So, here's how I give back to fellow bloggers, with social media platform growth tea tips haha that was a mouthful. But on a real, I had a Twitter account for like 4 years and during those four years tweeted like about 30 times, most of the time those were useless updates about what I was currently doing, and never really bothered to learn anything about how it the platform worked. TBH that 140 character limit put me off. (we've since worked out our issues :P)

Fast forward to 2017, this year started I decided to really give this blogging thing a solid shot. I had blogged in the past but I always ended up deleting blogs and losing inspiration. I am no longer a victim to lack of inspiration, I find ways to stay inspired - read, write, workout, meet new people, train clients, eat; my list is now endless.

1. Username: This is a personal pet peeve of mine, I do not enjoy people constantly changing their handles *rolls eyes and on more than one occasion have mistakenly un-followed someone because I didn't recognize their name and assumed it was someone I followed by accident. So I recommend you choose your handle wisely and if its one thats related to your blog you wouldn't want to change it anyway because it makes it easy for people to find you. Should you need/ want to change it, I say announce it - let your readers know that you've changed your name. Simple.                                                                                                                                                                                      
2. Like, Comment, Retweet: Let's face it, you want people to engage with your fabulous self and blog so make the effort to do the same. Browse different profiles of people doing what your doing and those just generally doing other awesome things and if you genuinely see something you like, let the person know. We all appreciate feedback.                                                               
3. Twitter Analytics: Yes, they are available and free make use of them to gain a better understanding of the types of posts your audience responds to, what the best times to post are and much more. Below are a few screenshots of my analytics, snaps for the growth in followers, impressions & engagement!                                                                                          

Analytics round up from Feb 2017

Analytics round up of Mar 2017

Analytics round up of July 2017

4. RT for awareness: I've seen first hand how the Twitter community respects those 3 words, be sure to use them wisely.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
5. Tweet Smart: Make good use of those 140 characters, whether you are sharing a blog post, a thought or experience. Add flesh to your tweet by making use of gifs there is an endless library of them that Twitter offers, or use a beautiful image that you took. 

6. Pin Tweet to Profile: I've seen people make use of this feature in various ways, for a blogger this feature is cool to use to highlight your latest blog post, a featured post you think everyone should read etc. Make this feature work for you by adding a link to your blog, it's the first post people will see when they visit your profile, make it work for you. 

Welcome! 

 

So, you read the title and you like things so you clicked the link. 😋

Well now that you are here stay a while and let's talk about the benefits of foam rolling aka the poor man's massage.

Now for those of you not in the know, foam rolling is a recovery technique that deals with the mobility of the fascia. Fascia is a fibrous layer of connective tissue that surrounds all of the muscles in our body. Without proper mobility, the fibers of the fascia become cross-linked and they bind to muscles and nerves, inhibiting normal motion and causing pain.

The process of applying low-intensity forces to soft tissues over a period of time is known as myofascial release. The purpose is to allow contracted muscles to relax, which improves blood flow and nutrient flow to the area. The idea is that muscles operate with smoother motion because of reduced internal rubbing.

1. Decreased Recovery Time: After a workout, muscles and joints become sore because of the build-up of waste products such as lactic acid. When performed after a workout a roll acts to wash the acid away by drawing fresh blood and nutrients to the fatigued muscle group hence recovery. Blood carries oxygen throughout the body, a decrease in our circulation can lead to a whole host of problems such as numbness in our limbs, impaired cognitive ability, and a weakened immune system. Myofascial release can help improve circulation which can decrease the chance of injury and decrease recovery time after a workout.                                                                                                                                                                          
2. Improves mobility & flexibility: Another added benefit is the performance capability of your muscles, the more flexible your muscles are within normal range of motion the more power they will be able to produce. This concept has to do with elastic energy, the more stretch a muscle gets, the more energy store it has and the greater force it can generate. On the other hand, a less flexible muscle produces less stretch, less range of motion, less stored energy, and decreased force output. When combined with proper stretching and training, foam rolling can have amazing benefits for improving your overall performance levels.                                                                                                                                                                        
3. Decreased stress: Had a hard day? Foam rolling away the knots can help you de-stress at the end of a tough day—just like a massage would hence the name poor man's massage. That’s because when you release your knots and sore spots, the tension built up in your connective tissue releases and leaves you feeling less stressed.                                                                                                                                         

Quick Truth: This is something that I still struggle with, gah, and how cold it has been in beautiful Namibia lately, esp this morning, is NOT helping. 😩

Here are a few ways I've been able to fight the chills and keep moving:
                   

1. Eat - Well enough throughout the day to make sure you have enough energy to workout in the evening. I do this by always making sure I plan my meals and have a healthy snack around because when I'm not eating, I'm thinking about what I'm finna eat later 😹😂; my go to is granola w. yogurt or a good ole banana 🍌.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
2. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! - I can't stress the importance of drinking water on a daily basis, it is alarming to me how many of us will go through the day without drinking any water at all. The best and oldest trick out there is to make sure you carry a water bottle with you, I always have a 1.5 liters bottle in tow which on a good day I go through at least 3 times a day. You can get your water in with teas too.                                                                                                                                 
3. Plan - Your workout sessions the same way you would a nail appointment, LADIES!, know what you are going to be working that particular day and use that to keep you on motivated and on track. You can do this by breaking your sessions up into different body parts i.e Mondays = full body, Tuesday = legs, Wednesday = abs & arms etc.                                                                                                       
4. Goals - Try setting one big goal along with some little ones. This can be anything from losing 5kgs to running a 5k by the end of winter or doing a full pull-up. Just make sure it is a goal you really want, that will push you beyond your comfort zone to reach it.                                                                                                                                                                     
5. Discover - New ways to move and new places to move - Let's face it going to the gym in itself can become quite monotonous, so why not throw in a hike or a yoga session or an at home workout session. Simply pop in a workout DVD (or good ole Youtube), invest in a few pieces of equipment or just your own bodyweight; & you'll find that working out at home can be a fun, convenient and a great way to stay on track with your goals.                                                                                                                                         
6. Dress - Warm enough so not to restrict movement/ breathing, invest in some cute warm workout gear. Mr. Price Sport will never let you down or if you are a liker of things Cotton On has some super cute workout sets. I, personally, struggle with this bit because the minute I break a sweat I want to strip down to my bra. 😝                                                                                                                                                               
7. Just Do It - As cliche as it sounds, you have set these goals yourself, have enough self-respect and discipline to stick to them. Finish & Klaar! 

1. Content, Content, Content - Be sure you know what your voice is, what do you want to say? Make sure you are 'creating' your own content and are not copycatting anything. Remember there is a very fine line between inspiration plagiarizing.                                                                   
2. Blog Aesthetic - Have a clear idea of how you want to present your posts and in turn yourself. Develop & maintain an aesthetic/ theme for your blog, this will help you grow your brand and voice as a writer.                                                                                                                                     
3. Be Awesome - There isn't anybody out there like you - don't you forget that. Don't add to the noise that's already out there, you might end up losing your voice, create something outstanding every chance you get!                                                                                                                                                                      
4. Write! - As often and as much as possible. Offer up more information, content, and ideas than you’re comfortable with.                                                                                                                                     
5.  Crossbridge w. SM - Make your blog interchangeable with your other social media platforms and use them to share your content. I used to be stubborn and used only the platforms I favored. A BIG MISTAKE, that I quickly learned from.                                                               I never really used Twitter until 3 about months ago,  I decided to give it a solid shot and actively grew my audience from 0 new followers & profile visits to 92 followers & 1 500+ profile visits respectively monthly since March.  #Omake | Let's connect on Twitter!                                                                                                                                                              
6. Create - Find ways to constantly feed the creative in you, experience new things and meet new people. This is the only way you can inspire others. When you’re empty, fill yourself up.                                                                  
7. Reader Friendly - Make your blog easy to read across all platforms, computers, and mobile. You should strive to make your content easy for your readers to read and potentially share with their friends.                                                                                                                                                                    
8. Plan & Schedule - Most blog sites offer a scheduling option, use it.  Plan your posts in advance if possible, it will add up immensely in the long run, and ensure you don't get overwhelmed with the process.                                                                                                                                                                    
9. Connect & Engage - Build networks with other bloggers, read, like share and comment on their posts. Engage with your readers, and grow the overall feel of your blog, a great goal that I strive for is to encourage my blog to be a place where conversations can be had and ideas can be exchanged.                                                                                                                                                                                 
10. Have fun - it's really not that serious. 

x0x, 

Em 

Hey guys,

I have not fallen off the face of the planet just yet, I've honestly just been struggling for motivation to create lately, which is why I am forcing myself to stick with it. Sometimes it's hard to keep going but this should never be a reason to stop fighting the good fight, (more than anything I'm preaching to myself). 

So, that's it. We are halfway through the year and this realization hit me hard as I took some time to reflect on what the year has been like for me thus far. I've made a few career changes and this can often leave one feeling like you are starting all over again. 😞

It has taken a lot of moments with myself to make sure I don't lose sight of what my ultimate destiny is and to remain focused on it, reading The Alchemist definitely helped. Grab yourself a copy, if you have already read it, re-read it. 

Since this year's inception, I embarked on a journey to better equip myself to be the best personal trainer I can be, this has included added hours in front of books and a couple more in the gym training myself and re-learning how the body responds to exercise and how I can perfect my craft to meet and exceed all of my clients expectations. I'm coming for you, yes you! 💪

I've set new goals for myself - more strength focused goals and less focus on how much the booty can pop. (ain't complaining doh!)

If you or a friend are looking for some guidance with working out, look no further my friend! 😉






x0x 

Em

Now, most of you might read this title and think ugh, like where have you been girlfriend? But it's honestly never crossed my mind to go let alone live commando.

Fun Fact: It is called 'going commando' because of an old practice in the army, where, so you didn't shit your underwear in battle, you didn't wear any - and therefore could boast that you didn't shit your pants. 🤔 Someone care to explain? Urban Dictionary says; (v.) To not wear underwear. The origins for this are either "out in the open" or "ready for action".






















When I decided to give this a try I told myself that I'd blog about it really honestly. My day 1 through 3 are all days that I'm active and end the day with a session at the gym. I did some research before embarking on this journey and found that it wasn't recommended to go commando under activewear, but I wanted to stay true to the experiment and stay away from all things pantie like. Girl, let's just say a little sweat goes a long way and I now know, appreciate and think my scent is sexy. #DoYou

In the end, I had a blast and maybe flashed a few people along the way haha #sorrynotsorry, thanks for reading, and remember women who don't wear underwear, never get their panties in a bunch. 😉

Looking for a not so productive way to spend your Sunday afternoon whilst nursing a possible hangover?

Look no further my friend, I'm sure we all know about the wonders that Kapana does for the body after a heavy night out.
But if you don't know, Kapana is a popular form of barbequed beef sold in Namibia at Single Quarters, located on Independence Avenue at the intersection of Abraham Mashego. The kapana vendors cut the meat into small pieces and cook the meat then you can add your own spices according to your taste.

Pick the sizziling meat up with your fingers (careful, its hot) and dip it into the communal cardboard box filled with a blend of salt and spices. I always insist on them wrapping the meat in newspaper compared to any styrofoam packaging. If you’re feeling a little gourmet, stroll over to the fresh bread and salsa (pickled with chopped onion and tomato) vendors and make yourself a kapana sandwich. It's lit! 🔥


Here are a few pictures from my last kapana adventure! #SundaySesh

still kind of have last night's face on 😆😅

Salsa!

we devoured the sh*t out of it before I got a chance to take pictures -.- EPIC FAIL. So here is Rika holding the aftermath!  😂😆😅