

Judy trained by including 

fasted cardio sessions in 

her programme at least 

 

morning before work, with 

 

week, normally done in the 

evenings after work. 

“I started training legs 

twice a week and then 

jumped it up to three times 

a week as I felt this was my 

weak spot,” says Judy. She 

also included supplements 

into her nutrition plan, 

drinking a protein shake 

each day with some oats, 

and taking a multivitamin, 

CLA, omega oils, and a good 

calcium supplement as she 

had cut dairy from her diet. 

The most valuable outcome of this 

experience is that I no longer eat to deal 

with my emotions, but rather to feed 

and fuel my body. 

comfortable in my own skin. 

“If I’m honest, it isn’t as 

easy as it sounds when you 

put it down on paper like 

this. At times it was hard... 

really hard, but it was 

she 

states. “I have learnt so much 

through this experience. 

Most importantly, though, it 

has taught me discipline in 

every aspect of my life, not 

just in terms of my approach 

to eating. Yes, there were 

days when I craved sugar, 

but I knew that a cheat meal 

was around the corner and 

because I was indulging for 

the right reason it no longer 

felt like a vice.” 

Judy adds that she never 

thought she would get this 

far, “but with commitment, 

with Vic as my coach, and 

with my husband’s amazing 

support, I did it! It just takes 

patience – a lot of patience 

– consistency, and a lot of 

support from our loved ones. 

My husband has really played 

a big role in motivating me 

and for that I’ll be forever 

thankful! I feel so proud of 

myself, knowing how far I 

have come and how hard I 

have worked to get where I 

am now, and I now want to 

share my story with others 

in the hope that it will help 

to inspire someone else to 

achieve their dreams.” In 

fact, Judy says that she 

now gets all excited 

when people ask her 

for help or advice. “It’s 

extremely humbling 

and rewarding to help 

and inspire others,” she 

concludes.

IFBB 

ARNOLD 

CLASSIC 

AFRICA 

WHEN: 5-7 May 2017 

WHERE: Sandton Convention Centre, 

Johannesburg 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Soulby Jackson 

www.skjphotography.co.za 

ACA 2017 IFBB 

PRO RESULTS: 

PRO FITNESS: 

1. Regiane 

da Silva 

2. Derina Wilson 

3. Diana 

Monteiro 

4. Kristine Duba 

5. Nicolette 

Spencer 

6. Missy Farrell 

7. Tiffany 

Chandler 

8. Holly 

Semanoff 

9. Caroly 

Botha 

10. Sally Williams 

1ST PLACE 

Regiane da Silva 

2ND PLACE 

Derina Wilson 

3RD PLACE 

Diana Monteiro 

2017 ARNOLD CLASSIC AFRICA AMATEUR 

PRO CARD 

AWARDED 

JUNIOR FITNESS BIKINI 

& WINNER OF WOMEN’S 

BIKINI FITNESS UP TO 1.63M 

1. Micaela Markides (South Africa) 

BODY 

FITNESS 

OVERALL 

WINNER 

WOMEN’S BODY FITNESS OVER 1.63M & BODY FITNESS 

OVERALL WINNER 1. Marcelle Collison (South Africa) 

WOMEN’S BIKINI FITNESS 

UP TO 1.63M 

2. Tiana Alves Pereira (South Africa) 


OVER 1.69M 

2. Stephany Delatour (South Africa)

show 


UP TO 1.69M 

1. Jenna de Leon (Trinidad & Tobago) 

MASTER WOMEN’S 

BIKINI FITNESS 

1. Nicole Tovey (Bermuda) 

MASTER WOMEN’S 


2. Firdous Asmodien (South Africa) 

WOMEN’S BODY FITNESS 

UP TO 1.63M 

1. Hellen Costa (Zimbabwe) 

RESULTS 

MASTER 

WOMEN’S 


1. Nicole Tovey 

(Bermuda) 

2. Firdous 

Asmodien (South 

Africa) 

3. Angela 

Howden (South 


WOMEN’S 


UP TO 1.63M 

1. Micaela 

Markides (South 


2. Tiana Alves 

Pereira (South 


3. Rachel Brun 

(South Africa) 


UP TO 1.66M 

1. Shelby Jessica Neves (South 



OVER 1.69M 

1. 

Chanel Erwee (South Africa) 


UP TO 1.66M 

2. Bianca Daiubinet (South Africa) 

JUNIOR 

FITNESS BIKINI 

1. Micaela 

Markides (South 


2. Chanel Erwee 


3. Savanah-Jay 

Prenzler (South 


WOMEN’S 

PHYSIQUE 

1. Regina Jonga 


2. Lee 

Chaldecott 


3. Amanda 

Strydom (South 


WOMEN’S 

BODY FITNESS 

UP TO 1.63M 

1. Hellen Costa 

(Zimbabwe) 

2. Marelize 

Stander (South 


3. Karen de Beer 


WOMEN’S 

BODY FITNESS 

OVER 1.63M 

1. Marcelle 

Collison (South 


2. Nicola Murphy 


3. Sonia van 

Heerden (South 


WOMEN’S 


UP TO 1.66M 

1. Shelby Jessica 

Neves (South 


2. Bianca 

Daiubinet (South 


3. Savannah-Jay 

Prenzler (South 


WOMEN’S 


UP TO 1.69M 

1. Jenna de 

Leon (Trinidad & 

Tobago) 

2. Nicole Tovey 

(Bermuda) 

3. Caroline 

Deveaux (France/ 

Reunion) 

WOMEN’S 


OVER 1.69M 

1. Chanel Erwee 


2. Stephany 

Delatour (South 


 


WOMEN’S 

WELLNESS 

FITNESS 

1. Aurea Ferreira 

(Angola) 

2. Quenita Breet 


3. Carol Brooks 


WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE 

1. Regina Jonga (South Africa) 

WOMEN’S WELLNESS 

FITNESS 

1. Aurea Ferreira (Angola)

TRAINER 

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© 2017 Fiyre. All Rights Reserved. Terms and conditions.

BATTLE OF THE TITANS V 

WHEN: 2-3 June 2017 

WHERE: Durbanville, Western Cape 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Stehan Schoeman 

LADIES PHYSIQUE 

1. Annamari Barnard 

LADIES FITNESS BIKINI 35+ 

1. Pamela Stead 

LADIES BODY FITNESS 

1. Fazilin Pillay 

RESULTS 

LADIES PHYSIQUE 

1. Annamari Barnard 

LADIES BEACH BIKINI UP TO 

1.63M 

1. Rachelle Havenga 

2. Melissa Jansen van Nieuwenhuizen 

3. Jessica Wolhurter 

FITNESS BIKINI OVER 1.63 

1. Antonina Vorobyova 

LADIES BEACH BIKINI OVER 

1.63M 

1. Alethea Cusens 

2. Yessica Fitzermann 

3. Nicole Anne Halvey 

LADIES BEACH BIKINI 35+ 

1. Theresa Schoeman 

2. Marisa Jordaan 

3. Anastacia Groenewald 

COUPLES 

1. Bernadette Beyer and Riaan Heinse 

2. Nerissa and Ryan Ventura 

3. Deidre Very and Oelof Bergh 


1. Roxanne McLachlan 

2. Nadine Wales-Smith 

3. Vanessa Ferreira 

FITNESS BIKINI OVER 1.63M 

1. Antonina Vorobyova 

2. Bianca Koekemoer 

LADIES FITNESS BIKINI 35+ 

1. Pamela Stead 

2. Annelie de Jager 

3. Annebel Barrett 

LADIES BODY FITNESS 

1. Fazilin Pillay 

2. Gretha Geldenhuys 

3. Kholeka Xintolo 

OVERALL 

LADIES 

FITNESS 

BIKINI 

OVERALL LADIES FITNESS 

BIKINI: Roxanne McLachlan 

LADIES BEACH BIKINI 

UP TO 1.63M 

1 Rachelle Havenga 

LADIES BEACH BIKINI 

OVER 1.63M 

1 Alethea Cusens 


1. Roxanne McLachlan

NABBA/WFF PRETORIA 

CLASSIC PRO AM 

WHEN: 13 May 2017 

WHERE: Unisa Muckleneuk Campus, 

Pretoria 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Soulby Jackson, 

www.skjphotography.co.za 

PRO 

CARD 

AWARDED 

PRO 

CARD 

AWARDED 

PRO 

CARD 

AWARDED 

WOMEN OVER 45 YRS 

1. Jill Justus 

FEMALE SPORTSMODEL 

UNDER 24 YRS 

1. Inka Van Rhyn 

BIKINI MODEL OVER 1.63M 

1. Thato Seopa 

PRO 

CARD 

AWARDED 


OVER 1.63M 

1. Tamsyn Janse van Rensburg 

PRO 

CARD 

AWARDED 

BIKINI MODEL UNDER 24 YRS 

1. Logan Coleman 

RESULTS 

JUNIOR 

WOMEN 

UNDER 24 YRS 

1. Chandre Jeppe 

WOMEN OVER 

45 YRS 

1. Jill Justus 

2. Dalene 

Sonnekus 

3. Rita Pieterse 

WOMEN’S 

PERFORMANCE 

1. Chantelle 

Labuschagne 

2. Julie Carletti 

WOMEN’S 

ATHLETIC 

1. Riaana Cahill 

2. Belinda de 

Jong 

3. Liesl Damstra 

WOMEN’S 

SUPERBODY 

1. Irena Dorey 

AEROBIC 

FITNESS 

1. Robyn Rose 

Schoeman 

2. Sandra Bosman 

FEMALE 

SPORTSMODEL 

PRO 

1. Inka van Rhyn 

2. Michelle 

Maynier 

3. Tamsyn Janse 

van Rensburg 

WOMEN’S 

EXTREME 

1 Chelese Hubner 

WOMEN’S 

EXTREME PRO 

1. Michelle van 

Straaten 

2. Riaana Cahill 

BIKINI MODEL 

UNDER 24 YRS 

1. Logan 

Coleman 

2. Robyn Rose 

Schoeman 

3. Elme Mostert 

BIKINI MODEL 

OVER 30 YRS 

1. Shona van der 

Merwe 

2. Amy Zinserling 

3. Janice 

Pondicas 

WOMEN’S SUPERBODY 

1. Irena Dorey 

WOMEN’S PERFORMANCE 

1. Chantelle Labuschagne 

PRO 

CARD 

AWARDED 


OVER 30 YRS 

1. Michelle Maynier 

WOMEN’S 

EXTREME 

1. Chelese 

Hubner 


UNDER 1.63M 

1. Le Che Hendry 

PRO 

CARD 

AWARDED 

FEMALE 

SPORTSMODEL 

UNDER 24 YRS 

1. Inka Van Rhyn 

2. Anel Coetzee 

3. Sabrina Ferrari 

FEMALE 

SPORTSMODEL 

OVER 30 YRS 

1. Michelle 

Maynier 

2. Emmerentia 

Rautenbach 

3. Cristi Theron 

FEMALE 

SPORTSMODEL 

UNDER 1.63M 

1. Le Che 

Hendry 

2. Louise du Preez 

3. Tanya Lombard 

FEMALE 

SPORTSMODEL 

OVER 1.63M 

1. Tamsyn Janse 

van Rensburg 

2. Meghan 

Hennessy 

BIKINI MODEL 

UNDER 1.63M 

1. Jessica Brits 

2. Rachel Chlup 

 

BIKINI MODEL 

OVER 1.63M 


2. Mikaela de Vaal 

3. Talitha Jacobs 

BIKINI MODEL 

PRO 

1. Logan 

Coleman 


3. Shona van der 

Merwe 

(Pro Card 

awarded) 

* All results and 

spelling as supplied 

by the event 

organisers. fitness 

magazine accepts 

no responsibility 

for any errors or 

omissions

TRUE STRENGTH GETS 

YOU LEAN AND FIT

HARDCORE 

REIENGINEER EVERY 

ASPECT OF YOUR BODY. 

IN CONTEST. NO CONTEST. 

BOOSTS 

THERMOGENESIS 

EXTREME CUTS 

& DEFINITION 

INCREASED 

METABOLISM 

THE ULTIMATE MAN RElMADE 

PRO ATHLETE 

EXPERIENCE 

2017 

BUY ANY USN HARDCORE PRODUCT AND WIN 

THE ULTIMATE MANIREMADE PRO ATHLETE LIFESTYLE EXPERIENCE 

WITH RYAN TERRY & WILLIAM BONAC. 

PLUS INSTANTLY WIN YOUR SHARE OF EXCLUSIVE NEW USN MERCHANDISE. 

ENTER YOUR TILL SLIP / INVOICE # AT WWW.USN.CO.ZA 

THE MOST EXTREME SHREDDING AGENT WITH 8 RESEARCHED INGREDIENTS. NO CONTEST. 

INGREDIENTS 

Per Serving 

INGREDIENTS 

FULLY 

DISCLOSED 

ADVANTRA Z ® PHYSICOR TM ZINC PHYTOFARE TM CAFFEINE ENXTRA TM VITAMIN B6 

Boosts 

Thermogenesis 

Burns fat 

while protecting 

muscle mass 

Boosts 

metabolism 

Improve function of 

the fat burning 

hormone adiponectin 

Boosts energy 

levels 

For mental 

alertness 

& energy 

Reduces tiredness 

& fatigue 

PANTOTHENIC 

ACID 

Boosts energy 

& metal focus 

LAVA X 167mg 250mg 2mg 50mg Phytofare TM 250mg 150mg 0.4mg 0.75mg 

Competitor 1 

X 

400mg 

Proprietary 

X X X UNKNOWN UNKNOWN X X X 

Blend 

Competitor 2 

X X X UNKNOWN 135mg X X X 

MANUFACTURED IN ACCREDITED FACILITIES, WHERE RELEVANT:

Fitness_South_Africa_JulyAugust_2017

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