Super Fruit: A Fitness Lifestyle – Athlete Tips From Marcelle Collison

Fitness Magazine

What happens on a Cover Model Instagram takeover? You get behind the scenes access to exclusive tips and tricks from our Fitness Mag cover models. Here’s what IFBB Figure athlete Marcelle @marcellecollison had to share…

My Transformation:

It all began towards the end of 2011 for me when I decided to take up a 12 week challenge.
I had always been training hard in the gym but I have to confess lol: every day on my way home from work I stopped over at the shops and got myself 2 chocolates! Sitting in traffic was great lol! But when it came to seeing results… Well that was another story! Check out my transformation story on the Fitness Mag Website! My top tips would be:

Set some realistic goals (short term as well as long term)
Get a good coach or trainer to assist you towards achieving those goals.
There is NO quick fix so the changes you make need to form part of your lifestyle!
Be Consistent with Healthy eating and regular training! Change your mindset: we are all given the same amount of hours per day… It’s what we decide to do with it that defines what we are trying to achieve! All about choices at the end of the day!
Be patient….. The Results will come, with consistency, hard work and dedication!
Keep a journal and track your progress! This allows you to reflect back on your efforts(take responsibility) as well as gives you the opportunity to learn what works for your body!

Friday Full Body Workout Time!

Giant Sets:
2 Warm Up Rounds.
7 Working Rounds!
20 reps per exercise!
Choose an appropriate weight! (Using a barbell or Olympic bar).
This workout is more about the reps and proper form than seeing how heavy you can go! *

Standing Shoulder Press

Alternating Lunges
Bent Over Rows
Squats
Bent Over Rows
Push UpsEnd off with 15-20 min Cardio… Last few days to the Arnold Classics SA!!! Mind Over Matter!!!! Give this workout a try and push to your max!! Enjoy!!!

“Obsessed is a word the Lazy use to describe the Dedicated!”

When starting my fitness journey a few people said I was obsessed… Hmmm I would rather say I chose to be dedicated towards achieving my goals and made choices as to what would take me closer to those goals! I learnt a lot about myself in the sense of self discipline, commitment and what it takes to achieve my goals!! It’s amazing what you can achieve when you set some serious goals and literally keep focusing on working towards them!! You may discover alot about yourself throughout the Process!

“Belief Will Change My World!”

This speak volumes for me in the sense of Belief in Myself, Belief in what I do & Belief that I can Achieve anything I put my mind too!! Your mind in a powerful too so make sure you are feeding it the right thoughts, that of empowerment, that of self Belief and Positivity!

My Healthy Lifestyle:

Being a Pescetarian my diet primarily consists of Fish and eggs.

I use to be a vegetarian for 12 years but I wasn’t eating the correct combinations (not enough protein) so I became ill and also couldn’t train as hard and building muscle was very difficult! I drank a lot of protein shakes to try get in more protein but you cant rely on shakes as your main source of nutrients!

I then started eating fish and saw huge improvements in my overall health, my energy levels and my training and muscle building improved a lot! (Higher protein in take from that of a vegetarian).

I absolutely Love salmon and trout and will incorporate these two kinds of fish into my diet!

They are an excellent source of Vit B12 and VIT D, selenium and Rich in Omega 3 Fatty Acids!

It’s a lean source of protein and replacing fatty red meats/ junk foods with salmon or trout or white fish in general may reduce overall calories in your diet!! There are large quantities of vitamins and minerals that sustain good health!

Benefits of a pescetarian diet according to studies include:

Lower risks of developing iron deficiency anemia (from being a vegetarian)
Lowers risk of heart disease
Lowers rates of type 2 diabetes and cancer
Amongst other benefits!

My favourite smoothie recipe:

1 Scoop Whey Protein
1 Scoop Green Powder (various brands on the market)
1/2 cup Berries
A few Almonds
Ice cubes
Blend together with Water (preferably with water to keep the calories low) Filled with loads of protein, vitamins and minerals!
Great for a mid morning snack!

Touch up leg session:

Let’s get these butts burning! Giant Sets:
2 warm up rounds
5 working rounds

Group 1:

Cable Kick backs 15 per leg
Skater Skiers 40 in total
Crab Walk using a resistance band just above your knees. 20 steps to each side!

Group 2:

2 warm up rounds

5 working rounds Lying Leg Curls (heavy) 10-12 reps
Stiff leg deadlift (just the top portion squeezing the booty as hard as you can for 2 seconds! 15 reps.
Skater Skiers 40 in total. End off with 15-20 min HIIT on a spinning bike or even better The ASSAULT BIKE!

Sunday is my shopping day for the week!

Preparation is Key! I will cook enough food for 2 days at least!

I will make sure my meal bag is packed before I go to bed ensuring I am well prepared for the next day!! This will help you a lot in terms of sticking to your healthy meal plan and staying on track! Healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring so put in a bit of effort and get creative with your meals!! Use fresh herbs & spices and even a dash of low fat sauce to add a bit more flavour! Be Prepared! Get Creative! Enjoy Healthy Food!

The importance of weight training:

Ladies I would highly recommend you adding weight training into your programs!

I find many ladies are too afraid to incorporate weight training into their programs as they are afraid they may get too big and bulky……. Here are a few reasons as to why you should do some form of resistance/ weight training: More Effective Fat Loss

More Muscle = More Calorie Expenditure

Bone Health
Stress Relief
Better Sleeping Patterns
Increased Energy
Heart Health
Tones & Shapes the muscles!

My basic products/supplement Must Have’s:

Here is a few of the basic supplements and vitamins I use throughout the year to assist me with general health & well being, my training as well as recovery.

Its especially important for individuals living a more active lifestyle to supplement correctly and would generally use more vitamins and supplements than the average person.

Multivitamin – daily (general health)
Probiotic – keep your gut healthy as this could affect your general well being, affect weight loss, affect the absorption of food, allergies etc.
Vit D – maintain health of bones and teeth, support the immune system, support cardiovascular health and regulates insulin levels etc.
Glutamine – Improves protein metabolism, supports new muscle growth, recovery.
Whey Protein – Aiding in weight loss, refuel after my training session. (Protein intake)
ZMA – Pre bed
Essential Fatty Acids – numerous benefits!
CLA – Numerous benefits!