April's issue

April 2016

Fitness MAGAZINE

The Secret to Being FABULOUS over

40

Sculpt Your Body With Kettlebells

Yolks: An Extensive Egg What You Have

Guide To Functional Fitness Switch off Your Hunger Pangs

Been Missing

12

Benefits of Yoga

Contents aPRIL 2016

Nutrition

20 Frozen Berry & Ginger Nut Yogurt 22 24 26 28

18

30

Pops Switch off Your Hunger Pangs 8 Bad Habits That Make You Fat Pregnancy Nutrition: Get Your Needs without Falling for These Myths Egg Yolks: What You Have Been Missing Ground Beef Stroganoff

Jump Your Way to a Lean Physique

22

Switch off Your Hunger Pangs

Fitness 10 The Secret to Being 12 14 16 18

over Forty and Fabulous!

How Can Yoga Help Me Lose Weight?

The Importance of Flexibility Training Sculpt Your Body With Kettlebells Jump Your Way to a Lean Physique

2 | April 2016

The Fitness Magazine Team

34

The 12 Benefits of Yoga that Everyone Needs to Survive (Part -3 Spiritual Benefits )

23 Emad El Din Kamel St., Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt Tel/Fax: (+202) 22627533 Mobile: 01115683666

Body & soul 32 Save Your Energy 34 The 12 Benefits of Yoga

that Everyone Needs to Survive (Part -3 Spiritual Benefits )

The game 36 Physical Fitness for Real Life Functions 38 An Extensive Guide to Functional Training

STYLEs & FEATURES 45 Fight and Fitness 46 48

50 52

Factory: Getting Forged with Crossfit Get Ready for Cairo Runners’ Half Marathon This Month Alameda O.N. Triathlon Team Is Haunting New Champions from the Arab World Shop The Latest Footwear & Apparel Portable Gadgets You Want to Have in 2016

4 | April 2016

Owner/Founder: Zeyad Sorour Editor-in-Chief: Ahmed El khodary Managing Editor : Christine Kassasseya Sales & PR Director: Naira El lamei Marketing & Project Director: Samar Zaki Art Director: Eman Salama Senior Graphic Designer: Marina raafat Financial Director: Haitham Hamouda Distribution: Ahmed Mohamed Youssef, Ahmed Fawzy, Mohamed Abd El Nasser & Alaa hussein

38

An Extensive Guide to Functional Training

The fitness Magazine Thefitnessmagazine www.thefitnessmagazineeg.com

In every issue 44 54 56 58

Fit Facts Meet The Experts Upcoming Events The Fitters

Contributors

Rowana Badry

BeFit Coach, Certified Fitness Trainer, ISSA Certified Fitness Nutritionist, SFN

Earned Masters Degree in Education and currently works as an elementary school teacher, Rowana’s passion for fitness is incomparable. She comes from an extensive athletic background as an ex-professional basketball player. Nutrition is her way of life and being fit is her lifestyle.

Email: rowanabadry@live.com Instagram: @rowana_badry Facebook: Rowana Badry

Jasmin Çakmakçı

Trainer and Group Class Instructor

Trainer at Prime Fitness and Spa VIP 4th Fittest Woman in the Middle East After years of training in a variety of fields, Jasmin was able to expand her knowledge in the fitness world based on her first hand experiences and experiments, constant search for fact based readings, and her ability to follow instructions only after knowing the reason behind them. She believes that basics and permanent lifestyle changes are the key to a healthy and balanced life.

Instagram: ysemins Email: ysemin.cakmakci@gmail.com

Dr. Ahmed Mostafa

Victoria Haig

He holds a BA in Physiotherapy from Cairo University. Upon graduation, he specialized in Spinal Injuries in McKenzie Institute UK and Sports Injuries Managements in Cairo University. He earned Specialist in Performance Nutrition from International Sports Science Association (ISSA). He holds certificate in Fitness and Obesity Nutrition from National Institute of Nutrition and Nutrition Certificate from National Research Center. He also has Advanced Life Support Certificate from Nasser Institute Hospital and CPR from American Red Cross.

Email: drahmedmostafapt@yahoo.com Tel: (+2) 011 122 864 73

Ten years in the Health & Fitness Industry as a Nutritionist in Madrid, Beijing, and now at CrossFit Stars Cairo.

Victoria has created Healthy Meal Advisor (a healthy lifestyle ecosystem) to show people how healthy nutrient dense food can be tasty, how their plates should look like, and which foods in which proportions they should eat. Victoria practices ‘aware’ eating helping to educate the client: ‘everything we eat is either feeding disease or fighting it’ – encouraging the client to make their healthy eating a lifestyle not a diet. Victoria is also a mother and fitness junkie with several NASM certs.

“Shifting your mindset to shift your weight.”

Healthcare and Nutrition Manager of Gold’s Gym Heliopolis

6 | April 2016

BSc and Fitness Nutritionist Specialist from the National Association of Sports Medicine USA

Have it at Your Home

5, Abou El Feda Street, Om Kolthoom Hotel, Zamalek.

For delivery call: 0101-222-8818 or 02-2737-2551

Noura Hassaballa Nutritional Consultant

Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and Nutrition holder from Northern Illinois University, USA. With great passion, she decided to pursue her successful career in Egypt as a nutritionist, with the mission of raising awareness on developing a healthy eating lifestyle, in addition to being one of the presenters of Dr. Chef on MBC 4. She is also the founder of Diet Rite Nutrition Center.

Email: noura.hassaballa@gmail.com Facebook: Noura Hassaballa

Dr. Omar Mamdouh

Pharmacist, Personal Trainer and Nutrition Specialist at Gold’s Gym Heliopolis.

Earned Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science and a Diploma in Clinical Pharmacotherapy. Certified Personal Trainer from ACE IFT® (Integrated Fitness Training Model, American Council on Exercise), NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies, U.S.) and U.S. Bureau of labor. Member of USREPS (U.S. Registry of Exercise Professionals). Precision Nutrition Level 1 Coach, Canada (Pn L1).

Specialist in Fitness Nutrition from International Sports Sciences Association, U.S.(ISSA). Sports Nutrition from American Sports and Fitness Association (ASFA). CPR/AED from American Heart Association (AHA). Certified Presenter and Trainer from Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), UK at Logic Training and HR Development, where he held presentations about Goal settings and Self-motivation. It’s never too late to start a new healthy lifestyle.

E-mail: omar.mamdouh.nutrition@gmail.com Instagram: omar_mamdouh_

Sandra Shama Kaur

Founder of YallaYoga Center

She is the founder of YallaYoga Center in Heliopolis and a pioneer in repackaging Yogic based solutions for Mind & Health Management.

In 2012, she completed Yoga Teacher Training at the Kundalini Research Institute, New Mexico, USA. Upon her return, she founded YallaYoga, the center that seeks to create a community of people who are keen to live life with more awareness, better health, and in service to assist one another. She is a Yoga educator, offering group classes, one-on-one sessions and public talks across Egypt.

Yasmine Shahine Life Coach

An Associate Certified Life Coach (ACC) by the International Coach Federation (ICF). At the begining of her coaching career, she engaged herself in ONE on ONE coaching and through the years she developed her own tailor-made coaching programs for people and companies to develop their potentials and awareness.

Email: yshahine@whycoachegypt.com Facebook:YasmineShahineLifeCoaching YouTube:YasmineSLifeCoaching 8 | April 2016

Shereen Elbaz

Instructor

Graduated in 2008 from the American University in Cairo with a BA in Political Science and another one in Modern World History.

She has always had a passion for teaching because for her, it feels like she is making a difference every day. Therefore, she decided to make use of it by becoming an English and History teacher.

Shereen has always been a fitness enthusiast, and in 2014, she decided to combine both her passion for teaching and enthusiasm for fitness by becoming a UGI fitness, pole fitness, Jumping fitness, licensed zumba fitness, and Peak Pilates instructor.

Fitness

The Secret to Being over Forty and Fabulous!

By: Victoria Haig

U

se it or lose it! You’ve probably heard this expression before and I can’t think of a better way to describe what happens as a result of our body aging. As early as in your forties issues start to arise such as: sore back, joint stiffness, sleep troubles, and a comprised metabolism. The good news is that most of these symptoms of aging can be significantly slowed and possibly reversed by improving your strength and flexibility.

In fact many of the symptoms of old age – muscle loss, depleted metabolism, and bone weakness are actually predominantly symptoms of inactivity – there is a wealth of research showing that strength training in particular offers a host of benefits and it is as close as we have come to discovering the fountain of youth. You only have to look at celebrities likes Jennifer Lopez and Joe Manganiello to confirm that strength training helps keep you fabulous over forty.

10 | April 2016

There is no doubt that genetics, smoking, and alcohol use have an impact on the rate at which our body declines – but inactivity may be the greatest factor of all. While many older adults are keenly aware that they need regular aerobic exercise like walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming to improve their heart and lungs, few do any type of strength training. They are missing out on a huge opportunity as increasingly research is proving that strength training, in fact, is the ONLY type of training that can reverse what was once considered the inevitable symptoms of aging such as a decline in muscle mass, a loss of bone density and strength.

If these physical improvements are not enough to convince you, then add to these benefits improved digestion, intellectual capacity, sleeping patterns, better mood, less likelihood of depression, and even increased productivity. So physiologically and psychologically, weight training provides a huge return on the time you invest in it.

Today many gyms are filled with men and women over forty who do a lot of exercise but

not in the proper way – they tend to gravitate toward cardio machines and group exercise classes. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons older adults refrain from pumping iron is the intimidating nature of the free weights area in any gym.

So we’ve established that strength training undoubtedly yields tremendous benefits – but getting started over forty can present a few challenges. To address this, outlined below are five simple steps toward getting the most out of it: I. The American College of Sports Medicine have specific guidelines for people over fifty. They advise weight training 3 times a week and working all the major muscle groups including arms, legs, and core. The goal should be to lift a weight heavy enough to achieve 10-15 reps before the muscle becomes fatigued.

II. Focus on form over speed, slow and controlled movements with full available pain free range of motion – if you are unsure of the correct technique start working with a personal trainer to avoid injury.

III. If you are a complete beginner, starting with machines can be useful as they will enforce correct technique, later you can move onto free weights which require more balance and coordination.

IV. If you are a woman over forty and you feel daunted by the gym floor please note strength training can be done at home with few simple tools. It is a convenient hasslefree environment in which to enjoy a healthy workout.

V. Preventing injury should be a priority; rest between sessions to recover and avoid injury.

Strains, sprains, and tissue damage can take weeks or even months to heal so although muscles should be worked until fatigued, if you feel joint or nerve pain you are probably pushing too hard. Please note it is normal to experience some muscle pain or soreness the day after lifting.

Now that you have the irrefutable evidence that strength training will improve your physical and mental wellbeing coupled with some basic guidelines, it’s time to start pumping some iron. See you at the weight rack!

April 2016 | 11

Fitness

How Can Yoga Help Me Lose Weight?

By: Sandra Shama Kaur

12 | April 2016

Almost everyone I meet, myself included, wants to lose some weight. Whether it’s to fit in a dress at a wedding, that bikini on the beach, or to reverse that guilty feeling of binging and falling for temptations – everyone wants to lose weight.

sun salutations, jogging on the spot, crow squats, frogs (Kundalini favorite), which not only strengthens the largest muscles in the body, such as glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, but also improves mobility and flexibility.

Engaging in an exercise program and following a weekly diet plan are two excellent ways to start on the weight loss journey, but what about yoga? How can it contribute?

Tips:

What I learn through my weight loss journey with yoga is that sometimes the answer is not in high intensity workouts, but it’s actually in the combination of exercise, diet, rest/relaxation, and restoring the relationship with oneself.

Have you ever been part of an exercise or diet program and hit a wall? You know when you’re doing everything right, exercise frequently, eating the right amount and type of food, but you are still not losing weight?

I have certainly been there.

The thing is as long as we are running high on adrenaline (the fight or flight hormone which zaps the body into a state of survival), cortisol is released in the body (which tells your body to produce more insulin) thereby increasing cravings for carbohydrates and sugar, making it impossible to lose weight.

So can you imagine how much adrenaline and cortisol are released into the body when we are always on the run? Moving quickly from one thing to another? Having little or no time for rest or relaxation?

On a physical level, yoga works on the adrenal glands – regulates the stress response - and thyroid glands – regulates metabolism and weight. Moreover, yoga integrates high intensity exercises such as

1.Sun Salutations: Perform 10-20 rounds 2.Planks: Hold for 5-10 breaths 3.Warrior 1, 2, 3: Hold each for 10-15 breaths and repeat 3 times 4.Chair Pose: Hold for 5-10 breaths and repeat 3 times 5.Running On The Spot: 3-5 minutes 6.Crow Squats: 30 reps In Kundalini yoga, you will often find these exercises combined with a powerful breath known as rapid breath of fire, which builds an extremely intense heat that is capable of burning fats, boosting digestion, and improving metabolic rate.

In addition, some yoga postures work directly on the stomach, intestines, colon, and liver, which support overall digestion of food, assimilation of nutrients, and elimination of toxins in the body. Keep in mind that it is more likely to gain weight when we are not eliminating wastes from the body efficiently, as toxic waste products remain in the intestinal wall, leaving the body feeling clogged up and heavy. So more yoga, means less heaviness and more lightness.

On a mental level, what I love the most about Kundalini yoga is the little breaks (usually between 1-3 minutes) that we get between the exercises to breathe, integrate the energy, and reconnect the body with the mind (listening to your own negative self talk) “why am I so fat? Why is she/he doing this exercise better than me? When will I ever lose weight? Why did I do this to myself?

Why am I so weak?”

Tips:

1.Journal writings – What is your negative chattering mind telling you? How can you reverse it and cultivate self love and compassion?

2.Say a prayer before eating your food 3.Cook with love and gratitude 4.Chew very slowly! Your stomach has no teeth My favorite teaches are those who are sensitive enough to notice when we are struggling and gentle remind us to focus on the breath, become aware of our negative thoughts, and to transform negative self talk into self-love and acceptance.

On an emotional level, what I love about yoga is that first it makes us more aware of our emotional patterns and second provides us with the tools to change our state. If you’re like me, you probably noticed how common it is to eat as a reaction to anger, disappointment, fear, worry or even in celebration. But, really, if we go back to our roots and try to understand why God created food in the first place, it was purely for nourishing and sustaining the body so we can live do. As you’ve heard it being said before– eat to live don’t live to eat! Check out these tools that yoga offers for weight loss: 1.Long Deep Breathing : 3- 5 minutes before meals and bed time What it does: This breath fills the stomach with a lot of air, which reduces hunger and speeds up fullness levels. Moreover, it activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which gives us a calm and relaxed feeling before having a meal. So our portions become smaller and our food choices reach fullness level faster.

2.Alternate Nostril Breathing: 6-11 minutes What it does: This breath releases excessive worrying, thinking, and brain activity. It effectively balances the right and left hemispheres of the brain thereby allowing us to see the big picture whilst we are stuck in the day-to-day micro-details.

3.Stiali Pranayam: 3-5 minutes What it does: This is a cooling breath that works on reducing cravings.

Want to hear more about yoga and weight loss?

Email me at shama@yallayogacenter.com and find out about our upcoming 20- Day Yoga Weight Loss Challenge this April!

April 2016 | 13

Fitness

The Importance of Flexibility Training By: Shereen Elbaz

Exercising in all its forms is very important for our physical and mental well-being. However, if you were to ask anyone, “what does your workout regimen include?” I bet you anything that the majority of the answers will include cardio and strength training. Which is great!

But, what about flexibility?

Now, let’s get one thing straight.

Flexibility training is not only for gymnasts and ballerinas! We should all do it, and here are the reasons why.

14 | April 2016

Benefits of Flexibility Training: 1.

It reduces the risk of injury during exercise and daily activities because muscles are more elastic.

2.

Improves the performance of everyday activities as well as performance during exercise and sport, as it gives your joints a wider range of motion.

Helps in reducing stress within the exercising muscles and releases tension developed during the workout.

Assists with posture as it releases the tension placed across the joints by the muscles surrounding it through lengthening it.

3.

4.

Frequency of Flexibility Training and Its Duration:

Flexibility training is key, as mentioned earlier, so it should be included after every single workout to encourage muscle growth and lengthen it.

The duration of the flexibility component depends on the needs and motivation of each person. In most cases, flexibility training should last around 5 to 10 minutes. If a person is looking for muscle recovery, then the stretch of each muscle should be held for around 10 to 15 seconds. However, if increasing flexibility is the target, then each stretch should be held for 30 to 60 seconds.

Flexibility Techniques:

Flexibility training could be performed in two forms, statically or dynamically. Whichever one you choose to conduct, you must make sure that your body’s temperature is elevated after a thorough warm-up.

Static is holding- usually 30-60 seconds per stretch. While Dynamic is movement based, where for instance you perform leg swings, trunk rotations, or arm rotations to “loosen” up the joints and muscles before exercise sessions.

Give It a Shot!

Last but not least, you could do your flexibility training on your own, or what’s even better is to try out one of the methods of flexibility training that promote relaxation, such as yoga, or Pilates. Find a class near you and give it a shot!

Photo Credit: Basma Fathy

April 2016 | 15

Fitness

Sculpt Your Body with

I

Kettlebells By: Jasmin Çakmakçı

f you have been visiting a gym or watching workout videos on Youtube, you have most probably seen a round weight with a handle known as a kettlebell. Kettlebells were introduced as training equipment by a Russian man called Vladislav Kraevsky in the late 1800s, but were used by Russian farmers to weigh the crop earlier in the 1700s.

Nowadays, kettlebells have established their place in the fitness world and are there to stay.

A kettlebell’s center of mass is different than that of a dumbbell and because of its shape, it provides unstable forces when held, which in turn activates your stabilising muscles and increases effectiveness of your workout. Most of the kettlebell movements are ballistic and include several muscles which will result in more calories burned.

Ballistic movement means rapid movement of the limbs which, once initiated, can’t be modified, like throwing a ball.

Kettlebell training is an excellent way to increase your fitness level and get in shape! It’s accessible to everyone who owns a pair of kettlebells and there is a wide

Burpee Push Up

variety of exercises you can do with them. Kettlebell training will spike up your endurance, make you stronger, add some wanted muscle mass, and easily incorporate full body movements. While working out with a kettlebell, keep your core tight and back straight. Pay close attention to the correct technique and don’t go too heavy too early.

In this workout, every exercise will be performed every minute on the minute, which means that you will start a new exercise at every new minute. Perform the amount of given repetitions and rest the remaining time until the next minute. Choose weights which are challenging for you (average weights for women are 4 – 8 kg and for men 8 – 12 kg).

This kettlebell workout takes only 20 minutes so it’s perfect if you are tight on time or want to include some cardio in your workout after weight training. It will not only burn calories when you are doing it but also up to 24 hours after you have finished the workout.

5 rounds • 10 burpee push ups • 20 goblet squats • 15 double kettlebell swings • 20 suitcase deadlifts

This exercise can be modified for anyone. You can skip the jumping part or perform it without weights and do the push up with your knees on the ground.

Stand with your feet at shoulder width and hold a kettlebell in each hand. Lower the kettlebells down next to your feet and jump back to a plank position. Before

16 | April 2016

jumping back, make sure that you are balanced on the kettlebells as it is easy to topple over. From the plank position, perform a push up by bending your arms. Keep your back straight, elbows pointing backwards, and core tight. After performing a push up, jump back placing your feet next to the kettlebells. Make sure to keep your back straight and jump up holding the kettlebells in your hands.

Goblet Squat

Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width. Hold the kettlebell with two hands and let it rest on your chest. Lower yourself down so that your legs break parallel.

By squeezing your glutes, stand back up.

Make sure that your knees are tracking your toes and aren’t leaning in while squatting. Your back should have the neutral arch at all times and should not bend at any point.

Double Kettlebell Swing

Stand with feet wider than shoulder width and pick up the kettlebells, one with each hand.

Bend your legs slightly and place the kettlebells between your legs so that your palms are facing each other. By contracting your glutes, hamstrings, and quads, straighten your legs and swing the kettlebells to an eye level turning the palms facing the ground. Remember to keep your back straight and core tight. Let the kettlebells fall back between your legs and repeat.

Suitcase Deadlift

Stand upright in between two kettlebells. Descend down by bending your legs but don’t perform a squat. Pick up the kettlebells and stand up by squeezing your glutes, hamstrings, and quads. Keep your core tight and back straight. Lower the kettlebells to the floor and repeat.

April 2016 | 17

Fitness

Jump Your Way to a Lean Physique By: Rowana Badry

S

ummer is just around the corner, and we all have been hiding under those oversized sweaters.

As we start to get rid of those winter layers, we realize that even though we have been working out, some fat got stored and we are definitely not ready for the beach. Below are some exercises that you could include in your workout regimen, which will help expedite the process of getting that leaner physique ready by summer time.

HIIT Interval Running:

This regimen is among the best, not only that you will drop those extra kilos of fat, but you’ll enhance your cardiovascular endurance, too. You can do this workout on a gorgeous day outside or on the treadmill; all you need is good music and a timer.

Basically, this routine lasts 20 minutes divided into 1-minute sprint followed by 1-minute speed walk, etc. Include this post a strength session and you will see wonders.

18 | April 2016

Power Conditioning Circuit:

All you need is your body and some energy for twenty minutes. Go for 6 rounds of: • 10 Box Jumps • 10 Burpees • 10 Sit-Ups • 45 Low Plank Hold

Sweat It out Power Endurance: All you need is a pair of weight and some energetic music. Perform the following exercises for 21 minutes and try to do as many rounds as you can: • 12 Push Presses (heavy or moderate) • 12 Goblet Squats (heavy or moderate) • 12 Push-Ups • 12 Atomic Sit-Ups • 30 Sec Sprint (Go all out on this one)

Jump rope is an effective way to demolish body fat. Perform 6 rounds of the below circuit. You will get into a better cardiovascular endurance slowly, but surely: • 400-meter Run • 10 Burpees • 50 Single Rope Skips • 10 Burpees • 50 Single Rope Skips • 400-meter Run Try to incorporate those workouts in your weekly routine, minimum four days a week for faster results before summer. However, this has to be done in the company of clean eating, because you can never benefit from a bad diet. Try to eat clean, high protein diet, limit your carb intake according to your activity level, and increase the healthy fats in moderation to your allowed calorie intake per day. Eat the colors of the rainbow in each meal, a lot of vegetables, and beware that fruits are high in sugar so don’t let that fool you. Eat fruits like green apples, grapefruits, and all kinds of mixed berries.

Some of us don’t realize that in order to achieve a leaner physique faster, we need to drink a lot of water to lose water retention and avoid dehydration. Yes, water will make you lose weight and look leaner than you ever thought possible. Just focus on how much water you drink per day. Not only will your body benefit from water, but also your skin and your organs.

Furthermore, you need to balance between eating healthy, exercising, and getting a good amount of sleep. Sleep is essential for vital activities, thus it is crucial to give your body the rest it needs and allow time for recovery before you do the next day’s intense session.

If you balance between all components, you will not only look healthy and fresh, but you will also feel amazing and lean.

April 2016 | 19

Nutrition What You Didn’t Know About Cereal Bars?

Healthy snacking is an optimal way to combat hunger in between meals, nourish the body with essential nutrients, and boost your energy prior to a training session. Choosing a snack that mixes fiber, protein, carbs, and essential vitamins can ultimately revitalize your body and support speedy weight loss. Rich in fresh ingredients like oats, dried fruits, nuts, and spices, Nutrifit provides the ultimate selection of healthy, delicious snack bars. Temmy’s introduced three delightful snack bars with assorted fillings to deliver an outstanding experience. Whether you are at university, gym, or office, grab one bar and enjoy heart-appealing feeling for hours. And if you want to follow up on how a Nutrifit hero defeat her hunger in her daily life, check out our videos on YouTube.

Frozen Berry & Ginger Nut Yogurt Pops Kick your sugar cravings this summer with these delicious lollies made of fresh berries, crunchy nuts, and low-fat ingredients.

Ingredients:

500g low-fat Greek yogurt 400g of light condensed milk 250g red berries; strawberries and raspberries 250g purple berries; blueberries and blackberries 100g ginger nut biscuits 8 paper cups 8 wooden lolly sticks

Directions:

Using a food processor, crush the biscuits. Add condensed milk and blend again till they combine together. Divide the mixture into 8 paper cups.

Cut all berries in to halves. Mix half the portion of red berries, half the remaining of condensed milk, and half the Green yogurt using a clean food processor until smooth. Add the remaining berries and blend again. Divide the mixture into 4 paper cups. Then, repeat the same procedures with the purple berries.

Insert a lolly stick on each cup and freeze for 5 hours before serving.

Sprinkle some power nuts on top.

20 | April 2016

Granola Bar with Hazelnut Cream These granola hazelnut bars are creamy, crunchy, and a perfect treat for a healthy breakfast. With its rich hazelnut-cream filling and crusty toasted oats, Nutrifit granola bar will keep your body fit and your hunger satisfied until your next meal.

Muesli Bar with Cinnamon and Apple Delicious and heart-healthy, the muesli bar is full of whole-grain cereals, including oats, rice, wheat, barley, and wheat bran. With a strong cinnamon and apple flavor, the probiotic effects of this bar will balance your system and add a nutritional boost to your busy day.

Strawberry Flakes Bar with Yogurt Cream Classic corn flakes with an explosion of strawberry and yogurt, this appetizing bar will boost your energy and nourish your body with vital minerals. The natural, sugary taste of strawberries will curb your cravings for unhealthy sweets, and it’s no wonder that strawberries are one of the most popular berries among diet fanatics and worldwide.

Nutrifit is certainly the perfect and tasty snack to munch anytime and anywhere.

Nutrition

Switch off Your Hunger Pangs By: Noura Hassaballa

22 | April 2016

1.Remember those days when you couldn’t say no to chocolate, cakes, or that extra piece of bread even though you weren’t even hungry?

2.How many times have you continued to eat and munch food at specific times of the day?

3.Have you ever stopped for a second and asked yourself why do you act this way when it comes to food?

Let’s first discuss HUNGER and SATIETY: Hunger signifies the physiological need to eat food. Satiety is the absence of hunger; and let me stress on this one when I say the absence of hunger and not fullness. In other words, reaching the state of satisfaction where you are neither hungry nor full. However, you are just satisfied with the portion you ate and the feeling of hunger has gone. Some people actually manage to say no to desserts and unhealthy snacks, not because they are worried about the extra calories and weight gain, but because their brain is telling them that their body doesn’t need those extra calories.

If you think about it, hunger pangs happen in your brain and not in your stomach.

When you eat nutrient dense foods (food that has a lot of nutrients but low in calories) like complex carbs, lean proteins, and healthy fats, while keeping control over your portion sizes, you help your brain accept the signal of satiety faster.

Because some people tend to eat in big gatherings or in front of a TV, they are not paying attention to the quantity of food they eat, and that’s when the brain loses track of signals.

Another factor that plays a role in appetite control is serotonin. This happy hormone is also a natural appetite suppressant.

Try to recall those days when you totally forgot to eat because you were too excited or happy. Serotonin is a natural mood regulator that affects your appetite. This powerful brain chemical controls cravings and shuts off craving. It makes you feel

satisfied even if your stomach is not full. In return, you eat less and lose weight.

Most of us have experienced the carbohydrate-serotonin effect on our appetite even though we were not aware of the connection. You know when you are at a restaurant and you start munching on a piece of bread while waiting for the main course? By the time the food arrives you feel less hungry and less likely to complete your dish.

Usually it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to start registering that there is food in your stomach. Another example is fasting during Ramadan. Ever noticed the hunger pangs you get by the end of the fasting hours? How many times have you felt less hungry after breaking your fast on dates then taking those 15-20 minutes to pray? And when you came back, a bowl of soup was just enough to satisfy you.

WHAT DOES THIS TELL YOU? Your brain is where all the magic happens.

If you can keep control over the quantity of food eaten while adjusting the timings of your meals, you will then have a full power of your appetite controlling hormones. One of the most effective ways to increase serotonin is to consume healthy carbohydrates and well-balanced meals. When you time your carbohydrate consumption, you get better results.

By eating 25-35 grams of complex carbohydrates 20 minutes before a meal, your body has time to produce serotonin; naturally reducing hunger. Good choices include brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, and millet. Avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates to keep blood sugar levels stable.

Keep in mind that hunger pangs can also be a sign of nutrient deficiency and sometimes dehydration. Because you are not eating nutrient dense foods that give your body what it needs to function properly, you start craving foods that are high in sodium, saturated fats, and sugars.

If you are getting the right amount of food at the right timings while keeping track of your snacks, you will never feel those pangs. In fact, most of the time you will feel neutral towards food, as if you are just eating to keep your body going.

April 2016 | 23

Nutrition

8

Bad Habits That Make You

A

Fat By: Dr. Omar Mamdouh

habit is something you do without having to think about it, that’s why old habits die hard.

Sometimes it takes a while before changes turn into new habits as many challenges arise along the way. However, adopting new, healthier habits may protect you from serious health problems, help you look better and feel more energetic. People who succeed at weight loss, turn healthy eating into a habit. So, try to avoid these eight bad habits to fasten your fat loss.

24 | April 2016

1. Eating Too Quickly

Slowing down means sitting down when we eat and truly relaxing. It means chewing our food and breathing. It means putting our fork down between bites and being present while we eat. Slowing down is the first step in supporting good digestion. When we chew slowly and select healthy options, our appetite is naturally regulated, our digestion is empowered through the physiologic relaxation response, and we enjoy what we eat without hungering for more because we missed the eating experience by munching our meal too quickly. Simply put, natural weight loss is accelerated by good digestion.

2. Skipping Breakfast

When you skip breakfast you feel exhausted and tired. So you keep on eating something to manage it.

This might be one of the reasons why skipping breakfast cause weight gain. It is also found that breakfast skippers are inactive and tired than breakfast eaters.

3. Eating Un-Real Food

Poor quality of foods never satisfy or sustain us, thus we consume more food. Quite literally, when the brain senses that we are nutrient deprived, because of low quality food, it sends signals to eat more. That’s one of the reasons why so many people can eat a large portion of poor quality chips or

cookies or soda, and still feel hungry.

Instead, if we seek fresh, whole, organic, local, and nutrient-dense real food, we will feel more satisfied and deeply nourished.

4. Skipping Healthy Fats

Did you ever wonder if skipping healthy fat in a diet could make you fat? You need to know what really happens there. These fats, known as unsaturated fatty acids, help you lose fat by raising good HDL cholesterol, lowering bad LDL cholesterol, protecting against the build-up of plaque in your arteries, preventing formation of belly fat, and facilitating the action of hormones on fatty cells. These fats can be found in nuts, olive oil, avocado, seafood, flaxseed oil, and peanut butter.

5. Eating While Watching TV!

Eating while watching TV can lead to weight gain. When you watch TV, you pay no attention to the quantity of food you consume. Several studies have shown that kids who watch TV for long time are more obese than those who do not. So do not snack while watching TV and cut down the time.

6. Not Drinking Enough Water Yet even the smallest amount of dehydration cripples your fat loss because your metabolism will slow down to conserve water. Drink lots of water to keep your body functioning

optimally—this can even help you burn more calories. Drinking two glasses of water before every meal can help you reduce weight.

7. Too Much Stress and Too Little Sleep

Mental and physical stress limits fat loss because it elevates your cortisol.

High levels of cortisol may interfere with testosterone and growth hormone production, reduce muscle growth, leads to fat gain (especially around the waist), and even weaken bones.

Take time to relax and decompress from daily life with activities like yoga, stretching, mediation, and breathing exercises. Also make sure to take at least one day of rest per week from any exercise to prevent overtraining, which also spikes cortisol.

8. Overweight Friends!

If you are surrounded by obese friends or family members who tend to overeat, you are more prone to develop the same habit and become fat. A study published in New England Journal of Medicine reported that people were most likely to become obese when a friend is obese by 57%. A Loyola study of high school students provides new evidence that a person's circle of friends may influence his or her weight.

April 2016 | 25

Nutrition

Pregnancy Nutrition: Get Your Needs without Falling for These Myths By: Dr. Ahmed Mostafa

All women experience some physical and psychological changes during pregnancy and among the prevalent physical signs that concern many women is weight gain. In general, weight gain is a very normal process that occurs due to an increase in the following aspects: Baby: around 8 pounds Placenta: 2-3 pounds Amniotic fluid: 2-3 pounds Breast enlargement (gland and fat): 2-3 pounds Increased blood supply: around 4 pounds Uterus: 3-5 pounds Some stored fat due to hormonal changes: 5-10 pounds Consequently, women gain around 25-35 pounds in total, and this range may reach up to 40 pounds among underweight women.

However, failing to gain weight within the required average suggests that the growth of the baby have not reached the ideal range, which may cause premature birth.

Hence, women should focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, especially that most of the additional weight will disappear post to the delivery, except for some areas that are related to the breast feeding period.

Pregnant women should focus on their nutrition habit and lifestyle in order to nourish their babies and ensure a healthy growth.

Also, the quality and quantity of food intake play a major role in fetus growth.

During the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy, women should increase their

caloric intake to 300 Cal /day to reach the average energy requirement. In addition, all foods consumed should be very healthy and rich in vital nutrients in order to trigger healthy fetus tissues formation. In this article, I will shed the light on some healthy and safe food options for pregnant women as well as some myths that you should never fall for.

Protein Most studies recommend 75 to 100 grams of protein per day. Protein positively affects the growth of fetal tissue, including the brain.

It also helps your breast and uterine tissue to grow during pregnancy and it plays an imperative role in increasing your blood supply.

Calcium The daily requirement of calcium is around 1000 milligrams during pregnancy. Calcium helps your body regulate fluids as well as build your baby’s bones and tooth.

Iron In combination with sodium, potassium, and water, iron helps raise your blood volume and prevents anemia. A daily intake of 27 milligrams is ideal during pregnancy.

Folate/Folic Acid Folic acid plays a key role in reducing the risk of neural tube defects, including spina bifida. Most studies recommend 600 to 800 micrograms (0.6 to 0.8 milligrams) daily.

Vitamin C Fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C can promote wound healing, tooth and bone development, and metabolic processes.

Studies advise a daily intake of at least 85 milligrams.

Other Nutritional Concerns During pregnancy, some foods can hinder the development of your baby. For instance, make sure that all meats are totally cooked to avoid the exposure of toxoplasmosis, salmonella, and other harmful bacteria.

Eliminate tobacco smoke, drug use, and alcohol consumption from your diet.

Reduce or remove caffeinated beverages (soda and coffee) from your daily intake, and maintain a reasonable exercise program throughout your pregnancy after consulting your healthcare provider. Walking and swimming are among the healthy activities that you may incorporate during pregnancy; however, always consult your health care provider before starting a new exercise program.

Misunderstandings about Nutrition during Pregnancy: Hearsay: When you get pregnant, you must eat for two.

While the truth is: It is true that your nutrient requirements should increase, but energy needs only elevate by about 300 calories/ day for the second and third trimester of pregnancy.

Hearsay: Gaining less weight or losing weight during pregnancy will make delivery easier.

While the truth is: Women who do not gain enough weight during pregnancy expose their babies to high risks of severe complications such as premature birth, which can cause lung and heart problems.

Hearsay: If you gain the right amount of weight during pregnancy, none of it will be fat gain.

While the truth is: A healthy pregnancy includes fat storage. Your body uses this excess of fat as energy during labor and breast feeding period in relation to hormonal changes in female body.

Hearsay: Pregnant women only crave the foods that their bodies need.

While the truth is: Pregnant women can crave foods of any kind. Cravings are not correlated with nutritional needs.

Hearsay: A pregnant woman who is healthy will not experience discomforts and morning sickness.

While the truth is: Nausea, heart burn, and constipation are not selective! They will affect women regardless of how healthy they are.

However, women with healthy lifestyle who regularly eat healthy foods, drink plenty of water, exercise regularly, and avoid excess sugar, salts, and fat, may significantly reduce these uncomfortable symptoms.

April 2016 | 27

Nutrition

Egg Yolks:

What You Have Been Missing For centuries, people all around the world have been preparing eggs in countless creative ways; omelet, scrambled, poached, steamed, baked, rolled omelet, quiche, and the list goes on. Even though several researches have shed the light on the health benefits of whole eggs, an increasing number of athletes and dieters have raised arguments against egg yolks. We will crack open the matter in the coming lines.

The media has released several warnings to elude the consumption of saturated fats as they play an integral role in increasing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, several types of cancers, among a number of other diseases. These statements introduced a number of dogmas including not to eat more than two eggs a day and not to consume more than 7 a week. So why did this change occur?

There are different types of saturated fats; some of which can trigger the risk of severe diseases. However, some forms, such as stearic acid, haven’t proven to have a harmful influence on cholesterol level, and are largely converted to monounsaturated fats in the liver. In addition, one large egg contains only 10% of your daily portion of saturated fats, which on one hand could increase cholesterol as some researches claim, but on the hand it shall enhance the overall performance and physique.

According to a review published in the British Medical Journal in 2015, “saturated fats are not associated with all-cause mortality, CVD, coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, or type 2 diabetes.”

Reasons Why Eggs Are the Healthiest Choice?

Known as a protein powerhouse, eggs are jam-packed with a variety of vital nutrients in adequate portions. Even though the egg yolk contains triple the amount of calories of egg white, both components have the same amount of protein. The yolk also nourishes the body with crucial vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D, vitamin B-12, folate, choline, phosphorus, and riboflavin.

28 | April 2016

Egg yolks also have antioxidants; such as carotenoids, which give them their yellow color, promote eye health, and decrease the risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts; and phosvitin, which lessens any problems with oxidizing the iron in the yolks.

Oxidation can make the iron inflammatory, that’s why many people limit their intake of iron. Nevertheless, the iron content in egg yolks is safe from oxidation due to its inflammatory components.

To Cook or Not to Cook:

There is a wide notion that raw egg yolk are more healthier than cooked ones, because heat destroys enzymes, which decreases the amounts of nutrients and amino acids that nourish the body.

People who consume raw egg yolks experience easier digestion, increased stamina, and resistance to illness.

Back to Basics:

If your intention is to build muscle, a whole egg is your optimal choice of amino acid as well as few extra calories that you will already need for the same purpose.

While if your aim is to lose weight, a proper nutrition and a healthy, balanced diet should be your target, which still contains a small number of fats. But the difference is that fats from egg yolk can optimize your hormonal profile, keep you full for longer hours, and nourish your body with essential nutrients.

Also, let’s face it. How many times did you reach for a half-cream milk or munch on a dark chocolate that wasn’t really a dark chocolate. So don’t cut yolks out on account of their fat. Instead, benefit from the harvest of your healthy choices. They are healthy, easy to cook, fast, and cheap! Bon appétit.

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Nutrition

Ground Beef Stroganoff

With only some basic ingredients, this classic Russian dish is a hearty meal with its tender, creamy texture. It is savory and delicious, and certainly one of the essential and delicious quick meals. Try it with egg noodles, vegetable noodles, or steamed rice.

Total Time: 60 minutes Yield: 4-6 servings Ingredients: 1 lb. ground beef 8 oz. egg noodles 2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. cornstarch slurry 2 garlic cloves, diced 2 cups mushroom, sliced ½ cup onion, diced ½ cup sour cream 4 cups beef stock 2 tsp. paprika 1 tsp. cinnamon Salt and pepper to taste Directions: In a saucepot, heat some olive oil over lowmedium heat. Add mushrooms, onions, garlic, and ground beef. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and cinnamon. Stir and cook well.

Add beef stock and egg noodles; stir again.

Simmer for 20 minutes and pour sour cream to thicken the texture and improve the taste.

Next, distribute cornstarch slurry and stir again.

Place in a serving bowl and sprinkle some parsley on top.

Nutritional Facts Per Serving Energy Fat Carbs Protein

435 calories 23g 31g 28g

5, Abou El Feda Street, Om Kolthoom Hotel, Zamalek.

For delivery call: 0101-222-8815 or 02-2737-2552

Body & Soul

Save Your

Energy By: Yasmine Shahine

T

o live a healthy, positive life, you have to be fully aware that you are the one and only guardian of your own energy. Without this energy, you will not have the power to even get out of bed every morning.

32 | April 2016

Have you ever heard the phrase “Watch out, that person is an Energy Vampire?”

Think about it that way…

Have you ever felt exhausted, bored, irritated, stressed, anxious, threatened, overwhelmed, or depressed after just a few moments with a particular person?

Unfortunately, nowadays we are surrounded by the so called “energy vampires”. They are called so because this is what they actually do; they simply suck out your energy. They suck out your power, your smile, and your willingness to be productive and happy.

In human psychology, energy vampires are defined to be individuals who have a sense that the whole world revolves around them. It’s so hard for them to see things from another person’s point of view. They believe that they must take everything they can get from others without giving anything back, as this will deprive them of essential resources. It’s as if the whole world exists just to serve them.

Most of the people who act that way are so unhappy and uncertain of their own lives.

They cannot create and shape their own life in any positive way so they start sucking others’ happiness and energy.

They can also come in many types, such as:

1. The Drama Queens 2. The Constant Blamers who do their best just to make you feel guilty all the time 3. The Negative People who hate anything that is simply fun 4. The Constant Whiners and Constant Victims 5. The Unconfident and Insecure And the list goes on…

The advice we always give is to be aware of these people and to keep them away from you. However, energy vampires can be your spouse, family member, close friend, or colleague. In these cases, eliminating them from your life is not even an option, but there are some ways that can help you cope and save your own energy.

• Constantly remind yourself that their words or actions are a reflection of them, not you.

• Don’t allow yourself to get drained. You can easily do that by watching your body’s physical reactions. The minute you find your chest tightening, breathing heavily, holding the back of your neck or even starting to have a sudden headache, this is when you need to pull yourself up to walk away for at least 5 minutes.

• Train yourself to zoom out by always reminding yourself that it is not about you, it’s about them.

You can be a good listener or a good friend without taking this negative energy in your mind and heart.

• Never get into an argument.

Simply because the argument will

just drain you into more negativity and you will just be pulled down in the process.

• Point out any positive aspect you can see in that person.

Energy vampires don’t only suck others’ energy; they do the same to themselves. By praising a negative person, he/ she can reject the compliment at the beginning, but then will feel happy and positive about it.

• Breathe deeply; go for a walk or a workout after spending time with an energy vampire. That will release huge amounts of negative energy that could be stuck in your body.

Always remember that your life is so precious and shouldn’t be defined by anyone. You deserve to

be happy and healthy. You deserve to laugh from your heart without allowing someone to tell you “I don’t see what you are laughing at!”

“Build an iron shield around your positive energy and never allow others to suck away your happiness.”

April 2016 | 33

Body & soul The 12 Benefits of Yoga that Everyone Needs to Survive (Part 3: Spiritual Benefits) By: Sandra Shama Kaur

O

ver the years of practicing yoga diligently, I have noticed some pretty obvious benefits of yoga that everyone in today’s modern and urbanized world, certainly needs to survive. These benefits fall into 3 main categories, which you probably guessed already: physical, emotionalmental, and spiritual. In my last two columns, I talked about the five main physical benefits of yoga (reduction of pain, posture and alignment, strength and flexibility, balance and coordination, and finally purifying the body with an inner heat) and the four main emotional-mental benefits of yoga (emotional balance, concentration, mental clarity, and emotional transformation). In this column, I will tackle the last and highest benefit, that of the spiritual.

34 | April 2016

Firstly, is letting go and letting God. It is common in any yoga class to practice the asana known as child pose or balasana.

In this posture, your forehead is on the ground in reverence to a higher power. It is a great reminder that you are not supposed to have all the answers right now. You are not supposed to do everything on your own.

There is a higher power at play who can offer you all that you need, once you tune into its infinite energy.

Secondly, is receiving guidance and directions. When you chant a mantra in a yoga class and tune into the vibrations of the mantra, you just might hear an answer to your prayers.

Meditation is deeply listening to the sound of the soul and chanting mantra is an effective way to cut through all your mental garbage and listen deeply beyond the mind and in connection with divinity and your soul’s calling.

Thirdly, is knowing the unknown and seeing the unseen. It sounds all very mystical and silly doesn’t it? However, through the practice of yoga, particularly eye focus exercises known as ‘drishti’ - such as focusing on the point between the eye brows, chin, or crown of the head - you can stimulate the pituitary and the pineal glands to the point that you are able to discern the consequence of your actions or words before they happen.

Hence, you become a wise sage making less mistakes that harm yourself or others.

Fourthly, is connection with the divine forces at play in the universe. Through the practice of yoga postures that open the heart center, stimulate the third eye, and open the crown chakra, we start to realize that there is more to life that my body, my goals, my thoughts, my emotions, my desires, my passions, my dreams, my fantasies.

We start to tune into the bigger purpose of life in relation to others and in relation to the divine forces. We are able to feel a divine connection that cannot be expressed in words, yet gives us the ability to feel supported during the darkest times.

Finally, is oneness. Oneness is a funny concept and it is not limited to uniting the mind, body, and soul. Oneness is about moving beyond duality - good and bad, right and wrong, black and white, rich and poor, happy and sad - such dualities cause us pain and suffering. The practice of yoga connects you with the source of creation. A source that is perfect. When you can feel this oneness, this wholeness, this perfectness of the Creator who has created Creation the sun, the moon, oceans, seas, animals, birds, plants, wind, air, fire, mother earth - it becomes much easier to carry gratitude and contentment in your lives and accept both others and yourself, JUST AS YOU ARE, regardless of all your perceived ‘flaws’.

April 2016 | 35

The Game

Physical Fitness for Real Life Functions

36 | April 2016

F

Functional fitness has become one of the latest buzzwords that is used frequently and defined differently by sports enthusiasts and fitness professionals. In reality, functional fitness adapts the body to put your fitness into

It is easy to train in a comfortable environment under the coach’s supervision and safety guidelines as well as deadlift 400 pounds and bulk up; however, what can you actually do with this fitness? Are you able to move a couch, hold your 60 pound suitcase for hours, or even rescue yourself from an unpredictable threat?

Transferability of fitness from gym to the daily real world is not as easy as you may think. A bench press exercise may develop your upper body strength but will not help you escape a thug attack. A lateral step-out squat can enhance your lower body muscles but will not facilitate your daily activities such as picking up groceries or children. Similarly, pull-ups aim to help you pull your body to a fixed point but may not necessarily assist you with mountain climbing. Whereas, the equipment we use and the exercises we perform should help us properly mimic those movements outside of the gym.

Hitting the gym everyday just to perform a number of exercises that merely build one or two fitness aspects and limit fitness potentials is a waste of time. For instance, would you rather pick up an 80 pound barbell or 20 pound laundry soap? The answer for this question will determine whether you are clinging in your comfort zone or have actually established a well-rounded fitness program that trains all muscles together.

Regardless of what type of fitness we pursue, we should develop our fitness capacity to a way that makes our daily lives easier. The key to functional fitness is integration. It is training for unexpected and current life situations as well as interacting with the nature. Changing the fitness routine or incorporating new training regimens may startle some individuals.

It is certainly a lot harder. But think of the endless benefits you may yield from this new program… you will be physically fit and able to play with children, bend and pick up toys, pick up those 10 liters of water for the water dispenser, and become physically ready for any sudden incident.

Now, to embark a lifelong journey of wellness, you need to do two things; get outside your comfort zone and transfer your fitness by teaching isolated muscles how to work together. If you are a runner, try weight lifting alongside your running drills. And if you normally just lift, try new exercises that require speed. Blend aerobic training with resistance training. Push your mental limitations and build all components of fitness; strength, power, speed, agility, balance, flexibility, and coordination. Ask your coach to design different spectrums and varied modalities to increase fitness levels and upshift performance. Think about unusual activities such as kayaking, mountain climbing, hiking, skydiving, or learn a new Olympic lift … the sky has no limit. Your enthusiasm can be contagious and inspiring to others. Just explore new horizons, set no boundaries, and challenge yourself.

Ways to Prepare Your Body for Physical Demands: • Since your daily activities and fitness routines may develop tension, foam rolling is your optimal solution for releasing strains, improving flexibility, providing support to the muscles, and developing greater range of movement.

• It is not enough to be mentally ready for a tough workout. Your body should also be prepared for any vigorous work that would allow a great range of motion.

Consequently, it is essential to warm the body up through a mobility and flexibility warm up.

• You don’t need to waste time focusing on exercises that train specific muscles. There are numerous exercises that train the entire body and have an extensive range of benefits.

April 2016 | 37

The Game

An Extensive Guide to Functional Training

If you are an athlete who integrates fitness routines in your weekly schedule, you may be pursuing a better quality of life through mimicking a broader spectrum of your daily movements and activities.

Functional training helps improve your strength, stability, mobility, flexibility, power, and endurance you need in order to thrive everywhere and anytime.

38 | April 2016

Whether you are an athlete or recreational exerciser, functional training can be a very useful method that provides balance and muscular control inside and outside the training room. Basically, in order to function properly, you should maintain balance in different positions and conditions. Or in other words, if you want to sustain dynamic balance, you’ve got to move.

The Importance of Functional Core

Since most movements and balance starts in your midsection, functional training is very ‘core’ oriented.

Some people correlate the word ‘core’ with ‘six packs’, when in fact the abdominals represents only one segment of your core muscles. As a matter of fact, there are 29 muscles attached to the core area that boasts from the torso down to the hips.

nose and return back, and then repeat the same motion using the opposite leg.

• Speed up this motion for 30 seconds and then repeat again for up to a minute.

Core stability is utterly important to protect the spine and surrounding muscles from being prone to injuries in both static and dynamic movements. It aligns your spine, develops posture, and creates a stronger lumbar curve. In addition to improving posture, core stability can also transfer and generate force during dynamic movements effectively; whether you are lifting 80 pounds bar or lifting 10 liters of water for the water dispenser.

Walking Lunges: • Take a large step with your right leg and then bend both legs.

• Make sure that your knees do not go over your toes.

• Push off with the opposite leg, bring it forward, and bend more legs.

• Walk across a large corridor for about 25 steps, turn around, and repeat.

To build a strong core, you need to include more diverse workouts than just performing crunches. You must identify which core muscles that provide core conditioning and can have a practical carry-over to daily activities.

For all the reasons listed above, we are providing you with few functional core exercises to include in your training regimen.

Functional Core Exercises:

Single Leg Squat: • Stand on your right leg and bring the opposite leg forward off the ground.

• Push yourself downwards while keeping hips hinged, spine aligned, chest out, face straight forward, and pressure on heels.

• Hold for few seconds and return to the initial positioen. Perform 10 reps each side.

Mountain Climbers: • Start in a plank position (Lie on the floor, face looking at the ground. Keep your hands under shoulders and feet straight out on the balls of your feet.)

• Bring your right knee to your

Single-Arm Incline Row: • On an incline bench, lie face downwards and hold one dumbbell.

• Pull the dumbbell upwards towards you core while keeping your elbow close to your body, and then lower down back to the initial position.

• Do about 8-12 reps each side.

Side/Oblique Bridge: • Lie on one side with your elbows on the floor, body forming a straight line, and legs stacked.

• While keeping your elbows positioned directly beneath the shoulder, push your body up with your hips and lower back until hips almost touch the floor.

• Perform about 10 reps each side.

Bent-Knee Bicycle with Stick Overhead: • On a mat, lie on your back and hold a dowel overhead with extended arms.

• Keep one leg bent to 90° at the hip and knee and the opposite leg extended and slightly above the floor.

• Crunch and bring the stick towards your knees as you crunch. Alternate the position of your legs and switch sides.

• Perform as much reps as you can.

Turkish Get-Up: • Lie on your back and keep your legs straight.

• Hold a dumbbell with your right hand and keep your arm straight above the chest.

• Stand up as you maintain the same position; elbows locked and weight above you.

• Return to the initial position while keeping the same position.

• Do 6 reps on each side.

Single Knee Tuck Ball: • Kneel in front of the ball and slide yourself forward over the ball.

• Place your feet above the ball.

Hands shoulder width apart and placed under your shoulders.

• Lift one foot a couple of inches off the ball and try to drag the ball towards your chest using the opposite leg.

• Pause for a couple of seconds and then return back the initial position.

• Perform about 10 reps each side.

Split Stance Core Press: • Using an elastic resistance band, position the handle to a waist height.

• Clutch the handle using both hands and position yourself perpendicular to the direction of the cable.

• Keeping the leg closest to the column forward and the opposite leg backwards, hold the hands in front of your chest to get ready for the move.

• Lift the handle overhead and return to the initial position.

• Perform the exercise for 12 reps.

Kipping Pull Up: • If you are good with pull-ups, this exercise might be doable.

• Jump on the bar and swing back and forth using your hips. Keep chest and back still.

• At the same time, you need to push yourself towards the bar slightly and release your body as you move your lower body backwards.

• Perform as much reps as you can.

An Extensive Guide to Functional Training

S

Functional core training is all about developing power, strength, and stabilization. The three elements together create a solid base for your body, allowing you to maintain proper technique during a workout.

FACTORS AFFECTING HUMAN PERFORMANCE

40 | April 2016

the neuromuscular efficiency that perfects any workout applied to real life situation. Flexibility is another crucial component that increases the distance that the force is applied to, which positively affects power. Make sure to perform workouts in full range of motion to train abandoned muscles that will help you mimic the actual activity to real life.

• Power (strength and speed) • Agility (flexibility, mobility, and stability) • Cardiovascular and Respiratory Conditioning • Sport Skill • Genetic Potential

Agility drills is another method that optimizes performance as long as they are customized to the type of sport performed. For instance, a basketball player will not benefit from Plyometric jumps off a box.

Jumping off the floor, on the other hand, is more relatable to the nature of this sport.

Power

To increase power, you must increase strength, speed, and distance.

High Intensity Strength Training is one of the most productive and time efficient type of strength training that elevates strength and lean body mass. Also speed is another factor that can enhance power, especially if it is performed with a perfect technique and great deal of focus, in order to augment

Agility

Cardiovascular and Respiratory Conditioning Cardiovascular training is specifically designed to develop the athletes’ conditioning in the metabolic path in which they perform. The individual should select an interval training that matches with the sort of training or sport.

Sport Skill

In order to make the most of training, one must perfect their own movement with numerous hours of practice, because technique, accuracy, and speed all go hand in hand when perfecting performance. Focusing on quantity more than quality can hinder your progress and form a bad posture, exposing you to serious injuries.

If you are hesitant about your efficiency and performance, hire a personal trainer until you fine-tune your skills.

Genetic Potential

It goes without saying that genetics has an impact on human health and performance.

For example, the number of hours you need to excel at endurance activities may differ from another person. Some people set unrealistic goals and excessively train to reach their target. Overtraining will make you prone to getting injured and will disrupt performance. All you need to do is to utilize the most effective methods that suit your level of performance and type of sport, and be more focused.

An Extensive Guide to Functional Training

I

n order to maximize human performance, you should understand the key factors that contribute and affect performance greatly.

Let us take a look at each element to decide which training method will yield optimal results.

April 2016 | 41

Full-Body Functional Fitness Workouts

42 | April 2016

Diagonal Reach with Medicine Ball

How it works: This exercise will strengthen your shoulders, arms, lower back, gluteus, and legs and will assist you with lifting groceries, kids, bags, or any heavy object for a long period of time.

How it works: How many times did you struggle to reach for your pullover on the top shelf of your closet and felt that you lack good physique? That’s because you need to perform exercises that develop strong arms and shoulders and suit your daily activities.

How to do it: • Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and hold a medicine ball.

• Squat down by keeping your knees over your ankles and weight on your heels.

• Simultaneously, lower the medicine ball to the floor. Make sure to keep your head pointing forward and back straight.

• Lift the medicine ball over your heel as you return to the starting position.

• Perform three sets of 10 repetitions and adjust your weight according to the current level of strength.

Stair Climb with Bicep Curl How it works: If you take the stairs excessively or like to climb hills and mountains often, this workout will strengthen your arms and improve your ability to withstand the stairs.

How to do it: • Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand at the bottom of a flight of stairs.

• Climb the stairs while doing bicep curls or run down the stairs while holding them without the curls.

• You should increase the weight as your arms get stronger and add some variations to the climbs to make it more challenging.

• Repeat the workout 5-10 times.

Hip Extension with Reverse Fly How it works: If you are a parent who consistently bends to pick up toys or a worker who lifts boxes or objects frequently, this workout will improve your upper, mid, and lower back as well as the lower body.

How to do it: • Stand with legs about hip-width apart and hold one dumbbell in each hand.

• Gently lean forward and lift one leg upwards to a 90-degree angle simultaneously as you lift your arms straight out to form a T shape.

• Squeeze your shoulder blades together and keep your head forward to a fixed position. You may lose balance if you look at the floor.

• Return back to the starting position and repeat 10-15 times each side.

How to do it: • Stand with legs about shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Hold a medicine ball near your chest.

• Start lifting the medicine ball diagonally over your head to the right, moving your arms and torso to that direction and extending your left leg, too.

• Then return to the initial position and repeat with the other side.

• Do 10-15 reps each side and increase weight as your arms and ankles get stronger.

Lunge with Back Row How it works: One way to reinforce the upper and mid back, shoulders, and legs is to perform this lunges.

How to do it: • Hold a dumbbell in each hand, where they point to the floor.

• Take a step forward with your right foot and bend your right foot.

• Lower your chest toward your thigh and keep weight on both legs. Let your arms be perpendicular to the floor and keep your back straight.

• Return to the starting position by straightening your right leg.

• Repeat 10-15 times for each leg.

Knee Lift with Lateral Raise How it works: This workout builds core strength and balance and improves your shoulders.

How to do it: • Stand straight and hold a barbell in each hand.

• Extend your arms outwards to a 90-degree angle each so that they are parallel to the floor, and lift your left knees to a hip level.

• Hold for few seconds and then place your legs back the floor and arms next to your body.

• Repeat the same movement using the opposite leg. This forms one rep. Perform 10-15 reps.

Push Up with Hip Extension How it works: This exercise will focus on triceps, gluteus, and core muscles.

How to do it: • On a sport mat, lie on the floor; hands wider than shoulder width apart.

• Raise and extend one leg to form a straight line from head to toe, parallel to the floor, and place the opposite knee on the floor.

• Lower your chest to the ground until each elbow is at a 90-degree angle then push back to the initial position.

• Repeat 10-15 times each side.

Torso Rotation with Medicine Ball How it works: Many people suffer from fragile back, but this exercise will enhance your back and oblique, reducing chances of developing injuries.

How to do it: • On a sports mat, lie on the ground and bend your knees.

• Hold a medicine ball with both hands and keep it near your chest.

• Rotate your torso away from your thighs to one side, and move your right elbow toward the floor behind you.

• Return back to the starting point and repeat the same exercise with the other side.

• Perform 10-15 reps each side.

Supine Bridge with Arm Extension How it works: If you spend long hours sitting in front of a computer, this exercise will open up your chest and the front of your hips, providing you with a relaxing stretching sensation.

How to do it: • On a sport mat, sit on the floor and raise your torso and hips with your hands underneath your shoulders.

Bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the ground. Your torso should form a straight line.

• Raise your right arm towards the ceiling and support your body with the left one, and then return to the starting position.

• Repeat 10-15 times for each side.

• You can make the workout more challenging by holding the movement for few seconds before lowering your hand down.

An Extensive Guide to Functional Training

Medicine Ball Squat with Overhead Lift

F T Facts

The process of drying fruits depletes up to 80% of its vitamins and antioxidant content, hence you don’t nourish your body with any vitamins.

The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn at rest, because muscle tissue feeds on fat during the hours of the day.

There is a high correlation between the fitness level of your close friends and family members, and your own physical level.

A small bowl of air-popped popcorn contains more antioxidants than the average unit of fruit or vegetable!

44 | April 2016

The Journal of Pain in 2010 found that ginger can help lessen exercise-induced muscle pain by nearly 25%.

Having a strong core can reduce back pain, improve athletic performance, enhance postural imbalances, develop stronger breathing muscles, and reduce waist circumference.

Styles & features

Fight and Fitness Factory: Getting Forced with CrossFit Hustle

W

hen I first received a free invitation to attend a CrossFit class at the CrossFit Hustle

by Fight and Fitness Factory, I immediately felt intrigued by the possibility of applying theories written in magazines into practice and thrilled to share my ‘successful’ wild attempt with everyone.

The moment I stumbled upon the CrossFit box and saw super-fit-looking enthusiasts hanging on the bars, I knew that my first experience was going to be doomed to failure; nevertheless, I was also blown away by the positive attitude that constantly emphasized intrinsic motivation and hard work.

Before I had time to consider leaving, though, the CrossFit Hustle Coach Mohamed El Deeb almost grabbed me inside to start our warm up, competition, and stretching. El Deeb was previously a national champion in Sanda and Taekwondo and has been in the CrossFit field for two years. He was qualified for the African CrossFit regional in 2014, and is one of the most powerful motivators I have ever met indeed.

It was crystal clear that the program that El Deeb puts together combined with the motivational spirit surrounding the place, are both capable of upshifting performance immensely and enthusing determination.

The routine started off as one that was intended to help us understand how workouts are usually done, and transformed later on into a holistic, brutal session that targeted every single muscle yet surprisingly piqued my interest!

We started out with few warm-ups and bodyweight exercises, including superman, squats, push-ups, and handstand push-up, followed by a 13-minute competition that comprised of 35 barbell deadlift, 35 medicine ball squats, 35 calories of rowing, and 35 push-ups. During those crucial minutes, I tried hard to survive the inevitable war like a militant in a troop, and certainly it is one of the reasons why I am suffering from sore muscles till today.

Seeing my colleague excelling gave me the push I needed to ramp up my intensity and attention to winning. Also, the exuberant

energy and cheerfulness of other athletes amid the competition gave me all the boost and motivation I was seeking. But above all, the motivational quotes that were stamped on the walls gave me the edge I needed to surpass this competition. Among the most prominent ones was “I hated every minute of training, but I said ‘Don’t Quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life like a champion.” By Muhammad Ali I was finally awakened to the fact that a tough strength and conditioning regimen and varied functional movements performed at high intensity is compulsory for maximizing one’s own potential capacity. And without hard work, willpower, and purpose, no proper yield will be gained. Certainly you don’t need to be a tireless fitness fanatic to reap the benefits; just work on a strict plan that would make you healthier and physically fit. And from my experience CrossFit Hustle, I certainly recommend CrossFit as an integral routine that should be incorporated in any fitness program. All in all, I loved the challenge, workouts (especially the barbell deadlift), and mostly the levels of encouragement and teamwork that existed.

April 2016 | 45

Styles & features

Get Ready for Cairo Runners’ Half Marathon This Month

(3,000 weekly runners, a total of 600 kilometers, 3 half marathons)

46 | April 2016

C

airo’s half marathon is just around the corner, and you don’t want to miss it.

The 21km race on April 15th is the 4th half marathon organized by Cairo Runners for the 4th year in a row.

Last year’s half marathon, which took place in Masr El Gedida, attracted 6000 runners of all ages and backgrounds.

Not the regular runner? No problem! With a 7km Short Route, and a 1km Family Run, there is something for everyone. Kicking off at 7 am, the day starts with the 21 km race, followed by the 7km, and the Family Run. The first 3 males and females to finish the 21k and 7k runs are crowned the winners on stage, prizes are handed out, and a concert tops off the celebrations. Cairokee, Like Jelly, and Wust El Balad have all graced the Cairo Runners stage in the past years, and this year will be no different.

The 21km race is no piece of cake and that’s why every year before the half marathon, Cairo Runners encourage their runners to stick to the training program that they post on their page.

The program is divided into 6 weeks, with a daily training routine, and is designed to steadily increase your endurance and pace by gradually adding kilometers to the distance you run.

Health and nutrition tips are also posted to help you fuel up with the right foods for running.

Still don’t feel like you’re up to running 21km?

No worries, that’s what the 7km race is for. It’s the perfect distance for runners who haven’t had the chance to train, or feel like they may not be able to complete the 21km this time round. And it’s complete with its own set of winners, too.

The 1k Family Run was implemented from the 2nd Half Marathon, and is very popular within families with young children who still want to get in on all the action. Last year, the run even had its own entertaining clowns! So there’s lots of fun even for the youngest of runners.

All that been said, a half marathon would not be complete without a kickass venue and Cairo Runners’ venues are always a great place to chill. Complete with food and beverages, surrounded by positive energy and fitness

enthusiasts, you’re bound to have a good time.

So, why spend a lazy Friday sleeping at home, when you can spend it with friends and family in one of the biggest events of the year?

Who doesn’t want to join a day oozing with endorphins and happiness?

To join the half marathon, all you need to do is register. Registration usually takes place at selected Reebok stores, and each runner gets their own running package complete with a wrist band, t shirt, and of course – race number! Just follow the Cairo Runners Facebook page for all registration details including store locations and deadlines.

See you at the Half Marathon, happy running!

Special Thanks to Engi Hassaan

April 2016 | 47

Styles & features

Alameda O.N. Triathlon Team Is Haunting New Champions from the Arab World Could you please tell us more about Alameda Tri Team?

Alameda O.N. Triathlon team is one of the most prominent and professional triathlon teams that support young talents in the Arab world, providing them with the resources needed with the ultimate goal of finding future world and Olympic champions from the region. One of our recent projects is African Cup and Pan Arab Championships for triathlon, duathlon, and aquathlon, with the triathlon race having Olympic qualification points, which will take place in Naama Bay, Sharm El-Sheikh.

How did you manage to promote and raise awareness of triathlon in Egypt?

Our company has several projects that aim to raise awareness of triathlon in Egypt. First, we have one of the bestknown triathlon teams in the world, with some of the most prominent professional figures in the sport. This has helped us 48 | April 2016

a lot with promoting the sport in the Arab region, and specifically in Egypt. One of our main professional team members is the first professional triathlete in Egypt, Omar Nour, who is trying to qualify for the Olympics. We also have four rising athletes from Egypt, some of whom have achieved some great results over the past couple of years, from medals on the African level, to medals at world championship finals.

The team visits schools across Egypt to spread awareness about the sport. We have an official agreement with the Arab Triathlon Confederation that allows us to go and visit schools and youth centers across the region, to talk about triathlon and run activities with kids there. We have done a few already, and there is more to come.

Moreover, we are currently working on new programs for amateur adults who want to train, as well as female-only programs, in addition to some training academies for young athletes.

Needless to mention the effort we put in organizing races such as the upcoming one in Sharm El-Sheikh, and other local races across Egypt in smaller scales. Of course, some of the

above projects have just started or are about to start, so we still have a long way, and the biggest boost for raising awareness will always be via dedicated sports media, such as The Fitness Magazine.

Can you explain more about the event and segments of the race?

Triathlon is comprised of three disciplines; swim, bike, and run. The race against the clock starts with the swim and stops when you cross the finish line after the run.

There are several distances, but the ones we have at our event in Sharm El-Sheikh are the Sprint (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run) and Super Sprint (400m swim, 10km bike, 2.5km run).

Duathlon is a variation of the above, which consists of run, bike, run. The distance available during the event in Sharm El-Sheikh is the Sprint (5km run, 20km bike, 2.5km run).

Aquathlon is another variation that consists of swim and run. The distance available during the event in Sharm El-Sheikh is the Sprint (750m swim, 5km run).

The swim will take place at Naama Bay, the

bike ride will take people out on to the main “Peace Road” and passes through the heart of Naama Bay, and the run will be on the beachfront promenade.

What makes triathlon more unique than other types of sports?

Triathlon is a multi-discipline sport, and, unlike other multi-discipline sports, it is done all in one competition in one event, rather than each sport separately. This means that it becomes an actual race, and not just based on accumulation of points like in other multi-discipline sports. Moreover, if we look at training for triathlon, it is certainly not boring!

One has to train for at least three different sports, while adding some strength and conditioning training, in addition to some racespecific training such as transition training. For people who tend to get demotivated easily by repeating the same training week after week, triathlon is an ideal sport.

Also triathlon has numerous benefits related to the physical and mental development of children. From a physical perspective, the disciplines of triathlete target different set of muscles, which put less strain on the muscles.

From the mental development point of view, triathlon builds patience, discipline, and trouble shooting behaviors, all of which are positive characteristics. Furthermore, since triathlon is considered an endurance sport, talent alone is not sufficient to make someone good at this sport. It takes training discipline to achieve goals in this sport. This means that age is not necessarily a drawback, as it is generally perceived that the older a person gets the more patient and disciplined they become, and if we are talking about younger people who want to achieve greater positions, they can never do so without actual hard work.

Lastly, the competition set up of triathlon allows anyone, amateur or professional, to compete with their peers for championship titles. For amateurs, there are “age-group” divisions, so, for example, a 37 year-old lady can find herself winning the title of African or Arab champion in her age group, and she would be officially recognized as such, even on the ITU score sheets.

How can a beginner kick start his/her way to their first triathlon?

Depending on the person’s current level of fitness and physical background, it is generally very easy to participate. As mentioned above, there are several race distances, some of them can be less demanding than others, and can even be done with minimal training. New triathletes can start with aquathlon or duathlon before partaking in a full triathlon. They can also participate in a relay, where multiple individuals form a team to complete a triathlon, where one person swims, another cycles, and the latter runs.

What are some of the challenges you see during triathlon competitions?

If we go through a triathlon in a chronological order, then we start with the swim. Most people are used to swimming in a pool, which has clear water and a specific lane line to guide swimmers to the finish line. During a triathlon, on the other hand, races may take place in open water without lanes. That’s why swimmers need to practice two aspects; swimming in a straight line and swimming amid other competitors.

The transition from swim to bike is another aspect that most triathletes are not used to.

Individuals, who are not trained for running right after a tiring swim, are more likely to feely dizzy.

During the bike ride - since it is a ride in a “nondrafting” format, which means that the rider is not allowed to be sheltered behind another cyclist - aerodynamics become important. This is why many triathletes use more aerodynamic equipment and positions on the bikes. Also, for longer distances, the rider needs to nurture the body at the proper intervals while riding their bikes.

The transition from bike to run is probably the most awkward part of a triathlon, where the first 5-10 minutes of running after cycling are usually hard as the muscles are trying to change from the cycling action to the running action. This is one of the main challenges that face beginner triathletes. Even though advanced triathletes experience the same awkward feeling, they are aware that the pain will eventually fade away and they will resume their normal running rhythm.

It is rather easy to have fun in triathlon, whether in training or racing. A fun environment during training can be sustained through selecting the right group of people, variety of sessions, different venues or routes, etc. Racing, on the other hand, is loaded with lots of excitements as you travel to new places, see new faces, expose to different adventuress, and enjoy the competitive atmosphere.

The second piece of advice would be the importance of practicing pace. You can easily exert outstanding effort at the beginning of a race; however, by the middle of the race you may either fail to complete the race or end up not feeling great about it. Therefore, it is essential to practice your own pace. Unless you are a professional or advanced triathlete, you should focus entirely on what you are doing and forget about competing with individuals.

Not practicing pace is usually the greatest contributor to not doing well in a triathlon.

If you apply the two advices mentioned above, you will be able to finish the final line with a smile, which is very important, as there is usually a camera taking pictures there!

Special Thanks to Hassan Afifi, Team Principle at Alameda o.n. Tri Team.

Which part of a triathlon that you feel people excel in the most, why?

It is difficult to pinpoint one specific part of triathlon that everyone would be good at, since there are three different disciplines, in addition to transitions, which is the fourth discipline that some people do better and quicker than others. So, a strong swimmer could complete the swimming distance fast, but may not be as strong on the bike or on the run, thus end up not highly ranked. That’s why, people excel in triathlon at the discipline(s) they feel most comfortable in.

How can people partake in this event?

Registration is still open, until one day before the event itself. People can register by simply going to the event website, click on “Enter Now”, and complete the process. The event website is www.sharmtriathlon.com

What advice would you give to a beginner?

There are two crucial pieces of advice that any beginner should know. First, you need to have fun. Triathlon is a fun sport, and if you do not enjoy it, you will neither continue nor excel in it.

April 2016 | 49

Styles & features

NIKE DRI-FIT RACING MEN’S RUNNING TANK TOP

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50 | April 2016

ADIDAS NEO CLOUDFOAM FLOW SHOES

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ADIDAS CLIMALITE CAP TRAINING

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LUCAS HUGH PRINTED STRETCH CAPRI LEGGING

THE UPSIDE PRINTED SHELL SHORTS April 2016 | 51

Styles & Features

PORTABLE GADGETS YOU WANT TO HAVE IN 2016

WISEWEAR SOCIALITE COLLECTION ACTIVITY TRACKERS

WiseWear activity tracker is more than just an ordinary tracker‌ this aspiring gadget can help you keep up with your busy schedule and fitness routine at the same time. The band is water resistant and comes in three different styles: The Calder, The Duchess (as per the above picture), and The Kingston. They all vibrate when you receive an email or a call, and also tracks physical activity including number of steps walked and amount of calories burned. The jewelry is currently available for pre-order at www.wisewear.com for EGP 2,664.

HONOR BAND ZERO

If you want a practical fitness tracker with a reasonable price, Honor Band Zero is a rival device to own. Offered in three colors, the device display a digital or analogue clock face and a touchscreen responsive with a double tap on the screen. It is also light in weight and comprise of a built-in sleep tracker as well as a heart-rate tracker. The band is available at www.amazon.com for EGP 706.

MYZONE MZ-3 BELT

MZ-3 belt is a comfortable band that is placed directly below the chest before you hit the gym or begin a workout to track your effort anywhere you go. All you need to do is log into your MYZONE app to see minute-by-minute statistics of your workout progress and time, to better understand your performance and habits. The application can even rank you among your friends and International users to emphasize a competing ambiance. The belt is available at www. myzone.org for EGP 2,512.

52 | April 2016

URBANEARS HELLAS WASHABLE HEADPHONES

Sweat friendly and easily washable, the headphone is a wireless Bluetooth headphone that has a built in microphone and interface on the ear cup. It also lets you cycle your playlist and assist you with answering calls without touching too many buttons. Cushions and headband are removable and can be easily thrown in your laundry to guarantee a clean usage. The device is available in three vibrant colors at www.amazon.com for EGP 1,066.

Tivoli Dome Heliopolis Second Floor For reservation call: 01024620733

Meet The Beth Shepard Certified Wellness Coach, Physiologist

I have arthritis. What are some exercises I can do and tips I can follow?

Katie Rosenbrock Creator of Hungry-Runner.com

Should I avoid gluten?

As of recently, the term gluten-free has become synonymous with eating healthy. However, this is likely an exaggeration. As of right now, those who suffer from celiac disease (a genetic autoimmune disease that damages the small intestine) are the only people who definitely need to avoid gluten for health reasons. For everyone else, there’s probably no reason to avoid it and there’s no evidence to show that doing so can help you lose weight. “For the most part gluten has become the new ‘it’ thing to blame our weight loss struggles on,” said Chris Cooper, a Precision Nutrition coach and a NSCA certified fitness professional. “Suddenly everyone has a gluten sensitivity. This glutenfree trend has caught on in part because we want to blame something for why we’ve gained weight or why we can’t lose weight. It’s easier to just demonize a certain food group than to actually take a hard look at our nutrition and make a real change.”

Before you start an exercise program, talk with your healthcare provider. Be sure to ask for specifics, such as activities that may be especially good for you, activities you should avoid, and how you should manage your pain with regard to physical activity. Joint protection is the most important part of exercising with arthritis. Follow these precautions: • Plan ahead. Exercise at a time of day when you have the least amount of joint pain.

• Select shoes carefully. You’ll need footwear with good shock absorption. If you have knee or hip pain, you may also need rigid or semi-rigid arch supports for weight-bearing activities.

• Warm up and cool down. Take 5-10 minutes at the beginning of your workout to slowly ease into it, and then 5-10 minutes at the end to gradually slow down and cool off. This can help keep joint pain to a minimum.

• Easy does it. Go slow and progress gradually. For some, it helps to start with 10 minutes of aerobic activity a couple of times a day, building up to a single session of 30 minutes a day, 3-5 days a week. It’s best to focus on increasing your exercise time rather than intensity while you’re building a fitness base. With strength training, start with a small load, working each major muscle group 2-3

Marta Montenegro Founder of SOBeFiT Magazine

I practice tennis three times a week. Should I still hit the gym?

According to the recently published federal guidelines for physical activity, yes! An adult should engage in a minimum of 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity performed almost every day (e.g., 30 minutes a day, five days a week), a minimum of 60 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic exercise (e.g., 20 minutes a day, three days a week), or through a combination of vigorous and moderate intensity exercise. Playing tennis, depending on how skilled you are and whether you play doubles or singles, can qualify as moderate to moderately vigorous exercise. How long and often you play (e.g., three times/week for 60 minutes/session) may allow you to satisfy the aerobic component. However, you also need resistance training two to three times per week to strengthen muscles and bones. A proper resistance program will probably help your tennis game and reduce the likelihood of injury.

times a week.

• Know what’s normal for you. You may feel some discomfort during and after your workout, but this doesn’t mean your joints are getting worse. Keep track of your symptoms — and talk them over with your health care provider. If your post-exercise joint pain remains for 2 hours and is worse than it was before exercise, scale back on your time and intensity for your next workout.

• Listen to your body. When you’re experiencing a flare-up, take your exercise program down a notch and avoid strenuous activity — but stick with your stretching routine, even if it means easing up a bit.

• Achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

If you’re overweight, lasting weight loss is another way to reduce joint pain and make physical activity more comfortable.

E PERTS Dr. Jason Karp Coach and Owner of Run-Fit

If I lift weights, will I get bigger muscles?

Whether or not your clients will get bigger muscles (hypertrophy) depends on three basic factors: genetics, gender, and training intensity.

Genetics is mostly manifested as muscle fiber type; people with predominantly fast-twitch fibers acquire larger muscles more easily than people with predominantly slow-twitch fibers. In relation to gender, males acquire larger muscles than females do, because males have greater amounts of testosterone and other sex hormones that influence protein metabolism (Tipton 2001). Thus, females experience less muscle hypertrophy with strength improvement than males do (Lewis et al.

1986). Training intensity is the only factor you can control.

Jonathan Ross Personal Trainer and Fitness Writer

What are the best exercises to work my chest?

A new ACE-sponsored study revealed which chest exercises are most effective for stimulating the chest muscles - specifically, the pectoralis major - and it gives us the opportunity to examine which exercises are most appropriate for you based on not only effectiveness, but also your training goals and available time for exercise. In the study, the barbell bench press and pec deck machine stimulated the most chest activity, while three variations on push-ups (standard, stability ball, and suspended) stimulated the least. In my opinion, this is great news and can help determine which exercises can best assist you in meeting your training goals. For example, while the push-up variations were among the least effective for stimulating the chest muscle, these exercises might, in fact, make the best use of your training time. If your goals are general fitness (meaning, you just want to stay healthy, reasonably lean, muscular and capable), and you have limited amounts of time for exercise, then “chest� exercises like push-ups that use less chest muscle are likely the best choices for your workout program.

Hypertrophy results from an increase in the number of contractile proteins (actin and myosin, produced by the body in response to training), which in turn increases the size of the muscle fibers. If the training goal is hypertrophy, the load lifted should be at least 80 percent of the onerepetition maximum (1 RM), as a general guideline (Zatsiorsky 1995). If you are not interested in developing larger muscles, keep the load less than 80 percent of 1 RM. However, hypertrophy can be stimulated any time the training intensity is high enough to overload the muscle. Thus, in an unfit an individual who has never lifted weights before, 60 percent of 1 RM may be enough to cause slight hypertrophy, especially if the individual is predisposed to hypertrophy by having a large proportion of fast-twitch fibers.

Mike Behnken Personal Trainer, Holds Multiple NASM Certifications, MS in Exercise Science

I have recently broken my tibia/torn my fibula and now have a titanium rod embedded in the tibia. How can I strengthen my broken leg?

Since you are limited in what you can do for one leg, it is a good idea to perform intense weight training on the rest of your body. There is some, albeit small crossover effect for any body part when you work other body parts.

Physical exercise of any kind will help your body become more efficient at strengthening and improving the broken leg. Another good idea is to perform isometric contractions with your injured leg. Before weights people exclusively used isometric contraction to build their bodies.

Isometric contractions are when you hold a muscular contraction such as flexing your biceps with no movement. Isometric contraction is actually the best way to build and strengthen muscle! There is a catch though. An isometric contraction only strengthens the muscle at the angle, which the joint is held at. If you just hold it one angle the rest of the range of motion will not get stronger. You must perform isometric contractions at all angles for your injured leg.

A way you can do it, is sitting on the couch cross your good leg over your injured leg. Flex your quadriceps while you apply resistance with your good leg. Hold each angle for around 20-30 seconds and move to another angle. If you start at 90 degrees and work your way up, your quadriceps will be burning because you’re working it to exhaustion. Do this every other day until you build enough.

UPCOMING EVENTS NEPAL ADVENTURE RUNNING APRIL 29

IT IS UP AND HERE! Adventure lovers out there, mark your calendar on the 29th of April because CAIRO RUNNERS and Utopia Camps are taking you to a once in a life time experience… to NEPAL. Traveling to Nepal will not only expose you to one of the most scenic places in the globe, but will also allow you to experience excitement and thrills beyond imagination. You will go rock-climbing, abseiling, canyoning, canoeing, bungee jumping and more, including exotic safaris that will take your breath away. This trip is truly a once-in-a life time opportunity! Camp dates: 29/04/2016 till 07/05/2016 (Excluding the flight durations).

SIWA ADVENTURE APRIL 7

Cairo Hiking is inviting you to an adventurous trip to Siwa Oasis for three days full of activities, including swimming, cycling, hiking, and sandboarding in addition to Bedouin nights and lots of entertainment. Price for Egyptians L.E. 875 including accommodation, meals, transportation, safari trips, activities, and tour guide.

For more information and reservations, you may contact: 01002580646 or 01221383430

For more information and reservations, you may contact: 0100 5573690 - 01092222677 or send an email to info@cairorunners.com

PROFESSIONAL REFLEXOLOGY COURSE WITH NADA RASHAD APRIL 1 GBI EGYPT TOUR 2016 (CAIRO-GOUNA) APRIL 12

NOW it’s time for the real challenge! It’s time to cycle, enjoy, relax, have fun, and discover new horizons. It’s time for the annual GBI Egypt tour of which we usually show our real capabilities and contribution to the cycling community. Come and join GBI Egypt Tour 2016 for 4 consecutive days and 370~400 Km cycling from Cairo to Gouna passing through the wonderful site seeing of the Red Sea and Desert Mountains at Sokhna, Ras Gharib ending up at El-Gouna and many more.

For more information and reservations, you may contact: FB: GBI Egypt Team

56 | April 2016

Reflexology is an ancient science based on the principle of a complete map existing on the soles pressure to the feet, hands or ears, you are improving circulation and promoting specific body and muscular functions. After regular sessions, people feel relaxed, sleep better, and have remarkably improved body functions. Foot Reflexology has been used for thousands of years to treat a variety of physical diseases in addition to all types of stress and emotional problems through the stimulation that occurs during the session. This course enables you to get a professional diploma from Reflexology Association of Canada (RAC). During the course, we will cover 35 hours of “in class sessions” mainly covering the curriculum of RAC; Anatomy, Physiology and Reflexology.

For more information and reservations, you may contact: nada@reflexologyegypt.com

UPCOMING EVENTS CLIMBING MOUNT CATHERINE APRIL 7

Wild Guanabana are climbing Egypt’s highest summit, Mount Saint Catherine and there are several reasons to climb with us: Climb Egypt’s highest summit, Mount Saint Catherine with the field’s experts. Stand on Egypt’s rooftop at 2,629m and enjoy the incredible view! A mentoring program that includes information about gear needed, how to pack, and what to expect. Ideal climbers to WG leaders ration on the climb. We’re taking a maximum of 20 adventurers with us. An info session by our chief Omar Samra before we head to Mount Saint Catherine; we will brief you about the trip and you get to ask any questions that you have!

For more information and reservations, you may contact: 01060400070

CAIRO HALF MARATHON APRIL 15

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Go to Cairorunners.com to register today. You can pick your ticket from Reebok branches starting April 4th, 2016. Ticket prices include: Race and venue entrance, Cairokee concert, Marathon T-shirt, wristband, Race number + (Electronic timing chip for 21K), where 50% of ticket proceeds will be donated to charity. Make sure you register as soon as you can before tickets run out.

21K : EGP 110 7K: EGP 90 1K: EGP 70 For more information and reservation, you may contact: 010 9896 7334

MVE REFORMER AND CHAIR WORKSHOPS APRIL 15

Reform Pilates Studios is proud to host again the MVe program in our studio! The MVe (multi-versatile exercise) is a new program, exclusive by Peak Pilates, that adapts chair and reformer to the demands of the group fitness market. The workouts are based on the classic repertoire and sequence but are designed on the beat of the music for a more dynamic and energetic workout. We are offering both programs this year on the following dates: • MVe Chair April 15 and 16 • MVe Reformer May 6 and 7 For more information and reservations, you may contact: 01222207669 or zamalek@reformpilatesegypt.com

THIRD ANNUAL EL GOUNA INTERNATIONAL SPINNING MARATHON

APRIL 23

LAX Gym, in collaboration with The Fitness Playground® will be hosting the 3rd Annual El Gouna International Spinning® Marathon on April 23rd, 2016.

The biggest annual beach Party-on-Wheels® is coming back to G-town, and this time we invite you to join us for another epic yearly tradition where the best of Spinning® and entertainment come together to bring you an unforgettable ride into the stunning Red Sea Riviera sunset.

For more information and reservations, you may contact: INFO@lax-gouna.com April 2016 | 57

THE FITTERS

Sealed Air in Egypt Sponsored Starwood’s Row to Awareness Event Sealed Air Egypt, a proud sponsor for the second consecutive year for Row to Awareness Charity, which was held on 5 December 2015. Row to Awareness is a successful partnership effort between United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Starwood Hotels and Resorts, assisting children around the world to have access to better quality education. The Row Awareness Charity creates activities and flea markets to raise funds for UNICEF education projects which falls directly in line with Sealed Air’s vision is to create a better way for life.

58 | April 2016

THE FITTERS Egyptian Golf Trophy at Westin Soma Bay Golf Resort & Spa Westin Soma Bay is always keen to host, sponsor, and support most if not all sports events taking place in the area of Somabay in Hurghada as part of its brand initiative which supports sports in general and promotes healthy living through its brand 6 pillars of well being. Somabay hosted the Egyptian Golf Trophy from February 18th to 25th, where the players were staying at the newly opened Westin Soma Bay located on the highest point of the Soma Bay peninsula, and sits at the center of the 18-hole championship golf course designed by Gary Player. About 40 Germans and 10 Swiss Golfers competed for the finale.

60 | April 2016

EXPERIENCE THE EURO 2016 FINAL MATCH WITH KIA! Buy a Rio or a Cerato now and win a ticket to the final match in France.

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*Supervised by the Ministry of Social Solidarity

*Terms and Conditions Apply