Lacto – Vegetarian Diet For Weight Loss

Indian cuisine is known for its vibrant spices, fresh herbs and wide variety of rich flavours. Though diets and preferences vary throughout India, most people follow a primarily plant-based diet. Around 80% of the Indian population practices Hinduism, a religion that promotes a vegetarian or lacto-vegetarian diet.

The traditional Indian diet emphasizes a high intake of plant foods like vegetables, lentils and fruits, as well as a low consumption of meat. However, obesity is a rising issue in the Indian population. With the growing availability of processed foods, India has seen a surge in obesity and obesity-related chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes.

This article explains how to follow a healthy Indian diet that can promote weight loss. It includes suggestions about which foods to eat and avoid and a sample menu for one week.

A Healthy Traditional Indian Diet

Traditional plant-based Indian diets focus on fresh, whole ingredients — ideal foods to promote optimal health.

Why Eat a Plant-Based Indian Diet?

Plant-based diets have been associated with many health benefits, including a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers such as breast and colon cancer. Additionally, the Indian diet has been linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers believe this is due to the low consumption of meat and emphasis on vegetables and fruits. Following a healthy plant-based Indian diet may not only help decrease the risk of chronic disease, but it can also encourage weight loss.

What Food Groups Does It Include?

The Indian diet is rich in nutritious foods like grains, lentils, healthy fats, vegetables, dairy and fruits. The diets of most Indian people are heavily influenced by religion, particularly Hinduism. The Hindu religion teaches nonviolence and that all living things should be valued equally.

That’s why a lacto-vegetarian diet is encouraged, and eating meat, poultry, fish and eggs is discouraged. Lacto-vegetarians do, however, eat dairy products. A healthy lacto-vegetarian diet should focus on grains, lentils, dairy, vegetables, fruits and healthy fats like coconut oil.

Spices such as turmeric, fenugreek, coriander, ginger and cumin are at the forefront of traditional dishes, adding rich flavour and powerful nutritional benefits. Turmeric, one of the most popular spices used in India, is celebrated for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anticancer properties. A compound in turmeric called curcumin has been found to fight inflammation in the body, improve brain function and reduce risk factors of heart disease.

Summary

A healthy Indian diet focuses on lacto-vegetarian guidelines and emphasizes grains, lentils, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, dairy and spices.

Healthy Foods to Eat

There are many delicious foods and beverages to choose from when following a lacto-vegetarian diet for weight loss.

What to Eat

Try incorporating the following ingredients into your daily meal plan:

1. Vegetables – Tomatoes, spinach, eggplant, mustard greens, okra, onions, bitter melon, cauliflower, mushrooms, cabbage and more
2. Fruits – Mango, papaya, pomegranate, guava, oranges, tamarind, lychee, apples, melon, pears, plums, bananas
3. Nuts and seeds – Cashews, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, watermelon seeds and more
4. Legumes – Mung beans, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, lentils, pulses and chickpeas
5. Roots and tubers – Potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips, yams
6. Whole grains – Brown rice, basmati rice, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, barley, corn, whole-grain bread, amaranth, sorghum
7. Dairy – Cheese, yogurt, milk, kefir, ghee
8. Herbs and spices – Garlic, ginger, cardamom, cumin, coriander, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, black pepper, fenugreek, basil and more
9. Healthy fats – Coconut milk, full-fat dairy, avocado, coconut oil, mustard oil, olive oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, ghee
10. Protein – Tofu, legumes, dairy, nuts and seeds

Meals and snacks should focus on fresh, whole foods flavoured with herbs and spices. Additionally, adding non-starchy vegetables like greens, eggplants or tomatoes to your meals will provide a boost of fibre that can help you feel satisfied for a longer period after eating.

What to Drink?

An easy way to cut back on excess calories and sugar is to avoid sugar-sweetened beverages and juices. These drinks can be high in both calories and sugar, which can negatively affect weight loss. Water, Sparkling water, Unsweetened tea including Darjeeling, Assam and Nilgiri teas

Summary

A healthy Indian diet should focus on fresh ingredients such as vegetables, fruits, tubers, legumes, whole grains, healthy fats and unsweetened beverages.

Unhealthy Foods to Avoid

Choosing foods and beverages that are highly processed, loaded with sugar or high in calories can sabotage your weight loss efforts. Not only are items like sweets, fried foods and soda not good for weight loss, they aren’t good for overall health. Eating too much processed food and products laden with sweeteners can increase the risk of chronic diseases. For example, drinking sugar-sweetened beverages like soft drinks, fruit punch and juices every day has been associated with increased risks of diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Consuming unhealthy foods can make it harder for you to lose fat and maintain a healthy weight.

For optimal health, minimize the following foods or avoid them altogether:

1. Sweetened beverages – Soda, fruit juice, sweetened tea, sweet lassi, sports drinks
2. High-sugar foods – Sweets, ice cream, cookies, rice pudding, pastries, cakes, sweetened yogurt, high-sugar cereals, digestive biscuits
3. Sweeteners – Jaggery, sugar, honey, condensed milk
4. Sweetened sauces – Salad dressings with added sugar, ketchup, barbecue sauce, sweetened curries
5. High-fat foods – Fast food like McDonald’s, French fries, chips, fried foods, bhujia
6. Refined grains – Products including white bread, white pasta, biscuits
7. Trans fats – Margarine, Vanaspati, fast food, highly processed foods
8. Refined oils – Canola oil, soybean oil, corn oil, grapeseed oil

It’s okay to enjoy an occasional treat, limiting the foods and beverages listed above is best for overall health.

Summary

Avoiding sweetened beverages, fast food, fried items and products high in added sugar can help you lose weight and get healthier.

A Healthy Indian Sample Menu for One Week

Below is a healthy one-week Indian sample menu that focuses on fresh, nutritious food. You can adjust it according to your calorie needs, dietary restrictions and food preferences.

Monday

1. Breakfast – Sambar with brown rice idli
2. Lunch – Whole-grain roti with mixed-vegetable curry
3. Dinner – Tofu curry with mixed vegetables and a fresh spinach salad

Tuesday

1. Breakfast – Chana dal pancakes with mixed vegetables and a glass of milk
2. Lunch – Chickpea curry with brown rice
3. Dinner – Khichdi with sprout salad

Wednesday

1. Breakfast – Apple cinnamon porridge made with milk and topped with sliced almonds
2. Lunch – Whole-grain roti with tofu and mixed vegetables
3. Dinner – Palak paneer with brown rice and vegetables

Thursday

1. Breakfast – Yogurt with sliced fruits and sunflower seeds
2. Lunch: Whole-grain roti with vegetable subji
3. Dinner – Chana masala with basmati rice and green salad

Friday

1. Breakfast – Vegetable dalia and a glass of milk
2. Lunch – Vegetable sambar with brown rice
3. Dinner – Tofu curry with potato and mixed vegetables

Saturday

1. Breakfast – Multigrain parathas with avocado and sliced papaya
2. Lunch – Large salad with rajma curry and quinoa
3. Dinner – Lentil pancakes with tofu tikka masala

Sunday

1. Breakfast – Buckwheat porridge with sliced mango
2. Lunch – Vegetable soup with whole-grain roti
3. Dinner – Masala-baked tofu with vegetable curry

Drinking water, seltzer or unsweetened tea with and between meals will keep you hydrated without adding extra calories. Make sure to consume plenty of non-starchy vegetables at every meal, as well as sources of healthy fat and protein. This will keep you feeling full throughout the day and reduce the chances of you overeating.

Summary

A healthy lacto-vegetarian meal plan should be rich in vegetables, fruits, vegetarian protein sources and healthy fats.

Healthy Snack Options

Replacing high-calorie, sugary snacks with healthier options can promote weight loss and help keep you on track towards your weight loss goals. Like meals, nutritious snacks should revolve around w, whole ingredients.

Here are some weight loss friendly snack ideas:

1. Small handful of nuts
2. Sliced fruit with unsweetened yogurt
3. Vegetable chaat
4. Sprout salad
5. Roasted pumpkin seeds
6. Sliced fruit with nuts or nut butter
7. Roasted chickpeas (channa)
8. Hummus with vegetables
9. Bean salad
10. Salted popcorn
11. Unsweetened kefir
12. Homemade trail mix
13. Fennel seeds
14. Fresh fruit with cheese
15. Broth-based vegetable soup

If you are craving a sweet snack to have with evening tea, swapping out your usual dessert for fresh, sliced fruit might do the trick. For another healthy dessert option, top unsweetened yogurt with cooked fruit and crunchy nuts for a satisfying combination.

Summary

When choosing a snack, pick a nutritious option that is low in sugar and high in nutrients. Vegetables, fruit, cheese, nuts, seeds and unsweetened yogurt all make excellent snack choices.

Smart Ways to Lose Weight

Aside from focusing on fresh, whole foods, there are other lifestyle changes that can help you lose weight. What’s more, adopting the following healthy habits can help you maintain a healthy weight over your lifetime.

Increase Activity

To create a calorie deficit that will help you lose weight, it’s critical to increase the amount of activity in your day. Find an activity that you enjoy, whether it be a sport or working out at the gym. Even if you don’t exercise formally, try increasing the number of steps you take every day. It’s a simple way to burn more calories and get fit. To lose weight, aim for a goal of 10,000 steps per day and work up to that goal over time.

Practice Mindful Eating. Many people eat on the run or consume meals while they’re distracted. Instead, make a point to focus on your meals and pay attention to feelings of hunger and fullness. It’s a great way to get more in tune with your body. Eating more slowly can also promote weight loss by increasing feelings of fullness and decreasing hunger. Another useful habit to control your food intake is to avoid eating in front of the television or while surfing the web.

Make Smart Choices

Eating healthy can be a challenge, so set goals ahead of time and stick to them. This can help you maintain your plan, even when you are feeling tempted to make an unhealthy food choice, such as when you’re socializing with friends or family. Reminding yourself why you want to get healthier in the first place can make you feel empowered and lead you to make smarter food and lifestyle decisions.

Summary

Being more active, practicing mindful eating and reminding yourself of your health and wellness goals are excellent tools that can help you stay on track.

A Weight Loss Friendly Shopping List

Having ingredients on hand to prepare nutritious meals and snacks at home is vital for weight loss. Stock your refrigerator and pantry with healthy foods. It will motivate you to test out your cooking skills and try new recipes. Research shows that people who cook more meals at home are more likely to have better overall diet quality, a healthier weight and less body fat than those who eat meals at home infrequently.

Here are some healthy items to add to your shopping list:

1. Vegetables – Greens, cauliflower, herbs, carrots, peppers, garlic, eggplant
2. Fruits – Apples, strawberries, mango, papaya, banana, grapes
3. Frozen produce – Mixed vegetables and frozen fruits
4. Grains – Oats, millet, quinoa, whole-grain breads, brown rice
5. Legumes – Lentils, pulses, beans
6. Nuts – Almonds, pistachios, cashews
7. Seeds – Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, lotus seeds
8. Dairy – Milk, unsweetened yogurt, unsweetened kefir, cheeses, curd
9. Condiments – Sea salt, pepper, turmeric, ginger, paprika, cinnamon
10. Starchy vegetables – Potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnip, pumpkin, corn
11. Proteins – Tofu, dairy products, legumes, hummus
12. Healthy fats – Olive oil, unsweetened coconut, coconut oil, ghee, sesame oil, avocado, peanut butter
13. Beverages – Green tea, coffee, sparkling water, Darjeeling tea

Focus on filling your cart with fresh foods. These are usually stocked around the perimeter of the grocery store. The shelves in the middle of the grocery store typically house packaged and processed foods, which you should keep to a minimum in your diet. Buy grains, nuts and seeds in bulk to save money and stock up on staple items you use regularly. Steer clear of tempting foods by making a grocery list and purchasing only the items you jotted down ahead of time.

Summary

Cooking more meals at home will allow you to save money and experiment in the kitchen. It may even help you lose weight. To start, create a grocery shopping list filled with fresh, nutritious items.

The Bottom Line

Following a lacto-vegetarian Indian diet is a great way to lose weight. It will help you cut back on sugary foods and beverages, eat more vegetables and increase your protein intake. Regular exercise to your regimen to boost your health and weight loss even more. Incorporating even one or two of the foods or lifestyle changes listed above into your routine can help you get healthier and happier.

Tiger Athletic Fitness & Conditioning is a modern, private, appointment only strength & conditioning gym in the heart of Sandton. We offer custom in person or online exercise programs with a personal trainer.

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Barre

Ever wonder how dancers get their long, lean legs? Genetics plays a part, sure, but ballet is a serious workout. To bust the boredom and take you a little out of your comfort zone with loads of fun of course, your personal trainer takes you through a 30-minute ballet-inspired workout which focuses on your lower half and jiggly bits!

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”.

Hundreds – Warm up first with 2 minutes of standing knee lifts. Next, lie on your back, draw knees up, lift head and shoulders, and bring chin to chest, coming into a tight ball. Keeping your upper body lifted, extend legs toward ceiling, or, for more of a challenge, at a diagonal; extend arms (as shown). Pump arms up and down 4 times, then hold arms still and curl torso a tiny bit up and down twice. Repeat series 10 times.

Push ups – Get on hands and knees, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width. Bring feet toward your seat and tuck tailbone under. Bend elbows out to sides, lowering chest toward floor, then push back up; repeat 15 times. Next, lower halfway down and hold; do 15 little pulses (pushing up and lowering down an inch) before coming all the way back up.

Triceps dips – Sit with knees bent and feet hip-width on floor, hands behind you on either side of hips, fingers forward. Lift hips off floor and shift weight back. Bend and straighten elbows 20 times, leaving feet flat, then come onto heels and repeat. Staying on heels, walk feet forward (keep weight shifted back) and do 20 more dips.

Extension parallel – Stand with back at fist’s distance away from barre, feet hip-distance apart, knees slightly bent; reach back with wide arms and grab barre. Extend left leg (knee toward ceiling) and flex foot. Do the following moves for 30 seconds each: Lift and lower leg a couple of inches; make small circles as if tracing a dime in the air with heel. Repeat circles in other direction, and point toes and do small leg lifts. Repeat series on opposite side.

Plie & releve – Stand with one hand on barre, the other on hip. Bring feet wider than hip-distance; turn toes out slightly and bend knees (keep knees behind toes), pushing hips back to sink seat to knee level. Do the following moves for 30 seconds each: Bend knees a bit more, lowering then raising an inch; lower again and hold, slightly pressing knees back then releasing (as if pulsing). Rise on toes, then lower and raise an inch; lower an inch and hold, pressing knees back, then releasing them.

Standing straight leg – Stand with right hand forward on barre, knees slightly bent, heels together, toes apart. Wrap left arm around waist and grab barre. Extend left leg diagonally back with toes pointed; tuck tailbone. Do the following moves for 30 seconds each: Lift and lower left leg a couple inches; hold left foot a few inches off floor and make dime-size circles with leg. Circle leg in opposite direction; flex foot, then lift and lower a couple inches. Make dime-size circles; reverse direction. Repeat series on opposite side.

Semi-fold over – Face barre, feet hip-width, knees slightly bent; stack bent forearms on barre. Walk feet back until body is folded 90 degrees at waist; rest head on arms. Keeping hips level, extend right leg straight back with foot flexed (as shown). Do the following moves for 30 seconds each: Raise and lower leg a couple inches; make dime-size circles with leg. Reverse circle direction; point toes, then lift and lower a couple of inches. Make tiny circles with leg; reverse circle direction.

Tap & curl – Sit with knees bent, feet hip-width on the floor. Grab beneath thighs with elbows wide, then round back, bringing lower back toward mat; tuck tailbone. Do the following moves for 30 seconds each: Extend arms straight by hips, tap fists twice against mat, then lift fists. With arms still, lower and raise upper body an inch; with upper body still, tap fists twice against thighs, then open arms out. Lower and raise upper body an inch; extend arms up and tap fists toward each other twice, then open. Hold arms still and lower and lift body an inch.

Tiger Athletic is a private, appointment only strength & conditioning gym in the heart of Sandton. We offer tailor made, goal oriented  fitness programs based on an individualised approach to health and fitness assessment, motivation and goal setting, coaching science and client education.

Your personal trainer Aubrey, is a Coaching Science graduate and holds a 6th degree black belt in Karate with 25 years experience as a high performance athlete and coach. He designs safe and effective exercise programs and provides the guidance to help clients achieve their personal goals through one on one’ or small group training.

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Your Gut Can Make You Slim!

Your digestive tract contains about 1,000 species of bacteria. Why should you care? It turns out that having a healthy balance of those bugs can help you lose weight and bust cravings for fattening foods. Consider this: Right now, as you’re sitting there, there’s a battle raging in your belly. Some 1,000 species of bacteria are duking it out, trying to establish dominance.

Why should you care? Because whether the good bacteria in your gut or the bad triumph doesn’t just decide how well you digest your dinner, respond to allergens and fend off diseases, it also helps determine how much weight you’re likely to gain or lose.

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.

A flurry of ground-breaking findings is helping to connect the dots about how our gut bacteria may shape our shape. In a study in the British Journal of Nutrition, obese women who took a probiotic supplement (of the bacteria Lactobacillus rhamnosus) lost twice as much weight and fat over about six months and were better at keeping it off as those who took a placebo. Probiotics may have helped by controlling the women’s appetites, which seem to have waned as their microbiomes changed.

Unhealthy gut bacteria also produce food cravings: A study published in BioEssays suggests that some microbes may drive us to eat doughnuts or another tempting treat. These gut bugs send chemical messages to the brain that sway our appetite and mood, perhaps making us feel anxious until we gobble a square of dark chocolate or a T-bone steak.

Fortunately, we can begin to take control by feeding our microbiome the right foods. “I tell my patients, ‘The bacteria follow the food,'” says gastroenterologist Robynne Chutkan, MD, founder of the Digestive Center for Women in Chevy Chase, Md., and author of Gutbliss. “What we eat dictates the kind of bacteria we grow in our gut garden.”

This is big news: There are trillions of microbes in your belly that will, if you feed them well, help you fight flab and win.

Get Your Two P’s – Basically, it all begins with probiotics and prebiotics, components of food believed to play an important role in improving gut health. Probiotics are a type of good bacteria, like the ones that already reside in your gut. Ingesting these organism’s aids digestion and helps change and repopulate intestinal bacteria to balance what doctors refer to as “gut flora.” Prebiotics are plant-fibre compounds, also found in food, that pass undigested through the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract and help stimulate the growth of good bacteria. When pre- and probiotics are combined, they become an intestinal power couple.

Fermented foods deliver probiotics directly to the gut. A cup of yogurt a day? It’s a nice start. Look for products that say, “live and active cultures” on the label, and be careful when it comes to fruit-infused flavours: Some are loaded with sugar, which can feed bad bugs, so be sure to check the ingredients and aim for fewer than 15 grams per serving. For even more probiotics, try Greek yogurt or kefir, a tangy dairy drink that’s packed with good bugs.

A 2011 Harvard study found that yogurt was more strongly linked to weight loss than any other health food. In fact, people who ate an extra serving a day lost nearly half a kilogram every four years.Research shows that foods that are high in fibre help promote the growth of friendly bacteria. Case in point: In a University of Illinois study, people who ate high-fibre snack bars experienced a growth of anti-inflammatory bacteria in their bellies.

1. What you don’t eat is every bit as crucial as what you do add to your diet. Keep your gut flora fit by cutting back on these offenders.
2. Refined carbs – Fatty and sugary foods not only tend to lack fibre, which is ideal food for the microbiome, but can also cause bad bacteria to thrive. And let’s face it: If you’re pounding that bag of potato chips, chances are you’re not munching on celery sticks, blueberries and other gut-friendly eats.
3. Animal protein – A diet heavy in fat and protein (such as meat and cheese) feeds a type of bacterium, Bilophilia, that has been linked to inflammation. Lawrence David, PhD, assistant professor at Duke University’s Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy, saw the levels of this bacteria shoot up in study participants scarfing ribs and brisket, but not in those eating squash and lentils. Dr. Kellman suggests limiting red meat to once a week. It’s smart for your heart and hips!

Tiger Athletic is a private, appointment only strength & conditioning gym in the heart of Sandton. We offer tailor made, goal oriented  fitness programs based on an individualised approach to health and fitness assessment, motivation and goal setting, coaching science and client education.

Your personal trainer Aubrey, is a Coaching Science graduate and holds a 6th degree black belt in Karate with 25 years experience as a high performance athlete and coach. He designs safe and effective exercise programs and provides the guidance to help clients achieve their personal goals through one on one’ or small group training.

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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!

Whey protein increases calorie burn and fat utilization, helps the body maintain muscle, and triggers the brain to feel full, protein has a thermogenic effect, meaning it makes your body produce more heat and, in turn, burn more calories, but whey may be the most effective non-animal protein. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that fat oxidation and the thermic effect was greater with whey than with soy or casein.

Drinking two glasses of water before every meal helped dieters lose an average of 7 kilograms (2.2kilograms more than the non-water drinkers) over three months in a study presented at the American Chemical Society’s annual conference. Taking quick hydration breaks throughout the day also boosts your metabolic machinery and research shows staying properly hydrated keeps you feeling energized.

When your annoyed co-worker tells you you’re bouncing your leg, perhaps you can explain that you’re just doing some non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)—the expert term for fidgeting. Research shows that NEAT may help you burn an additional 350 calories a day. Small bursts of activity, like running upstairs, pacing while you’re on the phone, or shifting around in your seat all count. It adds up quickly, so take advantage of any chance to move more throughout your day.

Caffeine’s ability to speed up the central nervous system makes it a powerful metabolism booster; coffee beans provide antioxidants and real health value. Provided your cup is not laden with cream and syrup, coffee can be a great way to give you energy as well as some antioxidants. Coffee has been shown to improve energy levels during exercise, especially endurance activity, and help people work harder longer, which therefore burns more calories. Drinking coffee after a workout can also be beneficial. Consuming caffeine after exercise increased muscle glycogen by 66% in endurance athletes, enabling them to more quickly replenish energy stores used through exercise, according to a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

If you drink three cups of coffee a day, consider swapping in green tea for one of them. In addition to giving you the metabolism-boosting caffeine jolt you crave, green tea is a rich source of antioxidants called catechins. And, in a study published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, drinking green tea combined with a total of three hours of moderate exercise a week reduced abdominal fat in subjects over a three-month period. Unsweetened, brewed green tea was shown to increase calorie burn by about 100 calories per day brew your own and avoid added sugar or artificial sweeteners.

Probiotics, the healthy bacteria found in yogurt, pickles, and other fermented foods like sauerkraut, may help you lose weight, if you’re a woman, shows a new study published in the British Journal of Nutrition. Overweight men and women followed a 12-week weight loss diet; half of the volunteers also took a probiotic pill every day. Women in the probiotic group lost more weight than those in the placebo group and continued to lose weight during the 12-week maintenance period afterward (the probiotic didn’t make any difference for men). Consuming probiotics in food form has other waist-friendly benefits: Yogurt, like other full-fat dairy, also has a fatty acid called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) that studies show can improve fat burning. Avoid fruit-on-the-bottom varieties, which can have as much sugar as a candy bar.

Taking a quick break to look at funny cat videos on YouTube or take a Buzzfeed quiz doesn’t just feel good, you’re also burning calories in the process. A study from the International Journal of Obesity showed a 10 to 20% increase in energy expenditure (calories burned) and heart rate during genuine laughter. This translated to an increase of 10 to 40 calories burned within 10 to 15 minutes of laughter.

When you want to add flavour to your food, reach for hot sauce or chilli powder. Chilli peppers contain the chemical capsaicin. The capsaicin in the chili peppers has a thermogenic effect, causing the body to burn up to an additional 90 calories immediately following a meal. One study shows capsaicin activates brown fat, which increases calorie burning.

Eating a small mid-afternoon meal will prevent over eating at dinner time and it will also keep your metabolism stoked. Eating small meals raises your metabolism every time you eat. The key is to include a lean protein and complex carb each time, not processed or junk food. A few no-effort options: cottage cheese and fruit, peanut butter and an apple, or Greek yogurt with berries.

Having a salad for lunch or dinner fills you up with belly-flattening fibre and nutrients, and adding one more ingredient will really stoke your metabolism: salmon. You already learned the metabolism-boosting effects of protein, but with salmon you’ll also get a dose of omega-3 fatty acids. In a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, supplementing diets with fish oil for six weeks increased lean muscle and decreased fat. Other studies have shown similar effects. Scientists speculate this reaction may be due to fish oil’s ability to reduce levels of fat-storage enzymes in the body.

Do you really need to stay seated while you listen in on a conference call or wait on hold with the internet company? This super-easy tweak nearly doubles the number of calories your body will burn. A 68 kilogram person, for example, burns 72 calories an hour sitting and 129 calories an hour standing. Walking around an office slowly increases the burn to 143 calories an hour. You recruit more muscle fibres and must use your postural muscles to stabilize yourself, which burns more calories. Make it a habit to stand and walk around each time the phone rings and get up out of your chair at least once every hour.

Pick organic produce. Pesticides found on conventionally grown produce, called “obesogens,” are blamed for slowing metabolism and predisposing some people to gain weight. One of the biggest hidden causes of weight loss resistance is toxicity. Buy organic whenever possible and choose the cleanest, highest-quality cuts of meat.

Take one bite at a time. Wolfing down your food makes it more likely you’ll eat more, says a study published by the American Dietetic Association. Another study found even among women who didn’t diet, reducing stress and practicing mindfulness can prevent fat gain. It takes about 20 minutes before a hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK) tells your brain to stop eating. When you engulf a burger and fries, you don’t give CCK enough time to relay the message to your brain, and you eat too much, speed eating also raises fat-storing insulin levels. Just as important as eating the right diet is slowing down and becoming mindful when you eat.

Exposure to the type of blue light emitted by smartphones, computers, and tablets immediately before and after dinner increased hunger and impacted glucose metabolism in people who participated in a small North-western University study. The study authors aren’t sure of the reasons for the link, and say more research is needed—but even if the link between blue light and appetite doesn’t hold up in later studies, other research shows that limiting mealtime distractions helps control portions.

Tiger Athletic is a private, appointment only strength & conditioning gym in the heart of Sandton. We offer tailor made, goal oriented  fitness programs based on an individualised approach to health and fitness assessment, motivation and goal setting, coaching science and client education.

Your personal trainer Aubrey, is a Coaching Science graduate and holds a 6th degree black belt in Karate with 25 years experience as a high performance athlete and coach. He designs safe and effective exercise programs and provides the guidance to help clients achieve their personal goals through one on one’ or small group training.

Let’s chat about your health.

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Hidden Sugar In Your Diet!

You can cut up to 200 calories per day by slashing your ‘hidden’ sugar intake. You’re likely eating sugar throughout the day without even realizing it, sugar is added to foods that don’t even taste sweet, like breads, condiments and sauces. Most of us are taking more than double the recommended amount of added sugar per day despite ‘watching’ what we eat.

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.

When you read food labels, you need to look for more than just the word “sugar.” Sugar hides under several aliases, including high fructose corn syrup, dried cane syrup, invert sugar, molasses, sucrose (or any word ending in “-ose”), brown rice syrup, honey, and maple syrup. These can be listed separately on ingredients lists, so many foods, even seemingly healthy ones like yogurt and cereal, may contain three or four different types of sweetener. If several sugars appear on the label, it’s an indication that the food is less healthy than you may think.

Buy foods labelled “no added sugar” or “unsweetened.” You’ll find unsweetened versions of these common foods in most grocery stories: non-dairy milk like almond and soy, nut butters (look for those made with only nuts and salt), applesauce, oatmeal, and canned fruit (they should be packed in juice—not syrup).

Going cold turkey on sugar isn’t realistic for most people, cut back slowly. If you normally put two sachets of sugar in your coffee, for instance, try one for a week, then half, and finally add only a splash of milk. For your yogurt, mix half a serving of sweetened yogurt with half a serving of plain, and eventually move on to adding natural sweetness with fresh fruit.

Unhealthy carbs loaded with sugar can cause blood sugar to rise rapidly (and dive just as quickly, leaving you hungry again). To minimize this rapid rise and fall, pair protein, healthy fats, and fibre with your meal, all of which can slow down the release of blood sugar in your body and keep you full for longer. (At breakfast, that means adding almonds to your usual oatmeal or pairing eggs with your morning toast, and for your midday snack, a slice of turkey/chicken breast or cheese along with your apple.)

Fats are a key player because they help keep you fuller for longer, thus helping to decrease your desire for sugar. Focus on fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, and heart-healthy oils like olive oil, walnut oil, and coconut oil.

When you’re reducing your sugar intake, you may be tempted to switch to artificial sugars for your sweet fix. But resist reaching for the diet soda, sugar-free candy, and packets of fake sugar in your latte. When you eat something sweet, your body expects calories and nutrition, but artificial sugars don’t give your body those things, that may be why fake sugars are associated with weight gain, not loss, according to a 2010 review in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine.

Using vanilla bean and vanilla extract, spices, and citrus zests to add sweetness to foods without having to use sugar and for zero calories. Order an unsweetened latte and add flavour with cocoa or vanilla powder. Skip flavoured oatmeal and add a sweet kick with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. One bonus for sprinkling on the cinnamon: according to a meta-analysis in the Journal of Medicinal Food, the spice has been shown to naturally regulate blood sugar, which helps control your appetite.

Avoiding soda is a good idea, but that’s not the only sugar-packed drink out there. Even drinks that are considered healthy can contain more sugar than you’re supposed to have in an entire day. Case in point: “enhanced” waters (eight teaspoons per bottle), bottled iced teas (more than nine teaspoons per bottle), energy drinks (almost seven teaspoons per can), bottled coffee drinks (eight teaspoons per bottle), and store-bought smoothies (more than a dozen teaspoons—for a small).

You can still indulge in an occasional sweet treat after you resolve to slash sugar. The idea is to avoid wasting your daily sugar quota on non-dessert foods like cereals, ketchup, and bread. To avoid overdoing it, set specific rules about when you may enjoy dessert: only after dinner on the weekends or at restaurants as a special treat.

At first, cutting down on sugar can feel like an impossible task. Eventually, though, your taste buds will adjust. Super-sweet foods like ice cream and candy will start to taste too sweet. When you could have a whole slice of cake before, now a couple bites will be enough. You’ll notice the natural sweetness in fruits and vegetables and they’ll taste better, too.

An individualised approach to assessment and health appraisal, motivation, coaching science and fitness education for our clients focused on their health and fitness goals is our passion at Tiger Athletic.

Booking a  Trial Workout is your first step towards achieving  your fitness & weight goals through our innovative assessments, health appraisal, custom strength and conditioning programs, world class studio and qualified personal trainer. Let’s chat about your health.

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High Protein Breakfasts

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.

Cheesy Cast-Iron Skillet Scrambled Eggs

Cheese and eggs taste great together and may help combat osteoporosis. The reason: calcium in cheese is more easily absorbed into the body with the addition of vitamin D-rich eggs.
 This recipe calls for fresh goat cheese and a few chives snipped on top. Have it ready in under 15 minutes! 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small red onion, finely diced

1 jalapeño, cut into thin rounds, seeds included

12 large eggs, lightly beaten

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

120g goat cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives 

Preparation

In a large cast-iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeño and cook until soft (5–7 minutes). Stir in eggs, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft curds form (about 3 minutes).

Remove skillet from heat and mix in the goat cheese and chives. Serve immediately with whole-grain toast or English muffin, if desired.

Frittata with Ricotta and Mixed Greens

Next time you have guests over wow them with this. Protein, healthy fats, and greens make this delicious, low-calorie frittata as healthy as it is delicious. Dark, leafy greens like kale, Swiss chard, or mustard greens are about 30 calories a serving and among the healthiest foods you can put on your plate, with loads of vitamins A, C, and K, plus fibre. Don’t skimp on the fresh herbs called for in this recipe; they deliver a healthy dose of antioxidants along with flavour. 

Ingredients

1 third cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium red onion, finely diced

Pinch of red pepper flakes

500g chopped mixed greens (such as kale, Swiss chard, or mustard greens)

10 large eggs

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon salt, divided

½ plus ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

225g part-skim ricotta

1 cup fresh basil leaves

¾ cup fresh parsley leaves

¼ cup fresh mint leaves

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon pine nuts 

Preparation

15 minutes; Cook: 40 minutes; Total time: 55 minutes. This recipe gets extra flavour from fresh pesto, so you won’t want to skimp on the basil.

Makes 8 servings. Serving size: 1 wedge frittata with 1 ½ tablespoons pesto

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 280

Fat per serving: 22g

Saturated fat per serving: 5.4g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 12.3g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 3.1g

Protein per serving: 14g

Carbohydrate per serving: 8g

Fibre per serving: 2g

Cholesterol per serving: 242mg

Iron per serving: 3mg

Sodium per serving: 347mg

Calcium per serving: 209mg

Scrambled Eggs with Chilies

These spicy eggs are like sunshine on a plate. They cook up in 4 minutes, pack nearly 20 grams of protein and a measly 6 grams of carbs, and the hot chillies are natural fat-burners and mood boosters. This recipe calls for using two large eggs plus egg whites, but you can swap that ratio if you are watching your saturated fat and cholesterol.

Ingredients

2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg white

Pinch of kosher salt and fresh pepper

Cooking spray

1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 scallion, thinly sliced

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 4 min

The bigger the real burn, the bigger the fat burn when it comes to chilies. Go as fiery as you can stand. Makes 1 serving

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 194

Fat per serving: 11.2g

Saturated fat per serving: 3.4g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 4.7g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 2.2g

Protein per serving:17g

Carbohydrate per serving: 6g

Fibre per serving: 1g

Cholesterol per serving: 372mg

Iron per serving: 2mg

Sodium per serving:        319mg

Calcium per serving:       77mg

Bacon and Jalapeno Egg Sandwich

This crispy, meaty breakfast sandwich was inspired by the classic McMuffin, but it’s so much better for you! This version calls for organic eggs, a whole-grain English muffin, reduced-fat cheese, and a metabolism-boosting jalapeno pepper. Low-fat, high-protein bacon makes it hearty enough to keep you full and satisfied all day. 

Ingredients

1-piece bacon

1 whole-grain English muffin, split

Cooking spray

1 large organic egg

10g reduced-fat cheddar

Pepper

½ small jalapeño, thinly sliced

2 thin slices red onion

1 thick slice tomato

4-5 sprigs fresh cilantro

Preparation

Warm a skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon until crisp. Set aside.

Place muffin, cut-side down, in skillet. Press to toast (2 minutes). Set aside.

Coat skillet with cooking spray. Cook egg about 30 seconds. Sprinkle with pepper and cheese. Cook until set. Transfer egg to muffin half. Top with the bacon, jalapeño, onion, tomato, cilantro, and second muffin half.

This healthy breakfast egg sandwich, featuring bacon and jalapeño peppers, is a tasty and nutritious way to fuel up in the morning Build a better-than-ever egg sandwich using organic eggs, a whole-grain English muffin, reduced-fat cheese, and a few other exciting extras like jalapeno that will give your metabolism a spicy boost. Makes 1 sandwich.

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 313

Fat per serving: 11g

Saturated fat per serving: 2.9g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 3.7g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 1.9g

Protein per serving: 21g

Carbohydrate per serving: 35g

Fibre per serving: 7g

Cholesterol per serving: 215mg

Iron per serving: 3mg

Sodium per serving: 565mg

Calcium per serving: 277mg

Braised Kale Frittata

Instead of your usual omelette, try this antioxidant-packed baked frittata that uses kale and tomatoes. This delicious recipe is a good source of iron as well as protein, with only 7 grams of carbs. 

Ingredients

6 large eggs

4 large egg whites

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

20g Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped oregano

Cooking spray

2 cups

¾ cup chopped cherry tomatoes

Prep Time: 12 min

Cook Time: 30 min

Makes: 4 servings

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 204

Fat per serving: 12.6g

Saturated fat per serving: 3.6g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 6g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 2.1g

Protein per serving: 16g

Carbohydrate per serving: 7g

Fibre per serving: 2g

Cholesterol per serving: 283mg

Iron per serving: 3mg

Sodium per serving: 511mg

Calcium per serving: 155mg

Mini Smoked-Salmon Frittatas

Possibly the healthiest and most delicious brunch recipe ever created, these mini frittatas pack 17 grams of protein each, almost no carbs, and loads of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, thanks to the smoked salmon. They cook up in less than 30 minutes, so why not make them this weekend?

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup diced onion

½ teaspoon salt

Pinch of pepper

120g smoked salmon, diced

6 large eggs

8 large egg whites

1 tablespoon half-and-half

3 tablespoons 1% milk

90g less-fat cream cheese, cubed

2 tablespoons scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Preparation

Preheat oven to 160°. Heat oil in a non-stick skillet. Sauté onion 2–3 minutes or until soft; add salt, pepper, and salmon. Remove from stove top; let cool.

Combine the next 4 ingredients (through milk) in a bowl. Stir in the cream cheese. Lightly coat 6 (225g) ramekins with cooking spray. Add 2 tablespoons of salmon mixture to each ramekin. Pour ¾ cup egg mixture into each ramekin.

Place ramekins on baking sheet; bake 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Garnish, if desired.

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 30 min

A perfect brunch dish, these smoked salmon frittatas are as impressive as they are tasty. Bake and serve in mini ramekins with a side of fresh fruit and juice. Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 179

Fat per serving: 11g

Saturated fat per serving: 4g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 5g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 1g

Protein per serving: 17g

Carbohydrate per serving: 3g

Fibre per serving: 0.0g

Cholesterol per serving: 226mg

Iron per serving: 1mg

Sodium per serving: 665mg

Calcium per serving: 63mg

Sun-Dried Tomato, Goat Cheese, and Fresh Basil Frittata

Savour the Mediterranean flavours of this veggie-filled frittata, packed with protein, antioxidants, and calcium. For a lower-cholesterol version, use egg substitute and fat-free cheese. 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup minced onion

4 large eggs

2 egg whites

¼ teaspoon pepper

90g sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil

¼ cup goat cheese

¼ cup basil chiffonade

Preparation

Sauté vegetables. Preheat the oven to broil. Use a well-seasoned, iron skillet or a non-stick skillet with a heatproof handle. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat, and add 1 cup minced onion. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add the egg mixture to pan. Whisk together 4 large eggs and 2 egg whites, and season with ¼ teaspoon pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the onions, patting down any lumps with a wooden spoon. Scatter 3 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil evenly over the pan surface.

Add cheese and put in broiler. Distribute ¼ cup goat cheese over the top of the frittata, then place the skillet under the broiler for 2 minutes, until the frittata rises slightly and becomes light and settled. Remove from broiler and top with ¼ cup basil chiffonade. (Stack basil, then roll the stack, and slice it into feathery, 1/4-inch pieces.)

Plate and serve. To remove the frittata from the iron skillet, place a large plate over the top of the pan, invert the frittata onto the plate, and cut it into wedges. With a non-stick skillet, slide the frittata onto a serving plate, then cut into wedges.

Prep Time: 7 min

Cook Time: 8 min

This Sun-Dried Tomato, Goat Cheese, and Fresh Basil Frittata is a quick and easy breakfast or brunch dish that your entire family will love. Plus, it’s a healthy meal option and ready in less than 20 minutes. Makes 6 servings

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 146

Fat per serving: 8g

Saturated fat per serving: 3g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 3g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 1g

Protein per serving: 9g

Carbohydrate per serving: 11g

Fibre per serving: 2g

Cholesterol per serving: 145mg

Iron per serving: 2mg

Sodium per serving: 398mg

Calcium per serving: 55mg

Asparagus with Poached Eggs and Parmesan

Poached eggs, asparagus, and Parmesan make this the ultimate brunch recipe, but it’s light enough to enjoy any time. Asparagus, a seasonal spring veggie, is full of vitamin K and folic acid, which keeps your cardiovascular system healthy. Plus, with 18 grams of protein, you’ll have plenty of energy for the rest of the day.

Ingredients

8 large eggs

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon salt, divided

2 bunches asparagus spears, trimmed (about 40)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 tablespoons coarsely grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 10 min

Try this dish for breakfast or brunch. It features a simple poached egg served over asparagus spears cooked in a lemon-butter sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 256

Fat per serving: 18g

Saturated fat per serving: 6g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 7g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 2g

Protein per serving: 18g

Carbohydrate per serving: 8g

Fibre per serving: 3g

Cholesterol per serving: 435mg

Iron per serving: 3mg

Sodium per serving: 518mg

Calcium per serving: 147mg

Crostini with Spinach, Poached Egg, and Creamy Mustard Sauce

Low heat is the key to making perfect poached eggs, and low-fat sour cream and mustard transforms rich Hollandaise sauce into a flavourful, low-fat version. Tip: Use whole grain bread for the crostini to kick up the fibre. 

Ingredients

¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons water

4 (1.5cm thick) slices crusty whole-grain bread, toasted

2 cups baby spinach

1 teaspoon white vinegar

4 large eggs

Preparation

Stir together sour cream and next 5 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl with water. Place 1 slice toast on each of 4 serving plates and top each with spinach.

In a large saucepan, bring 6cm of water to a simmer; add vinegar. Working one at a time, crack eggs into a cup and gently slip into water. Simmer 2-3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, place a poached egg on top of spinach. Spoon about 1 TBSP sauce over each crostino before serving.

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 8 min

Low heat is the key to perfect poaching and silken eggs in this one-dish meal of Crostini with Spinach, Poached Egg, and Creamy Mustard Sauce. Try this protein powerhouse a different way. Makes 4 servings (serving size: 1 slice bread, 1 egg, 1/2 cup spinach, 1 tbsp. sauce)

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 215

Fat per serving: 8.2g

Saturated fat per serving: 3g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 2.6g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 1.8g

Protein per serving: 13g

Carbohydrate per serving: 22g

Fibre per serving: 4g

Cholesterol per serving: 191mg

Iron per serving: 2mg

Sodium per serving: 490mg

Calcium per serving: 104mg

Spinach and Egg Breakfast Wrap with Avocado and Parmesan Cheese

This wrap packs 22 grams of protein as well as heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which can help you lose belly fat. Avocados also pack high amounts of potassium, magnesium, folate, protein, and vitamins B6, E, and K. Add to that fibre and cholesterol-lowering plant sterols. 

Ingredients

Non-stick cooking spray

150g baby spinach, chopped

4 eggs

4 egg whites

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

110g Parmesan cheese

1 avocado, sliced

4 whole-wheat tortillas

Hot sauce 

Preparation

Spray a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, 2 minutes.

Whisk together eggs and egg whites in a small bowl. Add eggs to skillet and cook, stirring, until cooked through, 3–4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Place ¼ of egg mixture in the center of each tortilla, and sprinkle with 30g cheese.

Top with 4 slices avocado and fold, burrito-style.  Slice in half and serve.

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 5 min

4 servings (serving size: 1 wrap)

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 366

Fat per serving: 2g

Saturated fat per serving: 8g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 7g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 2g

Cholesterol per serving: 242mg

Protein per serving: 22g

Carbohydrate per serving: 30g

Sugars per serving: 1g

Fibre per serving: 7g

Sodium per serving: 666mg

We are passionate about helping you be the healthiest you can be through custom fitness and nutrition solutions based on health and fitness appraisal, motivation, coaching science, education and your goals.

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Calorie Burn

Exercise is essential to maintaining weight and improving overall health, but with our busy schedules, it’s tough to fit in fitness. Sometimes coming to the gym feels like an impossible ask! To help you not skip out on weight loss and fitness goals altogether, here are a couple of easy ways to fit fitness into your everyday life.

• Speed walk your errands – Instead of eating lunch work, lace up your sneakers and do your daily errands on foot during lunch break. Use your to-do list to map out a walking route, grab your wallet and iPod, and head outside for an hour of heart-pumping activity. Even if you need to drive to a mall first, cruise around on foot checking items off your list. Get your errands and workout out of the way!
• Play in the park – Instead of meeting friends for Happy Hour after work on Friday or vegging on the couch over the weekend, head to the park for a couple of hours of play. Bring a Rugby ball for a bit of touch, a football for a little kick about or the kids and the dogs! Incorporate some activity into your social life—and avoid those couch potato calories!
• Stand and flex – When waiting in line at the grocery store or bank (or anywhere), flex my abs/glutes for 10 seconds and repeat 10 times. It helps make the time pass, it’s a quick and easy way to work your core/glutes without anyone noticing.
• Go the long way – Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park further away from your building so you get a little extra walking. If you ride the bus to work, get off a stop before your office and walk the extra distance.
• Email and call less – Instead of calling or emailing a co-worker, get up from your desk and walk over to chat with them. You will get a lot more accomplished in a quick in-person meeting, and burn a few calories walking to their desk. It might not seem like a lot of activity, but all those small steps can equal big gains when they’re done consistently!
• Ditch the shopping cart – If you have a small shopping list, ditch the cart and use two reusable bags to carry groceries. Throw a bag over each shoulder and walk around the grocery store collecting items. Carrying two heavy bags is a great workout, and, at the same time, I get my grocery shopping done for the week.
• Wake Up! Give Me 50! – Before you shower in the morning, do 50 crunches and push-ups. It takes only five minutes and it sets the tone for the day.
• Add 15 minutes to Fido’s walk – Walk your dog before/after work. On the days when it’ll be tough to fit in a workout, add an extra 15 minutes and power walking or run those extra steps.
• Weekend Warrior – Fit in a workout on the weekend, but not when your household tasks take over most of your free time. Instead of missing out on a workout, wash the car by hand rather than taking it to the car wash, mow the lawn.

At Tiger Athletic, we are passionate about helping you be the healthiest version of yourself, so you can lead a more fulfilling personal and professional life, in your home with your loved ones and in your profession maximising your earning ability from your passion. We use an individualise approach to assess, motivate, coach and educate our clients regards their wellness needs and goals.

Let’s Chat About Your Health.

 

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Tiger Athletic Fitness & Conditioning (Pty) Ltd

Tiger Athletic is a private, appointment only strength & conditioning gym in the heart of Sandton. We offer tailor made, goal oriented  fitness programs based on an individualised approach to health and fitness assessment, motivation and goal setting, coaching science and client education.

Your personal trainer Aubrey, is a Coaching Science graduate and holds a 6th degree black belt in Karate with 25 years experience as a high performance athlete and coach. He designs safe and effective exercise programs and provides the guidance to help clients achieve their personal goals through one on one’ or small group training.

We use state-of-the-art plate loaded equipment and free weight circuits, high intensity interval cardio training, calisthenics and boxing to provide an extraordinary workout that is simple, efficient and effective in 45 minutes.

Our facilities include a private shower and change room,  premium coffee and refreshments as well as audio and visual entertainment so you can pop in, workout and return to your everyday grind refreshed and refocused in under an hour.

Step 1 is the Lifestyle Consultation & Health Appraisal. A vital screening mechanism, instrumental in appraising health status and developing comprehensive programs of exercise to safely and effectively meet client objectives.

Step 2 is the Fitness Assessment Selection and Administration. Your current level of fitness and skills is assessed to provide a basis for developing goals and effective exercise programs as well as in identifying potential areas of injury and starting points regards intensity and volumes of exercise.

Step 3 is the Custom Goal & Program Development. Information from the physical assessment in conjunction with personal information gathered in the consultation and health appraisal is used to plan a time efficient, goal specific program, reasonable in length, frequency, intensity and complexity so that the client is more likely to continue adhering to the program while having fun!

Finally, Book Your Appointments. Tiger Athletic operates on an appointment only basis to ensure the highest possible quality in service delivery and personalised attention at all times.

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World’s Best Personal Training Deal!

Tiger Athletic is a private, appointment only strength & conditioning gym in the heart of Sandton. We offer tailor made, goal oriented  fitness programs based on an individualised approach to health and fitness assessment, motivation and goal setting, coaching science and client education.

We use state-of-the-art plate loaded equipment and free weight circuits, high intensity interval cardio training, calisthenics and boxing to provide an extraordinary workout that is simple, efficient and effective in 50 minutes.

Our facilities include a private shower and change room,  premium coffee and refreshments as well as audio and visual entertainment so you can pop in, workout and return to your everyday grind refreshed and refocused in under an hour.

Your personal trainer Aubrey, is a Coaching Science graduate and holds a 6th degree black belt in Karate with 25 years experience as a high performance athlete and coach. He designs safe and effective exercise programs and provides the guidance to help clients achieve their personal goals through one on one’ or small group training.

You can start your journey to a healthier self by booking an initial consultation below. This first step, is a vital screening mechanism, instrumental in appraising health status and developing comprehensive programs of exercise to safely and effectively meet your individual objectives.

Let’s chat about your health!

 

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Best Workouts! Best Benefit! Best Price!

Tiger Athletic Sandton personal training helps provide you with the strength, stability, power, mobility, endurance and flexibility that you need to thrive as you move through your life and sports.

Tiger Athletic Sandton is an upscale fitness facility that offers revolutionary, goal-specific strength & conditioning programs to train executives and discerning individuals.

We use state-of-the-art strength & conditioning equipment, methods and revolutionary circuits, providing an extraordinary workout that is simple, efficient and effective in 45 minutes. All this in the heart of Sandton!

There is a private shower/ change room facility, premium coffee, refreshments and bespoke media entertainment so you can pop in and workout and return to your everyday grind refreshed and refocused in under an hour!

Life is unpredictable and unstable. So why would you develop your training using stable and predictable routines and equipment? No matter your fitness goal or ability, treat variety and practical application as critical components of your training. You don’t live in a vacuum, so why would you train in one?

Tiger Athletic Sandton’s body specific programs challenge the entire body in every plane of motion with versatile, state-of-the art equipment to perform exercises that improve movement on the field or in life.

The program uses information about you garnered from a thorough physical and mental assessment, Powercore strength equipment and Assault Air Bikes as your primary training tools  along with modern training aids like resistance harnesses, training hurdles, speed cones and weighted balls while you hop, skip, jump, squat, lunge, twist and laugh your way to your ideal body!

Training packages start from as little as R 250 per session!

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Calisthenic Bible

It is a widely held misconception that one needs to be a member of one of our expensive commercial gyms or have expensive gym equipment and supplements in order to lose weight, get stronger and live a more active, fulfilling life. Calisthenic Bible is our gift to you of physical literacy.

Getting women to unerstand their unique physiques and help them understand that they can get healthy using just their bodies, the physical environment and a little imagination is our passion at Tiger Athletic.

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.

Calisthenics are exercises consisting of a variety of gross motor movements; often rhythmical and generally without equipment or apparatus (body-weight training), intended to increase physical strength, physical fitness, and flexibility, through movements such as pulling or pushing oneself up, bending, jumping, or swinging, using only one’s body weight for resistance; usually conducted in concert with stretches.

When performed dynamically and with variation, calisthenics provide the benefits of muscular and aerobic conditioning, in addition to improving psychomotor skills such as balance, agility and coordination.

Sports teams and military units often perform leader-directed group calisthenics as a form of synchronized physical training (often including a customized “call and response” routine) to increase group cohesion and discipline. Calisthenics are also popular as a component of physical education in junior and senior schools the world over.

Introduction

Body weight exercises are strength training exercises that do not require any apparatus; the individual’s own weight provides the resistance for the movement. Movements such as the push-up, the pull-up, and the sit-up are some of the most common body weight exercises.

Advantages

1. Body weight exercises are the ideal for individuals interested in fitness but do not have access to or interest in using equipment. While some exercises may require some type of equipment, the majority of body weight exercises require none. For those exercises that do require equipment, common items found in the household are usually sufficient (such as a bath towel for towel curls), or substitutes can usually be improvised (for example, using a horizontal tree branch to perform pull ups). Body weight exercises benefit all age groups.
2. Most body weight exercises can be progressed or regressed, this progression/regression strategy allows people of all levels of fitness to participate. Some basic methods to increase or decrease the difficulty of a body weight exercise, without adding extra weight, are: changing the amount of leverage in an exercise (such as elevating the feet for a standard push-up, or performing the push-up with knees on the ground), performing the exercise on an unstable platform (such as performing push-ups on a basketball), modifying the range of motion in an exercise (such as squatting to a 45 degree angle rather than a 90 degree angle), incorporating unilateral movements as opposed to bilateral movements (such as performing a one-armed push-up), and adding isometric pauses during the exercise (such as holding for a few seconds at the bottom of a push-up).Gymnasts make extensive use of isometrics by doing much of their training with straight arms (such as iron crosses, levers, and planches). When compared to weight lifting, body weight exercises often require much more flexibility and balance.
3. Body weight exercises have a far lower risk of injury compared to using free weights and machines due to the absence of an external load that places strain on the muscles and joints. The lower risk of injury is only provided that the athlete/trainee is progressing through the correct progressions and not immediately skipping to strenuous movements that can place undue and possibly harmful stress on ligaments, tendons, and other tissues. Although falling on the head, chest, buttocks, and falling backwards can occur, these are far less harmful injuries than dropping a weight on a body part, or having a joint extended beyond its natural range of motion due to a weight being used incorrectly.
4. Body weight exercises also give the advantage of having minimal bulking and cutting requirements that are normally utilised in free weight and machines training. This is due to bulking bringing extra fat that decreases the performance of body weight exercises, thus body weight exercises not only remove the need for a bulking or cutting phase, but it can help a person retain a low body fat percentage all year round.
5. Body weight exercises also work several muscle groups at once, due to the lack of isolation and the need of a large majority of muscles to perform a movement properly. For example, in a push up, the body must form a rigid straight line, and the elbow joint must move from a straight angle to the smallest angle possible, and thus the core muscles, chest muscles, triceps, and legs are all involved in ensuring proper, strict form. 

Disadvantages

1. Body weight exercises use the individual’s own weight to provide the resistance for the movement, hence the weight being lifted is never greater than the weight of one’s own body. This can make it difficult to achieve a level of intensity that is near the individual’s one rep maximum, which is desirable for strength training.
2. Body weight exercises can be increased in intensity by including additional weights (such as wearing a weighted vest or holding a barbell, Kettle Bell, sand bell or plate during a sit up), but this deviates from the general premise that body weight exercises rely solely on the weight of the individual to provide resistance. However, difficulty can be added by changing the leverage, which places more emphasis on specific limbs and muscles, e.g. a one legged squat works a leg far stronger than a two legged squat, which not only requires strength but progressing to a one legged squat builds strength along the way. The same can be seen with one arm pushups, pull ups, and many other exercises. Difficulty can also be added by increasing volume, adding explosiveness to the movements, or slowing down the movement to increase time under tension.

Classes of Exercises

Body weight exercises are generally grouped into four rough classes:

1. Push, which requires the individual to use pushing movements to direct the body against gravity;
2. Pull, which requires the practitioner to use pulling to direct the body;
3. Core, which involves contracting movements of the abdominal and back muscles; and
4. Legs/Glutes, which involve movements of the legs and glutes to direct the individual’s body against gravity.

Push Exercises

Push body weight exercises use a resistive or static pushing motion to work various muscle groups. Most push exercises focus on the pectoral, shoulder, and triceps muscles, but other muscle groups such as the abdominal and back muscles are leveraged to maintain good form during the push exercise.

	Bridge Begin in a sit-up position with the hands positioned by the ears, palms down, fingers facing the legs. Push up with the arms and the back muscles until the body resembles a lowercase ‘n’. The spine must be convex and the limbs straight. Difficulty can be increased by entering the bridge from a standing position and bending backwards in a controlled manner into the bridge. Common variants Inverse Push Ups Muscle Groups Triceps Trapezius Deltoids Glutes Lower back
	4-Count Bodybuilder From a standing position, drop to a squat with hands on floor (count 1), thrusts the legs back to a push up position (count 2), returns the legs to the squat position (count 3) and then returns to standing position (count 4). a. The Burpee variation replaces count 4 with a plyometric squat jump before returning to the standing starting position. b. The military 8-Count Bodybuilder adds a full push up after count 2 (count 3 and 4), and opens and closes the legs while in push-up position (count 5 and 6). Common Variants Burpee 8-Count Bodybuilders Muscle Groups Legs Abdominals Shoulders
	Dips Begin with the hands placed on two solid surfaces at or around waist height. The knees are then bent to raise the feet from the ground, and the body is lowered as far as possible using the arms, then raised again. Muscle Groups Triceps Pectorals
	Seated Dip Begin with their feet on the floor, legs out straight, and hands placed on a supporting level surface between knee and waist height. Start with straight arms with the shoulders above the hands, the body is lowered until the arms are bent at a 90-degree angle. The body is then raised to the starting position. Difficulty may be decreased by moving the feet closer to the body. Difficulty may be increased by raising the feet onto a stable surface. a. The Hanging Dip or Parallel Dip variation requires an apparatus such as a dip bar or two parallel bars (or substitutes such as tree branches or two tables) and the legs are fully raised off the ground, with the individual’s body weight supported by the arms alone. Common Variants Hanging Dip Parallel Dip Muscle Groups Triceps Chest
	L-sit Sit with the body in an L-position, the upper body perpendicular to the ground and the legs out straight and parallel to the ground. The hands are placed beside the glutes. The hands and arms then push the entire body, including the legs, upwards off the ground with the legs remaining parallel to the ground. This exercise taxes the muscles through isometric tension. a. The V-Sit variation increases the difficulty by holding the legs higher, angled away from the ground, so the individual’s body forms a ‘V’ shape. Common Variants V-Sit Muscle Groups Obliques Rectus Abdominis Triceps Quadriceps (these are needed to maintain straightness in the legs) Pectorals
	Lunge Stand on flat surface, step forward with one leg and bend down until the front knee is bent at a 90-degree angle. The back knee bends to almost touch the ground. The front knee should not extend past the front toes in order to maintain good form. Return to the starting position by pushing back with the front leg and stepping back so both feet are together. a. Back Lunge variation is performed from the same position, however, step back with the leg until the front knee is bent at a 90-degree angle and the back knee is almost touching the ground. b. Iron Mikes variation, start out in the bottom position of the lunge, perform a plyometric jump and switch leg positions so the landing position is opposite to the starting position. c. Walking Lunges variation does not return the front leg to the starting position, step forward with the back leg to place the feet together. Common Variants Back Lunges Iron Mikes Walking Lunges Muscle Groups Thigh Buttocks Hamstrings
	Side Lunges Start with the feet positioned slightly apart and take a wide step to the side with the left foot, toes pointing slightly outward. As the left foot contacts the ground, shift your weight to the left so the majority of your body weight is supported by the left leg. Lower the hips and slide the hips back until the left thigh is parallel with the ground. The back and the head are kept straight throughout the movement. Hold the position for a moment, then raise the body by pushing up with the left leg and move the feet together again. The exercise is then repeated on the right side. Difficulty may be increased by performing the Wide Side Lunge variant; start with the feet in a wide stance instead of together, keep the feet in the wide stance throughout the exercise and omit the intermediate step of moving the feet together between repetitions. Common Variants Wide Side Lunges Muscle Groups Quadriceps Glutes Hip flexors Hamstrings
	Bear Walk Place the hands and the feet on the ground, with the head facing the ground, proceed to crawl around by striding with the arms and legs. Muscle Groups Shoulders Chest Triceps Trapezius Core
	Rocking Chairs Begin in a fully extended plank or push-up position. The body is then pushed slowly forward about six to ten inches, while the arms are kept straight. The body is then returned to the starting position. Increase difficulty by bending the arms and lowering the body until it is close to the floor. The body is then slowly pushed forward and returned to the starting position. The difficulty may be further increased by extending the arms between sets to perform a push-up. Common Variants Rocking Chair Press Muscle Groups Pectorals Triceps Deltoids Core
	Shove Offs Begin by standing in front of an elevated surface with a ledge that will bear the weight your weight. The body is tilted forward with the hands and arms extended and the back and legs held straight. The body is allowed to continue to fall forward and the individual catches their weight on the elevated surface with their hands in a palm-down position and arms bent. The arms are then forcefully extended to push the body back to the upright position. The waist is not bent at any time during the exercise. Increase difficulty by selecting a lower surface which decreases the leverage of the arms and moves the centre of gravity forwards towards the hands. Muscle Groups Pectorals Shoulders Triceps
	Mountain Climbers Begin in a push-up position, with the body in a straight line and elbows locked. The left knee is brought to the chest and the left foot placed on the ground, with the right leg remaining outstretched. Then perform a small hop and switches the position of the feet so that the right knee is brought to the chest, the right foot placed on the ground and the left leg is extended behind the body. The exercise is then repeated, most commonly at a fast pace for a defined length of time. Muscle Groups Shoulders Abdominals Core
	Pec Crawl Begin in a push-up position on a smooth surface. The body is propelled forward using only the arms which are never bent beyond 90 degrees. The feet are dragged behind you, the body held in a straight line. This exercise is best performed on a smooth floor while wearing socks or with a folder towel placed under the feet. If performed on a carpeted surface, sneakers should be worn and the toes pointed backwards while the exercise is performed. Muscle Groups Deltoids Core Pectorals Triceps
	Dive Bomber The feet are placed on the ground just a few inches apart, with the legs held straight. Bend over at the waist and place your hands on the ground a few feet in front of the toes, forming an inverted ‘V’ with the body, the hips forming the vertex of the ‘V’. Swing your chest and shoulders down in an arc, between the hands, so the chest nearly touches the ground. The head and shoulders are curved up in an arc as high as possible, until the back is fully arched, the head is facing forward, and the pelvis is only a few inches off the ground. The motion is then reversed, the chest and shoulders moving through the hands, close to the ground, with the arms pushing the body back to the starting point. The arms should end up straight and in line with the back. a. The Half Dive Bomber variant simply stops the movement at the point the chest is between the hands and then reverses the movement to return to the starting position. b. The Hindu dand variant returns directly to the starting position without bending the arms or arcing the chest and shoulders back through the hands. c. Decrease difficulty by moving the feet further apart, or by elevating the hands on a stable surface. The difficulty can be increased by placing only a single leg on the ground at a time. Common Variants Half Dive Bomber Dand Muscle Groups Pectorals Triceps Deltoids Core
	Pec Flies Starts by lying face down on a smooth, hard floor. The legs are placed out straight with the toes on the floor, and the arms out to the sides. Two small towels are placed under the palms. With the arms and body kept straight, the palms are slid together in a controlled manner until the hands are under the shoulders. The hands are then slowly slid apart until the chest is barely touching the floor. Muscle Groups Pectorals Core Shoulders
	Side Triceps Extension Start by lying down on your right side, body in a straight line. The right hand is placed on the left shoulder, and the left hand is placed palm down on the ground, under the right shoulder, fingers pointing towards the head. The left arm pushes the upper body off the ground until the arm is straight, bending at the waist to keep the lower body on the ground. The body is then lowered to the starting position. The exercise is repeated on the left side to work the right triceps. Muscle Groups Triceps Obliques
	Crab Walk Start by sitting on the ground with the knees bent. Both feet and both palms are placed on the floor. The body is lifted off the floor and you walk like a crab, both forward and backward. Muscle Groups Triceps Core
	Hip Raiser Sit on the ground in an L-position with the back perpendicular to the ground and legs out straight. The palms are placed on the ground beside the hips. The soles of the feet are placed on the ground and the pelvis is lifted off the floor until the knees are bent at a 90-degree angle and the body is straight from the head to the knees, with the face pointed straight up. The position is held for a moment and then the body is returned to the starting position. Muscle Groups Triceps Shoulders Glutes Hamstrings
	Air Plunges Begin by lying down on the ground flat on the back, with the arms placed palm-down on the ground. The legs are lifted until they are straight in the air, perpendicular to the ground. The arms are used to push the hips off the ground as high as possible, keeping the legs perpendicular to the ground. The hips are then lowered slowly to the starting position. Lie flat on the back, arms to the side, palms on the ground. Increase difficulty by holding the hips in the top position for a few seconds before they are lowered to the ground. Muscle Groups Triceps Lower abdominals
	Surface Triceps Extensions Begin by grasping a stable, waist-level surface such as a couch, railing, table or a horizontal bar. The surface is grasped with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart. The feet are placed back slightly further than a standard push up position. The body is kept straight, while the arms are bent and the body lowered until the head is below the hands. The body is then raised by pushing up with the arms until the arms are locked out straight. The elbows should be kept pointed straight down throughout the movement. Decrease difficulty by grasping a higher surface to move the centre of gravity closer to the body. Muscle Groups Triceps Core
	Arm Rotations Begin by standing and placing the arms straight out and perpendicular with the body. The hands and arms are moved in circles, first forward, then backward, for a selected number of rotations. The targeted muscle groups of this exercise can be modified by re positioning the arm and body: making circles with the arms pointed out straight in front of the individual moves the focus to the front deltoids, while bending over and moving the arms up and down instead of in circles emphasizes the rear deltoids. Muscle Groups Shoulders
	The Roof Is on Fire Begin in a push up position and performs a single push up. Then the individual will kneel and raise their hands in the air four times as if they are performing an unweighted overhead press. The individual then performs two push ups, then kneels and performs eight unweighted overhead presses. The individual will continue to ladder up in this manner, with the count of unweighted overhead presses equaling four times the number of push ups. When muscle failure is reached, the individual then ladders down with a decreasing number of push ups and a corresponding number of unweighted overhead presses. Muscle Groups Shoulders Triceps Pectorals

Push Ups

The body weight Push Up is a common marker of an individual’s general fitness level. The body weight push-up has many distinct variations, many of which are listed below.

	Classic Push Up Start by lying on the ground in the prone position. The feet are placed together and the palms are placed on the ground under the shoulders. The arms then push the body off the ground with the body is kept in a straight line. Once the arms are straight, the body is then lowered until the chest touches the ground. Decrease difficulty by elevating the hands onto a stable horizontal surface to move the centre of gravity away from the arms. The arms may even be placed on a solid wall or other sturdy vertical surface to make the exercise as easy as possible. Increase difficulty by elevating the feet on to a stable horizontal surface to move the centre of gravity towards the arms. As well, the exercise may be performed with the hands on an unstable surface such as a medicine ball. The exercise can be further modified by performing the push up on one leg with the other leg held in the air to put more focus on the lower lumbar region. To move the focus to the pectoral muscles, the hands may be moved further apart. Muscle Groups Pectorals Triceps Deltoids Core
	Handstand Push Up Start with the hands about three feet from a wall or other solid vertical surface. The legs are placed on the wall one at a time, then the hands are ‘walked’ toward the wall, sliding the feet and legs up the wall until the hands are approximately a foot from the wall. The body is lowered in a controlled fashion by bending the arms, until the head nearly touches the ground between the hands. Muscle Groups Shoulders Triceps Core
	Chinese Push Ups Start with feet on the ground, heels together. The palms are then placed on the ground five hand lengths away from the toes, forming a diamond with the thumbs and the fingers. The body is bent at the hips to form a 90-degree angle between the torso and legs. The arms are bent at the elbow until the top of the head almost touches the ground between the hands. The arms are then straightened to return to the starting position. The back and legs should be kept as straight as possible throughout the exercise. Decrease difficulty by placing the hands on an elevated surface, while placing the feet on the elevated surface will cause the exercise to become more difficult.   Muscle Groups Triceps Deltoids
	Get in Line Start in a push up position, place one hand directly under the forehead while the other hand is placed under the sternum. The arms are bent and the body lowered to the floor as in a normal push up, the elbows kept as close to the body as possible. The hands may be alternated with every repetition or with every set. Muscle Groups Triceps Deltoids
	Close Grip Push Ups This exercise is performed just as a classic push up, but the hands are moved closer together to approximately one or two hand widths apart. The hands may be elevated to decrease the difficulty, or the feet raised to increase the difficulty. Muscle Groups Triceps Pectorals Shoulders Core
	Military Press The Military Press is performed in a similar manner to the Chinese Push Up, but the hands are placed shoulder-width apart. Muscle Groups Triceps Pectorals Shoulders Core
	Shoulder Drop Push Ups The Shoulder Drop is performed in a similar manner to the Classic Push Up, but one shoulder is lowered to the ground as the opposite shoulder is raised high in the air. Muscle Groups Pectorals Triceps Deltoids Core
	Deep Push Ups Deep Push Ups are performed as a Classic Push-up, with each hand placed on a raised surface so the body can be lowered between the hands at the bottom of the movement. This modification places more emphasis on the pectorals and deltoids. Muscle Groups Pectorals Triceps Deltoids Core
	Staggered Hands Push Up Performed like a Classic Push Up, except one hand is placed forward of the normal starting position and one hand is placed slightly behind. Muscle Groups Pectorals Triceps Deltoids Core
	Bouncing Push Ups Performed as a Classic Push Up, but the body is propelled upwards with a plyometric movement so the hands leave the floor for a moment. Land gently on the fingers and palms of the hand and lower the body again to the floor. Muscle Groups Pectorals Triceps Deltoids Core
	Semi-Planche Push Up Begin in a prone position, with the hands palm-down on the ground with the fingers pointed toward the feet. The arms are then extended to raise the entire body off the ground so that only the palms of the hands and the toes are touching the ground. The body is then returned to the starting position. Muscle Groups Pectorals Triceps Deltoids Core
	Planche Push Up Performed as a Semi-Planche Push Up, but the toes are also raised off the ground and the entire body is balanced on the hands which remain stationary on the ground. Muscle Groups Pectorals Triceps Deltoids Core
	One-Arm Push Up Performed in the form of a Classic Push Up, but one arm is placed behind the back, with the elbow of the other arm held tightly against the ribs. The feet are spread apart to provide balance, and the body is lowered and raised using only a single arm. Muscle Groups Pectorals Triceps Deltoids Core Abdominals Obliques Lower back
	Spiderman’s Begin in a prone position on the ground, the balls of the feet on the ground and the hands placed on the ground above the head, fingers splayed. The body is then raised in the air, keeping the midsection as straight as possible, until only the fingers and balls of the feet touch the ground. The body is then lowered to the starting position. Muscle Groups Core Back Pectorals

 Pull

Pull body weight exercises use a resistive or static pulling motion to work various muscle groups.

	Human Flag Start by grabbing a vertical object such as a pole or tree trunk, with both hands palms pronated. The body is then lifted into a horizontal position using the abdominal muscles, with the arms remaining as straight as possible.  Muscle Groups Abdominals (mainly obliques) Shoulders Triceps (this is for the pushing down by the lower arm) Biceps (this is done by the pulling of the upper arm)
	Muscle up Starts with an aggressive standard Pull Up with an overhand grip to chest level, at which point the wrists are rotated forward to permit the elbows and arms to swing above the bar. The arms then push the body up until the arms are straight and the waist is at the level of the bar. The motion is then reversed so the body can be lowered back to the starting position. The transition between the high pull up and the low dip is the most difficult part and emphasizes the trapezius. Muscle Groups Deltoids Trapezius Erector spinae Latissimus dorsi Biceps Brachialis
	Pull Up The body weight Pull Up is another common indicator of an individual’s general fitness level. Start by hanging from a bar with the arms extended and the palms facing away from the exerciser. The body is then pulled up using the arms until the elbows are bent and the head is higher than the hands. If the hands are moved closer, more emphasis is placed on the biceps and elbow flexors. Muscle Groups Deltoids Trapezius Erector spinae Latissimus dorsi Biceps Brachialis Abdominals
	Let Me Ins Start by facing the outer edge of an open door that has a standard doorknob set. The feet are placed on either side of the door and the door pressed between the feet, the heels directly below the doorknob. The individual then leans back until the arms are straight and bends the knees so a 90-degree angle is formed between the thighs and back. The body is then pulled toward the door until the chest touches the edge of the door. The thighs and back should remain locked into a 90-degree angle throughout the exercise. The body is then lowered to the starting point. The exercise can be performed with either a side grip or over-handed grip, which places emphasis on the extensors on the outside of the forearm, or an under-handed grip, which shifts the focus to the flexors on the inside of the forearms. The difficulty can be modified by moving the feet; moving them forward increases the difficulty while moving the feet back decreases the difficulty. The exercise can also be performed with unilateral movements (one-handed) to increase the difficulty. The Towel Grip variation works to increase grip strength. A small towel or rope is hooked around the doorknob and the individual grasps one end of the towel in each hand to perform the exercise. In lieu of a door, the same exercise can be performed with a tree trunk, railing, or any vertical stable pole. Common Variants Towel Grip Let Me In One-Handed Let Me In Muscle Groups Latissimus dorsi Biceps Forearms Deltoids
	Let Me Ups The individual starts by lying on the ground in the supine position, and grasps a bar mounted at arm’s length above the chest. The arms are bent to pull the body up to the bar, while the body remains as straight as possible from the ankles to the shoulders. The body is then lowered until the arms are straight. The exercise may be made less difficult by moving the feet closer to the bar and bending the knees. The exercise may be increased in difficulty by raising the feet onto a raised surface. Performing the exercise with an overhand grip focuses on the extensors on the outside of the forearm, while an underhand grip changes the focus to the flexors on the inside of the forearm. Muscle Groups Latissimus dorsi Biceps Forearms Deltoids
	Towel Curls Start in a standing position with the back against a wall. The ends of a bath-sized towel are grasped in each hand, and the towel is looped under the foot of one leg. The towel is pulled upwards with the arms, the elbows locked against the side of the body, while pushing down with the foot to provide resistance. The arms are then lowered slowly as the foot continues to provide resistance until the arms are at the starting position. The difficulty of the exercise may be modified by providing more or less resistance with the foot; the exercise may be made even more difficult by performing it with one hand. The Ledge Curl variant uses a fixed ledge between waist and chest height to provide resistance. The hands are balled into fists and placed under the ledge. Then bend over slowly while pressing up against the bottom of the ledge, then returns slowly to the starting position, maintaining the same level of resistance along the way. The Isometric Curl variant uses one hand placed on the wrist of the other hand to provide resistance to the curling motion; the curling arm does not move in this case but instead benefits from the isometric tension of the exercise. Common Variants Ledge Curls Isometric Curls Muscle Groups Biceps Forearms
	The Claw Begin by placing the arms in front of the body, and opens and closes the hands and fingers as tightly and as quickly as possible. This exercise is usually performed for a large number of repetitions. Muscle Groups Hands Forearms

Core

Core exercises primarily involve dynamic and static contraction of the back and abdominal muscles. Core exercises can aid with improved balance and overall stability.

	Crunch Start in a supine position on the ground. The shoulders are curled towards the pelvis while the lower back remains flat against the floor. The focus is placed on contracting the abdominal muscles. a. The Crunch It Up variant places the feet under a stationary object such as a low bed or couch. The arms are crossed over the stomach and the knees bent. Using the abdominal muscles, the torso is brought up just until the arms touch the thighs. The torso is then lowered to the starting position. b. The V-Ups variant starts in a supine position with arms straight out on the ground and parallel to the body. The body is bent at the hips, the torso is raised off the ground and the legs brought to the chest with knees bent. The legs and torso are then lowered until they are just a few inches off the ground, but not touching it. c. The Side-V variant starts on the ground, lying on one side of the body, with the arm closest to the ground stretched out perpendicular to the body. The other arm is bent and the hand placed behind the head. The torso is raised and the legs, kept straight, are raised until the legs form a 90-degree angle with the torso. The legs and torso are then lowered until they are just a few inches off the ground, but not touching it. d. The Jack-Knife variant starts on the ground, legs stretched out straight and the arms on the ground extended straight up over the head. The chest and legs are simultaneously brought up until the hands touch the feet. The legs and torso are then lowered until they are just a few inches off the ground, but not touching it. e. The Bicycle variant starts on the ground, the hands behind the head. The knee is pulled in toward the chest while the upper body curls up to touch the opposite elbow to the knee. The leg is then straightened and the exercise performed on the other side. The legs should be suspended off the ground during the exercise. Common Variants Crunch It Ups V-Ups Side V-Ups Jack Knives Bicycle Muscle Groups Abdominal
	Hyperextension Start in a prone position on the ground with the arms straight out in front of the body. The arms, legs and upper chest are lifted off the ground, and then slowly lowered back to the ground. This exercise is also known as “Superman’s”. a. The Thumbs-Up variant starts in the same position, forms two fists with the thumbs pointed straight up, then lifts the head, shoulders and chest off the ground as high as possible. b. The Swimmers variation raises and lowers the opposite leg and arm and alternates sides. c. The Pillow Humpers variant places a towel under the hips and the feet under a stationary object like a low bed or couch. The hands are placed behind the head and the torso is raised off the ground as far as possible. Common Variants Thumbs Up Swimmers Superman’s Pillow Humpers Muscle Groups Lower back Erector spinae
	Planche Start on the ground in a prone position, with the hands at the side of the body by the hips, palm down. The body is held straight while the arms push the body off the floor until the arms are straight. The entire weight of the individual is balanced on the arms. The body is then lowered to the ground. Muscle Groups Full Body
	Plank Place the toes and the forearms on the ground, with the elbows underneath the shoulders and the arm bent at a 90-degree angle. This position is maintained for as long as possible. a. The Static Push Up variant simply holds the starting position of a Classic Push Up for as long as possible. b. The S&M Push Up variant builds on the Static Push Up variant, but opposite legs and arms are lifted from the ground. The position is held as long as possible before switching sides. Common Variants Front Plank Side Plank Reverse Plank Static Push Up S&M Push Ups Muscle Groups Core Abdominals Back Shoulders
	Russian Twist Start by sitting upright on the ground, with arms crossed and knees bent. The feet are lifted off the ground while the torso is twisted so the left elbow can touch the right knee, then twisted in the opposite direction so the right elbow can touch the left knee. The movement is repeated as long as possible. Muscle Groups Abdominals Intercostal Obliques
	Standing Knee Raises Start by standing upright, with arms raised out in front of the body. The left knee is brought up as high as possible, held up for a few moments, then lowered to the ground. The right knee is then raised as high as possible, held, then lowered to the ground. Muscle Groups Abdominals
	Leg Raises Start in a supine position on the floor, palms on the floor under the lower back or buttocks. The legs are slowly raised to a 45-degree angle with the ground, then slowly lowered to the ground. The exercise can be increased in difficulty by raising the legs to a 90-degree angle, and not allowing the legs to return fully to the floor between repetitions. a. The Flutter Kicks variation raises both legs off the ground by several inches, then alternates lifting each leg to the 45-degree position and returning it to its starting position. b. The Hello Darlings variant raises both legs off the ground by several inches, then opens and closes the legs with a horizontal movement. c. The Hanging Leg Lift variant starts by hanging from a horizontal bar by their hands. The knees are brought slowly up to the chest and then returned to the starting position. The difficulty can be increased by keeping the legs straight as they are raised as high as possible. Common Variants Flutter Kicks Hello Darlings Hanging Leg Lifts Muscle Groups Abdominals Hip flexors
	Beach Scissors Begins by lying on the side, one hand propping up the head, both legs kept straight. The upper leg is raised as high as possible, held in the air for a moment, then lowered to the starting position. The difficulty may be increased by propping up the body on one elbow. Muscle Groups Hip flexors Obliques
	Hip Ups Begins by lying on the ground, propped up on one elbow, hip and feet touching the ground. The hips are then raised until the body is in a straight line. The hips are then lowered to the starting position. Muscle Groups Obliques Intercostal
	Supine Windshield Wipers Begin by lying on the ground in a supine position, legs raised in the air at 90 degrees, arms stretched out the sides. The legs are then lowered to the right side by rotating the hips, then brought back to the starting position. The legs are then lowered to the left side, then returned to the starting position. Common Variants Half Windshield Wipers Full Windshield Wipers Muscle Groups Abdominals Obliques Intercostal
	Yes, No, Maybes Begin in a supine position on a raised surface, with the head and neck extending off the edge. The head is then moved up and down in a “yes” fashion. The head is then turned from side to side in a “no” fashion. Finally, the head is moved from side to side, bringing each ear to the nearest shoulder in a “maybe” fashion. The exercise may also be performed in a prone position, with the hands placed on the back of the head to provide extra resistance. Muscle Groups Neck

Legs/Glutes

Body weight exercises that work the thigh, calf and glute muscles are generally performed in the upright, seated, and all-fours positions. Increasing the difficulty of exercises in this class is usually accomplished through unilateral modifications (performed on one leg) or providing additional weight over and above the individual’s own body weight.

	Calf raises Start with both feet on the edge of a raised surface, with the toes on the surface and the heels lower than the toes. The heels are raised as high as possible, then returned to the starting position. The difficulty may be increased by performing the exercise on one leg. a. The Cliff-hanger variant requires one foot only to be placed on the surface and the position held as long as possible in isometric tension. b. The Donkey Calf Raises variant requires that you bend at the waist to about 90 degrees and rest the arms on a chair or other stable surface. c. The Little Piggies variant is performed by placing the heels on the surface, and moves the toes instead. Common Variants The Cliff-hanger Donkey Calf Raises Little Piggies Muscle Groups Calves
	Squat Start in a standing position with feet shoulder width apart. The legs are bent at the knees and hips, and the torso is lowered between the legs. The knees should remain behind the toes at all times. The body is then raised to the starting position. a. The Invisible Chair variant is performed with the back against the wall, knees bent at 90 degrees, and the body is held in this position for as long as possible. b. The Wall Squat variant is performed with the back against the wall and the feet one step forward from the wall. The back slides down the wall as the knees are bent to a 90-degree angle. c. The Sumo Squat variant is performed with a wide stance, and the body is lowered until the thighs are parallel to the ground. d. The One-Legged Squat is performed with one leg held out straight in front of the body while the other leg bears your full weight during the squat. e. The Pistol Squat variant builds on the One-Legged Squat and brings the buttocks all the way down to the heel of the foot on the ground. This variety of squats is made to challenge your balance. The Bulgarian Split Squat. Put the rear leg on a bench, drop straight down, and make sure that the front heel always stays in contact with the ground to avoid any excess stress on the knees. Retain a tall posture throughout the whole exercise. These can work the abs, quads and glutes, as well as the ability to stabilize. Moreover, 3 sets of 6-10 reps do the job to satisfaction. f. The Sissy Squat variant uses a pole or other support to hold with one hand, while the body leans backward through the squat until the buttocks are resting on the heels. Common Variants Invisible Chair Wall Squat Sumo Squat One-Legged Squats Pistol Squat Bulgarian Split Squat Sissy Squats Muscle Groups Legs
	Good Mornings Start in a standing position, hands behind the head. The body is bent at the waist and the back is kept straight until the legs and torso form a 90-degree angle. The torso is returned slowly to the starting position. Muscle Groups Glutes Hamstrings Lower back
	Dirty Dogs Start in an all-fours position, then lifts one knee off the ground and swings the knee out to the side as far as possible, maintaining the bent knee at a 90-degree angle. The leg is then returned to the starting position and the exercise is then performed with the other leg. a. The Mule Kick variant is performed by straightening the leg as it is lifted away from the body as high as possible. Common Variants Mule Kick Muscle Groups Glutes Lower back Hip flexors
	Standing Side Leg Lift Stand with their feet hip-width apart. The leg is lifted to the side in a slow, controlled manner until it forms a 45-degree angle with the stationary leg. The leg is then returned to the starting position and the exercise performed on the other side. One hand may be rested on a chair or other stable surface for support. Muscle Groups Glutes Hip flexors Lower back
	Standing Leg Curls Start with the feet shoulder-width apart. The leg is lifted from the ground, with the knee bent, and the foot curled in toward the buttocks. The leg is returned to the starting position and the exercise performed on the other side. One or two hands may be rested on a chair or other stable surface for support. Muscle Groups Glutes Hamstrings
	One-Legged Romanian Dead Lifts Start in a standing position with the feet together. Bending at the waist, one leg is raised in the air while the hand reaches for the floor. The leg is lowered to the starting position and the body returned to the upright position. The leg and back should stay straight at all times during the exercise. Muscle Groups Hamstrings Lower back Core
	Hip Extensions Start with the back resting on the ground, and the legs bent at 90 degrees with the feet resting on an elevated surface such as a chair. Using only the legs, the hips are pushed up as high as possible, held in contraction for a moment, then lowered to the starting position. Muscle Groups Glutes Hamstrings Lower back
	King of the Klutz Stand on one leg, body held vertically, closes the eyes, then holds the position for as long as possible. The difficulty may be increased by performing the exercise on a soft or unstable surface. Muscle Groups Calves Quadriceps Hamstrings Hip flexors
	Bam Bams Lie in a prone position on a raised, horizontal surface so the legs may project freely beyond the edge of the surface and the toes rest on the ground. The legs are then spread as wide as possible, then raised slowly and brought together until the heels touch. The feet are then returned to the ground. The legs are held as straight as possible throughout the exercise. Muscle Groups Glutes
	Ham Sandwich Kneel on the ground, with the feet anchored under a solid surface, or held to the ground by another person. The body is then lowered until the chest is touching the ground. The individual then uses a plyometric movement with the arms to return to the starting position. Muscle Groups Hamstrings Pectorals Shoulders
	Beat Your Boots The feet are placed together on the ground and the individual bends at the waist to grab the ankles, with the legs kept straight. The knees are then bent until the buttocks touch the ankles. The body is then returned to the starting position. Muscle Groups Hamstrings Quadriceps
	The Arabesque The arabesque is a technique that is borrowed from the ballet moves. It works excellently for the butt muscles, and does not even make the use of free weights. However, if you want to add cuffs or ankle weights, you need to follow the following procedure. Place your hands on the back of the chair or on a railing, and lift one leg behind you as high as possible, while holding your glutes and squeezing them for a count of about 4 or 5. Make sure to maintain an upright position so that you do not stress your lower back instead of the glutes. Muscle Groups Hamstrings Glutes
	The Duck Walk Duck walks are really good exercises to help shape your butt. The procedure to do this exercise is to assume and hold a squatting position while walking forward for the repetitions and then walk backwards in the same positions for the repetitions. This position might not be very “diva” looking, but is highly effective all the same. Muscle Groups Quadriceps Hamstrings Glutes

Ref:

1. Wikipaedia
2. NSCA
3. ETA

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Tigerobics

Tiger Athletic Sandton introduces Tigerobics, a fun, modern, effective, time efficient, workout to burn fat and sculpt lean muscles.

Long ago, to survive as a warrior, sharp skills in combat, top physical conditioning and clarity of mind had to be maintained. To achieve this, warriors practiced daily; it was a part of their “job”.

Today we have other jobs and many demands on our time which take their toll on both our minds and bodies. Yet these same combat skills can be of great benefit to anyone seeking a non conventional, exciting way to invest in themselves to keep both physically and mentally fit!

Tigerobics fuses martial arts and coaching science. The result? A physical fitness program that is both challenging and fun!

Tiger Athletic Sandton uses state-of-the-art strength & conditioning equipment, Coaching Science and revolutionary circuits, providing an extraordinary workout that is simple, efficient and effective in 45 minutes. All this in the heart of Sandton!

There is a private shower/ change room facility, premium coffee, refreshments and bespoke media entertainment so you can pop in and workout and return to your everyday grind refreshed and refocused in under an hour!

Your personal trainer Aubrey, is a health/fitness professional that uses an individualized approach to assess, motivate, educate and train clients regarding their health and fitness needs. He designs safe and effective exercise programs and provides the guidance to help clients achieve their personal goals. A Black Belt and graduate in Coaching Science, he employs modern, effective methods to measure and nurture your development.

So when want an hour to invest in your personal well, being it to shed a few kilos and tone your body or to relaxing your mind in fresh and innovative way.

Book a personal class and start training like a professional athlete. It’s the only sure way to get real, lasting results quickly and safely!

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Outdoor Fitness

Outdoor Fitness is a fresh, innovative, modern take on the age old physical conditioning principle of outdoor calisthenics. Set in the outdoor environment, with world class fitness instruction and backed by Johannesburg’s premier personal training studio, this program offers you a unique opportunity to condition yourself outside of the confines of a gym.

This program employs calisthenics which are exercises consisting of a variety of gross motor movements; often rhythmical and generally without equipment or apparatus. They are, in essence, body-weight training. They are intended to increase body strength, body fitness, and flexibility, through movements such as pulling or pushing oneself up, bending, jumping, or swinging, using only one’s body weight for resistance; usually conducted in concert with stretches. When performed vigorously and with variety, calisthenics can provide the benefits of muscular and aerobic conditioning, in addition to improving psychomotor skills such as balance, agility and coordination.

We believe everyone is an athlete! We believe you can get fit and healthy at any age with the right motivation and fitness instruction!

While the great outdoors are a key component of this fitness program, you also get the opportunity to exercise with one of South Africa’s top personal trainers according to the industry respected Personal Trainer South Africa website and get an opportunity to join your personal trainer Aubrey for custom fitness sessions at premier fitness studio, Tiger Athletic Sandton!

You are encouraged to move at your own pace and encouraged to push yourself as hard as you personally are willing to go! Sessions are always motivational, safe, different and fun! Whether you are a beginner, an enthusiastic amateur or a competitive professional, we will train you to look and feel like an athlete.

Calisthenic training provides you with the strength, stability, power, mobility, endurance and flexibility that you need to thrive as you move through your life and sports. You use basic functional movement patterns like pushing, pulling, hinging, squatting, rotating, carrying and gait patterns (walking and running) every day. This program utilizes exercises that improve your movement proficiency in these primary patterns to give you an edge and enhance your performance so you can achieve your goals safely and with good health.

Life is unpredictable and unstable. So why would you develop your training using stable and predictable routines and equipment? No matter your fitness goals or ability, your personal trainer Aubrey, treats variety and practical application as critical components of your training. Every training session is as different and unique as you are! You don’t live in a vacuum, so why would you train in one?

Outdoor Fitness challenges the entire body in every plane of motion with versatile, scalable tools that anyone, anywhere can use to perform exercises that improve movement on the field or in life. The program uses the physical characteristics of the environment; the stairs, grass, playgrounds, rooftops….anywhere! as your primary training tools along with modern training aids like resistance harnesses, training hurdles, speed cones and weighted balls while you hop, skip, jump, squat, lunge, twist and laugh your way to your ideal body!

Your personal trainer Aubrey uses an individualized approach to assess, motivate, educate and coach clients regarding their health and fitness needs. Aubrey is a graduate of The Exercise and Training Academy with a National Diploma in Coaching Science (Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Performers), Coach Rugby (Beginner to Advanced), Coach Football (Beginner to Advanced), Flexi-Sports Germany Athlete & Master Trainer for FLEXI-BAR® and XCO®-TRAINER, Advanced Diploma in Electromyostimulation and holds a 6th Dan Black Belt in Traditional Okinawan Karate. Aubrey designs safe and effective exercise programs providing you with the guidance and support to achieve your personal and professional goals!

This program is available on location every month end and on order and can be delivered to your school, office or playground, in fact anywhere where people want to get together and have fun losing weight and getting healthy!

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Breakfast:Five Perfect Protein Sources.

Eggs may be the most popular protein choice for breakfast, but don’t get stuck thinking inside the shell. Check out these 5 awesome, unconventional protein sources!

You need to prioritize protein at breakfast. The macronutrient serves a number of important functions when consumed during your first meal of the day.

To begin with, protein helps put the brakes on the muscle catabolism that can occur during an overnight fast and switches on your muscle-making machinery again. Protein at breakfast has also been shown to be important in the battle against the bulge. It curbs the body storing fat by helping to curb hunger and control blood sugar, both of which help reduce overeating later in the day.

When most people think of breakfast proteins, eggs come to mind first. While I certainly have a love affair with this protein packed miracle of nature there are other proteins worth exploring for your daybreak meal.

Smoked Salmon – 10 grams protein per 60 gram Serving.

Kick-start your day with top-notch protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition discovered that combining fish-oil intake with regular exercise plays an important role in making it easier to shed body fat and, smoked salmon requires no cooking, so you’ll still be in good shape to make it to work or the gym on time.

Ricotta Cheese – 14 grams per ½ Cup Serving.

Made from the whey that’s skimmed off during the production of other cheeses, ricotta is a notable source of this ultimate muscle-building protein. Studies suggest that beyond sculpting lean muscle, whey can help regulate appetite so you’ll be less likely to give into hunger pangs during the morning hours, you’ll also benefit from good amounts of bone-strengthening calcium.

Black Beans – 14 grams per 1 Cup Canned

The fibre, along with a greater intake in a range of vitamins and minerals, is likely a big reason why research suggests those who load up on plant foods like beans have improved longevity and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Enjoy breakfast by piling canned black beans, sliced avocado, diced pineapple salsa on wraps.

Canadian Bacon – 12 grams Protein per 60 gram Serving

More like ham than the strips of crispy bacon most of us are more accustomed to, Canadian bacon is gleaned from the loin section of the hog and thereby significantly leaner than regular bacon harnessed from the fatty belly of a pig. Dijon-style mustard on a toasted whole-grain muffin, top with cooked Canadian bacon, sliced tomato, and baby spinach, with a fried or poached egg!

Quinoa – 8 grams Protein per 1 Cup

Quinoa possesses all of the necessary amino acids to instigate muscle growth. On top of being a complete protein, the grain contains an impressive arsenal of vital nutrients including magnesium, iron, and B vitamins. In similar fashion to oats, quinoa can be cooked into breakfast porridge to help launch your day in the healthiest way possible. Bring 1 cup quinoa, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon ginger powder to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Add honey and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, divide among serving bowls, and top with milk, diced fruit, and chopped nuts or seeds.

REFERENCE

Rains, T. M., Leidy, H. J., Sanoshy, K. D., Lawless, A. L., & Maki, K. C. (2015). A randomized, controlled, crossover trial to assess the acute appetitive and metabolic effects of sausage and egg-based convenience breakfast meals in overweight premenopausal women. Nutrition Journal, 14(1), 17.

Hill, A. M., Buckley, J. D., Murphy, K. J., & Howe, P. R. (2007). Combining fish-oil supplements with regular aerobic exercise improves body composition and cardiovascular disease risk factors. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 85(5), 1267-1274.

Zafar, T. A., Waslien, C., AlRaefaei, A., Alrashidi, N., & AlMahmoud, E. (2013). Whey protein sweetened beverages reduce glycaemic and appetite responses and food intake in young females. Nutrition Research, 33(4), 303-310.

Bazzano, L. A., He, J., Ogden, L. G., Loria, C. M., Vupputuri, S., Myers, L., & Whelton, P. K. (2002). Fruit and vegetable intake and risk of cardiovascular disease in US adults: the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Epidemiologic Follow-up Study. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 76(1), 93-99

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How Much Is Your Personal Trainer?

Tiger Athletic Fitness & Conditioning is a fitness company that uses an individualised approach to motivate, assess and train clients regards their fitness & health needs via a personal trainer, using state-of-the-art strength & conditioning equipment, methods and revolutionary circuits. Providing an extraordinary workout that is simple, efficient and effective in 45 minutes. All this in the heart of Sandton!

Your personal trainer is a coaching science graduate and karate black belt. He is a health and fitness professional who custom designs safe and effective exercise programs and provides the guidance to help clients achieve their personal goals.

Our programs are designed to help clients get into optimum physical condition to enhance peak mental performance through our ‘strong body, strong mind’ philosophy and simple four (4) step method.

Step 1: Lifestyle Consultation & Health Appraisal – Your personal trainer begins by gathering information regarding a client’s personal health, lifestyle and exercise readiness. This consultation process is used in appraising health status and developing comprehensive programs of exercise to safely and effectively meet individual objectives. Vital is to screen participants for risk factors and symptoms of chronic cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic and orthopaedic diseases to optimise safety during exercise testing and participation.

Step 2: Fitness Assessment Selection and Administration– next your personal trainer assesses your current level of fitness and skills before developing a custom program for you. The purpose is to provide a basis for developing goals and effective exercise programs. The information collected assists the trainer in identifying potential areas of injury and reasonable starting points regards intensity and volumes of exercise based on those goals and fitness outcomes. Your individualized program that incorporates your personality and goals is what we regard as the “personal” in personal training.

Step 3: Custom Goal & Program Development – Your personal trainer uses information from the physical assessment in conjunction with personal information gathered in the consultation and health appraisal to plan a time efficient, specific program that will help the client to achieve his/her goals. Understanding a client’s personal characteristics and current lifestyle factors helps the personal trainer to plan sessions that are reasonable in length, frequency, intensity and complexity so that the client is more likely to continue adhering to the program while having fun!

Step 4 – Book Your Appointments – Tiger Athletic is a personal trainer led facility & all sessions are by appointment only to ensure you reach your goals as efficiently & safely as possible.

 

Personal Trainer Packages Include:

1. Anthropometry – Six Monthly Body Fat Analysis, Monthly Girth Measurements.
2. Lifestyle Analysis & Lifestyle Advice.
3. Nutritional Analysis & Advice.
4. SMART Goal Setting.
5. Body-Specific Strength & Conditioning Program.
6. Certified Personal Trainer Led Workouts.
7. Strength & Conditioning 10 Session Block.
8. Full Body Assisted Stretch After Every Session.
9. Packages Start At R2500 per Month (10 Sessions at R250 each).

So I’ll ask you again…how much is your personal trainer?

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