Food that packs a punch
The six-month-old Dubai company Love Food, Love Life has three meal plans to choose from: Lifestyle, Power and Vitality. The Paleo-inspired Lifestyle is an anti-inflammatory plan that uses organic ingredients and is gluten- and dairy-free.
Power is for active individuals, and it includes four protein-heavy meals per day.
Vitality, which I signed up for, offers wholesome ingredients that are free from added sugar and have a low glycaemic index. It’s a plan for those who lead a sedentary lifestyle and are trying to watch their waistlines without compromising on taste.
The plan included breakfast, a morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack and dinner, six days a week for 24 days (excluding Fridays).
The elaborate meals included succulent cuts of meat (confit duck leg; beef bibimbab), generous portions of fresh vegetables and some creative breakfast dishes (Scotch eggs; sweet potato pancakes) and snacks (blue crab Asian slaw; cinnamon, apple and celeriac chips).
I was impressed that everything was served in glass containers, including the three flavoured waters, which arrived in a cooler bag at my doorstep between 6am and 8am each day. The kitchen is run by Australian chef Stuart Walton, who has worked in fine-dining restaurants on three continents.
Not only did I drop three kilograms in less than a month – without exercising – I also experienced some of the freshest mornings, most elated evenings and high-energy workdays of my adult life, making it worth the relatively high price of Dh3,990 for 24 days. Delivery is in Dubai only. Visit www.lovefoodme.com.
* Panna Munyal
New Les Mills programme
Body Attack 91 made its UAE debut in a big way last month at the inaugural One Live Dubai fitness event at Burj Park.
Fifty-five minutes of high-intensity cardio and aerobics was presented with a new tracklist that included remixed covers of radio pop favourites Heartbeat Song by Kelly Clarkson and Hozier's Take Me to Church as well as a remixed version of Runaway (U& I) by Galantis.
More squats, burpees and lunges are in the mix for Body Attack 91, which has become all too familiar for those who have attended the class before. A few new surprises have been added to the latest release, but we won’t spoil it for you.
* Evelyn Lau
Don’t stop dancing
Don’t know what kizomba is? I didn’t either, until the internet told me it is a dance from Angola, that incorporates Latin elements. Feeling slightly brave (and possibly a bit bored with my normal routine), I persuaded my husband to come with me to our first class and we have not looked back.
Our weekly kizomba class is not only a fantastic workout, but it’s also hugely satisfying to be acquiring a new skill and be able to relate to one another on a different level. You will recognise the kizomba beat behind many current hits, so it really is a dance that you can take from class and apply socially. Our instructor, Ginger, is an awesome dancer. She rigorously checks our posture and movement and makes sure our classes are high energy, progressive and fun.
We have attended just six sessions so far, but it’s more than enough to firmly establish kizomba as the highlight of my week. Classes are held every Tuesday at 9pm at Bodylines, Beach Rotana, Abu Dhabi, and cost Dh50 per session or Dh450 for 10 sessions. Prices are per person. Call Ginger on 056 760 5795 for more information.
* Louisa Herrington
Getting 40 winks
I’m not normally one to have trouble going to sleep. In fact, it always frustrates my husband that I can be almost unconscious within five minutes of my head hitting the pillow. But despite this, staying asleep can be a problem and I often wake up several times a night.
The Philip Stein sleep watch is fitted with a disc encoded with “natural frequency technology”, which is said to act as a receiver of the same frequencies that encourage sleep. The watch promises to then channel those frequencies to the body to help you sleep.
During my first week using the watch, I slept much deeper than normal and even though I woke up a few times during the night, I went back to sleep quickly. I had strange dreams and in the morning I felt quite groggy, which is unlike me – usually I spring out of bed.
After week one, I thought there was definitely something in this “natural frequency technology”. I even convinced my husband to wear the watch for a night and he slept soundly.
The following week, I went on holiday and forgot to take the watch, but resumed wearing it when I returned. That week I was quite stressed and struggled to sleep, tossing and turning quite a bit. I wondered if my opinion of the watch needed revising. The “natural frequency technology” didn’t seem to be working.
In the third week, my stress levels settled and I went back to sleeping soundly. I barely woke through the night and found that I wasn’t groggy in the morning. Whether this was because of the watch or something else, I’m not sure.
For me, the jury is still out on the sleep watch and with a starting price of Dh1,400, I probably won’t be rushing out to buy my own any time soon. If you have trouble sleeping and are considering one, if it’s any help – apparently Oprah swears by it.
* Amanda Tomlinson
