14 Feb2017

An Adventure Awaits Grace College Pupils

Rotary Exchange Hannah Watkinson and Ashley King 250x220Grace College’s Grade 11 pupils, Hannah Watkinson and Ashley King, have been chosen to go on a Rotary Exchange at the end of this year. We congratulate them on this wonderful achievement and wish them well as they prepare to host their respective exchange students before they themselves embark on the adventure of a lifetime.
 
Pictured: Hannah Watkinson and Ashley King.
 
News supplied by Grace College.
14 Feb2017

Three Ways to Avoid Overeating at Meals

adventure fitnessgrace college article cover250x220We all do it. Sometimes the amazing aroma and delicious flavour gets the best of us. Especially if we're a bit on the hungry (or hangry) side.
 
I'm talking about overeating at meals.
 
This can have a big impact on our weight, energy levels, and overall health and well being. Of course our body needs food to fuel it and we often (usually) eat amazingly healthy foods.
 
But we may still overeat. In this post I'm going to give you three solid tips for preventing that from happening. Seriously! If you can make these three things a regular habit and part of your daily routine you've got one up on the overeating cravings.
 
Three Ways to Avoid Overeating at Meals
 
Sometimes those holiday feasts are just amazing.
 
And it's not just the abundance of delicious food but also the people, the decorations, and the ambiance.
 
It is way too easy (and common) to indulge on those days.
 
But it doesn't always stop there.
 
Sometimes we overeat on regular days. Or at regular meals. Or All. The. Time.
 
Here are three tips to avoid overeating at meals.
 
(Psst, turn these into habits and ditch the willpower!)
 
Tip #1: Start with some water
 
When your stomach is growling and you smell amazingly delicious food it's too easy to fill a plate (or grab some samples with your bare hands) and dive into the food.
But did you know that it's possible to sometimes confuse the feeling of thirst with that of hunger? Your stomach may actually be craving a big glass of water rather than a feast.
 
Some studies have shown that drinking a glass or two of water before a meal can help reduce the amount of food eaten. And this super-simple tip may even help with weight loss (...just sayin').
 
Not only will the water start to fill up your stomach before you get to the buffet, leaving less room for the feast but drinking enough water has been shown to slightly increase your metabolism.
 
Win-win!
 
Tip #2: Try eating “mindfully”
 
You've heard of mindfulness but have you applied that to your eating habits?
 
This can totally help you avoid overeating as well as having the added bonus of helping your digestion.
 
Just as being mindful when you meditate helps to focus your attention on your breathing and the present moment being mindful when you eat helps to focus your attention on your meal.
 
Do this by taking smaller bites, eating more slowly, chewing more thoroughly, and savouring every mouthful. Notice and appreciate the smell, taste and texture. Breathe.
 
This can help prevent overeating because eating slower often means eating less.
 
When you eat quickly you can easily overeat because it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to know that your stomach is full.
 
So take your time, pay attention to your food and enjoy every bite.
 
Bonus points: Eat at a table (not in front of the screen), off of a small plate, and put your fork down between bites.
 
Tip #3: Start with the salad
 
You may be yearning for that rich, creamy main dish.
 
But don't start there.
 
(Don't worry, you can have some...just after you've eaten your salad).
 
Veggies are a great way to start any meal because they're full of not only vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and health-promoting phytochemicals but they also have some secret satiety weapons: fiber and water.
 
Fiber and water are known to help fill you up and make you feel fuller. They're “satiating”.
 
And these secret weapons are great to have on your side when you're about to indulge in a large meal.
 
Summary:
 
Have your glass of water, eat mindfully, and start with your salad to help avoid overeating at meals.
 
Recipe (Water): Tasty (and beautiful) Pre-Meal Water Ideas
 
If you're not much of a plain water drinker or need your water to be more appealing to your senses here are five delicious (and beautiful looking) fruit combos to add to your large glass of water:
● Slices of lemon & ginger
● Slices of strawberries & orange
● Slices of apple & a cinnamon stick
● Chopped pineapple & mango
● Blueberries & raspberries
 
Tip: You can buy a bag (or several bags) of frozen chopped fruit and throw those into your cup, thermos, or uber-cool mason jar in the morning. They're already washed and cut and will help keep your water colder longer.
 
References:
https://authoritynutrition.com/7-health-benefits-of-water/
 
09 Feb2017

Zenande Awarded for Top Academic Achievement

zenande top acedemic achievement grace college 650x572Grace College’s 2016 Matric pupil, Zenande Sikhakhane, was awarded the Sinclair Trophy for Academic Excellence for being the top pupil at the school in the final IEB Exams.
 
Zenande consistently produced great results over the span of her high school career and we, at Grace College, celebrate her well-deserved four distinctions.
 
Pictured: Anele Sikhakhane (brother), Zenande Sikhakhane (top achiever), Margaret Sikhakhane (mother) and Vincent Luksich (Grace College Headmaster).
 
News supplied by Grace College.
08 Feb2017

Speed up your Metabolism

adventure fitnessgrace college article cover250x220What is Metabolism?
 
This word “metabolism” is thrown around a lot these days.
 
You know that if yours is too slow you might gain weight. But what exactly does this all mean?
 
Well technically “metabolism” is the word to describe all of the biochemical reactions in your body. It's how you take in nutrients and oxygen and use them to fuel everything you do.
Your body has an incredible ability to grow, heal, and generally stay alive. And without this amazing biochemistry you would not be possible.
 
Metabolism includes how the cells in your body:
● Allow activities you can control (e.g. physical activity etc.).
● Allow activities you can't control (e.g. heart beat, wound healing, processing of nutrients & toxins, etc.).
● Allow storage of excess energy for later.
 
So when you put all of these processes together into your metabolism you can imagine that these processes can work too quickly, too slowly, or just right.
Which brings us to the “metabolic rate”.
 
Metabolic rate
 
This is how fast your metabolism works and is measured in calories (yup, those calories!).
 
The calories you eat can go to one of three places:
● Work (i.e. exercise and other activity).
● Heat (i.e. from all those biochemical reactions).
● Storage (i.e. extra leftover “unburned” calories stored as fat).
 
As you can imagine the more calories you burn as work or creating heat the easier it is to lose weight and keep it off because there will be fewer “leftover” calories to store for later.
 
There are a couple of different ways to measure metabolic rate. One is the “resting metabolic rate” (RMR) which is how much energy your body uses when you're not being physically active.
 
The other is the “total daily energy expenditure” (TDEE) which measures both the resting metabolic rate as well as the energy used for “work” (e.g. exercise) throughout a 24-hour period.
 
What affects your metabolic rate?
 
In a nutshell: a lot!
 
The first thing you may think of is your thyroid. This gland at the front of your throat releases hormones to tell your body to “speed up” your metabolism. Of course, the more thyroid hormone there is the faster things will work and the more calories you'll burn.
 
But that's not the only thing that affects your metabolic rate.
 
How big you are counts too!
 
Larger people have higher metabolic rates; but your body composition is crucial!
 
As you can imagine muscles that actively move and do work need more energy than fat does. So the more lean muscle mass you have the more energy your body will burn and the higher your metabolic rate will be. Even when you're not working out.
 
This is exactly why weight training is often recommended as a part of a weight loss program. Because you want muscles to be burning those calories for you.
 
The thing is, when people lose weight their metabolic rate often slows down which you don't want to happen. So you definitely want to offset that with more muscle mass.
 
Aerobic exercise also temporarily increases your metabolic rate. Your muscles are burning fuel to move so they're doing “work”.
 
The type of food you eat also affects your metabolic rate!
 
Your body actually burns calories to absorb, digest, and metabolize your food. This is called the “thermic effect of food” (TEF).
 
You can use it to your advantage when you understand how your body metabolizes foods differently.
 
Fats, for example increase your TEF by 0-3%; carbs increase it by 5-10%, and protein increases it by 15-30%. By trading some of your fat or carbs for lean protein you can slightly increase your metabolic rate.
 
Another bonus of protein is that your muscles need it to grow. By working them out and feeding them what they need they will help you to lose weight and keep it off.
 
And don't forget the mind-body connection. There is plenty of research that shows the influence that things like stress and sleep have on the metabolic rate.
 
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to metabolism and how so many different things can work to increase (or decrease) your metabolic rate.
 
07 Feb2017

Laddsworth Grade Ones enjoy their first Mini Cricket Festival

laddsworth newsLaddsworth Grade One and Two mini cricket players took part in the first Mini Cricket Tournament of the season at Cowan House on Tuesday 31 January 2017.
 
The Grade One players especially enjoyed their first ever Mini Cricket match in their smart new cricket whites.
 
Look at the concentration on their little faces!
 
 
 
Pictured left: Jack Jennings   
 
 
Pictured below: Front Row L-R: Max Marshall, Hardus Lourens, Seth Morgan, Kyle Clayton, Richard Porritt
 
cricket grade 1
06 Feb2017

Hilton Business Initiative working together to keep Hilton Clean

hilton business initiativeUmhlanga CBD gardens are beautifully kept. Verges are cut and drains are kept clean.
 
Their beach boardwalks are litter free and well maintained.
 
The positive effect on property values, public perception and tourism have been tremendous and has benefitted all those who live there. How do they get it right? Because the local businesses stood up and took control!

Like you, we love our community. We have a passion for Hilton and its people.
 
Sadly, due to the current state of government and our municipalities, resources are limited to be able to maintain (& improve) the standards we would like Hilton to be at.
 
The reality is that if we as business do not step in and help upgrade Hilton, our village as we know it will deteriorate, property prices will plummet and business growth will decline as investor confidence and tourist numbers follow suit.

Our proposal.....
  • The Hilton Business Initiative, (HBI), is registered as an NPO.
  • For a nominal fee of R200 per month businesses can join this initiative
  • There will be an option for larger donations
  • The project will pilot for 6 months to establish its feasibility, the feasibility based solely on the support of Hilton Businesses.
  • The initial project will be a major clean up & upliftment of Hiltons public gardens, lawns, drains, verges, sidewalks and signage from Grace College to the Crossways traffic lights.
  • Hurst Projects has been consulted to provide the garden maintenance services. Weekly meetings with be held between Hurst and the project leader, Kate Warr to assess progress and determine weekly projects.

It’s time to stop complaining about the state of our town and instead, be part of the solution! Kindly email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to join up.

Should you require any further information, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

We look forward to working with you to uplift our town.
 
Craig Millar (Cllr) & Kate Warr (Ward 6 Committee)
 
News Supplied.
02 Feb2017

Chasing Pole Position

William round 1 Enduro World Series 4000x3000Grace College pupil, William Luxford (Grade 10), participated in the 1st round of the Enduro World Series (High School Class) recently and placed 2nd. He is also a member of the Alfie Cox Racing Team this year. We, at Grace College, are rooting for William all the way to reach that pole position.
 
Pictured: William Luxford in action at the recent Enduro World Series at Warmbaths.
 
News supplied Grace College.
15 Feb2017

Educational excellence for Midlands families

grace college 26 002Grace College provides a sound academic education in a co-educational, day scholar environment.
 
Founded in 1999, Grace College has quickly become the private high school of choice amongst Midlands’ parents who appreciate our purpose, which is "Transforming young adults through innovative educational excellence”.
 
With staff dedicated to developing students beyond initial expectations, we have achieved some remarkable results. Amongst these we include a 100% matric pass record; this has been upheld since the schools inception.
Our Class of 2016 achieved a 90% Bachelor Degree pass rate.
 
Grace College has also become a serious contender on the sports field in recent years and values the lessons learnt by pupils competing both as individuals and as members of a team. A development programme is currently in place to expand the sports facilities.
 
Being the newest private school in the Midlands area, we’re extremely proud of what we have achieved. However, we are also very mindful of the growing needs of society and our responsibility to grow and develop young adults who become valuable members of society in the future.
 
We hope you will attend our Open Day and take the opportunity to see our school, meet some of the teaching staff and interact with some of our pupils.
 
Partner with us for your child’s high school years ... it could make all the difference!
open day hilton village 002
13 Feb2017

A Memorable Adventure

grace gr9 adventureGrace College’s Grade 9s recently enjoyed an adventurous Camp at BergVenture in the Champagne Valley. Activities included navigating an obstacle course, hiking, abseiling, horse riding and an over-night camp in the beautiful mountains. We thank the BergVenture Team for putting together a memorable programme for the Grade 9s to enjoy.
 
Pictured: Danella Bray, Nduduzo Nkenjane and Joshua Nicol on the obstacle course.
 
News supplied by Grace College.
09 Feb2017

Rugby Greats at Grace College

grace college logo250x200Nashua hosted a rugby skills clinic at Grace College recently, with rugby greats, Braam van Straaten and Gcobani Bobo, amongst others, heading up the programme. Players from St Charles College, Grace College and Asibemunye High School were part of the skills training programme. We thank Nashua and all other parties involved, for running this great initiative and we look forward to seeing the results of this training programme when rugby season starts.
 
Pictured: Braam van Straaten (ex-Springbok), Declan Hansmeyer, Cebolenkosi Dlamini and Gcobani Bobo (ex-Springbok).
 
News supplied by Grace College.
 
rugby greats at grace college 750
08 Feb2017

Rooms with a View at KwaNyoni

rooms with a view bedroom 650x572The Mantis Room: Self-catering. Very comfortable, open plan cottage in a rustic setting, with spectacular views over the Umgeni Valley.
 
Comprises kitchenette, dining, lounge and sleeping area, en suite shower.
 
Microwave, griller and Weber (no stove), fridge, DSTV, safe parking.
 
It is close to the main house but private.
 
Right behind it The Cabin and The Reservoir each with en suite shower.
 
Not self-catering: with microwave and small fridge.
 
A ‘get up & go’ breakfast of muesli, rusks, coffee, tea etc is provided.
 
Rates: R300 pppn sharing. R350 pp single.
 
If both the Mantis Room and Cabin or Reservoir are booked (min 4 people) – R290 pppn.
 
Contact: The Vineys
Tel/Fax: 033 383 0040.
Cel: 082 564 3292 (Patrick) or 082 875 7194 (Dee).
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
No 12, D534, off Hilton College Road, Hilton.
Only 3 kms from Hilton College.
 
 
rooms with a view view 750
08 Feb2017

Little Life Pregnancy and Baby Workshop 2017

baby workshop 2017Life Hilton Private Hospital is hosting a Little Life Pregnancy and Baby Workshop at the hospital this Saturday morning from 09h00 until approximately 12h00.
 
The workshop, which is completely free of charge, will provide an ideal opportunity for expectant parents to enjoy a variety of interesting and informative talks by specialists and experts in their respective fields on child birth, care of new-born babies and pregnancy-related topics.
 
The programme includes talks entitled 'Minor disorders in pregnancy’; 'Newborn Trouble shooting 101’; 'The importance of couplet care’; 'Ante Natal classes and why you should attend’ and 'The role of the Doula’.
 
In addition to the talks, there will be demonstrations, prizes, displays, special offers, samples, goodie bags and tours of the maternity unit..
 
Since seating is limited, please contact Swazi Dlamini in the maternity unit at Life Hilton Private Hospital on 033 3295647 or email her on: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
 
News supplied.
07 Feb2017

Singakwenza Ladies’ Garden Tea

ladies teaThe amazing support and sponsorship that Singakwenza received enabled our Blackwood’s Ladies’ Garden Tea on Saturday 4 February to be an enormous success.
 
Despite the heat, the 200 ladies that attended had a wonderful afternoon, with Tanya Visser providing a most informative and entertaining presentation on water wise gardening.
 
The funds raised will enable us to start mentoring in a new crèche in the second term. What an incredible gift to give to our community – THANK YOU!
 
Pictured below  are the ladies ladies who will be swimming the Midmar Mile 8 times and raising funds for Singakwenza.
The garden tea contributed towards their fundraising efforts.
News supplied by Singakwenza.
 
 
 
  
 Left to right:
Alex Robertson, Julie Hay, Ashleigh Robertson, guest speaker Tanya Visser, Tracy Kerr, Linda Smallbones, Amanda Lock and Kerry Rowlands.
 
singa
 

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