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Fitness

Fitness travel

Weekends well spent with Privilee

Posted on March 10, 2020

I have tried and tested many of the amazing discount books, club apps and fitness memberships here in the UAE, but from food to fitness and festivities, there’s none that really wrap all of the city’s offerings into one, quite like Privilee does.

Privilee is our local club card that gives back without the points system. Whether you’re just over here on holiday, a true blue expat or you’ve expanded your brood recently and aren’t sure where’s kid friendly, Privilee has a four different membership plans, running between 1, 4 and 12 months, for the ultimate flexibility. Offering a card free digital booking system, making the whole concept more sustainable too, your whole weekend is literally a click away.

Partnering with a wide array of partners across the city and the capital too, boredom just isn’t an option. It’s not just the picturesque white sands of Dubai’s infamous luxury hotels that are on offer either, it’s that gym you’ve always wanted to try but didn’t want to commit to, or the busy hotspots around the city that now take 25% off your bill with pleasure.

If you’ve ever sat at home on a Friday morning, wondering what to do with your weekend, a daycay at the beach followed by a workout in the sun and sundowners on the Palm doesn’t sound too bad, especially when you know you can just walk in…

Adventure Fitness Recommended

Retreat Yourself

Posted on February 11, 2020

The concept of going on a retreat has always sounded pretty unique to me, somewhere you go with a specific goal in mind, be it weight-loss or strength building, or even a more meditative soul seeking trip away. Finding one however has only seemed to come through a studio you follow who’s hosting one, through social media, or even friends of friends who went and had a great time…

Now though there’s a real game changer for those seeking some substance on their next trip. Retreat MI is the easiest way to source your own retreat, searchable through your preference of fitness, food, location or maybe you aren’t even sure and just want to see what’s on offer? The great thing is, these are packaged per nights you want to escape, so you can see exactly what’s on offer and book accordingly.

I visited a lovely little retreat called Nirbana in Sri Lanka last month that put precedence on surfing and Voga. No that’s not a spelling mistake either… Voga is the latest yoga craze to test your comfort level (and balance), with recognizable movements punctuated by more fun dance-y rhythms, to the tune of vibey 80’s favourites. It’s catchy and a don’t-take-yourself-too-seriously is an important mindset to have going in.

With a busy mix of fitness and fun, there was also some time to relax poolside in their picturesque inland setting. I’m used to more beach front Sri Lanka views but waking up with the monkeys in the trees chattering and a relaxed breakfast schedule was a welcome alternative to my usual little weekend getaway. From a sunset river SUP to early morning surfing, we didn’t lack adventure or options.

I’ve got my sights set on a Pilates retreat in Sicily next so if you fancy a wellness weekend, I’ll see you there!

Fitness

MOTIV: The Latest in Wearable Technology

Posted on April 29, 2019

They were only going to get smaller weren’t they… meet MOTIV, the fitness tech that fits inside a ring. It’ll count your steps and active heart rate, track your sleep and of course cover the calories you loose too. In fact the only thing it doesn’t do (yet) is trail that time of the month for ladies or tell you if someone is calling. Let’s face it, sleeping with the fitness watches on was always somewhat annoying.

The MOTIV has a subtle design, online security features that ensure the data is secure and comprehensive fitness tracking so you won’t miss a beat. Freeing up your wrist to wear something a little shinier, the MOTIV ring comes in 3x colors too, Bronze, Platinum and Black. It’s also ready for a dip whenever you are, fully waterproof up to 165 feet (50 meters / 5 ATMs).

It’s also super sleek in design with no bulking between fingers as it’s wrapped in a titanium shell, making it super durable, surprisingly light and stylish. How long does it last charged? Well it’s got a three-day battery life. When it does come time to charge, it comes with an ultra-slim charging dock that plugs into any USB port, and it only takes 90 minutes to get it back to full. The MOTIV Ring is less than 0.1 inches thick and weighs less than a penny to boot.

Get yours from VIRGIN Megastore in the U.A.E. now!

Fitness travel

SUP in the City

Posted on April 8, 2019

Living in the city, the beach is often just a weekend away, but it’s the perfect place to go for a little SUP after work too, even just to get a little perspective. There’s a few great places to rent them from in Dubai, from beachside hotspot Surf House, to Ignite Surface on the Palm Jumeirah. But they get booked up, so sometimes it’s nice to guarantee a board by investing in one of your own.

My favourite place to relax is out on the water and now that my new home has direct access to the sea, I’ve been looking for a new way to fully explore it. We’ve got a wealth of wildlife like jellyfish, stingrays and water birds all around, so actually being out on the water is without a doubt the best place to see them.

I used to have a SUP board here, but as I was living quite a bit away from the sea front, it took a serious 4×4 to transport to and frow, so I eventually gave it up. The inflatable SUP is of course a much more suitable city-living stand up paddle board as you can take it literally anywhere with you and you won’t need a car for it either.

It comes with its own travel case and a hand pump too, which didn’t take more than a few minutes to blow up fully. Known for their reliability and rock-hard rigidity when inflated, the blowup version is a real winner. I got mine from MTM Marine in Dubai who stock them from WOW Water Sports.

 

Fitness Recommended

Rituals Launches Soulwear

Posted on January 22, 2019

Rituals Cosmetics is the first brand in the world to combine home and body. Each product, over 400 in total, is inspired by an ancient Eastern tradition and Soulwear is no exception. The Home, Yoga and Sleep wear draws inspiration from the heritage of ancient Asia. The clothing line features carefully curated colours and symbols from the Far East.

Prints and designs reminiscent of original Chinese and Japanese fashions, made with soothingly same soft, high-quality fabric that really is good for both at home relaxing and on the mat exercising. The soft cotton leggings are my favorite, not designed for heavy sweating, more suited to yoga and reformer pilates.

Picture plenty of understated colours with peeks of red and delicate floral patterns. Here’s a sneak peek at my favorites from both the home and yoga collections…

HOME: The collection showcases a selection of lightweight tops, cardigans, wrap jumpsuits and soft trousers for women, as well as unique sweaters, t-shirts, polos. hoodies and trousers for men.

YOGA: Carefully designed to ensure freedom of movement for both men and women. The collection features a subtle palette, combined with soft and breathable fabrics that promise unrestricted movement in every pose.

Fitness

Don’t Run Commando With Runderwear

Posted on November 15, 2018

UK sportswear brand Runderwear officially launched in the Middle East last weekend with a poolside mini-duathlon featuring 9 locally based triathletes, who put their infamous tri-suits to the test. Runderwear is famous for it’s sports underwear with an innovative edge.

Their selection of purposefully-engineered underwear includes men’s and women’s briefs, crop tops, compression and anti-blister sports socks. Launching poolside last weekend, women’s sports bra’s and the tri-suits complete the package. Famed for their ultimate comfort and performance in the UK, there’s a wealth of events this season here in the UAE where they will most definitely (not) be seen.

What’s so special? ‘The 360-degree seamless design technology with functional flat lock edging means absolutely no chafing. At the same time, technical polyamide fabric wicks sweat away from the body quickly, keeping things dry; while the breathable fabric with micro-perforations controls air-flow. The elastane in the design works with the contours of the body, fitting perfectly and staying in place throughout a workout, and the durable non-fading fabric retains its shape and colour wash after wash.’


Fitness

World Cleanup Day with Breitling and Azraq

Posted on September 18, 2018

Did you know that last year 2,412,151 cigarette butts were collected on beaches across the world, of which 516 were collected on a smoke-free beach! As an ex-smoker myself that is horrifying. Cigarette butts are rubbish just like everything else, so why don’t they get thrown away? Why do people think they are biodegradable??

As millions of volunteers across 150 countries celebrated World Cleanup Day, Swiss watch brand, Breitling joined forces with Azraq Middle East here in Dubai, by taking part in a beach cleanup down at Sunset Beach. Partnering with the U.A.E.’s non-profit organisation as well as Ocean Conservancy – a non-governmental organisation dedicated to leading the global fight for a healthy ocean and clean beaches – they joined over 100 community members and Dubai fans early last weekend.

Only 9% of produced plastic is recycled

Not content with just cleaning the beaches, Azraq members joined Divers Down UAE to go diving and snorkeling to help pull litter from the ocean. Don’t worry though, all the litter collected from the beach and ocean was transferred to a recycling centre in Dubai.

50% of plastic currently in use was produced in the last 15 years

World Cleanup Day was born in Estonia, engaging 4% of the Estonian population to clean the country’s waste, in a matter of hours. Countries across the globe were inspired by this movement, bringing rise to a ‘green wave’ of cleanups for beaches, oceans, rivers, streets and forests, which today starts in New Zealand and ends 36 hours later in Hawaii.

Fitness

Adidas X Parley: Run for the Oceans

Posted on June 25, 2018

Hundreds turned out at 5.30am last Friday morning at Nessnass Beach to support the global adidas X Parley initiative ‘Run for the Oceans’. Running not just to raise awareness, each attendee collected kilometres which translated into $’s on their ‘runtastic’ APP.

We made it down to run with the crowds amidst 38* heat and what felt like almost 100% humidity, sweating for a cause. It’s a campaign that’s very close to my heart, I believe it’s also something that everyone can take part in, not just on a run or at an event, but in all aspects of life. There is no ‘away’ so it’s important to make smart and sustainable choices when you shop!

Say no to plastic bags at the supermarket, single use plastic bottles at the gym and aim to reduce, reuse & recycle.

Why is it important?

One pair of UltraBOOST prevents approx. 11 plastic bottles from entering our oceans, this sock-like upper is made from Parley Ocean Plastic™️; upcycled plastic waste that is intercepted before it reaches the oceans. In 2017 alone adidas Running created over 1 million pairs of UltraBOOST Parley, preventing an estimated 11 million plastic bottles from entering our oceans. For 2018, adidas will build on this achievement and continue to fight against marine plastic pollution by transforming the threat into a thread.


What’s new?

adidas has launched them in a new Deep Ocean Blue colourway inspired by the depths of the Mariana Trench to creatively express that marine plastic pollution is not just a surface level problem, it impacts the ocean’s entire ecosystem.

Fitness Recommended

An Extra Drop Of Health

Posted on May 7, 2018

I’ve been uber hectic recently and fearing for my health and that i’m going to fall prey to the dreaded Dubai flu from the AC’s, I thought i’d look into getting a little top up as a pre-emptive measure. I’m no stranger to needles, (8 tattoo’s so far), but i’m definitely new to the idea of a lifestyle-based additive.

Down in Healthcare City is a small cozy little doctors office that houses the Révitalife Drip; an individually tailored multi-mineral and vitamin intra-venous drip. Putting precedence on bespoke packages, from the pH, to the tonicity and osmolarity, it’s the only Ministry of Health approved IV infusions out there.

It’s the fastest and safest way to feed your body with vitamins and minerals.

Why would you supplement your health with a drip before you’re actually sick? Well, with a wide mix of super antioxidants, immunity boosters and detox cocktails to choose from, you’ve got a rout to total wellness and prevention is of course the best cure. They’ve been clinically proven to stimulate and increase immune system function, increase cellular repair, regeneration and accelerates the process of recovery too.

It’s not without merit either, you are first treated to an on-site doctor’s consultation, which allows deeper understanding of what you may actually need, rather than self-diagnosing yourself.

My first experience was the Anti-Stress and Antioxidant Révitalife Drip

Essential to fight against oxidative stress caused by naturally-occurring free radicals. Free radicals are found in anything from drinking to walking the streets. Unfortunately, plenty of free radicals are unavoidable, for instance all the pollution in the air. This I.V. helps your body to detoxify such toxins, as well as reducing aging and development of degenerative diseases. Research has also shown that raised glutathione levels decrease muscle damage, reduce recovery time, increase strength and endurance and shift metabolism from fat production to muscle development.

I have to say, Barry’s Bootcamp seemed a little less tough the next morning, plus I had tonnes of energy and got a full night sleep too!

I then tried the GUT Healer Révitalife Drip

This drip is rich in glutamine and folic acid, essential for healing the digestion and leaky gut. The L-glutamine in this I.V. drip is essential for the synthesis of the mucoproteins present in the mucous secretions of the GI tract. I am intolerant to all sorts of food so i figured this would be a great one to help with any food sensitivity too.

Last but not least, I hooked up to the Glowing and Radiant Skin Révitalife Drip

Rich in Vitamin C and glutathione, which is vital for detoxifying the skin. Not only is glutathione a powerful antioxidant, but it is essential for helping your skin recover from the daily damage caused by sun exposure and great at combating visible signs of ageing. All helping with my sun-soaked day-to-day routine as I battle the damage of my naive youth on sensitive skin.

It’s really a worthy and cost-effective option to help boost your body and it’s natural balances, as I for one am not good at all at sticking to supplements!

Fitness yoga

Yoga Every Damn Day With HOLDEReight

Posted on April 11, 2018
It’s not about being good at something, it’s about being good to yourself… and part of my philosophy on inner happiness is about whether i’ve been able to extend that conscious effort outwards. Homegrown brands like HOLDEReight are a true example of this, balancing functionality with freedom in their eco-friendly collections.
 
Launching some gorgeous new prints for the summer season, HOLDEReight’s new pieces draw inspiration from the land and sky, these naturally crafted yoga mats envision skyscapes at different times of the day alongside softly lit, feminine botanical designs, all hand-drawn using water painting techniques.
 
HOLDEReight is keeping true to its environmentally friendly origin – made from 100% natural rubber that’s sustainably sourced, it is also biodegradable. Even the HOLDEReight name represents balance, infinity and wholeness. These yoga mats are beyond comfortable too, at 4mm thick, you get extra support and cushioning than your average mat. There’s also a luxury velvet-y touch to them and with over 15 different designs, you’ll not run out of inspiration.
 
Don’t worry about them getting dirty too, they’re conveniently machine washable. Also stocked in a whole host of locations across Dubai like; Namshi, Adventure HQ, Urban Yoga Dubai and Hot House Yoga Abu Dhabi… pick your favourite here!