20 Arms Workouts – No Equipment Needed (Indoors or Outdoors)

Posted on March 8, 2019 by Nura Arabi

Dear Sisters,

In this video, I share 20 Arm workouts that will help your arms stay strong and toned. You can do those workouts ANYTIME and ANYWHERE.
– NO EQUIPMENT NEEDED
– NO GYM NEEDED
All you need is your energy and some space.

How can you put those workouts into use?
Pick 5 of the workouts, repeat each move 10-15 time, then do 3 sets of all.

WORKOUT CLOTHES DETAILS:

Sports Hijab:
– Hooda Ellips Sports Hijab in Black
– Hooda Hijab for Dry and wet use with Zipper in Beige
– Raazglove in Grey
(I like to keep my sports hijabs under my clothes. This is just my preference)

Modest Sports Tops:
– Athleisure Top in Purple
– Ultra Top Galaxy Collection II in Pink
– Ultra Top Galaxy Collection in Beige
– Azza Topltic in Blue

Pants:
– Jasmine Pants

Share with me if you do any of those workouts.
let me know if you have any questions or request specific workout videos.

Use Code “NURA’ for 10% discount from nashata.com

Keep It Healthy
Nura

20 Abs Workouts – No Equipment Needed (Indoors or Outdoors)

Posted on February 21, 2019 by Nura Arabi

Dear Strong Ladies,

In this video, I share 20 Abs workouts that you can do anywhere at anytime. You need nothing what so ever. NO equipment, NO Gym, NO Hassel.
All you need is your body and some space.

How can you use this video?

Pick 5 of those workouts, and do repeat each 10-15 times, then do three sets of them.

I would love to hear from you how you like it.
Next I will be doing No equipment, Arms workout. Let me know what you would suggest or would like to see.

Literally, you have no excuse now. Just Get moving.

Here are some details about the modest sports clothes that I wore in this video:

Sports Hijabs:
– Raazglove in Green and Black
– Raazniq in Grey

Modest Sports Tops:
– Ultra Top II in Orange
– Azzatopletic in Black, Pink, and Navy

Leggings:
– StirUp Hihg waist

If you ever have any questions regarding this video, I am more than happy to help.
Don’t hesitate to ask 🙂

P.S. Use Code “NURA” for 10% discount from nashata.com

Keep It healthy,
Nura

#limitlesswithNashata

3 Reasons Why you should Join Spartan and 4 Steps to Train for the race

Posted on February 19, 2019 by Muzdalifah Anuar

I first embarked on my Spartan Race in Nov 2015 at its inaugural race in Singapore. I was hooked the first time. I love running but after a few marathons i got a bit bored and was seeking a more challenging race to keep me motivated and on my toes. Spartan Race was a dream come true. I have participated in 12 Spartan races since then, held in Singapore and Malaysia. I hope to be able to take part in more Spartan races overseas to experience the different terrains and weather. I ran alone for all the races except the last Super (Oct 2018) and the latest, first ever Stadion Race in Asia last January 2019. Crossing the finishing line was fulfilling i thought, but crossing the line with 22 others (first time Spartans) brought “fulfilling” to a whole new level. We trained together for about 4 months and they started with much fears and concerns. I met so many others who desired to participated but fear kept them at bay. These 22 faced theirs fears and fought through their personal demons to achieve something they never thought they could.

We are STRONG alone but TOGETHER, we are STRONGER!

Alhamdulillah.. No women left behind. Look at our muddy attire!

WHAT IS SPARTAN RACE?
(Taken from Spartan Website)

Three Main Race Types

Sprint 3 mi / 5 km, 20 Obstacles
The Spartan Sprint puts endurance aside and tests your quickness through 5 km loaded with 20 Obstacles. A great starter distance for beginners, or a perfect test against time for the more advanced racer.
Super 8 mi / 13 km, 25 Obstacles
The Spartan Super is as much mental as it is physical, spanning over 13 km that are just as unforgiving as the 25 Obstacles that litter the distance.
Beast 13 mi / 21 km, 30 Obstacles
The Spartan Beast is just plain hard. This is the longest and most difficult race out of our three main race types and is aptly named for its brutal 21 km circuit with 30 Obstacles that try to keep you from your finish line.

ENDURANCE EVENTS

Ultra (30 mi / 50 km, 60 Obstacles) – replaced Ultra Beast, Hurricane Heat (3-4 hours of grueling team building), Hurricane Heat 12 Hour (12 hours of physically and mentally draining team and individual challenges), or the Agoge, a 60-hour event that builds physical, tactical, mental, and team-based strength through training, testing and evaluation.

3 Reasons Why You Should Join Spartan Race

Holistic Challenge. As per most OCR (Obstacles Course Races) , the race not only requires one to be able to run. It demands a total full-body commitment, from strength to agility, balance, skills, endurance, ruggedness and mental resilience. The abilities to overcome the obstacles stretches you beyond your comfort zone. One needs to not only run the distance but, climb over walls, crawl through mud and tunnels, swim across waters, beat lateral walls, carry weights over undulating terrains, throw spear, hang, swing, roll, jump… you name it, they have it. What it means is that one has to train nearly every muscle in the body!
Test One’s Limit. The race is a true test of one’s limit. The different obstacles, undulating terrain, surprise elements, the harshness of the outdoors and the weather forces you to perform at your best and then some. Going through the training and completing the race will make one humbled yet confident to be able to overcome any hurdle life may cast upon you in syaa Allah. Like life itself, every obstacle represents the challenges we face in our daily life.We all know how one gets stronger ONLY through difficulty. It’s a test of physical strength, mental resilience and GUTS.
Camaraderie Forged. The race is like a battle and the racers like soldiers. Even when running alone, i never felt lonely. The positive spirit of each Spartan is so infectious, the stranger next to you will not leave you to in the ditch. A hand is always ready to pull you up the wall or through the mud. A battlefield where no one gets left behind. Going through the race as a team, the camaraderie forged as we overcome the obstacles together is beyond words. At the last Spartan ULTRA at Iskandar Putri, i jumped through the fire hand in hand with new found friends from Taiwan, Indonesia and Philippines with our own story to remember for the rest of our lives.

Too difficult? Our 59-year-old Cik Sumarne can do it. What’s your excuse?

Their first Spartan Race! 13km 25 Obstacles. The most senior in our team was Cik Sumarne 59 years old (most right). Check out her smile!

Olympus – The rain poured just as we crossed the Start Line and continued to bless us with coolness and mud! Yeaaay

Spear Throw

Crossing water obstacle at Sentosa Beach.

Final Obstacle – Fire Jump

Dunking Station

Since you have no excuse, cast aside your fears. Bury the worry and burn away the jitters. Go sign up for a race already. There! First step done… Good job!

4 Steps to Train for Spartan Race

Prepare Well. Plan your training. You don’t want to suffer on course and call it quits. To finish strong, you must plan for every training, endurance, building up strengths and learning skills and techniques to overcome obstacles. You can follow Spartan’s Workout of the Day or subscribe to a training program with them. Read up! there is plenty of resources online to teach and show you how to train up. Look up the different obstacles you need to train for, rope climbing, swing trainer, hurdles, spear throw, etc. Watch the demonstration videos and training tips from the pros. Penalty for every failed obstacle is 30 burpees. The number of burpees you do, depends on your training.
Commit and Be Discipline. Set goals and keep to the plan. Commit yourself to the training and don’t falter. Treat yourself sometimes too after a good workout or once you finish a cycle. Consistency is always best. Push yourself but also rest and recover well.
Make Training fun!Include variety in your training. Train at different places, run a new route, venture new venues. Use different props/equipment while training. Embrace the sweat and soreness and learn to enjoy the training. Remember, its a process, you need to savour the journey to taste the sweetness at the finishing line.
Train Together. Gather your kakis. Having great company while training is always awesome. Join the Spartan Community where they will provide free training or find a community near you who are as enthusiastic as you. Motivate one another during training and help each other to achieve the training goals. Together, you are definitely stronger.

My Spartan Journey – 12 races since 2015

A satisfying finish with the team

The Z Wall

Inverted Wall

Join me at the next race on 02 March 2019 at Semenyih – Spartan Super/Sprint!

Climbing Mount Kinabalu with Family

Posted on November 20, 2018 by eliza noordin

No one is too old or too young to climb a mountain. Climbing a mountain can be a good family activity, especially for children. It fosters team-work, patience, agility and persistence.

My family and I climbed Mount Kinabalu for the first time in 2013, comprising my husband and back then, 11 and 13 year old daughters. Mount Kinabalu is Malaysia’s first World Heritage Site, awarded in year 2000. This year, I decided to take my 13 year old son to conquer the mountain. I owed him this adventure as he was left behind in 2013.

Pinnacle Reflection at Mount Kinabalu

It was the monsoon season (Nov – March) and the weather was unpredictable, mostly cloudy and raining in the afternoon. We had a little bit of training, mostly cardiovascular workouts two weeks before the climb. Typically, a party of 5 climbers gets a guide, but after 2015, the park allocates one guide to a party of 3 climbers under 18. Since my two children were 13 and 16 years old respectively, we got two guides; one main and another for my 13 year old, at no additional charges. Do check with your agent about this before confirm booking. I was not aware of this until I reached Kinabalu Park and I took it as a bonus.

Our Guides Oni (second right) and SabarYunus (far right)

We reached Kinabalu Park at 9 am, where we completed some paperwork, got our tags and packed lunch. The climb from Timpohon Gate at Kinabalu Park to Low’s Peak (4,095 meters above sea level) was 9 km. We started the climb at 9:30 am and reached Laban Rata (6km) at 3:30 pm. There were 7 shelters along the way, where we stopped to rest and had lunch. It started to rain heavily after 12:30 pm and we had to walk up steep trails of flowing water in raincoats. We reached Laban Rata, all soaked and wet. However, the waterproof high ankle hiking shoes we had were really helpful to keep our feet dry and warm.

We had a room consisting of 2 double-decker beds. Every climber was given a towel each upon check-in at Laban Rata. There were shared bathrooms for ladies and gents respectively, equipped with solar-powered water heater. So, no sun, no heater *wink*

Buffet dinner was made available from 4:30 pm – 7 pm. We had early dinner and rested after that. We woke up at 1:30 am and got ready for 3 km climb to Low’s Peak. We had sweat-wicking long sleeves top on, with a light-weight insulated jacket over. Based on my first experience, it was important not to over-dressed. You would be sweaty while climbing and needed to stay light and dry. We brought some water, energy gels, extra gloves, sun block and medical kit along and left the rest in our room. Warm supper was served at 2 am and by 2:30 am, we started climbing very steep stairs to the summit. It was cold, windy and slippery along the way. I was at awe looking at the clear night skies with stars, shooting star and constellations visibly bright and clear. Occasionally, I would look up and back to see the skies and the city lighted up from the mountain. It was too beautiful. If you do not have altitude sickness, the walk from 8 km onwards was quite easy. You need to watch-out for icy surfaces and avoid stepping on the rope. Our guide was very helpful to keep the children safe and to move in good pace. We reached Low’s Peak at 5:30 am, just in time for the sunrise and took lovely shots at the summit. The sky was clear and we could see the ocean and Kota Kinabalu city from the summit. The view was surreal.

Low’s Peak Mount Kinabalu

Once the sun was up, I got heated up fast at the peak. If sunny, you may need to start removing unnecessary layer of clothing and put on sunblock and shades. We descended 3 km quickly after and reached Laban Rata for breakfast at 8:30 am. After a short rest, at 10 am, we continued 6 km journey back to Timpohon Gate. It was misty and cloudy and luck was not with us when it started to rain the last 4 km. It was quite challenging to walk downhill in the rain. Even though I took it super slow, I fell down many times, once on my face. My children were fine and moved quickly. We arrived Timpohon Gate at 3:30 pm, picked up the certificates and had lunch at Balsam Restaurant.

Steps from the Peak to Laban Rata

Climbing Mount Kinabalu was gruesome but totally worth it. It was a 9 km walk (9 hours) in total to the peak from Timpohon Gate and 9 km walk (8.5 hours) down – all within 30 hours. My son was happy to be able to experience what he missed 5 years ago.

We had good guides – SabarYunus and Oni (took many pictures of us voluntarily, highly recommended for children, attentive and caring) . We secured our booking through Best Borneo Tours. The budget per person to climb Mount Kinabalu is RM1500/USD400

Many Ice Formation at Mount Kinabalu. Temperature was under zero degrees.

Some Tips

Bring drinking water or purchase at Laban Rata. Avoid drinking spring water along the trail or at Laban Rata if you are not used to drinking it. My family and I suffered from bad water poisoning due to this in 2013.
Take Diamox a day before the climb if you have altitude sickness (ask your doctor before taking any) . My children took 2; a day before the climb and the day of the climb.
Hiking sticks are useful for descend. You can rent for RM10 at Kinabalu Park.
Bring knee and ankle guards. They can be useful for descending
Energy gels and energy bars to keep you motivated and going
Follow the guide’s pace. Avoid stops, just keep moving.
Bring water bottles

Descending Mount Kinabalu with a smile. The experience at the peak is priceless.

Shoes

Waterproof shoes are necessary if you hike during monsoon season. You may be walking through streams of water for hours and need your feet dry.
Bring extra shoes with toe opening or soft on toes to hike down. I descended using my soft running shoes to reduce impact on my toe nails.
All weather sweat-wicking socks

Look for water-proof label on shoes.

Soft-fabric shoes for descending

Clothing

Sweat-wicking long-sleeves tops. I wore Nashata Raazglove, Azza Toplectic and Ultra Top II and Stirrup Leggings.
Wind-breaker or a jacket (Laban Rata to Low’s Peak)
Cap or headwear (Laban Rata to Low’s Peak)
Face and neck-gaiter (Laban Rata to Low’s Peak)
Neck scarves
Water-proof gloves. Bring an extra pair

Must bring gears

Waterproof bag
Headlamp
Raincoat
Charger – Many power points in hostel, but no wifi.
First aid kit

Cold yet Happy Faces

I am grateful for a mission accomplished – all my three kids at age 11 and 13 conquered Mount Kinabalu safely. Climbing Mount Kinabalu is not only about agility and physical endurance, but more importantly – mental strength.

It gets bright and sunny fast after sunrise

I do not think I want to climb Mount Kinabalu again but perhaps some other mountains. If you are thinking of taking your children or teenagers to climb Mount Kinabalu – It is not easy, but Go For It!

“Climb mountains not so the world can see you, but so you can see the world.”

Kenapa Ramai Kembali Berlari di Pink Ultra

Posted on November 12, 2018 by Intan Suraya Maad

Heiiii ! Saya lari lagi di Pink Ultra edisi ke 4

Larian Ala Trail di Paya Indah Wetland, Dengkil

Tahun ni merupakan edisi ke 4 Pink Ultra dan merupakan kali ke 3 saya menyertai. Edisi pertama (2015) dan ke-2 (2016) diadakan di Taman Saujana Hijau, Putrajaya. Edisi ke 3 (2017) di Taman Tasik Cyberjaya dan edisi ke 4 (2018) di Paya Indah Wetland, Dengkil. Semua acara Pink Ultra adalah larian looping, berjarak 50km.

Pink Ultra dianjurkan oleh Team Pacat dan ia adalah untuk wanita saja. Tapi peserta lelaki boleh jugak sertai dalam kategori duo; iaitu larian bersama peserta wanita dari awal sampai lah tamat larian. Selain itu ada kategori solo dan kategori relay. Peserta diberi masa selama 10 jam untuk berlari dan perlu dapatkan 50km untuk dapat medal dan finisher t. Tak habis lari tak dapat hokay !

Acara kali ini diadakan pada 4 Nov lepas. Saya menyertai kategori duo bersama Noi. Kami di lepaskan pada jam 7.10 pagi. Laluan kali ini lain dari edisi yang sebelum ini, kali ni 95% larian adalah trail. Kami kena berlari 1.5km ke check point dan pusing semula ke starting line melalui jalan yang sama. Bermakna 1 loop adalah 3km. Peserta duo dan solo diwajibkan untuk menghabiskan sebanyak 17 loops (51km) dalam masa 10 jam. Pemandangan di Paya Indah Wetland sangat cantik, dikiri dan kanan ada tasik dan katanya ada buaya juga. (nasib baik masa hari tu tak ada buaya ? Kami tak akan rasa sunyi masa berlari sebab akan bertembung dengan runner lain berlainan arah. Tambahan pula, marshall juga selalu ulang alik untuk menjaga keselamatan peserta.

Noi dan Intan Berlari Kategori Duo di Pink Ultra 2018

Part ni memang best, makanan dan minuman yang banyak dan sedap. Ada nasi lemak, bubur ayam, mee hoon sup, buah-buahan, kek..dan bannyyaaaaakkkk lagi dan pelbagai air yang sentiasa sejuk berais. Di Pink Ultra jurugambar mengambil gambar peserta-perserta yang kelihatan cantik-cantik belaka, hokay ! Marshall dan sukarelawan pula sangatlah peramah, banyak membantu dan sangat baik. Ini sememangnya tradisi Pink Ultra!

Bagi saya Pink Ultra memberi saya ruang untuk mencuba keupayaan saya berlari jarak jauh dan ianya ibarat training saya untuk acara larian lain yang akan datang. Pengalaman berlari ditengah panas, mental diuji sebab route looping, sakit cramp, blister sana sini, penat, letih, rasa nak pitam, semua jadi satu kepuasan untuk saya. Ramai yang memberi kata-kata semangat bersorak bersama, jumpa kawan baru. Yes, bonding and more time together!

Larian Loop 50 km dalam masa 10 jam

Bagi saya Pink Ultra adalah acara yang sangat bagus untuk wanita yang ingin cuba berlari dengan jarak lebih dari marathon. Sebab semua rasa ada, manis, masam, pahit dan pedas semua ada disini. Sedapkan? ? eh jom lah sertai Pink Ultra tahun depan!

Fun In The Sun: Stop Being Bored

Posted on June 24, 2018 by Nura Arabi

Salam to all my beautiful ladies.
I pray this blog finds you in your best forms of health and wellness.

Many people are trying to live a healthy lifestyle now more than ever before. Many are looking for that circle of friends that will support this healthy lifestyle. As you know, if we want to build a healthy community and have more health aware circles then we should start with raising healthy children.

As a physical education teacher, I have been searching for the right way to approach my students and encourage them into living a healthy lifestyle and learn how to make healthy choices. The best way I have found is to make fun videos for them and it has done wonders in my teaching so far.

Here is a little fun video I made for my students.
Of course, I never do sports without Nashata being involved. The ultimate meaning if comfort.
In this video I wore the following for the two different characters presented.
– Athleisure and Azza topletics Modest Sports Shirts.
– Hooda Ellipse and Raazglove Sports Hijbs

Enjoooooy

This Ramadan, Keep Moving

Posted on May 9, 2018 by Amina

Just about a week to go until Ramadan, in sha Allah!

Every year, the period leading up to Ramadan is flooded with a lot of nervicitement (yes it’s a new word coined for moments of nervous excitement alright!) with discussions ranging from resolution and goal setting to menu planning.

During this time we make a conscious effort in realigning our spiritual well being, spending time in prayer, supplication learning and reciting the Holy Qur’an. While this remains the main focus of the month, we still have to carry on with our daily chores and activities – and this whether we like it or not – includes maintaining our fitness levels.

In the past, I, like many others, absolved myself of any fitness related activities during Ramadan, simply because of the fears of dehydration, fatigue and hanger, which ultimately would take away from the spirit of the month. However, while making up for some missed fasts this past month, I trained and it dispelled all the notions I had built up in my head. In fact, I felt energized, Alhamdulillah!

I am a moderately active person with average fitness levels. Between work and school runs, I manage to train 3-4 days a week during which I do a mix of weight training and running. So here I am sharing learnings from my own experience – a beginner’s perspective if you like – to encourage you all to keep moving this Ramadan!

When do I train?

I choose to train 60-90 mins before Iftar for about 30-45 minutes. While many suggest it is better to train after iftar or before suhoor, I go with what works best for my schedule. Since school and work schedules operate on shorter timings here in the Middle East, there should be enough time to prep Iftar and dinner well in advance.

The other recommended times are generally post-iftar or pre-suhoor, times at which our bodies are better hydrated and nourished.

What kind of training?

The training intensity would vary based on when you choose to train. Since this will be the first Ramadan I will be training, I plan to stick to a light schedule, which ensures that I keep my body moving.

Model: Nura Arabi Wearing Nashata Modest Sports Wear

Yoga routines: There are many free apps and videos which take you through simple routines that range from 10 minute warm up exercises to 40 minute deep restorative routine which are fantastic in relaxing your muscles and breaking a sweat without tiring you out.

Functional Training: This involves compound movements that mimic patterns from daily life. Here again, there are several apps which have routines of varying effort and duration to guide you through a simple routine. If this is the first time you would be training while fasting, I suggest relying purely on your body weight and gradually introducing light weights based on how your body takes to the stress of fasting. Start with 3 sets of approximately 10 reps of each exercise. Some great exercises are:
- Step Ups
- Squats
- Walking lunges
- Push Ups

Brisk Walking / Jogging: Considering the weather in the UAE during this time of the year, I stick to the treadmill. Each day of fasting can feel different, so choose a speed and incline based on how you feel on that particular day. As tempting it is to push yourself to try harder, this is not the time to set new challenges. Start with a 15 minute walk, which you can then increase gradually in duration, speed and effort as you progress.

For the sake of avoiding repetition, I will not delve into the What to Eat during Ramadan spiel. But I will emphasize this – HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE! And start preparing your body from today. With the time being between iftar and suhoor being so short in the summer months, it may not be possible to maintain fluid intake as you would on regular days. The solution? EAT water! Hydration is aided by the intake of foods rich in water content and potassium rich foods which help maintain the electrolyte balance in our bodies.

As we all know, the key to having a productive and less stressful Ramadan is being organised. So plan ahead and schedule in your time to train!

Wishing you all a blessed Ramadan. May it be source of nourishment for our minds and bodies!

Conquer Early Morning Workouts Like a Pro

Posted on January 21, 2018 by Jeri Villareal

For the past few months, I’ve switched from intense 45-minute (or a bit more) lunchtime workouts to early morning, hour-long workouts. Early morning workouts really work better for my hectic schedule and still allow me to remain fresh and clean during the entire workday. One of the drawbacks of lunchtime workouts is that the time was too short to shower at the gym (that is, if I wasn’t running or biking outside) and we do not have showers at work. While I still utilize my lunch a few times a week to get in a workout, it is usually a short workout at the gym (allowing time for a shower) or a restorative workout such as Yoga.

The early morning workout is exactly what I needed in my life, but it was by no means easy for me to make the transition. I found that with a little planning and preparation, an early morning workout was more than possible. I devised a routine that worked for me and my crazy-busy schedule and I am sure you can create one that works well for yours.

Below are some time-saving tips that may help you get in your early morning workout like a pro:

Get to bed early the night before. It’s really hard to get up before the sun has risen, if you have only had a few hours of sleep. Aim for a bedtime that allows for around 7 hours of quality sleep.

Pro Tip: Avoid the viewing of electronics such as computers, cell phones and televisions 30 minutes before bedtime. If you view these screens, use blue light blocking glasses.

Pro Tip: Use natural sleep aids (teas, powders, pills) in order to fall asleep and stay asleep. Look for products that include one or more of the following: Melatonin, Valerian Root, Magnesium, Calcium, Lavender or Chamomile.

Set your alarm..or two. Waking up early will be a challenge at first, so set an alarm to ensure you wake up on time and another alarm to make sure that you leave the house on time. If you are a hard sleeper, you may want to set one alarm to wake you up and one 5 minutes later…to really, really wake you up.

Pro Tip: If you are using your cell phone alarm, modify the alarm label with a motivational message. (Mine is: You’ve Gotta Work For It!)

Lay out your clothes the night before. Set out your gym clothes within easy reach and include all of your accessories (hijab, heart rate monitor, watch, socks, compression sleeves) and your shoes. The last thing you want to do at 4 AM is hunt for a matching sock, so lay out everything you need.

Pack your gym bag the night before. Make sure you include everything you will need after your workout, such as a change of clothes, shower gel, shampoo, lotion deodorant or feminine products.

Pro Tip: Lay your work clothes on the floor, folded in half longways. Place your pants/skirt on the bottom, then stack your shirt, scarf/hijab (if you use one), underwear, socks or stockings and accessories. If you have a work badge, clip it to your clothing at this time. Roll all the items together tightly and place the entire roll in your gym bag.

Prep your pre and post-workout meal. Set out your cups or containers with your pre-measured powder in it ready to go. In the morning, add your liquids and go.

Pro Tip: If you have a smoothie pre or post-workout, consider freezing the ingredients in a mason jar. Add the liquid to the jar in the morning. Most glass mason jars fit the standard blender base attachment so you can blend your smoothie or shake directly in the jar and head out the door.

Now you are ready to rock your early morning workout like a pro. It takes 21 days to establish a new habit. Give it time if you struggle a bit at first to get out the door in time. After a few weeks your early morning workout will become second nature.

Andin: A Real-Life Wonder Woman from Bandung

Posted on November 27, 2017 by aqilah

In 2014, Dr. Fauzia Adrini, better known as Andin, decided to join a marathon after seeing her friends posting their running results on Facebook. She started with brisk-walking, and now she runs marathon in various places. She was inspired to try out long distance running to challenge herself and also to improve healthcare. At the beginning it was tough and difficult for her because her body and mind needed time to get used to the precipitous training routine. Slowly she prepared herself to take on a full marathon. Nevertheless, she persevered. Now, at 44, she had undertaken a 44km marathon and has inspired many young doctors to participate in marathon. Apart from that Andin also grasped other sport skills from brisk walking to trail running, yoga, swimming, and triathlon.

Andin is a doctor/lecturer and a mother raising a family with three beautiful children, one daughter and two sons. Living in Bandung, Indonesia, Andin, may sound like an ordinary person busy living her life. However, self-driven by her own voice and passion, the risk and challenges she had went through is what separate her from her ordinary self.

This is a story that we all need to read to motivate ourselves to come out from our comfort zone. She taught us that one can simply become anything if we have the courage to pursue them. A few days ago, Nashata team had the privilege to interview the real-life hero. We received nothing but warmth and positive vibes from her sharing her story.
N: Nashata
A: Andin

“It felt so hard in the beginning.”

N. When and how did you start running?
A: In 2014, I saw many of my facebook’s friends posted their running result on their Facebook wall, and I thought it seems interesting to do that. Besides, when I was in high school, I love to do jungle-trekking and hiking with my friends. I want to continue to do sports as my routine activity like I used to and of course, I want to be healthy.
So, I started with brisk-walking with my husband. It felt so hard in the beginning. Gradually combined walk-jog and finally, within 2 months I can run 30 minutes without stop. I felt so great! From that moment, I do running as my morning activity, with my husband and sometimes with my friends. And also, I started to join many running events after that.

N: How often do you train?
A: 4-5 days a week to do running workout, 2 times a week doing yoga, 1 day a week doing cycling and core training everyday.

“I join yoga class for women, swimming at public swimming pool and doing core workout at home.”

N: Wow. That sounds intense. Where do you usually train?
A: On the road, at the jogging track. Sometimes go out of town to do trail running with friends. For cycling, I usually go cycling around the town with my husband and my friends. I join yoga class for women, swimming at public swimming pool and doing core workout at home.

Side note: Core strengthening is the ability to use core muscles such as torso, hips, lower back, abs, shoulders in all three planes of motion with force. The core is primarily responsible for maintaining dynamic balance of the body centre gravity.

N. What inspires you to run despite a tight schedule as a doctor?
A: To be healthy. Also I want to inspire my students at medical school, my patients, and Moslem women to do healthy life style.

N. Are you a part of a running group? If you are, what is the name of the group?
A: Yes. We have a running group called KedoDoRun (Kedokteran Doyan Run means medical personels who love to do running). That’s the running group consist of doctors, dentists and medical / dentistry students in Indonesia. Besides running, we often share information or do sports meetings.

N. Do you cross train or perform other sports?
A : Swimming sometimes,but I do cycling more often. I do yoga two times a week. Yoga is very good for runners for strengthening and flexibility training because it’s useful to reduce injury and recovery after doing long run. I also perform core strengthening at home.

N. When is your upcoming event?
A: Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon on Dec, 3rd 2017. I will join Full Marathon (FM) Category. This is my second event on FM category. Hopefully I can reach my personal best on this event.
On 2018, I will try triathlon event also because it will be interesting and my husband, also a triathlete, encourage me to do so.

N. How is your diet like?
A: I eat oatmeals with milk and fruits for my breakfast. I have lunch with usual meal but try not to have dinner after 6 pm. But, when I was in holiday, I often “cheat”. Hahaha I love to try local culinary so sometimes I give myself a chance to forget about my diet rule on holidays.

N. Describe the training process for a marathon. How did you prepare–both mentally and physically?
A: If you choose to join Full Marathon Category on an event, it means that you have to train 3-4 months before, 4-5 days a week. Not only running workout (interval, tempo, easy, and long run), also you have to do strengthening exercise (core workout) and flexibility (like yoga). So, you must make time to do all of them despite your daily activity as a mother, doctor and lecturer.
Sometimes, I have to skip some of my training due to my tight schedule in my office. So, I have to communicate with my coach in order to modified the schedule on that week.

N. What do you wear for your marathon run?
A: Marathon run is an extreme sports. So I have to choose comfortable and also syar’i outfit to cover my aurah. I’ve tried some of hijab brands, and the most comfy one is Hooda hijab. Other outfit which I wear is sports shirt (actually our running group shirt) and modified skirt (pants which look like long skirt.) Hopefully Nashata will produce modified skirt too for Moslem women who choose to wear a long ‘skirt’ for their sport activity. And finally, of course I will wear visor and comfy running shoes.

“I will choose Sibaha and Azza Toplectic for my upcoming triathlon event on 2018.”

N. Insya Allah, soon, we will produce long running skirts. What is your favourite Nashata wear so far?
A: My favourite product is Hooda Sports Hijab, I have some different colours of that hijab. And I will choose Sibaha and Azza Toplectic for my upcoming triathlon event on 2018.

N: Where would you suggest runners to go for a run in Indonesia? Tell us the nicest spots you’ve ever been to.
A: So many beautiful places in Indonesia. You have to try running at Belitung beach, doing trail run at Pulau Padar Labuan Bajo Flores.
For runners who like to join the running event, I highly recommend May Bank Bali Marathon.

“I have joined Penang Bridge International Marathon 2014, 2XU Singapore Marathon, Vienna City Marathon Austria 2016, Borneo International Marathon, Kota Kinabalu 2017.”

N: Have you ever participated a marathon in a different country? What was it like?
A: I have joined Penang Bridge International Marathon 2014, 2XU Singapore Marathon, Vienna City Marathon Austria 2016, Borneo International Marathon, Kota Kinabalu 2017. At Vienna, it was memorable because we were running along the beautiful Vienna city although it was soooo freezing. At Kinabalu, amazing city but felt so hard especially in between 30km – 38 km because I had to run at high inclination route.

N. What do you find to be the most rewarding thing about running?
A: I feel fresh and healthier everyday. In an event, the time that you reach the finishing line is such an amazing feeling. Suddenly you just forget every pain and exhaustion that you felt during the race.
“Never do something too much, too soon or too long.”

N. What is your advice to other novice runners?
A: Do running gradually. Never do something “too much, too soon or too long”. It’s imposible that you can run 10km within 1 week if you have never run before. Running is a kind of extreme sport so you have to do it with preparation like (4-5 days a week, 30 minutes minimum), never skip the warm ups before workout and stretching down afterward. It is important so we can minimize injury risk.

N. What do you wish for in the future?
A: I hope more people would realize that being healthy by doing healthy life style is such a way to be grateful to Allah blessings.

N: Thank you so much for agreeing to do the interview with us. We gained a lot of information from your wonderful experiences.
A: Alhamdulillah. Thank you.

We have to start somewhere and keep training. Never stop training and let’s keep improving for fitness reasons like Dr. Fauzia Andrini!

Ladies-Only Fitness Program at ADTC, UK

Posted on August 22, 2017 by eliza noordin

Hailing from UK, Safiyyah Henderson, a 26 year old young mother in fitness started Athlelea’s Daugther’s Traning Club (ADTC), specially for women. Her goal is to empower and enriching women to optimal health. Prior to that, she won a regional award for her fitness classes.

Saffiyah understands the needs for women to enjoy fitness in privacy and in an-all-women environment.

A visionary young and fit Captain

So, in 2015 she founded ADTC where she offers club training, personal and online personal training, food plan and club training. ADTC offers different types of cool club training programs: Superwoman Sculpted, Obstacle Circuit, Bootcamp and Core Crusher that cover different aspects in fitness. Those who prefer personal touches can go for personal training. The price ranges from £40 to £50 per session or up to £1,055 per plan.

Here’s for WonderWoman and SuperWoman. Suitable for a wannabe like me.

Managing healthy food intake is something many overlook. Sustaining fitness is beyond exercising and looking good. I have met a few ladies who think they need to eat more when they start to run or work out. To avoid such mistake, it is good to seek an expert advise. ADTC offers food plan that includes e-book, meal ideas and recipes, food diary analysis, unlimited e-mail supports and tips to keep you balance and wholesome.

Follow their instagram account atheleasdaughters for healthy recipes @

So sisters, let’s get fitness plans rolling no matter where you are.
You can try out the online personal training plan if you don’t reside in the UK. If you are local and want to look and feel better, join her 40 min session scheduled in Derby, UK next Monday 28th August 2017, 9:30am or contact Safiyyah at Atheleasdaughter@outlook.com for online training.

Nashata

Empowering Active Lifestyle

Category Archives: Fit Moms