Route to a more active you: Fitness questions answered

Q&A with Khethiwe

Khethiwe Mlangeni is a busy lady. She is the co-founder of PopUpGym, an ambassador for various sports brands and a mother – yet no matter how hectic her day is, she makes time to exercise.

How do you balance life’s responsibilities – including motherhood – with keeping fit?

I set aside time for my family, work and for me. I’ve learnt over the years to keep what I refer to as a personal ‘fit-schedule’. Each Sunday, I plan my workouts for the following week. For example:

Monday 17:00: BoxFit (non-contact boxing fitness workout)

Tuesday 18:00: Indoor cycling (Zwift)

Wednesday 17:00: BoxFit

Thursday 07:00: Run

Friday Rest

Saturday 06:30: Cycle at Muldersdrift

Sunday Rest

Each workout is put into my calendar and I set 30-minute reminders. I treat these appointments with the same respect and importance that I treat all other appointments. This leaves very little chance of missing a planned workout or cancelling it. When life happens or an emergency comes up, I don’t cancel the session, but rather reschedule it.

 

5 tips you can share with women wanting to get into shape?

1] There is no ‘one-size fits all’ approach. Be open to trying different things, such as running, cycling, weight training, cardio, or yoga – the list is endless. You have to try different things to find what you love, so that your workouts are fun and don’t feel like a chore or punishment.  

2] Prioritise your exercise time. Put it in your calendar and don’t be apologetic about it.

3]  Food is as important as exercise. Keep a food diary for a good seven–14 days and record everything you eat and drink. With this info, you can have a conversation with a dietician to see if your eating habits complement your newly found exercise regime.

4] Connect with other women who are on the same journey. Find a circle that will motivate, teach and help you reach your goals.

5] Have fun. This is a marathon, not a sprint. It is a lifestyle change; not a quick fix.

 

What’s new on the fitness front for women?

» Cycling circles – Cycling communities have made indoor and outdoor cycling accessible to women, which is very exciting.

 » Trail running – This trended in 2020/21 because it was accessible at a time when there were few in-person events.

» Taking traditional indoor workouts outdoors – Pop-up gyms are becoming popular because people want to exercise in the outdoors, enjoying the fresh air.

 

Any final advice?

A fitness journey is such a beautiful thing. Women need to remember that ‘fit’ has many looks. We can’t all be a size small. It’s up to us as women to embrace our fit bodies that come in different shapes and sizes. We also need to be mindful of how we speak about ourselves around our children. They see us and hear us. Our words can make or break them.  

 

Exercise improves the quality of your old age

 

There has been a global average increase of 15% since 1990 in the number of years that people will spend in ill health over their lifetime, from 8.5 years to 9.8 years.

This was revealed in October by Discovery Vitality, which released the results of a study into the widening gap between lifespan (life expectancy) and healthspan (the number of years lived in good health).

Vitality and Rand Europe have developed a pioneering algorithm that will allow individuals to understand how their lifestyle choices impact both their length and quality of life.

It was found that a 30-year-old man could increase his healthspan by 1.5 years by doing 20 minutes of vigorous exercise a day, and by 2.5 years if he also improved his diet.

A relatively unhealthy 30-year-old woman who reduced her systolic blood pressure to a healthy range and started doing 20 minutes of vigorous exercise per day could increase her healthspan by over four years.

Unfortunately, Covid-19 put the brakes on many South African’s exercise routines.

Data from the Vitality programme revealed that in the month immediately after the ‘hard’ lockdown was instituted in 2020, there was a 49% drop in members logging physical activity points, compared with the 2019 baseline. Fortunately, Discovery found that engagement in physical activity did improve through successive waves of the pandemic and the accompanying lockdowns.

 

Slow is the way to go

 

Mpumalanga chairman of the Biokinetics Association and Lowmed health and sports performance centre director, Harry Wiltshire  believes it is never to late to get fit.

“Start with small steps and pre-determined goals. Small, progressive increases result in massive results. It may seem impossible to attain certain goals, but if you are consistent, it may happen sooner than you think.”

 

How should sedentary people get started on a fitness regime?

Harry says that ideally, a full baseline assessment should first be done, and the person should be screened for normal and exercise-induced risk factors.

“Start slow, but progress weekly. We often see injuries – and demotivation – from starting too hard.”

A sedentary person should start with light exercises three to four times a week, but in a slow, controlled manner. If there is no joint discomfort or other risk signs, then a 10% increase in weekly load is recommended. This means either a 10% increase in duration, or intensity, or frequency – but not all three.

By the time you’ve realised you have improved, you could have increased your load by 500%.

 

5 immediate benefits of becoming active

 

» Release of endorphins (‘feel-good’ chemicals)

» Better sleep

» Improved concentration

» Decreased stress levels

» Lowered blood pressure and better regulated blood sugar.

 

7 fitness trends in SA, according to Harry

 

1]  A return to the great outdoors – It was spectacular to see how people embraced the outdoors during the Covid months, and how the trend has continued. Being in nature is proven to lower stress hormone levels.

 

2]  Virtual training – Fun virtual programmes such as Zwift for cycling and others for running, virtual rehab, virtual Pilates, virtual high-intensity interval training, or HIIT… you name it, it is available. Self-discipline is needed, though.

 

3]  Wearable technology –  The quest for better data, more efficient exercise tracking and goal setting has increased the wearable technology market exponentially.

 

4]  Exercise-based social media – Being able to share workouts, compete with (or against) friends makes this a popular trend.

 

5]  Own body weight training – Using the weight of your body and the pull of gravity to train became popular when gyms were closed and exercise equipment was scarce.

 

6]  Everesting – This is the challenge of going up and down the same hill or incline until you have gained 8 848m of elevation. Keep a record of your time… the elite will complete this whopper in one ride or one run.

 

7]  Exercise for all ages – The health and wellness trend has definitely extended to the younger population and the more elderly population. Quality of life has become a priority, leading to a greater need for joint wellness, strength, and metabolic and cardiovascular wellness.