ABU DHABI // When Khaled al Ajeil goes to the gym, he spends at least an hour working out - on an empty stomach and with no water. He is fasting for Ramadan.
"It's a good way of staying fit," says Mr al Ajeil, 44, who usually does cardio and weightlifting. "But I avoid cardio before iftar because I don't want to lose more weight."
Those fasting during the holy month are being encouraged to exercise, but to do so with care and to consider the effect on their bodies of having had no food or water during the day.
After iftar, people tend to have a big meal and follow it with sweets. According to Sally al Awar, a clinical dietician based in Abu Dhabi, the high consumption of food and sugars along with the lack of exercise can lead to people gaining at least two to three kilograms by the end of the month.
"Exercise can be in different forms. They can go for a walk or brisk walking before iftar," said Ms al Awar. "Or, once they have had iftar, they can go for the more strenuous exercise such as football or basketball - as long as they've already restored their water and glucose levels."
Exercising before iftar can also help people lose weight faster.
"Exercising before iftar is definitely a way to increase the metabolic rate before having food ? The mechanism of the body [to burn calories] is faster," she said.
However, exercising without having food or liquids for a long period of time was not ideal for everybody.
"Although it is preferable to exercise before iftar, you can't advise everyone to do that because some people are really tired two to three hours before iftar," she said. "Their sugar levels are very low and they are very thirsty - and adding exercise, even if it's just walking, can get them more tired."
Mr al Ajeil said his decreased energy levels had prompted him to modify his exercise routine. "The effort in Ramadan is different.
"Instead of working on two muscles a day, in Ramadan I work on one. I also shorten the exercises."
Sameh Abdul Ghani, fitness manager at World Gym in Abu Dhabi, said he had noticed an increase of clients since the start of the holy month. "They eat a lot of desserts during Ramadan, so they want to keep fit and exercise."
The peak times are just before iftar and after Taraweeh prayers at night, said Mr Abdul Ghani. Trainers at the gym kept a closer eye on their clients during the month and looked for signs of exhaustion and fatigue.
"But so far, our clients seem to know what they're doing."
Shereen Alyousef, 27, goes to the gym every day after iftar. She will not risk going before. "It can be dangerous. I would feel dizzy and can't concentrate."
Excessive eating is what motivates her to exercise during Ramadan.
"I eat more sweets, so I have to reduce my weight, otherwise I would gain 20lb [9kg]."
Walkers and joggers on the Corniche also try to stay fit, even in soaring temperatures. Among them are Mahmoud Zaarour, 27, and his friend Mutaz al Atrash, 29, who head there daily before iftar.
"In Ramadan, you either gain or lose weight," said Mr al Atrash. "We walk or jog just before iftar so when we go back home and it's time for iftar, we drink lots of water so we won't eat a lot."
According to Ms al Awar, this is a good idea for people who do not want to let their fitness slide during the holy month.
"It minimises the food intake. But anyway, you need to drink between iftar and sohour not less than two to three litres of water. Especially now, because it's very hot, we tend to get dehydrated quickly."
While stressing the need to replenish fluids after iftar, Ms al Awar also recommends getting up for sohour in the morning.
"Sohour, apart from it being the sunnah [recommended by the Prophet Mohammed], is also needed to replenish water, salts and sugar levels. That's why the most preferable sohour is yoghurt and dates. Yoghurt has water, calcium, proteins that the body needs. And dates have sugar, minerals and fibre."
And for people who cannot resist the Ramadan sweets?
"You don't necessarily have to have the Arabic traditional sweets that are full of fat, sugar and sweet and grease every day," she said. "Have it twice or three times a week. Enjoy Ramadan.
"For those who want to lose weight, it's a chance to lose weight and for those who want to stay fit and detoxify themselves, it's also the chance."
newsdesk@thenational.ae
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
The Saga Continues
Wu-Tang Clan
(36 Chambers / Entertainment One)
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
'Joker'
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix
Rating: Five out of five stars
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3EFounder%3A%20Hani%20Abu%20Ghazaleh%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20with%20an%20office%20in%20Montreal%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%202018%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Virtual%20Reality%3Cbr%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%241.2%20million%2C%20and%20nearing%20close%20of%20%245%20million%20new%20funding%20round%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Company%20Profile
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Engine: 80 kWh four-wheel-drive
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 760Nm
Price: From Dh280,000
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
RACECARD
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5-litre%20twin-turbo%20V6%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E456hp%20at%205%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E691Nm%20at%203%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10-speed%20auto%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E14.6L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh349%2C545%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPurpl%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKarl%20Naim%2C%20Wissam%20Ghorra%2C%20Jean-Marie%20Khoueir%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHub71%20in%20Abu%20Dhabi%20and%20Beirut%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2021%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E12%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%242%20million%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Masters%20of%20the%20Air
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Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
