This happens to us all, so I wanted to reach out to let you know, keeping fit, healthy strong and lean is not a magic pill. Probably best I don’t have a rant about those so called ‘magic’ diet pills out there, the long term side effects are frightening, but so many are looking for the quick fix and instant gratification.
Please remember some people are genetically gifted. The supermodel types, and these beautiful young yogis and fitness models all over social media might actually just be genetically long and lean. It is really tough to say how much of it is lifestyle and keeping fit and how much is a God given gift. And sadly, this is what we look to as our role models as we are surrounded by these young, slim beautiful people. Opting for a quick fix to lose weight for instant results only leads to long term problems. Longevity and quality of life is the crux of it all in my opinion!
I am not doing this to be the next aging fitness model, or to get better in the gym or in studio. My main objective is to get stronger, fitter, have improved mobility and flexibility so I can get better at life as I age. I do not want to feel restricted when I pick up my grandchildren and run around playing tag with them, or sit cross legged on the floor playing with mini creatures, as they jump on my back to be cheeky monkeys. I am thankful my side splits and mobile hips save me from injuring my groin, I do not want to feel I cannot load my own luggage in a car as I head on my trip, I have never mastered the skill of travelling light!
My goal is to age powerfully and perhaps disgracefully…. lol, I would like to do it all with as much grace as possible but not allow my age to be an excuse for no longer being able to function well in my daily life.
So here’s the truth. I am not genetically gifted, that’s a small minority of the population anyway. I have had to work for every little muscle gain, be fairly disciplined most of my life not to gain the extra fat. I know when I have a two week break or my lovely family pay me a visit and I let go a little more, eating more fatty or fried foods, enjoying a few more cocktails than usual (although I never fully restrict myself) its going to creep up. I then curiously step on the scale and voila there it is, those extra 5 pound. This is probably more due to water retention however, it still sits with more discomfort and bloating for me. I’m not a big believer in consistently stepping on the scale as we do know that muscle weighs more than fat, and takes up one third of the space. So, by changing your body composition and building lean muscle, this won’t show the difference on the scale but certainly will show the difference in the way your body looks.
So thanks to my lovely sister and niece for the visit, the good thing is that it was worth every meal out, every extra glass of wine as we had the most wonderful time together and these precious memory making moments are what life is all about. My point is to live a sustainable healthy lifestyle, its all about the balance, so here I go dialling it all back into a cleaner way of living over the next few weeks.
This is one of the reasons I started our 21 day challenge in July and had some great results, especially Lavern who broke some bad habits and looked and felt so much better in just 3 weeks. Lavern has now changed her lifestyle and habits for the long-term and this is what I love coaching people through.
My philosophy is very simple as I try cut through all the noise of what is out there. Its great to hear everyone’s opinions and the next best exercise regime that’s the magic cure to transform your body. I’ve been in this business long enough, over 35 years to have watched movement come full circle and you cannot reinvent the wheel and there is no amazing new machine or fitness modality or pill that will be the magic formula. It takes persistent, consistent commitment.
There is no doubt that movement is medicine and keeping consistent and adding variety is key. Resistance training is absolutely essential in my opinion but then again so is every aspect of fitness. Some cardiovascular activity, flexibility and mobility all hugely important. And this is why I design my classes the way I do, to cover all the bases.
Pilates and Yoga seem to be the preferred hyped-up movements of late but my lovelies this is not the be all and end all. If you only do these classes, you’re missing out on a whole lot of fun and extra benefits. Hence my schedule at Singita Wellness, we have HIIT, sculpt and Barre added to our Yoga and Pilates. I love it all and I feel the fittest I have ever felt at 61 years old and thankful for it everyday.
I could go on about nutrition but I cover this more in depth in our 21 day challenge which is meant to jumpstart or gear up your fitness level. By committing to my workouts everyday along with some Theta healing downloads, we are a group designed to help support, motivate and inspire each other as we are in it together. I create a WhatsApp group so there is daily support and an open forum for questions and answers. I add the mental/spiritual preparation and add healings for everyone who commits to the program.
It takes 21 days to make or break a habit, hence the 3-week commitment. Create your best life and allow your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual self to shine and radiate like never before.
“ Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves. Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?” Marianne Williamson
Our next 21 day challenge will begin October 1st and don’t forget to reach out if you’d like more information on this.
With love
Michelle x
PS. This picture was taken before the extra 5 pounds!