Wellness Defined: Advice from Nutrition and Fitness Experts

Tamara Nicolajew

We got in touch with some of the best people in town for some artery-unclogging advice.

Tamara Nicolajew

The Squat Lady

• Fitness Trainer Certification (Ontario Fitness Council), ACE Personal Trainer, Advanced Personal Trainer, Spinning® Trainer, YogaFit, Fitness for Healthy Moms and Pregnancy.
• Personal trainer for women with tailored programs on weight loss, general health and fitness, body sculpting, healthy pregnancies and post delivery health.

Personal fitness regimen:
I like to do my exercise every morning for an hour. I focus on strength training because I know that it maintains muscle mass, burns more calories when not exercising and gives your body a great shape! I may take a break some days, but I’m always doing something physical. I eat small meals throughout the day, choosing calories wisely and focusing on more protein, vegetables and fruits and fewer carbohydrates.

Fitness Advice:
We are sitting too much when we all need to move more. If it’s not to keep your body in the best shape possible, it’s to keep it healthy and disease free. Resistance or weight training is one of the best ways to do that. If you’ve never exercised, walking for a half hour everyday is a great way to start. Then get to the gym and ask a trainer to help you set up a basic program.

Email: nikolajewtam@yahoo.com

Fatima Batook

Fatima Batook

Fitness Addict

“Expect MORE. Experience MORE. Be MORE.”

• Spinning® Instructor
• CanFitPro Fitness
• Instructor Specialist, ACE
• Personal Trainer, Pilloxing
• YogaFit, TRX trainer.
• Founder: Studio 55
• Programs: Ride55, Fitness55, Focus55

The story:
Once overweight, I knew it was time to change my lifestyle and rediscover myself. That’s when I chanced upon Spinning at a local health club, and was soon addicted, finally finding where my passion lay. I became a certified Spinning® Instructor in 2007 and ultimately opened Studio 55, a unique fitness club inspiring women to “be more”.

Personal fitness regimen:
I love early mornings, so I wake up for morning prayer followed by a few rounds of sun salutations to wake up my sleepy muscles. Then I do an intense workout, changing it up between Spinning, TRX, Tabata, circuits, HIIT or bootcamp.

Advice:
Go for non-processed clean eating and always make healthy choices to give your body the love and nutrition it needs. And remember, fitness is like brushing your teeth.You don’t do it only when you want a quick fix; it has be a routine part of your life.

Web: fitstudio55.com
Facebook: fitstudio55
Instagram: fitstudio55
Twitter: @fitstudio55

Carla Davis

Carla Davis

Holistic Nutrition

“I believe what you put in your body is more important than what you put on your face.”

• Trained in over 100 dietary theories
• Certified Nutrition Consultant Member of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) and the Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM)

Programs:
NO TOX DETOX™ and FLAWLESS FOUNDATION™

How are nutrition and beauty related?
The power to influence our physical beauty from the inside out is backed with scientific fact, not just ancient wisdom – beauty really is more than skin deep. When we eat processed foods , our beauty and health gets undermined and the consequences are visible. When we fuel our body with nutritious foods, we see radiant results. By taking care of our health, we naturally take care of our beauty.

Personal wellness regimen:
My fitness plan is broken down into nutrition, cardio, strength and rest. I make sure I move every single day. I even invested in a pedometer which is still something I highly recommend to everyone. Spending long hours in the gym doesn’t work for me, so my routine twice a week is Tabata, a High-Intensity Interval Training approach to burn more fat and tone muscle in less time.

Nutrition advice:

• Water is the skin’s best beauty elixir. Aim to drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water every day.
• Remove processed foods; they offer very minimal health benefits. Depend on fruits and vegetables for live beauty fuel – enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Aim to eat three colors at each meal.

Web: carladavis.com
Facebook: carladavischc
Instagram: carladavischc
Twitter: @carladavischc

Yassmine Bou Ghader

Yassmine Bou Ghader

Dietician, Diet Center Khobar

• Bachelors and Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics, AUB, Lebanon

What are the biggest nutrition mistakes people here in Sharqiyah are making?
Most of my clients admit their nutritional mistakes during the first few minutes of the consultation session:

• Skipping breakfast: The most important meal of the day – it provides you with energy and boosts your metabolism.
• This is coupled with the tendency to snack on processed and calorie-saturated snacks during the day. If you open the drawers in most offices you will likely find all kinds of chocolates and crackers.
• Heavy meals at late hours. You need to resist stuffing yourself with heavy foods (kabsa and biryani, I’m looking at you) late at night.

Personal wellness regimen:
I have a little gym with basic equipment to get my heart and blood pumped up. I avoid processed food as they are saturated with preservatives (some of which are too hard to even pronounce). I start my day with a healthy breakfast, have a decent lunch during work and finish off with a light dinner. I snack on fruits between meals and make sure to include as many colors as possible.

Nutrition advice:

• Adopt a healthy, easy to follow diet.
• Choose complex carbs over refined simple sugars.
• Order grilled dishes over fried ones.
• Prepare healthy snacks like popcorn (without butter!) or carrot sticks with yoghurt dip instead of chips.

Email: yassmine.boughader@dietcenter.com.sa