Health24 and Sleekgeek have joined forces to help South Africans meet their health goals and transform their bodies in just 8 weeks.
The challenge is open until 13 June, 2016. Sign up here!
In the previous Health24 and Sleekgeek challenge 332 people submitted their final results. The group lost a total of 1,726kgs with an average weight loss of 5.2kgs!
The top 50 weight loss candidates lost a combined 608kgs!
New Year 2016 Ultimate You Challenge winner gallery:
Martin Greyvenstein, Men’s Transformation, New Year 2016 Challenge
Saberah Gumede, Women’s Weight Loss, -16.9kg, New Year 2016 Challenge
Madri Harding, Women’s Transformation, -7kg, New Year 2016 Challenge
Cindy Wilschutt, Women’s Transformation, New Year 2016 Challenge
Hennie Harding, Men’s Transformation, -10.8kg, New Year 2016 Challenge
Kris Roux, Men’s Weight Loss, -26kg, New Year 2016 Challenge
Vickie Whitehead, Women’s Transformation, -11.4kg , New Year 2016 Challenge
You can enter with a buddy or as a couple and stand a chance of winning even more cool prizes, such as R10,000 shopping vouchers for Wellness Warehouse or a R10,000 kitchen makeover.
We are super excited to announce that Health24’s next 8-Week Transformation Challenge is kicking off on Monday 16 May and entries will only be open until 13 June, 2016.
To celebrate, we are launching the challenge with a limited time R100 discount to our Health24 readers who are ready to transform their bodies and live a great life. While the offer lasts, you can buy a challenge entry here for R499 (instead of R599). Or read on below to find out more about the challenge.
The Ultimate You is an 8-week weight loss and transformation challenge. It is a partnership between Health24 and the local online health and fitness support community Sleekgeek.
We have combined our knowledge and expertise to bring you an 8-week transformation system to help you become the Ultimate You – whether it means losing weight, packing on muscle, or just living a healthier and happier life.
Easy! Once you’ve bought an entry into the challenge, you get access to a wide variety of exercise and nutrition plans along with a bunch of powerful resources to help you get from Point A to Point B over the next 8 weeks. We also provide you with the focus, support, and motivation that you need to stay on track and achieve amazing results over the next 8 weeks.
You choose what you want to focus on. Losing weight, toning up, or just learning to live a healthier life, step by step. At the end of the 8 weeks, our independent panel of judges will award some amazing prizes based on weight loss and body transformations achieved.
What do you get?
An effective goal setting process to bring you clarity and focus.
A wide selection of expertly designed exercise and nutrition plans, customizable to your needs.
Daily support from our exercise and nutrition experts, as well as your fellow challengers.
Check-ins. Check-ins throughout the challenge help you measure progress and keep you on track.
4 Categories. Weight loss and transformation for both men and women.
All Online. No gym access or specific location required. Access all the information you need online.
Challenger-only discounts on supplements, boot camps, and online shopping.
R155,000’s worth of prizes up for grabs, including four 1st place category prizes of R10,000 each.
5 start dates. Start your challenge on May 16, May 23, May 30, June 06, or June 13, 2016.
Who is it for?
The Ultimate You Challenge is for real people looking for real results.
Frantically busy moms who want to do it all in the comfort and privacy of their own home.
In-shape gym bunnies looking for laser focus and a competitive challenge.
Corporate executives who want to improve their focus and productivity by getting in shape.
Families looking to build healthy habits together and have fun while doing it.
Anyone seeking like-minded individuals to join them on their journey to great health.
If you want to lose 20kg, 10kg, 5kg, tone up, build muscle, or anything in between.
We have something for everyone, no matter your needs or capabilities. Our goal is to help you get started, keep you going, and reward your progress!
When does it start?
There are 5 different start dates (called “heats”) to choose from.
Heat 1: May 16
Heat 2: May 23
Heat 3: May 30
Heat 4: June 06
Heat 5: June 13
Select the start date that best suits you! You can even sign up now and only select a start date later.
What are the prizes you can win?
And if a rocking new body weren’t enough, we have teamed up with some amazing brands to bring you R100,000’s worth of prizes to be won!
Winners are split into 4 different categories based on gender and goals. There are 5 winners in each of the 4 categories.
1st Place Prize: R10,000 cash and a Fitmark “The Box”.
2nd Place Prize: A R2,500 Adidas voucher and a R2,500 Chrome Supplements and Accessories voucher.
3rd Place Prize: A Jawbone Up2 Activity and Sleep Tracker and a Be Well Myscale Analyser.
4th Place Prize: A MOOV NOW Multi-Sport Wearable Coach and a Braun Tribute Blender.
5th Place Prize: A R1,000 Spree Fashion voucher, a Misfit Flash Fitness Tracker, and a Fitmark “The Box”.
Plus, there are two bonus challenges with bonus prizes!
You canenter with a buddy or as a couple and stand a chance of winning even more cool prizes, such as R10,000 shopping vouchers for Wellness Warehouse or a R10,000 kitchen makeover.
Taking longer rests during weight training workouts could maximize muscle growth, a small study suggests. Many experts recommend shorter periods of rest, but that may actually impair muscle growth, according to the researchers at the University of Birmingham in England.
Their study included 16 men who did weight training with either one or five minutes of rest between sets. Muscle samples were collected at zero, four, 24 and 28 hours after exercise and analyzed for what’s known as myofibrillar protein synthesis (MPS).
In the early part of exercise recovery, MPS levels increased 152 percent in the men who took longer rests between sets, compared with 76 percent in those who took shorter breaks. “With short rests of one minute, though the hormonal response is superior, the actual muscle response is blunted.
If you’re looking for maximized muscle growth with your training program, a slightly longer interval between sets may provide a better chance of having the muscle response you’re looking for,” study author Leigh Breen said in a university news release.
People starting weight training programs should rest at least two to three minutes between sets, the researchers suggested. “Over time, they may need to find ways to push beyond the plateau of muscle building that commonly occurs, and so may gradually decrease their rest periods,” Breen said.
“For experienced lifters, it’s possible that they may not experience the same blunted muscle building response to short rest intervals, particularly if they have trained this way for a prolonged period and adapted to this unique metabolic stress. Nonetheless, similar recommendations of two to three minutes between sets should help to ensure maximal muscle growth in well-trained individuals.”
The study was published recently in the journal Experimental Physiology.
Good food has a number of benefits. The biggest impact nutrition can make on your training programme is to help your muscles recover rapidly. This ensures getting the best value out of regular training sessions.
Nutrients that are required for recovery nutrition include:
– water – carbohydrates – protein (including the branched chain amino acids) – electrolytes – vitamins – minerals – antioxidants
Look out for two specific ingredients when selecting their training recovery nutrition formula:
– Whey protein is a source of the essential and branched chain amino acids required for muscle recovery. – Glutamine is an important nutrient for individuals that participate in high intensity endurance training and events. It is vital for recovery after training and important for the immune system, as it is used by the immune cells located in the digestive system.
Key points to avoid dehydration, which accelerates the onset of fatigue:
– Make sure to drink at least six to eight glasses of water per day to stay well hydrated. – When exercising under warm conditions, make sure to increase your fluid intake with at least 500ml to 1 000ml on that day. – Sports drinks taken before, during and after exercise may help keep you hydrated for training sessions that last longer than 30 minutes. – During training, fluid intake of about 500ml per hour should be sufficient, depending on perspiration rate, which differs between individuals, and the temperature on the day.
While taking enough fluids is a wise approach, be careful of excessive fluid intake that may result in over-hydration and hyponatremia, which may impair sports performance and can be as dangerous as dehydration.
When training in hot conditions, replace natural salts such as sodium and potassium. Sodium is widely available in our diets and does not need to be supplemented, so potassium is more important as a focus nutrient.
Rich sources of potassium include:
– guavas – dried guava roll – dried apricots – tomato juice – celery – potatoes – bananas – raisins
Food sources rich in natural salts and electrolytes:
– fresh vegetables – fresh fruits – dried fruits
Additionally, starchy and sweet foods provide fuel for your body in the form of carbohydrates. This is important because it transforms to glucose, which is required for muscle power during exercise.
Healthy options are:
– whole-grain cereals – whole-wheat bread – brown rice – pasta – potatoes – sweet potatoes – corn – peas
Finally, for immune support, a high Vitamin C intake (1 500mg supplemented per day) as well as Zinc, in order to stay healthy.
Since the shock suspension of 28-year-old Maria Sharapova for using meldonium, or Mildronate, other athletes have also been caught using the banned substance, reported AFP.
Russian biathlete Eduard Latypov is the latest to be caught using the drug at an event in February. Swedish runner Abeba Aregawi also tested positive in February, while 2015 Tokyo marathon champion Endeshaw Negesse, Ukrainian biathletes Olga Abramova and Artem Tyschcenko and Russian ice dancer Ekaterina Bobrova have also been caught.
“This study highlights the widespread and inappropriate use and prescribing of this prescription drug in a generally healthy athlete population.”
The research highlights that:
– 13 medallists or competition winners were taking meldonium – 66 athletes tested positive for meldonium – Meldonium was detected in athletes competing in 15 of the 21 sports in competition – Meldonium use was significantly under-reported by athletes
“There was significant under-reporting of the use of this drug by athletes in most sports.”
From 762 samples, only 23 (3.0%) of the 662 athletes tested self-reported taking the drug, compared to 66 (8.7%) athletes who actually tested positive for meldonium. 43 of the 66 (65%) athletes who tested positive for meldonium did not declare taking the drug in the last 7 days.
“This clearly indicates significantly more widespread use of this drug by athletes at the Games that was openly declared.”
The research, which was carried out on behalf of the European Olympic Committees, contributed to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) taking the decision to ban the use of meldonium in competitive sport as of January 1.
According to Drugs.com, Meldonium is manufactured by pharmaceutical company Grindeks in Latvia and used in the treatment of certain heart conditions such as angina, heart attacks, heart failure and for ischaemia, which is a lack of blood flow to parts of the body.
Four to six weeks
28-year-old Maria Sharapova, a five-time grand slam champion and the highest paid woman in sports, was suspended in March after she tested positive for the banned the day of her Australian Open quarter finals defeat to Serena Williams.
Sharapova has been taking the substance for 10 years after she frequently became sick, had irregular electrocardiogram results, a magnesium deficiency and a family history of diabetes, reported Reuters.
However, Grindeks told the Associated Press that four to six weeks was a common course. “Depending on the patient’s health condition, treatment course of meldonium preparations may vary from four to six weeks. Treatment course can be repeated twice or thrice a year,” the company said in an emailed statement.
“Only physicians can follow and evaluate patient’s health condition and state whether the patient should use meldonium for a longer period of time.”
Sources:
British Journal of Sports Medicine, Meldonium use by athletes at the Baku 2015 European Games. Adding data to Ms Maria Sharapova’s failed drug test case; http://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2016/03/08/meldonium-use-by-athletes-at-the-baku-2015-european-games-adding-data-to-ms-maria-sharapovas-failed-drug-test-case/
Sport24, 99 positive tests for meldonium since January 1; http://www.sport24.co.za/OtherSport/International/99-positive-tests-for-meldonium-since-january-1-20160312
Reuters, Experts perplexed over why Sharapova was taking banned heart drug; http://www.reuters.com/article/us-tennis-sharapova-drug-idUSKCN0WB1GK
AccessWDUN, The drug at the center of Maria Sharapova’s doping case was regularly given to Soviet troops in the 1980s to boost their stamina while fighting in Afghanistan; http://accesswdun.com/article/2016/3/375741
Fitness, diet and discipline are just some of the values that are driven into rugby players as they prepare for a match.
Bulls and Boks rugby player Jesse Kriel is back from a rugby stint in Japan and in an interview with News24 Live, the rugby centre shares his training tricks as gets in gear for the 2016 Super 18 Rugby Season.
Fitness level
Players are required to exceed a fitness level that will not only keep them injury free but also enables them to perform at their best in tournaments like the Super 18. Kriel says the time in Japan was beneficial for his body and he is now training to maintain an adequate strength and fitness level.
Health24’s Biokinetics and fitness expert, Habib Noorbhai, says that players can easily pick up an injury if the technique of the exercises are not administered correctly.
“Players are required to get fit and strong in order to prevent injury,” says Noorbhai.
Kriel agrees and says that in addition this his training programme also focuses on minimising recovery time because “when you can recover as quickly as possible that’s when you can perform at your best”.
Watch this video for more on Kriel’s current preparation for the Super 18 season:
Good nutrition
“Diet and nutrition [also] plays a massive role in fitness,” says Kriel. He mentions “chicken, sweet potato and vegetables” as among the staple foods in his diet.
Supplementing correctly is also key to good nutrition, adds Kriel, who is a brand ambassador for Cipla Nutrition.
Although a non-essential amino acid, it does fuel the immune system and much of it is stored in your muscles, which is why intense exercise or endurance exercise can severely deplete it.
L-Glutamine supplementation health benefits extend past exercise recovery however; it is actively involved in many metabolic processes and is the principal carrier of nitrogen in the body and is an important energy source for many cells.
Other health benefits include:
– Recovery from serious operations, major injuries or burns.
– During times of illness it can help support the immune system and assist the body’s digestive system during infections.
– It also enables the production of a natural anti-oxidant glutathione, which helps prevent cell damage and helps protect cells against oxidising free-radicals, potentially minimising the risk of cancer.
Glutamine and exercise
Intense exercise or endurance exercise causes blood and muscle levels of glutamine to fall and muscles are torn. Using glutamine as a supplement before and after intense training we can stop too much muscle breakdown and assist with protein synthesis to build muscle.
Supplementing with glutamine can also be done through eating foods which contain it, such as:
– Beef, pork and chicken
– Dairy (milk, yoghurt and cheese)
– Tofu and beans
– Eggs
– Raw spinach and cabbage.
Who needs it?
Since glutamine is already produced in the body it’s not necessary to take in great amounts in supplement or food form. Generally the recommended minimum dose of L-glutamine is 10g per day, but depending on circumstances this can increase to 40g/day in the instance of competitive athletes or people with serious health conditions such as cancer.
A study showed that “prolonged exercise and periods of heavy training are associated with a decrease in the plasma glutamine concentration and this has been suggested to be a potential cause of the exercise-induced immune impairment and increased susceptibility to infection in athletes”.
It found that acute intakes of glutamine of about 20–30 g appeared to have no noticible side-effects.
Although the authors cluncluded that more research is needed before definitively concluding that glutamine supplementation has long-term benefits, they “glutamine may have an indirect effect on immune function and infection incidence through preservation of the antioxidant glutathione or maintenance of gut barrier function”.
Nutritional supplements are manufactured and supplied to the market to enhance the overall health of the general population and optimise the performance of athletes.
Most of these products are developed and manufactured according to scientific formulas and are apparently scientifically tested and researched. But it is not clear whether these procedures have adhered to prescribed criteria for testing and whether these are legitimate scientific studies.
A second challenge is that research shows that industry is not appropriately regulated, and claims that are made on products may not always be accurate. These containers merely manifest innovative ideas by business-minded entrepreneurs.
As more nutritional supplement brands and products are released, both locally and internationally, the scale of the problem is increasing day by day. This is especially a concern in first world countries where such supplements are the driving force of performance optimisation.
Globally, up to 88% of athletes use supplements. In the US, more than 3 million people use, or have used, ergogenic supplements at some point.
Do they work?
Athletes, students and the general population have asked the same questions: “How long should one consume supplements? When are the appropriate times to consume supplements? Are supplements safe and effective for my adolescent child?”
The dilemma of using or abstaining from supplements has been debated for more than 30 years. And the debate around using certain supplements or ergogenic aids persists.
A study looking at college athletes and their use of supplements showed that elite athletes who use supplements notice significant differences in their performances. These include increased speed, strength and endurance. But the study found that high school and college students experienced no differences in their performances. The difference is explained by their diets: supplements cannot be a substitute for a nutritious meal.
A majority of nutritionists and dietitians worldwide hold the view that common nutritional supplements can’t provide the same nutrients as certain foods, which are paramount to achieving performance or health goals.
Before the 1980s when the supplement industry was born, athletes and the health conscious followed a correct diet and exercise routine without the use of supplements. Aside from leading a more active lifestyle, people in the early era cooked more and purchased less from outlet stores and food franchises. They were also not as consumed by social media and the internet.
These changes in lifestyle have created a ready market for supplements.
What’s changed?
Firstly, the industry has ballooned. A great deal more is at stake because there is so much money to be made. This translates into continued aggressive marketing from supplement companies. Adverts are designed to attract consumers to buy the product and motivate athletes to achieve their goals during performances.
As a result, clinical research for nutritional supplements is induced by commercial concerns. These need to be countered by scientific findings. There is a clear need for more trials to assess the efficacy and safety of nutritional supplements.
Secondly, the arrival of the internet has also had an impact. There is now easy internet access to nutritional supplements which lack adequate medical information. This misleading information leads to improper use by both healthy individuals. Better quality control of websites, more informed physicians and greater public awareness of these widely used products is needed.
A third challenge is increased competition by the athletes. In sport, health and fitness, professionals are faced with the dilemma of their athletes doping and experiencing supplement abuse. One could argue that it is the responsibility of the doctor, trainer or conditioning specialist to guide athletes whether certain products are safe or not to use.
Research shows that more than 80% of supplements on shelves contain a substance or element that can cause athletes to test positive when tested by anti-doping agencies.
Both athletes and professionals lack the education about these supplements.
What needs to be done
The reality is that not all supplement brands commit to nutritional supplement “best practice” manufacture policies. Manufacturers should be held responsible for their business decision practices that cause adverse or unintended consequences to the consumer when discovered.
South Africa’s National Health Act incorporates the Medicine Control Council, which ensures the efficacy, quality and effectiveness of medicines, and related through its clinical research. Although regulation has been underway, the challenge still remains with the implementation of regulation and its legislation among nutritional supplements which remains as the focal concern.
South Africa’s Consumer Protection Act should promote greater levels of policy development, regulatory enforcement and consumer education of the supplement industry.
Future evaluations of supplements should include qualitative research. It should be geared towards gaining insights into the supplement industry, distributors and consumer trends outside of South Africa. This would be useful as information could provide feedback to the sector overall.
In addition, nutritional supplement policies need to be drafted and current legislation amended to protect the consumer and safeguard the manufacturer, distributor and retailer. The policies and legislation can be invaluable to determine appropriate and safe networks for distributions of nutritional supplement products to the market place and for more accurate labelling practices.
