There are fit trainers and then, there are extremely fit trainers. But then, there is Refilwe Sylvia Mokoena aka FitFlo who’s got a physique that totally justifies the name she’s most commonly known as. If there’s one person who defines totally body fitness, it is fitness trainer FitFlo, she doesn’t get her arms, abs, pecs, thighs and legs for nothing, after all.
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Real name Refilwe Sylvia Mokoena, she’s a nurse by profession but you will never guess by looking at her. She’s all about promoting a healthy lifestyle coupling her clinical knowledge with her passion for gym together. That’s how she gets to be and stay fit.
How FitFlo Started Her Fitness Journey
Her fitness journey started back in her varsity days in 2014. She always looked at those girls who participated in the rugby team with envy because all she ever wanted was their thighs, for her that was it, that was what she was gonna spend the next couple of years doing during leisure time and she never looked back since then.
“After I had my son 3 years ago, I gained 15kg and I had to make some drastic changes because my body was not the same anymore, I had to work twice as hard. So I started to incorporate intermittent fasting into my normal weightlifting and cardio routines and in a year I managed to lose 10kg.” – Refilwe says
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The Type of Food FitFlo Eats As Part of Her Diet Plan
According to research, one should eat healthy food as part of their workout and must involve a healthy mix of carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats. Luckily for you, we’ve jotted down all the important tips you need to follow from FitFlo’s diet.
“My diet usually includes high fibre foods, a lot of protein: chicken breasts, strips and nuggets. Fish, steak and the ever so important vegetables. Water is a complete MUST. I drink at least 2 litres of water daily, nothing less” – FitFlo says.
FitFlo also use Futurelife, the first and only scientifically formulated, low GI food that is high in energy protein and dietary fibre.
“I love that Futurelife has a wide range of foods that are exceptionally affordable. I take the All bran flakes with barley and high protein shake and since I lift heavy too, I use repair food which aids in recovery and repairs and prevents joint pain.”
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How Did Covid-19 Affect your Fitness Journey?
“But of course there was Covid-19 which if I had to be honest, did not slow me down, but forced me to step outside of my comfort zone. As an essential worker, Level 5 lockdown, I was still working, so I started running 8 floors at work during my lunch hour. And when levels were eased I started jogging daily targeting 5km and also doing homework videos which quickly became a motivation to my work from home colleagues and a few weeks down the line I had become the face of home workouts at my company and I still continue to put together some to promote a healthy wellbeing generally.” – FitFlo says
5 Refilwe Sylvia Mokoena “FitFlo” Workouts to Stay fit
1. Punch Crunches
Targets the arms and the core – when done correctly of course, they can effectively target your core and waist. Primary muscles worked are your obliques and secondary are biceps, lower and upper abs
2. Leg Extension
Is a resistance weight training exercise which targets your quadriceps these are the large muscles of the front of the thigh especially if you are looking for that firm and defined quad.
3. Walking Lunges
Most popular for it’s ability to strengthen your hips, legs and back while improving your mobility and stability. So for maximum results why not add weights and an abdominal twist. Lunges focus more on your abdomen/core, back muscles, glutes, hamstrings and calves.
4. Deadlifts
Trust me Its a full body workout. Deadlifts engage your lower and upper back and also workout your upper body, in essence, Deadlifts workout more muscles than any other exercise.
5. Sumo Squats
This is a great way to strengthen the quadriceps, gluteus muscles, hips, hamstrings, and calves with an extra focus on inner thighs and abductors. “I love incorporating both the traditional and sumo squat into my leg workout as sumo squats are more effective in that they target the inner thigh and the traditional squat does not.” – FitFlo says
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FitFlo’s Tips for Women to Stay Fit
- Eat well Live well – Doesn’t necessarily mean sticking to a diet. Eating well can also mean eating anything but in small portions .
- Exercise – At least 30 minutes a day. Walking, jogging, running or even taking those stairs instead of an escalator.
- Hydrate – One of the most crucial steps to a healthy lifestyle for both your physical and mental well being.
- Sleep solves everything – Let’s face it, 8 hours of sleep is a luxury for most of us as adults but a minimum of 6-7 hours of sleep is crucial so make sure you clock in those hours.
The foundation for any good physique is recuperation. If you want to look like FitFlo, take notes from her exercise, tips, diet and make sure you get proper time for rest and recovery for your muscles as well.
Image Courtesy: Supplied