#ONEPERFECTWEEK X TOTALSPORTS

This is one for my fit ladies! I have been so excited about this giveaway for weeks and finally we get to do this!

So many of my readers joined me in my 50 days of exercise a while back and it meant the world to me to have the support. Summer is here now and it is also party/wedding/year-end season. And cocktails season. And ice cream season. And also the season that new places open in Cape Town that you absolutely MUST try. So keeping things tight for the beach are not always easy. But life is about balance and if you can keep your cheat meals for the weekend you'll be just fine.

On that note, this giveaway. It is perfect to motivate you to get to the gym or onto the promenade because you'll want to show off this gorgeous gear. Totalsports have given me R2500 worth of their amazing range to share with one lucky reader. If you haven't seen their online store yet, go and have a look. Their in-house brand, called TS, is affordable without skimping on quality and great design. Since they launched I've bought a few of the tights because i love the pretty patterns, quality and also that they used their brains when designing pockets and zips, and realised that my iPhone is not the size of a matchbox (I'm looking at you every other brand out there!). See there TS range online HERE. 

Because this is a giveaway designed to help get you into shape, we're not doing a little tweet-and-go number here. We're going to work. Together. For a week.

The challenge is called #oneperfectweek which you may have seen on Instagram. The idea is to commit to 6 days of clean eating - no alcohol, no sugar, no nasties. Just good, clean, fresh food. Ideally no caffeine either but I'll stick to that part loosely and do decaf as much as I can - just not that first cup. Never the first cup.  Oh, and don't forget to drink loads of water. The Kayla's Army folks do all 7 days of clean eating, and you are more than welcome to - but I am a realist. 6 days of being on your best behaviour is a damn perfect week to me. Hello? Wine Sundays!
Then you need to commit to 6 days of training too. I am going to break it down as follows: 2 days with my rather fabulous personal trainer Torie Alexandra (follow her blog for inspiration on food and being hot in general), then I am going to get back into running (le sigh. arg. oh dear) and do that 3 days this week. I use the PUMATrac app for this - it really helps with logging km's and seeing how I'm improving. And they make you sign a commitment to yourself via the app and that helps too. No one wants to lie to Usain Bolt.
Then I'll be doing a SWEAT class on Saturday to round out the week.

What you need to do to win is join me. Follow me and Totalsports on Instagram or Twitter, and on either social platform commit to #oneperfectweek. Then between now and Sunday, tag me in a picture of you exercising, or a shot of your healthy meal and please use the hashtag #TotalsportsOnline. For every day you tag me, you get an extra entry - with a maximum of 6 entries obviously. Winner will be drawn on Monday next week.

So here's a breakdown of the prize: 3 pairs of tights in the amazing prints in the picture below - 2 are long length one one pair is capri length. 2 vests, one burnout style and the other with mesh detail (they are soooo pretty), 1 long sleeve top with open back. Sexy for a little yoga or just looking hot at gym in general. Then we've got some gym gloves and a jump rope for you Kayla BBG girls.
So it is the perfect little starter kit for looking damn fine while getting damn fine.

Get cracking ladies, today we begin!

Disclaimer: Open to SA residents only. We will obviously endeavour to send the exact items featured, however items might sell out so if that is the case we will send the winner an item (of clothing) of the same value if the one featured has been sold out. 

Totalsports is online - no more excuses

If you've been following along on Twitter and here on the blog, I've managed to throw my life into chaos by unexpectedly moving home, trying to launch two new ventures, possibly get a puppy and, in-between all of that, I have been completing a "50 days of exercise" challenge to make sure I can manage a bikini in 3 weeks time when we head to Bali.

Tomorrow I kick it up a big notch by joining BUC Fitness Club, going back to my beloved SWEAT1000 classes and also train with a personal trainer. I'll give you more details on that next week. I've got the shoes, thanks to the rockstars at PUMA - they really make the best shoes for training. I am obsessed with their lightweight Pulse XT's and tomorrow I'll get to try out the Ignite XT's (which just launched this week!).

For some inspiration, I love looking online. I have my Pinterest "Fit" board that I go to every day for recipe pins and images of strong, fit women getting their sweat on! I also trawl the net for beautiful workout clothes. You may have seen images of Khloe Kardashian's walk-in fitness wardrobe doing the rounds on the web this past week and it is the first time I have found myself insanely jealous of a Kardashian. Actually do yourself a favour and just have a look here.

I have a shelf or two - and its growing more each month. The better the outfit, the better the workout it seems. Well, thats how I feel about it anyway. Totalsports are online now and they are causing trouble already - especially their in-house brand, which is affordable and fantastic quality. Currently their entire range of tights is on my wishlist, among a few other gorgeous goodies. I am having a moment with shades of purple and grey lately.

So there really are no more excuses not to build an inspiring and beautiful workout wardrobe.
Have you had a look at their site yet? Let me know what is on your wishlist!

50 day Challenge

I don't often get too personal on here, and I also don't want to become someone who is shoving health and wellness down your throats at every opportunity, but I am asking you today to join me in a little challenge. You see, tomorrow marks 50 days until I leave for a trip to Bali. I am so flipping excited I can barely contain myself, and I have spent more time than I'd care to admit making lists of things to do and also planning outfits so I can pretend that I'll look like one of those style bloggers who wear Dior by the poolside, and Rebecca Minkhoff to the beach. When in reality, I'll probably be in some Cotton On denim cut-offs a t-shirt and a top knot the entire time.

What really is giving me a case of the panics is being in a bikini for two weeks straight. Our last trip was to America, where I sustained myself on donuts and burgers, so I've been playing catch up on the whole "Summer bodies are made in Winter" idea. With minimal success. Living with a triathlete has helped somewhat, as our pantry is a Wellness Warehouse/Woolworths hybrid and there is barely anything fun to eat in the house. But I still reach for chocolate and sweets given half a chance, and my damned portion sizes.....I'm terrible. This Bali adventure is a serious incentive to rectify that situation. Our trip will involve plenty of hiking, cycling, yoga and surf lessons - so being in shape is non-negotiable really.

So here is my game plan. Or lack thereof because I don't really have one. I just want to aim at daily exercise, every day, up until our holiday and I'll use rest days for yoga or walking - because I know rest days are important, yet I really want to be active for the full 50 days. I also want to work on my diet and get that in check as well. I don't know if I want to try juicing or supplements to kick start things along - perhaps you guys can give me some advice there because I don't know anything about it. All I know, is that by sharing this with all of you, I am committing to it publicly. And by encouraging you to join me on a 50 day wellness challenge, perhaps we can stick to it and enjoy the results together.

The areas I struggle with are my thighs, which have never been described as slender in my entire life, and since turning 30, belly jiggle seems to be something that has become harder to shift. So I want to target those two areas (like almost every other woman who is not a Victoria Secret model I guess).

So far, I've entered the Gun Run 21km race in October, and for that I am starting a training program that involves 4 runs a week building up to that distance. The rest I intend to make up with yoga, weight training and maybe some boxing - we'll see.

My mantra is that I need to be inspired by my workout clothes, and PUMA have been very kind and sent me some Pulse XT trainers (currently on sale at Takealot) to use at the gym - which I am loving because they're as light as slippers and the black and charcoal design look great with all my workout gear. Yes that sounds superficial, but even Caroline Worstmann endorses looking hot while you workout as motivation - and that mentality scored her a Comrades win.
Now that Totalsports has gone online, I'll be watching my bank balance get slimmer much quicker than I will (if only I could pay with my inner thighs instead). But alas, all in the name of sports luxe and looking good at gym. I've also bought this fantastic Garmin VivoActive smart watch that tracks my daily movement and calories, my running pace and distance - and the cheeky bugger even vibrates to tell me to move every couple of hours if I am sitting down too long.

So that is as far as I've got with my plan. What do you think? Are you joining me? I'll be posting my progress  on social media, as in what exercise I did for the day, the odd recipe and I hope you'll do the same and copy me in - I need all the community motivation I can get.

50 days guys. Lets go.