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Why Pay For a Coach

We are conditioned to pay our dues backward, not forward. Look at how many people pay a fortune in medical bills only because they spent a lifetime not looking after their health. But once their body stops giving them options, their hand is forced, and only then do they employ healthy living practices. Or how about people living paycheck to paycheck, never reaching their full potential.

Imagine how much more enriched their lives would have been if they had:

taken the time to learn how to eat for their health from those that enjoy healthy food;
if they had taken instruction from a fitness coach to learn how to exercise correctly and kept up the consistency up;
if they had sort out natural practitioners to assist with eliminating the roots of depression and not relied so heavily on medication;
if they had understood the importance letting go of emotional baggage as this would have helped them prevent many ailments.

If these people had understood the value of mentorship ladder the world would be a healthier and much happier place.

On the self-purpose side imagine how much more fulfilling people’s lives would have been if they had been coached how to effectively create and run a small business; If they understood how to create and manage money; If they learned how to sell, communicate and work harmoniously with others; if they had a mentor to assist them with work-life balance. This would be a more productive and less anxious world.

All these practises should be sort after as a code for living. The mentorship ladder not only provides a roadmap to greatness but also holds you accountable to stay on track. Sound mind, body, soul, business and life habits are formed over time giving you the most wonderful experience of this lifetime. A journey blessed with energy, mental clarity, an abundance of experiences and greater enjoyment out of life.

Pay it forward! Albeit for health, business or relationships, seek out those who are in the know and be willing to pay for their expertise. These type of investments in yourself will be the best money you will ever spend. Whatever you want to achieve there is someone who has already done it and can make your journey tremendously more pleasant while expediting the process.

When you are inside the jar, you can’t see the label

Thank you for being part of our Base Fit journey
OWN YOUR POWER
Mandy Sealy
Base Fit Founder and Director

Why most people gain weight and decline in health as they age

Everybody has at one stage had wonderful big dreams. But the more we experience the harshness of life, our dreams fade away. We give up on dropping excess weight and we never reach that health objective.

Why does this happen?

When we anticipate our future based on reruns of our past (memories), nothing changes. And as I have taught before…you get what you think about.

But when you wipe you mind clear of predetermined roadmaps, then everything you have ever wanted become possible. It starts with your imagination. If you can think it, see it in your minds eye and feel what it would be like to have it, then it will be.

Your imagination is the real roadmap to your greatness, not your past. Revisit your goals and your dreams in your imagination over and over again until the neuro pathways become ingrained in your mind. You will then be forming new memories, ‘future ones’ which over time will become more real to you than your past. Until one day, they will be your reality.

Join us on The Base Fit Way App, where we will guide you through behavior change strategies so your future is the one you want.

Thank you for being part of our Base Fit journey
OWN YOUR POWER
Mandy Sealy
Base Fit Founder and Director

Finding your Fitness, Wellness and Life Balance

There is no set rule around this subject as it is a very personal thing. ‘Balance’ is dynamic, changing daily, weekly, monthly and annually. What works for you in keeping your balanced and stability will be something completely different for the next person.

There are three important aspects to consider:

The first balance definer is your ‘purpose’. When you have a wonderful objective which is way bigger than your day to day life, it becomes your fuel. It is the engine that drives you, inspires you and motivates you.

The second balance definer is ‘people’. It is imperative you hang around the right people that influence you in a synergistic way aligned with your purpose.

The third is ‘cycles’. Every aspect of your life exists in cycles or phases. Just as every year we experience the four seasons, you will experience a summer, autumn, winter and spring phase in all aspects of your life. This journey is transient, so what feels like balance to you in one month or season my look very different in the next month or season. The more fluid you can be at adjusting your balance the more energetic, inspired and happy your life will feel.

Thank you for being a part of my balance.
Mandy Sealy
Base Fit Founder and Director

M3 = M2 Principle

THE WELLNESS RULE: Stay healthy and ahead of the age game by applying this rule I call the M3 = M2 Principle. Which means: Mindset + Movement + Medicine = Motivation & Momentum.

HOW IT WORKS: There are 3 ‘M’s’ to apply daily to keep your ‘vehicle’ (your body) in perfect running order. They are ‘Mindset’, ‘Movement’ and ‘Medicine’. Applying these 3 principles will give you daily Motivation, then add time to the equation, and you have forward Momentum on your goals. Now that’s a WIN!!

MINDSET: What you put into your head, determines how you experience each day. Experience ALWAYS follows thought. So if you start your day by watching the news, or engage in negative conversations the tone of your day will lowered. Low tone days compounded over time does not lead to greatness.

MOVEMENT: Commit to moving every day. This does not have to be an intense workout session, but it does need to include full range of motion exercises and some form of deep breathing. A brisk walk followed by stretching will suffice. Not doing this will cause physical stagnation, low energy and body stiffness. Stagnation compounded over time does not lead to a comfortable energetic life.

MEDICINE: Food is medicine. It is a tool for optimal performance. It changes your mood, it dictates your energy, it allows for creativity and it impacts our sleep. Ingesting rubbish compounded over time will lead to a rubbish life. Life rewards action, make it the right action. Every day, a fabulous opportunity for you to write your story.

PRACTICE IS HOW YOU GET TO GREATNESS

OWN YOUR POWER
Mandy Sealy
Base Fit Founder and Director

Breaking the habit of being unhealthy

Look back on your life and notice any themes that do not serve you. These are the most common ones we hear from our clients:

I’ve always been overweight!
I am just an anxious person!
I can never stick to a workout program or diet plan!
I don’t have the time for myself!

The reason these beliefs are on program repeat is because you believe in ‘them’ more than you believe in your ability to create the future you want. Therefore, by your expectation of them you unwittingly create them, which reinforces your belief that you can never be any different.

Let’s change that. Start by shifting something very small and stick to it no matter what. Here’s what to do:
Question:
What theme in your life do you wish you could change?

Action:
1. Get clear on what you would rather experience.
2. Give it a timeline.
3. Write down all the action steps that you need to take for this change to happen.
4. Visualize the ‘new you’ every day.
5. Never dwell on the problem, but stay focused on the solution. Don’t get despondent if the task seems impossible, you just need to make a start. Also, you are not alone as we are here to help you on your journey.

OWN YOUR POWER
Mandy Sealy
Base Fit Founder and Director

Action Steps to Move Your Forward on Your Goals

When you take high repetitive action on your goals, you will achieve them no matter any challenges. When you add time to the equation… THE STREAM ALWAYS BEATS THE ROCK ACTION 1: Analyze your life and FILL IT UP! When you have so much going on with so many opportunities, when the blows come it, they hurt, but you are so busy with 20 other things in the pipeline you can’t afford to waste a week wallowing in giving up, and this ‘life-is-hard’ – ‘I should give-up’….because you have too many other things to focus on 😊 If you don’t legitimately have too many things to focus on – make them up! Clean your car, your house, take a walk, write 10 thank you messages…

Make a list as this list will make you get busy, out of your head and back into action. Action moves you forward! ACTION 2: Second course of Action is to KNOW YOUR PURPOSE! And think big! It does not take any more thinking power to think big than to think small. At least when you think big you aim high, so if you do fall short you are still way ahead of where you thought you could be. The rewards are great but they do no happen overnight.

Set up sub-targets that you can achieve along the way.
This will give you positive feedback that you are on the right track.
Never give up.

…. And remember ACTION MOVES YOU FORWARD!

OWN YOUR POWER
Mandy Sealy
Base Fit Founder and Director

Why you might not be losing weight

WHY YOU SOMETIMES DON’T LOSE WEIGHT OR BATTLE TO IMPROVE FITNESS

It is easy to confuse what feels familiar with what is feels right. When you understand this principle, you can avoid making bad decisions.

Did you know the best decisions we can ever make are instinct driven? How many times have you made a decision based on it making sense – it sounded right as all aspects lined up. However, there was still a feeling that something was off which of course you ignored, only to reflect back with “Should’ve, Could’ve, Would’ve’s. So What is the Difference?

Familiar: You have done it this way multiple times. It defines who you are. Feel safe as it is your comfort zone. It’s mainly dictated to by the mind. It’s a conditioning. Often ends up in you getting things, experiences that you do not want or do not serve you well. It can lead you astray.

For example: I am a meat and potatoes person. I was brought up that way, and how can it be so wrong when my uncle like this and he was always in great physical shape. Or, I am not a morning person. I only go to be late as I like to watch my favorite show. You know, to get up early to exercise does not work for me.

Right: You feel it in your gut. Sometimes does not make sense to the mind. But this is your intuition and when you trust it and follow it, you will be lead down a path that serves you, not just saving you time and money but giving you both in abundance. For example: How can eating more food help me lose weight? That just does not make sense to me.

Why Instinct?

We feel our instinct in our gut, not our head, and we have it to guide us. The gut has its own intelligence which is not limited to our 5 human senses. The gut knows things our mind cannot fathom, can sense beyond with a bird’s eye view. So my message to you is to start to live by the principle of what feels right at a gut level. In doing this you will notice the following:

INCREASED CONFIDENCE and will trust in your ability to make the right decisions.
LESS CONFUSION as following your head can get you into trouble, whereas following you gut will help prevent failure, leaving you feeling limitless.
MORE CLEAR MINDED as you will be able to stay present, not overlook things as you do when you are too focused on the outcome. You inherently know what you need to do to lose weight, get fitter, be more positive. We know it is not that easy, which is why we are able to build an entire brand around this subject.

Passionate about helping people.
Mandy Sealy
(Base Fit Founder & MD)

The Secret to Riding Fitness Success

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The Secret to Riding Fitness Success

By Mandy Thomas – The Authority in Fitness for Enduro

You’ve all seen the stories of major fitness and body transformations, and although they are inspiring, they get frustrating when you realize your own fitness is flat-lining. Unfortunately, there is no magic trick, pill or well-kept secret, the truth is they achieved their results through determination, dedication, and drive. These fitness success stories all share the following traits, so if you’re looking to follow in their footsteps apply the list below and get back in shape and back on trach with your fitness for riding.

1: Overhaul Your Lifestyle.

It’s not about a small tweak here and there to your schedule, but the way you go about your everyday life that has to change. Correct unhealthy eating habits, limit smoking and drinking, incorporate effective fitness training techniques, change your sleeping habits and renew your mind set.

2: Be Single-Minded & Determined

The decision to make the above changes is easy. It’s the follow through that takes a ton of determination. You need to bring a strong, determined attitude to every workout and apply it at every meal. See it through from getting to bed earlier, ensure your sleep is quality and all the time not allowing yourself to become discouraged.

3: Maintain a Positive Attitude

The better you feel about your body and fitness, the more positive you’ll feel and the more you’ll want to continue your fitness path. To start the ball rolling you need to cultivate that positive attitude from the beginning. Have a ritual in place every morning where you read through your fitness goals, perhaps look at an old photo of yourself of how you want to look again. When you write your goals down include how you feel when you were at your target fitness. Whenever you feel your motivation waning, repeat the ritual.

4: Ensure your Support System is Strong

Everyone needs support. Fitness success stories are inspired by friends, family, and dedicated coaches pushing the person along every step of the way, particularly in the early stages. When you hit a discouraging plateau, lean on the people around you to motivate you to get back on track.

5: Take it Slow

Hitting the gym really hard from the beginning can cause burn out and injuries. You need to take it slow and be in it for the long haul. This means cycling your fitness programs. And the, even when you have achieved your goal, remember there is there’s still maintenance to be done.

6: Expect Challenges

Fitness is not a straight line moving steadily upward all the time. Every success story has some sort of setback. Gaining a bit of weight or an injury along the way does not dictate the full story or the end results. Embraced the process and understand that you are not necessarily going to see progress every single day. The key is to just keep moving forward one day at a time.

7: Become Aware of What Your Body Needs

The more you workout, the more energy you will need. The better you sleep the less hungry you are. As you get fitter, the less you want to be carrying around excess fat and eating empty calories. Figure out how many calories and nutrients you need to get the most out of your workouts and thereby improve your results.

8: Get Self-Motivated

Your support system will help get you started, but as you see results self-motivation kicks in. Eventually, you will be easily doing it for your own well-being rather than being pushed by friends and family. Once this happens, it’s a huge sign that you have embraced a total lifestyle change. Well done!

Over the last 9 years Base Fit has been inspired to help clients country wide instil the above-mentioned positive changes in their lives, with huge success, especially for riding.

Please feel free to contact me to discuss your fitness goals and you plan a way forward for your riding fitness.

Mandy Sealy // Base Fit // mandy@basefit.co.za // 082-461-1443

Photography by Wasabi Foto

How to Recover Faster when Riding

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How to Recover Faster when Riding

If you are left gasping for air, and having to stop regularly to recover when riding, then you need to read this!

You put a ton of effort into your bike rides. You get up early to load your bike with all your kit. Then meet the lads on route, after which you drive a fair distance to get the best terrain. Once your bike is offloaded, you kit up and off you go……..

For the first hour you feel fine. But then it hits. Exhaustion! Those hill climbs are killers! You feel weak, out of breath and even nauseous. And it sucks!!

You stop and to take a good 10-minute rest, re group with the lads, then off you go again. Only to find yourself in the same shattered position again as soon as the next hill climb says ‘hello’.

Those guys passing you on the hills, who only stopping for a quick 2 minute rest, if at all – are so annoying! But how do they keep riding at that intensity and pace?

If you can relate to the above then you are in the same position as Paul was 3 months ago. He was the typical weekend warrior, didn’t race much, but of course had the dream to finish Roof of Africa. He quickly realized that hitting the weight section of the gym 3 three times a week, with two ad-hock cardio sessions squeezed in (on a good week) was not going to cut it for improved recovery when riding. Not a chance!!

So he changed the way he trained to be more specific to dirt bike riding, (rather than the beach body type strength training most guys typically do) … and wah-lah! Not only did his recovery rate improve while riding but he is now able to ride for longer and he lost 7kg of fat with out even trying! Bonus!!

So what changed? Paul’s new dirt-bike fitness routine that dramatically improved his recovery times is as follows:

• Super-set a strength exercise with an explosive exercise:
Combining these two types of exercises as opposed to doing them separately, will rapidly get your heart pounding through your chest – which is what need to happen to be better conditioned for riding.
For example: do 10 push ups then immediately afterwards do 10 squat jumps. Do not rest for more than 20 seconds, then repeat. Keep going for 4 minutes, then change your exercises. Train like this twice a week.

• Dedicate one weekly session to core training:
A strong core gives you improved balance, which saves you energy when riding, so it’s super important to dig deep into your core training, not leave it as an afterthought. Include exercises that require you to rotate (russian twists), hold a position isometrically (the plank), extend (roll outs with a wheel or barbell) and contract (sit ups). Combine your core exercises with intervals of cardio for example 2 minutes of skipping.

• Include lots of balance work:
Do as many exercises as possible on one leg at a time. This not only strengths your stabilizers but forces your core work harder to hold your position still. Remember, you are not riding a stable object.

• Limited rest during sessions:
All gym sessions have very limited rest, from only 20 seconds to a maximum of 1 minute (only if u are really sucking gas). Start the next set of your program before you feel ready to Fast-track your fitness like a hole-shot start on an MX track!

• 2 rest days in the week:
Yes, that’s right. Because of the change in intensity in the above training tips, rest days are as important as training days so your body can efficiently recover, prevent exhaustion and there by provide you with more energy on riding days.

Why does the above help improve riding recovery times?
1. When your balance is on point, you will save energy by not continuously having to counter correct yourself.

2. When your core is powerful, you will be able to generate energy as opposed to relying on brute muscular strength which will eventually fail you.

3. When you are fitter, you are conditioned to riding though fatigue, thereby rest periods become shorter.

Being physically able to max out on your riding is exactly what you want to justify the cost and the time you put into your sport. You don’t need fancy equipment you just need to train correctly.

If you need help getting your fitness for riding to the next level or you just don’t know where to start, then get hold of us at Base Fit. All coaches are trained to get you the maximal results for your riding fitness.
Please also send your questions to mandy@basefit.co.za and I will address them. If you found this article helpful please follow us on Instagram #basefitsportfitness and https://web.facebook.com/basefitsportfitness/

Hitting the Wall while Riding

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Hitting the Wall while Riding

When you suddenly run out of energy during a long ride it’s like hitting a concrete wall.

It comes so quickly that the one minute you’re keeping up with your friends on a tough, long ride. The next minute they’re disappearing up the hills and you’re left behind, feeling shattered.

Did you know it may not be because they’re fitter than you!

This crash happens when your body runs out of its preferred fuel: glycogen – which is the energy you get when you eat carbohydrates. If you’re well fuelled before you start riding, you should have enough glycogen to last you approximately 90 minutes, depending on your fitness, body size, and riding intensity.

As it runs out, your body will progressively switch over to using fat as a fuel instead. Nothing wrong with that if you are okay with being slower than a sloth.

WHAT DAMAGE DO THESE CRASHES CAUSE?

During a three-hour ride, you’ll work your way through more calories than you would typically eat on a really generous day. So riding hard without constantly refuelling will leave you with a massive calorie deficit. This drops your riding performance like a hot potato, and your concentration goes through the window. Not a good idea when on a technical trail.

AVOIDING ENERGY CRASHES

The best way to avoid these crashes is to eat somewhere between 100 and 250 calories every 30 minutes (more if you’re racing). You don’t need to calculate everything to the nearest gram, but experiment a bit with what works
best for you. Just remember that the harder you ride, the more calories you need to replace.
Everyone responds differently so stick to what works for you and you’ll ride stronger and recover quicker.

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NEWSROOM

The Secret to Riding Fitness Success

NEWSROOM

How to Recover Faster when Riding

NEWSROOM

Hitting the Wall while Riding

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