Good morning! We're a little late off the bat this week getting Phindi's latest feature out but we have been gearing up for a whopper sale come Black Friday. Without going into too much detail, let's jump straight into this weeks feature!
So the festive season is upon us and most people will be taking that well deserved break after a year of nothing but hard work. As you plan for that much needed rest, whether you're travelling, staying at home, visiting family or even, if you are like me, still working - it is important that you tone things down in every way. Let your hair down and kick off those boardroom heels. No more tip-toeing around the office.
Give your feet a bit of a breather without losing your sense of style. I recommend finding yourself that pair of shoes that allows you to still look smart, be comfortable, and gives you the option of wearing them with nearly everything in your wardrobe! You need a shoe that is ideal for almost any occasion - especially on holiday!
Holiday packing can be tricky. It needs proper planning and some thought process to every item going into the suitcase. We can always get away with packing a lot of clothes but never enough shoes. Shoes are naturally bulky and you don’t want to squeeze them into the suitcase and end up damaging them, do you? In an ideal world you could pack more than what you need but in reality you actually need fewer shoes that offer greater versatility. What shoe, you ask?
If you are the kind of girl who wears everything from Hot Pants, Dresses (all lengths) to jean and T-Shirts - I’ve got just the shoe for you. The Tsonga Badinga Espadrille is currently my absolute favourite. I love its trendy, sporty-yet-classic-and-clean look. For me, it serves both as a casual and semi formal shoe. When I feel like being ‘girly’, I rock it with dresses or skirts - the look is great when you need to be a little smart especially when you are on a holiday date night with girlfriends or your partner. You can also wear these lovely espadrilles with pants, however, I want to urge you ladies not to wear these stunning shoes with pants that cover your ankle. Trust me on this - you want to show off the beauty of this shoe.
The Badinga Espadrille is not only beautiful, but it is honestly the most comfortable shoe I have worn - ever. Like all Tsonga shoes though, comfort is naturally their number one priority. If, like me, you're working during the holidays, take advantage of the season: give your feet a break. They'll thank you for it later. The nice thing about the Badinga as an office shoe is that you can totally dress it up! This espadrille is class. It also spans the seasons - regardless of the weather - they are an all time classic. They have such a minimalist cut and style, with the closed back and front, but open vamp area, your feet are still protected from the cold on cooler days, and on those hot days your feet still manage to get some fresh air. Being leather they're allowed to breathe as well. It's like a little hug for your feet!
My suggestion for the pre-season madness would be to grab yourself a pair of these gorgeous espadrilles. They're available in a multitude of colours and I promise you - they'll make you feel ready to take on the silly season in true style. Remember to use our special coupon code to take 10% off your order! Consider it a little gift from me to you this festive season! Here's a quick link to view the Badinga espadrille in the online store.
#YouDeserve #PutYouFirst
This is Phindi Gule,
#TsongaQueen
adies, there's nothing like getting up in the morning knowing that you are headed for the longest day of your life at the office - added to that you also need to look the part at those meetings. So you start thinking... is it going to be a suit; pencil skirt and a blouse; maybe a dress or simply dressing up those skinny jeans?
Well, whatever you go with, we all know that the shoe you pick will ultimately make or ruin the outfit. With every look mentioned above, you will not go wrong when you complete it with Tsonga's Zangemuva Wedge Heels. They're super light and comfortable (for those long run around days) with hand-stitched upper premium soft milled cow leather that gives the shoe it’s quality and elegant status.
If you would like to purchase a pair of Zangemuva high-heeled wedges of your very own, visit this link: Zangemuva Wedges.
Phindi wears Tsonga wedge heel sandals
As women, we love heels as they enhance our overall look. We wear heels to make our legs look longer, to make the body look thinner and most importantly to improve our posture. I feel like there's no better shoe to do just that, improve your posture, than these lovely heels from Tsonga. Wedge heels offer much more support than stilettos or high heels.
Furthermore, keeping a balance is also easier on Zangemuva wedge heels which helps reduce the number of falls that accompany high heels. You know me, always looking at things from a health perspective... well these Zangemuva wedge heels have more arch support which reduces foot and ankle problems - and, because I am a bit of a runner, this is especially important to me!
Given the nature of my work (Business, Radio and TV), I always strive to rock up looking the part BUT I’ve also learnt that in looking the part COMFORT and QUALITY are crucial. Tsonga's Zangemuva wedge heels offer style, comfort and quality all in one… I say: "Go on and spoil yourself ladies!"
During the course of the week I will show you a couple of outfit suggestions that you could pair with these gorgeous sandals. Stay tuned!
Use my special promo code when you make your next purchase to get 10% off your order. One per customer. Valid until 31 December 2018. Exclusive to the Tsonga online store.
A few weeks ago we got to spend little over an hour with the effervescent Phindi Gule in her stunning Umdloti home. She has long been one of our "women to watch" and we are so excited to have her join the team this Summer as our style contributor. Phindi has a host of acclamations to her name for her contribution to radio in South Africa, as well as being a presenter, analyst and commentator on SABC television in the Athletics fraternity it is no wonder this woman just amazes everyone she meets.
She is a qualified Chemical Engineer and Journalist and to round off her already exquisite personality, this woman has accomplished several Ultra Marathons and in January, 2019, Phindi Gule will be launching her own weekly show on DSTV called "FitU with Phindi Gule". If she isn't someone to admire, then we don't know who is!
We feel honoured that in her busy schedule Phindi managed to share with us some of her Tsonga favourites and some styling inspiration that might help some of us plan our Summer wardrobes just a little bit better!
We will feature Phindi's style updates on Tuesdays each week. Be sure to follow along on both Tsonga and Phindi Gule social media platforms.
Tsonga Website: www.tsonga.com
Tsonga Facebook: www.facebook.com/TsongaSA
Tsonga Instagram: www.instagram.com/Tsonga_rsa
Tsonga Twitter: www.twitter.com/TsongaSA
Phindi Gule Website: www.phindigule.co.za
Phindi Gule Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheePhindiGule
Phindi Gule Instagram: www.instagram.com/PhindiGuleBurley
Phindi Gule Twitter: www.twitter.com/PhindiGule
What is Plogging? Well it’s a trend I stumbled into in my travels. Most of us take pride in how we look but how many of us take pride in the environment we live in?
I was impressed by a group of runners I met in London who practice PLOGGING. While running behind them I noticed that they would stop whenever they spotted any rubbish, collect it and put it in the bags they carried then carry on. That’s plogging, picking up litter while running. We all know that Running is good for our Health, well picking up litter is good for the planet’s health. I liked what I saw as I’m all for cleanliness, many even call me a “Neat Freak”…well…they say "Cleanliness is closer to Godliness” so don’t blame me. I vowed to practice this when I got back home but first, I needed to have a plan. I knew it wouldn’t be practical for me to do this for the entire 30km if I went for a long run or even a 10km as it might end up taking me 2hrs to finish 10km. So I came up with a plan that meant picking up litter the first 10-15minutes of my run then give my run some wings. I know it sounds like minimal cleaning up but you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes. Small things practiced regularly make a BIG difference.
My fellow Runners, I’d like to invite you to join me in keeping our roads clean. Say “YES" and accept the challenge to PLOGGING - Together We Can Do More!!!!!!
NB: Kindly make use of disposable gloves - Happy Plogging Friends.
It is no secret that sugar is addictive, a number one health hazard that is contained (in huge quantities) in all energy drinks. This does not, however, stop people from consuming these energy drinks. South Africa ranks 5th in the world as a country with most of the population consuming energy drinks. It is largely men between 35 and 40 years old.
There many dangers related to the intake of energy drinks, for now we will focus on the following combinations:
Added to the above, there are negative effects to one’s Blood Pressure and the Heart. After drinking an energy drink one’s blood pressure increases by 5 point (with coffee it’s just one point) and the level remains elevated for up to six hours.
If you already have heart problems, I strongly suggest you stay away from energy drinks as they alter your heart beat rate as follows:
#FindYourFit
As outlined last week, hair is the biggest problem for women - how to wear it, color, wig, weave…endless problems.
Here are the quick points every Woman (particularly Active Woman) needs to now about the up-keeping of their hair:
#FindYourFit
Every woman cherishes her hair and when it comes to working out it sometimes gets in the way - deciding which hairdo goes with your lifestyle is key. It’s often never an easy decision to make as it may involve settling for a practical hairdo instead of a sophisticated cute/ pretty look.
For the African Girl with ethnic hair, it gets even more complicated. Our hair is coarse (naturally thick, curly and stubborn), for it to be straight you need to apply a relaxer cream and maintain that hairdo. Alternatively, weaves, braids dread locks or a natural afro will be the way to go. All these take a lot to maintain - adding exercise means even more work.
If you exercise regularly, you will need to wash your hair more frequently so best you make sure you use a gentle lightweight shampoo/ conditioner formula (as most shampoos contain alcohol & sulphates, always check the content) that won't over-cleanse and strip your hair of it’s natural oils.
Be picky about the type of Hair Band/ Ties you use. For hair ties, use those gentler than your average elastic. For Hair bands use ones with fabric that dries up quickly.
For swimmers, if you swim in a chlorinated pool make sure you rinse the pool water (containing chlorine & salt) out of your hair thoroughly with clear water.
Few things feel worse than combing/brushing your hair and seeing a ton of it left behind in the comb/ brush...and on the floor...and stuck to the walls of the shower...and lining the drain of the sink…
First of all, relax. The average person really does shed between 60 to 100 hairs a day. But if you feel like you’re shedding more lately, there may be something else behind your hair loss. Below are symptoms of hair that has “not been abused” because let’s face it we do sometimes abuse our hair and expect it to continue to look good - NO!!! Instead your hair will loose all life if you don’t take care of it.
Are you over-processing your hair with relaxer cream? Do you have an intimately close relationship with your flat iron and hair dryer? Or are you devoted to hair colour? Harsh products and styling tools can all be too much, especially if you’re layering treatments and styling on top of already fried hair. This can cause hair to actually break off. The tell-tale sign of this kind of damage is finding pieces of hair missing the root or that aren’t as long as your other strands.
The fix: Now’s the time to learn how to go with the flow... of your more natural hair texture and color, that is. Use a gentler sulfate-free shampoo that cleanses without further drying out your zapped hair with caustic detergent, and lay off the hot tools and tense hairstyles (like high ponytails and tight braids) to help give hair a chance to rehab. From time to time, give your hair a break and not do anything to it other than treating and nourishing it.
Both hypothyroidism (insufficient thyroid) and hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) can lead to sudden hair loss that you may also notice in other areas like your eyebrows. Basically, when your thyroid is out of whack, it can mess with the hormones responsible for hair growth. So hair sheds naturally but is not replaced by new growth.
The fix: Once you successfully treat the condition (for Hypothyroidism or Hyperthyroidism) hair usually grows back. You can help it along with healthy habits that help power hair growth, including eating enough protein-rich foods like lean chicken, Greek yogurt, and nuts.
Is work the last place you want to be lately? Did you just go through a breakup? Have you been sick and your body is just out of whack? All of these situations create stress on the body, leading to a condition known as “shock hair loss,” a.k.a. telogen effluvium.
The bad news is this can take anywhere from weeks to several months to stop—the key is the source of stress must be identified & healed—but the good news is that it’ll fix itself once the stress is over.
Thanks to all the hormonal fluctuations, being a new mom is a major time for hair loss. While you’re pregnant, your estrogen levels skyrocket, leading to a surge in hair growth. But then those levels drop way down a few months after you give birth, forcing more hair than normal to shift into the “resting” rather than the “growth” phase—leading to lots of hair loss.
The fix: The good news is that hair should begin to grow back on its own three to four months after you have your baby.
Another cause can be Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), which messes up your hormone levels and pumps out too much testosterone. Other PCOS symptoms include weight gain, severe acne, skipped periods, trouble conceiving, and excessive body hair.
The fix: If you suspect you have PCOS, you’ll need to see your Doctor/ Gynae for treatment. After ruling out other issues (since there isn’t a test for PCOS), they’ll likely prescribe you hormonal birth control to balance out your hormones, along with a diabetes medication called metformin to regulate your insulin. Treatment should help restore your hair.
Personally, I’ve put my hair through a lot and quiet frankly it was out of sheer ignorance. For the longest time having straight hair was the best thing ever so for me it meant putting chemicals over and over again - DISASTER!!!!! Later in life I came to my own and learnt to appreciate my natural self. I started growing my natural hair then later grew dreadlocks. I loved my dreadlocks but being an active person I found that the hairdo didn’t work for me. Added to this, all the pulling while styling my dreadlocks compromised my hairline so I simply decided to start all over again - go BALD “Chiskop”. It is at this point that I started learning about my natural hair and doing right by it…it’s still a journey but I’m enjoying every step of the way. I now appreciate & respect my natural hair more than ever.
Whether you’re trying to increase your muscle mass, burn fat or simply be healthier, improving your fitness takes time, hard work and dedication. As the saying goes, you can’t out-train a bad diet, so if you’re shoveling vast quantities of unhealthy food into your mouth seven days a week, you likely won’t see the benefits of all your hard work in the gym.
Of course, it’s about balance, and following a strict eating plan simply isn’t always sustainable.
However, a tricky point for many people trying to reach their fitness goals is alcohol - it’s often referred to as “empty calories” due to the fact that it provides seven calories per gram (compared to protein and carbs at four calories per gram and fat at nine) and has no other nutritional value, but we live in a world where most social engagements revolve around booze.
No one wants to give up their social life, but it’s a sad fact that if you’re drinking every day of the week, you’ll struggle to burn fat. And of course, once you’ve had a few drinks you’re more likely to crave calorific foods and less likely to want to workout the next day.
So when you’d been planning on going to the gym and your colleagues spontaneously decide a post-work trip to the pub is in order, what do you do?
For starters, don’t feel guilty if you skip the workout - one gym session is not going to make much difference in the scheme of things, so don’t panic. Relaxing, being sociable and having fun is an essential part of your mental wellbeing too.
For some people, there is no such thing as ‘just a glass or two’ - if you’re drinking, you’re drinking...a lot. This needn’t be the case though!!!!! Something is not going to taste any better by having more of it. You really do not need to finish the whole bottle!!!! Have a drink that you really enjoy and take your time to drink it.
Although it can be tempting to skip the gym when you’re a bit hungover, it’s important to keep your energy expenditure up if you’re trying to burn fat. You might find you feel better and crave healthy foods afterwards too.
Telling yourself you'll stop eating after nights on the booze is simply unrealistic if you're always hungry when you get home at midnight. But if you have a healthy meal or snack prepared for when you come home after drinking you’ll be less likely to grab a kebab, cheesy chips or chicken nuggets on the way home.
Of course, many people find themselves craving greasy foods at the end of a night out but it’s easier to change these habits than you might think - and you’ll feel miles better the next day.
It’s a classic piece of advice for good reason: [Drinking water between alcoholic drinks] helps slow down the rate at which you finish your drink and ensures you are less likely to lose control. It also helps with the hangover!.
It can be a daunting prospect, but it’s entirely possible to go out with your mates or colleagues when they’re all boozing, stick to soft drinks and have a good time.
Going out and not drinking alcohol is a skill definitely worth trying. You’ll be amazed at how much fun you can have and how great you will feel the next day! For me, the plain old H2O (Water) is a Winner…
Four Ways: staying hydrated, staying dry, using a lubricant, and wearing appropriate clothing.