Abeer Al Khaja, CrossFit level-two coach and co-founder of the Ana Gow Running Club in Dubai, will be coaching at CrossFit Metalize in Dubai while balancing her own training routine for the first time this Ramadan. The 29-year-old Emirati trainer, who is also a revenue optimisation manager at Emirates airline, says she has a game plan to keep going at full strength.
When do you train during Ramadan?
I prefer to work out two hours after breaking my fast. But during Ramadan, I focus more on strength training rather than cardio. It’s funny, but during Ramadan I find myself performing better. I don’t feel faint or tired.
How do you plan to balance CrossFit coaching and your own training during Ramadan?
This will be the first year that I will be coaching during Ramadan and I’m looking forward to it. I plan on shortening my own workouts to accommodate both. So I plan on doing 20-minute workouts rather than a full hour. I’ll be listening to my body, so if I’ve had a stressful day at work or my body doesn’t feel 100 per cent strong, I’ll do some light activity instead of an intense strength workout.
What does your food plan look like during Ramadan?
My suhoor comprises more carbs, like rice or mandi [traditional Yemeni dish of rice and meat], so that it fills me and keeps me energised throughout the day. At iftar, I start with dates and water and then have some soup and a wholegrain sandwich. After my workout I have a proper meal that comprises protein, vegetables and, sometimes, desserts that my mother makes. Of course, I drink a lot of water during all three meals, too.
Do you take supplements during Ramadan?
I take vitamin D, omega 3 which lubricates my joints, and zinc and magnesium, which help aid recovery and reduce soreness.
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Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
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if you go
The flights
Emirates offer flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai, via Rio De Janeiro from around Dh6,300. emirates.com
Seeing the games
Tangol sell experiences across South America and generally have good access to tickets for most of the big teams in Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Independiente. Prices from Dh550 and include pick up and drop off from your hotel in the city. tangol.com
Staying there
Tangol will pick up tourists from any hotel in Buenos Aires, but after the intensity of the game, the Faena makes for tranquil, upmarket accommodation. Doubles from Dh1,110. faena.com
'Midnights'
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if you go
The flights
The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.
The trek
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
