WG20 Women's Shutdown, Friday, 21 November 2025

Reader here we go... it's Friday.

Finding the best running and rehab content each week so you don't have to.

Things to remember as an athlete. Why are women shutting down South Africa? Everyone starts in January. Don't be Everyone and can you sing?

💭What I'm thinking:

I. G20 Women's Shutdown, Friday, 21 November 2025 Why are women shutting down South Africa? South Africa is facing one of the most violent and deadly gender-based violence epidemics in the world.

In just one year, 5578 women were murdered - a 33.8% increase from the previous year. South Africa's femicide rate is six times higher than global average.

II. Everyone starts in January. Don't be Everyone.

III. Discipline is the strongest form of self-love and self respect. Today, show yourself a little bit of love.

Every act of discipline is a declaration of self-trust. The more you honour your word, the quieter your doubts become. When you learn to master your mind, you stop negotiating with your excuses. You become grounded, calm, and unshakable. The moment your words and actions align, you start to believe in yourself on a deeper level. And once you truly believe in yourself… that’s when you realise anything is possible.

IV. Ask five-year-olds if they can sing, every hand goes up.
Ask 14-year-olds, only a few will. As only those that can sing "well" will raise their hand.
Life teaches us to add “…well” to everything we try.
High performance isn’t perfection.
It’s believing you can, like a child again.

📖What I'm reading:
Physical activity is directly associated with total energy expenditure without evidence of constraint or compensation

"A New Study Just Flipped What We Thought About Exercise and Calorie Burn"

"The Harvard researcher Daniel Lieberman once joked, “If you want to start a fight in a room of exercise scientists, shout loudly, ‘Exercise doesn’t help you lose weight!’ then run.”

That fight has raged for decades. Do you actually burn more calories when you move more? Or does your body find sneaky ways to even things out?

A new study offers clarity, and might change how you think about movement, metabolism, and performance.

For years, scientists have debated whether exercise really increases how many calories you burn in a day.
A new study adds clarity, and might change how you think about movement, fat loss, and performance.
This study challenges a groundbreaking finding from 9 years ago and how you can use its findings to reach your goals."

Today we doing things a little different with the article, I am going to provide you with a link to a summary of today's article where the team at "Two Percent" discuss, explain and breakdown the article. https://www.twopct.com/p/a-new-study-just-flipped-what-we The original article can still be found via the link below.

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2519626122

(Howard KR, Prado-Nóvoa O, Zorrilla-Revilla G, Laskaridou E, Reid GR, Marinik EL, Stamatiou M, Hambly C, Davy BM, Speakman JR, Davy KP. Physical activity is directly associated with total energy expenditure without evidence of constraint or compensation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025 Oct 28;122(43):e2519626122. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2519626122. Epub 2025 Oct 21. PMID: 41118225; PMCID: PMC12582307.)

Click here to read full article

🤍 What I'm liking:

THINGS TO REMEMBER AS AN ATHLETE!

Love these from a sports psychologist. The last one is the most important!

🎧 What I'm listening to:

The Blue Room Podcast: Zaakirah: Faith, Strength & The Power of Community

0h40mins - The Blue Room Podcast, Zaakirah: Faith, Strength & The Power of Community

Zaakirah's story is one of faith, resilience, and quiet strength.

From battling injury to empowering women in training and redefining representation for Muslim girls, she's proving that true strength lives in both the body and soul.

In this conversation with Cam, they talk about aging, empowerment, and the beauty of community in building a healthy, balanced life.