The Brazilian Butt Lift –Get toned before and during travel

From Google Images

In between returning home and booking my next, swift exit out of Hampshire I made a point of setting myself the following goal: to get stronger!

This goal has been influenced by travelling solo, meaning that you have to rely on your own physical strength. From a pidderly girl in the country:  thank-you for wheels on suitcases and that extra backpack strap – oh, and that lovely man who helped a struggling weakling. 

Counterparts will agree that my physical strength has upped dramatically in the last few months…OK, so I’ve only really put this idea into motion ever so recently, with departure getting closer jogging is becoming an everyday event and every-other- day I try this new fitness programme, BBL – the Brazil Butt Lift.

BRAZIL BUTT LIFT DVD

There are various programmes to choose from, depending on the area you’d like to shape up: lose weight, gain stamina, tone up a few squeegee bits or regain upper physical strength. I have personally been using the ‘sculpt’ session, which focusses on upper arm strength. It’s taken a few weeks to learn the routine but it’s slowly coming together, the biggest challenge not being the programme itself but starting it. Motivation? Please.

The Brazilian Butt Lift programme surveys a group that pop their hips like Shakira and manage to hold the plank ten minutes too long – while the trainer constantly shouts:

“Love your moves!”

I can’t wait until the sweat crystallises into a breezey-easy-peasey-work out.

The sessions last about 40 minutes and can be downloaded onto your computer/hard drive for portable use, so that when you travel you can keep tip-toned-up! That is of course if you have decided to indulge in the luxurious item of a laptop whilst  travelling, something people only seem to consider if they’re going for long periods of time, although the I-pad is rapidly replacing the lightweight laptop.

If carrying around your treasured technical goods isn’t an option then an alternative could be to memorise the routine for the road. I often find that swimming is a more tempting option when abroad anyhow and this tends to keep me fit when my diet will fluctuate with food and drink consumption rising and falling with budget and effort.

I’ll let you know how I get on maintaining this programme…

What fitness tips do you have before/during travel?

Take Me There: South African Inspiration

Elephants!

South Africa as a whole has always scared me. It’s never been on my immediate list of places to visit, in fact, it’s not on there at all.

Perhaps it’s the ongoing political difficulty that gravitates there, or it’s that heated question of safety that’s stopped me pining for this visit; we’re not just talking about taking good old common sense to this country. This is somewhat out of my league, and I’ve been to Brazil!

South Africa invites a certain kind of adventurer and it usually begins with something like ‘are you an animal lover?’ then safaris and sleeping in open cabins while panthers crawl around you is perfect. A minor issue – animals (pigeons, in fact) make me jumpy. But would I go to the Galapagos Islands? Yes, tomorrow, let’s go! There’s a difference. The animals are faster in South Africa… right?

The other incentive is to do some voluntary work, to connect with human nature again. Like building new schools or really getting into photography to capture the eyes of humanity. Well, there’s a school down my road that could do with some renovating – go volunteer there, it’ll save you a couple of grand - hmmm, not the same, not even close. For a start the weather sucks here and the worst thing you’ll come across is a pikey.

So what could convince me to get rid of these excuses? I give you author Lawrence Anthony and his novel The Elephant Whisperer detailing his game reserve Thula Thula, say it again its lovely: Thula Thula.

 

So what’s it all about?

Lawrence bought a game reserve in Zululand, South Africa, only to be given a herd of wild, restless elephants to contend with. The challenges he meets with these weighty beasts is so exciting and makes for a rather toe-curling read. You fall totally in love with these elephants. I haven’t finished the book yet, but I know from a sneaky peek at the middle section of photos that the reserve offers safari tours…and the website to the gorgeous reserve is here: http://www.thulathula.com/index.aspx

I’d like to go visit the reserve and these magnificent, terrifying creatures who now have names and personalities.

A South African writer and a herd of mad elephants, that’s all I needed. Fancy joining me?

Lawrence and baby elephant