Liezel van der Westhuizen radio and TV Presenter now living in Cape Town took a bit of time out of her busy schedule to chat to me about what keeps her fit and healthy!  First a little bit about this sport’s beauty.   Liezel as we all know presents SABC 3’s new daily breakfast show –EXPRESSO and also presents at 94.5KFM. She completed the worlds most grueling one day endurance race – The Spec-savers Ironman in PE last year and In 2009, and was also invited to be part of the NESTLE ELITE TRIATHLON TEAM which saw her competing with some of SA’s top Triathletes.  I asked Liezel a bit about her active lifestyle and this is what she had to say;

1.  What roll does exercise play in your career/life?

“Exercise plays a very important role in my life.  I love going out for a run or a cycle and I find it a great way to meet people”.

3.  What does a normal training session entail how long do you train and how many days per week?

“I train 5-6 days a week with one rest day.  Every day is different.  I alternate between gym; core; cycling; swimming and running training.  All training sessions for running; cycling and swimming vary between sprint training or long distance or resistance training”

4.  Your top 3 body-beautiful tips that you live by?

“I live by healthy body healthy mind.  I believe that what you put in is what you get out.  So I eat healthy for a healthy mind. I also make sure I drink plenty of water daily and I never leave home without sun block”.

5.  Which events have you taken part in?

“I completed the IRONMAN last year.  I enjoy taking part in triathlons because it combines three different disciplines into one event”.

6.  you recently had a little training accident on your bike, how did you recover and what steps did you take to get into your normal exercise routine again.

“I recently fell off my bicycle and broke my pelvis.  I was allowed to start training again after 6 weeks but I took 15 weeks off from any exercise and now I’m slowly getting back into training with my trainer SEAN CAREW and with my triathlon coach CLAIRE HORNER (from my Training Day)”

7.  What advice would you give someone who had a training incident and is reluctant to take up the sport again?

“Take it slow and listen to your doctors. I was in that position two weeks ago where I refused to get back on my bicycle but with the help of Neil and DiannaMacPhersonfrom Dinamic Coaching (www.dinamic-coaching.com), I got the courage to get back on the bicycle. I had to get on my bicycle for a fitness and performance test that I did through Dinamic Coaching. This just gave me a bit of a confidence boost to get back on the bike.”

8.  Getting up in the morning early or late after work to train is hard for most.  What would your advice be and how do you motivate yourself?

“It’s hard to get yourself motivated but I find if I set myself realistic goals, it motivates me to get up early to train”.

9.  What is your weakness when it comes to snacking, what can you absolutely NOT refuse?

“My weakness is chocolate”

10  When we are training, music is usually a great motivator for me, what music makes you move?

“I have a crazy mix on my iPod. I love listening to Black Eyed Peas;  DAVID GUETTA and LADY GAGGA when I am running”.

11.  If you look at your year ahead which sporting events would you like to concur?  What does it entail and what draws you to it?

“I have two sporting events that I would love to do: 1. CHALLENGE CAPE TOWN it entails a 3.8km sea swim followed by a 180 cycle and then a 42.2km run all to be completed in 17hours and back to back.  My second event that I would like to do is theCoronationDouble CenturyCycle Challenge, it’s a 202km cycle race to be completed within 12 Hours”

12.  If you have to spend the next week running 10km every day and you have to choose a partner to run with who would it be and why?

“I would choose my partner PINK HANDYMAN to train with because he is very patient and encouraging. I have spent lots of hours on the road training with him and I wouldn’t swap him for anyone else”