Author: Beirut Fitness

Categories
Fit Fashion

Launching of Shop Beirut Fitness

One of my favorite things is discovering new active wear brands. People always ask me where I get my leggings and workout clothes from. I’m known for wearing daring colors, prints and more; regardless of their brand and color.

So many people focus on only one brand and they miss out on all the amazing sportswear clothes out there.

Last week I finally revealed what I have been working on and teasing you guys all along. On Tuesday June 20, I launched #ShopBeirutFitness , a pop up concept that includes a collection of handpicked limited quantities of a few of my favorit US sportswear brands such as 90 degrees and Danskin, aromatic candles, and more.

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The launching took place at Le gym By Robert Maalouf. The guests got the chance to explore the full collection and enjoy a complimentary workout class by Elie Chidiac, courtesy of Le gym by Robert Maalouf. Cold pressed juices and post workout snacks were offered by Succo Beirut.

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Yummy snacks from Succo

 

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Competition!

Two lucky winners enjoyed two surprises. The first won an open back athleisure t-shirt while the other one won a Beirut Fitness mug with a combination of aromatic candles.

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Congrats Sandrine and Megan!

The first pop-up took place for a period of 4 days at Le gym by Robert Maalouf and ended on Friday. Stay on the look out for future pop ups!

For now, orders are accepted via DM on Instagram, messenger on Facebook and/or via Whatsapp on +961 3 445613.

Hopefully soon, the online shop will be ready!

Happy Shopping Xx

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Thank you all for coming and for making the launching of #ShopBeirutFitness unforgettable!

PS: Don’t forget to check out the full album of pictures on Beirut Fitness’s Facebook Page!

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Categories
LifeStyle

Online Grocery Shopping with Spinneys

Ever since I started driving, almost 4 years ago, I have been in charge of the grocery shopping. I love going to the super market and taking my time to choose the items I want to add to the cart and discover new brands; however some days you feel lazy, sick, or simply overwhelmed with work and you have no time to go to the supermarket and get stuck in traffic.

With Spinneys’ latest service, their online delivery, your groceries come to you. Simply open the Spinneys website, choose the items you need from the different sections available such as but not limited to, the bakery, veggies & fruits, dairy, snacks, health & beauty, meat, chicken, & fish and Shop!

me spinneys

The website, in general, is fairly easy to use. Start off by creating an account on the website or simply log in with your Facebook account, if you do not want to create an account from scratch.

A good variety of options are available and if you are unable to find the product you are looking for, you can search for it by typing the product name in the search box.

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As you navigate around the website and add items to you cart, you will see your cart and bill adding up to the right of the page; this feature helps you keep track of the items, price, and quantities you are choosing.

When your shopping cart is complete, click proceed and move to the checkout.

In the checkout, you will find another feature that I found useful, the notes section. Write down the items that you did not find and if they are available, Spinneys would send them to you with the rest of your order.

Concerning the customer service, I was impressed! When I placed my order, around a week ago, I did not find cherries on the website, so I wrote it down in the notes. The next day, my personal shopper contacted me to inform me that there was a small quantity of cherries left that were not very good. So she immediately suggested alternatives.

The best part is that you can choose a specific date and time period and schedule the delivery in advance.

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Your first online shopping experience may take you some time, but once you’re familiar with the website you’ll be able to use your time efficiently and spend that time wasted in traffic doing more enjoyable things.

Don’t forget to check out the little video I created on my Instagram and Facebook page!

Categories
Events

Yoga Media Gathering at StayBridge Hotel

On Thursday May 11, StayBridge Suites,located in the heart of Verdun, invited media personalities and bloggers for a relaxing morning yoga session on their rooftop, located on the 23rd floor. The view of Beirut from the rooftop is simply breathtaking, I won’t talk about it much; I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

The yoga session was not an ordinary vinyasa or hatha yoga class. It was a Qigung class lead by Mrs. Gini Ghaziri from Soul Spa yoga center. Let me start off by telling you that Mrs. Ghaziri has been teaching yoga for the past 40 years. Her energy, experience, and attitude towards life made the class extraordinary.

The class included a lot of breathing techniques, light movements, guided meditation, and most importantly lots and lots of positive energy.

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For those of you wondering what Qigong actually means. Qigong comes from the words qi, meaning energy, and gong, meaning work or effort. Qigong, like yoga, incorporates postures, movement, meditation, and breath-work. However, it adds a component of visualization and refined energy awareness, trying to understand your body, the flow of energy and the breath.

I’ve always had trouble when it comes to focusing on my breathing while in a yoga class, or even in a fitness class. I tend to forget to breathe properly when I’m focused or trying to get the move right however, breathing is, in most of the cases, even more important than actually getting the move right.

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Ending the class with guided meditation and breathing

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Qigong movements are also generally more fluid, more subtle, and typically easier for people with physical limitations. In order to know more about Qigong, click here

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Group Picture!!!

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This unique yoga session was then followed by a healthy homemade breakfast, refreshments, and some networking.

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Thank you Stay Bridge Hotel for this beautiful morning spent with lovely people. There is nothing better than taking some time away from reality, finding your inner peace, and re-energizing.

PS: I’m definitely coming back to this rooftop for more pictures! 😀

Categories
Events Fit Fashion

Gapfit launches its SS17 Collection in Lebanon

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On Thursday April 6th, Gap Lebanon organized an event at their Beirut Souks branch where they invited bloggers and media to discover the launch of their latest sportswear line, Gapfit.

With the rising trend of fit-fashion and ath-leisure, looking fashionably fit and comfortable is what most of us want. I’m the type of person that spends most of their time in sportswear. I used to be a “jeans” type of person up until I started working out, a couple of years ago. Leggings then suddenly became my favorite day to day pick. Whether I am going to my friend’s house, grocery shopping, or even to university; you will always see me wearing my colorful leggings.

Since summer is right around the corner; many people start to think about how they can improve their body and health just before bikini season starts. So, the event included an interactive workshop on “How to follow a healthy diet at Work and at Home” given by dietitian and food blogger, Nicole Maftoum (@Eatlikenicole). Nicole gave the attendees some practical tips and tricks that will help in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and boosting your mood. It is very important to know that exercise and nutrition work hand in hand. (Check out my previous blog post for some useful tips on how to start your fitness journey: here)

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Nutritional Tips given by Nicole

The event was also catered by Qi Juices who offered a variety of healthy treats and snacks as well as fresh cold pressed juices to boost our energy in preparation for the outdoor yoga session.

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Colorful and Yummy food set up by Qi Juices
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I had the Green detox juice, which one would you choose?

After exploring the collection, the event ended with a beautiful outdoor power yoga given by Sara Moubarak (@sara_sutra) and some giveaways!

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So, here are a few pictures of the collection; don’t forget to pass by Beirut Souks and check out the full collection!

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With the beautiful @arwatmofficial
Categories
Fitness Tips

8 Tips for Kick Starting your Fitness Journey!

Ready to start your fitness journey? Here are some tips to help you get going:

  1. Be determined:

Start because you are convinced that you love your body and want to improve it. Having the right mindset is a key starting point.

  1. Be patient:

Patience, oh Patience, where have you been? If you don’t have it, you will learn it along the way. Permanent, consistent changes to your body do not happen overnight. Once you start seeing results, you’ll want to push yourself more and more every time.

  1. Exercise and nutrition work hand in hand:

Don’t expect to see results if you are not watching what you eat. You can start off by decreasing the amount of junk food you eat per week, cut down on the carbs, increase the protein, and add more veggies to your meal.

If you would like to read more about this topic, you can check out my previous Blog post: “I don’t Diet, I eat according to my goals” here!

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My typical breakfasts include: Omelette, coffee, and some fruit
  1. Don’t be stubborn when it comes to choosing the workouts:

You might think that one move worked magic on a friend of yours but every body is different. Not all exercises are suitable for everyone.

  1. Don’t be afraid of lifting weights:

Many people especially women, are afraid of lifting weights. They immediately think that weights = bulky muscles. No, this is not true, this is a MYTH. Lifting weights burns fat, relieves stress, and tones your body.

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Barbell Squats
  1. Choose Motivational Music:

Prepare some playlists of music ahead of time so you can play them while working out, it will help boost your mood.

  1. Workout with a friend, companion, or lover:

When you workout with someone you love spending time with, you end up motivating each other and having so much fun together. You can also think of it as another opportunity to see each other.

  1. Go buy yourself some NEW active-wear:

When you’re starting a fitness journey you don’t really care about what you’re wearing and you end up picking the old baggy clothes you never wear. This can end up demotivating you. So, go buy yourself some colorful trendy and pretty sportswear, not only will this affect your mood; it will also encourage you to workout and feel comfortable with yourself.

Good Luck!

“Believe in yourself, and you’re halfway there” – Theodore Roosevelt

 

Categories
LifeStyle

This summer: Be the Happiest Version of You

Hello Monday! February is coming to and end and the sun has been shining more often and I can’t be happier! Here are some ideas I was thinking about over the weekend that I’d like to share with you:

As soon as spring begins, you suddenly see everyone worrying about their bodies and wanting to achieve the so called “summer body” but what does this actually mean? I believe that the term “summer body” is a socially constructed term that the society and media have created in order to make people feel uncomfortable with their own body so they consume services and products that “claim” to aid in losing weight/re-shaping the body.

However, reshaping the body, toning, and losing weight is not something that happens over night or in couple of weeks. I’m sure you’ve heard of so many people who have suddenly lost weight, or look better but these quick and easy alternatives and methods are usually not sustainable.

Personally, I do not believe in something called “A summer body”. Day by day, new trends emerge; we’ve been constantly bombarded, in the past couple of months, with the trend of big butts, for example, and more. These trends create pressure on many people and may lead to extreme measures being taken in order to feel accepted and “fit-in”.

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I haven’t been blogging or working out as much as before since the beginning of the year. It’s my last semester at University; I’m finishing up a double major in Economics and Media and Communications as well as working on a very exciting project for the blog that I can’t wait to reveal (I will be revealing clues soon, but full Revelation will be around May hopefully). My schedule includes long hours and breaks that are exhausting.. I won’t lie, I do feel weaker; I’ve stopped private boxing session (and it’s so frustrating); I’ve been doing Power Stretch class once a week as well as Pulse class, mainly weights; 2 to 3 times a week and from time to time some aerial yoga.

Being fit and healthy is not only about having abs! I don’t have abs; but I’m totally OK with that.

Be happy with your body, your curves, and most importantly LOVE YOURSELF. Don’t let the media make you question how beautiful you are!

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PS: All of these photos are taken in Mar Mikhael – Beirut 🙂

Categories
Fitness Tips LifeStyle Travel

6 Tips for Staying Healthy While Traveling

Many people, including myself, are concerned about gaining weight while traveling. I spent most of my winter break in the US and the first couple of days we kept eating out almost every day! Since it was not my first time visiting Virginia, I had already chosen the favorite fast food chain restaurants that I wanted to enjoy such as Chipotle and Five Guys and surprisingly I felt satisfied after only eating at these restaurants once.

Here are some tips that I thought I would share with you to help you on your next trip:

  1. Never skip breakfast

I was not staying at a hotel so my breakfasts were either scrambled eggs with cucumber, Greek yogurt and fruits, or Greek yogurt on multi-cereal bread with different toppings such as fruits and veggies.

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  1. Commit to at least one healthy meal a day

When on vacation, we tend to eat out almost every day and personally, I got exhausted. I do enjoy eating out however, repetitively eating out especially more than once a day was annoying. Most of the food was too salty or included heavy sauces so I always ordered the sauce on the side or simply asked for lemon oil dressing for the salads and asked for less salt.

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Make your own Salad bowls at SweetGreen
  1. As much as possible, make your own meals

The days that we were going to have dinner with some friends, we would try to eat lunch at home. We would make quick and easy meals such as grilled salmon or chicken breasts in the oven with a huge salad bowl: healthy, simple, fulfilling, and delicious (such meals could also be ordered at restaurants).

  1. Carry snacks with you

Snacks on the go are one of the best things to have with you on long tour/shopping days. You are unaware of when lunch or dinner is going to take place therefore having a good breakfast before you go as well as healthy snacks such as raw nuts, protein bars, and/or fruits will give you the energy you need to keep enjoying your day.

  1. Drink lots of water

When it’s cold, I sometimes tend to forget to drink water. Stay hydrated by keeping a bottle of water with you at all times.

  1. Walk

Even if you are not working out as much as before because you are on vacation you can stay active by walking as much as possible, taking the stairs, not using much public transportation… Many beautiful places are discovered when you just walk around a city that you are not familiar with.

 

I hope you will find these tips useful! I believe that it’s all about the balance; indulge in the foods you love from time to time but also stay active and healthy.

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Categories
LifeStyle

Hello 2017!

Another year has come to an end, and everyone is probably still thinking about their new year’s resolutions and setting a long list of things to do and goals to achieve.

Here’s some advice:

  • Don’t create such a long list that you know you won’t even fulfill.
  • Choose a couple of things that you want to improve in yourself as well as a few goals you want to achieve.
  • Let them be a total of 5 things, maximum. Also, don’t forget to include in that mini list something new that you want to try.

We sometimes tend to be very harsh on our self and therefore end up judging our self too much. So, we end up feeling frustrated and unease when we see our self not fulfilling the long list that we thought we would be able to immediately put into action.

If you are not fully convinced about the goal, just don’t add it to the list. Once your mind is willing to achieve a certain thing it will get to it, no matter what!

Here are a few of my year’s resolutions: (I choose the ones that first came to mind):

  • Starting my yoga journey: Since I already have several hobbies, it was hard for me to start yoga and add it to my schedule. I would always join a couple of yoga classes here and there but I was never consistent.
  • Go back to dancing: For the past year, I stopped dancing. I had been dancing salsa for the past 4 years. I was focusing more on fitness and boxing. I love dancing, it makes me feel happy and alive and I do miss dancing.
  • Get my personal training certificate: Since I started my fitness journey and my blog began to grow. I became super interested in the fitness field. Although I am not a fan of Biology and I haven’t taken a biology class since grade 9 (6-7 years ago); I am willing to challenge myself and know more about how the human body works and the benefits of exercise in the pursuit of becoming a certified personal trainer.

Since I graduate in 2017, I decided to keep my list short and concise. I have no idea what doors and opportunities life has prepared for me as I enter a new phase in my life.

I would like to end this post by sharing with you few things I have learned and will carry onto 2017:

  • Always challenge yourself; your body is stronger than you think! Don’t be scared of pushing yourself.
  • Try something new; break out of the routine and do something you’ve always wanted to try or something you’re just curious to know more about:I tried aerial yoga in august and fell in love with it from day one; I also tried pole dancing a few weeks also and it was so much fun, can’t wait to make some time to start pole classes.
  • Last but not least, always make time for people you love!

I hope this year will be blessed and great for all of us! I’m ready to see what surprises and challenges life has prepared for us.

Persistence, perseverance and patience are the 3Ps that will guide you in your journey. Don;t forget to stay positive and don’t let anyone stop you for achieving your goals.

With love,

Christine 🙂

 

Categories
Recipes

Whole Grain Mango Muffins

As part of the Blog du Jour challenge by Spinneys, I was challenged to create a recipe using a few products I received that are exclusively sold at Spinneys. One of the main products I received is Bob’s Red Mill 7 grain Hot Cereal that contains Flaxseed.

I have never baked muffins before, so I took the recipe found on the back of the bag as a base and adjusted it a little. Here’s my recipe:

Ingredients needed:

2 cups of oats

2 cups All Purpose Flour

½ cup of Brown Sugar

1/3 cup of Bob’s Red Mill 7 Grain Cereal

2 Tbsp Baking Powder

2 Eggs

1½ cup of almond milk

½ cup coconut oil

1 banana

1 can of Admiral sliced mango (containing natural juice)

1/3 cup natural mango juice found in the Admiral sliced mango can

Cinnamon (optional – I didn’t end up using it)

Procedure:

[The quantity used makes 24 muffins]

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, flour, sugar, Bob’s Red Mill 7 Grain Cereal, and baking powder. Add the 2 eggs and the almond milk to the bowl.

Place the mango slices along with the banana, the coconut oil, and the natural mango juice in a blender and blend until smooth.

Pour the mixed juice into the large mixing bowl and mix everything together.

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Line muffin trays and add spray pan onto it so the muffins don’t stick (you can also use paper baking cups). Fill the trays and place in the oven.

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Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for about 15-20 minutes!

Sahtein Xx

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TARAAAA! Here’s the end result

Last but not least, I challenge @pearlmaalouf !

#SpinneysChallenge

 

Categories
Fit Fashion

Beirut Fitness X Lorna Jane

Australia’s leading active wear brand and one of my favorite brands has finally landed in Beirut!

I’ve known this brand for a couple of years and I would always look for it every time I travel. What I love about Lorna Jane is that every single item has something special and unique; no matter how simple it is. They are known for having fashionably fit unique items that make you feel fabulous. Whether it is the integration of mesh, net, or cut outs the flattering and durable fit is what makes this brand stand out.

For those of you looking for a last minute Christmas gift, you can now shop my look or any other Lorna Jane outfits at Zahar Lingerie stores across Lebanon! Any woman would definitely love to receive a comfortable and fashionable outfit to add to her “athleisure” wardrobe 🙂

Check out their fun and trendy collection of black and printed leggings and add a twist to this everyday MUST-HAVE.

Happy Shopping!

In the pictures I’m wearing the black and mesh leggings from their new collection paired with electric orange sports bra and a vest lined with fur.

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Finishing the photo shoot with my favorite pose!

PS: Don’t forget to checkout my Instagram account @Beirutfitness for more photos and fashion tips!