Staying fit in Ramadan

Ramadan Kareem! it's the 5th of Ramadan already, obviously this one is going to fly by fast. One of the biggest challenges when it comes to Ramadan is staying fit, I have some tips and tricks that I personally use and going to share with you. The reason why this post is a little bit late, is that I wanted to put these tips to the test first.

Water

The 2 or 3 liters your body needs in regular days doesn't decrease in Ramadan. The different in Ramadan is that you have less time to consume them. I personally would drink at least 2 glasses on Iftar and like 3 to 4 glasses on Sohor, then the rest of the day I make sure I have my bottle with me. 

  

Meal Planning

The 5 to 6 meals plan isn't practical in Ramadan . If you are following a calorie based diet, then you have to consume these calories in order to maintain your fitness goals. What I do is I would mix calories from meals in one keeping in consideration the amounts of carbs, protein and fats I am consuming. That doesn't mean I am going to eat rice and bread with eggs and chicken in the same meal, what I do is I kick my brown rice up a notch from 50 grams to 70 grams. I also eat Iftar and Sohor, but I make sure to have a snack in the middle. 

Food Order

As soon as it's time to break your fast you think you eat everything on the table, we have all been there. This always leads to eating too much and feeling heavy after your Iftar meal. I use something that I like to call the "Etiquette trick", I start with some kind of fruit juice, then soup, then salad then my veggies and protein, finally I have my carbs. Same goes to Sohor, I have fruits and veggies before I have my cottage cheese, yogurt and brown bread. 

Treats

To be realistic, no Ramadan will pass without a little of heavenly indulges. It's not a crime to have one piece of Konafa or Attayef, the crime is eating the whole tray. For me, I would have one cheat day with the same system as my regular days. I would have my cheat Iftar with the same order, the same thing with Sohor and my snack gets a little bit sweeter. 

 Exercise

 Unlike the word on the street, working out when you are fasting is very bad for you. The body needs energy and your workout will strip more energy from it, therefore your body won't have any energy to burn fat. Wait 2 hours after your lovely Iftar, then go to gym and do your regular exercise.

 Finally

We all have weak moments where we have multiple cheat days or when we are just too lazy to workout for a week. Make sure to keep calm and remember that it's Ramadan and you are fasting for long hours. Get yourself back on track even if you are only days away from the end of Ramadan and never think that it's too late.

Read More

Brazilian Beauty

Brazil is the home of some breathtaking beautiful women such as Adriana Lima, Gisele and Emanuela De Paula. There is no doubt Brazilian women are all kinds of beautiful, here are some of their beauty secrets.

Brazilian Wax 

 Let's just get that out of the way .. shall we? Women in Brazil have no problem walking around in the sexiest swimsuits ever, and they are always ready for that. Brazilian wax ranges from Full Brazilian to shapes and styles. Other than the flawless look, it eliminates odors and ingrowns.

Brazilian Blow Out

Keratin is the protein found in the skin and hair that is used to tame any hair frizz and is sealed using heat. The best Keratin treatment is known to be in Brazil and it's called "Escova Progressiva" which translates to Progressive Blow dry. 

Brazilian Sand

While tanning their bodies on the beach, Brazilians are known to use wet sand as a scrub. The sand particles work on removing dead skin and ingrown hair, leaving the skin glowing. 

Brazilian Body shaping

Brazilians are crazy about being fit, most of the Brazilian gyms and trainers focus on toning especially Brazilian Butt lift workouts. They also developed a lazy alternative, a body contouring massage. The massage is aimed to support the blood circulation through aggressive strokes. 

Brazilian Juices

Fresh juices are best friends with Brazilians, they are most famous for Carrot Juice, Beet Root Juice and Berry Juice. These beautifying juices help in clearing the skin, flushing toxins and cleaning the body.

Read More

5 fitness myths

I have been in the "diet" atmosphere for 10 years now. Like any female, I have had my ups and downs. What I learned during this time helped me reach a state of mind that I wasn't near when I started. I have heard and followed so many misconception regarding fitness, diet and health that are unbelievable. So many girls are still under the impression that these myths are right, and then we're left wondering "Why isn't this working?" .. here they are

"Weight training will make a woman bulky"

We have enough estrogen in our bodies to grow breasts, have babies and have less hairy bodies than men, there is no way some weights are going to make us bulky. For a woman to be bulky, she needs years of training and a crazy amount of supplements. Weight training will actually tone your body, and the muscles will increase your fat burning rate as well as your metabolism.

"Fat will turn into muscle"

Saying that your fat can turn into muscle, is like saying you can turn into a dog. Unless you cast an evil magic spell on it, it's never going to happen. Under your skin, you have your fat cells and your muscle cells. As shown in this very scientific picture, they are very different things. The way you feed and exercise your body will determine which of them will grow and which will diminish. 

"This food will make you fat"

Fun Fact! A Chocolate bar has the same calories as 3 apples! There is no fat food, there is good food and bad food. Good food doesn't have saturated fats and it helps in feeding your body, bad food doesn't. Also there is something called portion; if you have a cupcake, you won't gain weight. If you have the whole cupcake shop, you might gain weight.

"Carbs are the enemy"

The classic way of starving / dieting of cutting carbs, is depressing and just wrong. The recommended ratios for a healthy diet is 50% Carbs, 30% Protein and 20% fat, you actually need carbs for your body to function. There is something called simple carbs, your body doesn't burn any calories while digesting them; these are the bad carbs you don't want. The good carbs are complicated, your body needs to burn calories to digest them; like brown bread or pasta or rice.

"Crunches will help you lose belly fat"

 While you can train your muscles by spot, arms or thighs or abs; you can't target fat burning. Your body loses fat as whole depending on your body ratios. Your stomach will get smaller as you get used to eating healthier food and smaller portions, that's why your diet is very important.

Read More

Top 15 Youtube Fashion and Beauty Gurus

I have been watching YouTube beauty and fashion videos for more than a year. It's becoming a daily habit for me to open up YouTube and check out what are the new videos. Whenever I am trying to do anything with my makeup or hair, one of my main search channels is You Tube. I get a lot of style inspiration from style videos on You Tube. I have narrowed down my search to these 15 "Gurus", I find myself following them on other social media hubs and I actually look for their new videos. So here are the 15 You Tube beauty and fashion gurus, who you should follow.

Andrea

 Andrea is awesome, she has amazing natural curly hair. She has her own show on the Platform called "Makeup to Breakups", Andrea has been on YouTube forever. You will find amazing and easy Halloween tutorials on her channel, she is big on DIY and her stuff are super easy, she also makes a lot of curly hair videos. Her makeup tutorials are very easy and achievable, she is so spontaneous and I wish she would make more videos.  Click here to view AndreasChoice Youtube

Nicole

 Lately Nicole had won in Ryan Secrest's best You Tube beauty guru contest. She is sassy, spontaneous and funny. She uses a lot of high end and a lot of affordable makeup, which makes it very easy to follow her. I wish she would make more style videos and take care of her blog more, because she has a great style. You will get to know about her life and cats. She has super oily skin so she is a great helper in choosing makeup for oily skin. Click here to view Nicole Guerriero Youtube

Jenn

 Jenn's videos are so professional, subtle and chilled just like her personality. She has one of the best styles I have ever seen, she knows how to put together any outfit and she ends up looking good. She throws nice giveaways. Her vlogs and personal videos are so honest and they touch me personally. Other than her Channel "Clothes Encounters", she has a show on the Platform called the "Get up".
Click here to viw Clothes Encounters Youtube

Kasey

 

 I think not a lot of people on You Tube know Kasey, her channel is named "Still Glamorus" and she has a cosmetics line with the same name. I started by watching her hair tutorials, she is very creative and versatile. She also gives options for short and long hair, because she has medium hair and she has hair extensions. Click Here to view Still Glamorus You Tube

Amy



 Amy doesn't have her own channel on You Tube, however she has a show called "The Fashion Statement" on the Platform. I am totally addicted to that show, her style is very versatile and unique. She usually chooses one theme and styles 3 outfits mentioning the places she got her clothes from. She also does interviews where she showcases her guests style. Click Here to View The Fashion Statement on You Tube

Alba

She has been on You Tube forever, Alba started as any other You tuber then transitioned to the Natural Hair community. She has 2 channels, her main English channel and another one in Portuguese. She has amazing hair styling and hair care videos for Curly hair, she is one of my main inspirations when I am wearing my hair curly. Click Here to View SunKissAlba You Tube

Sineady

 I feel like she is kind of under rated, I am not sure about how known she is. Sineady's channel is named "The Makeup Chair". She has amazing videos for makeup beginners, all the great basics from concealer to blending eye shadow. Her videos are really professional and to the point, her makeup dos and donts are amazing as well. Click Here to View The Makeup Chair You Tube

Tanya

 





She is so down to earth and enters your heart as soon as you watch her videos, her makeup tutorials are very achievable and particle. I seriously love her British accent and her looks, she looks really good and in the same time she's your next door girl and that's really important in a beauty guru. She has her own line of Nail Polish and Lip glosses. Click Here to View Tanya Burr You Tube

Huda



 Huda is an Emirati makeup artist who has her own channel and blog, her videos are in English so it's easy to follow her. She takes care of her blog more than her channel and I want to see her make videos, because what's better than learning from a makeup artist. She tackles EVERYTHING, skin, makeup, hair, weight loss, you name it. Click Here to View Huda Beauty You Tube

Camila



I got to know her from her show on the Platform called "The Beauty Pop", the Brazilian guru has 2 channels one in English and the other in Portuguese. She is very feminine and her makeup style is very nice, she makes nice hair tutorials as well. I have learned a couple of hair dos from her. I wish Camila would style videos because I love her style and I think we can learn a lot from her. Click Here to View Makeup By Camila You Tube

Michelle

 That's what I call a dream comes true, she started from her college laptop camera and now she has her own cosmetics line called EM. Her beauty transformation videos are to die for. She is very kind hearted and her videos are REALLY professional. Lately Michelle has been using a lot of her products and I wish she would be more versatile so everybody would be able to achieve her looks. Click Here to View Michelleh Phan You Tube

Annie

 Annie is Swedish and she lives in Dubai. She is really calm and feminine, I think she is such an inspiration. Her Channel has a lot more than beauty, she talks about motivation and positivity and she has an amazing weight loss story.  Her DIY beauty tutorials are amazing, I have tried a couple of them and they are really good. I wish Annie would make more videos because lately she haven't been making a lot of videos. Click Here to View Annie Jaffery You Tube

Stephanie

I think that girl is hilarious, she has bloopers at the end of her videos and they make me crack up. I feel like Stephanie doesn't try to sell the products she is using, even when she did sponsored videos by Maybelline; she used other brands as well in the makeup look. She just needs to make more videos and be more versatile in her videos, because I think she really can make a lot of beautiful things. Click Here to View SMLx0 You Tube

Carly

Carly has her own world, you enter and you get her boyfriend's fitness channel and her "inner beauty" channel, her blog, her fashion blog. I think she take You Tube videos very seriously and she is very keen on having videos up all the time. She has great giveaways and her older videos are really helpful, I have learned a lot about clipping hair extensions from her. I wish she wouldn't sell the products that much in her videos. Click Here to View Carli Bell You Tube

Chrisspy

 She is a makeup artist and I think she is really good at what she does. At first you will be kind of shocked at the crazy colors she uses and the amount of makeup she puts on, however if you look the bigger picture and see how awesome her techniques are you will release it's great. She has great videos for makeup techniques only, she is a really good teacher. I wish she would  use more practical colors so she can inspire full makeup seekers. Click Here to View ChrisspyMakeup You Tube

I hope you enjoyed this article xx

Read More

Adidas Duramo 4 running shoes review

Anybody who is trying to start taking care of their health is surely in need for a kick ass shoes for working out. Mostly we start with cardio for fat burning, the easiest cardio is walking, jogging and running. I got my hands of this Adidas Duramo 4 last October for my birthday and I have a lot to say about it

The Good:
I am in love with them, they are simple and comfy. It's really cushioned from the inside making my feet feel like they are stepping on pillows when I am running. I don't feel any stones or cracks on the ground when I am running, because the sole is really strong and structured. The EVA insole and adiprene has built in shock absorbent which makes it easier to take fast steps without any pain, even if you are overweight. The nylon mesh body allows your feet to breathe, so there is never bad smells when you take this baby off. You feel like you are getting your feet inside a little pillow fort. This shoes work well for running and other workouts, I personally do my Pilates wearing them.

The Bad:

For some reason I have found that the mesh had some slight burns on the back of the shoe, personally I am not a smoker so I am just wondering where did that come from. The place of the burn is pretty up on the shoes, so I don't think it's a cigarette that I have stepped on or something. If I wear them for a long time say 10 -12 hours, my feet starts to feel a little bit uncomfortable. It's not painful or  explainable because it's not tight or anything, it just feels different that when worn for that long. Finally, The color pink and the weather Egypt, don't really go well together.

The Ugly:
There is no ugly on this one actually :)

I would totally recommend it for anybody who is starting to walk / jog / run you will enjoy your time at the gym as long as you don't pass 10 - 12 hours

Read More

2013 random favorites

I have started a little series called "2013 Love" which is basically saying what are the things I have used and liked through out the year. I have already mentioned all my Style a, this is one is a little bit different. Just Stuff that I think these are things you can try because I have tried them for you and telling you they will rock your world. Basically I am going to mention random things like food, gadgets, stationary, etc .... Everything I discovered in 2013. 

Beats by Dr.Dre solo

Actually I am going to have a review on this baby, because it's worth it. It became hard for me to listen to music in other headphone, except the beats studio and Bose which are a notch above the solo beats. I love music and If you love music, this one is totally worth the price. 

LAICA scale

I know that the scale doesn't define the weight loss, however you need to know at the end of the day. LAICA is really nice, it was just really nice to try electronic rather than the regular one. I think it looks really chic in my room. 

The batter half & co

In 2012 I was all about cupcakes and I really love it, however things changed this year. I still love cupcakes, however I discovered The batter half &co in Jan 2013. It's amazing and I love it, everything is mentioned in the review linked above. I wish they have a Maadi branch because honestly only Zamalek is not fair for the rest of Cairo residents.

HTC desire 500

Since 2011 I have been a blackberry user, then my BB gave up on me this year. I was considering t the scale doesn't define the weight loss, however you need to know at the end of the day. The picture is off the internet because I am taking these pictures with my phone, I will have a whole post on it soon. Light years better than blackberry and the built in beats studio, right on. 

Quick Oats

My daily breakfast is skimmed milk + honey + brown oats.I have tried more than one brands throughout 2013, however this one is just the best of them. I love the packaging because it's not plastic and that's better for me honestly. They are cooked easily and they taste better and they are actually the cheapest one I have tried, so totally recommend them.

Colorful Notebook

Love love love this baby, I love it so much I am using it very carefully. Look at how cute the colors are, I actually saw some furniture pieces in the same fabric. Excuse me in the back, but it has a PINK first page. I am really loving how dens the papers are, I think it would make a great notebook for sketch book portfolio for fashion or makeup. 

Di'Macarons

My friend shouted "Your ultimate love" when we were in city stars, this little stand that has only Macaroons. I swear If I can name my autobiography something funny, it will be the search of the best Macaroon. It's amazing, very soft crust and amazing rich creamy filling. I didn't find any traces of this place online or any other branches. I loved them and I will totally look for it next time I am there.

Food Scale

I know I am crazy, I weigh my food. My mom loves the measuring cup that it has on top because she uses it when I am not looking. Very high quality on this, there is even a grantee. It's not ruined, I have drops of water fallen on it as well as food and it's still working. Totally recommend this one.

Read More

Cardio 101

You have probably heard how Cardio will help you in your weight loss journey. Regular Cardio will reduce body weight, cholesterol and blood pressure. It is suggested to have from 20 to 40 minutes of Cardio for 5 to 6 days a week at medium to high intensity to see results.

One's heart level during Cardio is a good measuring tool. During the Cardio, you shall measure your heart level. For fat burning you need to reach between 60% and 70% of your maximum heart rate. 

Calories burned in this zone are mostly taken directly from body fat, keeping your heart rate within this stage for 30 minutes will be most effective.  

How to measure heart level:

A simple way to calculate your maximum heart level is by subtracting you age from 220, for Example I would be 220 - 21 = 199 , for me to be in the fat burning zone I need to achieve between 199*0.6 = 119 and 199 * 0.7 = 139. To measure the heart rate, you either place your fingers on the side of your neck for 15 seconds, you can also have a heart rate monitor, there is also the heart rate mobile application which is not the most reliable source, however it's easier.  

How to start:

You are not going to fall in love with the activity if you were a complete coach potato like me when I started, it will be hard at first. What will hurt so much today, it will hurt less in a week or 10 days so don't worry about that. Choose something that you feel ok with or maybe like, most importantly something that is realistic for you. For example: If you live in Egypt, country skying won't be the best option for you cause you actually will need snow. Choose the days you will exercise and rest. If you have a 9 - 5 job like me, most likely you will get your workout after work so keep that in mind. Keep a schedule for working out and don't mess it up, I have mine on clip board in my room. Start with 15 - 20 minutes then aim high till you right 50 to 60 minutes. Always start light the first 5 minutes are for warming up and the last 5 minutes are for cooling down. Add a stretching routine after your Cardio to avoid severe pain and injuries. 

Cardio Workouts:

So that sounds great, what are examples of Cardio Exercises? Here is the list of 10 Cardio Exercises and how much calories do they burn. 

1) Running/ Jogging:

You will notice that your heart rate gets faster as soon as you start which means running or jogging is more effective. It's easy to do, since you can just run in a club's track or on the treadmill or even in the street. All the equipment you need is your running shoes and you are good to go. a 30 Minutes run can burn at least 300 calories.

2) Cycling:

That is the most enjoyable in my opinion, it takes me back to childhood memories. Outdoors cycling is very refreshing, however with the horrible roads we have in Egypt - and let's face it the people-; outdoor cycling can be restricted to those who live in private compounds. You can get your own stationary bike at home, work it in the gym or try a cycling class for a fun experience with your friends. 30 minutes will burn between 300 and 500 calories depending on your speed.

3)Walking:

That is the easiest one of them all and the best if you want to go from no exercise at all to regular Cardio very easily. It is also if you have experienced an injury lately like myself. You need to do speed walking to reach your desired heart rate levels. The 30 Minutes walk can burn between 150 and 200 calories, just like that.

4)Tennis/Squash:

Both these games are very similar when it comes to effects as a workout and sort of similar in their moves. Tennis is more of an outdoor sports where you are facing your opponent while Squash is indoors. It's fun because you have a partner, there is the whole challenge part and you're actually playing a game. Your average 30 minutes game will burn you between 300 and 400 calories.

5)Swimming:

When you swim, you exercise your whole body with less chances of any injury. If you are just swimming for fun, 30 minutes will burn you 200 calories. A butterfly or a breast stroke for 30 minutes will burn 300 calories. Swimming is fun, however you do need a clean pool to train.

6)Kick Boxing / Marshal Arts:\

Just make sure you don't get injured and that you have a professional trainer who actually asks you about your weight and history, I am speaking of experience here. It can burn between 350 and 400 calories in 30 minutes. While it's more fun to do it with a partner, the violence can be a turn off to most people so having a dummy or punching bags to train with can be a good alternative. 

7)Elliptical Trainer: 

You can buy one for a full body workout at home or just work it in the gym. The great thing about Elliptical trainer is that you can go forward and backward with your training, letting you have more fun and give your body different workouts. a 30 minutes workout burns 300 calories. 

8)Zumba Dancing:

It's fun, it's sexy and it burns calories. I will have a whole post about Zumba very soon, as I personally have tried it. Any dancing will be fun especially when being done in groups, Zumba is a mix between hip hop and Latin dance. a 30 minutes Zumba dancing class will burn you between 200 and 300 calories.

9)Rope Jumping:

That one is a killer, it gets your heart rate up so fast and it's sort of fun. While my balance is not good enough to have a whole workout based on rope jumping, I do enjoy it a little bit. 30 minutes of easy pace will burn you 300 calories, while intense pace will burn between 450 and 500 calories. 

10)Rowing:

It is not common, however it sure as hell burns. You can get a rowing machine to work on it or you can actually start training for rowing. We actually do have a rowing club in Egypt and our Nile is the resource, it gives great arms as well. The fresh air helps a lot in making it more fun. 200 - 300 calories can be burned during 30 minutes of rowing. 

Always remember that nothing will give results without clean eating and patience, choose your fav cardio and start scheduling now. 

Read More