Before Sunrise in Our Spare Time

Get Up and Move

Ok. So I don't know what the hell I was thinking when she asked me one Friday morning during an intense session to run with her... I don't know if it was the endorphins and the dopamine rushing through my head interfering with my right brain or the sweat that was filling my ears impairing my hearing? Apprehensive and excited for the challenge, the fitness nerd inside me whispered; "Yes, I'll run with you Shanaaz Joseph, http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=573813869&ref=ts , marathon runner, Mom of two, Argus cyclist devotee and Pilates teacher extrodinaire, yes I'll run with you, up Kloofnek..." With Ramadaan approaching this social run would fall right in the perfect spot before having breakfast before the sun comes up. It was like the perfect lil play date. Shanaaz is an absolute machine and I'm excited for her to encourage me. She also manages to get Mark Whelan, our trainer from 360 Specialized Training, to join us as well as partake in the fast for that day.

Shanaaz Joseph Pilates, contact her on 082 567 3665 or email her on shanaazjoseph@gmail.com

The meeting spot is at the Nando's on Kloof street and I know what you're thinking, "that aint far, pshhh," but that is daunting, and you have to start somewhere. So we meet at 05:00 and I wonder if I should've painted war paint across my cheeks or maybe brought a back pack with bricks in it? At this point I'm just feeling pretty proud that I'm standing at the foot of the hill with the intention of running it, even if I don't make it at all. So we go, very slowly and Mark http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=743104999&ref=ts is a legend helping me all the way!! Running down we laugh about chocolate milk and muffins and pizza and wonder if any of the passing traffic, are thinking: "I should go running later too..." 

I get home limping, my leg flared up, all ablaze, I stuff Mc Cains frozen wedges under my running pants, the complex carbohydrates do make themselves useful, I scoff down some walnuts and L'Glutamine and go to sleep.

Impromptu Ice pack

08:00 I have a scheduled 1 on 1 session with my PT Chris Walsh at 360 Gym. Jumping out of bed, exhausted as shit, I head straight down to the gym, smelling like frozen wedges my poor body is screaming for mercy and Chris will have non of it making me do a gazillion variations of abdominal exercises to strengthen my core and pelvic floor, 1 Legged squats and so on helping me with my mobility. 

Contact them on +27 21 461 0360 or email them on info@360training.co.za or visit  www.360training.co.za

 By using body weight exercises, he trains my body to increase its relative strength through a wide variety of movements and ranges of motion. From deep diagonal lunges to push ups in all types of contortions, you get the best of both yoga and strength training all rolled into one. He throws in some dynamic exercises to strengthen me for surfing (my summer activity 2010) and then obviously some dead lifts and under grip pull ups, at this time I am in tears, moaning about the flared leg, tired and pre-empting a very non-functional brain for the rest of the day. I tell myself the more I use my body the more efficient it becomes and the longer (and better) it will work, this will lead to a greater level of endurance. Many people don’t realize that a lack of exercise also results in decreased energy levels. A proper fitness regimen can do just the opposite: it will give us more energy. In addition, exercise increases our oxygen consumption, which results in more blood flow throughout the body. This is especially true in the brain where increased blood flow causes a release of endorphins, which give us a sense of well-being and accomplishment! 

The psychological benefits alone are reason enough to become more active, but exercise can be a springboard to a more active, healthy lifestyle on all fronts - physical, mental, and emotional. If you haven’t been active in a while, remember to start slowly, take it in your stride, one nek at a time. 

Kloof Nek, Cape Town

Day 8 Play Rating
The rating is based on the physical activities I have set out for the particular day and whether or not I complete them!!

1/1 Run

Sweaty t-shirt rating: 5/10

1/1 PT Session

Sweaty t-shirt rating: 7/10

Eat

Walnuts

prunes

Broccoli, date, red onion, avo, danish feta, sweetcorn, rocket and almond salad

+ homemade honey mayo and mustard dressing :0

Fantasy Salad, just what I was craving!!!

Eat Rating

5/10 Ano-diet

Where'd my appetite go??????

Not hungry!!

BIKINI BEACH BABES!!!

Ok. Ok. Everyone is different! Slaving and glorifying 1 Universal body type is dumb. There is NO perfect woman body. But lets celebrate a few anyway...

Most frightened word this summer undoubtedly: Bikini 

Most terror inducing invite this summer: Pool Party

Most unforgiving place of recreation: Clifton Beach

Which celeb beach babe to admire?

Jessica Biel

Scarlet Johannsen

Kim Kardashian

Mel B

Rihanna

 

 

Evangeline Lily

Megan Fox

Katy Perry

Cam Diaz