Ways to make exercise FUN

Exercise and gym could become quite tedious and dull, but it's up to YOU to mentally condition yourself and to put the KICK back into your routine. These 10 easy steps will show you how:

1. Buy the correct merchandise

Mix it up with different bright colours and styles to keep it fun, but remember - COMFORT comes first! Having a few staples in your cupboard helps a lot, such as:

~ comfortable stretchy or tracksuit pants

~ A non-sweat t-shirt which is not too small or too baggy (stay away from gray - it shows sweat easily!)

~ Comfortable takkies which fit very well and are able to withstand high activity levels

~ A sweat towel

~ A water bottle

~ A big tog bag when necessary

2. Try new things

Don't stick to your same old boring routine every day! Mix it up and try the machines you've never thought you would - you might end up liking it! Remember that in order to achieve results, you must combine cardio and strength training!

Cardio = Exercises which raise the heart rate and make you sweat, thereby burning calories and fat and making the heart strong. E.g: jogging, cycling, spinning, swimming, aerobic classes etc.

Strength = use of resistance and weights when training in order to build and improve the overall strength of any targeted muscles. This creates long-term muscle memory!

3. Invite a friend

You do not have to exercise in solo! Join or invite a friend who is energetic fun and who makes you feel good about yourself. You can push each other to reach new frontiers and a bit of rivalry here and there doesn't hurt at all... ;-)

4. Try a group class

Take advantage of what the gym offers and join a group training session. This is a fun way to work out in a disciplined high-energy environment!

Try the 'step' classes or 'body conditioning' to ensure a great combo of cardio and strength training.

If you are a little braver, then opt for the high resistance spinning/indoor cycling classes which will guarantee you a lift and a good sweat! Zumba fitness (with a bit of confidence) is also a great way to train AND have tons of fun!

If, however, you want to take it slow, then try out a yoga class, or stretch class - both of which will stretch and tone your muscles to the max in a calm, relaxing environment.

5. Invest in an i-pod

Music whilst training just livens things up! Load up your fave playlist and just wallow in the inspiring vibes being emitted! Music focuses and disciplines one and makes those oh-so-long-and-hectic training sessions bearable!

6. Don't weigh - feel!

The biggest mistake people make when exercising, is depending on the number on the scale. I say FORGET IT! That number DOES NOT COUNT, as you might actually lose fat, but have gained MUSCLE! Rather be guided by HOW YOU FEEL! If you feel great, energetic and healthy, then you are on the right track and you are doing it right. If, however, you allow the number on the scale to cause you emotional and psychological turmoil,then you are not achieving the purpose of exercising.

FIRST create a habit of exercising and having fun. Then start feeling good about yourself and feel the benefits of exercising and being healths AND THE REST WILL COME NATURALLY!

The key is persistence, fun and health!

7. RELAX

Many make the mistake of rewarding themselves only after completing a hectic workout, but remember that just arriving is a feat in itself! Take time to feel good simply for just having the commitment to arrive at the gym!

To me, 50% of the reason I go to the gym is because of the exhilarating feeling I get after a work out. Even though I might be sweaty and tired, I still ABSOLUTELY LOVE the feeling of accomplishment that fulfills me - knowing that I pushed myself and I treated my body by taking care of it by exercising (and also that I can guilt-freely eat that biscuit when I get home, cause I went to the gym! lol ;-))

PART OF PHYSICAL WELLBEING IS MENTAL WELLBEING! Have the strength to change your life and to TREAT your body well! Remember, your body is not just a tool for executing day-to-day actions - it's a part of who you are and deserves RESPECT and CARE!

BEE - for the better? Yeah right!

I live in South Africa, Johannesburg - a beautiful, diverse and geologically safe country which has come a long way since the past of apartheid. I am 16 and am proudly part of the first generation of born frees in SA since the end of apartheid. This is significant and I think we should embrace it and take advantage of it, but how can I when a narrow minded, stereotypical, contradiction of a regime is put in place? I am referring to BEE; Black economic empowerment.

BEE is basically a regime which offers non-whites preferential treatment over whites due to the resistance the non-whites suffered during the apartheid years. My argument is that how can one forget about racism and discrimination when a regime such as BEE is put in place (and kept in place after 16 years) - as it's basically stating: "You, a white person, will be put on the back seat with regards to getting a safe, stable job and financial security just because you are white, and regardless of whether you actually fought for the freedom of non-whites during apartheid or didn't do any harm - you will still suffer!"

BEE was a brilliant concept – for the first 6-7 years I would've thought, but now it’s just getting long in the tooth. Surely we are a strong enough country to now – after 16 years of BEE – rid it and TRULY be a non-racist country, because the whole combination of the idea and time period of BEE is extremely contradictory and racist.

What is not racist about granting non-whites preference or a higher probability of getting a job in the future over a white who might have higher qualifications or more experience? So I am disadvantaged and left out of the equation because I was born white (out of my control), I am a born-free and I did not even contribute towards the violence and unjust during the apartheid years! I did not even harm ANYONE, and I am being punished and discriminated against!?

What does this message send to the white students getting 90% average in matric who know that a non-white student will probably get favoured and will get the job even though they got 57% average? Or even the white student getting straight A+s in senior high, such as myself, who has to worry whether all this hard work, pressure and sacrifice will pay off with me getting a safe, secure job one day. Am I busting my back-side, exhausting myself and almost killing my spirit, body and mind by pushing for, and achieving, excellence - only to be told that I have the wrong skin colour?

This begs the question; what about the white freedom fighter during apartheid, who slaved and fought for justice for the non-whites? They were fighting for freedom, equality and harmony. They were not fighting with the thought that the tables were going to be turned. That their sacrifice, blood and resistance was actually aiding in disadvantaging their children and grand-children one day! Is this regime to say that ALL WHITES were the racists and ALL NON-WHITES were the resistors? It’s highly stereotypical and is detrimental to the social and economic well being of our country.

This stereotype prevents whites and non-whites from truly becoming one happy country filled with patriotism and pride, as BEE makes me (a 'white') angry and resentful towards non-whites because they get preferential treatment over me, getting my dream job with a pathetic average just because they are non-white! This will and is leading to racism and anger, attitudes of which would possibly be passed on to my children and grand-children - thereby creating more strife and a whole new type and era of racism and 'psychological apartheid'. Taking this into consideration, what are the chances of becoming a true rainbow nation? Nil.

BEE was good for its time, as it was needed and called for, but now what we as a country really need is to put apartheid in the past and learn from it (there are already 16 generations of born frees and how can we move forward in a passive apartheid system. WE are the future – not zuma or the corrupt government or Malema singing his 'kill the boers' song in glee!) and leave behind the parental influence of racism, narrow mindedness, selfishness and self-pity.

Non-whites must stop using apartheid as an excuse for their failure and must break the mindset that they are incapable. I walked past a black boy at school a few weeks ago just to hear him say: "Aah, don't worry about that Maths test - us blacks can't do maths anyway!" Or when squatter camps (99% non-white) complain about their lack of resources and housing and order the government to make the 'rich-whites' pay for it! It's truly disgusting!

Don't get me wrong - BEE was a good concept and I'm all for equality and righting the preposterous wrongs inflicted during the apartheid era, but it's going to hinder my chance for success and equality when I DID NOT EVEN DO ANYTHING TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST NON-WHITES! This I cannot stand for. I understand that apartheid is part of the history of a country - and by all means I am not saying forget about it, I am just saying that history means past, and SA must look to the future and all the wonderful things our country has to offer as well as all the magnificent things we can do together in equality!

BEE is creating a divide. It's causing people to stare at me and call me a 'wannabe' when I hang out with 2 of my closest - black - friends, just because I'm white and they are black - which equates to 'ghetto'. Or gossip about me when I hang out with 'the black group' at school - should there even be a label such as 'the black group'?

All in all, South Africa, BEE is detrimental to our future! It limits non-whites and takes away their fight and inclination for earning their way - not bartering, blaming and begging their way. It gives them a victim mindset – which is getting old, boring and obsolete after 16 years!

Don’t let the past ruin the chance for us born-frees, who are the future, to live safe, equal and accepting lives! Don't let the past get in the way of non-whites' chances of success and fair independence of earning their way!

It’s simply not worth it!