Virgin Active 14 day winter workout guide

#LiveLifeActive

Your at home workout guide

Contents

Introduction

3

Disclaimer

4

Take the GRID Fit test

5

Day 1

6

Day 2

9

Day 3

14

Day 4

19

Day 5

23

Day 6

27

Day 7

32

Day 8

36

Day 9

41

Day 10

44

Day 11

49

Day 12

53

Day 13

57

Day 14

61

Take the GRID Fit test

66

References

67

Let’s keep active from home While gyms are open, we know that some people may be choosing to stay at home while the country is under adjusted alert level 4. That's why we wanted to prepare a 14 day guide to help you structure your workouts and keep active and moving from home.

Exercise is a powerful enabler for both mental and physical wellbeing and in this guide, you will find a short and effective daily workout which will help you make the most of your exercise time as you try and balance the load between life and work as well as some free Virgin Active online workout videos, recipes and more.

Good luck and stay safe!

You know your body best... ... but make sure you don’t exercise beyond your own abilities. If something doesn’t feel right for you and your body, don’t do it. If you have a medical condition that you think may interfere with you exercising safely, you should get medical advice from a relevant professional and follow it.

Before your workout of the day, be sure to do at least a 5 minute warm up and don’t forget a good cool down and stretch after.

Test your fitness levels by taking the 4 minute GRID Fit challenge The challenge – do as many reps as you can in 20 seconds with a 10 second rest in between. Write down your scores and complete the challenge at the beginning of this 2 week programme and then again at the end to see how much you’ve improved. This is a great way to check in with yourself and benchmark your progress.

Start of programme

End of programme

Push ups Kneel to stand 1,2,3s Renegade rows Prisoner squats Reverse burpees Tripods Sit thru knees TOTAL

0 - 70

71 - 130

131+

Day 1

“ You are braver than you believe and stronger than you seem.”

Francois Collison, Regional Facilities Manager

Workout of the day You’ve got 60 secs per exercise, so the harder you work the more you get to rest in between!

15 x squats

10 x push ups

14 x broomstick side lunges (each side)

6 x reverse plank bridges

7 x 2 point prone retraction

14 x sit thru knee (each side)

35 seconds skipping

Repeat twice

Repeat 3 times

Repeat 5 times

Virgin Active Online (for members) Run

Leg Strength DO WORKOUT

with Thandy Min

31

Level

All

Yoga Align

Hips, Legs & Feet with Mareike DO WORKOUT

Min

49

Level

All

Today’s free class

GRID Power with Tyla and Jarred Join Tyla and Jarryd for a great GRID Power class which will see you working as hard as possible to earn as much rest as possible. Let’s burn some calories team!

Day 2

“ Get it done!

Schedule your workout early on in the day before the daily juggle begins. It’ll set you up for an amazing day.”

Ceri Hannan, National Product Development Manager

Workout of the day Hit the park, the treadmill or even the neighbourhood streets for a walk, a run, a jog or a mix of all 3.

Running

5km

10km

Virgin Active Online (for members) Dance

Barre with Nurit DO WORKOUT

Min

43

Level

All

Yoga Align

Relaxation with Mandisa DO WORKOUT

Min

39

Level

All

Nutrition tips Best foods for weight loss and reducing fat Foods high in fibre give a feeling of fullness (satiety) which in turn controls blood sugar levels and cravings.

These foods include: - Low GI food alternatives like brown bread, brown rice, sweet potato and oats.

- Fruit and veggies.

- Lean protein sources like chicken, fish, eggs, seafood, beans, legumes, tofu and tempeh.

- Healthy (unsaturated) fats like olive oil, canola oil, avocado, nuts and seeds.

Recipe idea Chocolate chia seed breakfast Ingredients - 3tbsp chia seeds - 1 cup milk - 1tsp cocoa powder - 1/2 mashed banana

- 2tsp nut butter - 1tsp cinnamon - 1 sweetener (optional)

Directions Add the chia seeds to the milk in a glass jar.

Add the cocoa powder, mashed banana, nut butter, cinnamon and sweetener.

Stir to mix everything together.

Leave in fridge to set overnight .

Top with coconut / nuts / berries of your choice.

Did you know?

Chia seeds are rich in calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, fibre and magnesium. One tablespoon of chia seeds contains 5g of fibre and 3g of protein. Chia seeds are also rich in protein and tryptophan (an amino acid that encourages good mood and sleep).

I am full of energy and vitality and my mind is calm and peaceful.

Today’s affirmation

Day 3

“ The secret to getting ahead, is getting started.”

Zahir Dollie, Fitness Manager, Point

Workout of the day You’ve got 60 secs per exercise, so the harder you work the more you get to rest in between.

10 x overhead towel squats

10 x inverted push ups

14 x renegade rows (each side)

15 x standing 180s (each side)

Repeat twice

Repeat 3 times

12 x hinge jumps

10 x plyo lungers (each side)

40 sec skipping

Repeat 5 times

Virgin Active Online (for members) Boxing

HIIT with Kelly DO WORKOUT

Min

37

Level

All

Yoga Align

Sun Salutations with Mandisa DO WORKOUT

Min

40

Level

Intermediate

Today’s free class

Yoga Align with Joëlle Take a bit of time to break down the poses with Joëlle to make sure you are correctly aligned as we focus on arm balances.

Recipe idea Cauliflower with chili and garlic Serves: 2 to 3

Ingredients - 3 garlic cloves - 1 x 2.5cm cube fresh root ginger - 1 medium head cauliflower (300g) - 1 tsp sunflower oil - 1/2 tsp cumin seed - 1/2 tsp mustard seed

- 1-3 hot green chillies, whole - 1/4 tsp salt - Freshly-ground black pepper - 1/2 tsp garam masala - Chilli powder to taste (optional)

Directions Peel and finely chop the garlic and ginger. Cut the cauliflower into florets. Don’t chop the chillies!

Heat a wok, and add the oil. When oil is hot, add the cumin and mustard seeds, and stir. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the garlic, ginger, cauliflower and chillies.

Stirfry for 5-7 minutes until the cauliflower is lightly browned, adding a tiny drop of water if it begins to stick.

Sprinkle in the salt, pepper, garam masala and chilli powder (if using). Mix well, add 4tbsp water, cover and cook for 2 minutes until cauliflower is done to your liking.

Day 4

“ Look after your body, you only have 1! Make it move well and live life!”

Richard Woolrich, Personal Trainer, Claremont

Workout of the day Take a 2 min break between circuits & repeat.

40 sec skipping

10 x reverse plank bridges

10 x push ups

5 x reverse burpees

40 sec bear crawls

Repeat twice

Repeat 3 times

Repeat 5 times

Virgin Active Online (for members) Step

Step with Nomawothi DO WORKOUT

Min

33

Level

Intermediate

Pilates

Pilates Align with Verna & Damian DO WORKOUT

Min

25

Level

All

Nutrition tips Best cooking oils for weight loss - Choose cooking oils that are anti-inflammatory, unsaturated and can reach a higher smoking point.

- Both canola and olive oil meet these criteria (canola reaches a higher smoking point than olive oil so is the better choice).

Recipe idea Salmon Pasta Ingredients - 350g asparagus - 300g pasta (use whole-wheat for extra fibre) - 250g smoked salmon

- 1 lemon - 100ml milk (low fat) - 200g low-fat cream cheese

Directions Cook the pasta in a pot of salted water until al dente.

Finely slice the asparagus.

Chop the salmon into thin slices.

Drain the pasta and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.

Put the pasta in a pan, add the asparagus, salmon and 1/2 the lemon juice and the zest of 1/2 a lemon (grated).

Add the reserved pasta water along with the milk and cream cheese.

Season with salt and pepper and serve with lemon wedges.

Did you know?

Salmon is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. Research suggests people who are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids may be more susceptible to depression. Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for good brain function and thus have a significant effect on mental health. Salmon also contains vitamin B12, which helps produce brain chemicals that affect mood. Low levels of B12 are linked to depression.

I honour my body by trusting the signals that it sends me.

Today’s affirmation

Day 5

“ Always believe in yourself. You can do it and you will always be appreciated with hard work and dedication you will reach the top, we got you!”

Yusuf Ally, Point

Workout of the day Hit the park, the treadmill or even the neighbourhood streets for a 30 minute walk, run, jog or a mix of all 3.

Running

5km

10km

Virgin Active Online (for members) GRID

GRID Power DO WORKOUT

with Tyla Min

45

Level

All

Pilates Align

Total Body with Lesley-Anne DO WORKOUT

Min

32

Level

All

Today’s free class

Boxing with Kelly This class serves to provide anyone who has never boxed with the basic fundamentals required to begin practicing the sport, as well as a refresher to anyone who has boxed before, but is perhaps a little rusty. Gloves up!

Recipe idea Roasted butternut and ginger soup Ingredients - 2 bigish butternuts (you can use pumpkin too) - 2 cloves of garlic - 1 cup of diced onions - 2 tsps of grated ginger - 2 tsps of turmeric

- Half a cinnamon stick - 5 cups of stock (veggie or chicken work best) - Olive oil - An orange or two

Directions Cut your butternut in half, scoop out the seeds and place them facedown a baking tray at 180 degrees for 4 - 50 minutes.

While your butternut is cooking, grab a big pot and gently fry some onions in a glug of olive oil.

Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric and cinnamon and stir. Leave to simmer until the onions are translucent (pop a bit of water in if you’re worried about it sticking).

Once the butternut is soft and roasty, scoop spoons of the flesh into your pot and add your stock.

Then reduce the heat to medium and allow it to simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove the cinnamon stick and use a stick blender to achieve desired smoothness (you can always add a bit more water if it’s too thick).

Ladle into bowls and garnish with some chopped fresh parsley and a squeeze of orange juice.

Day 6

“ Quitting is never an option.”

Andiswa Sityata, Claremont

Workout of the day Take a 2 min break between circuits & repeat.

40 sec mountain climbers

10 x hinge jumps

5 x burpees

Repeat twice

Repeat 3 times

10 x inverted push ups

10 x sit thrus

Repeat 5 times

Virgin Active Online (for members) Boxing

Intervals with Xoliswa DO WORKOUT

Min

46

Level

All

Yoga

Yoga Calm with Néna DO WORKOUT

Min

37

Nutrition tips Healthy snack ideas - A moderate portion of popcorn and biltong.

- Fruit with 10 almonds.

- Rice cakes and nut-butter.

- A high protein yogurt.

- Hummus with veg sticks.

- Protein powder, banana and fat-free milk smoothie.

Level

All

Recipe idea Vegan quinoa breakfast porridge Ingredients - 1/2 cup quinoa - 1 1/2 cup water - 200ml of your choice of milk

- 1 stevia (sweetener) - 1/2 tbsp nut butter - 1 sliced banana

Directions Cook the quinoa in the water on high-medium to high heat for 12 minutes.

Once 90% of the water has evaporated add the milk and let it cook on low heat for just over 5 minutes.

It is important to stir every few minutes.

Add the stevia and peanut butter and stir to melt the peanut butter Serve with a sliced banana.

Did you know?

Quinoa is high in fibre and is especially popular amongst vegans due to its high protein content. This grain is high in tryptophan (an amino acid that encourages good mood and sleep) and helps maintain blood sugar levels due to its low GI value.

My drive and ambition allow me to achieve my goals.

Today’s affirmation

Day 7

“ Very often we rush

to quit on ourselves because the results aren’t coming quickly enough. We look for big results over a very short term. Start small.

Stay consistent.

When/If you slip and fall, get up and go again.”

Karabo Molokoane, Personal Trainer, Hatfield

Workout of the day Take a 1 min break between circuits & repeat.

15 x burpees

15 x push ups

15 x V-ups

Repeat twice

Repeat 3 times

15 x high knees

60 sec plank

Repeat 5 times

Virgin Active Online (for members) Run

Core Buster DO WORKOUT

with Tandy Min

33

Level

All

Pilates

Back to basics DO WORKOUT

Min

46

with Nurit Level

Beginner

Today’s free class

Yoga Flow with Mandisa Today’s Yoga Flow class focuses on the core and inversions. You’ll finish off with some delicious supine poses. Let’s flow.

Recipe idea Pumpkin seed salad Ingredients - 500g pumpkin - 1 cup roasted pumpkin seeds - 2 Tbsp. oil - 2 Tbsp. honey - 1/2 cup pecan nuts - 1 green apple

- Juice of 1 lemon - 2 cups rocket - 2 cups baby spinach - 1 handful mint - 60g feta cheese

Directions Roast the pumpkin seeds and pecans on a baking try for 15 min at 180°C degrees Celsius.

Dice the pumpkin into cubes and add the honey and oil and toss.

Roast the pumpkin at 180°C for 35 minutes.

Slice the apple and add the lemon juice over.

Chop the mint.

Place the pumpkin, seeds, nuts and apples on a bed of rocket and spinach and top with mint.

Did you know?

Pumpkin seeds contain tryptophan. This is an amino acid needed to make hormones, such as serotonin. Serotonin is known as the “happy hormone” and plays a role in reducing anxiety, promoting good moods and producing the hormone melatonin to help regulate sleep patterns.

Day 8

“ Rise by lifting others. Be stubborn about your goals and flexible about your methods.”

Lorencia Gordon, Club Administrator, Stellenbosch

Workout of the day You’ve got 60 secs per exercise, so the harder you work the more you get to rest in between.

20 x squats

15 x push ups

10 x reverse plank bridges

20 x broomstick lunges (each side)

Repeat twice

10 x 2 point prone retraction

16 x sit thru leg (each side)

Repeat 3 times

45 sec skipping

Repeat 5 times

Virgin Active Online (for members) GRID

GRID Athletic DO WORKOUT

Min

48

with Tyla and Jarred Level

All

Yoga Series

Breath & Alignment with Mareike DO WORKOUT

Min

41

Level

All

Nutrition tips Portion control When dishing up food on your plate for lunch and dinner: - 1⁄2 plate = non-starchy vegetables - 1⁄4 plate = carbs - 1⁄4 plate = protein

Recipe idea Spicy bean burgers Ingredients - 1 tin each chickpeas, butter beans and red kidney beans, drained and rinsed - 2 carrots, peeled and grated - 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped - 2tsp curry powder - 1tsp ground cumin

- 1tsp salt handful freshly chopped coriander and parsley - 1 red onion, finely chopped - 1 chilli, finely chopped - 1 free-range egg - 1/2 cup oats

Directions Place all the ingredients together in a food processor. Process until chopped but not too smooth.

Form the mixture into patties.

Spray a non-stick frying pan with a non-stick spray and fry patties until golden brown on both sides.

My overall health and mood have improved as a result of my exercise.

Today’s affirmation

Day 9

“ Be resilient and look within yourself.”

Waleed Mohammed, Fitness Professional, Wembley Square

Workout of the day Hit the park, the treadmill or even the neighbourhood streets for a 30 minute walk, run, jog or a mix of all 3.

Running

5km

10km

Virgin Active Online (for members) Barre

Barre with Nurit DO WORKOUT

Min

37

Level

All

Boxing

Boxing with Kelly DO WORKOUT

Min

28

Level

All

Today’s free class

GRID Athletic with Zaakirah Get ready to move like an athlete with this HIIT style class. 2 minutes at each station, multiple moves. Get ready to get sweaty.

Day 10

“ Never give up. Be consistent and don’t be too hard on yourself, we all start somewhere.”

Kelsey Brandt, Exercise Experience Manager, Constantia

Workout of the day Take a 2 min break between circuits & repeat.

50 sec skipping

15 x push ups

15 x reverse plank bridges

10 x reverse burpees

50 sec bear crawls

Repeat twice

Repeat 3 times

Repeat 5 times

Virgin Active Online (for members) Yoga

Yoga Flow with Mandisa DO WORKOUT

Min

Level

Min

Level

45

All

Barre

Core with Nurit DO WORKOUT

50

All

Nutrition tips Are you drinking enough water?

Drink enough water throughout the day, at least 30ml x your body weight.

Recipe idea Mango Chicken stir fry Ingredients - 2 medium skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced - 2tsp vegetable oil e.g. sesame, peanut or olive oil - 1 medium red onion, sliced - 1 small red pepper, cut into chunks - 80ml ( 1/3 cup) white wine or stock - 1 clove garlic, crushed

- 1 small red chilli, finely chopped (optional) - 1 small (300g) mango, peeled and - sliced (if you can’t find fresh, buy tinned) - 2tbsp shredded fresh basil - 60g baby rocket leaves - Basmati rice

Directions Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a wok and stir-fry chicken over high heat for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove chicken from wok.

Heat remaining oil in wok, stir-fry onion and red peppers for 2 minutes or until softened.

Add wine/ stock, garlic and chilli and bring to the boil. Add chicken and mango and stir-fry until warmed through.

Remove from heat and stir in basil and rocket.

Serve on a bed of basmati rice.

My body is my home and I take care of it the best way possible.

Today’s affirmation

Day 11

“ Don’t be fooled by the smoke and mirrors of fad diets. Stick to the basics and find what works best for you.”

Fatiema Orrie, Personal Trainer, Kyalami Corner

Workout of the day You’ve got 60 secs per exercise, so the harder you work the more you get to rest in between.

12 x overhead towel squats

15 x inverted push ups

20 x renegade rows (each side)

20 x standing 180s (each side)

Repeat twice

Repeat 3 times

18 x hinge jumps

20 x plyo lungers (each side)

50 sec skipping

Repeat 5 times

Virgin Active Online (for members) Pilates

Pilates Athletic with Damian DO WORKOUT

Min

25

Level

All

Cycle

Conditioning with Ceri DO WORKOUT

Min

14

Level

All

Today’s free class

Barre with Nurit Join Nurit for a fun Barre class that will get your heart rate up and your body working hard. Ballet meets Pilates meets Dance Party... who’s in?

Recipe idea Chickpea blondies Ingredients - 1 tin chickpeas - 1/2 cup almond flour - 1/4 cup maple syrup - 1 tsp vanilla essence - 2 jumbo eggs

- 1tsp baking powder - 2tbsp nut butter - 80g chocolate chips - Handful of pecan nuts

Directions Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Remove the chickpeas from the husk (just pop them out).

Wash the chickpeas under cold water to remove the salt.

Sift the chickpeas, almond flour and baking powder.

Whisk the eggs, vanilla essence, maple and nut butter.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and lastly distribute the chocolate throughout the batter.

Place the mixture in a baking tin (grease or use baking powder).

Bake at 180°C degrees Celsius for 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Day 12

“ Be consistent.”

Mongi Hoho, Claremont

Workout of the day Take a 2 min break & repeat.

30 sec V-ups

30 sec leg flutters

30 sec bicycle crunches

30 sec scissors

30 sec high plank

Repeat twice

30 sec side plank - right

Repeat 3 times

30 sec sitting twists

30 sec side plank - left

Repeat 5 times

Virgin Active Online (for members) Yoga Flow

Digestion & Twists with Joëlle DO WORKOUT

Min

47

Level

All

Pilates

Pilates Align with Nurit DO WORKOUT

Min

48

Level

All

Nutrition tips Smaller, more frequent meals Research shows that small frequent meals assist weight loss. Try stick to: - Breakfast - Mid-morning snack - Lunch - Afternoon snack(s) - Dinner

I love myself enough to take better care of myself.

Today’s affirmation

Day 13

“ Try to do different exercises, don’t just do what you like.”

Minah Ninini, Mitchells Plain

Workout of the day Take a 2 min break between circuits & repeat.

50 sec mountain climbers

5 x hinge jumps

5 x burpees

Repeat twice

15 x inverted push ups

10 x sit thrus

Repeat 3 times

Repeat 5 times

Virgin Active Online (for members) Dance

Just Dance DO WORKOUT

with Steffi Min

41

Level

All

Yoga

Yoga Flow with Joëlle DO WORKOUT

Min

37

Level

All

Today’s free class

GRID Power with Lucky Join Lucky for a great GRID Power session where you’ll move as fast as you can to earn as much rest as you can between sets.

Recipe idea Easy rusks Ingredients - 45ml (3tbsp) polyunsaturated margarine, melted - 1 egg - 250ml (1 cup) low-fat or fat-free yoghurt

- 250ml (1 cup) fat-free milk - 875ml (3 1/2 cups) self-raising flour - 125ml ( 1/2 cup) sugar

Directions Beat together margarine, egg, yoghurt and milk.

Stir in remaining ingredients until soft dough is formed.

Roll into balls and place closely together in a greased baking tin.

Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes (or until knife comes out clean from mixture when pierced).

Remove from oven and allow cooling for a few minutes.

Break into pieces and return to oven for 3-4 hours at 100°C or until rusks have dried out.

Did you know?

It’s healthier to replace saturated fat in recipes (e.g. butter) with a polyor mono-unsaturated fat (e.g. soft tub margarine, olive oil or canola oil).

Day 14

“ The calories you don’t count, still count. Learn about food and track your eating habits, at least then you will have the data to make informed choices.”

Karabo Molokoane, Hatfield

Workout of the day Take a 1 min break in between sets & repeat.

30 sec skipping 30 sec squats

30 sec lunges

30 sec push ups

Repeat twice

30 sec burpees

30 sec jumping jacks

30 sec reverse burpees

Repeat 3 times

30 sec butterfly sit ups

Repeat 5 times

Virgin Active Online (for members) GRID

GRID Power with Zaakirah DO WORKOUT

Min

48

Level

All

Yoga

Heart & Small Intestine with Joëlle DO WORKOUT

Min

45

Level

All

Nutrition tips Meal prep Try and limit your time in the kitchen. Cook 3 starches, 2 proteins and 3 different veg dishes and mix it up to make a variety of different meals.

Recipe idea Sweet potato cakes & smoked salmon Portions: Makes 10 cakes

Ingredients - 600g sweet potato, peeled and chopped into chunks - 1tbbs olive oil - 1-2 spring onions - 1 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and well drained

- 1 cup (10g) coriander sprigs - 2tbbs grated parmesan - 3tbbs flour - 1/2 tsp sea salt and pepper - 125ml ( 1/2 tub) low-fat smooth cream cheese

Directions Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Toss potato in oil and place on a baking sheet. Season and roast for 25 minutes until tender and lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

Place spring onion and chickpeas in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to roughly chop.

Add the sweet potato and pulse again to just combine.

Add the coriander, Parmesan, flour and seasoning, and blend together to a rough paste.

Shape into 10 patties. Place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.

Spray cakes with olive oil spray and bake for 20 minutes until lightly browned.

Allow to cool slightly to firm up before handling.

Serve patties at room temperature topped with a dollop of cream cheese and a fold of smoked salmon.

Garnish with a few sprigs of coriander.

I can and will maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Today’s affirmation

Test your fitness levels by taking the 4 minute GRID Fit challenge The challenge – do as many reps as you can in 20 seconds with a 10 second rest in between. Write down your scores and complete the challenge at the beginning of this 2 week programme and then again at the end to see how much you’ve improved. This is a great way to check in with yourself and benchmark your progress.

Start of programme

End of programme

Push ups Kneel to stand 1,2,3s Renegade rows Prisoner squats Reverse burpees Tripods Sit thru knees TOTAL

0 - 70

71 - 130

131+

References Daily workouts: Ceri Hannan, Virgin Active National Product Development Manager

Recipes & nutrition tips: Ashleigh Solomon, Virgin Active Dietician

Affirmations: https://theblissfulmind.com/positive-affirmations-list/ https://motivationping.com/exercise-fitness-affirmations-quotes/ https://medium.com/@refinedliz/31-powerful-affirmations-for-everyarea-of-your-life-e58aff6a70b2