Dr. Megahed Mohammed
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EDITOR’S VIEW Life In The Old Dog Yet?
4
Is Your Comfort Zone A Little Bit Too Comfortable?
6
Daily Nutritional Requirements
8
How To Look Young At 150?
9
Celebrities Summer Workout Secrets Revealed
10
Ten Tips For Maintaining A Healthy Brain
12
6Th Graders On A Mission To Make A Difference
14
Things You Need To Learn From The Boys In The Gym
16
Do You Want To Get Tight Abs?
18
Respect For Rest
19
Active Seniors
22
Quick Body Edging & Fat Slimming Recomendation
23
Have you ever wondered why at times we tend not to like the taste of a particular vegetable or food without even having tasted it, yet when we do end up tasting the very same food, it gets into the list of our favorites.
Food Facts
24
Oral Health - Over All Care
26
Drive & Motivation – Generation ‘Y’
28
Similarly, our body just needs to get a taste of good health & fitness, all it requires is a little push from our mind. This push can be motivated or triggered by simple measures such as reading FIRSTFIT Newsletter!
Womens World
30
World Of Crossfit Trend
32
Swimming And Bike Riding For Babies And Toddlers
34
Dear Readers
A Date with Fitness Fitness is all about commitment and turning this commitment into your passion. When you do this you know you have won half the battle already!
We hope your mind will absorb all good information and push your body to the next level where Fitness becomes your Passion! It is now up to you all to love yourself even more with just a little effort, Keep reading FirstFit Newsletter.....!
Dr. Samir Mohammed Founder & Editor in Chief
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Respect for Rest
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MAKE WAY FOR THE KETTLEBELL
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Love Life? Here’s how!
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Recipes by Chef David Cagle
Life in the old dog yet? you can choose to stay young and vital or, you can choose to not use your brain, Research has shown that one of the initial signs of brain deterioration is the loss of balance. Loss of balance can come from not stimulating the vestibular system, from not moving our heads and our bodies. It would seem logical that if we can keep our heads about us and move often, we can keep our brains from deteriorating. We can keep our brains healthy.
“
They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. I’m willing to bet “they” are
wrong”.
Even if “they” are right, this phrase has often been applied to people. Guess what? People are not like dogs, and people are capable of learning new tricks at any age. Life’s just too short to settle for silly notions like, “I can’t learn how to skate board, I’m too old.” Granted, I don’t know that skate boarding is the best trick of choice when it comes to learning something new, but I think you get the point. We as human beings are miraculous creatures. Our brains are capable of growing and changing throughout our entire lives. Every new thought we make, or every new action we take, we create a new neural connection, or pathway in our brain. If this is so, and it is, then anytime we want to learn something 4
new, all we have to do is engage in
brain, thus eroding and aging your body.
The more and more we engage in this new something, the more and more we establish a better neural pathway in our brain. This is how our habits are made. This is how habits are broken. This is how skills are learned. You are walking around with a miracle brain. It is capable of almost anything, no matter your age. The only thing that can age your brain is simply not using it, and simply not using your body, too.
Remember this, you are not too old to learn something new; AND, you’re simply not too old, unless Growing old is as much of a choice as brushing your teeth. You choose to brush them, or you don’t. Likewise,
So, not only can we learn new tricks, it would also appear that learning new tricks is one way we can stay young and healthy. Remember, we are unlike dogs, we’re people! We are walking, talking So get out there and learn something new. I would say come to OP and start moving in a playful way but even if you just want to do something for yourself simply pick up a guitar, do some juggling, go to the beach and kite surf, or learn how to do summersaults. It’s not silly, it’s simple, it’s playful. You never know, you may find life in the old dog yet!
Physical and mental stimulation keeps your brain alive and well. Being sedentary and mindless, erode and age your
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ET S D
N
MI
forgiveness, selflove, decisiveness, determination.
D
o you want it to be easy to reach your goal? Would you like outstanding, exceptional results, and want it to be a comfortable journey to get it? I’m sorry, it’s not going to happen.
Hold yourself to a higher
this. As humans we can attach meaning to anything and make it feel good or bad simply through how we perceive it. If you talk about something being
Exceptional results requires exceptional action Reaching a goal that you’ve never achieved before will not be easy, you will need to get out of your comfort zone and try different things, things you’ve never done before. You will be uncomfortable sometimes. However, when you are congruent with your goal, it can FEEL easy because you enjoy the challenge.
You don’t need to re-invent the wheel Our brains are wired with mirror neurons, this means when we watch someone doing something, our brain learns as if we have done it ourselves. We learn best and easiest by watching others do what we want to learn. Don’t re-invent the wheel, just find and begin to spend time with people who have achieved your goal, watch what they do. Model their behaviour. Have you earned it In order to achieve a goal, you need to become the person who has earned that goal. What do you need to shift inside yourself to be truly deserving of the body and shape of your dreams? What do you need to start doing? What do you need to stop doing? Who do you need to ensure you are being? You don’t need to change it all at once, just pick one thing and begin the snowball!
Accept that you will need to change some behaviours It’s obvious that your behaviour, thoughts and actions from the past is what has brought you to the results you are living today. If you want to create different results, then you will need to engage in different behaviours. You know already that you can’t keep eating poorly and not exercising and reach your body shape goals.
Is your comfort zone a little bit too comfortable?
Don’t beat yourself up The past is the past, you can’t change what you have done. You can only change the present, to create the future you want. It’s ok to reflect on the past and use it to inform your future, however mindlessly beating yourself up serves no purpose but making you feel terrible, which is more likely to lead to more poor choices. Disempowering thoughts do not lead to empowering behaviour! Empowering thoughts lead to empowering behaviour. Empower yourself with reflection, compassion, 6
standard Believe that you are capable of more! You are. You are designed to grow, and learn and improve. That’s how your human brain is wired. Hold yourself to a higher standard, expect that you will do your best, strive to achieve your daily goals, and notice how good that makes you feel, this becomes a positive, empowering, upward cycle. Get addicted to the challenge Make change easily by becoming addicted to the challenge. All exceptional achievers do
First Fit | May 2014 | firstfitnewsletter.com
difficult, hard, impossible, it will be. However if you think of the same thing as being a challenge, a way to test your problem solving, an opportunity to stretch yourself and grow, then you will begin to enjoy it! Get back up, again and again The key to achieving anything in life, is simply not stopping until you have reached it. To keep getting back up no matter how many obstacles or challenges you have to overcome. You can do it. Focus on your progress and keep at it.
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Vibrate with the gratitude of already having achieved it
The wackiest and most useful tip to achieving goals and making it feel easy is to imagine that you have already achieved it. That’s right, pretend you’ve got the goal already. Start to act as if you’ve already got it. When you have achieved your goal, how will you feel? Free? Proud? Strong? Grateful? Whatever it is begin to create those feelings in your everyday life now! This will create a quantum shift in your very cells that will draw your goal to you and make it even easier to take the action and achieve. Yippee!
Carolyn Coe CEO & Business Director OP Integrated Lifestyle Centre +971 4 365 3399 +971 567340585
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IET D , N ITIO NUTR PLEMENTS & SUP
Daily nutritional
requirements of each and every nutrient your body needs
E
ssential for a functional organism and good health, proper nutrition should certainly be one’s most important everyday concern, particularly if his or her actual nutrition lacks important nutrients and is not structured adequately. Every person’s mechanism works in a different way, which may be very, little or not at all influenced by the way his or her metabolism works. The metabolism starts with all the processes through which the animal and organic foods are turned into less complex compounds, so they can be then absorbed into the organism to accomplish their roles - to fuel, repair and grow the body. Every food from one’s nutrition has a specific number of calories, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, proteins and other nutrients. Moreover, every person’s body has specific nutritional requirements, which need to be fulfilled by consuming the foods with the best nutritional values and only a small quantity of calories. Here are the daily allowances and other indications regarding the daily nutritional requirements of each and every nutrient your body needs. Vitamins Each Vitamin has a different daily allowance, so you will need to know each of them in order to decide how much you need. Starting with vitamin A, which can be consumed in two forms (retinol, coming from animal sources, and beta-carotene, coming from organic one), adult women should consume about 800 RE, while adult men should take about 1000 RE. RE stands for Retinol Equivalents and 1 RE is equal to 3.3 IU of retinol and 10 IU of beta-carotene. Usually, people whose age exceeds 24 should consume approximately 5 micrograms of vitamin D, while children do not need more than 3 micrograms of this vitamin daily. In case of vitamin C, the recommended daily allowance for adult people is 60 milligrams and everything that is higher than that will work only in case of colds. As for vitamin K, adult women should take no more than 65 micrograms, while adult men should take approximately 80 micrograms. The rest of the vitamins are not incredibly important or, at least, not that important compared to these ones. The RDA for vitamin B6 is 1.6 mg for adult women and 2 mg for men; for vitamin B3, specialists recommend 15 mg for adult women and 19 mg for men; for vitamin B2, women need to take 1.3 mg and men 1.7 mg; as for vitamin B1, 1.5 mg is enough for males and 1.1 mg is the RDA for women.
Proteins First things first, proteins should be the primary nutrients to consider, given that most organs are composed of them. Exactly like water, protein is one of the nutrients that support the body’s stricture and thus, it needs to be consumed in proper quantities every day. For instance, a regular 160-pound person is made of less than an ounce of vitamins, 1 pound of carbohydrates, 5 pounds of minerals, 25 pounds of fat, 29 pounds of protein and about 100 pounds of water. The suggested daily allowance for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram for person aged 15 years or higher and 1 gram (or higher) of protein per kilogram for children. If you are not used to working with kilograms instead of pounds, simply divide your body weight measured in pounds to 2.2 and you will get your weight in kilograms. Thus, 130 pounds will become about 59 kilograms and will demand about 47 grams of protein.
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Minerals Calcium is essential for the organism, promoting bone growth, retention and development, as well as membrane permeability, muscle contraction and blood clotting. The recommended daily allowance for calcium varies, but people between 11 and 24 years should take approximately 1,200 mg of this mineral, while adult people should consume 800 mg. specialists advise not to take higher amounts, otherwise you risk to inhibit the absorption of many other essential minerals. The same RDA applies for phosphorus, but the only difference is that toxicity from a diet is not a reason of concerns. Adult women should consume 280 mg of magnesium, while adult men may take up to 350 mg. Also, iron should be consumed carefully, with only 15 mg for women and 10 mg for men. The RDA for zinc is 12 mg and for selenium, anything that goes between 55 and 70 micrograms.
Fats
Carbohydrates
We have heard about fats a lot during the time, as being the ones making you overweight or obese, but what you really do not know about them is that they are very important for your organism, serving as carriers of the vitamins. Nutritionists recommend consuming only 30 percent of fats from the total number of calories you consume; this would equal approximately 24 grams of fats for an average women and about 32 grams for an average man.
Carbohydrates are usually present in fruits, grains, pasta, rice, legumes and other similar sources. It is imperiously necessary to be more considerate to the amount of carbohydrates you consume, because they can easily turn into fats in a short time otherwise. Bear in mind that one gram of carbohydrates provides exactly four calories, so if you consume about 2.200 calories daily, you should limit yourself only to 275 grams of carbohydrates
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W
ith many scientists believing that our cells could live forever given the right conditions and more and more breakthroughs in science they may be right. Today more than ever before people are obsessed by youth,
INTER shampoos, conditioners, perfumes, body creams and make up. These chemicals come into contact with our skin in the name of personal hygiene but in fact we are rapidly causing the very thing we are trying to prevent. Below is a list of the most danger-
We should be consuming FRESH OMEGA 6 FATS. Our skin cells are made up of omega 6 fats so consuming foods rich in theses fats is essential. Foods such as organic shelled HEMP SEEDS are the best.
NATIO FITNE NAL SS
15 minutes of SUNLIGHT a day is key, making sure not to wash off the vitamin D for two hours after sunbathing, allowing it to soak through the skin.
How to look Young at 150? Foods that lower inflammation and are rich in Sulphur such as GINGER AND TURMERIC are key to youthful looking skin. I personally like to juice a whole lemon with the skin, a whole pineapple with an inch each of ginger and turmeric.
SUPER GREENS such as spirulina and chlorella shouvwld also be part of the routine in order to have the best skin ever. If you are able to lower inflammation and stick to the above tips you could very well find yourself looking amazing at 150.
Ruben Tabares Celebrity International fitness
younger looking skin and having a healthy body, but what does it truly take to achieve this? Why does cell turn over and slow down as we revolve around the sun? What causes the decline in collagen and elasticity, wrinkles and sun damage? The answers to these questions are often far simpler than we think. For cells to regenerate they need water, nutrients, oxygen, the right fats and proteins. However, we often are the architects of our own cellular disintegration because of what we eat. Fried fatty foods, fizzy drinks and rancid fats cause inflammation, but one of the biggest causes of inflammation is petroleum. Petrochemicals are found in almost all
ous petro-chemicals we should be trying to avoid: Mineral oil Parabens Benzoate Methylparabens Alkyl Parahydroxy Oxybenzone Parafin Petrolatum Benzene Propylene Glycol Fragrance There are many more, so what is the best way to look youthful at 150 now that we know the main things to avoid? Water is key in order to maintain a well-hydrated and youthful looking skin. At least 3 L of WATER should be consumed a day.
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9
NESS T I F RITY B E L CE
Celebrities Su out secret Burn fat fast
Think 20-20-20 for ramped-up fat burning. You can burn fat in a matter of weeks by combining cardio training with some resistance training in a six-day-a-week Get-fitter quick summer workout plan fitness regimen. Helen Vanderburg, a ind out how to trim down and tone up in personal trainer and fitness instructor, and the a few weeks owner of Heavens Fitness in Calgary, offers this plan. It has three 20-minute components: You I think one of the best things someone can do each component twice a week, for a total of do to look great in their bathing suit is to feel six days, with one day off. That’s right, just 20 confident. And that confidence can come from minutes a day. You’ll see results fast. (As with knowing you’re respecting your health by feedany new exercise regimen, speak to your doctor ing your body the fuel it needs and keeping it first.) active.”
F
Spend two days a week doing high-intensity exercise Twice a week, do a high-intensity routine incorporating cardio and resistance for 20 minutes (including warm-up/cool-down). This component will be tough, but Vanderburg says it’s necessary if you’re looking to see changes in a short amount of time. “You should be stepping outside your comfort zone,” she says. Ideas: Warm up with walking for two to three minutes. Then do one minute of jumping jacks, then one minute of push-ups, then one minute of running or walking up a hill, then rest 30 seconds with easy walking. Repeat your high-intensity routine four times. Then do a few minutes of stretching to cool down, for a total of 20 minutes. Include the warm-up and cool-down, as “both are important for any ‘boot-camp’ high-intensity routine,” says Vanderburg. Spend two days a week doing resistance training Twice a week, do resistance training for 15 to 20 minutes: “You can use your own body weight for resistance training, doing squats, l u n g e s , push-ups and triceps dips,” says Vanderburg. The major bonus of resistance training is that because it builds muscle, and muscle burns more calories than fat tissue does, your body continues to burn calories even after the workout is
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ummer workts revealed finished.
Get firm arms
Spend two days a week doing interval training
It’s all about resistance training. Suggests Vanderburg: “Try chinups or push-ups—knee push-ups are fine—or arm exercises with hand weights.”
5 moves to sculpt strong and sexy legs 6 ways to rev up your metabolism 10-minute cardio workouts Twice a week, do interval training for 20 minutes. Doing something fast, then slow, is an effective fat burner. Instead of going for a 10- to 20-minute light jog, for example, do a burst of sprinting until you are out of breath, walk for a while, then sprint again. (It doesn’t matter if you do it outdoors or on a treadmill.) Do this regularly and both your speed and stamina should start to increase. If you want to target your lower body, Vanderburg suggests this routine: Run five minutes, then do squats; run, then do lunges; run, then do step-ups.
CELEB
RITY F ITNESS
Tone your glutes Cycling, squats and lunges will tighten the muscles in the gluteal area, says Vanderburg. “And, no, squats and lunges won’t make your butt look bigger. Some women ask me that, but the fact is that these exercises will firm it up.”
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11
TH L A E N H I A R b
Tip 1: Don’t smoke
Smoking represents a major risk factor for cancer, heart disease and stroke. These leading causes of death represent an ongoing concern for all. Nonsmokers might consider taking an empathetic approach to smokers who are trying to quit, and parents might use a “tough love” approach with their children to make sure they don’t even start.
A HEALTHY BRAIN FROM 1 TO 10
TEN TIPS FOR MAINTAINING
Tip 2: Follow your physician’s advice Your relationship with your physician is critical to your health. Remember, though, that as a consumer of health services your doctor is your employee, so establish a good working relationship based on the understanding that you are the boss of your body. We must develop a proactive attitude toward maintaining our health and take responsibility to change those aspects of our lifestyles that are minimizing our longevity potential. Our physicians can help guide this process. Tip 3: Exercise regularly Exercise and physical activity continue to emerge as primary components of a healthy lifestyle at any age. Aerobic exercise, weight training and recreation are critical not just to our cardiovascular health but to our brain health, as well. Every time our heart beats, 25 percent of its output goes to our brains-quite a large market share! Clearly, maintaining efficient blood flow to our brains through regular exercise promotes health. If you don’t exercise regularly, start by walking around the block tonight and build from there. Tip 4: Reduce the overall calories you consume daily We human tend not to underconsume anything-including food. Yet the leading factor for longevity in animals is caloric restriction. This finding has yet to be demonstrated in humans. However, provided you get your daily nutritional needs from the USDA’S food pyramid, you should pay close attention to how much you eat. Remember never go to bed stuffed, and eat only 80 percent of what you intend to consume at every meal. Tip 5: Socialize and have fun We human specialize in stress, with little understanding of how to have fun. We need more time to socialize, celebrate and laugh! Some of us have walls around us that keep other people away. As humans, though, we need to be engaged and to be social. Kofi Annan, the secretary general of the United Nations, once stated that every time “we lose an elder from our village, we lose a library.” If we begin to think of everyone as a library, it becomes clear that we can learn from others. Tip 6: Develop your spirituality Evidence continues to emerge that prayer is a health-promoting behavior and that attendance at formalized places of worship may have more significance to our health than we understand. Meditation, yoga, relaxation procedures and prayer have neurophysiological bases. They help to alter our existing homeostasis for the better. Praying or meditating daily can help us combat the stresses of life and focus on the challenges ahead. Tip 7: Engage in mentally stimulating activities “Mental stimulation” refers to the ways our brains respond to stimuli in the environment. Novel and complex stimuli are health-promoting for the brain. New learning translates to neurophysiological growth and to mental stimulation in the same way that aerobics translates to cardiovascular health. We can benefit from being challenged, from learning information and skills that we do not yet understand, and from engaging in pursuits that are initially hard for us! Tip 8: Maintain your role and sense of purpose Retirement as it is presently envisioned in any country is not good for the human brain, which benefits from environments rich in novel and complex stimuli. Retirement by definition reinforces disengagement and passivity. Our nation might consider prioritizing social engagement across the lifespan-from a brain-health perspective. Although it is important to allow elders to choose more passive lifestyles, many may benefit from an understanding of the importance of actively participating in society and finding personally relevant roles and senses of purpose. Tip 9: Seek financial stability Research clearly demonstrates that having some money late in life correlates with better health. Therefore, a practical tip for maintaining lifelong health is to hire a financial planner and begin a savings plan that will provide some money late in life. Financial planners do not consider themselves to be health promoters, but they are. We are never too young or too old to begin saving, and the less money we make the faster we need to get started! Tip 10: Engage family and friends Developing and maintaining a social network of relationships is important from a health perspective. Our friends and family help us stay active and involved in the fabric of society. They can provide us with emotional support and can nurture trust. Our roles in life, from child to parent to grandparent, exist within the family; they provide much health and human enrichment across the lifespan. And intimacy, broadly defined, is itself a health-promoting behavior at any age.
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FITNE
SS XP ERT
Make way for The Kettlebell...
Forget boring hours running on the treadmill, cycling on a stationary bike or reading your favorite gossip magazine on the elliptical trainer. There is a better, more efficient and faster way to burn calories and torch fat. kettlebell training. The workouts are geared towards competing in Girevoy sport and kettlebell sport and you can even compete at world-class level. You will learn the five basic moves that makes up the kettlebell pentathlon amongst others which includes the clean, the strict press, the push press, the jerk and the snatch. The best place to learn and enjoy girevoy style kettlebell training is with Matt Coe at OP Lifestyle, www.oplifestyle. com or women’s only classes coming soon with Dubai #bells contactable through www.glorygirlfitness.com. It doesn’t matter what your current fitness level or choice of sport is, Kettlebell training will always be the best complimentary training that you can do as it is a full body workout strengthening the lower body, core and upper body and is known to have a very low injury rate.
The kettlebell and short bursts of kettlebell training! At first sight this cast-iron cannonball-like weight can look very intimidating, but with the help of an experienced and well-educated coach, be assured that not only will you love this powerful and dynamic type of training, you will also see faster results in your pursuit of creating a more athletic physique. There are two different styles
(actually four which includes American or Crossfit style and juggling, but we’ll stick to the two most diverse styles) of kettlebell training named HARDSTYLE AND GIREVOY. Hardstyle kettlebell training finds its roots in powerlifting and can be described as the sprint style of kettlebell training. The workouts are fierce with maximum output in a short time. Women, especially, are usually surprised at how fast their strength increases over a short period of time and also how fast their body composition
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changes with these enjoyable and adjustable workouts. The best place to learn and enjoy hardstyle kettlebell training including exercises such as the swing, turkish get ups, kettlebell squat and clean and press is at Kult Fitness in Business bay Crossing with master trainer Martine Kerr or check out www.kultfitness.com for more information.
Long live the kettlebell! By
Nadine Du Toit Founder of GloryGirlFitness Life Coach, CPT, Nutritional Consultant Lorna Jane Brand ambassador WBFF Pro Athlete
Girevoy kettlebell training is sometimes referred to as a more fluid style compared to hardstyle or can be described as the long distance running style of
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First Fit | May 2014 | firstfitnewsletter.com
13
6th GRADERS ON ‘MAKE A DI
are c ’ v use ‘
ca
Antibiotics – Use them don’t Abuse them!
Philanthropist - I would like to become a wealthy person and then donate the money to charitable causes”
*Types of Infection
Interview with Super Kids
*Superbug
th grade students from Dubai International Academy (DIA), Emirates Hills in Dubai, trying to make a difference by bringing in awareness on a topic that really made me realize that there is a lot we can learn from younger generation with the efforts they make to have a better tomorrow!
Tell me little more about your Project and the purpose of this awareness?
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We believe that Antibiotics are the pillars of our modern health society but after years of misapplication there have been many cases of drug resistant
Griffin Christie When asked what would you like to be when you grow up? The answers very pretty unusual from what I have heard before. Griffin Christie, 11 Years of age loves to play Basketball. Griffin says, “I have great interest in science, Mathematics almost everything hence I would like to give it a few more years to be certain of what I would like to be when I grow up but it would be surely a field where I can give back to the community” Mantika Harish, 10 Years of age loves horse riding. Mantika says, “I would like to be a doctor and specialize in Pediatrics because I love medicine and love helping people. I would also like to live in a farm as I love horses” Siddharth Malhotra, 10 years of age loves playing Tennis at least 3 times a week. Siddharth says, “A
bacteria. Our Project ‘Misuse of Antibiotics’ is a part of IB Primary Year Programme(PYP) exhibition where Year 6 students are expected to work on their chosen topic that has both local and global relevance. We chose this topic ‘Misuse of Antibiotics’ for its Originality as no one has covered this topic within this region. We as students felt it is a global concern and somebody needs to ‘Make a Difference’. To begin, we first chose our concepts, create questions related to those concepts, begin to investigate and answer those questions and then perform a relevant action based on our research. For example, we handed out relevant fliers at various pharmacies in Dubai to customers visiting them. Topics covered in this project are and/but not limited to:
*Why antibiotics are useless against Viral Infections *Bacterial Vs Viral *Misusing Antibiotics *Groups Of Antibiotics *What is the Problem? *Consequences of Self-Diagnosis
Siddharth Malhotra
Mantika Harish
We are trying to raise awareness on this very grave issue as a part of our ACTION about ‘Misuse of Antibiotics’ in the UAE mainly at Pharmacies, school and communities where we live. How long is the project for and how do students like yourselves benefit? The project is for 6 weeks and we have immensely benefited from it as we are now more knowledgeable about medicine and are able to fluently speak about our chosen topic. We are also able to influence other students through workshops that we have conducted for different year groups within our school. The students at first were not aware of what Antibiotics were but after our presentation were well informed about the same. How excited are you to be on FirstFit? We feel this is an exciting opportunity to spread
o
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N A MISSION TO IFFERENCE awareness as FirstFit is a local newsletter which would reach to all consumers at large and surely by reading this, lot of people will be aware of what we are trying to do and certainly our efforts will ‘Make a difference’! Parent Interview As a parent, how do you feel being involved in this kind of activity and what message do you have to give to others?
because of the many connections it has to scientific and economic subjects and the many ways it affects the society and their body. At the beginning when the project was assigned to them, they had to choose three concepts, create questions related to that topic and then begin to investigate and answer them. They are now very educated in each of those areas and most definitely are enjoying every bit of it. Do you see a sense of responsibility developed amongst kids when they interact with people?
As a parent, it was great to see how dedicated this team was towards this issue. They went all out to research and learn about a not so simple topic however thefy emerged successfully with flying colors. Their interactions with students as well as adults in spreading awareness on this topic are examples of their knowledge and commitment in spreading the important message against misuse of antibiotics.
if yes, how and what changes have you seen in them?
The curriculum and school encourage independence amongst students, and as a parent I was more of a logistical support. They were however, mentored by a school representative who guided them and set goals and timelines for this project. The students are given reflection journals where all their work into this project is monitored by school project mentors.
Where can I find out more information on this project or how can I help to ‘Make a difference’?
Do the kids enjoy this? If yes, how and what have they learnt? The students enjoyed learning about this topic
Yes, most definitely! The students have come up with brilliant ideas and made all efforts to ensure their action is meaningful and effective. This has inculcated a sense of responsibility towards the use of antibiotics in their daily lives too.
cause
‘v’ care
ongoing support, the team of students are now also looking to get in touch with Hospitals and Department of Health to present themselves before the health professionals to show their level of commitment in this project and how young students can be the true ambassadors of such important and vital topics by talking about recycle of antibiotics in addition to bringing in just awareness.
After having spoken to these kids on such a serious topic, I almost felt I was amongst the future doctors as their knowledge was impeccable. Salute to the school mentors and parents who motivate young students like these to bring about awareness and giving an opportunity to give back to the community they live in!
The children have created their own website and blog as seen below and anyone who would like to help make a difference with simple ideas and their unending support are most welcome to write or contact at: https://sites.google.com/a/diastudents.com/ misuse-of-anitbiotics/
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As an
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By Samina Yusuf
First Fit | May 2014 | firstfitnewsletter.com
15
TH
HEAL L A N ATIO S TIPS N R E INT TNES & FI
SUMMER SPECIAL:
Things You Need To Learn From the Boys In the Gym from it. So the next time, girls, you are wondering why you are not losing the stubborn fat around your belly, take a cue from the guys and start with some serious intensity of cardio. You should not be able to have a conversation with your best buddy beside you –that’s how hard your intensity should be.
Y
es, ladies! We have a lot to learn from how men gym. This is a fact and you will thank me for this! I know most of you are rolling your eyes or raising your eyebrows but the fact is that when it comes to gyming, the way boys train can teach us a lot and open up our eyes to the things we do wrong. Not convinced? Read on … Boys will agree! #1 Have you ever seen a guy jump on the treadmill and trot there for hours without breaking a sweat?
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#2 Have you ever seen a guy who does not train with weights? Difficult to picture that, right? Or conversing with a friend about the latest fashion doing the rounds and not even gasping for breath when doing a cardio session? Sounds familiar? Because men don’t do that; it’s only us girls that do such things! Men don’t do the talking when they are working out they catch up with conversations in between their rest time and if they are doing cardio they are not walking like a model on ramp. They mean business. They are doing some serious running and high intensity cardio. They keep the duration short and intense to burn max calories
First Fit | May 2014 | firstfitnewsletter.com
We ladies are ready to starve to get that teeny weeny waist while men eat their meals, and eat again and again, and we wonder, what the heck is going on? It’s simple science! The more muscle mass we have, the more calories our bodies burn. The more weights we lift, the more lean muscle mass we gain. But what’s going on with you, ladies? The most common thing I hear is, “Oh, I don’t lift weights because that makes me bulky!” Seriously, lifting weights will not make
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you bulky because you do not have that testosterone that men do to gain that kind of muscle. Even the most competitive female body builder has to train hours, take special supplements to get somewhere near that look. Take a cue from the guy – lift! Do one or two body parts a day, 12-15 reps, and get losing those inches… #3 Have u seen men train their abs every day? Do you see them doing sit-ups or crunches every day? Or for that matter any body part every day? No! Then why do you girls go do crunches every single day and expect a flat stomach? Most guys train one or two body parts per week – that’s all is needed to overload the muscle and let it grow. The abdomen has muscles that need to train once, or at max, twice a week. Also, exercises like squats, lunges, and back exercises can stimulate your core on other days of the week. So girls, stop over-working your ab muscles and go hit the legs or the back. The only way you will lose weight from your abs is when your entire body fat percentage goes down. There is nothing like spot reduction, and doing sit-ups and crunches each day will certainly not give you the desired results. Follow a healthy diet, take a cue from the men and lift weights – You will soon become a fat burning machine! By
Bhumicka Singh
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INTER
Love Life? Here’s how!
S
elf esteem issues? Doubts about yourself? We all have them at some time but if they are affecting your life, read on for some very useful interventions. Your Best Friend is YOU - the child within you, no matter what your age or circumstances. Don’t compare yourself unfavourably to others - we should do everything in our power to make ourselves happy for most of the time.
can really make you happy? The answer is they can as they are chemical messages that are responsible for our mood.
• Practice Good Posture : Look at your posture in the mirror and if you don’t exude self confidence, do the following :
• Reflect Each Day and if you failed to put your best foot forward, don’t castigate yourself, but try and do better tomorrow.
However, you can’t blame them when someone is mean to you or if there is a deep psychological reason for your depression. What you can do which is crucial is take charge of your internal dialogue as thoughts become feelings and negative self-talk will imprint itself on your mind. If you are still unconvinced, think about what would happen if we talked to our friends in the same way that we talk to ourselves - we would likely not have any friends, so the rule is always be nice to yourself which doesn’t mean being unrealistic, just accept you are good most of the time but fallible like everyone else.
o Keep knees soft and in line with toes
• Smile at a stranger at least once a day - good vibes are contagious and your actions may make a huge difference to the person you encounter.
Whilst the above is not an alternative to professional advise if
If you don’t like something, change it, and if you can’t do that, tweak it so it becomes more bearable and diminish its negative effects by finding enjoyment in other areas of your life over which you have more control. Live by acknowledging the positives in your life - this may be a good family, great friends or just being able to appreciate good health and a roof over your head. Easier said than done you may be thinking, but most of us have some 50,000 thoughts each day and if we focus on the positive, this will manifest itself in the release of feel good hormones such as serotonin and dopamine. This has a ripple effect and raises our happiness levels, libido and enhances immunity. It also opens up a door to possibilities as a happy person is one that everyone loves to be around. You may be asking if hormones
NATIO & FIT NAL HEA LTH NESS TIPS
you have psychological problems, here are some tips to tip the hormones in your favour: • Physical Appearance : dress yourself to complement your figure and personality. When you look good, you feel good and others respond to this.
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o Lift your shoulders up to your ears and big up the chest area; now relax the shoulders. o Lift your chin as if you are looking over the garden fence o Pull your abs in as far as you can, then release 50% o Tuck your bottom under o Walk with purpose and confidence o Remember you are unique - there is not another you in 7 billion of the population • Exercise Daily - even if it is just for 5 to 10 minutes - we are built for mobility and movement keeps us in good health. At 5 feet 1 inch I move as much as I can to prevent compression of the spine and shrinkage that comes with age! • Make Yourself Stand Out as a person who is nice to be around. Talk when you have something to contribute; don’t talk just for the sake of it. When you do speak, people will be interested and want to listen. Remember, you can’t please everybody and not everyone will like you for the special person you are, but do your best to be nice to others.
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• If you can’t do good, don’t do bad. Karma will catch up with you and we all know she can be a B.... ! • If you really are having a bad time, allow yourself to ruminate and stress over the event for 5 minutes only, and then tell your internal negative self talk to go away - it’s had its 5 minutes. Keep dismissing those negative thoughts to prevent them from becoming negative moods and behaviours. With practice each day, this will get easier. If you are having a real bad day or two, remember it won’t last forever, like clouds, these stressors will drift away. Seek professional advice if you need it. • Create a Long Term Goal to improve your life - you can do this by giving yourself say 6 months. Set a short term goal each month and acknowledge any achievements you have made. Extend the 6 months if you need to. • Lastly, remember the food you eat, the exercise you do and the rest you get will contribute greatly to all the above so ensure you continue to nourish both your body and mind. Check out next month’s article “Meet the Meat” for the latest news for the carnivores amongst you. Yours in Health Happiness and Fitness, Karla Winter, UK
First Fit | May 2014 | firstfitnewsletter.com
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top doing similar repetitive abdominal exercises that will not yield any positive result and learn how to get tight abs. With hard work and determination it is possible for you to get the tight abs that will make you feel sexy with workout plan. The bottom line is that, you need to commit yourself to doing series of absspecific exercises in order to get tight abs. Therefore, just follow the tips here, to know how to get tight abs with workout plan. 1. Leg Pulls Leg pulls is the type of workout that will strengthen both your lower and middle abdominals simultaneously, whereas many other abdominal exercises concentrate on only one section of the abdominals. To do this exercise; i) Lie on a yoga mat or floor with your hands leaning under your buttocks and palm facing the floor.
Do you want to get tight abs? 2. Straight Leg Buttock Lifts This is a workout that will strengthen both your lower abdominal muscles and mid-abdominals. Follow the step below to do straight leg buttock lifts: i) Lie on your exercise mat with your palms facing the floor and your arms resting at your sides. ii) Raise your legs until the bottoms of your feet are facing the ceiling, keeping the legs straight. iii) Keep your legs at a 90-degree angle with your torso. iv) Raise your buttocks off the ground, keeping your abdominal muscles tight and stretch your feet and legs toward the ceiling. v) Be in this position for three counts before returning to the normal position.
ii) Raise your leg slowly by bending the knees until your calves are analogous with the floor.
vi) Do 3 sets of 15 recurrences of this workout to achieve results.
iii) Bring your knees toward your chest nd raise your upper body off the ground to meet your knees.
Want to strengthen your core as you re burning some fat? Yoga is an incredible way to go. Yoga gives you a workout that strengthens your whole body, especially the core and improves your breathing, which is the secret to hitting a lot of yoga poses. You will notice the difference in your abs and body, by the time you take a yoga class just two or three times in a week.
iv) Try as mush as possible to hold this position for 3 counts and go back to the original position slowly. v) Carry out three sets of 15 recurrences for positive results. You can as well place a dumbbell between your feet for the duration of this exercise for more advanced workout.
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3. Do Power Yoga
body fat! Cardio workouts such as hiking, biking, running and swimming among others will help you burn a considerable amount of calories and reduce your body fat, which will eventually help you to tone abs extensively. 5. Don’t Forget Plank The plank is one of the most important abdominal workout that will tone your abs and strengthen your complete core circumference. Here is the guide to carry out plank: i) Lie on the floor leaning on your forearms putting your body in a straight line from the
head to toe. ii) Target 30 seconds to start and work your way up to 2 minutes. iii) Tighten your stomach while you work the muscles! However, you can go for 15 normal crunches as well as side oblique, if you have additional time. It is necessary to know how to get tight abs because excess belly fat is dangerous to health. Going by the tips above on how to get tight abs, you will shed that stubborn fat around your belly. Goodluck and have FUN!!!
4. Cardio is Important You need to burn mammoth calories to lean down and lose
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M
ost athletes know that getting enough rest after exercise is essential to high-level performance, but many still over-train and feel guilty when they take a day off. We have to remember that the body repairs and strengthens itself only during rest.
Why Does REST Help Achieve Goals? The Principle of Adaptation states that when we undergo the stress of physical exercise, our body adapts and becomes more efficient. It’s just like learning any new skill; at first it’s difficult, but over time it becomes second-nature. Once you adapt to a given stress, y o u require additional stress to continue
Exercise or any other physical work causes changes in the body such as muscle tissue breakdown and the depletion of energy stores (muscle glycogen) as well as fluid loss. Recovery time allows these stores to be replenished and allows tissue repair to occur. Without sufficient time to repair and replenish, the body will continue to breakdown from intensive exercise. Symptoms of overtraining often occur from a lack of recovery time.
FITNES
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& Relaxing after a hard workout allows the repair and recovery process to happen at a natural pace. 5. HAVE A MASSAGE: Massage simply feels good and improves circulation while allowing you to fully relax. You can also try self-massage technique like foam-rollers and trigger pointing.
Respect for Rest Rest days are critical to sports performance for a variety of reasons - Some are physiological and some are psychological. Rest is physically necessary so that the muscles can repair, rebuild and strengthen. For recreational athletes, building in rest days can help maintain a better balance between home, work and fitness goals. In the worst-case scenario too, few rest and recovery days can lead to overtraining syndrome a difficult condition to recover from. Signs of overtraining include; • A feeling of general malaise • Staleness • Depression • Decreased sports performance • Lack of Focus
to make progress.
Six Tips for Quicker Recovery After Exercise
There are limits to how much stress the body can tolerate before it breaks down and risks injury. Doing too much work too quickly will result in injury or muscle damage, but doing too little, too slowly will not result in any improvement. This is why coaches / trainers set up specific training programs that increase time and intensity at a planned rate over time and allow rest days throughout the program.
1. REPLACE FLUIDS: You lose a lot of fluid during exercise and water supports every metabolic function and nutrient transfer in the body and having plenty of water will improve every bodily function.
So What Happens During Recovery? Building recovery time into any training program is important because this is the time that the body adapts to the stress of exercise and the real training effect takes place. Recovery also allows the body to replenish energy stores and repair damaged tissues.
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6. GET A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP: Optimal sleep is essential for anyone who exercises regularly. During sleep, your body produces Growth Hormone (GH) which is largely responsible for tissue growth and repair, so sleep deep and uninterrupted.
Grant Goes Founder
Fitness Link
2.STRETCH: After a tough workout, consider gentle stretching. This is a simple and fast way to help your muscles recover. 3.EAT PROPERLY: After depleting your energy stores with exercise, you need to refuel if you expect your body to recover, repair tissues, get stronger and be ready for the next challenge. Ideally, you should try to eat within 60 minutes of the end of your workout and make sure you include some high-quality protein and complex carbohydrate. 4. REST: Your body has an amazing capacity to take care of itself if you allow it some time. Resting
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First Fit | May 2014 | firstfitnewsletter.com
19
EV Dubai Got a Rush of Adrenaline with UAE’s First Ever Bungee Jumping Competition! Organized by Gravity Zone, the UAE’s only permanent bungee site, and endorsed by the Dubai Sports Council, the competition had participation from individuals and teams of three pitted against each other in a one-day event during which competitors had to take a leap of faith off a 50m high crane and progressing through three stages of competition, with the top scores at the end of the day emerging as the winners. - 26 male competitors, 9 female, 4 teams of three. - Brit Matthew Lawson won the male category with an impressive backwards flip, the teams category was won by the Breast Cancer Arabia team. - The women’s finals were undecided due to running out of time, so no definitive winner was announced. - Winners received voucher prizes from official sponsor, DreamDays.ae - Participants were given a score out of 10 and judged on things such as leap distance, free fall style, whether or not they had their eyes open or closed, hesitation prior to jump. Extra points awarded for backwards jumps and flips (which a couple of people did do, including the male winner!) - In addition, the teams had an extra challenge. Each jumper was presented with question and answer prior to their jump, which they then had to recall in full after their leap to get extra points. An example was memorizing the exact population of Dubai which they were shown before jumping and had to write down after the jump. - The event was supported by the Dubai Sports Council and a hopeful step towards the set up of an official Bungee Federation which would pave the way for more competitive bungee initiatives - It also raised awareness and funds for charity partner Breast Cancer Arabia.
VENTS
EN Z I T I C R O I SEN
Active seniors can lower heart attack risk by doing more, not less
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aintaining or boosting your level of physical activity after age 65 can improve your heart’s electrical well-being and lower your risk of heart attack. People who increased their walking distance or pace had better heart rate variability than those who reduced how much or how fast they walked. Maintaining or boosting your physical activity after age 65 can improve your heart’s electrical well-being and lower your risk of heart attack, according to a study in the American Heart Association. In heart monitor recordings taken over five years, researchers found that people who walked more and faster and had more physically active leisure time, had fewer irregular heart rhyths and greater heart rate variability than those who were less active. Heart rate variability is differences in the time between one heartbeat and the next during everyday life. “These small differences are influenced by the health of the heart and the nervous system that regulates the heart The researchers evaluated 24-hour heart monitor recordings of 985 adults (average age 71 at baseline) participating in the community-based Cardiovascular Health Study, a large study of heart disease risk factors in people 65 and older. During the study, they found: The more physical activity people engaged in, the better their heart rate variability. Participants who increased their walking distance or pace during the five years had better heart rate variability than those who reduced how much or how fast they walked. “Any physical activity is better than none, but maintaining or increasing your activity has added heart benefits as you age.
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The researchers calculated that the difference between the highest and lowest levels of physical activity would translate into an estimated 11 percent lower risk of heart attack or sudden cardiac death.
First Fit | May 2014 | firstfitnewsletter.com
“So if you feel comfortable with your usual physical activity, do not slow down as you get older — try to walk an extra block or walk at a faster pace. If you’re not physically active, it is never too
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Quick Body Edging & Fat Slimming
DR. S FITNE SS
recomendation The best ways to burn sculpt & fatty tissue lean muscle mass in 5 mins a day! It is challenging to claim active and keep our physical bodies toned and in form however a couple of basic and quick physical exercises could aid. A fantastic way to keep a normally level tummy includes sit-ups, physical body spins, and tummy crunches. You can tone and sculpt the arms by raising 5 pound or 10 pound exercising weights. Experience some new higher electricity
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fatty tissue burring physical exercises such as running, aerobics, and strolling quickly on a treadmill. These kind of exercises help burn fat deposits calories a lot quicker compared to the majority of various other exercises such as yoga exercise. Healthy eating is additionally a crucial factor in keeping and remaining in shape. These calories take much longer for the physical body to burn off and fatty tissue cells acquires held in the body, which could induce a person to gain weight.
What is healthy weight loss?
by
Dr. Samir
t’s natural for anyone trying to lose weight to want to lose it very quickly. But evidence shows that people who lose weight gradually and steadily (about 1 to 2 pounds
per week) are more successful at keeping weight off. Healthy weight loss isn’t just about a “diet” or “program”. It’s about an ongoing lifestyle that includes long-term changes in daily eating and exercise habits. To lose weight, you must use up more calories than you take in. Since one pound equals 3,500 calories, you need to reduce your caloric intake by 500—1000 calories per day to lose about 1 to 2 pounds per week.
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First Fit | May 2014 | firstfitnewsletter.com
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Top 5 Foods for Glowing Skin WALNUTS CTS
A with natural fatty acids and minerals, Floaded D O FO walnuts can make your skin softer and even
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out your complexion (a handful a couple times a week will get you great results)
YOGURT because it has tons of protein, calcium, and vitamins, yogurt can prevent future wrinkles, make your skin look healthier, and give you natural glow!! And it's super delicious and good for other parts of the bdy too, not just skin
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DARK CHOCOLATE
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coca holds hydrating nutrients and is loaded with antioxidants, which work to make your skinbrighter and clerer (a couple squares of 70% cacao chocolate for best results)
KALE packed full with vitamin C and iron, kale is a super food which helps prevent skin damage and irritation, and that can calm redness and inflammation, and has lots of antioxidants which help make your skin look more fresh, it's also super good for eyesight and weight loss
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BERRIES all berries, especially blueberries, are rich in vitamins and antioxidants that combat free radicals and that make your skin glow, and also have nutrients that prevent future breakouts. Fruit smoothies with fresh berries are great for all skin types
Benefits of Korean Ginseng Tea Improves energy, lowers blood sugar, improves cardiovascular health, strengthens immune system, improved memory and even can keep cancer away! 24
First Fit | May 2014 | firstfitnewsletter.com
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7 Foods That Strengthen Your Immune System
SWEET POTATOES do double-duty when it comes to fighting off infection. They're filled with beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that transforms into vitamin A, another antioxidant that keeps your skin strong and elastic, which helps keep those harmful bacteria and viruses out of your body.
GRAPEFRUIT is an excellent source of vitamin C, an antioxidant shown to attack free radicals and fight infection. Vitamin C can lessen the time it takes your body to fight off a cold.
ROAST BEEF is filled with zinc which keeps your disease-fighting cells strong and healthy. This mineral is all about immune-system activation since it also promotes cell reproduction, growth and repair.
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ALMONDS contain healthy omega-3 fats, as well as vitamin E, the fat-soluble vitamin that protects cells against oxidation and damage. Strong, healthy cells are definitely a boon to your immune system and can help your body defend itself against germs.
GARLIC not only adds amazing flavor to your foods but also gives your body allicin, an infection-fighting antioxidant that's been shown to help prevent cold and flu symptoms. SautĂŠed, roasted, grilled or raw garlic can enhance your immunity.
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SALMON is a rich source of the mineral selenium which works its magic as an antioxidant along with vitamin E. Together this duo protects cells from damage and stress that can make you susceptible to illness.
BROCCOLI is an excellent source of folate, which plays an essential role in making new body cells especially lymphocytes that search out and destroy harmful germs that invade your body.
First Fit | May 2014 | firstfitnewsletter.com
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K
CHEC L A T N
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ood dental or oral care is important to maintaining healthy teeth, gums and tongue. Oral problems, including bad breath, dry mouth, canker or cold sores, TMD, tooth decay, or thrush are all treatable with proper diagnosis and care.
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Good oral health involves more than just brushing. To keep your teeth and mouth healthy for a lifetime of use, there are steps that you should follow. Here’s what you should consider:
· ·
· Fever · Pain when chewing · Sensitivity of the teeth to hot or cold · Bitter taste in the mouth · Foul smell to the breath · Swollen neck glands General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling · Redness and swelling of the gums An open, draining sore on the side of the gum · Swollen area of the upper or lower jaw
Oral Health - Overall care Understand your own oral health needs Talk with your dentist, other oral health care specialist, or hygienist about any special conditions in your mouth and any ways in which your medical/health conditions affect your teeth or oral health. For example, cancer treatments, pregnancy, heart diseases, diabetes, dental appliances (dentures, braces) can all impact your oral health and may necessitate a change in the care of your mouth and/or teeth. Be sure to tell your dentist if you have experienced a change in your general health or in any medications you are taking since your last dental visit. Dental Health and the Abscessed Tooth An abscessed tooth is a painful infection at the root of a tooth or between the gum and a tooth. It’s most commonly caused by severe tooth decay. Other causes of tooth abscess are trauma to the tooth, such as when it is broken or chipped, and gingivitis or gum disease. These problems can cause openings in the tooth enamel, which allows bacteria to infect the center of the tooth (called the pulp). The infection may also spread from the root of the tooth to the bones supporting the tooth. What Are the Symptoms of an Abscessed Tooth? A toothache that is severe and continuous and results in gnawing or throbbing pain or sharp or shooting pain are common symptoms of an abscessed tooth. Other symptoms may include:
If the root of the tooth dies as a result of infection, the toothache may stop. However, this doesn’t mean the infection has healed; the infection remains active and continues to spread and destroy tissue. Therefore, if you experience any of the above listed symptoms, it is important to see a dentist even if the pain subsides. How Is an Abscessed Tooth Diagnosed? Your dentist will probe your teeth with a dental instrument. If you have an abscessed tooth, you will feel pain when the tooth is tapped by your dentist’s probe. Your dentist will also ask you if your pain increases when you bite down or when you close your mouth tightly. In addition, your dentist may suspect an abscessed tooth because your gums may be swollen and red. Your dentist may also take X-rays to look for erosion of the bone around the abscess. How Is an Abscessed Tooth Treated? Strategies to eliminate the infection, preserve the tooth, and prevent complications are the goals of treatment for an abscessed tooth. To eliminate infection, the abscess may need to be drained. Achieving drainage may be done through the tooth by a procedure known as a root canal. Root canal surgery may also be recommended to remove any diseased root tissue after the infection has subsided. Then, a crown may be placed over the tooth. The tooth may also be extracted, allowing drainage through the socket. Finally, a third way to drain the abscess would be by incision into the swollen gum tissue. Antibiotics are prescribed to help fight the infection. To relieve the pain and discomfort associated with an abscessed tooth, warm salt-water rinses and over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin) can be used. The inflammation and pain of abscesses may be relieved with a low-level laser, making the patient more comfortable to receive the injection in a more painless way. Can an Abscessed Tooth Be Prevented? Following good oral hygiene practices can reduce the risk of developing a tooth abscess. Also, if your teeth experiences trauma (for example, become loosened or chipped), seek prompt dental attention.
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DOCT
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Reducing Sugar and Salt Your body needs less than one gram of sodium a day. That’s under half a teaspoon of table salt. But if you are like most Americans, you consume up to four times that amount. The result? Increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. As for added sugar, most of us consume more than twice the recommended daily amount, increasing the risk of obesity, diabetes, and even depression. There dozens of foods with “hidden” sodium and sugar. For example, a tuna salad sub sandwich can have up to 1,300 milligrams of sodium — more than the daily recommendation — while a bowl of raisin bran delivers 19 grams of added sugar (the equivalent of five teaspoons!) Reducing Sugar and Salt will give you the facts about how a high-sodium diet can lower bone density, why “lactose-free” does not mean ‘’sugar-free,’’ and whether you’re wasting your money on sports drinks when water will do. Its never too late to cut on your diet soda drinks . . . Hypertension: Controlling the “silent killer” An alarming one in three American adults has high blood pressure. Known medically as hypertension, many people don’t even know they have it, because high blood pressure has no symptoms or warning signs. But when elevated blood pressure is accompanied by abnormal cholesterol and blood sugar levels, the damage to your arteries, kidneys, and heart accelerates exponentially. Fortunately, high blood pressure is easy to detect and treat. Sometimes people can keep blood pressure in a healthy range simply by making lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, increasing activity, and eating more healthfully.
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27
S
NES T I F KIDS
DRIVE & MOTIVATION – GENERATION ‘Y’ You may recall that in the last edition of First Fit I wrote about Sporting Champions and what are the ingredients for making one (if only it were that simple)! On top of physiology and opportunity there must be an intrinsic motivation, more commonly known as ‘drive’. One of the hurdles we must get over, in order to help produce a greater number of champions in this Region, is that our young people are now no longer motivated in the same way that we were. Every generation is changing so quickly and we need to adapt our teaching, coaching and delivery to meet the needs of the young person. The style of communication we choose is key here. I was lucky enough to deliver some Physical Education workshops to local schools through the Princess Haya Physical Education Initiative supported by Dubai Educational Zone. During this time one of the lead teachers, Nadia Messadi, came with me to Abu Dhabi to provide a session for American curriculum teachers on her work with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). Their very ambitious objective is to, “Make Athletics the number one participation sport in schools, to educate kids into sport in general and athletics in particular and thus promote a balanced and healthy lifestyle, and to One thing that was extremely impressive about the IAAF was a presentation that they had prepared for coaches called ‘Generation Y’. In the IAAF opening presentation they make a very bold statement about ‘Who Is Generation Y’? I thought it was inspirational and cemented something which we rarely consider. These youngsters are the future. They will lead, educate and impact our World well after us. In many cases they already know more, living in a digital fantasy with ease and far more confidence than we have. The problem is that we don’t communicate with them on the same level nor do we use the tools that they find interesting and engaging.attract and sustain the potential sporting stars of tomorrow”.
GILLIAN BRUNTON
“They have not seized power yet but the World belongs to them”!
MANAGING DIRECTOR INNERG SOLUTIONS FZE
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nnerG Solutions is committed to improving the experience for Young People across the Region by upskilling the current workforce, creating strategies for effective change and provide Innovation, Integration and Inspiration. Gillian set up INNERG SOLUTIONS in 2013 and has worked with Governments in both Dubai/Dubai Educational Zone/ Aspire Academy in Qatar/Dubai Sports Council/The Al Qasimi Foundation in RAK/Dubai Ladies Club and many International and Government schools across the Region. Gillian is championing the framework of Designed To Move (released by Nike at the CGI 2012). She is also advising large corporate organisations on Cross Sector Collaboration/CSR projects which will be implemented in the Middle East & Asia. Gillian has been a facilitator and guest speaker at EdCamps, SPARK and MENA Common Core Conferences (USA) and will be a guest speaker at The Informa Middle East Sports Conference in June 2014. Gillian Brunton – 055 104 4615 / www.innergsolutions.com / gilly@innergsolutions.com /@innergise / #innergise Kids’ Fitness: Designing a Blueprint for a Better Future!
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I won’t completely plagerise the IAAF nor the work of Nadia except to say that there is something to be said about athletics investigating and re-educating coaches on the way that young people learn. In essence they are constantly switched on to their digital World. Generation Y can operate 5 devises in one sitting. They seemingly get access to everything they need immediately. They are so multi-faceted become actually become bored if they only have one thing to do. Their internal motivation is to move from level to level, without feeling too threatened or pressured. Think of the games-station (without naming the best sellers)! You compete against yourself or sometimes against other players. Essentially though you are instructed, aided and assisted through a plethora of activities and stages moving through levels and up the ladder of success. What a euphoric feeling! Then, should you fail no problem! Practice and repeat until you are able to move up to the next level. The end is always in site should it be Level 2 or Level 1002 and no one is breathing down your neck or assessing you! The motivation of the individual is to be better than they were yesterday. No mention of grades or meeting a required level within a set time period. No mention of being ‘paid’ or rewarded in gifts for doing better. No external motivators here. So, why aren’t we
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KIDS
working on this when we deliver? Why is the pressure and expectation different? Why do we make open comparisons to other ‘players’ in our sessions and to pre-determined grades/scores? Where is the maturational age considered? Why are we forcing all ‘players’ to work at the same rate and on the same game? One thing that I tried with a group of high-deprivation students in Central London was the use of IPad and instruction through games stations and also delivery through IPod. The students loved listening to the instruction and then teaching one-another. Podcasts and video would be pre-prepared and then given to the students to figure out for themselves. The use of flashcards with very little intervention from teachers surprised everyone. The motivation was for the students to work in small teams and teach one-another. They were already used to this style of learning through the games console. Virtual Reality Instructional Content and play packages are something that the University of Illinois, USA have been trialing for some-time. Resourceful repititon is how one coach described the use of ‘games style play’ to improve play on the field, in a competitive situation, with specific play packages launched in January of this year. A study by Qiaoping Chen, from the Department of Physical Education - Yiwu Industrial and Commercial College, looked at the motivation levels of students using multimedia teaching and found that they had a very positive effect on sparking motivation within his tested student population. He suggested that:
FITNE SS
of multimedia technology in the area of teaching especially its use in physical education teaching is of vital importance in terms of enhancing students’ learning interests and strengthening their sports motivation”. He then went on to suggest that in order to arouse sports motivation that the deliverer must tailor measures to ‘fit’ with geographical and cultural situations in order to promote the learning enthusiasm of the students effectively and also arouse their sports motivation. Images and graphics must be related to and reflect the local population so that young people can visualise themselves in that situation. It doesn’t matter if you are 7 years old or 97 years old. Fun is fun is fun and it is time that instructors, coaches, teachers and parents worked on learning more about Generation Y! How can we improvise our instructional area and change equipment to make our sessions more appealing to this next generation? Could we implement technology more readily and effectively to increase the difficulty and progression? Could we offer the use of technology to more young people and increase participation? I will leave that with you WE ARE DESIGNED TO MOVE!
“Multimedia technology can disseminate information for the students in several ways, which can motivate students’ learning enthusiasm and initiatives to a great extent. Therefore, application
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First Fit | May 2014 | firstfitnewsletter.com
29
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5 Makeup Tips for looking younger!
Which Hairstyle Suits You?
M
akeup Artist Shweta Sachani reveals how to reduce years off your age with Makeup- in minutes!
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t’s often said that a woman’s hair is her crowning glory. simply put, if the wrong hairstyle is created for the wrong face shape, the results can be a disaster!
Hairstyles are predominantly about shape and geometry. It’s all about putting the perfect frame around a persons to enhance positive features and minimise the negative ones
Conceal the deal – Concealer has the most important job of all the makeup products we put on our faces -- to hide the imperfections we’d rather not show. The most common mistake we do with our concealer is the most basic one. We don’t match it with our skin tone. All you need is a liquid concealer with lifting ingredients and loose powder to hide those under- eye bags. The lifting ingredient like Vitamin A will help prevent the concealer from settling into the creases. If you have dark pigmentation, make sure you use the heavy coverage of a cream concealer since they have a thicker texture with less oil than liquid, so they last longer.
Once this objective is achieved then colours and textures will bring the hairstyle to life Brighten Up - The easiest way to create a youthful, dewy complexion, a cheek highlighter will help turn back the clock. With passing years, our VAL FACE cheekbones become more sunken in- If you don’t have it, fake it with some If you find that you have an oval face shape then you’re in help from the best highlighters. The three main areas that you should apply luck. Having an oval face shape means you can wear your make up highlighter to include the cheekbones and temples, the eyes and hair in almost any style. So relish this and let your imagination loose the Cupid bow (the area on your upper lip). When applying to cheeks, and take centre stage Round Face blend highlighter on the highest point of the cheekbones, up towards the The object is to add length and avoid width. The hairstyles to try temple. For eyes, blend highare ones with height and fullness at the crown. This will give the lighter underneath the eyeillusion of a narrower face shape. Also, middle partings are great for creating the illusion of a narrow length. Fringes/Bangs should be brow on the brow bone and swept across into the inner crease. And when applying to the Cupid Avoid hairstyles that add volume through the sides, side partings and heavy straight across fringes Actress Charlize Theron has an bow, just put on a light dab oval face shape and add a touch underneath the bottom lip as well. quare Faces
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Wear Plumping Lipgloss Thinning lips is another sign of aging. Although you can’t turn back the clock and make your lips full like they once were, you can help give the effect of fuller more Avoid hairstyles with a heavy, straight fringe/bangs. Middle part- supple lips by using a plumping lipgloss. Lip gloss will give your whole face a youthful glow. Try skipping the lipstick and just wear lip gloss instead. ings are not flattering on this face shape With a square face shape, your main aim should be to soften your strong jawline. Hairstyles to try are wispy, forward falling hair onto your face will soften your strong jawline. Wearing a fringe/ bangs over to one side will create diagonal movement to minimise square shapes. Styles with height at the crown will also work in your favour
Actress Demi Moore has a square face shape
Wing your liner - Just like curling your eyelashes, winging out your liner can give an instant lift to your eyes. As we age, our eyes begin to somewhat eart Shape droop. By winging out your liner you are instantly giving your eyes the Heart face shapes need to add some length to their shape appearance that they are being pulled upward. and to create width around narrow chins. Any textured chin length hairstyles will suit best. Make sure any fringes/bangs are side swept and long. A middle parting only on long hair with layers Lash Out- Improving the length and volume of your lashes, can in fact turn through the sides frame the chin and create the illusion of vertical back the clock. Long, thick lashes give you an instant “eye-lift” without surlength gery. They make you instantly look younger, more alert, and prettier. Like Avoid short, full hairstyles and fringes/bangs that are cut straight your skin, your brows and lashes tend to lose some of their vavoom as the years tick on, so by helping them retain their strength, length and volume, across you’re keeping them in their prime. Be sure to do 3 coats of black mascara Actress Reese Witherspoon has a heart shaped face on your TOP LASHES only. Bottom lashes only need 1 coat.
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No matter what the face shape , there is a style to suit all . Have an in depth consultation with your hairdresser and always keep your Do one or more of these steps and you will be ready for your Spotlight! face shape in mind when considering hairstyles to get the best out By of your hair By
Zara Majeed
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First Fit | May 2014 | firstfitnewsletter.com
Shweta Sachani
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Toffee Honey Cheesecake served with Lime infused sultanas Method Ingredients *Base take 500 grams digestive biscuits place in blender Base and blitz till smooth 500g Digestive Biscuits *Add in clarified butter and Mix well Filling *Place in cake tin lined with grease proof paper 200g cream cheese *Make sure it is evenly spread, 50g Crème Fraiche *Place in fridge and allow to set . 35g honey Toffee sauce 2 Tablespoons Lemon juice *Place butter in bottom of pan then place sugar on top and 50 ml Double Cream allow to infuse Toffee Sauce *Once this is done add Cream and leave on a low heat until 50g double cream you have a nice toffee texture. Allow to cool. 50g Brown sugar Filling 1ml vanilla essence *Whip the cream till just peaking. 25g butter *Add in cream cheese & Crème Fraiche and slowly mix Lime Infused sultanas altogether. 50g sultanas *Add Toffee sauce, place on top of pre done base and 25ml Lime Juice spread evenly. 5g lime zest *Cling film and leave in fridge for at least 12 hrs. 50g brown sugar Lime infused sultanas Place sugar in pot and add lime juice. Allow to come to simmer then add Sultanas and place on a low heat for ten minutes. Best served warm.
Toffee Honey Cheesecake served with Lime infused sultanas Ingredients Sauce 120g marinated hanger steak. 100 gram unsalted butter Base 4 egg yolks 500g Digestive Biscuits Method 10 gram chopped tarragon . Filling Baton out steak and marinate for 6 hours 200g cheese (50mlcream olive oil, Garlic, oregano, thyme Bernaise Sauce Method 50g andCrème parsley)Fraiche Place 20 ml of the reduction over a baine-marie (pot of 35g honey boiled water with a heat proof dish on top) allow to warm ml GrillDouble for oneCreamToffee minute each side. add egg yolks and whisk constantly until double in volume Sauce then slowly add in butter until a smooth consistency 50g double Sauce cream Bernaise whisking constantly . Add in tarragon and Serve warm. 50g Brown sugar Reduction 1ml essence 200vanilla ml balsamic white vinegar Fries 2 gram tarragon 25g butter Deep fry fries, once cooked toss fries 1 gram bay leaf Lime Infused sultanas with a pinch of parsley, lemon juice and pinch salt 2 gram white pepper corn 50g sultanas 25ml Lime Juice Place ingredients in a pot and reduce 5g limeonzest by half. Allow to cool . 50g brown sugar Lime infused sultanas
Steak
Place sugar in pot and add lime juice. Allow to come to simmer then add Sultanas and place onwith a low heat for ten minutes. Best served warm. Frites Bernaise sauce
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por s z end r t In
WORLD OF CR The CrossFit Games are the world’s premier test to find the Fittest on Earth™. They are world-renowned as a grueling test for the world’s toughest athletes and a thrilling experience for spectators. Since its inception in 2007, the CrossFit Games have become “one of the fastest growing sports in America,” according to Forbes. There is no other true test of fitness The Games were created to fill a void — no other true test of fitness existed. From Ironman triathlons to the NFL, all other athletic events neglected to accurately test fitness. Even decathlons, while testing a relatively wide range of abilities, missed vital components of physical fitness. CrossFit Games events are made up a broad range of functional movements. Functional movements move large loads, long distances, quickly. These movements also form the basis of our exercise program. Make no mistake—the CrossFit Games are designed to test, not train fitness. The goal is to find the fittest athletes, not to produce an easily replicable workout program. The Games are a three-stage journey The Games season is broken up into three stages. The first step is the Open, a worldwide, inclusive, five-week competition that kicks off early in the spring. The top athletes from the Open in each of the 17 regions around the world will qualify for the second stage of the competition— Regionals, a three-day, live competition. At the Games, thousands of participants will be whittled down to around 100 of the fittest men and women in the world. A key element to a fair test of fitness is the unknown and unknowable. Athletes cannot train for what they do not know. At each CrossFit Games, the athletes engage in a series of challenges unknown to them until right before the competition. The combination of highly-trained athletes and unknown workouts makes for an explosive mix. May only the best win The Games are a playing field where the fittest athletes are given a
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First Fit | May 2014 | firstfitnewsletter.com
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ROSSFIT TREND chance to distinguish themselves through consistently exceptional performances. In a single weekend, the CrossFit Games test athletes’ capabilities across broad time and modal domains. A wide variety of different events are intentionally included. In the past, these have ranged from dusty hill sprints to sandbag carries to ocean swims and endurance events. Future events will include even more surprises. In order to be satisfied that the CrossFit Games winners are truly the Fittest on Earth™, we need to be confident the champions would also win other good tests of fitness. Scoring The Games uses a relative scoring system. That is, athletes are rewarded according to their placing in each event relative to their peers—not according to their absolute performance on that event. To the degree which we’ve done our job, the Games athletes are the 50 fittest men and 50 fittest women on earth. All of them have qualified through multiple steps to get there. It’s up to the Games to determine who among them is the fittest. A growing sport Interest in this sport continues to increase, along with the size of the CrossFit community. Last year at this time, there were just more than 5,000 affiliates.
In t ren dz spo rts
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aby swimming is one of the most rewarding activities parents choose to do with their babies and is a great way of bonding whilst providing the opportunity to learn life long skills. Gemma at Baby Bubbles UAE - a subdivision of Mirage Swimming Academy - teaches parents how to teach their babies to swim by using voice commands to instruct their babies to respond to directions.
it can help a child to float, we do not use them in our classes. The armbands allow a baby to float in a vertical position whereas swimming usually is done in a horizontal position. We teach our babies to be confident in the water and at the same time to have respect for it without buoyancy aids. There is a lot of hype over balance bikes right now, and Dan James at The Cycle Hub truly believe that they deserve it! For starters they are much safer and more practical than a bike with training wheels. Bikes with training wheels tend to tip over. The balance bike makes the child focus on just balancing which inherently develops motor skills and brain development before worrying about pedalling. Learning to balance on a bike at such a young age minimises the child’s chances of endless falls and cut knees. When they finally take up bicycles with pedals most children can bypass a bicycle with stabilisers. The balance bike allows a child to start riding a bike at a much earlier age compared to a 12inch bike with pedals as the frames tend to be slightly smaller. The good thing here is that a child can be able to “fit” from an earlier age as the saddle height can be adjusted to a low enough position and still raised as the child grows.
Swimming and bike riding for babies and toddlers Babies are taught how to be ready for underwater swims holding their breath, holding on to the side of the pool, turning around, kicking and having fun along the way. Baby swimming is a great form of exercise as the water fully supports the babies, allowing them to move more freely than they do on land. Swimming helps with strength development for their muscles and prevents developing a fear of the water. When babies are introduced to the classes at a young age, their first memories of the water and swimming are those of fun, enjoyment and water safety. In Dubai we are lucky to have all year round access to pools, beaches, water parks etc. Whilst this is certainly a huge benefit of living here, it also leaves parents with huge concerns regarding their child’s water safety, with drowning being one of the largest accidental deaths in children worldwide. Floating devices can be used but they do tend to give a false sense of security to the child and to the parent. The child can become dependent on them and feel insecure in the water when not wearing them. Some parents opt for the use of armbands. Although 34
First Fit | May 2014 | firstfitnewsletter.com
A gift that keeps on giving, a balance bike can always pass on to a newer family member or a friend – resale value tends to stay quite high as they are sturdy and never go out of function.
The Cycle Hub offers SPECIALIZED balance bikes that are extremely durable and long lasting, their small size means that they are easy to transport. All of their bikes are safety checked before leaving The Cycle Hub and also come with a free eight week safety check. Visit The Cycle Hub at Dubai Motor City, call 04 425 6555 or email dan@thecyclehub.com; They are open every day and have plenty of space for kids to ride inside the shop! Children love the sense of accomplishment they get from riding a bike and a balance bike is a major step towards this joyous feeling!
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