Fitness - August 2014

7/13/2019 Fitness - August 2014

1/5

very easily, so she has had to

work extremely hard to create her

physique, and works even harder

to maintain it.

When I finally started to gain

muscle people started telling

me that I should compete based

on the photos I was sharing on

social media. So I decided to

enter the 2013 NPC Jax Physique

competition in the Figure ClassA division. The training and diet

were really hard, especially as I

was trying to gain more muscle.

However, my prep went well and

I won first place in my division,

as well as the overall title, which

was totally unexpected. While it

was a great experience, and I

now have the highest respect

for anyone who competes, I

dont have plans to compete

again anytime soon. I can say

that I would like to compete in

the WBFF Diva division one day,

but Im not sure when that willhappen.

That event put Bella on the

radar of many in the health

and fitness industry, and led

to a number of international

magazine covers and features.

This helped to boost her profile

immensely, along with her

strong social media presence and

intelligent self-promotion online.

She has also expanded her areas

of expertise, having become

a certified personal trainer,

nutrition science student and

motivational speaker.

My goals right now are to

present motivational seminars

with my partner, who has a PhD

in nutrition. The seminars are

aimed at helping those who

want to change their lifestyles

or learn more about healthy

eating. We are busy giving these

seminars in Brazil, but we have

plans to take them abroad. Im

also busy working on a book, so

watch this space.

JULY AUGUST 2014 | www.fitnessmag.co.za

itness model, athlete

and fitness professional

Bella Falconi is an

inspiration to millions, quite

literally. With almost 900,000

Instagram followers this Brazilian

beauty carries a great deal of

social media clout, and rightly so.

She has an amazing physique,

with the work ethic to match,

and is highly qualified to offeradvice on training and nutrition.

Its little wonder then why local

supplement manufacturer USN

snapped her up to help launch

the brand into the Americas.

While on a week-long

whirlwind tour of South Africa,

where she addressed the finalists

nd guests of the 2012/2013

USN Body Makeover Challenge

a gala event in Pretoria, and

squeezed in a few photo shoots,

we were able to get an exclusive

interview with this rising

international fitness superstar.

A STAR IN THEMAKINGBella started training with

weights when she was 17,

but has always loved to play

sports. She trained like most

normal girls would. She wasnt

interested in building muscle,

but rather wanted to maintain

her weight and keep fit. She

always had an admiration for

fitness girls though, but thought

she was never going to achieve

that type of body, no matter how

hard she worked.

But in February 2012 she

decided to make a big change

to her diet and supplementation

and, since then, her body

has totally transformed. The

results and progress are what

keeps Bella motivated to keep

going, and she now considers

it to be her lifestyle. With an

ectomorphic body type Bella

tends to lose weight and muscle

lissima!International model and NPC champion

Bella Falconi tours South Africa

42

WRITTEN BY Pedro Van Gaalen, Managing EditorPHOTOGRAPHY Richard Cook | www.richardcook.co.zaDRESSED BYwww.boostgymwear.com

COVERPROFILE

1. Keep your sodium intake low.2. Stick to low GI (glycemic index) carbs.

3. Eliminate saturated fat as much as possible.4. Avoid artificial sugar.5. Drink lots of water.

6. Limit your red meat intake.7. Keep your fibre intake high.

8. Supplement with digestive enzymes and CLA.9. Eat some popcorn before bed.10. Eat smaller, more regular meals.

BELLAS TOP 10DIET TIPS:


2/5

BELLAS USNSUPPLEMENTSTACK: BCAA

Creatine

Pre-workouts

Glutamine

HMB

CLA and Raspberry Ketones

Thermogenic fat burners

(cycled use when required)

A SOUND APPROACHBut dont think that a lack of

competition affects Bellas

dedication to hard training

and strict eating. She still

trains between 5-6 days a week,

following a split body building

routine where she isolates major

muscle groups. I like to go heavy,

particularly on leg days, and focus

a lot on my glutes and abs. I also

include some high-intensity cardio

if I need to drop fat for a shoot, but

I tend to lose too much muscle and

weight if I do it too often.

In terms of her diet, Bella likes

to keep things simple. I dont like

to complicate things, which is why

I basically stick to sources of lean

protein, and complex carbs in the

form of whole grains like quinoa

and brown rice. I also eat a lot of

nutrient-dense and vitamin-rich

vegetables, and ensure that I

get lots of fibre. I also drink lots

of water. I eat up to six smaller

meals a day. I will also have

up to two cheat meals a week,

depending on my photo shoot

requirements. They are normally

a pizza and some cheesecake,

but otherwise I avoid processed

foods, sugar and starch.

Bella also has some strong opinions about the low-carb, high-fat

diet trend. I always try to adjust my

intake of carbohydrates and amino

acids throughout my meals. The

strategies I use are moderation and

adequacy, in addition to carb cycling

techniques to keep my body fat low.

During normal diet phases I eat carbsup until my fifth meal, but never

include them in my last meal of the

day. However, if Im in a muscle

gaining phase I will increase my

carb intake, and include some

in all meals. Bella explains that

insulin, while highly involved in

the fat storage mechanism, is

also an important anabolic

hormone. Insulin activates receptors

that stimulate nuclear transcription,

which is responsible for muscle

protein synthesis.

Bella does point out that nutrition

is a wide field and there are many

different theories and philosophies.

The fact of the matter is that thereis no absolute truth until the theory

is duly tested and approved by each

person individually. Not everyone

is the same and therefore each one

will obtain different results based on

different practices. For these reasons

Bella says it is vital to experiment to

find what works best for you, as long

as you base your approach on

und and safe practices.

I like to keep

things simple,

which is why I

stick to sources

of lean protein,

and complex

carbs in the form

of whole grains

like quinoa and

brown rice.

Bella Falconi gracesour cover this issue!

also email [email protected].

If you would like to find out more

about Bella, her training tips and

techniques, or engage with her you

can visit www.BellaFalconi.com,

or you can follow her on Instagram

@BellaFalconi_Fitness. You can


3/5

ZUCCHINIS FORAVOCADOSWhile avocados are packed full of healthy fats, theyre also high in calories.So, if youre making some guacamole, which is made mainly from avo, it can holdas much as 200 calories per cup. To cut back on the calories and not the taste trysubstituting half the avo with cooked zucchini. This will save up to 100 calories.

witch

Why...

A cup of kale chips onlyhas 84 calories, whilethe same amount ofpotato chips has 200calories, and a wholehost of things you wantto avoid like refined and

BANANA FORICE CREAMHave a craving for some ice cream?The majority of the timeits not actually the ice cream were after, but rather a coldcreamy treat. So instead of giving into the craving, blend up aslightly thawed frozen banana until its nice and creamy. If youwant the chocolaty version sprinkle a little cocoa powder overthe top. A small banana is 90 calories whereas half a cup of icecream is 260 calories.

KALE CHIPS FOR POTATO CHIPSprocessed carbs and so-dium. A serving of kalemakes up your entiredaily requirement ofvitamins A and C, as wellas a generous amount ofcalcium and folate.

Why... SWAP FRUIT JUICEFORREAL FRUIT

FRESH FRUIT HOLDS FEWER

CALORIES AND WILL SUPPLY

YOUR BODY WITH MORE OF

WHAT IT NEEDS.

DONT EAT

DONT EAT

DONT EAT

TRY THIS

TRY THIS

TRY THIS

BE CLEVER ANDCUT CALORIES WITH THESE SIMPLE FOOD SWAPS

BY MELANIE HEYNS, Features writer

JULY AUGUST 2014 | www.fitnessmag.co.za44

foods, without sacrificing taste.

Thankfully there are plenty of tasty ways to substitute healthier ingredients for those high-calorie

urges as they merely become stronger. But you do need to be clever about how you respond to them.

you do next that matters most...give in. Just rest assured that this is natural and we all go through it. It is what

We all have those weak moments; when that craving gets the better of us and we

Any good dietician will tell you that you shouldnt deny these


4/5

Why...YOGHURT,NOT CREAMSauces are a great accoutrement for pastas,

roasts and numerous other dishes. While

they may add flavour, theyre unnecessary

added calories. So, if you crave a sauce-laden

meal rather swap the cream for some plain

yoghurt. Go for non-fat or low-fat yoghurt if

you want to save the most calories. Youll also

get an extra dose of calcium while saving up

to 30 calories for every two tablespoons.

APPLES FORCRACKERSCrackers are usually packed with sodium and

unwanted calories, and thats before youve added

cheese or another spread.One apple meets about 17%

f our daily fibre n eds, and has significantly fewer cal es. A

natural nut butter spread on top makes for a great sna option

just use the nut butter sparingly as it is high in calories.

Fr shly ground mince (no fillers) is chock-a-ck full of healthy iron and zinc, but its

acked with saturated fat, which also adds

calories to your meal. A clever way to reduce

the calorie content and bulk up the meat

is to add shredded or chopped vegetables

(mushrooms, peppers, zucchini or some carrots).

Try adding 1 cup of chopped or grated veggies to

every kg of mince. Not only will this cut

30 calories per serving, but it will also make

the mince go further.

SOME VEG FOR ALL THAT MEAT

Why...

Why...

DONT EAT

DONT EAT

DONT EAT

TRY THIS

TRY THIS

TRY THIS

TRY THIS

DONT EAT

DARK CHOCOLATE FORMILK CHOCOLATEThe darker the chocolate the less

sugar and milk it contains.Natural

dark chocolate also has more anti-

oxidant-packed cacao in it. There is

also some evidence to show that dark

chocolate can help to improve insulin

sensitivity and reduce blood sugar.

With a little imagination and

knowledge you can still enjoy a tastydiet and stomp the most intense

cravings without destroying your

weekly calorie intake, or your health.

And remember, just a few of these

small changes can add up to make

a big overall difference to your diet,

and your results.


5/5

GO ON THE GERMOFFENSIVE TO AVOIDNASTY BUGS AND STAYHEALTHY THIS WINTER

germs behind after each use. Most

people dont wipe them down after

use either, so investing in your own

mat that you can keep clean may

be a better option.

WASH GEARREGULARLYIts a good idea

to wash your

weightlifting

gloves routinely

with a strong

detergent and

hot water.Another

good practise is to not

touch your face with your gloves.

Thats because studies have found

that staph bacteria can bind to

polyester, the material of choice for

many weightlifting gloves. Washingyour gym towel after every session

is also essential to reduce the

chance of infection.

KEEP IT SEPARATEIf youre going to be showering

and changing at the gym for

work or dinner plans always

bring a disposable bag which can

be placed inside your gym bag

for those sweaty gym clothes,

especially as they may have

picked up germs from benches or

seats.Bacteria and fungus thrivein the hot moist environment of

your gym bag when your used

gym clothes are thrown in. The

disposable bag will ensure that

the bacteria and fungus dont find

their way into the lining of your

gym bag, or infect the rest of your

clothin This limits the likelihoodthat youll spread these

ms at home or at the

offi ce when you unpack

your bag.

Combine the

increased threat of

infection during those

cold winter days and

lowered immunity during

this time and were all bound to

get sick one way or the other. But if

you follow the tips provided youll

stand a better chance of remaining

healthy this winter.

SANITISEWhen were at the gym we come

into contact with many commu-

nal surfaces. As such, the easiest

way to avoid picking up unwanted

germs is to wipe down equipmentwith a sanitising wipe before use.

A courtesy wipe after use will also

help others avoid your germs if

youre infected. It is also a good

idea to avoid contact with your face

until youve had a chance to wash

your hands as most colds and flus

are passed through hand to nose

contact. It is a good idea to do a

quick hand wash between exercises

if you can, otherwise a quick spray

of a hand sanitiser should work.

WATER FOUNTAINWhen drinking from the water

fountain dont place your mouth

over the spout.Even when you fill

up your water bottle keep a safe

distance between the tap and the

bottle. Fountains were designed

to spray the water a certain way

for a reason - to reduce incidental

contact with the spout.

EXERCISE MATSWhile most reputable gyms will

wipe down and/or clean exercise

mats regularly they cant do it

after every class.There will there-fore be many people who have

used that mat before you, leaving

their sweat and possibly some

The main reason forthis is that germs aremore commonly spreadby hand than throughthe air.

As such, with somany people handling

dumbbells, barbells,machines and cardioequipment throughoutthe day, many of whomdont follow adequatehygiene practiceswhen it comes to handwashing, we get theideal conditions for nastygerms to spread.

The likelihood of infection

during winter is also

heightened as our immune

systems have to work overtime.

When we enter the warm,

humid gym environment

the perfect environment for

bacteria, viruses and fungi to

thrive were more susceptible

to infection. Germs such as the

more prevalent during winter

in many places.

BYMELANIE

HEYNS,Feature

sW

Always wear slops

in the shower

at the gym toavoid contracting

athletes foot.

GYMGERMSWeallgotogym

togetfitand

stayhealthy,yet

thegymisoften

themostprolificbreedinggroun

d

forgerms.

Always

carryyo

ur

ownswe

attowel

.

Agoodi

deaisto

lay

yourtow

eldown

on

theequ

ipment

and

sitorlie

onit.

Investinyourown

gymmattoavoid

sharingother

peoplessweat.

SO, AS THE SAYING GOES, THE BEST DEFENCE IS OFFENCE!

AVOID THE WINTER BUGS WITH THESE SIMPLE TIPS.

JULY - AUGUST 2014 | www.fitnessmag.co.za46

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Fitness - August 2014