Meet Our Ambassador | Sisi Ncube

Writer and expert4 years ago

Meet one of our first ever ambassadors, Sisi Ncube (aka Miss Divalicious!).

Sisi is a vegan bodybuilder, fitness fanatic, and self-proclaimed ‘avocadologist’. She uses her social media presence to spread positivity and inspire her community – covering all things fitness, wellbeing and fashion.

Sisi has had a life-long interest in fitness, and when she started competing in bodybuilding, she found a particular love for weight training. During this time, she also switched to a 100% vegan diet and incorporated meditation into her routine to support her overall wellbeing.

We caught up with Sisi to get the inside scoop on her transition to a vegan diet, fitness journey, motivation tips, and more!

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi, My name is Sisi Ncube. I am bodybuilding competitor, fitness influencer and “everyday athlete”. I love calling myself an “everyday athlete” because once I developed the mindset of an athlete, I was able to take my fitness abilities to a level that I never thought would be possible. After all, the true definition of an athlete is “a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility stamina”.

2. You mentioned developing the mindset of an athlete. Can you tell us a bit more about the mindset of an Everyday Athlete?

There are so many qualities I feel everyday athletes possess. Here are a few of my favourites:

Having discipline. To be an everyday athlete you have to show up regardless of all your other obligations. Most athletes are sponsored so their job is to train. For an everyday athlete, you have to be able to balance careers , family life, and also train like an athlete.
Growth Mindset. Having a growth mindset means you will see your abilities as something you will enjoy developing. You do it not for the medal but for the satisfaction.
Determination. I find it easy to be determined when you have a goal or destination in mind, but when you are an everyday athlete and training is part of your lifestyle, that’s where the hard work is. Having determination means you are able to keep to your goals regardless of any setbacks. Always find the determination to keep going and always move forward.
Gratitude and appreciation. Having gratitude and appreciation for the things your body can do is a great everyday athlete trait.

3. How do you usually start your day?

The first thing I do when I get up is do a 15 minute morning mediation. I either do a quiet guided mediation with my earphones or a yoga mediation which has gentle movement and breathing exercises. This always puts me in a positive frame of mind and feel ready to conquer that day!

4. Pancakes or Porridge?

I love porridge oats and could never get tired of them. I usually have them with bananas, chia seeds and peanut or almond butter.

5. How long have you been vegan & what influenced your decision?

I have been vegan for just over 4 years now! It’s not something I planned, it happened naturally just after my first bodybuilding competition. I ate so much meat during that prep it completely put me off meat and I became vegetarian for a while. Because I wanted to compete again, I started researching alternative protein sources, and in the process, discovered so many vegan athletes that were at the peak of their careers on a vegan diet. I also learnt about the benefits of a vegan diet and its effect on the environment and animals.

6. Did you notice any chances after going vegan or struggle with it to begin with?

I think I was born to be vegan because it was such an easy transition for me. I used to have really bad acne on my face and back, when I switched to a vegan diet my acne cleared completely! I had more energy and mental clarity I never had before. I also think the fact that I love to cook also helped. I was experimenting with different recipes and ingredients and enjoyed the whole process. I think key is doing your research and looking for plant-based recipes of your favourite meals and you’ll be amazed at how much information and support there is out there.

I think I was born to be vegan...

7. Favourite Myvegan product right now?

That’s a hard one because there’s quite a few! If I had to choose one I can’t live without, I guess I’d have to say it’s the Peanut butter!!! I love the crunchy one. I have it every single day and can have it with anything. From adding it to my spinach, to porridge and snacks, desserts and even just a dollop on a spoon!

8. What are you reading right now?

The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene. I’m halfway through and love how it is already helping me understand myself and the circle of people in my world.

9. When did you first become interested in fitness?

I’ve always been interested in fitness, because growing up, my dad was a fitness enthusiast. I loved to watch him train and when he would show off his strength by picking me up with one hand and my sister with the other. We loved to swing on each arm and he made it look so easy!

10. Has your relationship with fitness changed over the years, and if so, how?

Yes, it changed dramatically when I started competing in building. This is when I discovered weight training and how much it enabled me to change my body and create a physique I thought was only possible for athletes.

11. Did your daily routine change much in 2020?

2020 changed a lot for me mentally, physically and spiritually. Going to the gym has always been my therapy and I needed it more last year than I’ve ever needed it. My dad passed away in March and because we were in lockdown I couldn’t go to the gym to help me cope. Jogging outside in nature actually helped immensely. My daily routine included a daily jog in the park, as well as resistance training at home. Jogging outside also felt like a form of therapy and I now make sure I have that outside workout even when the gyms are open.

12. You’ve mentioned before that you meditate? What does this consist of?

I usually do mindful mediation or movement mediation. When doing mindful mediation, I use an app with guided mediations in the morning and I also mediate at night before bed. With guided mediations I usually do mindset mediations, binaural beats or 369 and 432hrts frequencies. Movement mediation is where I incorporate yoga as part of my mediation. I find these two forms of mediation helpful in reducing anxiety, stress, increase mind body connection and help me sleep.

13. How has meditation helped you?

Mediation has helped me become aware of my thoughts. It always puts me in a positive frame of mind and helps me cope on days when I’m not feeling 100%. It has made me stronger mentally, emotionally and has helped me grow in so many ways.

14. You’re a self-proclaimed “avocadologist”. What's your go to way you like to eat them?

I’m obsessed avocados. I have them EVERY SINGLE DAY! The thing is if you love something you can have it as it is and still enjoy it. As much as I love to have them as they are, that is….plain. I also love to experiment with them. I’ve just discovered a yummy matcha and avocado smoothie combination that I have every day. Its packed full of antioxidants and healthy fats. You only need oat milk, avocado, banana, matcha powder and chia seeds!

15. What are your three top tips for staying motivated?

Have a reason why you are doing it. Your why will keep you motivated.
Make it part of your lifestyle so it becomes second nature and does not feel like a chore.
Dressing up always changes my mood and makes me feel good about myself. So sometimes it’s not that deep. Just treat yourself to a nice fitness outfit. You will feel like dressing up and showing up!

To find out more about Sisi, head over to her Instagram (@missdivalicious).