We are women! Hear us Roar!

There’s no denying women rock!  In celebration of Emirati Women’s Day, we have compiled some of our top guidance for women when it comes to health and fitness.  Maybe there are some small changes you can make today, to be an even stronger, fitter, healthier woman tomorrow.

It’s no secret that as women, we have a lot to contend with, and generally we just get on with it, roll our sleeves up and do the needful.  But it’s okay to admit that it isn’t always easy.  With hormonal challenges, and constant changes as the years move on, being healthy and working out can often feel like an uphill slog.

So, we have put together our women’s workout guide, to help to keep you on the straight and narrow, whatever the time of the month.

Sustainable living

Follow a health and fitness model that is sustainable for you.  Constant low-carb, keto, diets fads aren’t sustainable, nor is it good for you. You might see good results at the start but your body will naturally stall in time, not to mention the crucial nutrients you body will be missing out on.

We suggest educating yourself, read up on advice from true professionals in the industry (not influencers). Meet with a nutritionist or PT to find the right, healthy, sustainable way forwards for you.

Consistency is key!

Be patient, positive change will not happen overnight, especially if you have years and years of some not so great choices you are aiming to undo.  You don’t have to overdo it with 6 intense workouts a week, recent research is showing that working out 3-5 times a week for around 30 minutes consistently is enough to lead a healthier lifestyle. But keeping diet and activity consistent will really make all the difference.

Water wins!

We all know that drinking water is good for us for so many reasons, we’ve even written about this specifically in our Wonders of Water article. But did you know that drinking healthy amounts of water can actually contribute to weight loss, by reducing bloating, increasing digestion and supporting those naughty cravings.

Start with a glass first thing on a morning on an empty stomach to wake everything up.  Gradually increase your intake, we would suggest working up to that famous 8 glasses a day.

Especially in the UAE heat, it is vital to keep hydrated, all year round, not only in the summer months.  Swollen ankles, stubborn scales that refuse to move, might be down to something as simple as you retaining water weight, and the best way to get rid of that, ironically, is to drink more water!

Eating enough!

Not too little and not too much.  Many women tend to significantly lower their daily calorie intake when they are aiming to shed a few pounds. But undereating can shock the body into thinking it’s starving; therefore, it holds onto the energy from the food, which means the weight will stay rather than deplete.

More commonly known is that over eating can result in weight gain. Essentially, this would be when you are eating more calories than you are burning a day.  Burning calories comes in many forms though, not only in the workouts you’re doing, but other daily activities and your daily steps.  Think about it this way, if you work from home or have a desk-based job, it’s easier to over eat as your activity will not burn the calories you are eating.  Worth bearing in mind.

Don’t be a cardio bunny!

Cardio of course has its place and is invaluable for improving fitness levels, but it isn’t the only way to get the healthy balance you might be seeking.  If you are a woman doing heaps of cardio every day and wondering why your body isn’t looking the way you want, take this as a sign that you might want to look beyond cardio to see more change.

Welcome the Weights!

On that note, you might want to try adding lifting weights to your workout routines.  Muscles burn calories! Muscles require energy to sustain themselves. So, the more muscle you have, the more calories are burned.  Current research shows that by decreasing cardio and increasing weight lifting, women are more likely to shed more calories.  But don’t worry, you’re not going to turn into The Rock if you start lifting weights, even heavy ones.  Our womanly make up means that its quite impossible for this to happen, unless that is what you are specifically training for.

Periods can be Problematic

We’re beyond the age of not addressing this directly.  We know that periods and hormones affect both our energy and our moods. Apparently, we have more energy the first week after our period.  But it’s important to find the motivation to stick to those workouts in the run up to and in period week!  In fact, exercise can help to alleviate some of the symptoms of periods such as: stomach cramps, bloating, mood swings and fatigue.  Whilst you might not feel at your best to do your more challenging workouts, walking, light cardio, stretching and balancing, could all support that dreaded week of the month.

So whilst we celebrate all women this Emirati women’s day, we also celebrate women setting their own personal goals to become healthier, fitter, stronger versions of themselves.