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Dubai

Fitness

Getting To Grips With AnimalFlex Yoga

Posted on May 30, 2017

I thought i’d pretty much tried my hand at everything yoga wise, from aerial to Bikram and everything in between, so as soon as I saw we were trying AnimalFlex, I was intrigued…

Not your average workout I have to admit, but a lovely 7am start down in the Marina (why can’t all workouts be outside), with the crew from Fit Squad Dubai and Exclusive Yachts, aboard a double decker boat that carried us around the Palm whilst we soaked up the morning sun and tested out what’s sure to be the new fit trend.

AnimalFlex is a curious combination of yoga with what I can only describe as playing. It isn’t for kids though, oh no… this is a test of balance, core and agility with well-known yoga positions like the scorpion and crab. To top it all off, our mini-workout saw us racing in cat (or was it cow) from one side to another. The fun of it all certainly helped keep your body from realising the brutal ab and thigh practice too.

To continue the #MINDBODYSEA experience of the morning though, we headed downstairs to enjoy a little meditation. I have to say, trying to keep my mind aligned and body focused after all that running around was trickier than i’d imagined, but it was a thoroughly uplifting recovery. Here’s to more workouts on the sea!

Fitness

Waking Up With Roxy Fitness

Posted on May 11, 2017

What better way to kickstart the day, especially now the weather’s getting hotter, than an early start down by the sea. I’m totally a water baby and I love the way we get energy from it too, so when ROXY, a brand I haven’t seen in ages, calls us all in for a #RUNSUPYOGA event, i’m 100% in!

ROXY’s a brand I grew up with but I have to admit, I haven’t noticed much of their presence here in the region in a long time. Promoting their new activewear, which is surf to sand appropriate, we tested out their latest pieces down at sunset beach with Surf House Dubai.

Kickstarting the morning with a beach yoga session to wake up our tired limbs, we put our balance to the test before heading out in two groups for an SUP fit session with the Surf House team. Harder than it looks, even for the most practised SUP’er; balancing, squats, push up’s and burpees when there’s a few waves underneath you is a testing experience to say the least.

A brand inspired by both the mountains and the sea, it launched in 1990 with the first women’s specific boardshort inspired by Lisa Andersen, and have been mastering the art of fashionable surf wear since…

fashion

Alilia.com Launches In Dubai

Posted on April 27, 2017

Online shopping has to be one of my absolute favourite ways to fill up my wardrobe with season staples and i’m super excited about this new portal! Alilia is a Swedish based brand that is launching its first collection and Ramadan specials here in the Middle East.

Walking into the press day felt like taking a step into St. Tropez. A fully boho-chic white wardrobe on one side, full of embroidery and broderie pieces that can be worn anywhere from weddings to walks on the beach, and a day-night collection on the other side that promotes a more bohemian way of life.

The brand is based on creative designer Ali ́’s eclectic life journey, who has collaborated with some of the leading fashion houses throughout Europe including most recently Zara. “Alilia is a brand that evokes feelings of freedom, memories, creativity and love. The passion and emotion put into every detail results in collections full of timeless pieces. I don’t see fashion in individual shapes and forms. I see women who know they are all unique and will let their story be told with Alilia.”

Have a scroll through all the colorful dress prints and lacy tops, beaded skirts and chic kaftan’s which are made from fine fabrics and feature a real attention to detail. Check out my favourite pieces below…

Fitness

Testing Out: Tabata at Motion Fitness

Posted on April 24, 2017

You’ve probably heard the word thrown around and if you’re like me, you’ve assumed rather incorrectly that it was a form of either yoga, meditation or some sort of martial arts. Little did I know walking into one of Motion Fitness‘s classes last week, Tabata is actually a HIIT workout.

Discovered by Japanese scientist Dr. Izumi Tabata and his team from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo. It all started as a science experiment with two groups of athletes. The first group trained at a moderate intensity level, while the second group trained at a high-intensity level. The moderate intensity group worked out five days a week for a total of six weeks; each workout lasted one hour. The high-intensity group worked out four days a week for six weeks; each workout lasted four minutes and 20 seconds (with 10 seconds of rest in between each set).

The results; Group 1 had increased their aerobic system (cardiovascular), but showed little or no results for their anaerobic system (muscle). Group 2 showed much more increase in their aerobic system than Group 1, and increased their anaerobic system by 28%! So all in all, soup two faired much better out of their seemingly smaller workouts.

I can vouch for the intensity level completely, what started as a normal kettle bell class turned into a sweaty circuit course that was honestly exhausting. From burpees to lunges, squat jumps and of course weights, it kept us moving and yet also gave us a bit of a break too, so naturally, i’m now hooked!

fashion

New In Town: Alexandra Miro Swimwear

Posted on April 14, 2017

Summer’s almost here, which means we’ve skipped the whole ‘get into shape’ season and we’re caught with our trousers down… literally. So when your group whatsapp blinks and someone’s suggested a little Nikki Beach action, rather than avoiding it or coming up with an excuse, brave the tan lines and put on your best swimwear!

In this case, there’s a new brand in town who’s making waves, Alexandra Miro is our new go-to online swimwear brand, designed to fit snuggly to your body, whilst flattering your bosom and torso too! With only 7 styles at the moment, the key is not necessarily individuality, but comfort and luxury combined. Whether you’re a gym-bunny or you prefer the Easter bunny, Miro has a design in mind for you.

Miro’s background is in lingerie so we can be assured that she’s seen her fair share of naked women, and most likely, knows a thing or two about the wobbly bits we all want to hide, so she uses a neoprene fabric, which ‘sucks you in’ where you want it to.

Finding the perfect swimwear has long been a passion of mine, so i’m rather excited about the new beach-brunch season getting underway now… check out her collection here:

Fitness

Testing Out: Hapi Power Yoga

Posted on April 4, 2017

A cool new hotspot has opened up in Al Serkal (where else) that incorporates two of my favourite things… food and yoga. Hapi is Dubai’s newest power-hangout that houses a mixture of smaller brands, designed to keep you sticking around for longer. With Parkour and a funky new restaurant hosted by local chef, Paul Frangie, to Urban Yoga‘s zen escape upstairs, there’s something for almost every industrial creative in the area.

Not an exaggeration either… though many consider it to be “gym yoga,” Power Yoga is a fitness-based vinyasa practice. An offshoot of Ashtanga Yoga, it has many of the same qualities and benefits, including building internal heat, increased stamina, strength and flexibility, as well as stress reduction.

Whilst all the postures move at a comfortable speed, there’s always room for improvement… with a variety of yogi levels in the class, we’re given options as to our flexibility, confidence and personal practices. Pushing yourself in yoga isn’t about how deep you can lunge, or how far you can bend backwards, it’s about being able to breathe in the postures, not holding your breathe and hoping for the best.

Fitness

Testing Out: Barry’s Bootcamp

Posted on March 24, 2017

Hailed as ‘the best bootcamp in the world’ (self-proclaimed of course) it’s going to raise some eyebrows. I’d personally not heard of the HIIT phenom that’s a London institution before it came to Dubai, but i was eager to check it out. Barry’s is a fusion class that combines a signature style of cardio which is all treadmill based and strength workouts which are floor based. It’s said to help burn up to 1,000 calories in just one hour, although you’ll have to work extra hard to accomplish that.

Barry’s is a great way to de-stress, burn off your lunch and generally get the heart pumping, with loud music, enthusiastic instructors and of course, plenty of muscle bound inspiration in the room too. I work out much better when i’m positioned in between other enthusiasts due to my slightly competitive nature ;).

The lights go out and a single instructor will guide a room of up to approx 50 gym-goers on two separate workouts, with half the room on the floor for 15 mins and the other half on the treadmill, swapping to ensure you’re keeping your heart rate up all the way through the class. It can get loud in there, but I found that the ear plugs at the door helped block out any distractions and allowed me to concentrate on my own workout better.

Barry’s pushed me but without me hating it half way through… granted I could have pushed a little bit harder on the treadmill (i’m not a runner), it was a happy sweat and a pat on the back rather than a shoulder strain and physical exhaustion that other bootcamps have had… the protein shake waiting for me on exit helped too!

Fitness

Testing Out: Aqua Biking

Posted on February 24, 2017

Ok so I have to admit, I thought this was going to be a bit like aqua-aerobics, you know, where your gran would go to the local community pool for a ‘workout’… I was pleasantly surprised. Not only is L’Atelier Aqua Biking a resistance training class, it’s also a great way to workout if you’ve got an injury. There’s 4 positions on the bike to master, as well as an off-bike section thrown in to keep you moving.

What exactly is it? Described as a mix of circuits and spinning, L’Atelier has specially designed bikes that live in the water itself. It’s not going to be an easy swim where you can keep your hair dry too, the water goes up to your chest and you get 45 mins of legs, arms and core all underwater, with LOTS of splashing about. Feeling strong? Added weights at the side will help increase the resistance, but trust me, as a first timer, it wasn’t a walk in the park.

Not only is it a fun way to workout, it’s an effective form of hydromassage, that is said to help flatten out cellulite. You’ll get less water retention with this workout and thanks to the water’s buoyancy, you’ll be supported by 50% of your body weight, so if you’re injured or over-stretched, this will reduce the risk of further injury.

It’s cold when you first get in… but after the warm up, you’ll be glad your body temperature is controlled by some cooler water. If you’re feeling particularly fit, try the more intense training or HIIT classes too where you’ll be subjected to an underwater trampoline exercise!

fashion Fitness

New Year, New Workout Gear

Posted on January 5, 2017

Ever feel like your workout wardrobe is better than your evening one? I certainly do… but that means it’s time for it to get a bit of a karmic cleanse too (I mean who wears neon to the gym anymore!?). I always wear my newest gym gear, because like everything, when it’s new, I feel confident in it. Admittedly there’s a few colour heavy/trendy pieces mixed in with the more classic black leggings, but all in all, I can honestly say I’d be happy to downward dog in just about everything in there.

Even though it’s my current favourite gym wear, it’s worth recycling the pile every so often. If you can’t work out what to throw out, turn the pile upside down and see if you go for those forgotten leggings next time you book a class or if you pull from within the pile itself!

For me though, a workout isn’t just in the gym! My swimwear also gets a refresh every January – to whittle out those few favoured bikinis that are turning a little see-through…

Check out my fave new pieces you can buy online in the U.A.E!
THE UPSIDE paddle suit from Sun & Sand Sports

DHARMA BUMS leggings from yApparel

BODY LANGUAGE capri leggings and crop top from Sun & Sand Sports

Recommended

Feeding Your Face with Elemis Superfood

Posted on November 17, 2016

If your diet includes less kale and more Krispy Kreme you’ll be very aware of the fact that when it comes to skin health, you are what you eat. Diet choices are directly linked to breakouts, dark circles and fine lines, so what’s a girl to do when she doesn’t want to sacrifice her burger habit for the sake of her beauty regime? Enter, the Elemis Superfood Range. With a line-up of ingredients that would have even the most obsessive clean-eating advocates standing to attention, this new launch from the spa-centric brand focuses on nourishing your face with the perfect balance of radiance-promoting superfoods.

Containing (deep breath) broccoli, poppy, cucumber, macadamia, rice bran, daikon radish, roseship, flax and meadowfoam seed oils (phew!), the cleansing wash and luxury oil contain every nutritional essential you need to fake your way to good genes. Flooding your complexion with omega rich extracts not only has an instant effect, giving your skin a fresh glow after the first application, but, applied twice daily, is clinically proven to reboot the texture of your epidermis and balance the pH level, leaving you with a fresh, glow-from-within radiance that will have everyone convinced you’ve never skipped your greens.

The Power of 9:

Broccoli Seed Oil
Poppy Seed Oil
Cucumber Seed Oil
Macadamia Oil
Rice Bran Oil
Daikon Radish Oil
Rosehip Seed Oil
Flax Seed Oil
Meadowfoam Seed Oil

Superfood facial oil: Dhs378 Available across a range of spas in the GCC.

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