Many of us are either truly famished or just feel like we deserve a reward after a really hard workout and end up eating rich foods and larger portions than we normally would. The end result is often eating back all or more than the calories we’ve just worked so hard to burn!
There’s nothing wrong with a small snack or a filling dinner after exercising, but before you dig in, it’s important to have a thorough understanding your body’s true nutrition needs so you don’t end up gaining weight and sabotaging your hard-earned gains.
If like me, you’re always hungry after you exercise, try working out right before a meal. Regardless of whether you ate beforehand or how many calories you burned, try scheduling your workouts before one of your main meals. That way, you can refuel with calories you would have consumed anyway, without having to add extra snacks into your day.
Try and make your workouts more fun or get me to design a program for you that will get you thinking about exercise less as a chore and more as something you do because you actually enjoy moving your body. This simple mind shift will help you eat less afterward.
In 2014, researchers at Cornell University conducted a study in which they led volunteers on a 2.25km walk, telling half of them that it was for exercise and the other half that it was a scenic stroll. The “exercise” group ate 35% more chocolate pudding for dessert than the “scenic” group. Similarly, in another experiment, volunteers were given post-walk snacks, and the “exercisers” ate 124% more calories than those who were told it was just for fun.
When you do need a snack to recover from a tough sweat session pair protein with carbs, try a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein. This will allow you to begin to replenish your energy levels and repair muscle damage resulting from the workout.
For workouts, less than an hour, keep your snack between 150 to 200 calories, try open-faced peanut butter on rye with honey, a portion of fish, a slice of chicken breast, cheese on crackers, or a handful of trail mix.
Low-fat dairy is another great recovery food with plenty of protein to help tide you over until your next meal. Refueling with dairy like low-fat chocolate milk specifically helps improve subsequent athletic performances better than traditional sports drinks.
Sometimes, overeating after exercise is more a consequence of routine than anything else. When you consistently consume a 500 calorie smoothie after you finish up at the gym, you start to get into that habit of consuming a smoothie no matter how long or intense your exercise was.
Choose different snacks for different workouts, the shorter the duration, the fewer calories you need to replenish. It’s important for weight loss and weight maintenance to get in tune with your body and learn to eat in response to hunger, versus eating in response to boredom, stress, or the idea of rewarding yourself for exercising.
Activity trackers like the Hauwei smartwatch and Apple watch have become a trendy way to estimate physical activity expenditure throughout the day. However, not all devices are accurate in estimating calorie burn during workouts. Even the most accurate trackers can still only provide an estimate of true calorie burn and it’s not smart to base your refueling strategy entirely on their calculations.
It may seem counterintuitive, but eating more throughout the day may be your ticket to consuming fewer calories overall, especially if you tend to pig out post-workout. Incorporating two to three healthy snacks throughout the day will help regulate hunger between meals, increase energy, and keep metabolism bumped up.
You may feel like you burned a million calories during your spin class, but the truth is we tend to overestimate our energy expenditure during exercise by as much as four-fold. In a study from the University of Ottawa, when volunteers were then asked to eat back all the calories they’d just burned after exercise, they tended to consume two to three times more than what they’d expended. If you are trying to lose weight remember this simple trick, energy out must always outweigh energy in.
Your number one priority after a workout should be replacing the fluids lost during a workout. Having a lot of water in the belly also reduces appetite. Try having a drink of water as soon as you finish training, being mindful that taking in too much water can cause water intoxication due to excessively low levels of salt in the body.
Talk to yourself, ask yourself if you really need to eat. You’re going to eat those calories eventually, so why not save them for your next meal when you’re really hungry?
For workouts lasting longer than two hours—like a long bike ride or a marathon training, sucking down a gel or sipping a sports drink will keep you from feeling ravenous afterward. Try to consume 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates, that’s about 120 to 240 calories every hour after your first hour. Avoid anything with protein, since it takes longer to for the stomach to digest.
Tiger Athletic is a modern, private, appointment only gym in Sandton, Johannesburg using a rigorous, results-focused methodology we are passionate about helping you be the healthiest version of yourself, so you can lead a more fulfilling personal and professional life.
Welcome to the introductory week of your couch-to-street plan designed to help you start running and stay running. In it are combination run and walk intervals totalling 30 minutes of hard work and dedication. Distance moved isn’t an issue it’s purely about the amount of time you spend on your feet. Let’s get running!
According to fossil evidence of some distinctive features of the modern human body, humans started to jog around two million years ago, A new study suggests humans may have left their tree-swinging ancestors behind because they developed into endurance runners.
Running or ‘moving fast of foot’ is a natural ability that most people learn as toddlers. As simple as that sounds, starting to run as a workout or vocation as an adult can be intimidating, even appear frighteningly difficult.
At first glance all you need is a little, ‘get-go’ and comfortable sports shoes, but as many who have tried will tell you, it’s a little more involved than that. When I stopped playing rugby in 2000 and competitive karate a year or two later, I turned into one of those gym guys that love to lift big things and hate to run.
In 2013, I had a massive health scare and as I fought my way back to health, a gym mirror severed my left Achilles tendon in a freak accident on same leg whose knee had forced me to stop playing rugby, it was very hard road back to get healthy and learn how to walk normally again but being the dreamer I am, I just didn’t want to walk, I wanted to run again.
I finally got the guts to ‘lace-up’ in 2018, the idea that I would reinjure myself and not do well at something I had always taken for granted scared me immensely, but I laced up my sports shoes and headed out every single day and did some sort of slow run/fast walk combination for about 30 minutes at a time.
Within about a month, my running periods became longer than the walking ones. By the second month, I had completed my first continuous 5km run, add a few weeks and I had completed my first 10km run, more confident in my ‘new’ ability, happy that I had turned my fear of running into a habit I thoroughly enjoy.
As a personal trainer and owner of the leading private gym in Sandton, I enjoy encouraging my clients to start running by being kind to themselves first and just enjoying the process. Gaining the mental toughness to overcome the physical demands of learning a new skill like running is tough enough without you being too hard on yourself.
I want you to know that its perfectly okay to dictate your own pace, every time you lace up and step out it’s a step in the right direction. The only thing that matters is remembering that this is for you and the result will be a happier and healthier version of you.
Tiger Athletic is a modern, private, appointment only gym in Sandton, Johannesburg using a rigorous, results-focused methodology we are passionate about helping you be the healthiest version of yourself, so you can lead a more fulfilling personal and professional life.
A plant-based diet doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. Vegetarians and vegans tend to have lower BMIs than meat-eaters, however, in America, less than 5% of adults consider themselves vegetarians, and 84% of vegetarians and vegans eventually go back to eating meat at least some of the time.
Having just one meat-free day a week has been shown to reduce risk for chronic preventable conditions including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, not to mention it may also help you lose weight.
You don’t have to be a vegetarian to love a meatless meal. Fruits and veggies are some of the healthiest items on your plate and should fill half of it. That’s where vegetarian meals come in handy. Tasty, flavourful, and meat-free, what’s not to love?
Stir-Fried Baby Bok Choy
This classic serve 4, takes a total of 15 minutes to prepare
and gets an upgrade with radishes, cashews, and chilli, perfect for weight loss
at only 138 calories!
Ingredients
6 heads baby bok choy
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
2 spring onions or 1 bunch scallions, white and
light green parts only, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
1 Whole chilli, very thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped cashews
3 small radishes, very thinly sliced
1 ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Preparation
Trim leafy greens from bok choy; chop greens and reserve.
(You should have about 2 cups.) Cut stalks into 1-inch pieces. Discard root
ends.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet or wok over high heat. Add
oil; swirl to coat. Add bok choy stalks and onions. Stir-fry until just
softened, about 2 minutes. Add reserved greens, soy sauce, sugar and chili.
Stir-fry until liquid has thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture and sauce
to a serving bowl. Top with cashews, radish slices and sesame seeds; serve
immediately.
Nutritional Information
Calories per serving: 138
Fat per serving: 12g
Saturated fat per serving: 2g
Cholesterol per serving: 0mg
Fibre per serving: 1g
Protein per
serving: 3g
Carbohydrate per serving: 7g
Sodium per
serving: 420mg
Iron per serving: 3mg
Calcium per serving: 45mg
Super Green Salad
Shaved asparagus looks very elegant, the entire meal takes
only 25 minutes to prepare, serves 8 people and this meal only packs 226
calories. This meal is low Carbohydrate, low Cholesterol, low Saturated Fat and
is totally meatless.
Ingredients
Kosher salt
2 x 500g. bunches large asparagus spears
1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
1 cup frozen or fresh English peas
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted
2 cloves garlic
1 ½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
½ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
¼ cup loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
60g shaved Manchego cheese
Preparation
Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large pot; add 1
tablespoon salt. Have ready a bowl of ice water.
Trim tough ends from asparagus. Cut 1 bunch diagonally into
6cm pieces. Shave stalks of remaining asparagus with a vegetable peeler. Add
diagonally cut asparagus, edamame and peas to boiling water; cook for 4
minutes. Plunge vegetables into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain
well.
Process oil, almonds, garlic and lemon zest in a blender
until smooth. Add herbs and process until smooth.
Place dressing, shaved asparagus, cooked asparagus mixture,
lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl; toss to coat. Top with Manchego.
Nutritional Information
Calories per serving: 226
Fat per serving: 18g
Saturated fat per serving: 4g
Cholesterol per serving: 8mg
Fibre per serving: 5g
Protein per serving: 8g
Carbohydrate per serving: 10g
Sodium per
serving: 314mg
Iron per serving: 4mg
Calcium per serving: 160mg
Arugula Salad with Shaved Artichokes
Artichoke are related to thistles and sunflowers, are rich
in magnesium and folate and this meal packs only 125 calories with a total prep
time of 30 minutes for 6 servings. This Recipe Is low Carbohydrate, low
Cholesterol, low Fat, low Saturated Fat and is meatless
Ingredients
1 cup cider vinegar
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and black pepper
8 ramps or 8 scallions (white and light green
parts only), trimmed
125ml cup mayonnaise
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced spring garlic or 2 cloves
garlic, smashed to a paste
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 fresh globe artichokes
½ lemon
5 cups loosely packed baby arugula leaves
120g cremini mushrooms, very thinly sliced
Preparation
Stir together vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, 1 cup water
and 1 tablespoon salt in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Add
ramps; reduce heat to medium-high and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain.
Process mayonnaise, Parmesan, garlic, 2 tablespoons water, 1
tablespoon of the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon black pepper and ½ teaspoon salt in a
mini food processor until smooth.
Stir together 4 to 6 cups water (enough to cover artichokes)
and remaining ¼ cup lemon juice in a large bowl. Trim about 5cm from top of
each artichoke. Cut each artichoke in half vertically. Remove fuzzy thistle
from bottom with a spoon; discard. Trim any leaves and dark green layer from
base. Rub edges with lemon and place in lemon-water mixture. Once all
artichokes are trimmed, remove 1 at a time from water and thinly
slice with a mandolin or sharp knife. Place in a large bowl. Add dressing,
arugula and mushrooms; toss to coat. Top with ramps.
Nutritional Information
Calories per serving: 125
Fat per serving: 5g
Saturated fat per serving: 1g
Cholesterol per serving: 6mg
Fibre per serving: 4g
Protein per serving: 6g
Carbohydrate per serving: 14g
Sodium per serving: 618mg
Iron per serving: 2mg
Calcium per serving: 146mg
Greek-Style Baby Potatoes
Poaching potatoes in olive oil makes for a luxurious side to
serve with a light main dish at only 368 calories and 15 minutes active. This
low cholesterol dish serves 4.
Ingredients
1 red bell pepper, halved lengthwise and seeded
4 cups olive oil
1 ½ pounds baby new potatoes, halved (about 4
cups)
4 fresh bay leaves
12 Castelvetrano or other large olives, halved
(about 1/3 cup)
½ cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
leaves
Salt and black pepper
Preparation
Preheat broiler. Place bell pepper halves cut-side down on a
foil-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Broil 4
inches from heat until charred, 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a bowl; cover tightly
with plastic wrap. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and cut into strips.
Combine potatoes, bay leaves and remaining oil in a large
pan over medium-high heat. Simmer until potatoes are very tender, 12 to 15
minutes.
Transfer potatoes to a bowl with a slotted spoon; discard
bay leaves. Stir in olives, parsley, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black
pepper. Serve warm.
Nutritional Information
Calories per serving: 368
Fat per serving: 25g
Saturated fat per serving: 3g
Cholesterol per serving: 0mg
Fibre per serving: 4g
Protein per serving: 4g
Carbohydrate per serving: 33g
Sodium per
serving: 737mg
Iron per serving: 2mg
Calcium per serving: 37mg
Radish and Turnip Sauté
This dish uses radish and turnip greens, or you can sub in
mustard greens. Active time is 15 min with 4 servings at an easy 127 calories. This
Recipe Is low calorie, low in saturated fat and meat free.
Ingredients
1 bunch radishes (about 12 oz.)
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
300g young turnips (about 4 small), peeled and
cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups chopped turnip greens
1 ½ tablespoons cider vinegar
Salt and black pepper
Preparation
Trim greens from radishes; chop greens and reserve. (You
should have about 1 cup.) Cut radishes into quarters.
Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high
heat. Add radishes and turnips. Sauté, stirring often, until lightly
caramelized, about 7 minutes. Stir in turnip greens, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt,
1/4 teaspoon pepper and reserved radish greens. Cook, stirring constantly,
until greens are wilted, about 1 minute. Taste and season with additional salt
and pepper, if desired.
Nutritional Information
Calories per serving: 127
Fat per serving: 10g
Saturated fat per serving: 4g
Cholesterol per serving: 15mg
Fibre per serving: 4g
Protein per
serving: 2g
Carbohydrate per serving: 10g
Sodium per serving:
333mg
Iron per serving: 1mg
Calcium per serving: 98mg
Spring Beets with Rhubarb Vinaigrette
One cup of rhubarb packs 10 percent of your daily calcium,
this recipe needs 35 minutes of active time and will produce 6 servings of 207
calories. This recipe is low calorie, low cholesterol and low in saturated fat.
Ingredients
300g finely chopped rhubarb
¼ cup red wine
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
Kosher salt and black pepper
750g beets, peeled and cut into small wedges
3 tablespoons olive oil
50g crumbled soft goat cheese
½ cup chopped pistachios
2 tablespoons honey
Preparation
Stir together rhubarb, 2 cups water, wine, honey, and
vinegar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium
and simmer until rhubarb has broken down, about 10 minutes. Pour mixture
through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing solids to extract liquid.
Discard solids. Wipe saucepan clean. Place strained liquid in saucepan. Cook
over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 5
minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in shallot, 2 teaspoons of the thyme and ½
teaspoon each salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Place a steamer basket in a large stockpot with a
tight-fitting lid. Add water to just below steamer basket and place stockpot
over high heat. Place beets in steamer basket. Cover and cook until beets are
tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a plate; refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Whisk oil into rhubarb mixture. Add beets; toss to coat.
Transfer to a serving bowl. Top with goat cheese, pistachios and remaining 1
teaspoon thyme.
Nutritional Information
Calories per serving: 207
Fat per serving: 12g
Saturated fat per serving: 2g
Cholesterol per serving: 3mg
Fibre per serving: 5g
Protein per
serving: 5g
Carbohydrate per serving: 21g
Sodium per
serving: 280mg
Iron per serving: 2mg
Calcium per serving: 75mg
Coastal Carrot “Fettuccine”
Slash carbs and boost fibre by shaving carrots into
colourful “noodles” in these 104 calories, 15-minute prep and 15-minute cook Paleo
pasta dish. This recipe is low calorie, low carbohydrate, low cholesterol, low saturated
fat and meatless
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup grape tomatoes, quartered if large
2 ½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
3 large rainbow or orange carrots
1 cup tomato sauce
¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, toasted, for
garnish
Preparation
Heat oil over medium-low heat in a large skillet. Add garlic
and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and 2 Tbsp.
basil; sauté until tomatoes burst and release their juices, about 5 minutes.
Shave carrots into ribbons, using either a spiral slicer (aka spiralizer) or a
vegetable peeler.
Add carrots, tomato sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper to
skillet and cook until carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with
remaining 1/2 Tbsp. basil and garnish with pumpkin seeds before serving.
Nutritional Information
Calories per serving: 114
Fat per serving: 8g
Saturated fat per serving: 1g
Cholesterol per serving: 0mg
Fibre per serving: 3g
Protein per
serving: 2g
Carbohydrates per serving: 11g
Sodium per
serving: 505mg
Iron per serving: 1mg
Calcium per serving: 35mg
Tiger Athletic is a modern, private, appointment only gym in
Sandton, Johannesburg using a rigorous, results-focused methodology we are
passionate about helping you be the healthiest version of yourself, so you can
lead a more fulfilling personal and professional life.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you want to lose weight yet don’t know where or how to start. Get expert guidance on how to take one step a day towards a leaner, stronger body and jumpstart your weight loss with these expert tips, meal plans and workouts!
Step 1: Booking a consultation
and health appraisal with a qualified personal trainer is the most
important first step to ensure a safe and effective start to any new program of
exercise. The initial interview is a scheduled appointment intended as a mutual
sharing of information with the expected outcomes of assessing client-trainer
compatibility, discussing goals, and developing a client-trainer agreement.
Step 2:Organize
your fridge in a way that will help you shed the unwanted weight.
How you organize your refrigerator could be working against you. Make your
fridge an ally with these pros’ tricks to make your fridge a weight
loss ally.
Step 3:Stock up on superfoods.
It’s important to keep a stock of healthy foods that allow you to put together
a healthy meal at a moment’s notice. When eating out it is easy to consume
north of 200 extra calories, making eating at home a no brainer when it comes
to eating healthier and helping you kick the spare tyre.
Step 4: Your personality plays a large
role in your ability to lose weight and keep it off. The attitudinal
assessment is not an assessment of physical condition, it is
a gauge of attitude, outlook and perspective, key drivers of attaining your
goals of a leaner, stronger more functional self.
Step 5:Need
a new personal trainer? Tiger Athletic Fitness & Conditioning
is a modern, private, strictly by appointment gym in Sandton,
Johannesburg. Our personal trainers are health and fitness professionals who
use an individualised approach to assess, motivate, educate and train clients.
We design safe, effective, fun exercise solutions for the individual who is
accustomed to personalised attention and a modern approach.
Step 6: To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume, which inevitably means one thing: portion control. But you’re not necessarily doomed to a growling stomach until you reach your goal. Here are a couple of easy ways to cut portions, trim calories, and lose fat without counting the minutes until your next meal.
Step 7: When it comes to working out and getting
healthy, there are many different important components – such as strength and
conditioning. To achieve your fitness goals, you need to have a strong core. Strength
and conditioning is important and a critical addition to any
fitness routine. Over the years experts have highlighted the importance of
strength training in everyone
Step 8: Fat burning
foods. Certain foods have a thermogenic effect, you literally burn
calories as you chew. Other have nutrients and compounds that crank up your
metabolism. Stoke your metabolic fire by eating more of these foods, while
cutting out unhealthy snacks and empty calories.
Step 9: Bad
training habits. Exercise is the most important component of a
healthy weight loss plan, the scale will not move an inch if you take short
cuts. You put in the time and effort, show up at the gym, and pride yourself in
not taking shortcuts. So why is the scale not budging? Chances are, poor
exercise form or bad workout habits are costing you precious calories.
Step 10: Cut out
“low fat,” “fat free,” or “reduced fat,” while these labels are
fine for dairy products like milk, you shouldn’t automatically assume other
types of foods are any better for your diet than the full-fat versions as more
sugar, salt, and additives are added to make them taste good. The result is
foods that are lower in fat, sure, but contain more sugar and more calories.
Step 11: It takes many hours of regular
workouts in the gym to blast the 8 000 calories it takes to burn just 1
kilogram of fat from your body. Championship
Boxing is a fun, challenging 1 000 calorie per session that
will engage you, push you and teach you totally new and practical skills as you
move faster than ever towards your goal weight and aesthetic.
Step 12: Hunger is one of the biggest
obstacles to any weight-loss plan, a protein-packed breakfast slows
digestion and keeps blood sugar steady, meaning you’ll feel more satisfied and
energized for the rest of the day. Eggs are an easy way to get this
belly-flattening nutrient in your morning meal. Eggs and veggies in the
morning are a delicious way to jumpstart your metabolism and fuel your whole
day.
Step 13: Vegetarian day. Having
just one meat-free day a week has been shown to reduce risk for chronic
preventable conditions including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, not to
mention it may also help you lose weight.
Step 14: Calisthenic Bible.The word calisthenics comes from the ancient Greek words kálos (κάλλος), which means “beauty”, and sthénos (σθένος), meaning “strength”. It is the art of using one’s body weight and qualities of inertia as a means to develop one’s physique. A longstanding urban legend has claimed that the exercise was named after one of its earliest promotors, the Greek historian Callisthenes.
Step 15: Post
exercise overeating. Many people eat rich foods and larger portions
after working out, either because they are truly hungry or just feel like they
earned the reward. They end up eating back all, or more than the calories
they have just worked so hard to burn! There’s nothing wrong with small snack
or a filling dinner after exercising, but before you dig in, you must
understand your body’s true nutrition needs so you don’t end up gaining weight
despite all your hard work.
Step 16: Fight your
cravings. “Cravings”—such a dirty word when you’re trying to lose
weight or keep it off. No matter what your “I-want-it-now” food is, magwinya,
burgers or cupcakes, you probably wrestle with what you want to do (eat it
now!) with what you “should” do (go eat veggies).
Step 17: Sugar
addict? Kick the habit Fact: we love our sugar and sugary treats.
Arb fact: Former US President Ronald Reagan had to have jellybeans on his desk
always. Vending machines and even till points almost everywhere feed our
cravings for sweets. With South African sales of sugar filled drinks and other
sweets soaring and the highest percentage of fat children and adolescents on
the planet, we as a nation are addicted to sugar in all its glorious forms.
Step 18: Hidden
sugar in your diet. You’ll quickly realize just how often sugar is
added to foods when you look for it on ingredients lists. Even things that you
don’t think are sweet, like tomato sauce, crackers, condiments, and salad
dressings can be packed with sugar. Ingredients are listed in order of how much
exists in the product. If it’s in the top three ingredients, it’s high.
Step 19: Quinoa is a dieter’s dream food. Each 1-cup cooked serving packs 8 grams of boep reducing protein and 5 grams of fibre. The pseudo cereal (it’s a seed) is also extremely versatile: in addition to swapping it in as a replacement for rice, you can use it to top a salad, mix it into a smoothie, or even eat it as a hot cereal for breakfast.
Step 20: Make
your home a slimmer place. If your cabinets are so stuffed that you
need to put food on your counters, fridge, or exposed shelving, you’re setting
yourself up to trigger a craving. A bag of potato chips or chocolate out in the
open will put the food on your radar when you walk by. The minute you see that
visual cue, you want it.
Step 21: Kick – Lift – Box.
Whether you’re a fitness newbie or long-time gym aficionado Kick – Lift – Box twice
per week will get you to your fitness goals in no time. You can kick, punch and
lift your way to a stress-free zone within minutes of your high-energy Kick –
Lift – Box routine with movements that stimulate every muscle group in a
simple, effective 50 min workout.
Step 22: Crank up your metabolism. How fast your body burns calories is dependent on many things, among them; genetics, your sex, and your age. Resistance training is the best thing you can do to reverse the inevitable age-related slowdown. If you have signed up for a Tiger Athletic Strength & Conditioning Program, then you’re already heading in the right direction!
Step 23: Your
gut can make you slim. Simply put, if you get the microbiome, that
collection of bacteria inside you healthy, you will lose weight. It’s less
about eating a certain percentage of carbohydrates, protein and fat than about
correcting the overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria, which is making you crave the
wrong foods, triggering inflammation.
Step 24: 10 000 Steps a day challenge. Getting healthy and in shape doesn’t have to mean countless hours in the gym. As awesome as your 1 hour with your personal trainer is, it’s what you do during the other 23 hours of the day that ultimately defines the state of your health. Especially if your daily routine involves sitting for prolonged periods or you need some extra motivation to get more active. Why not join the Tiger Athletic team for the 10,000 Steps a Day Challenge?
Step 25: Barre. Want to lose
the jiggle for good? Ballet-inspired workouts blast fat, focusing on your
lower-half resulting in toned abs, bums, and legs. Getting you slim and trim
with a 30-minute routine. Here’s the secret: Most exercises involve
“micro-movements,” in which you move just an inch or two. “They take out the
momentum, forcing you to stay in the contraction, which tires muscles faster,
giving you faster results”.
Step 26:Evaluate, customise, communicate. These three simple steps are at the core of every exercise regime for every Tiger Athletic client. Through a series of proprietary tests, we evaluate your current fitness level, review injuries or restrictions and set short, medium- and long-term training goals. Everybody is unique, so are our workouts. With your goals in mind, we capitalize on your strengths and coach you through your weaknesses. Together we listen to your body.
Step 27: Skipping is an efficient, effective way to burn fat, strengthening your legs, glutes, arms, and shoulders in as little as 5 minutes per day. Jumping rope is a quick, convenient way to get your heart rate up into a fat burning zone wherever you are.
A skipping rope fits into any bag, so you know what that means…no excuses! Here is a quick routine. Try shortening the skipping segments by 20 to 30 seconds from 1 minute to start with until you can repeat the circuit twice or do body weight exercises during your 30-second rest periods, even trying variations of skipping like high knees or jumping jack legs.
Warm up skipping at an easy pace using a two-footed jump.
Skip as quickly as you can for the next 30 seconds.
Rest for 30 seconds
Skip as quickly as you can in a jogging style for 1 minute.
Rest for 30 seconds
Skip as quickly as you can in a two-footed hop with a side-to-side jump for 1 minute.
Rest for 30 seconds.
Step 28: You’re probably familiar with salty,
sweet, bitter, and sour, but did you know there’s a fifth taste? It’s called
umami, and a recent study shows that it has a unique effect on appetite. Umami,
which means, a pleasant savoury taste, has been described as a mouth-watering,
brothy, meaty sensation with a long-lasting aftertaste that balances the total
flavour of a dish. Umami flavour occurs naturally in several healthy foods.
Here are five nutrient-rich umami options that may help you
eat less, along with easy ways to enjoy them!
Mushrooms provide just 20 calories per cup, and they’re the only plant source of vitamin D, a key nutrient linked to lower rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and certain cancers. Studies also link low vitamin D intake to more total fat and belly fat, and recent research has found that adequate blood vitamin D levels improve muscle strength and help muscles work more efficiently by boosting energy from within cells. Mushrooms also contain unique antioxidants that fight aging and heart disease, and natural substances in mushrooms have been shown to protect against breast cancer by preventing levels of estrogen in the body from becoming excessive. Shiitake, Japan’s most popular mushroom, is particularly rich in umami flavour. Simply sauté some ‘shrooms in organic, low-sodium vegetable broth with a bit of garlic, and add them to almost anything, including omelettes, salads, soups, or open-faced sandwiches.
Truffles, are one of the world’s greatest delicacies, contain three types of natural umami substances. This fungus, which has been referred to as the diamond in the kitchen, is quite expensive because it’s difficult to cultivate, but a tiny amount goes a long way. Just a thinly sliced or shaved bit of truffle adds robust flavour to any dish, but you can also use truffle oil to make a simple vinaigrette along with extra virgin olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, and herbs. Or drizzle truffle oil over cooked veggies, spaghetti squash, or a lean protein like organic eggs or fish.
Green tea – The list of green tea’s benefits is impressive. Regular consumption has been linked to a reduced risk of obesity, heart disease, blood pressure, cancer, and osteoporosis, as well as overall anti-aging benefits. In addition to using green tea as a beverage along with meals, I like to use both brewed tea and loose leaves in cooking. I whip loose tea leaves into smoothies or combine them with pepper and other herbs like thyme as a rub. Brewed tea makes a great base for a marinade or soup or a flavourful liquid for steaming veggies or whole grain rice.
Seaweed, with benefits that range from heart protection to weight loss. One recent research review concluded that some seaweed proteins work just like blood pressure meds, and in animal research, a component in brown seaweed was shown to help rats burn more body fat. In addition, seaweed’s star nutrient iodine helps regulate the thyroid, and its magnesium may help enhance mood and improve sleep. In addition to making a side of seaweed salad a staple in your sushi orders, you can add a dollop to many savoury dishes, including scrambled eggs, stir fry’s, and soups.
Tomatoes, as the levels of the umami provider glutamic acid increase as tomatoes ripen, and research shows that in the inner agoutis of a tomato are tied to a stronger umami aftertaste. To take advantage, add sliced ripe tomatoes to a garden salad, or roast or grill tomatoes to further intensify their flavour. Bonus: cooking tomatoes provide more lycopene (as much as a 164% boost!), an antioxidant linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, and cancer, as well as skin benefits, including preventing wrinkles.
Step 29: Join Aubrey in his 30-Day
Solid Abs Challenge to build a stronger core and leaner abs.
Gaining weight solely in your stomach may be the result of specific lifestyle
choices. The two S’s, stress and sugar play a significant role in the size of
your midsection. Fat around the middle is in fact unhealthier than being
overweight, can increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke,
high blood pressure and even cancer, especially breast cancer.
Step 30: You’re not alone if you are struggling
to maintain your motivation. Most exercise beginners start their plans feeling
motivated, then totally lose steam by the one-month mark.
Daily reminders to self on why you’re losing weight, sticking with the habits you’ve adopted through these 30 steps and not missing your personal training sessions will help you continue until you have reached your ideal weight!
Research shows an association between weighing yourself and weight loss. In a study, the more often people stepped on the scale, the more weight they lost. Once a week is enough, don’t just rely on your personal trainer for your weight measurements. Keep the numbers, it is self-motivation and regulation in action!
Tiger Athletic is a modern, private, appointment only gym in
Sandton, Johannesburg using a rigorous, results-focused methodology we are
passionate about helping you be the healthiest version of yourself, so you can
lead a more fulfilling personal and professional life.
Together changes everything. Let’s work out.
Reference:
NSCA
Harvard
Health Magazine
Cornell University
Duke University
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Journal of The International Society of Sports Nutrition
Putting on an extra kilo…Easy Work! Losing it…? Also Easy! Having Ice cream from the tub or cheese while standing in front of the fridge late at night is bound to lead to increased weight. Organize your fridge in a way that will help you shed unwanted weight.
How you organize your refrigerator could be working against
you. Make your fridge an ally with these pros’ tricks to make your fridge
a weight loss ally.
Keep foods that are smart snack combos close to each other, like natural almond butter and apples, or low-fat cottage cheese and celery.
Place herbs like parsley and cilantro stems-down in a cup of water and cover with a plastic bag. The water keeps them fresh longer, change it every few days. Seeing the herbs will make you want to cook with them, a good thing, as they add flavor but hardly any calories or sodium.
If you love avocados, say, but don’t want to overdo it, store serving-size containers on a middle shelf. You can also get portion sizes of your guilty pleasures like cheese and chocolate too!
Ensure that calorie-rich meals such as macaroni and cheese should be in opaque containers and are hidden behind your healthier fair stuff so they’re not as top-of-mind and accessible when hunger hits and your natural tendency is to pick up and chew the first thing you see when you open the refrigerator door.-
Keep a container of pre-cooked grains, like barley or quinoa with your protein measuring scoop or half-cup measuring cup inside to make it easier to scoop out a portion when hungry.-
Jarred veggies, like roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, and pickled beets are perfect additions to salads and soups that don’t require any prep time and add color to the front row of your refrigerator and plate.
Veggie salsas are versatile, filled with flavor, nutrients and contain very few calories, perfect to top chicken breasts or sweet potatoes.
Grainy Dijon mustard is a low calorie, savory condiment with rustic flavor, perfect for use as a salad dressing or marinade and in place of some or all the mayonnaise or dressing called for in a recipe, say, for tuna or any other salad
‘Cut’ juice with sparkling water to slash calories and add fizz to keep it from tasting boring. Fill a pitcher one-third of the way with juice and two-thirds of the way with sparkling water and serve juice that way next mealtime.
Fruit-sweetened jams, which are relatively low in sugar are great natural sweeteners to substitute refined sugars and are tasty with peanut butter on a brown-rice wrap, on breakfast oats, or drizzled on low-fat ice cream for dessert.
Buying blocks of hard cheeses, such as Parmesan Asiago and Pecorino Romano, help in portion and calorie control when using cheese as a garnish in recipes because you must physically shred them with a grater when you’re using them. This makes you very aware of just how much cheese you’re adding as opposed to adding cheese slices or a block on board to slice at the table.
Save the date, write down the date on zip lock bags of leftovers, this makes you aware of how long they have been in the fridge and helps you to make sure leftover fruits and vegetables won’t go uneaten.
Keep big pitchers of water infused with mint or ginger and in-season fruit or citrus slices in the fridge at the very front of the shelf so they are the first thing that you see when you open the fridge door. It usually lasts a couple of days, and it’s a great way to stay hydrated without lots of sugar or calories.
Research suggests that we are three times as likely to pick up the first thing we see in the fridge, the problem is, we often put our favorite not-so-healthy foods at eye level. Store some veggies on the top shelf rather than just in the crisper to slow you down and help you make conscious healthier snack choices.
A tub of Greek yogurt in your fridge is a must. It’s not only a breakfast staple, it works as a substitute for so many fattening spreads, such as sour cream, cream cheese, and mayonnaise.
Boil a half dozen eggs at the beginning of the week for a high-protein, quick the go snack that is a satisfying and nutritious option that’s easy to grab and go. They’re simple to put in a breakfast wrap or slice on a salad to make it a full and easy meal on weeknights or morning that you are either too tired or too rushed to do meal prep.
Once a week, scan the fridge and pull forward items that need to be finished, like opened tomato paste or Greek yogurt. It’ll remind you to use them and to cook at home, which is healthier 99 percent of the time.
Tiger Athletic is a modern, private, appointment only gym in
Sandton, Johannesburg using a rigorous, results-focused methodology we are
passionate about helping you be the healthiest version of yourself, so you can
lead a more fulfilling personal and professional life.
Better health, physical appearance and reaching your goals should be your personal trainer’s number one priority. What tools within his scope of practice can he or she employ to guarantee a positive outcome from your investment in your health?
The initial interview is our first responsibility for our personal training clients. This is a scheduled interview intended as a mutual sharing of information, ascertaining client-trainer Compatability, establishing a trainer-client agreement and to gather information regarding your personal health, lifestyle and exercise readiness using health appraisal.
Most importantly, we use health appraisal to screen you for risk factors and symptoms of chronic cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic and orthopedic diseases in order to optimize safety during exercise testing and participation.
We assess health status and stratify risk as a basis for referral to health care professionals for medical clearance where there are red flags, and use the data to develop safe, effective, fun comprehensive programs of exercise.
We are health and fitness professionals using an individualized approach to assess, motivate, educate and train you regarding your health and fitness needs. We design safe, effective exercise programs and provide guidance to help you achieve your personal goals. When supported by data or symptoms out of our scope of practice, we will refer you for your own safety to health care professionals.
This vital objective of the client consultation and health appraisal is directly in line with the scope of practice of the personal trainer as defined by the NSCA – Certified Personal Trainer Job (Task) Analysis Committee. The best way to describe the role and responsibilities of our personal trainers in the pre-participation screening process is through the acronym MATER.
Motivate performance and compliance
Assess health status
Train clients safely to meet individual objectives
Educate clients to be informed, consumers
Refer clients to health care professional where necessary
We have a diverse health and fitness industry with no specific standardized process for implementing the client consultation and health appraisal process. Typical delivery is predicated on four factors that dictate implementation. The personal trainer introduces himself by presenting his credentials, delivery will be in a private, designated site, your personal trainer will articulate the specific population served with his consultation, the appointment is a scheduled interview, any legal statutes will apply. Your trainer will then:
Conduct the interview
Implement and complete health appraisal forms with client
Evaluate for coronary risk factors, diagnosed disease, and lifestyle
Assess and interpret results
Refer to an allied health care professional when necessary to obtain medical clearance and program recommendations.
Tiger Athletic is a modern, private, appointment only gym in Sandton, Johannesburg using a rigorous, results-focused methodology that has attracted an exclusive high powered membership.
Joining Tiger Athletic is a two-way commitment, all members must undergo our client consultation and health appraisal process and must commit to workout at least twice per week, however, special arrangements can be made for clients who routinely travel for business, reside between Johannesburg and elsewhere and non-residents.
We approach fitness scientifically to ensure proper form and alignment. Each session is conducted by a personal trainer for both safety and effectiveness and lasts 50 minutes. We present a modern approach to fitness. Let us help you to reach your goals.
Tiger Athletic 