Quick Fitness Tips

My Dearest Beauties,

I am the worst when it comes to keeping up with diets, fitness routines, and all the deal. I have antecedents (big words, I know) of obesity and till this day I struggle to keep up with diets. Thankfully and fortunately I have learnt to control it a lot better than before. Since I am already putting all this on the table, let me also say that I am not claiming to be an expert on fitness or health but what I'm about to share are little things that have made a difference in my struggle to keep all the weight I lost off.

One of the those things that I often do to keep myself motivated is to challenge myself. How? Well, I think to myself I want to do an X amount of an exercise, I do it at anytime (usually in the morning before breakfast) in the Kitchen! Yep in the kitchen! I feel like this pushes me forward, as crazy as it sounds. I just remember myself killing it in the kitchen whenever I feel like over snacking and all my anxious wishes to over snack banish. I actually end up walking out of the kitchen with a happier outlook on the situation.

The other thing that I do and that I learnt from my nutritionist, Magie Tamraz, is that working out in the morning before any meal and just after your good glass of water is the best time to exercise. I know it is very hard to schedule your workout routine at that time, but the effort will do a whole lot of difference because in the morning and before meals you go straight to burning fats. Doing cardio or just a good 20 minute fitness routine before starting your day made a lot of a difference in my body. I feel more active overall but I also feel like my body reacts better to any food regime I am adopting.

Happy kitchen squatting ;),

Samar

Cellulite Talk with Nutritionist Magie Tamraz

My Dearest Beauties,

Most of us ladies dread it! I do not blame you, cellulite is a nightmare. For that reason I thought I would share the solutions of a professional. 

Cellulite is mainly caused by the accumulation of saturated fats, that are generally found in animal products. It doesn't stop there. It is also caused by many other mistakes we commit in our everyday life. Mistakes like:

1. High consumption of simple carbs (like soft drinks). When consumed in excess, these convert into fats.
2. High salt consumption and drink water during meals. This causes water retention which expands the fat in our body.
3. Low consumption of fruits and vegetables. 
4. Lack of physical activity.

It is easier to think of solutions once you know the causes. Avoid these mistakes and you will experience less cellulite. Start by, substituting butter, ghee and lard with olive and canola oil. Reduce saturated fats, you can always opt for 0% fat cuts of meat and diary products. Try to season your food with less salt and avoid water during and immediately after meals (wait for an hour). Substitute your simple carbs with whole grain products and diet drinks. Add more veggies, fruits and exercise to your everyday life.

At this point you might be asking yourself if cellulite reducing massages are of any help. Well, they are, if and only if you stick to the solutions above.

I hope you have found this post interesting and helpful. You can always visit Magie for a more personalized look at your fitness inquiries.

Find Magie Tamraz at: 

• Doha Aramoun, main street, facing Al Doha Pharmacy. 05 813 730
• Hamra, Abdel Aziz street, Al Mabani Bldg., 1st floor. 01 745 036
• Choueifat, Old Saida Road, Inside of Avalon gym. 70 684 910 

Much love, 

Samar

Triglyceride and Cholesterol Talk with Nutritionist Magie Tamraz

My Dearest Beauties,

As we grow older, some of us have to start worrying about the levels of some factors in our blood. This week Magie and I talked about triglyceride and cholesterol levels in our blood. We discussed some misconceptions and how we can stay away from having these two sky rocketing. 

Triglycerides are fats, and the big misconception is that they come from over consuming fats. Actually, triglyceride levels go up with the consumption of large amounts of carbohydrates. Some examples are: bread, potatoes, rice, noodles, sandwiches, sweets, fruits. Now, nobody can have a diet that is completely free of carbohydrates for that reason these tips may help you,

1. Distribute your carbohydrate intake throughout the day.

2. Switch to whole grain bread, pasta, rice, etc. These carbs contain more fibre.

3. Fruits are very healthy and should not be omitted even when you are trying to control your triglyceride levels but portion control is needed. Have fruit but not in excess. 

4. Smaller portion and portion control is very important with all food you decide to put in your body.

Cholesterol is another kind of fat in our blood, it is mainly elevated by consuming large amounts of animal products, examples are cheese, milk, yogurt, red meat with visible fats, chicken's skin, egg yolks, butter, margarine, gee. Palm and coconut oils are also examples of a fat that elevates cholesterol levels in your system that comes from a vegetable source. Fortunately, there is the exception of fish and marine animals. Fish, along with raw nuts, is actually a good source of protection from high cholesterol because it contains Omega 3. Don't forget that with all you eat, portion control is what balances everything out. The way to combat high cholesterol levels is by:

1. Reducing consumption of red meats. At the time of consumption make sure it is trimmed meat, the kind that is separated from all the visible fat.

2. Omitting the skin on the chicken. Chicken breasts are the preferable piece.

3. Consuming skimmed, or 0% fat dairy products. 

4. Trying to limit your egg yolk consumption to ones per week.

5. Substituting butter and margarine with vegetable oils. 

Along with the right food regime, taking on an active lifestyle and at least three hours of cardiovascular exercise per week will aid in maintaining the right levels of triglyceride and cholesterol in your blood.

Where to find Magie?

• Doha Aramoun, main street, facing Al Doha Pharmacy. 05 813 730

• Hamra, Abdel Aziz street, Al Mabani Bldg., 1st floor. 01 745 036

• Choueifat, Old Saida Road, Inside of Avalon gym. 70 684 910

Take care of your health!

Much love,

Samar