Snow fun
Dec0
This time of the year offers heaps of new types of entertainment and fitness-ability… due to that one special ingredient: snow.
Snow means you can go skiiing, or cross-country skiing, often at the same time as skating etc. But even without resorting to special sports – it offers so many ways of getting a flush on your cheeks and your heart pumping. Simply taking a walk becomes a different kind of work-out. Don’t be put off by the fact that it is cold, bundle up and ... Read More
Soft tissue
Dec0
An expansive topic – Soft Tissue. Meaning all the tissues that are not bone, effectively so skin, underlying layers as well as muscles and tendons. Often injuries start occurring when layers of tissue get “glued” together – causing less flexibility and more friction for other parts to move. Or your muscles develop tiny tears which can lead to scar tissue which in turn can lead to more tearing etc. So all in all, keeping your soft tissue loose is definitely something ... Read More
Skipping
Nov0
As I am still fighting some very annoying and persistant injuries, I am struggling with my normal calorie-blasting activities. I keep telling myself this is a mental challenge instead of a physical one for once, and I can deal with it… but it is still v. hard not to experience that feeling of exhilaration when you have completed a good run or great, very muddy, bikeride through the woods…
So Caleb, my cross-fit trainer, managed to find one thing I can do… jumping ... Read More
Cross-Fit
Nov0
I am just discovering a whole new way of training… or maybe I shouldn’t call it new, since it is a natural progression in many ways from all the “old” philosophies about training. But new or not, I am loving it! My trainer at Equinox, Caleb Chiu, is taking my through my paces, and despite the injuries I still have (read my prior blogs) I am finding that after a couple of sessions those are becoming less even though I have done some pretty nice workouts. Feeling ... Read More
Pain in the backside…
Oct2
It literally is a pain in the bum….
Sometimes, you cannot balance everything that is going on in your life – and I have found that out yet again. Of course, I have had times in my life before where I was struggling to keep an equilibrium between work, play, sports, family, friends and so on.
You may be different, but it took me a good number of years to figure out that “balance” doesn’t mean that every moment, or even every day is in perfect ... Read More
Timing your supplements!
Oct0
Following my blog yesterday on B Complex, I got an immediate response from Jody de Groot on when to take these supplements to get the best result… so here goes!
There are many schools of thought on when to take supplements and I think some of this will be down to personal preference as much as anything else. But there are a number of things that might be good or even fun to know…
In general it is best to spread out your vitamins and mineral intake during the day ... Read More
Supplements – B Complex
Oct1
This time of year, tons of people on the Northern Hemisphere start suffering from the winter blues. As I wrote in my last post, getting out in the fresh(est) air is still a good idea as you will get some oxygen but also a little bit of light which can be amazingly good for you. But there are other things that will help you get through those winter months with spirits lifted and body in great shape.
One of these supplements is Vitamin B. There is a range of different B’s in the ... Read More
Sleep your way to lower weight…..
Oct0
Now here’s a study that will make a lot of people happy – it has been clinically proven that if you sleep well, you can lose more weight then if you don’t! Or reversely – if you do not sleep well – you will gain weight, but let’s focus on the positive!
It’s all to do with a couple of hormones, one that helps you feel full and one that makes you feel hungry. The akward thing is that as you get more sleep deprived, the one that makes you feel ... Read More
The 9 Edges Endurance Run
Sep0
Having reported a few weeks ago on the great challenge my friend Roddy and his two mates were undertaking for Charity – I just have to share with you how they fared.. Although I wasn’t there myself – it is the kind of gruelling run that you can feel in every fibre of your body just looking at the pictures – and since a picture tells more then a thousand words - ... Read More
Do you know your body type?
Sep0
I usually don’t pay too much attention to body types, because at the end of the day – you will simply have to work with the one you got! No use crying that you want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger if you really are more like Danny de Vito after all.
I was in conversation yesterday though with Nando, Personal Trainer (www.1-2-1-trainers.com) and he pointed out that it does make a difference what material you work with and that it helps understanding your body type in ... Read More
How to avoid Calories in food….
Sep1
Women all know this particular bit of wisdom and use it to their greatest advantage….
Ever noticed we women love to eat of your plate? When it is time to order, we tell you to go ahead and have those chips, or that dessert whilst we order the mixed salad or maybe some fruit for afters, feeling very good about ourselves. But when those wicked chips come out, ofcourse we have to have one, oh go on, maybe even two or ten or half your portion.. and the icecream obviously is meant for ... Read More
Keep that Fuel Tank topped up!
Sep0
By Guest Blogger Coen van Schijndel, Topvorm - www.topvorm.com
Keep your Energy Tank fuelled!!!
An important concern of cyclists, as well as marathon runners or triatletes and all those that go for the longer nuance races is their energy supply. The energy sources which you have available to support your effort, are your body fat store and the storage of glycogen (carbohydrates) in your liver and muscles together with whatever you manage to consume and add during the actual ... Read More
It’s a crazy world
Sep0
Maybe this has nothing to do with exercise…then again, maybe it does. It does have to do with feeling good so I figured I might as well add it.
Sometimes you have to do things you enjoy, just for the sake of the enjoyment itself. I recently have been thinking about all those things you love doing, which really you don’t do often enough, maybe because it scares you a little, because your ego gets in the way, because you are supposed to be all grown up etc. I have written ... Read More
Exercising for a good cause….
Sep0
In this case, YOU are not the good cause I am referring to in the title, even though that may be equally true of course. I rather meant that from time to time it is a superb motivator to support a charity with your exercising.
I used to pick one event every year for which I would go out and get sponsorship from friends, colleagues and family. Once a year not because I wouldn’t love to do it more often, but simply because you don’t want people to get fed up with you asking ... Read More
Grief and fitness
Aug1
Where do you start when discussing how sudden loss impacts your fitness and training? There are so many aspects, I have noticed.
Whereas you may think that an event like a death in your family mostly has a mental and emotional impact, it actually goes way beyond that and has an immediate impact on your physical being. For me, against anything I had anticipated, I didn’t lose my appetite but am ravenous half the time and mostly for sweets. Despite that I lose weight – ... Read More
Life is unpredictable…
Aug0
The realisation that life is the most unpredictable thing ever has just hit me with the utmost force. My beloved brother-in-law, Edmond Spanjersberg, a fit and healthy man – passed away earlier this week, suddenly and without any warning.
This sad event obviously means I will not be writing this blog for the next few days… but I have found several great guest writers that will post their thoughts on training over the coming week.
Life is too short – enjoy it ... Read More
Max Training
Aug0
Having written about testing your maximum heart rate a little while ago, it occurred to me that it had actually been a long time since I did check it myself. In fact, I soon enough discovered it was 6 years ago! I have always trained and roughly know my limits but still – it’s good to test your max more regularly then every 6 years since your age changes (arrggh) and your circumstances change too. So to keep your training at the most effective levels, do a check once every 2 years ... Read More
Summer sweetness
Aug0
It’s summer fruit time! I love it – lots of sugar and sweetness and you can always pretend you are eating your five portions of vegetables and fruit in one sitting because it is GOOD for you 
So two great sorbets* I like to make because they are totally refreshing and ofcourse wickedly sweet…
Pomegranate Sorbet
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup ... Read More
Jetlag
Aug0
Everyone has their favorite ways of dealing with jetlag – most people just succumb to it actually, you see them walking round like zombies for days. And sometimes that was after a mere 1 hour flight But seriously, jetlag can be really awful and if you fly longer distances it’s a good idea to try and not get into a battle with it. You’ll lose.
There’s ... Read More
Livestrong – a great site!
Jul0
Being a fan of any rider in the Tour de France but definitely one that admires the amazing performance Lance Armstrong has just shown – I obviously had to check into his Livestrong project.
To my surprise, it’s not just about a way to gain funds for his project, but the site is really good. If you are looking for all sorts of good calculators or tools, even a way to track your progress – then have a look at http://www.livestrong.com/tools. You can register and keep a ... Read More
