Embarking on a weight loss journey is not just about shedding kilos; it’s about sculpting a body that makes you feel confident and vibrant. One crucial metric on this path is body fat percentage. In this article, we’ll break down what body fat percentage is, how it can be measured, and what each percentage means for your health and appearance. 

Understanding Body Fat Percentage: 

Body fat percentage is the proportion of fat to your total body weight. 

While some body fat is essential for health, excessive fat can have implications on both your well-being and appearance. Measuring your body fat percentage provides a more accurate picture of your overall fitness level than just focusing on the scale.

How to Measure Body Fat Percentage:

1. Calipers: This method involves using skinfold calipers to pinch and measure the thickness of skin in various areas of your body.
2. Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA): BIA devices send a low electrical current through the body to estimate body fat percentage.
3. Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA): DEXA scans provide a detailed analysis of body composition, including bone density and fat distribution.

Breaking Down Body Fat Percentages:

1. Essential Fat (10-13% for women): This is the minimal amount of fat necessary for basic bodily functions. Below this level may lead to health issues.
2. Athletic/Fit (14-20% for women): This range is associated with good health and is typical for athletes.
3. Average (21-24% for women): Falling into this range is generally considered healthy, but improvements can enhance overall well-being.
4. Overweight (25-31% for women): Excess fat in this range may have health implications, and a focus on healthy lifestyle changes is recommended.
5. Obese (32% and above for women): Higher body fat percentages are associated with increased health risks, and intervention is crucial for overall well-being.

The Connection Between Health and Appearance: 

Achieving and maintaining a healthy body fat percentage is not just about aesthetics; it’s about overall well-being. Excessive body fat has been linked to various health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, and hormonal imbalances. Conversely, a healthy body fat percentage can boost energy levels, improve mood, and enhance self-esteem.

As you embark on your journey to achieve 20% body fat, remember that it’s not just a number on a scale– it’s a holistic approach to health and confidence. Embrace the process, celebrate small victories, and focus on the positive changes you’re making in your life. Your body is capable of incredible transformations, and each step you take brings you closer to the vibrant, confident version of yourself. 

Keep moving forward, stay positive, and know that you have the power to shape your own narrative.

You’ve got this!

Whatever your motivation is to look good for summer, here are a few tips you can follow to help you in terms of fat loss:

Exercise Regularly for Fat Loss

To lose fat for summer, you need to burn more calories than you consume in a day. Exercise is a great way to help create a deficit when paired with a reduction in calories consumed. Doing high-intensity workouts, such as interval training or Tabata workouts that incorporate plyometric exercises like burpees and jump squats, is one of the best ways to burn a lot of calories in a shorter amount of time, while also increasing your metabolism for hours after the workout is complete. This way, you end up burning more calories even after the workout is finished.

Resistance training aids fat loss by helping you build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn on a daily basis. This is one of the best tips for fat loss, as more muscle will also help you keep the weight off, even after summer has ended.

Another workout tip that is great if you are able to track your heart rate is to try and work out at 60-70% of your maximum heart rate for optimal fat loss. You can roughly work out your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. For example, if you are 30 years old, your maximum heart rate will be around 190 beats per minute, and your ultimate fat-burn zone will be between 114 and 133 beats per minute.

Sleep Your Way to a Summer Body

A lack of sleep increases levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and therefore interferes with fat loss. Insufficient sleep also leads to reduced willpower and increases the likelihood of you making bad food choices. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep a night, and take a nap every now and then. A few tips for improving sleep are:

• Eating foods that are high in tryptophan, such as chicken, beef, or almonds, as it helps your body produce serotonin, which helps you relax at night and go to sleep. Eat these foods at dinner, so that they can have the necessary effect at bedtime.
• Avoid exposure to blue LED light from screens at least 30 minutes before you go to sleep, as blue light exposure reduces the amount of melatonin, the sleep hormone, that your body produces.
• Practice time-restricted eating, where you limit your eating window to at least 12 hours a day, and eat at similar times. This helps to balance your circadian rhythm, which is your body’s natural sleep and waking-up cycle.

Try Time-Restricted Eating or Intermittent Fasting

Fasting for weight loss is perhaps something you did not expect to see on this list of fat loss tips. Reducing your daily eating window is a great way to lose weight, as it helps decrease the amount of time you have in a day in which you can eat. Time-restricted eating is when you only eat within a nine- to twelve-hour window, and intermittent fasting starts when you eat within an eight-hour window and fast for at least sixteen hours. Eating less often is not the only benefit of fasting. When we fast, our bodies go into a state of autophagy, which is the body’s natural cell-recycling system.

Autophagy stimulates lipolysis, which is the process of fat burning, and also speeds up cell regeneration, which can help prevent or reduce loose skin after weight loss. Fasting also stimulates the release of the human growth hormone (HGH), which helps improve body composition by encouraging fat loss and muscle growth.

Try Products from the Herbex Slimmers and Attack the Fat Ranges

At Herbex, we have an incredible selection of herbal products that are all designed to help you lose weight and unwanted fat. By following the fat-loss tips discussed above, paired with products like the ones found in our Herbex Slimmers and Attack the Fat ranges, you can start to lose weight, and be a lot closer to your goal by the time the summer holidays arrive. You can buy Herbex products at any Clicks, Dischem, or major retailer nationwide, or online at Takealot.com.

On the beach, in studios, at home, on rooftops and in hotpods, people have been practicing yoga in numerous venues for thousands of years. Exercise fads have come and gone (anyone remember the power balance bracelet craze?), but the art and discipline of yoga has stood the test of time. So what exactly is yoga and why the hype?

Let’s start with what yoga isn’t. Yoga is not a religion. It is not only for vegan ‘hippies’. It’s not boring. It’s not just for women. And it is not only about performing seemingly impossible poses where one has to balance on one hand while your toes touch your forehead.

So what IS yoga?

The practice of yoga is a form of science that unites the body, mind and spirit. (The word ‘yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘yuji’ and literally means ‘union’.) Based on five principles which all work together for optimal physical and mental health (breathing, movement, relaxation, nutrition, and positive thinking), yoga is about using poses, meditation, and breathing to create self-awareness, forge harmony within the body, calm the mind, and embrace one’s environment.       

The benefits of yoga

The benefits of yoga extend far beyond the mat.

• Yoga helps you manage stress and eases anxiety
• Yoga relaxes you, which in turn aids sleep
• Yoga improves balance and flexibility
• Yoga builds strength
• Yoga helps with pain relief and reduces inflammation
• Yoga could improve heart health and reduce the risk of heart disease
• Yoga encourages healthy eating habits
• Yoga increases energy levels
• Yoga boosts your mood
• Yoga introduces you to a wide, inclusive and supportive community

The different types of yoga

Yoga offers a number of different styles to suit everybody’s preference, goals and personality.  All yoga styles will leave you feeling relaxed and will increase strength and flexibility, but it is best to find the style that suits you and your needs for maximum return and enjoyment. Here are five of the most common ones:

• Hatha yoga is great for beginners as it incorporates a combination of many styles. You’ll start with a series of breath-controlled exercises, followed by a series of poses (or ‘asanas’) to tone the body, and end with a simple meditation to clear the mind.
• Ashtanga yoga is a more advanced style comprising a more energetic routine, flowing from pose to pose.
• Bikram yoga is done in a heated room to encourage sweating which releases toxins. The sequence comprises 26 set movements and two breathing exercises with the aim of detoxing, stretching, relieving stress, toning your muscles and healing chronic pain.
• Yin yoga offers a slower pace targeting your deep, connective tissues, releasing energy and cleansing the body. It focuses on the meditative aspect of yoga.
• Iyengar yoga focuses on detail, precision, posture and alignment, ideal for those with a chronic medical condition or injury.

Can you lose weight by doing yoga?

In short, yes. But not in the traditional ‘get-your-heart-rate-up-and-burn-more-calories’ sense. Yoga teaches self-awareness and mindfulness, and as such you tend to be more in tune with your body, and the purpose the food you are eating serves. It also keeps you in the right mental space so you can make the best decisions for maintaining healthy eating habits. If weight loss is the goal, then regular participation in ashtanga and bikram are great options. Whether it is to complement an exercise programme, manage stress, clear the mind, or all of the above, yoga is a way of life. Have you tried it? Comment below and let us know what you thought. 

Since the beginning of the diet industry, fat-burning products have been marketed towards women. And, while some products are perfectly safe to take and contain natural ingredients, others are full of chemicals and strong stimulants, and come with a long list of potential side effects. If you’re going to take fat-burning products, why not go natural?

There are many natural fat-burning products on the market today with many different, and possibly confusing, ingredients. This can be overwhelming when trying to decide which ones to choose, but there are a few ingredients that stand out. These are:

Green Tea

Green tea is probably one of the most popular natural fat-burning products. It contains caffeine, which increases metabolism, and helps you burn more energy at rest. You will lose weight if you burn more energy than you consume in a day. While drinking green tea alone will not help you lose weight if you still follow your old diet plan and do not exercise, it will save you a few minutes on the treadmill.

Drinking green tea with meals that contain carbohydrates will further help weight loss by lowering the glycaemic index. This means that your blood sugar levels will not increase as much. When your glucose levels are too high, insulin levels rise as well, which can trigger fat gain and hinder weight loss.

You can find green tea in a variety of Herbex products that promote fat burning, such as our Attack the Fat Tea, Slimmers Tea, and Fat Burn Concentrate for women.

Apple Cider Vinegar

You’ve probably heard at least a few women say that they drink apple cider vinegar either for their general health or to lose weight. There is a lot of confusion around how drinking it can help with fat burning, but we are here to clarify.

Apple cider vinegar helps your body to break down your food properly, which improves the absorption of nutrients that can promote weight loss. It also contains acetic acid, which when consumed with carbohydrates, can also lower the glycaemic index of meals.

We have added apple cider vinegar to our range of fat-burning products that are excellent for both men and women.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon aids weight loss by also improving the blood sugar balance. When blood sugar levels are imbalanced, it can stimulate cravings, make you want to eat more, and make it harder to lose weight. This is why we have added cinnamon to our Herbex Slimmers Tea.

If you are one of the many women who are in search of natural fat-burning products, look out for these powerful ingredients that will all help you along your weight-loss journey and make it easier for you to lose fat.

If you are interested in purchasing natural fat-burning products for women, you can buy Herbex products at any Clicks, Dischem, or major retailer nationwide, or online at Takealot.com. Let us help you on your way with some of our products. Find a store today.

But for many of us, the thought of taking those first steps is incredibly daunting. We look at other runners and think, “I’m not made to run, I’ll never be able to do that / go that fast / run that far…”

The moment you start running, you’re a runner. No matter how slow you go or how little distance you cover. So make 2016 the year that you put on your running shoes and fall in love with running.

Here are some great tips from Runner’s World Big Book of Running for Beginners, co-authored by Jennifer Van Allen.

7 Secrets to becoming a runner (and loving it)

1. Do it your way. When you first hit the road, there are a couple of non-negotiables: start slow and finish strong, never run through pain, invest in good running shoes and replace them before they wear out. The rest is entirely up to you. Ignore anyone who tries to convince you that you must run a certain pace or number of kilometres to be a real runner. If you run, you’re a runner. Want to race? Great. Hate to race? Who cares?

2. Don’t undo your roadwork at the dinner table. It’s easy to get into a cycle of entitlement eating, indulging in unhealthy treats and eating back the calories you burn running – and then some.  Keep in mind that most people overestimate the number of calories they burn and lowball the number they consume.  For any run of an hour or less, it’s fine to run on empty. Anything longer, or if it’s been a long time since you’ve run, have a 100-200 calorie snack an hour before heading out. Make sure it’s high in carbs (your body’s favourite fuel) and low in fat and fibre.

3. Follow the 10 minute rule. The first 10 minutes of any run are going to feel tough. You’ll likely feel stiff, achy, tired and ticked off. That’s okay, and a natural part of transitioning from being sedentary to being in motion. If you keep pushing your body forward — even if you’re walking — your weariness will soon evolve into exhilaration. We promise. Just commit to 10 minutes of movement.  You can do anything for 10 minutes. Just don’t get back on the couch.After 10 minutes, you can call it quits with the satisfaction of knowing that your mission is accomplished. But more often than not, your muscles will feel warmed up, your heart rate will be elevated and you’ll start to feel energized, even excited to exercise.

4. Learn the difference between good pain and bad pain. Running isn’t going to feel comfortable, or easy. Not in the first few weeks or even months. But it shouldn’t feel like torture. Learn to distinguish between the muscle aches that go with pushing your legs and lungs farther and faster than they’ve gone before, and the more alarming pains that should stop your run, and prompt some rest and a call to a sports medicine specialist ASAP.Any pain that persists or worsens as you run, or after you’re done, is something that deserves at least two days of rest and possibly a call to the doctor. Same goes for any pain that’s sharp, makes you change your gait to compensate (which can cause more injury), or is located on one side of the body but not the other.

5. Take your run like medicine. The hour before a run is tougher than anything you’ll encounter out there. Before you go, a flood of excuses will threaten to get between you and the road. You will always have e-mails to answer, dishes to wash, laundry to do, phone calls to return. But if you don’t take care of your body, it won’t take care of you. Research has proven that regular exercise will help prevent diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and cancer, among other conditions. It can help improve the quality of your life, help stave off depression, help you stay sharp as you age, and even help prevent age-related declines such as falling. You can’t control the chaos the day and your life may bring, but running will help you handle whatever comes.

6. Learn how to talk back to negative voices. At some point during a run of any distance you’ll start hearing these voices:

– I’m too slow.
– I’m too tired.
– I hate running.
– I can’t do this.
– I don’t want to do this.
– I should be working instead.
– I should be home instead.

You can’t prevent these voices from haunting your run. But you can develop a strategy for vanquishing them.  Make a list of reasons why you run. Fitting into your skinny jeans is perfectly acceptable. Add up your kilometres each week, so when you hit the wall at kilometre 4 of a planned 5km, you’ll know that final km is nothing compared to all the kms you’ve already logged. When someone passes you, don’t take it personally; it’s not a referendum on how fit you are.  It’s proof of what’s possible.

7. Go with the flow. Let your running life evolve as your life changes.The state of your work, family and social life will have a huge impact on how much time, emotion, energy and interest you can bring to running, and what you need from it. There will be times when you will love how running helps you test your physical and mental endurance. And there will be other times when surviving the workday and keeping your kids and partner fed, safe, healthy and happy feels like an endurance test, and you need to rely on running for relaxation.

Keep setting new goals that work well with your lifestyle and your state of mind. Change things up: Hit the trails. Run your regular route in reverse. Run with friends so the workout also serves as social hour. Stop racing. Or start. Mentor a friend. Set a weekly, monthly or annual mileage goal. Strap on a GPS watch and use your run to explore new places. One of the most beautiful things about this sport is that it is wide open to personal interpretation.

For more expert tips on starting out or improving your running, head to www.runnersworld.co.za

High intensity–style workouts that incorporate both aerobic exercise and strength training. These circuit workouts can be done with or without equipment. 

• Target: Building strength and muscular endurance. These workouts tend to keep you on the higher end of your heart rate zones and are usually designed in stations for time, with little to no rest in-between.
• Goals: The circuit training method of exercise is good for those people who are looking for weight loss, are in a time crunch, or are looking for overall general fitness, a total-body workout, and toning. Many say this is where you get the most bang for your buck because you can get the results you are looking for in less time.

Aerobic Training

This type of training is generally summarized as meaning “with oxygen” or cardio training. 

• Target: These workouts tend to target the cardiovascular system, mainly the heart and lungs. In most cases it’s associated with running, biking, swimming, jumprope, step class, and other cardio-based exercises. This style of training helps to increase your cardiovascular endurance and open the gap in your heart rate zones.
• Goals: The aerobic training style is good for those looking to lose weight, for specific training programs like marathons, for athletes looking to increase performance and endurance as well as recover appropriately, and for those trying to reduce the risk of chronic illness like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Heart Rate Training

This type of training is specific to each individual and their personal zones. You can read more here about HR training, but this training method is focused in on zones like fat burn, cardiovascular endurance, peak performance, and recovery. In many cases, HR training is viewed as the all-around best training method there is. 

• Target: Heart rate training helps to increase endurance and sustainability in workouts by allowing you to peak and recover in a way that is specific to your body. Training zones are identified by doing a VO2 test.
• Goals: For anyone and everyone! Typically people training for endurance races like Spartans or marathons, or athletes honing in on max results and recovery, for the person who is totally burnt out after each workout, and all the way to people who are on medications that affect their heart rate.

Flexibility Training

Contrary to what I know everyone is thinking, it’s not just yoga! Forget the general stereotype of moms walking into the gym with lattes, flip-flops, and their yoga mat; this training style is probably the most important, yet the most neglected. It incorporates corrective exercises, stretching (both static and dynamic), and movements from head to toe. 

• Target: To improve flexibility, mobility, range of motion, balance, and better posture.
• Goals: Another method of training that is for everyone! If you are not a yoga person, it’s time to start! Yoga folks, dancers, runners, meatheads: this is for you, too! Flexibility training is for every single person who wants to enhance their training in any way. 

Strength Training

Strength training typically is done with heavy weight but can be done with lighter ones as well. This style of training is directly associated with Newton’s law: mass x acceleration = force. 

• Target: To increase muscle strength.
• Goals: Perfect for those looking to put on mass; can be good for those who don’t have a bunch of time to train; also good if you desire to move heavy things.

What should you do from here? If you are stuck in a rut or want to find the method that is going to be most effective for you, take some time to define your goals, figure out what is realistic for you, and take into consideration your past exercise experience. All these things play into what will work as well as what you like to do while in the gym.

1. Be specific and clear about what you want to achieve and why you want to achieve it!

Example:

What: I want to lose 15 kgs.

Why: I want to be fit, healthy and increase my self esteem

2. Write down the steps that you will need to take

Example:

– Start exercising 3 x week for 30 minutes

– Start a healthy eating plan

– Find the correct supplements to boost your plan (for example: Herbex)

3. Set a realistic timeframe for each goal

It takes at least 12 weeks to see major changes in the body. If you change your habits, follow a healthy eating plan and do some exercise, it is very realistic to lose 2kg every two weeks.

4. Break your goals down into smaller goals

Example:

– I want to lose 4 kg in 4 weeks

– I want to lose 4 cm from my stomach in 6 weeks

5. Set rewards for goals that you have accomplished

Example:

– If I exercise for 30 min 3 x week for 1 month, I can purchase a new pair of shoes

– If I stick to my healthy eating plan for 6 days during the week, I can reward myself with a cheat meal on the 7^th day.

You are on your way to a healthier, happier you. Keep your notes close-by and remind yourself of your goals as often as you need to. Don’t get disheartened if you encounter obstacles along the way – it is all part of the process. Simply get up, and start again. GOOD LUCK!